Classical Mythology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Classical Mythology - Research Paper Example .., University of..., [Address] Contact: Abstract The present essay deals with various modes of portrayal of the character of Ancient Greek goddess, Aphrodite, in belles-lettres (fiction) in the course of progressive development of literature. It will be argued that the changes in perception of Aphrodite’s image have been connected with the gradual shifts from mythological through religious to modern philosophical outlook, and that in different epochs the character of Aphrodite was used to convey radically different discursive meanings. Keywords: history of literature, mythology, Ancient literature The Portrayal of Aphrodite in Literary Works since the Ancient Times till Post-Modernity Introduction There exist different interpretations of myths in the context of literary works, with Ruthven (1976) presenting an especially coherent view of the various aspects of myth in literature. The purpose of the present study will be to provide a complex analysis of changes in representati on of Aphrodite, the Ancient Greek goddess of love, sexuality and beauty, in literature. The temporal boundaries of the study extend all across the historical spectrum, with the representations of Aphrodite in Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque literature being expounded and compared. Consequently, the main body of the essay will be constructed in accordance with chronological order. The main purpose of the present study is to show the connection between evolution in perception of Aphrodite as a literary character and the changes in general outlook of writers, and the larger society as well. Therefore it should be noted that in order to understand the image of Aphrodite the connection between literature, mythology and religion needs to be assumed. Interpretation of the Image of Aphrodite in Ancient Literature The perception of character of Aphrodite in the period of antiquity was invariably tied to the mythological and broadly religious attributes and functions, which were a ssociated with this goddess. The very tale of her birth was closely connected with the concept of primal, chthonic powers that symbolized the notion of life force. For instance, according to Hesiod (Theog., 189-206), Aphrodite was born out of the seed of Uranus, when the latter was gelded by his son, Cronus, in a bid for power. When the seed of Uranus fell into the sea, it came into contact with the primal force of the Earth and from this Aphrodite was born. Her traditional epithet, Anadyomene (â€Å"the one rising from the sea†), indicates that the connection between the concepts of primal life force and carnal love among humans was keenly felt by the Ancient Greeks of Hesiodean period. The association between the image of Aphrodite and the concept of primal life force in Hesiodean theogony is further substantiated by Hesiod’s mentioning that the Erynies and Gigantes were born at the same time as Aphrodite, albeit out of Uranus’s blood, not seed. This would mea n that initially Aphrodite was viewed as one of the oldest powers in the universum, rather than a mere progeny of Zeus. Further traces of archaic vision of Aphrodite’s nature and powers are enhanced by Hesiod’s mention of Aphrodite’s connection with Erotos, initially an ancient deity spawned by Chaos (Theog., 116). Erotos is later mentioned as a progeny of Aphrodite (Theog., 934), finally being depicted as a child-like god of love, rather than a potent chthonic entity. This reading of the image of Aphr

The Project to Open a New Tesco Superstore Case Study

The Project to Open a New Tesco Superstore - Case Study Example In order to conduct stakeholder analysis for opening new Tesco superstore, the researcher will use Mendelow’s (1981) Matrix. For sake simplicity and preciseness, UK based operation of Tesco superstore will be used as reference point. UK based customers and local society members who will buy food items and grocery items from Tesco superstore. These stakeholders will show interest in the project because opening a new store will increase their convenience for shopping. Their motivation to support the project will be directed by the desire to shop quality food items, chance to get associated with the Tesco brand name etc. Project workers, Suppliers of raw material. These stakeholders will show interest in the project for monetary interest, opportunity to get financial benefit by signing the long-term contract with the company. Their motivation to support the project will be directed by business benefits, remuneration, and higher supply margin. Top-level managers, of Tesco superstore, project managers, and government. These stakeholders will show interest in the project due to political reason, earning corporate tax, monetary compensation for project completion and annual salary. Same reasons will motivate these stakeholders to show green signal to the project. Financial institutions who lend the money to the project, social activists, and local community members. The will show interest in the project for financial and environmental sustainability reasons. Motivation to support the project will be directed by environment sustainability assurance from Tesco, assurance timely repayment of debt with additional interest, good corporate social responsibility (CSR) reputation of the company. In such context, it is suggested to Tesco superstore to use multiple communication channels to communicate the project scope top stakeholders and also engage stakeholders (Jugdev, 2012).

