The notion of death seems to be the definite consequence Essay Example for Free

The notion of death seems to be the definite consequence Essay William Shakespeares Hamlet is an anecdote of love, tragedy and the demise of man. Inevitably, a story with so much conflict and turmoil will involve death to some degree, and Shakespeares expression of death is unimpeachable. The altercation of the characters is the driving force behind the ultimate tragedy that befalls the characters. This conflict is a succession of events which leads to the climax, their downfall. What is the conflict that causes their destruction? It is the kings death which eventually causes Hamlets own destruction. Hamlet, as the protagonist, is the leading factor that affects the other characters notably Claudius and Gertrude. Claudius as Hamlets opposite, his opponent and the antagonist of the play would noticeably be influenced by Hamlets actions. The other characters, especially Ophelia whose demise is intertwined with Hamlets actions. His refusal of her love, his deception of her, all condemn her to madness and finally her death. This leads to a certain intuition that death seems to be the definitive result to their problems. In other words, death inevitably seems to stem from and is the consequence of conflict, both internal and external, for the characters of Hamlet. However, how does this conflict lead to their collapse? The conflict of emotion is one of the principal aspects of the play and is shared by many of the characters but Hamlet, Ophelia and Laertes are the foremost in that order. These characters share a similar cause for their emotion and of their conflict, the loss of a loved one. For Hamlet it is the premature death of his father, for Ophelia, her loss of Hamlet and of her father while Laertes, it is also the loss of his father. However, Ophelia seems to be the hardest hit as Hamlets deception of her turns her to madness. During the dialogue between Ophelia and Hamlet, we can see Hamlets true intentions. Hamlet tells Ophelia, I did love you once, Ophelia responds, Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so, and Hamlets response is, You should not have believed me (III, i, ll. 115 117). Ophelia, as a woman, is portrayed as a lower character. She is a nai ve, little girl who falls in love and when is deceived, goes insane. Ophelia is a perfect example of this conflict. She experiences and struggles with internal and external conflict. She is torn between obligation to Hamlet and her father. Her relationship with Hamlet is an interesting one. It shows how fragile their relationship is and how love can slowly transcend to madness. This can also express Hamlets obligation, his obligation to provide her with love. However, this obligation is the surface of the water, so to speak. Hamlets intentions lie deeper within and this is Ophelias demise. Her conflict with Hamlets intentions and her intentions do not bode well with her. Indisputably, the demise of most of the characters results from the conflicts of intention and emotion. We can observe this when Ophelia speaks to Claudius about how, he promised her wed. The role of Ophelia is the personification of the general role of women. Once again, the domination of Hamlets objectives clouds her judgment and leads her to conflict. Hamlets domination and the general dominion of men in this play elucidate the struggles of women, especially Ophelia. Finally, it matters that Ophelias struggle with Hamlet and with loss of her father drives her to suicide. With her suicide, she is free from her obligation to men, notably Hamlet and uninhibited by the conflict she struggles with. As indicated before, Hamlet, Laertes and Ophelia have a lot in common. They struggle with the loss of their father, and with the exception of Ophelia, they are motivated by the yearning for revenge. The conflict between Laertes and Hamlet is clearly described, as it was Hamlet that slew Polonius, and Laertes seeks revenge for his slain father. It is this open conflict that would inevitably lead to their death. This is articulated in the final battle between Laertes and Hamlet. All the discord between them is expressed in this final battle. In the end, the fracas brings about both their downfall. This is the best example of the results of conflict in Hamlet. Even Laertes states, I am justly killed by my own treachery (II, ii, l. 298). The implication of this statement illustrates that in the process of conflict, the result will inexorably be death. The issue of external conflict clearly showed its correlation with death. However, external conflict always stems from internal conflict. The kings death triggers a desire for revenge in Hamlet and this, in turn, affects others. The death of Hamlet, Laertes and Ophelia ultimately, was the result of Hamlets own internal conflict. However, the best example of death through internal conflict would be Claudius. Claudius, as the antagonist, would be adversely affected by Hamlets actions but more importantly, the