Leda and the Swan Essay Example

Leda and the Swan Essay The background of Yeats poem Leda and the Swan is both intricate and central to the development of Yeats poetic vision and his poetic voice. Although the original impetus for the poems composition, according to Yeats, was political, the poem as it evolved to completion concerns itself much more with myth and the human religious impulse than with overt political themes. However, a political interpretation of the poem, specifically one which takes as its departure point, the evident gender-specific themes and symbolic building-blocks of Yeats theme in the poem, can be readily extrapolated and provides an insight into the potential strengths and weaknesses of the poems theme and composition.The persistent political ramifications of the poem, as mentioned, began originally as Yeats response to a poem-by-request: I wrote Leda and the Swan because the editor of a political review asked me for a poem (Melchiori 77) and Yeats original vision for the poem was to create a work which refuted th e individualist, demagogic movement, founded by Hobbes and popularized by the Encyclopaedists and the French Revolution (Melchiori 77) and which sought to re-ignite a birth from above, preceded by some violent annunciation (Melchiori 77).   Although Yeats wandered considerably far from his original conception, the final version   of Leda and the Swan retains both of the key ideas of the original inspiration: a general theme of rebirth, and a theme of violent annunciation.   The first theme became less directly political or philosophical and emerged as a rebirth not of individualism, but of a mystical spiritualism, and the second theme, that of violent annunciation was projected, as we will shortly describe, onto gender-specific symbols. This projection of violence onto gender-based symbols carries the lions share of the poems political ramifications, at least for modern readers.Yeats, for a long period during his developing career had intuited, in his personal creative impuls e, a vague association between the swan image and the idea of the annunciation of a new cult, or a new civilization (Melchiori 99) and it was this urge, rather than a blatantly political urge, which ultimately found expression in Leda and the Swan.   However, in Yeats deepest imaginative core as a poet, he connected both personal destiny and epic historical events as being   produced by the conjunction and the conflict of human and animal forms (Melchiori 78). This schism or duality projects specific conclusions regarding the nature of humanity: The animal symbolizes not only the lowest physical impulses uncontrolled by reason [] but also the superhuman, transcendental powers (Melchiori 78) and as such the surrender to such dualistically charged powers re[resents a surrender to both potentially positive and potentially deranging influences. The key is that surrender rather than integration or harmonic convergence is indicated; violence is indicated, which in turn demands that th ere be a target for violence to be acted upon.Not surprisingly, Yeats inclination to rely upon the Leda and the Swan myth to find a scaffolding for his poem demanded that he adopt an overtly misogynistic point of view as the myth itself intrinsically deals with rape as an agency of rebirth adn empowerment.  Ã‚   Had Yeats chosen to express the myth ironically through a modern viewpoint which took into account the genuine socio-political ramifications and consequences of rape he might have turned the essentially misogyny of his theme to good purpose and to a political purpose which, in fact, would have served as a new vision of individualism and certainly one which stood in utter opposition to Hobbes. Instead, Yeats embraced the Leda and the Swan myth, rape and all, not only mythically but mystically and in doing so, forwarded a politically incorrect theme which can be read as both misogynistic and essentially dismissive of feminine capacity as a passive and incomplete impulse.To t he modern reader, lines such as A sudden blow: the great wings beating still/Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed/By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill,/He holds her helpless breast upon his breast (Yeats, 1-4) are not apt to signal, even in symbolist connotation, the birth of a new civilization which has been spawned by the violent cathartic influence of new myth.  Ã‚   That is what Yeats intended, that the symbols of the poem function as a series of revelations which announces an advent parallel to the birth of Christianity (Melchiori 276). Rather, the rape motif of the poem, rendered in such violent lines as:A shudder in the loins engenders there (Yeats, 9) or Being so caught up,/So mastered by the brute blood of the air, (Yeats, 12-13) is used to forward the quintessential patriarchal ideas of feminine energy (and actual womens bodies) being acted upon by force to initiate rebirth. This strategy equates women, both at the abstract and concrete level, with ut ter powerlessness and derives only a single purpose of femininity: that it be acted upon by male energy.In conclusion, because Yeats poem does, so explicitely miss the opportunity to re-envision the essentially misogynistic attributes of the Leda and the Swan myth, the poem, by definition, cannot be what Yeats intended it to be a poem which signaled the poets vision of a new age of myth and spiritual understanding. It is very difficult for the modern reader to conceive of any new myth of spiritual awakening on any significant cultural or historical level which did not include the absolutely natural eradication   of the very kind of misogyny which forms the central thematic core of Yeats celebrated sonnet.