Morality and Generally Good Morals Essay Example for Free

Morality and Generally Good Morals Essay Morals, values and beliefs are all very similar in a way even though they may have different scientific definitions. Everyone in the world has morals, values and beliefs, although they may differ and have different roles in each other’s lives; theses three things all have an impact on how we choose to live our lives in some way. According to the online Merriam Webster dictionary, a moral is defined as something â€Å"concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character. † How we act in certain situations is often based on our morals. With morals, the way one was raised plays a big factor on whether or not that person makes morally right or wrong decisions. More often than not, someone who had a stable and well-rounded upbringing will make more morally right choices in their life compared to someone with less family influence or support. Sometimes there are exceptions with this, but generally good morals are usually instilled in people at a young age which can last a lifetime. A moral can also serve as a lesson or theme which is why the phrase â€Å"the moral of the story† exists. With that being said, it is possible for someone to gain moral values through learning lessons through personal or others’ life experiences. By learning lessons through experiences it allows us to have a better understanding on how to act if a similar experience arises again. One moral value that my parents always stressed me to have was to be honest with everyone. They taught me that with honest actions comes more respect and trust from others, which will be very beneficial in my personal and professional life. Value is defined as â€Å"the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something† by the online Oxford Dictionary. Values are the components of peoples’ lives that they find important and meaningful. People’s values often change throughout their lives as their circumstances change. Personally, my values are education, family, friends and money. All of these are important aspects to me which I find necessary to be content with my life. If I didn’t find education valuable to me I would not be enrolled in school right now. Also, without my family and friends, I would not be who I am today since they serve as a great support system and offer value to my life. Money is important because without it I would not be able to support myself while away at school . For example I would not be able to buy necessary items such as books and supplies to give me the best chance at succeeding in college. As time goes on these values may change to my career, my children and more things that would be more meaningful to me as I get older in age.