conflict within him regarding the murder of the king is a greater hazard. We have an indication of this guilt during The Mousetrap. Throughout the play, we can see Hamlet observing Claudius for any sign of weakness or discomfort. He is not disappointed as he clearly observes Claudius getting very uncomfortable and arrives at his conclusion. Henceforth, Hamlets objective has been ascertained. From this point forth, we can see the conflict between Hamlet and Claudius heat up. The epitome of their conflict is expressed in the final battle. The inner conflict within Claudius inevitably led to an open conflict with Hamlet and finally, to his death. Gertrude is in a similar condition as Claudius. Her incestuous marriage to Claudius was the catalyst for the conflict to begin. Again, the internal conflict within Gertrude evolves into open conflict with Hamlet and undoubtedly leads to her death. These two characters are appropriate examples for the chain of events that led to the downfall of many of the characters in Hamlet. They portray inner struggle translating to external conflict and finally the definite consequence; death. The characters in Hamlet are apposite expressions of the dangers of conflict. The seed of conflict is sown in any individual, in this case, Hamlet, and it grows and eventually affects others. Throughout the play, this is evident. It all started with the murder of Hamlets father. His desire for revenge progressed into open conflict as he slowly went mad. His relationships with the other characters notably Ophelia, deteriorated. Finally, it was his desire for revenge that killed him and others. It just goes to say, revenge is sweet but the consequences are bitter.

The Sense of Scents, the Sense of Self :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The Sense of Scents, the Sense of Self For this paper, I'd like to revisit some of the questions left unanswered in my last paper regarding the sense of smell. In that paper, I outlined some of what is now understood about how smells are identified and the initial levels of how that information is coded in the brain; for this paper I would like to trace that path (as much as possible) through to my experience of smell and then to see if my experience matches the proposed models. From this perspective, I'd like to take a last look at the "brain = behavior" equation and the notion of the "I - function" and see if I can't make some final sense of it all in a way which is not utterly dissonant with my own experiences. Let's look at smell again, then. My last paper left off with the following conclusions regarding the olfactory system. There are between 500 and 1000 unique protein receptor genes which are expressed only in the olfactory epithelium. These receptors each respond to a unique odorant or to a unique feature on an odorant molecule (epitopes). It is suggested that there is a one - to - one relationship between a specific odorant, its protein receptor, and the sensory neuron: that is, any given sensory neuron expresses only one type of receptor and is therefore responsive to only one kind of odorant. Each type of neuron is randomly distributed across one of four zones within the olfactory epithelium. The information from this population coding is then reorganized, as these axons leave the epithelium and travel to the olfactory bulb, into a very specific, spatially organized map of activity across the several hundred kinds of receptors. The span between the 1000 types of receptor neurons, a nd discrimination amongst 10,000 odors, is bridged in the interpretation of the ratios and relationships of activity level across the population. The olfactory bulb was compared to an operators switchboard, and the process of odor identification was likened to determining which switchboard lights were flashing. The obvious question then becomes, what parts of the brain watch over the olfactory bulb, monitor its activity and interpret that activity? What parts of the brain assign meaning and identity to each pattern of stimulation, and then choose an appropriate response? Some of these questions have been addressed by Walter Freeman in his investigations, and he has several useful insights into the process of preattentive perception, or the almost instantaneous recognition of the familiar. The Sense of Scents, the Sense of Self :: Biology Essays Research Papers The Sense of Scents, the Sense of Self For this paper, I'd like to revisit some of the questions left unanswered in my last paper regarding the sense of smell. In that paper, I outlined some of what is now understood about how smells are identified and the initial levels of how that information is coded in the brain; for this paper I would like to trace that path (as much as possible) through to my experience of smell and then to see if my experience matches the proposed models. From this perspective, I'd like to take a last look at the "brain = behavior" equation and the notion of the "I - function" and see if I can't make some