Monday, September 30, 2019

Broken Rites in Hamlet

In order to understand the role of the rites in Hamlet, one must conceptualize the ritual. The rites in Hamlet concern mainly marriage, mourning and funeral. It is crucial to distinguish their specific nature to detect how they participate in the tragedy. Arnold van Gennep identified and elaborated in his works that birth, puberty, marriage and death are the principal changes in life of an individual and that of the society. He defined and qualified them in the book of the same name as The Rites of Passage (Van Geppen).Every passage understands the successive phases of separation, liminality and re-corporation in order to allow the emotional adaptation of an individual to the transition. The transition can be particulary dangerous for the concord of the social life as its cataclysmal habitual order. Since the rites of passage are designed to avoid the possible disturbance when regulating each changing in the society, the broken rites of passage concieve the impetus for the desintegra tion.In the course of this effort to disclose the extent of the broken rites in Hamlet of how it can affect on disjonction in the play, I will analyse them as the very motor of the tragic in the play. The investigation of the broken rites in Hamlet as those that became infallible when taking in consideration the socio-cultural pecularities of the historical period of the 16th and early 17th centuries. The Plague and also the Protestant movement resulted in the abolishment of the funeral rites that could be the last and only possible defence against the all powerful, inexorable death.In the sequel, the deep and extreme human anxiety before the death rose. In the work of Michael Neil, The Issues of Death: Mortality and Identity in English Renaissance Tragedy, he made apparent how the loss of the ritual is connected with the loss of the identity. In these terms, the investigation of the broken rites is particularly relevant for the reconsideration of Hamlet because many inerpreters of the work have focused on Hamlet's character as the central axis of the tragedy (Coyle). In choosing to focus on rites, one gets a more complex understanding on what occurs in the play and how theproblematical interaction between cultural expectations and individual tendencies are tragically intertwined. Exploring the substance of the broken rites in Hamlet which explicitly stands for unmasking and accusation of the order based on the lies throw the new light upon the mechanism of the tragedy. PART I: Broken Rites as the Starting Point of the Tragic Impulse. The play is obsessed with death. Its very exposition is marked by mortal events: the old King of Denmark kills the old King of Norway, the majesty of buried Denmark (1. I. I.48) appears as a Ghost. However, the starting point of the tragic impulse is asserted by the broken rites of the funeral and marriage. The mirth in funeral and dierge in mariage/In equal scale weighing delight and dole (2. I. 2. 12). It is consequentially imp ortant to conceive that these two broken rites serve for the determinant in the inner disintegration of Hamlet. The dead King, Old Hamlet did not receive the proper mourning, due to him, hence the narration chain of his memory is broken. Especially when in a very short time, his wife marries his brother.Two months dead-nay not so much, not two A little month, or ere those shoes were old, With which she followed my poor father's body†¦ a beast that wants discourse of reason Would have mourned longer-married with my uncle My father's brother†¦ the salt of most unrighteous tears†¦ incestuous sheets!(I. 2. 138-154) â€Å"No windy suspiration of forced breath, /No, nor the fritful river in the eye, /Nor the dejected havior of the visage†( I. 2. 79-81). Hamlet is alone to â€Å"give these mourning duties to your father† ( I. 2. 88) and to be dressed in black, while the rest of the court-including the queen-are already in the â€Å"remembrance of ourselvesâ₠¬  ( I. 2. 7 ) by admitting with pleasure the changes of hierarchy and moral behavior that Claudius institutes: â€Å"The funeral baked meats/Did coldly furnish forth th emarriage tables† ( I. 2. 180-181).The origin of the tragic must be detected properly. To do this, it is helpful to refer to Steiner's definition of tragedy which is defined as â€Å"the tragic personage is broken by forces which can neither be fully understood, nor overcome by rational prudence†¦ Tragedy is irreparable† (Dollimore). The irreparable begins with the irreparably broken rites of the funeral and marriage of Hamlet’s parents, the King and Queen of Denmark that Hamlet assumes on his own. Therefore before learning the truth from the Ghost, which will turn the tragedy into a revenge, the tragedy is set already.Before learning the truth , the hero's self is disjointed : O that this too too solid flesh would melt, /thaw and resolve itself into a dew,/Or that the Everlasting had not fixed/His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter†¦ ( I. 2. 129-133). Some historical facts are necessary to evoke in order to understand the whole picture of the tragedy. Funeral and mourning rites were substantial in the Elizabethan period maingly in order to maintain the social order and the psychological defense against mortality (Tylliard).The Plague had brought in the brutal abolishment of funeral rites wherein the mass burials of all classes have no distinction in common pits without any hierarchy. The denial of the purgatory by Protestants resulted into â€Å"a painfully private apocalypse,† placing the deceased â€Å"beyond our help† (Neil). The tormenting thoughts that death strikes anyone at any moment and that â€Å"a king may go a progress through the guts of beggar† (4. 3. 30) roused extreme anxiety on the issues of death. This anxiety has developed into a profound meditation on mortality and identity.That is why the melancholic character Hamlet ha d always â€Å"his eyes turned into his very soul. † The certitude of anything, the balance were beyond any human power or will and hence any change seemed even more tormenting. The marriage to a deceased husband's brother was forbidden by the Church, whether Catholic or Protestant (Shakespear). Claudius introduces the unnatural marriage by the shift from our â€Å"sometimes sister† to â€Å"wife† ( I. 2. 8-14). Therefore it is an already irreparably broken marriage rite before learning that Gertrude was seduced and then committed adultery in the sacred marriage.The role of the rites of passage is to guarantee the smooth adaptation to change. But Hamlet was stuck in the phase of limination even before learning the truth from the Ghost. His limination phase was his mourning. He was between the live and the death, where the death was the material category. The impossibility of his passage out of mourning was reinforced by the fact that he already mentioned that he is the only mourned, hence twicely isolated. The phase of re-incorporation to the world of the dead is the most significant in the funeral rite (Van Geppen 210).Assurance was not given to Old Hamlet, as there was no separation and liminality. Separation: he was honored no relief, no purification: â€Å"Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,/Unhouseled, dis-appointed, unaneled, /No reckoning made, but sent to my account/With all my imperfections on my head. † Limination: no proper mourning. In the sequel, The King Hamlet was not re-incorporated and that is why he appears as a Ghost. He is ineffectual to reach â€Å"the country from wich nor traveller returns†( 3. 1. 80-81).Horatio's words about the Ghost seem unrelevant at first reading but in reality they are important for the perception of the tragedy structure. â€Å"What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord,/Or to the dreadful summit of cliff†¦ Which might deprive your soveregnty of reson/and draw you i nto madness? †( 1. 4. 48-53) The individuals that were not accorded with the proper funeral rites could never integrate into the world of the dead. This kind of dead was particularly dangerous as they were trying to penetrate there at the expense of the living beings. Usually they were marked by the desire of vengeance (Van Geppen 229-230).The passage out the liminality is possible only through the successful re-incorporation (Van Geppen 211). Can King Hamlet be re-incorporated if Hamlet revenges? Or does the chase to repair forever broken store the true mousetrap for the hero himself? The same the re-incorporation phase of mariage is never re-incorporated by Hamlet. His mother not only reintegrated in the social life, but she lives her new marriage in the amplitude of plaesures. Having been re-incorporated by others, the rite of marriage does not concern the court as it concerns Hamlet.The latter has not passed through the phases and that is why he finds himself ruptured from society. To reconstitute the inverted natural order of things, Hamlet must restore the broken chain of narration. His father must be remembered and Claudius must be punished. PART II Sleeping Dog But what restoring the memory that is restoring the broking rites inserts for the hero? Is his invocation for a retribution a possibility to reahibilitate the former natural order or is it a course towards an inevitable tragic end? One of the hero's attempts to restore the memory is the introducing of the Moustrap.The broken rites' great instigation of the unnatural is contrasting with the situation in the speech on Priam's slaughter. He maternity†¦ and for a robe,/About her lank and fall o'er-teemed loins, A blanket in th'alarum†¦ (2. 2. 498-99), wouild have made milch the burning eyes (2. 2. 508) is opposed to Gertrude's adulltry unrighteous tears( 1. 2. 155). Hecube mourning was so intense that the death or the Fortune's Wheel would treason have pronounced (2. 2. 502). It stre ssed the potent power of the rite. When the rite is devoutly respected, it can accomplish the miracles.After his successful attempt to reveal the truth, Hamlet does not kill Claudious during his attempt to pray because he must ensure the bad phase of separation for him and not to â€Å"send him to heaven. † He must be killed in â€Å"the blossom of his sin† as Old Hamlet to get stuck in the tormenting limination phase. Trying to resrore the irrepareble broken rites by restoring the memory of his father, the hero has desperately condemened to the tragic end. The atonement of the obscure past is impossible without the occurence of new tragic events. As a consequence, the individual crisis of Hamlet was becoming more contradictive and more tormenting.The successive broken rites were reperpetuted throughout the play: the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern deaths, the â€Å"hugger-mugger† way of Polonius burial which causes the disjunction in the minds of his children. It is relevant here to mark that Ophelia suffered quite the similar inner disintegration issued from the broken rites than that of Hamlet. Her father's death was insultingly dishonorable. The marriage that she prepared was abolished and hence, she can only be analyzed as stuck in the phase of the liminality. The songs in her madness speak out: â€Å"Larded with sweet flowers, /Which bewept to the grave did not go /With true-love showers.† â€Å"You promised me to wed†¦. Stricktly speaking, the death of innocent Ohelia is provoked by these two broken rites introducing a new variotion on â€Å"mirth in funeal and dierge in marriage:† â€Å"I thought thy bridebed to have decked, sweet maid† (5. 1. 154). The inexorable insistence on the irreparable collapse caused by the broken rites works up the tragedy. So considering Ophelia's death â€Å"doubtful,† the priest deprieves her from the correct obsequious rites: â€Å"Yet here she is allowed her virgin rit es†¦ †( 5. 1. 222); Hamlet: â€Å"And such maimed rites? This doth betoken/ The corpse they follow did with desp'rate hand† ( 5. 1. 209-210).Moreover, one of the Clown concludes that â€Å"if this had not been a gentlewoman, she have been buried out of Christian burial† (5. 1. 23-24). Ophelia's tragic accompined by the tokens of floral innocence end seems to be one of the most dramatic and the ambigues quarrel of Hamlet and Laertes on her coffin only exacerbates the task of restoring the rememberance. Claudious is speculating on the rite of mourning, when inciting Laertes agaings Hamlet. Was your father dear to you? /Or are you like the painting of sorrow,/A face without a heart? ( 4. 7. 95-96). The rite stakes in the sort: â€Å"To cut his throat i'th'church† ( 4. 7. 103).PART III: The effect on the identity or how the broken rites change the perception of life Exploring the anxieties and in particular the anxieties concerning the funeral and mournin g rites, the play is imminently influenced by the memento mori traditions. Making apparent the similitude of the skulls in the scene with the grave-diggers, Hamlet broods on the subject of death. The tragic emphasis intensified when unwillingly but opportunately the grief of Ophelia's death was fractured by the joking with the Yourick skull: â€Å"Now get you to my lady's chamber, and tell her, let her paint and inch thick, to this favor she must come.Make her laugh at that†( 5. 1. 184-185). And accordingly if addressed to the living this joke would have brought rather melancholy than joy. Melancholy emerges with the awareness of the loss of a geocentric and athropocentric universe, the loss of the centre. In this mesh, â€Å"the melancholic finds the opportunity to re-centre himself† (Curti 156-157). Hamlet is trying to reconstitute himself through the restoration of the rememeberance which became his obsession. In the last scenes of the play, Hamlet was getting more and more aware of the imporance of the a good death also for himself.The issue of the suicide was left aside in the first two acts. Hamlet percieved that the good end may be guaranteed by noone, but oneself. â€Å"Readiness is all† (5. 2. 169). This equivocal statement accounts also for the excuses that Hamlet presents to Laertes before his possible end. â€Å"The soldiers' music and the rites of war/ Speak loudly for him† (5. 2. 352-53) can not truely be appease the initial disjointing of time and state. Even if the solemn obsequious march that ends the play indemnify on a certain level the lack of the accomplished rite, Fortinbras is a foreigner and the former enemy who had taken the rule in his hands.The cost of this â€Å"truly delivered† ( 5. 2. 338) restoration of a piece of memory is the tragic end of the whole kindom. Conlcusion Exploring the role of the broken rites in Hamlet as the motor of the tragic in the play cannot be a delusion, but is a broad fi eld of research of the precision in the approaches of the understanding of the tragedy. Alternatively, from the very broken cemectries of Caesar's Rome and to the groteskly solemn funeral rites on Hamlet's honor, the broken rites are confirmed to possessan an eldritch power to affect on the social as well as on the individual.Proving their susceptibility to unremitting reproduction of the new broken rites that bind us towards a more sophisticated account of the mechanism of the emergence of the successive tragic impulses in the play, the critical reading of the play from the broken rites axis. Bearing in mind the social and cultural context of the 16 th and early 17th centuries and in particular the memento mori and the arts of death traditions, the play does not impend the remorseless broken rites to gratify the tragedy. Works Cited Coyle, Martin. Hamlet. UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 1992.Curti, Lidia. Female Stories, Female Bodies. Narrative identity and Representation. New York: Macmi llan Press, 1998. Dollimore, Jonathan. Radical Tragedy: Religion, Ideology and Power in the Drama of Shakespeare and his Contemporaries. New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1984. Neil, Michael. Issues of Death: Mortality and Identity in English Renaissance Tragedy. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1998. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. G. R. Hibbard. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1987. Tylliard, Eustace M. W. The Elizabethan World Picture. US: Penguin, 1990. Van Geppen, Arnold. Les Rites de Passage.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Computer Games Essay