Impacts French New Wave Film on Traditional Cinema

Impacts French New Wave Film on Traditional Cinema How and why did the French New Wave upset traditional film grammar? Firstly we must look at the period before French New Wave came about to understand why this movement upset tradition. The French New Wave period reigned from the 1950s to the 1960s and entertained millions of people who watched film at the time. This period is very important as famous directors such as Franà §ois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard emerged. They were the next generation of directors; they had been brought up in a France that had been torn apart after the second World War meaning France was starting to get back on its feet. They had seen the works of directors that had come before this period titling it, cinà ©ma de papa or Dads cinema, and wanted to separate themselves from it. Films prior to the French New Wave period were often dull and had little quality put together in them. Truffaut often wrote in Cahiers du cinà ©ma, a critics magazine on film about the films he had to grow up around. Truffaut displayed an almost obsessive hostility to the post-war French film industry, attacking what he sarcastically labled the French Tradition Of Quality as nothing more than three hundred continuity shots stuck together a hundred and ten times a year. Powrie, P. Marie, M. (2006) p.83 This objectivity towards the cinà ©ma de papa began to grow and new light was being shone on other films that played with different ideas. Directors such as Jean-Pierre Melville started to make films that resembled the French New Wave Movement mixed with other techniques that had been used before. In his film, Bob Le Flambeur, he films it in a film noir style but the film has so many modern aesthetics to it such as its similarities to western gangster genres. This similarity between American film and French was an important reason why the French New Wave Movement upset tradition. We can only imagine what it must have been like to be living in France after the war and have a mass influx of Hollywood cinema that had been imported due to the production of French film being too expensive. Truffaut and Godard had witnessed this through the years and decided to start making films, perhaps influenced from the American films they had seen. Such influences are seen in Les Quatres Cent Coups with the Humphrey Bogart style hat we see Antoine wearing when he steals the type writer, and the same with À bout de souffle with the protagonist dressing like Bogart. Many of the directors and audiences that watched Bob Le Flambeur were amazed at the â€Å"clipped street language, low budget on-location work, moody street scenes and contemporary jazz soundtrack.† (Phillips, R. 2006 ) and this shines through in later works such as À bout de souffle. This was completely going against the previous era of film making in the sense, directors were starting to open up to the outside world and focus on making their own artistic impression. This perhaps can be a reason to why French New Wave upset traditional film grammar. An interesting point to look at is the way in which the generation gap from after the second World War was so concerned about the future of France. In Les Quatres Cent Coups the school master shouts, â€Å"What will France be like in ten years?† (Le s Quotres Cent Coups, 1959) and we can perhaps look at this as being Truffauts own thoughts coming through in the films dialogue. We can also look at the technology that was sweeping across the world at the time. New cameras had started to be produced and this gave people like Godard exactly what they needed to create the sweeping, moving shots we see in À bout de souffle. The American low-budget cinema, on the other hand, tended to be thought of as a commercial and studio-based product, to which Godard pays homage in his dedication of A bout de souffle (1959) to Monogram Pictures. Powrie, P. Reader, K. (2002) p.21 This was a new innovation in film making and made shots look realistic in the sense, cameras could be placed in busy crowds and could follow a person with ease. The shot of Michel in À bout de souffle of him walking through the hotel reception is a prime example of this new technique as he follows the camera through a vast open room without any sight of a film crew in the shot. Continuous shots like this excited Godard and also Truffaut, which is perhaps why he favours using the lightweight camera in Les quatres cent coups where Antoine is running down the road near the end of the film. This gave French New Wave films a sense of freedom and the scene where Antoine is running really symbolises this sense of freedom as the shot of just him breaks out into a panoramic view of the sea something he had long desired in the film. Such big camera shots echo the likes of the Italian Neo-Realism film movement where we saw similarities between the way the directors had placed the camera. The war had changed France a lot and cultures within the country started to feel the difference. French New Wave films began to explore particular human traits such as sex, violence and swearing. This may have shocked an audience twenty years prior to the movement, but instead it seemed to add emphasis to the reality of the film and story. In both À bout de souffle and Les quatres cent coup, we see a great number of references to violence and sex. In À bout de souffle, Michel is seen at the beginning shooting a policeman with a pistol he finds in the car he has stolen. Also, the way in which he