final sense of it all in a way which is not utterly dissonant with my own experiences. Let's look at smell again, then. My last paper left off with the following conclusions regarding the olfactory system. There are between 500 and 1000 unique protein receptor genes which are expressed only in the olfactory epithelium. These receptors each respond to a unique odorant or to a unique feature on an odorant molecule (epitopes). It is suggested that there is a one - to - one relationship between a specific odorant, its protein receptor, and the sensory neuron: that is, any given sensory neuron expresses only one type of receptor and is therefore responsive to only one kind of odorant. Each type of neuron is randomly distributed across one of four zones within the olfactory epithelium. The information from this population coding is then reorganized, as these axons leave the epithelium and travel to the olfactory bulb, into a very specific, spatially organized map of activity across the several hundred kinds of receptors. The span between the 1000 types of receptor neurons, a nd discrimination amongst 10,000 odors, is bridged in the interpretation of the ratios and relationships of activity level across the population. The olfactory bulb was compared to an operators switchboard, and the process of odor identification was likened to determining which switchboard lights were flashing. The obvious question then becomes, what parts of the brain watch over the olfactory bulb, monitor its activity and interpret that activity? What parts of the brain assign meaning and identity to each pattern of stimulation, and then choose an appropriate response? Some of these questions have been addressed by Walter Freeman in his investigations, and he has several useful insights into the process of preattentive perception, or the almost instantaneous recognition of the familiar.

Lord of the Flies as an Allegory Essay

The Lord of the Flies if read at face value can be interpreted as short book about the struggle to survive on a deserted island and its physical and psychological impacts on its inhabitants. But when the reader looks deeper, they see a novel that is an allegory that is filled with rich and detailed symbolism in almost all aspects of the book. An allegory is defined a type of writing that presents abstract ideas or moral principals in the form of symbolic characters, events, or objects. â€Å"The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature† (Golding 204). The novel begins as our protagonist wanders along the beach. Ralph represents leadership, order, and civilization for the island. He uses his power for the good of the people, especially to protect the â€Å"littluns.† The littluns represent the people ruled by a government. In their case, the â€Å"bigguns† (the older boys), take advantage of the little boys and soon neglect them entirely. As the conch was blown â€Å"A deep harsh note boomed under the palms, spread through the intricacies of the forest and echoed back from the pink granite of the mountain† (Golding 17). Giving off a mighty sound, the conch also possessed the qualities of authority, unity, and power. When the society is formed, the boy who holds the conch is the only one allowed to speak. Jack first instituted this when he said â€Å"I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak† (Golding 33). As the story progresses, the conch looses its power and influence over the children and is eventually crushed when Piggy is trampled by a boulder. This marks the end of any democratic and civilized society on the island. Piggy represents intelligence and mortality. He acts with reason like a grownup would in his situation. Besides acting like a parent figure, Piggy also provides leadership before and after the tribe is split in half. â€Å"But nobody else understands that about the fire. If someone threw you a rope when you were drowning. If a doctor said take this because if you don’t take  it you’ll die- you would, wouldn’t you? Can’t they understand? Without the smoke signal we’ll die here?† (Golding 139). The signal fire is another symbol that changes to reflect the downward spiral of the children. The fire was instituted by Ralph and Piggy as an attempt to draw attention in hopes of rescue. The fire can be seen as a connection to civilization and as civilization itself. When the fire burns well at a normal pace, the island is at peace. â€Å"We’ve got no fire. That thing just sits up thereÆ’{ we’ll have to stay here† (Golding 129). But when the fire is out, the boys seen to loose interest in civilization and revert to primitive, savage beings, which cause problems for the fragile island society. Oddly the fire that brings about the boy’s rescue is not the signal fire, but a forest fire started by Jack to drive Ralph out into the open. The fire symbolizes power and the leadership of the tribe, as it provides warmth and heat for cooking. When Jack gains the ability to make fire, he seizes control of the tribe. Piggy’s glasses allow for the