Computer games have been more popular in recent years, particularly with children. Some people think that video games only bring a great number of disadvantages to the users, while the others perceive them as a harmless form of enjoyment as well as a wonderful tool to educate their offspring. In this essay, I would advocate the view that the benefits of playing games outweigh its drawbacks. To begin with the detrimental effects, the most common reason to underrate computer simulation games is that it takes too much time of the users to sit in front of the screen rather than playing sports or doing some cultural activities with their beloved ones. On average, the people who play games too frequently tend to lead to a sedentary lifestyle and pose social problems. For instance, I have a boy friend in my class. He always want to talk about games, the way to win and how to pass one level in games. With me, I do not like that because I also play games enough to do the different social activities. He spends almost time to stay at home and play games. I tried to advise him to give up that habit but not effect. His healthy is bring down day by day and his parent must take him into reformatory. Additionally, this kind of game is dead easy for games to be addicted to since throughout the game process. They are given many scores, awards and continuously perform the new which can make them far more exciting and engaging than their everyday activities. Subsequently, a video game addict always gets entangled with the thoughts about the games and can not concentrate on doing something in a serious way. On the other hand, this type of game also provides numerous priceless advantages. While playing games, the brain of the users must brainstorm and train some significant skills such as imagination, predictability, even leadership in virtually strategy games, which we could not taught outside the gaming context though. Moreover, some cooperative games ( namely Defend of the Ancients, League of Legends,etc ) might be a novel way to bring people together as well as teaching us how to do a good teamwork. For this reason, a new sport named E-sport ( Electronic Sport ) which contains some competitions of the worldwide – renowned games mentioned above, appeared and has became famous all over the world. Your task is thinking about the best way to play games, choose one is suitable with your age, your mind. Everybody in all age can play game because we have a big variety system of game. Remember finding the usage in game is the most important fact when you play games. Please avoid the â€Å"black games† which do not have any benefit for you. In conclusion, I hold firmly to the notion that although playing video games has both pros cons, its potential dangers are outweighed by its profits. Eventually, you be a smart player who can stand to much benefits from games but still allocate your time effectively.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