speaks to Patricia in the film is quite aggressive and we can see Godard asserting masculinity into the character of Michel. His final words to Patricia are also quite offensive and this definitely would have broken the mould from films in previous years, before French New Wave. The sexual references in the films are very much giving light to the realities of modern day culture. In Les quatres cent coup we see Antoine in the police station with prostitutes and also where he is telling of how a foreigner told him he could use a prostitute even though he is very young. The way these references to violence, sex, and swearing are used in the films adds to the audiences reaction and the reality of the story. By showing people what life is like in the darker parts of Paris, French New Wave directors were able to maintain this reality. Location was a big factor in French New Wave films. The opening scenes of Les quatres cent coups are so important when looking at why the movement may have upset tradition. We see this great tracking shot of the Eiffel tower, a iconic feature of Paris and perhaps symbolising France as a whole. The reason why this upsets traditional film grammar is the way Truffaut has shot this scene with the tower in the background and in the foreground a not so nice Paris. Something that hints Italian Neo-Realism, in the way that the director wants to show the audience realistic scenes instead of a artificial studio set. This idea of getting away from the studio is ever present in French New Wave films. Truffaut discovered a new aesthetics of simplicity and sincerity. Indeed, in taking to the street to escape the heavy-handed rule of the studio system, Truffaut unconsciously doubled the rebellious attitudes and actions of his young protagonist, Antoine Doinel. Powrie, P. Marie, M. (2006) p.83 The whole factor of shooting film out in a busy Parisian street gave French New Wave films a lot more depth and created this sense of a modern France. In À bout de souffle the shots of the actors walking down busy streets enforced this sense of realism and added to the story. French New Wave films pioneered the way films were edited. They were really the first to play with jump cuts and this is apparent in À bout de souffle. This may have upset traditional film grammar because of the fast pace it gave films. the rapidity of the editing and the disorientating scale of the shots means thatMichels crime takes place before the spectator and, we might surmise, before he himself has a chance to realise what is happening. Powrie, P. Marie, M. (2006) p.93 This process of having a very disruptive cut between different characters in one scene can give the film a scene a whole new meaning. To an audience at the time this was quite innovative and gave a scene, quite a disturbing feel to it. This is an example of how directors like Godard played with the idea of Mise En Scà ¨ne. It demonstrates how a meaning can be changed by altering different cuts and camera angles even though we are still hearing the same dialogue. Godard and Truffaut were very interested in the way American Film had been made prior to the French New Wave period and in particular the studio system. Due to France being in an economic problem after the War, it meant studio filming could not be accomplished very often. This contributed to some of the fantastic shots used in French New Wave films. The new wave directors, like their Hollywood predecessors, worked individually and creatively within often severe budgetary constraints and the conventions of the studio genre. Powrie, P. Reader, K. (2002) p.21 This definitely contributed towards the innovative look of French New Wave films but without funding from the French Government. With the generation gap after the war, France needed new directors to carry on film making and to write scripts. â€Å"They were also greatly helped by the introduction, in 1960, of the avance sur recettes, a system of government loans, granted on the basis of a working script, to enable films to be produced. Powrie, P. Reader, K. (2002) p.21 Therefore, we saw a greater amount of scripts and directors willing to create films in France. This contributes towards this upset in traditional film grammar because there is an increased amount of variety from where the films are coming from. There is more of an incentive for innovative films such as the films we see in French New Wave and this certainly is a factor to the movement being successful. To conclude, the French New Wave period marks a great change for Frances film industry. In particular, the directors who contributed to the movement are probably the most influential in the change. Truffaut, a famous film critic turned director believed in auteurism the process in which the directors vision comes across in a film. He liked the idea of the camera being a pen in which he could write out his masterpiece. European art-house directors, such as Renoir or Rossellini, had traditionally been treated as the authors of their films, in much the same way as Balzac or Baudelaire were of the literary texts they signed. Powrie, P. Reader, K. (2002) p.21 Both Truffaut and Godard pay tribute to this auteur theory in their works with Godard even using Balzacs work in Les Quatres Cent Coups as an inspiration to Antoine. The idea of these new directors coming into the limelight and putting their own touch into film was a crucial part of understanding why French New Wave broke the mould and ultimately upset traditional film grammar as it had not been done before to this extent.