s Paradox

Consumerism, Society’s Paradox! Consumerism, a term likely unfamiliar to many, describes a condition which dramatically impacts our very existence. Consumerism interferes with the workings of society by replacing the normal desire for an adequate supply of life’s necessities, community life, a stable family, and healthy relationships, with an artificial ongoing and instable quest for things and the money to buy them with little regard for the actual product purchased. Countless people, in many of the world’s industrialized nations, spend the vast majority of their lives toiling through mounds of work, all to achieve one common reward, Money. All of these hours are spent in the name of leisure or a better way of life yet this is the very experience that it deprives from us. To better understand the true cause and effect of this monster that is consumerism, we need to take a look at what it is. In a sense, consumerism is that new CD that you have got to buy or the new car that if you are not able to get, you simply will not be able to continue. When you desire a non-essential product marketed in the leisure arena, you contribute to the escalation of consumerism. The United States, with only six percent of the world’s total population, consumes in excess of thirty percent of its resources (Enough, Campaign). When you have something that you absolutely want, and the key word here is want, what do you do? The average person, when in such a situation, reacts by simply working longer hours or taking on some other type of work to supplement their income. This altered work style leads to the perpetuation of a materialistic society that rapidly forgets the fundamental values which civilization has been based on for many years. The age-old question is: ca n money buy you happiness? This is the fundamental subject that corporate America plays on in its drive to expand a dwindling market place. Consumers tend to underestimate the real pow... 's Paradox Free Essays on Consumerism, Society\'s Paradox Consumerism, Society’s Paradox! Consumerism, a term likely unfamiliar to many, describes a condition which dramatically impacts our very existence. Consumerism interferes with the workings of society by replacing the normal desire for an adequate supply of life’s necessities, community life, a stable family, and healthy relationships, with an artificial ongoing and instable quest for things and the money to buy them with little regard for the actual product purchased. Countless people, in many of the world’s industrialized nations, spend the vast majority of their lives toiling through mounds of work, all to achieve one common reward, Money. All of these hours are spent in the name of leisure or a better way of life yet this is the very experience that it deprives from us. To better understand the true cause and effect of this monster that is consumerism, we need to take a look at what it is. In a sense, consumerism is that new CD that you have got to buy or the new car that if you are not able to get, you simply will not be able to continue. When you desire a non-essential product marketed in the leisure arena, you contribute to the escalation of consumerism. The United States, with only six percent of the world’s total population, consumes in excess of thirty percent of its resources (Enough, Campaign). When you have something that you absolutely want, and the key word here is want, what do you do? The average person, when in such a situation, reacts by simply working longer hours or taking on some other type of work to supplement their income. This altered work style leads to the perpetuation of a materialistic society that rapidly forgets the fundamental values which civilization has been based on for many years. The age-old question is: ca n money buy you happiness? This is the fundamental subject that corporate America plays on in its drive to expand a dwindling market place. Consumers tend to underestimate the real pow...