While You Were Sleeping

While You Were Sleeping While You Were Sleeping, composed by Randy Edelman and directed by Jon Turteltaub, includes good examples of a leitmotif. A leitmotif is a reoccurring piece of music associated with a specific character, event, theme, or mood. The two leitmotifs used in this movie are â€Å"Lucy’s Theme†, which is a slow, romantic, or even sad piece of music. The â€Å"Family Theme†, has a faster beat that goes back and forth and is quirky. The main characters in While You Were Sleeping are Lucy, Peter, Jack, and the family. Lucy works at the train station, and sees Peter every day.On Christmas day, Lucy is asked to work. While working, Peter puts his token in to take the train and tells Lucy ‘Merry Christmas’. Soon, he is pushed in the train tracks. Lucy jumps on the tracks and saves his life. When Peter is taken to the hospital, Lucy goes to check on him and Peter’s family shows up to the hospital to find him in a coma. A nurse tells the family that Lucy is Peter’s fiancee, and shocks the family. Lucy goes along with it because she is worried about Peter’s grandma, who has a heart condition. After seeing the family at the hospital, they invite Lucy to their Christmas.When Lucy arrives at the house, she realizes that she enjoys being part of the Callaghan family and she loves them. The next morning, Lucy meets Peter’s brother Jack. After spending time with each other, Jack and Lucy fall in love. Soon, Peter wakes up and doesn’t recognize Lucy. The family, still believing the Lucy and Peter are engaged, thinks that Peter has amnesia. Peter re-proposes to Lucy, believing that he really is in love with her. The wedding is at the hospital, when Lucy shows up, she looks flustered and nervous.As Peter and Lucy are getting married, Lucy objects. She begins to tell the whole family about what happened and that she really loves Jack. Sometime later, as Lucy collects tokens from passengers at th e train station, Jack places an engagement ring in the token tray of her booth. With the entire Callaghan family watching, he walks into her booth and proposes to her. Jack and Lucy leave on the CTA train, and go to their honeymoon in Florence, Italy, which is where Lucy has always talked about going to with her father before he passed away.The title of the movie While You Were Sleeping was taken from Lucy’s explanation to Peter of how she fell in love with Jack, â€Å"while you were sleeping. † The first example of a leitmotif is the â€Å"Family Theme†. The music used in these themes is a faster beat that goes back and forth, the music is quirky and funny. The first scene to use this music is when the entire family has arrived at the hospital to see Peter. A nurse misunderstands when Lucy is trying to visit Peter at the hospital and she thinks that Lucy is Peter’s fiancee.The nurse tells the doctor that Lucy is engaged to Peter leaving Peter’s fa mily shocked. The family also learns that Lucy saved Peter’s life. Lucy wants to tell the family the truth but she can’t bring herself to. Another scene that uses the â€Å"Family Theme† is after Peter wakes up. The family and Lucy are surrounding Peter’s hospital bed. As he goes around the room he sees everyone, but doesn’t recognize Lucy. The family doesn’t think it’s suspicious, because they think that Peter has amnesia.The last scene to use this piece of music is when Lucy and Peter are getting married at the hospital, Lucy tells the family that she objects to the marriage because she doesn’t love Peter, she loves Jack. Lucy explains everything that happened to the family and apologizes, saying that she just fell in love with the Callaghan family. The common themes in these scenes all include the family and Lucy in an awkward situation. The second leitmotif used in While You Were Sleeping is referred to as â€Å"Lucyâ€⠄¢s Theme†. The music is a slow, romantic, or sad piece of music.The first scene using this music is when Lucy is talking to Peter while he is in a coma, talking about her life, love, and how she never meant to get him into the mess that they’re in. The next scene using â€Å"Lucy’s Theme† is when Lucy and Peter are out walking at night. Lucy gets to talking about her father and how they wanted to go to Florence, Italy, and travel the world. The last scene to use â€Å"Lucy’s Theme† was when Jack and the family went to the train station where Lucy works, and Jack puts an engagement ring in the token tray. He walks into the booth and proposes to her in front of the whole Callaghan family.The common themes in these scenes all include a sentimental moment between two people. In conclusion, â€Å"Family Theme† and â€Å"Lucy’s Theme† are examples of leitmotifs because they are a reoccurring piece of music that is used more th an once and is associated with a specific character, event, theme, or mood. In While You Were Sleeping, the music provided continuity between scenes with Lucy and the family. The music also established mood with the different scenes, whether it was a sentimental moment between Lucy and Jack, or a funny moment between the Callaghan family.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Response paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Response paper - Essay Example The entire discussion would have ceased to exist and this would have meant serious problems for the debate that stems here. Since God is all-powerful, all-knowing and completely concerned with justice and the well-being of human beings, He knows for sure what men and women would ideally want within their lives and how the same should be given to them – either abundantly or in scarce capacity. The dictum that surrounds around this philosophy is one which points out the suffering and evil which has started to make waves for all the wrong reasons. Ideally this was something that should have been avoided yet the same does not happen because individuals hailing from any society of the world are bound to go wrong in their actions, behaviors and the thinking ideologies that exist within their aegis. If God created all the good things on this earth, He surely created the wrongdoings and evil as well. He knew it beforehand that man would have to choose on his own which route to adopt a nd which way forward is his success destined. This is in line with the understanding that God has been kind to everyone and gives His people a chance to showcase who they truly are and how they can represent their best selves to their maximum possible levels. My friend is acting as the devil’s advocate and is defending the notion that evil has been made present because it is an opposing force and acts parallel with God, which for me is simply an unacceptable entity. This is because I do not see any other being to be as powerful or even coming anywhere close to how God performs on a daily basis (Peterson, 1998). There could be high-tech robots in place, superficial structures and evil factories giving their best, but there cannot be another God in this world. It has to be felt in a much higher stead to make sure that evil is there of God’s own making and not