The Magyars :: essays research papers fc

The Magyars   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Medieval Period in European History saw several waves of â€Å"barbarians† which helped shape the face of European society. The nomadic tribes of people that lived a migratory life, while other groups were founding civilizations with permanent living centers, are today referred to as barbarians. Two great empires, the Chinese and the Roman, ruled on the extreme edges of the enormous Eurasian continent and were separated by vast distances.1 The people that existed between the two empires and roamed the large wasteland were called â€Å"barbarians.†2 They did not have a permanent living center and therefore raided settled towns and cities for food and riches. Because of there roaming ways and raiding tactics, barbarians were feared and hated in the Medieval World. The word â€Å"barbarian† is presently associated with being backwards, uneducated, or indecent; in one word, uncivilized. These wandering people lived in family orientated groups called clans, which combined together to form a tribe. Tribes depended on one another for protection. Among these barbarian groups where a traveling people known as the Magyars. The Magyars had a major impact on the Carpathian Basin in Central Eastern Europe, and directly affected the picture of the European landscape that we have today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The magyars are a mysterious peoples whose origins and connections are highly debated among scholars and historians. The first place to begin when searching for origins, is the language. The Magyar language is a branch of the Finno-Ugrian family of languages, most nearly related to Finnish, although supplemented by numerous Turkic words.3 The language is very unique and their is no other like it in the world. Popular 2 belief places the origin of the people themselves somewhere in the Orient. The Old Magyar Fatherland was probably situated in the ancient Orient, which we call the Near-East, and played an important role in Mesopotamian lands.4 Linguistic evidence places the Magyars among the ancient Egyptians. Contemporary records speak of a Makari Queen5 from the XXth dynasty; between 1080-940 BC6 Egyptian Kings of the XIXth dynasty forced the Magyars out of Africa for good. From their the people dispersed, moved around the European landmass, including Hungary, and mixed with other peoples.7 Much of the Finno-Ugrian peoples mainly dispersed in the widespread region on the west side of the Ural Mountains.8 It was in this region that the Magyars were exposed to the Turks. Their language was enriched with Turkic elements while maintaining its basic Finno-Ugric characteristics. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the Magyars during this period because of their nomadic ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the end of the 5th century the Magyars had begun their southward migration The Magyars :: essays research papers fc The Magyars   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Medieval Period in European History saw several waves of â€Å"barbarians† which helped shape the face of European society. The nomadic tribes of people that lived a migratory life, while other groups were founding civilizations with permanent living centers, are today referred to as barbarians. Two great empires, the Chinese and the Roman, ruled on the extreme edges of the enormous Eurasian continent and were separated by vast distances.1 The people that existed between the two empires and roamed the large wasteland were called â€Å"barbarians.†2 They did not have a permanent living center and therefore raided settled towns and cities for food and riches. Because of there roaming ways and raiding tactics, barbarians were feared and hated in the Medieval World. The word â€Å"barbarian† is presently associated with being backwards, uneducated, or indecent; in one word, uncivilized. These wandering people lived in family orientated groups called clans, which combined together to form a tribe. Tribes depended on one another for protection. Among these barbarian groups where a traveling people known as the Magyars. The Magyars had a major impact on the Carpathian Basin in Central Eastern Europe, and directly affected the picture of the European landscape that we have today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The magyars are a mysterious peoples whose origins and connections are highly debated among scholars and historians. The first place to begin when searching for origins, is the language. The Magyar language is a branch of the Finno-Ugrian family of languages, most nearly related to Finnish, although supplemented by numerous Turkic words.3 The language is very unique and their is no other like it in the world. Popular 2 belief places the origin of the people themselves somewhere in the Orient. The Old Magyar Fatherland was probably situated in the ancient Orient, which we call the Near-East, and played an important role in Mesopotamian lands.4 Linguistic evidence places the Magyars among the ancient Egyptians. Contemporary records speak of a Makari Queen5 from the XXth dynasty; between 1080-940 BC6 Egyptian Kings of the XIXth dynasty forced the Magyars out of Africa for good. From their the people dispersed, moved around the European landmass, including Hungary, and mixed with other peoples.7 Much of the Finno-Ugrian peoples mainly dispersed in the widespread region on the west side of the Ural Mountains.8 It was in this region that the Magyars were exposed to the Turks. Their language was enriched with Turkic elements while maintaining its basic Finno-Ugric characteristics. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the Magyars during this period because of their nomadic ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the end of the 5th century the Magyars had begun their southward migration