What You Need to Know About Libel Laws

What You Need to Know About Libel Laws As a reporter, its crucial to understand the basics of libel and libel law. Generally speaking, the United States has the freest press in the world, as guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. American journalists are generally free to pursue their reporting wherever it may take them, and to cover topics, as The New York Times motto puts it, â€Å"without fear or favor.† But that doesn’t mean reporters can write anything they want. Rumor, innuendo, and gossip are things hard-news reporters generally avoid (as opposed to reporters on the celebrity beat). Most importantly, reporters do not have the right to libel the people they write about. In other words, with great freedom comes great responsibility. Libel law is where the press freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment meet the requirements of responsible journalism. What Is Libel? Libel is published defamation of character, as opposed to spoken defamation of character, which is slander. Libel: Exposes a person to hatred, shame, disgrace, contempt or ridicule.Injures a person’s reputation or causes the person to be shunned or avoided.Injures the person in his or her occupation. Examples might include accusing someone of having committed a heinous crime, or of having a disease that might cause them to be shunned. Two other important points: Libel is by definition false. Anything that is provably true cannot be libelous.â€Å"Published† in this context simply means that the libelous statement is communicated to someone other than the person being libeled. That can mean anything from an article thats photocopied and distributed to just a few people to a story that appears in a newspaper with millions of subscribers. Defenses Against Libel There are several common defenses a reporter has against a libel lawsuit: Truth Since libel is by definition false, if a journalist reports something that is true it cannot be libelous, even if it damages a person’s reputation. Truth is the reporter’s best defense against a libel suit. The key is in doing solid reporting so that you can prove something is true.Privilege Accurate reports about official proceedings – anything from a murder trial to a city council meeting or a congressional hearing – cannot be libelous. This may seem like an odd defense, but imagine covering a murder trial without it. Conceivably, the reporter covering that trial could be sued for libel every time someone in the courtroom accused the defendant of murder.Fair Comment Criticism This defense covers expressions of opinion, everything from movie reviews to columns on the ops might include a rock critic ripping into the latest Beyonce CD, or a political columnist writing that she believes President Obama is doing a horrible job. Public Officials vs. Private Individuals In order to win a libel lawsuit, private individuals need only prove that an article about them was libelous and that it was published. But public officials – people who work in government at the local, state or federal level – have a tougher time winning libel lawsuits than private individuals. Public officials must not only prove that an article was libelous and that it was published; they must also prove it was published with something called â€Å"actual malice.† Actual malice means that: The story was published with the knowledge that it was false.The story was published with reckless disregard of whether or not it was false. Times vs. Sullivan This interpretation of libel law comes from the 1964 U.S. Supreme Court ruling Times vs. Sullivan. In Times vs. Sullivan, the court said that making it too easy for government officials to win libel suits would have a chilling effect on the press and its ability to aggressively report on the important issues of the day. Since Times vs. Sullivan, the use of the â€Å"actual malice† standard to prove libel has been expanded from just public officials to public figures, which basically means anyone who is in the public eye. Put simply, politicians, celebrities, sports stars, high-profile corporate executives and the like all must meet the â€Å"actual malice† requirement in order to win a libel suit. For journalists, the best way to avoid a libel suit is to do responsible reporting. Don’t be shy about investigating wrongdoing committed by powerful people, agencies, and institutions, but make sure you have the facts to back up what you say. Most libel lawsuits are the result of careless reporting.

Descriptive Statistics in Research Domains Essay - 1

Descriptive Statistics in Research Domains - Essay Example In the simplest terms, the mean represents the average of a group of data and is the most widely used descriptive statistic since further statistical analysis tends to depend on the mean and its variance (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010). The research under analysis examined the medical home model for its robustness as a predictor of â€Å"decreased utilization of health services and increased patient satisfaction† (Cooley, McAllister, Sherrieb, & Kuhlthau, 2009). Data was collected through 43 differentiated care practices that were being implemented under 7 different medical home model regimes in 5 different states in the United States. The overall sample set consisted of 42 children though most children were affected by more than one condition including chronic medical problems. The study is more exploratory than experimental since it seeks to establish the efficacy of an already implemented medical care system. The Medical Health Index (MHI) was utilized to measure the â€Å"medical homeness† of each medical home concept model (Cooley, McAllister, Sherrieb, & Kuhlthau, 2009). The research investigated various independent variables such as organizational capacity, condition management, care coordinatio n etc. in order to measure the MHI for each model. It was found that a higher MHI signified a more effective medical home concept model. Overall the study was easy to read and the assumptions were clearly spelt out to aid understanding. The mean is typically utilized in conjunction with the standard deviation to express the conformance of data to a centralized average. The internal validity of data can be established if the collected data tends to exhibit with a mean with a low standard deviation (Creswell, 2009). The mean was employed throughout the research being analysed for describing the total outcome for various variables and correlation levels. The mean for a particular variable is calculated by using the overall sample set and calculating its average.  

CASE STUDY Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Case Study Example DIAD V will be smaller in size as compared to DIAD IV; automatic jumping between cellular networks and this will enable DIAD V to provide high rate of connectivity; WI-FI support for faster data transfer rates (Anonymous p.592). Further, the new DIAD V will have color, autofocus flash camera that will enable drivers to scan bar codes and capture signatures for delivery; processor that will increase storage; and color display for GPS support navigation (Anonymous p.592). Development of technology by any company depends on numerous factors. However, the critical among these factors is the amount of resources the company has to channel to the technology and the business and customer needs the technology will meet. Given these two big factors, it can be deduced that shipping industry is very dynamic and customer and employee needs can be regarded to be fluid. Therefore, designing its own technology, UPS is able to tailor-make technology that resonate with both organizational needs, available resources and customer needs and also that has room for modification in future as the needs in the market change. Globalization is exerting pressure on businesses to adapt information management systems that are efficient, cost-effective and that result into customer satisfaction. As a result, UPS as a shipping company has become a leader in technology and innovation as a way of improving customer services, leveraging competitive advantage over its competitors, and minimizing costs of doing business. The company created a program known as My SHC Community Customers of Sears and Kmart (Anonymous p.636). Members were encouraged to become part of something new, which also was different. The program facilitated online interactive community, where members were supposed to give their views and opinions on what they wanted (Anonymous p.636). As