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Contract Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Contract Law - Essay Example If the seller does not deliver the goods as promised and the buyer has to seek alternative sources to acquire the same goods with perhaps a higher price than the earlier agreed upon price, then the buyer has legal redress because his expectations have been compromised and the contract was aimed at protecting his interests in terms of a future rise in the price of the goods he intended to acquire (Feldman and Teichman 46). On the other hand, the seller’s interests of safeguarding against reduction in price are also protected at the time of making the contract. Any failure to meet the terms of the agreement by the two parties is against the provisions of Contract Law and calls legal compensation through court or arbitration process. The drafting of doctrines of Contract Law and the subsequent operationalization in England and USA1 began in the middle of the 19th century when rules of contract law were first put in place in cases such as Hadley v. Baxendale2 in 1894, Raffles v. W ichelhaus3 in 1864 among others. These are historic legal cases that law students all over the world read to better understand contract law. With the development of free markets and expansion of free economies together with laissez faire management, the legal framework of the free market4 was predominantly the contract principles (Hunt 695). Common law is the chief source of the law of contract, and is a makeup of many judicial decisions by courts on similar disputes over a long time in the past. Courts use earlier precedents as sources of law as input to determine the principles of present and future decisions on similar or related disputes. Another source of contract law in the USA has been the restatements of the law promulgated by the American Law institute5, which are a mixture of past cases and predictions of future cases together with prescriptive pronouncements from different fields such as Contracts, Torts, Property, Agency, Employment, Franchising relationships, constructi ons and others. Closely related to contract law and specific to a myriad of commercial subjects is the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) which is yet another source of contract law and which contains separate articles like bank deposits and collections, negotiable instruments and letters of credit and security interests. Article 2 in this code governs transactions in the sale of goods. The other source is the CISG6 or the Vienna Convention which governs international sales transactions thus applying to sale of goods and services between parties who operate in different countries but both countries must have agreed to the provisions of the convention (Marquez-Escobar 122). The UCC has not received Federal legislation attention because it is still being enacted separately by different states with no notable effort to unify it at national level. Features of Contract Law Offer and acceptance, consideration and an intention to create legal relations are the key elements to the creation of a contract in common law. Offer and acceptance which may be written, oral or implied is the most important feature where one party offers a bargain that is accepted by the other party, a scenario also referred to as concurrence of wills for which concrete

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

Steelco - Research Paper Example Thus theirs is a typical business-to-business product, and the direct buyers rely more on the standardized specifications in the industry rather than going by any other criteria or mandate. So far the brand of Steelco is concerned, it is already a known brand within the industry and the key players down the line who act as the direct customers of the products sold by Steelco are aware about the products as well as buy them. Thus it is clear that brand awareness is not required by Steelco. However, given that the new products have not been taken well by the direct customers of Steelco, the branding strategy needs a thorough relook so that both the existing products as well as the new products may be branded in such a way that demands for both these product lines may be augmented. In this regard, in order to take a relook at the branding strategy deployed by Steelco, the first step could be to analyse the existing branding strategy as well as activities of the firm. To this end, the concept of POP and POD comes into play. Kotler (2007) has noted that points of parity or (POP) refers to those associations that are not essentially unique to the brand, however these points may overlap with other brands. He has further noted that the concept of competitive points of parity holds that the associations that are designed in order to negate the points of difference of the competitors. On the other hand, Keller, Jacob and Parameshwaran (2011) have been of the opinion that points o difference are attributes or benefits that consumers strongly associate with a particular brand and are even of the belief that the particular point cannot be found to the same extent with any other brand available. In this context, Steelco has already gone by the typical routes of business to business marketing as well as brand building activities. Their awareness about the new product program has included informing about the latest development at their end to their customers through

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

SWOT Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

SWOT Analysis - Research Paper Example Australia consists of six states; New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania and 2 territories; the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Its capital city is Canberra. Even though Australia is the smallest continent in the world, it is the sixth largest country in the world. The population is concentrated mainly on the eastern and southeastern coastal areas. The geography of Australia is extremely diverse including snowy mountains, deserts, tropical and temperate forests etc. This paper analyses the population, culture, economy, political, legal, and technological environment, strength, weakness opportunities, and threats of Australia. Aborigines, who migrated to Australia from South Asia around 40000 years before are believed to be the first inhabitants of Australia. Europeans started to settle in Australia during the latter part of eighteenth century. Before that indigenous Australians, were the inhabitants in Australia . Eastern half of Australia was claimed by Britain during the latter part of 18 th century and Britain implemented colonial rule in Australia for a longer period. The major culture in Australia is essentially a Western culture since the Europeans established their colonies there. English is the predominant language in Australia. Even though Britain ruled Australia for a longer period, the Australian English vocabulary, accent, and pronunciations are slightly different from that of the British English. â€Å"In most practical ways, Australia is an egalitarian society. This does not mean that everyone is the same or that everybody has equal wealth or property† (About Australia). Unlike many other countries in the world, class distinctions are invisible in Australia. People respect each other irrespective of the wealth, power or social influence. â€Å"Australia is the thirteenth largest economy in the world. As of 2009, Australia GDP was estimated to be $920 billion.   Austr alia has managed an impressive 18 years of continuous growth since 1992 - see Australia GDP  Growth†(Australia Economy). Unlike many other nations in the world, Australian economy kept its growth phase even when the recent recession struck other countries. Revenues from natural resources, tourism, agriculture, industries etc keep Australian economy in the growth track. Australia is a parliamentary democratic country which respects human rights, freedom, liberty, etc of the people very much. Two party political system, is prevailing in Australia even though in many other democratic countries multiparty political system prevail. The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia consists of two chambers: The Australian House of Representatives and The Australian Senate. The Australian House of Representatives has 150 members whereas Australian Senate has 76 members, each elected for a three-year term of office from a constituency. The Australian legal system is based on a fundame ntal belief in the rule of  law, justice and the independence of the judiciary. All people—Australians and non-Australians alike—are treated equally before the law and safeguards exist to ensure that people are not treated arbitrarily or unfairly by governments or officials. Principles such as procedural fairness, judicial precedent and the separation of powers are fundamental to