Transmission of the Plague to Humans Essay -- Biology Medical Biomedic

Transmission of the Plague to Humans Abstract Yersinia pestis is a bacterium that has been well known to mankind for centuries. Its mechanisms of survival in wide variety of species are extraordinary. The power of this bacterium is dependent on its manipulation of the immune system of its host’s. Its means of survival in the flea and its use of the flea as a vector to other desirable hosts portray this bacterium’s true capability. This flea is the main cause of the bacterium to other animals, especially humans. However, the bacterium does not just stop here; it uses its coded proteins to inhibit the host’s immune system and the host’s cellular functions to aid in its survival in the organism. One of the most deadly diseases to strike mankind is the plague. The plague has survived for centuries and has claimed the lives of millions throughout the years. The plague is caused by a gram-negative bacterium known as Yersinia pestis. There have been three major pandemics due to this bacterium. Although it does not seem as deadly now as it was in the Middle Ages, it is still very much alive and present. There are three types of plague: the bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic plague. The bubonic and septicimic plague are only transmitted by the flea, but the pneumonic plague can spread through the air in droplets or by physical contact. At times, transmission can also occur from infected rodents, cats or other animals through bites and scratches (Phillips, 2004). The bacteria’s key for survival lies in its vast variety of hosts. Its mechanism in manipulating the host’s cellular functions has enabled it to take control and survive through the years. However, the process that the bacteria must go through in order to infect a human relie... ...berlain/Website/lectures/lecture/plague.htm 2. Jarrett, C. et al. Transmission of Yersinia pestis from an infectious biofilm in the flea vector. Journal of Infectious Diseases. (2004) v190 I4 p783 3. Kool, J. (2005). Risk of Person-to-Person Transmission of Pneumonic Plague. Healthcare Epedimiology. July 24, 2005: http://www.nycosh.org/workplace_hazards/Biosafety/PlagueArticle4-05.pdf 4. Kopp, E, Medzhitov, R (14 October 2002). A Plague on Host Defense. The Journal of Experimental Medicine. July 24, 2005: http://www.jem.org/cgi/content/full/jem.20021311v1 5. Phillips, F. (2004). Bioterrorism: Plague. Anne Arundel County Department of Health, Maryland. July 27, 2005: http://www.aahealth.org/physicianslink/bioterrorism_plague_overview.asp 6. Velendzas, D (2005). Plague. Emedicine. July 21, 2005: http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic428.htm#section~author_information

Desert Flower Essay

As they say, everyone has one story to write about – their own. But when you have a story like that of Waris Dirie, it will make a book truly worth reading. Last weekend while I was browsing at the local bookstore, I picked up Desert Flower. Waris Dirie grew up as a nomad in Somalia, until she ran way from home at the age of 14. With no language skills, no formal education and not much of external support, the lady goes on to become a model and then a UN Ambassador. She has been subjected to so many horrors, which would have definitely crushed a lesser human being. How does anyone not feel bitter after being subjected to genital mutilation at the age of five and then having had to survive a few rape attempts? At every step of the way, she is faced with so many hardships and you often find yourself wondering how in the world would she get out of this one? You find yourself wishing that somehow, she would. And then miraculously, she does. If it were fiction, I would have scoffed at it saying its too far-fetched. But that this is someoneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s real life makes it truly exceptional. For many parts of the book, I felt that I was part of a surreal world. After a long time, I felt like this was a book that stretched the boundaries of my imagined world – life in an African desert had definitely been a black box to me. The book is well written. I loved the simple way in which the story is told. It is in stark contrast to the twists and turns that happens in the story matter. And that the book treats some of the unfortunate, shocking I should say, incidents so matter of factly leaves it to the reader to fill up the emotions – which is such a better way of writing, than to try and direct our feelings. Despite all the differences that most readers would have with the author, the book has a universal appeal. At the core, it is a story of human determination and grit. A young woman who, with her confidence and perseverance, overcomes the many prejudices, myriad difficulties and outright injustices to find a place of her own in this world and to then strive towards making this world a better place for the rest of us to live in. Now isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t that who we all really wish we were – whether we are born a Somali nomad or not? All in a all, a book not to be missed.