creation of all fire on the island. The glasses symbolize science and intelligence and their impacts on society. The glasses also play a pivotal role in the foreshadowing of the chaos that will eventually ensue on the island. â€Å"Jack smacked Piggy’s head. Piggy’s glasses flew off and tinkled on the rocks. Piggy cried out in terror: ‘My specs'† (Golding 71). The breaking of Piggy’s glasses can be considered the start of the events that will cause the island to descend into complete and inescapable chaos led by Jack’s anarchy. Jack Merridew represents a thirst for power and savagery comparable to primal instincts. Jack uses his power for pleasure only, slowly evolving into a total dictator by the time the tribe splits. â€Å"There isn’t a tribe for you anymore! I’m chief† (Golding 181). Jack cannot accept compromises in his authority and systematically takes part in, if not responsible for, the deaths of those who oppose him in his path to power. Jack uses the beast as a means to hunt more often and later gain power. The beast is nothing but the evil and primal instincts imbedded deep within all of us. Everyone on the island is afraid of it, while in reality it is simply does not exist. It appears that the more the boys act savagely, the more real the beast becomes. Soon the boys start to worship the beast and leave offerings to the beast. This head is for the beast. It’s a gift† (Golding 137). The lord of the flies is the gift left for the beast. It’s a bloody pig’s head on a stick. The lord of the flies is a physical manifestation of evil who invokes the inner beast within us all. When Simon speaks to the lord of the flies, its true nature is revealed. â€Å"You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you† (Golding 143). Throughout the story Golding uses his characters, objects and events as symbols to get a deeper meaning across. The book weaves a compelling tale of optimism against the darkest side of human evil. Even though the novel shows that evil in every person exists, the basic human goodness still appears to prevail when all is said and done. The Lord of the Flies is truly a modern classic with a message for everyone.

Us Foreign Policy Essay - 865 Words

Why is US foreign policy pulled to extreme of either doing too much or nothing at all? The inability of U.S. foreign policy to stay effective is because America has committed itself to supporting alliances that have not proven to be mutually beneficial. Foreign assistance, which is supposed to improve the well-being of recipient countries, goes directly to small coalitions. The United States, with the fear of losing its position on the global stage, has committed itself to the conundrum of regime change which often produces little result. Countries receiving foreign aid and military assistance have no incentives to build an effective bureaucracy or judicial system because these systems can represent threats to incumbents based upon local†¦show more content†¦On the other hand, U.S. foreign policy was pulled to do nothing good to social improvements. The ultimate goal for U.S. foreign policy is to promote democracy in recipient countries. However, this goal has failed several times. For example, America was too deeply trapped into the commitment to see the real problems of South Vietnam. According to Hilton Root, the South Vietnam governments deepest vulnerability was its failure to win the confidence of the peasantry. Like Chiang Kai-sheks loss of China, both the Diem and Thieu regimes failed to gain popular support from the rural population. Without clearly seeing the needs of the rural population, Americas effort to support South Vietnam and import democracy to this country failed with the collapse of the South Vietnamese government. Furthermore, social conditions of South Vietnam were not mature enough for accepting democratic style social reforms. According to Hilton Root, there was no cultural heritage in Vietnam that can link the individual rights to the cultural legacy of the nationhood. Unlike the French and American social systems, which rest secure on social contract, the Vietnamese had no social contract and Vietnamese social identity stemmed from loyalty to family or village rather than to the nationhood. The lack of both soc ialShow MoreRelatedUs Foreign Policy Essay902 Words   |  4 PagesUnited States Foreign Policy has always been in a constant form of metamorphosis. Gradually, since the birth of the United States of America, the country has been slowly evolving it’s policies and relations with other countries. The United States began its history as a insignificant isolated nation. It slowly overtime would change to what the powerhouse that it is today: A Global Superpower. Just after the 13 Colonies began the break with Britain, the nations first government would come into existenceRead MoreUS Foreign Policy Essay1017 Words   |  5 PagesUS Foreign policy is what the United States of America does in foreign countries. 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