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

The Effect of Recession on Dividend Policy Dissertation

The Effect of Recession on Dividend Policy - Dissertation Example Some of the logical explanations on how the various sectors were affected by the recession in terms dividend payout. Background Information The research covered various economic sectors of the economy namely; banking and financial Services, real estate companies, petrochemical companies, Agriculture and food industries, industrial investment and telecommunications. A total of 26 companies financial over a period of 5 years were thoroughly analyzed to come up with efficient analysis of our study topic. Difference in Dividend policy between different Economic Sectors We use the one way Anova to determine if there is a difference in mean between the average dividend pay for the various companies. The analysis generates the results table below. ANOVA Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. Between Groups 96.613 7 13.802 2.162 .092 Within Groups 108.514 17 6.383 Total 205.127 24 As seen in the table above the value of significance from the table is .092 which is larger than the significance value of 0.05 hence we accept the null hypothesis which states that there is no statistically significant difference in the dividend policies adopted by the various sectors of the economy. Sectors from which various companies in the study. ... (2-tailed) .019 N 26 25 Eps Pearson Correlation .466(*) 1 Sig. (2-tailed) .019 N 25 25 Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed). The correlation coefficient is positive 0.466 which means a positive relationship between the two variables. At 95 percent level of confidence means that we reject ho hence conclude that there is a significant correlation between the capital structure and in particular the equity shareholding and the earnings related to them. Correlation between Capital Structure and Dividend Yield. The dividend yield is compared to the return on investment in our study as it is the annual dividend amount payout per share by a firm in relation to the share value. We measure the relationship between equity shareholding and the return on investment. We run the Pearson’s correlation coefficient from the variables dividend yield versus equity. The results of running leverage for the companies against the dividend yield give no significant correlation betwe en the two variables. Correlation: Capital Structure (Using shareholder Equity) and Dividend Policy Adoption (payout). We shall run the Pearson’s correlation to find out if there exists a linear relationship between the two variables. For the purpose f this test the null hypothesis is set as: There exists no significant correlation between the two variables. Running the data we generate the output below. Correlations Equity pre Equity Pearson Correlation 1 .187 Sig. (2-tailed) .370 N 26 25 Pre Pearson Correlation .187 1 Sig. (2-tailed) .370 N 25 25 From the table above it is clear that there a moderate relationship between the shareholders equity and the dividends paid out of the rather the dividend policies adopted by the various companies. Since the significance value from the table

Monday, September 23, 2019

Personal impression of Car designer Chris Bangle and his design Essay

Personal impression of Car designer Chris Bangle and his design - Essay Example BMW simultaneously passed Mercedes Benz and took the global leader title in sale of premium cars. He stood firmly for his designs and defended them against any criticisms. He retired from BMW after introducing GINA, a car of stunning concept, in 2009 (Bangle 4). In 2010, he brought his unique insight and extensive knowledge of design as he featured in annual design festivals in Victoria. Chris Bangle has inspired many people in the world of automotive design including children (Braes 12). However, Bangle states that art is the only secret to great cars. He says that automobiles refer to the embodiment of art, sculpture and entertainment that coincidentally provide transportation. In order for automobile design to be successful, the designer has to make very decisive designs. Bangle is the founding father of BMWs, which are very popular up to-date. He believes that automobile design is the only pinnacle of design, while others are only substrate forms. Today, the automobile has become a product with very high significant impact and emotional properties in the society. After houses, they are the second biggest purchased major properties in Bangle’s view. Developments in Automobile industry Automobile design has evolved from the frontier between science, art, and market, to progressively becoming an aesthetic reference (Bangle 5). Aspects like aesthetic appeal, brand expression and impression, and emotional response are greatly influenced by the appearance of the product and therefore it has become an area of great concern among automotive manufacturers and designers today. Factors that are related to aesthetic and identity like interior and exterior styling that increase a car’s attractiveness are the number one criteria in purchasing across the world. Bangle was very keen on this and that is what has made his car models very popular and classic until today. Activities in automobile design involve shaping the car until all its aspects are visible. This is in styling the shape of the outer body and interior’s graceful appointments, together with arrangement of the engine compartment components. Bangle (17) says that before technical features are evaluated, the direct perception of the vehicle plays a much bigger role in determining whether the vehicle will be accepted or rejected. According to Bangle, automobile design involves taking into account many elements like car function, market, distribution, production, promotion, safety, price reduction and environmental concerns. The Effects of Bangle’s Design Movement to the Industrial Design Industry Regardless of many sentiments from many critics, Bangle has significantly affected the industrial design industry (Braes 21). His one and half decade of service in automobile designs for Munich manufacturers was marked in his 2009 retirement. To understand the contributions that he has had in automobiles industry, it is important to take a look at BMW’s styling before and after his service. Since the 1960s stunning CS couples, BMW design was so conservative that getting more progress was rare. Conservativeness was like the polite way of saying and staying dull. However, the pr esence of Bangle really transformed the styling of BMW. It is not a wonder that within a short while, it overtook great cars like Mercedes Benz in demand and price in the market. The BMW’s driving dynamics and power trains were the envy of many manufacturers (Georgano 56). Its styling made their rivals spend sleepless nights, hence striving to improve their designs. Consequently, there was marked improvement in the industrial de

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Applying Branding Techniques Essay Example for Free