Nelson Mandela Essay Example for Free

Nelson Mandela Essay Nelson Mandela was a man of honor. A man who sacrificed his life for the betterment of others. He was born July 18, 1918 in South Africa. He grew up in a segregated country. He later became an activist against apartheid. He protested and paraded the country. He got arrested and spends the next 27 years in prison. He still did not give up the fight against apartheid. After getting out of prison he became the first democratic elected president of South Africa from 1991 to 1997. After his presidency he created several nonprofit organizations to help and make South Africa better. Nelson Mandela was a man who doesnt care what people say or think about him. He always does what he thinks is right even when the majority disagrees with him he still goes on doing what he thinks is best. When he started fighting to end apartheid, he knew that he was sacrificing his life. He knew that his life was shortened. That death was near, but he doesnt care because he knows that his sacrifice will pay off eventually. Nelson Mandela was born in South Africa. All through his childhood, living in South Africa as a black man was brutal because of the apartheid. There was different school for black children. Restaurants were segregated, maids were used as slaves. Growing up, the rule at that time was that at 6 pm, a siren would sound, which meant that no black people were allowed on the streets after that time. If they are caught by the police they had to show prove of identity. If they couldn’t produce this, they were arrested and put in jail. Black South Africans owned noting during that era. No houses, no cars and they weren’t allowed to have accounts of any kind. Even at the mall there were different bathrooms for white people. Park benches were segregated public water fountains were segregated. Almost everything starting from the public transit to owning an apartment was separated between whites and blacks in South Africa. In 1961, Nelson Mandela became leader of the armed wing branch of government. He protested all over the country, sabotaging the apartheid government. Since the non-violent way of trying to end apartheid is not working, he devices a plan which call to destroying several government buildings. Such as, the post office, the police station and other government offices. It worked great until citizens started getting killed in the buildings. The police arrested him on numerous occasions, with no solid evidence they let him go. Finally they arrested him for treason and sabotaging the government. After getting arrested he was sentenced to 27years in prison. In the winter of 1964, Nelson Mandela arrived on Robben Island where he would spend 18 years of his 27 years prison sentence. Put in a small cell, with no bed, just a bucket for a toilet, he was forced to do hard labor in a quarry. He was granted one visitor a year for 30 minutes. He could write and receive one letter every six months. But Robben Island became the place, which transformed him. Through his intelligence, charm and relentless pursuit, Mandela eventually controlled even the most brutal prison officers to his will. He gained leadership over his prison mates and became the head of his own prison.

Nathaniel Hawthorne :: essays research papers

Nathaniel Hawthorne The 19th century had many great achievements happen within its 100-year time period. From the building of the Erie Canal, to the steel plow being invented. From the invention of the telegraph, to Thomas Edison creating the first light bulb. While all of these inventions have stood the test of time, one has lasted just as long; the inspiring tales a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1804. His name by birth was Nathaniel Hawthorne. He added the w to his name when he began to sign his stories. ("Nathaniel Hawthorne" American Writers II) One of Hawthorne’s ancestors was actually a judge in the Salem witch trials. The guilt and shame Hawthorne felt of his ancestors were included in some of his stories. (McGraw Hill, pg.67) Hawthorne’s father was a sea captain. He died of fever when Hawthorne was only four. Shortly after his father’s death, his mother was forced to move her three children into her parent’s home and then into her brother’s home in Maine. Hawthorne’s childhood was not particularly abnormal, as many famous authors have claimed to have. Hawthorne attended Bowdoin College and graduated after four years. After graduation, he returned to Salem. Contrary to his family’s expectations, Hawthorne did not begin to read law or enter business, rather he moved into his mother’s house to turn himself into a writer. Hawthorne wrote his mother, "I do not want to be a doctor and live by men’s diseases, nor a minister to live by their sins, nor a lawyer and live by their quarrels. So, I don’t see that there is anything left for me but to be an author." (" American Writers II, pg. 227) For the next twelve years Hawthorne lived in his mother’s house. He Seldemly went out except late at night, or when going to another city. " I had read endlessly all sorts of good and good for nothing boo ks, and in dearth of other employment, had early begun to scribble sketches and stories, most of which I burned." Reflected Hawthorne. (McGraw Hill, pg.68) Hawthorne’s first novel, Fanshawe, was published anonymously in 1828 at his own expense. Because of a lack of sales, Hawthorne recalled every copy he could find of the book and destroyed them. When a local printer delayed publishing his Seven Tales of My Native Land, Hawthorne withdrew the manuscript and burned it " in a mood half-savage, half-despairing.