Applying Branding Techniques Essay Introduction The Brand Techniques simulation is based on cosmetic company’s building of a new brand. Ca’Shara is a United States based cosmetic manufacturer and marketer of skin care, hair care, and make-up. Ca’Shara has an established brand presence and known for quality products. The recent consumer interest in natural products has made Ca’Shara management decide to cater to this segment of the cosmetic market. The company has decided on a 5,000 year old health care system from India called Ayurveda. As the newly appointed Brand Manager, I will be responsible for building the new brand Three executives gave their expert advice in the decision making process throughout the simulation exercise. They were Tina Trotter, Head of Sales; Monique Knight, Brand Consultant; and Jim Reding, Country Manager. Perceptual Map The simulation give the psychographic profile of the Ayurvedic customer as Caucasian to African American, age 18-35 with an income of $50,000 or higher. The consumer survey shows the customer base largely holistic and classy with a combined 55%. Meaning they like the natural base products and exclusive products. The principles of Ayurveda are explained as the Three Doshas. This is important to understand because it shows the three skin types the new brand will target. This will be dry, oily, and irritable. The brand position choice made was high on both holistic and classy and titled Enduring Secrets from the East. This was incorrect. The correct choice was high holistic and low classy. Correct title is Perfect balance, mind and body. The reason for the choice was because of the psychographic percentages only contained a slim difference in weighted value. I didn’t realize this choice meant the brand would need to carve out a new niche instead of competing against another company’s products. The choice made meant the perception of the product would be set as a lofty, unreachable goad of  perfect in every way alleviating all concerns and possible disadvantages. Brand Name, Logo, Slogan Two choices were made correctly using the focus group information. The brand name chosen was Natural Balance because it aligned with the brand positioning. Logo number 2 was chosen because of the market survey’s information. The logos green color and curves match the preferences of the focus groups. The shape gives the feel of feminine soft. The slogan of A Return to Nature was chose, but was not the best choice as it was similar to a competitor’s slogan. This choice doesn’t allow the brand to stand alone and differentiate itself in the market. It could dilute the brands identity. According to Cron.com the choosing of a name, logo, and slogan are nearly as important as the products sold. â€Å"If you choose your name and logo well, they will stay in your customers minds and remind them of the value your company offers. In fact, a well-chosen name and logo can help you to stand out amount the competition. Your customers will instantly think of your memorable business name and logo whenever they are in the market for your products or services.† For this very reason, the slogan that is similar to another like product is a grave error. Brand Associations- The Final Look Now we are down to choosing the brand associations. Who will promote and what events or causes will be align our brand with? The focus groups chose Maria Switzer as the spokesperson. They also pointed to two functions of interest, Partner with GreenEco and providing grants to women’s trust funds. These choices used $27,300 of the allotted $34,000. Total cost of these choices is $327,000 and under budget. It makes sense for a product that is built around natural ingredients to be associated with an environmental group like GreenEco. It also shows the company’s long term commitment to the environment. The choice of providing grants to women’s trust funds is a choice that gives back to the community in a broad spectrum. The customer base can see where they may see benefit locally for the dollars they’ve spent. The choice of Maria Switzer was that of a strong, independent female with her own sense of style. The public’s view of longevity is associated with this individual’s unique persona. Beyond the Simulation The simulation was good about applying the principles of brand positioning, but there are more ways to make your product stand out among similar brands. One additional aspect is to show ownership. The simulation had a spokesperson picked, but customers like to be able to identify an owner. This is true for large and small company’s ability to stand out from the competition. Knowing the face behind the product is important to keeping the consumer engaged. Per the SBA, â€Å"Businesses really thrive when the energy of the owner is there.† A good example was Steve Jobs involvement with Microsoft. Small businesses can equally benefit from the consumer having a face behind the product or service. It lets people know the owner is involved and active with the business. Another way to have stood out was not only the shape of the container, but to have the container recyclable, biodegradable, or refillable would have been a good aspect to have. This would further appeal to the profile of being environmentally friendly and support the GreenEco cause the brand is supporting. The brand in the simulation, Ayurveda, immediately had a sense of well-being and soothing associated with the brand. Not only is it not irritating to the individual’s skin, but the environment too. The brand was immediately associated with everything â€Å"green† in today’s society. Service vs. Tangible product Had the simulation used a service instead of a tangible product application there would have been no real difference. A brand is in the minds of the consumer. It is setting or understanding their perception of the product or service offered. Conclusion The simulation was an excellent tool in learning and applying the branding techniques. It was only after wrong decisions were made and explained, that I understood why they were incorrect. At that point they seem obviously wrong. Making sure to use the differences of a product or service is the key to finding a niche and making a product stand out among the masses. References Chron, retrieved March 9, 2014 from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/choose-company-name-logo-2348.html SBA retrieved March 9, 2014 from http://www.sba.gov/community/blogs/10-tips-help-you-build-and-grow-stand-out-small-business-brand

Friday, September 20, 2019

Why were Alehouses and Gin-shops Threatening to Authorities?

Why were Alehouses and Gin-shops Threatening to Authorities? Why were alehouses and gin-shops threatening to the authorities? This essay will argue that alehouses and gin-shops were threatening to the authorities because they were deemed to disrupt the established social, political and economic order. Commentators of the time, labelled alehouses as nests of Satan[1] and gin-shops as the source of Theft, Murder and Perjury.[2] These hostelries were perceived a widespread menace linking them to crime, poverty, sedition, drunkenness and idleness. At the time, drinking took place in three main types of institutions: the coaching inn that supplied lodgings, victuals and replacement horses, taverns mainly in towns supplying beer and wine, and lastly alehouses, small, often one room, offering only beer. Whilst evidence suggests that government, Parliament, county magistrates and parish constables did not always worry about the same threats, it is likely that much protest and condemnation emanated from the inhabitants of the towns and cities. This viewpoint is supported by extensive research carried out on petition s, legislations, pamphlets, ballads and woodcut prints. There appears a difference in the charges levelled by the authorities between alehouses and gin-shops. With the alehouses, they were concerned in policing to prevent licentiousness and drunkenness, and the latter by moral reformers, targeting the spirits trade and the social problems caused by the labouring classes addiction to gin. This essay will look in detail at the threats posed by the alehouses and the response from government and Parliament. The protests rose from the judgments of the emerging middle-classes, moral reformers identified as Puritans, and local inhabitants. From the mid-seventeenth century, the authorities identified the potential seditious nature of some of the activities within the alehouses. The second part will identify the dangers that the gin craze posed to society at large, the size of the growing problem and the speed of the response of the authorities in tackling this issue. The social function of the alehouses, providing drinking, eating, gambling, dancing and even flirting cannot be underestimated, as these no longer occurred in churchyards following the English Reformation of the 1530s.[3] Recent studies estimate that by 1570 there were 24,000 alehouses, a ratio of 1 every 142 inhabitants, this rose to 50,000 by the 1630s and hit a peak of 60,000 in 1700, a ratio of 1 to every 87 residents.[4] Clearly, as evidence suggests, alehouses were becoming more and more popular, and more and more common within society. The corollary of this expansion infers the central nature and focus of social activities inside the alehouses. It was widely accepted that the alehouses were an essential institution run by the poor for the poor[5], and provided vital income for the innkeeper. In many ways, the alehouses could be said to offer the poor and the unemployed an alternative home.[6] Throughout this period the number of wage-earners within society grew and it is very likely that the authorities feared that people worked just long enough to earn their beer-money rather than spending it on their families, as a petition in Pewsey in Whiltshire demonstrates[7]. It could then be further claimed that this led to a greater strain upon poor relief provided by the parishes because of feckless parents. Samuel Pepys, the diarist, reflects this viewpoint in one of the ballads in his collection: in The Bad-Husbands Folly or Poverty made known a drunken husband who used to spend all his money in strong beer, neglecting his family obligations, repents and vows not to return to the alehouse because Bad company did me undo.[8] The Licencing Act of 1552, set in motion some legal controls over the proliferation of the alehouses, the law stated that to open an alehouse a licence issued by two local Justices of the Peace and evidence of a good character were required.[9] It should also be noted that the late 1500s were a period of bad harvests, hence Parliament and magistrates were probably concerned in storing the grain rather than allowing it to be used for brewing. However, this legislation failed to curb the growth in numbers of the alehouses due to the people not complying with the law and most of them remained unlicensed. This section will address the concerns of the moral reformers, known as Puritans, and of the self-declared better-sort or chief inhabitants of the towns towards the alehouses. Puritanical thought emerged from Protestantism and comprised a moral view of family life in line with scripture. They exercised authority via positions of prominence within society and were ministers of religion, Justices of the Peace, the middle-classes and the gentry. Puritan ministers were not opposed to drinking alcohol in moderation, however the excesses of the alehouses, with all that that entails and the resultant effects on family life were to be condemned. Ministers often took the lead in organising petitions against disorderly alehouses that attracted thieves, prostitutes, gamblers and female drunkards. This hotter sort of Protestants wrote pamphlets attacking the tipplers of the drunkards academye[10] as immoral, depraved and dissolute. Moreover, alehouses attracted people of ill-repute who preferred to drink rather than attend church services on the Sabbath. In addition, a recent study has proved that Puritans disliked the ritual of health-drinking or toasting, full of ceremony, that reminded them of Papist traditions of drinking from the same cup.[11] Besides, healths were often described as lascivious acts that deliberately scorned puritan values and, by declaring allegiance to the king, they were straightforward in resisting Cromwells puritanical regime.[12] Whilst during the Interregnum of 1649-1660 no new legislation was enacted against the alehouses, greater enforcement was undertaken to vet and bar royalist sympathisers from obtaining a licence.[13] Another offensive came from the local yeomanry, gentry and middle-class, who unlike the Puritans, did not seek to suppress all the alehouses, but to censure the ones who were deemed to be in excess, those without a licence, off the beaten path, unruly and disruptive. It was clear that the sheltering of vagrants and prostitutes, the trade of illicit goods and excessive alcohol consumption beyond the point of drunkenness, led to a lack of sleep at night, fights and unchaste behaviour. This habit is cited in the case of Michael Fayered of Inworth in Essex who was accused of having evill rule in his house all night long.[14] Even women alehouse-keepers were deemed to be a menace with the assumption they were setting up brothels and running these establishments with immoral sexual conduct. The number of court cases and protests brought to the attention of government, who sought to limit the effects of drunkenness, led to the Acts of 1604, 1606 and 1618. For the first time, being drunk in public was a finable offence and the annual renewal of licences was established.[15] These acts were more successful than the 1552 Licensing Act and provided some control in confining disorderly behaviour. However, gaming, swearing, tippling, theft, assault and illicit sex were common cases in the law courts. James Scott in his book claims that alehouses hosted a radically subversive culture, one that was well hidden from the view of the elites, hence he coined the term hidden transcript.[16] In support of his thesis, he cites a court case of 1691 where an ale seller in Whiltshire denied hearing any seditious discourses in his house, and that he usually advised his customers not to talk about governments affairs.[17] This statement may infer that political discourse was commonly taking place. In addition, it is possible that it was within the inns and taverns, institutions frequented by the better-sort, that plots against the Crown were hatched. At the same time authorities were concerned about what was really taking place in the alehouses. In the light of these inappropriate political discourses, the targeting of the alehouses might have become a priority for the authorities who sought to crack-down on these behaviours by instituting spies. Records from seventeenth-century Southampton sh ow that a tight surveillance, by both publican and landlords, was in place[18] to make sure that their principal use, victualling and lodging, remained the primary purpose and disorderly behaviour actively discouraged. Thus, the emphasis of the authorities shifted to all forms of recreational drinking which were assumed to be a threat to law and order. Recent historical investigations support the viewpoint that the role of the alehouses for social purposes was more important than the subversive nature previously thought. The observed correlation between alehouses and drunkenness has, in recent years, moved into investigating the alehouse sociability in a more lenient and a less radical approach. The scholar Mark Hailwood demonstrates that it was not always the case that alehouses were the source of lewd behaviour and political radicalism, and that the relationship between getting drunk and being sociable was not antagonistic but interdependent.[19] Sociability might have provided so cial cohesion among people who worked and lived in the same neighbourhood, a jovial environment rather than chaos and disorder. From the proliferation to the peak of the alehouses it took roughly one hundred and fifty years, and several Acts of Parliament before the authorities brought the alehouses under control. By the end of the seventeenth century a new threat appeared on the horizon, namely the Gin Craze. Looking at the effect gin shops had on society and their threat to the authorities, there was an ever-increasing consumption of gin following the banning of French brandy in 1689 by William III. This ban and the London Company of Distillers losing its monopoly led to the increased production of cheap British gin and the establishment of unregulated distillers, who often put turpentine and other lethal ingredients as part of their concoctions. Consequently, thousands of small gin-shops opened in cellars, back rooms of private homes, some people even sold it from pushcarts in the streets. With no regulations in place and a cheap price, the so-called Gin Craze took off. By the mid-1720s the practice of regularly attending dram shops, especially amongst Londons labouring and poor classes, had become a significant social and health concern for the authorities, with the impeding need to pass legislation designed to control the consumption of gin. In contrast to the alehouses, the gin trade and its consumption were opposed mainly by the propertied classes, Puritans and a coalition of Middlesex and Westminster Justices. It can be claimed that the 1729 Gin Act did little or nothing to limit the number of unlicensed premises, which in London alone were about 4,000.[20] Protests against the gin trade reached a fever-pitch by 1735 with the publication of pamphlets, cartoons and treatises. These discourses claimed that drunkenness caused by gin in the street was responsible for social disorders, with an increased number of robberies, fights, murders and deaths by intoxication. It was inferred that the consumption of gin may have been linked to idleness and the incapacity to work, resulting in opportunistic crimes being committed to obtain money to satisfy their addiction to Mother Gin. The Puritans feared that the addled minds of drunk people might have supported the ever-present Jacobean threat, resulting in a return to Catholicism in Britain. These concerns have been well summarised in the 1736 Thomas Wilsons pamphlet Distilled Spirituous Liquors the Bane of the Nation: people were enervated by a fatal love of a slow but sure Poyson.[21] The likely lobbying of Sir John Gonson, a Westminster magistrate, associated with the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and Sir Joseph Jekyll, played an active role in the contended passage of the 1736 Gin Act that increased license fees and fines, and also aimed to reduce the smuggling of gin.[22] Historians have started to investigate the impact of gin drinking on society, and according to Peter Clark, the reformists campaign against the spirits trade was exaggerated and sensationalist.[23] His theory is supported by records of the time which demonstrate that in Clarkenwell, Mile End and Stepney, where gin selling was widespread, there was no substantial evidence of increased crime rates, and this was also reflected in the wider country. Despite legislation being enacted in 1736, it failed to regulate gin selling leading to widespread public disorder by 1738. Many of the gin-shops and street gin selling occurred in the southern and eastern suburbs of London where gin was mostly popular amongst women. The increasingly observable situation of drunk mothers and neglected children caused moral outrage to the Puritans with their view of family life[24]. There was a polarisation between drunken behaviour and thriftiness promoted by moralists. It was believed that heavy drinking was increasing the number of mothers and babies deaths, and that gin was the root of disruption of domestic oeconomy and respectability. It was also widely perceived that gin-drinking mothers were regarded to produce a Spindle shankd generation,[25] with the foetus being damaged in the womb. Above all, it was a commonly held thought that drunkenness led to fecklessness, and people were condemned to a life of misery. The renowned 1751 engraving by Wi lliam Hogarth, Gin Lane,[26] highlights all these threats posed to society. The print pictorialises the violence of excessive gin consumption depicting a ragged bare-breasted mother scraping the contents of her snuff box as her child is toppling from her arms down a cellar that bears the inscription Drunk for a penny, Dead drunk for twopence. The new 1751 Act was effective and restricted retailing to respectable sellers and raised duties on distilling, subsequently gin consumption fell. Overall, it can be asserted that the offensives of Parliament, middling urban society and reformers towards gin consumption blamed the poor for their behaviour. This essay had discussed the different reasons why alehouses and gin-shops were a threat to the authorities in early modern England. Even though the consumption of ale had existed within English society in perpetuity, the increased popularity and concentration of excessive beer drinking became a problem from the mid-sixteenth century. Although the authorities were not against drinking per se, they were worried about the acts of disorder caused by excessive drinking. The authority exercised on the alehouses came from above, government and Parliament, and from below by Puritans and citizens. On the other hand, the gin craze was a sudden import from the continent in the late 1600s and started in metropolitan areas as opposed to the mostly rural alehouses. As demonstrated, the gin craze presented similar problems to the authorities as the alehouses, but included more acute threats that required urgent action: extreme criminality, adult mortality and infant deformity. It should be noted t hat the authorities reaction to the alehouses spanned a period of about one-hundred and fifty years and multiple acts of legislation by Parliament. This is a marked difference to legislation against the gin trade that took over a period of about twenty years culminating in the provisions set out in the Act of 1736. The seditious nature of alehouses only became to be considered a problem from the mid-1600s, prior to this period the alehouses were a focus of social discord which could have deemed to have been a threat to authority but it was not in its nature seditious. On the other hand, gin-shops were deemed to be seditious since their inception. The difference in the response by authorities to the alehouses and gin-shops could be partially explained by the hidden rural proliferation of the alehouses amongst the poor, compared to the self-evident chaos observable in Gin Lane by the urban upper and middle-classes. The influence of puritanism and its revulsion of the amoral family val ues, that resulted from the gin-craze, was probably more keenly felt in the metropolitan areas rather than in the countryside. Ultimately, it is very interesting to note the changes in historical perspective with regards to beer. As detailed in Hogarths Beer Street and Gin Lane[27], intended to be viewed together, alehouses were not seen as places of chaos and disorder any more, they were rather a site of social conviviality, in contrast with the parish of St. Giles portrayed as an urban image of an alcohol-induced road to oblivion. [1] Christopher Hudson 1631 in Peter, Clark, The Alehouse and the Alternative Society in Donald Pennington and Keith Thomas (eds.), Puritans and Revolutionaries. Essays in Seventeenth-Century History presented to Christopher Hill, (Oxford, 1978), p.47 [2] Hogarth, William and Fielding, Henry, Gin Lane, (1751) [accessed 15 February 2017] [3] Mark, Hailwood, Alehouses and Good Fellowship in Early Modern England, (Boydell and Brewer Ltd, 2014),p.5 [4] Peter, Clark, The English Alehouse: a Social History 1200-1830, (London, 1983),pp.42-47 [5] Clark, The Alehouse,p.53 [6] Patricia, Fumerton, Not Home: Alehouses, Ballads and the Vagrant Husband in Early Modern England, Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies,32:3 (Fall 2002),p.505 [7] Hailwood, Alehouses,p.41 [8] The Bad-Husbands Folly; or, Poverty made known (c.1671-1702), in Pepys Ballads, IV, p. 77 [accessed 15 February 2017] [9] James, Nicholls, The Politics of Alcohol: A History of the Drink Question in England, (Manchester University Press, 2011),p.11 [10] Sir Richard Grosvenor 1625 in Hailwood, Alehouses,p.19 [11] Angela, McShane, Material Culture and Political Drinking in Seventeenth Century England, Past and Present Supplement 9, (2014),p.260 [12] Marika, Keblusek, Wine for Comfort: Drinking and The Royalist Exile Experience, 1642-1660, in Adam Smyth (ed.), A Pleasing Sinne. Drink and Conviviality in Seventeenth-Century England, (Cambridge, 2004),pp.55-68 [13] Bernard, Capp, Englands Culture Wars: Puritan Reformation and Its Enemies in the Interregnum, 1649-1660, (Oxford University Press, 2012),pp.162 [14] Keith, Wrightson, Alehouses, Order and Reformation in Rural England, 1590-1660 in Eileen Yeo and Stephen Yeo, (eds.), Popular Culture and Class Conflict 1590-1914: Explorations in the History of Labour and Leisure, (The Harvester Press Limited, 1981),p.8 [15] Nicholls, Politics,pp.13-15 [16] Scott in Hailwood, Alehouses,p.65 [17] Ibid.,pp.70 [18] James, Brown, Drinking Houses and the Politics of Surveillance in Pre-industrial Southampton, in B. KÃ ¼min (ed.), Political space in Pre-industrial Europe, (Ashgate, 2009),pp.61-80 [19] Mark, Hailwood,'It puts good reason into brains: Popular Understandings of the Effects of Alcohol in Seventeenth-Century England,Brewery History,150 (2013),p.14 [20] Peter, Clark, The Mother Gin Controversy in the Early Eighteenth Century, Transactions of the Royal Historical Society,vol.38 (1988),p.68 [21] Wilson in Jonathan, White, The slow but sure Poyson: The Representation of Gin and its Drinkers,1736-1751, Journal of British Studies,42:1(2003),p.46 [22] Clark, Mother Gin,pp.74-75 [23] Ibid.,p.72 [24] Maddox in White, The Representation,p.59-63 [25] Nicholls, The Politics,p.40 [26] Hogarth, Gin Lane, (1751) [27] Hogarth, Beer Street and Gin Lane (1751)

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Clarification Project :: essays research papers

I read two articles that were very contrasting on the ideas of Greek letter societies, better known as Greek Life. The first article was titled, â€Å"University Announces Ban on Fraternities and Sororities† from the Metropolitan Desk, and the second was titled, â€Å"For Some Women at Harvard, Greek Is a Scream† from the Style Desk. One was about banning Greek Life, and the other about how Greek Life can be a positive for social life at Harvard University.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"University Announces Ban on Fraternities and Sororities,† Alfred University argued that deaths, drinking problems, and low grades all resulted from Greek housing. To better the learning environment at the school, trustees of the school voted to ban fraternities and sororities. They think that this change won’t have much affect on the campus since Greek interest has gone down 30% from the 1960’s. I think this decision to take away fraternities and sororities is not going to solve anything. People coming to college are forced into a new environment. They are learning about themselves, and sometimes they turn to alcohol to help them cope with the changes. With or without fraternities, they would party and get bad grades as a result of the drinking. Taking away fraternities doesn’t do any good, because the students will revolt by making secret clubs which will be much worst since the university has no control over these. So my ques tions are, now that they have banned Greek letter societies, has the school noticed a change? And is this change good or bad? And has there been any secret underground societies been made as a result of this change?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The argument to this side comes from â€Å"For Some Women at Harvard, Greek Is a Scream.† At Harvard University, they are finding that women are joining sororities more for social reasons. But the social agendas do not include going to bars or partying, instead, they consist of kickball tournaments, pajama parties, apple-picking trips, or outings to Finagle a Bagel and Au Bon Pain. And these sororities aren’t about leaving people out, but instead focus on welcoming women who want to join to be a part of them. The actual funny part is, that while the sororities are strive to be charitable and positive, there are groups that offer the party and exclusive side that normally comes to mind when describing sororities. These groups are the women-only private clubs.