Of all the characters in the Crucible Essay

Of all the characters in the Crucible, John Proctor is perhaps the most admirable. He has strong personal principles and the courage to stand by them. Proctor strives to do what is right. He tries very hard to please Elizabeth because his affair with Abigail Williams has left him with a guilty conscience. In Act 2, he compliments Elizabeth’s rabbit stew, even though much of it is his own work. † It’s well seasoned, † he says. He labors constantly, for her well being, believing that this will make their relationship successful. Proctors first appearance, in Act 1, is his arrival from chopping wood in the forest. During much of Act 1 he is working. For example, he returns from a hunting trip and from planting seeds in his garden, on a cold winters day. Proctor believes in discipline and can be very strict if he needs to. As is illustrated in Act 2. Mary Warren disobeys him and goes to the Salem trials as an official. On her return, he scolds her shouting, â€Å"I’ll official you†¦ I’ll whip the devil out of you! † He is against the trials, perhaps because he was never a strong Christian. In Act 2 he is told to recite the Ten Commandments. He starts, â€Å"Thou shalt not steal†¦covet thy neighbours goods†¦ make unto thee any graven image†¦ bear false witness†¦ make unto thee any graven image. † finally stuttering and failing. We get an insight to his values in Act 2, when he shows his disapproval of the Salem Witch trials, saying: â€Å"It’s a strange work†¦ to hang old women†. This is further illustrated, later in the same act, when his wife, Elizabeth, learns that she is accused of witchcraft. Proctor, deeply shocked, becomes very protective towards her. He says that they shall resist the charges and that â€Å"There will be no noose†¦fear nothing†. Johns courage to stick by his beliefs is illustrated at the end of Act 2, when he stands up to court officials in a struggle to oppose the charges against his wife. He tears up the arrest warrant, throws out the officials and rages â€Å"Damn the Deputy Governor! Out of my house! † At the end of the play, in Act 4, John faces the ultimate test of his courage and moral values when he is faced with signing the document, where to lie would save his life. Proctor cannot sign the lie and exclaims: â€Å"Because it is my name! †¦ Because I lie and sign myself to lies! † Abigail Williams is undoubtedly the most despicable character in the play. Her young and innocent appearance conceals a sly, selfish and callous girl. Abigail had once been John Proctor’s lover, but was then rejected. She cannot bear the fact that John no longer loves her the way that she believes he used to, and that he wants to pretend that nothing ever happened. In Act 1, John says to her: â€Å"Wipe it out of mind. We never touched. † Abigail is a deceitful person who does not care about the outcome of her actions. Her envy leads her to make false accusations against Elizabeth Proctor. She is a skillful liar. This is illustrated in Act 3 when Abigail, after purposely wounding herself, argues, in court, against Elizabeth saying: â€Å"I have been hurt Mr Danforth†¦ I done my duty pointing out the devil’s people – and this is my reward? To be mistrusted, denied, questioned†¦? Abigail has a bad name in the village because she is often seen doing mysterious things, such as conjuring spirits and more generally because of her malevolent character. This is illustrated in Act 1 where Betty exclaims, â€Å"you did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctors wife! † Abigail then smashes Betty across the face and shouts â€Å"shut it, shut it! † As the thoughts and ideas of witchcraft and devil worship spread through Salem, Abigail finds an easy way to get rid of her enemies without degrading her name any further. By accusing them, or convincing others to accuse, Abby is able to place many innocent people on trial for witchcraft. An example of this occurs at the end of Act 3, when Abigail, having convinced an assembly of girls to help her accuse Mary Warren, manipulates the situation. The assembly slowly descends into a screaming crisis, which makes Mary sound like a mad woman. Abigail uses this technique many times in the play. On this occasion, Mary Warren blames Proctor to save her life. The underlying evil of mindless persecution pervades this play. There are many characters to admire and despise. Abigail Williams deserves some sympathy, as she was callously cast aside by Proctor. Nevertheless, her decent into evil, surpasses them all Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.

A Comparison between Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter and Arthur Miller’s Crucible

Both the Scarlet Letter and the Crucible describe the hysteria generated by the highly restrictive and stifling Puritanical society. I. The Scarlet Letter portrays the situation of a woman and man who have committed adultery and shows the consequences that they have to endure. 1. Hester Prynne wears a symbolical scarlet letter which is the mark of social opprobrium; because she confronts society openly, her spirit is freed from prejudice and she is able to perceive the truth about the society she lives in. 2. Arthur Dimmesdale is blinded by the corruption of the society and cannot see himself and his deed in a true light. Because he is not able to admit his sin and live in honesty he is destroyed by his own inner tumult and by the power of the social condemnation. II. The Crucible also describes a society in which witchcraft is used as a screen to cover the thirst of a Puritanical society for cruelty and revenge. 1. Abigail Williams and the other girls fling accusations at innocent people in the society, delighted by the power they acquire in this way. This shows the way in which the outward show of justice and goodness are used to cover sin and evil. There is a profound reversal of values in the Puritanical world. 3. John Proctor refuses to lie and live in falsehood and is among the few characters who try to uproot prejudice and reveal the truth to the society. After he and other two innocent people are executed, the society seems to realize its blindness and the injustice that hid beyond the witches’ trials. Both Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter and Arthur Miller’s Crucible are studies of religious superstition which caused a mass delirium in the seventeenth century Puritanical America. The witchcraft trials that took place at that time are an instance of the contagious effect that superstition had on society. Both the Scarlet Letter and the Crucible portray, at the same time, the society that made possible a number of crimes to be committed in the name of religion and good and several individuals that struggle with prejudice and mass superstition. The Puritanical society of the seventeenth century America attempted to stifle human passion and to numb imagination. The society’s severe condemnation of sin and of any sign of liberal thought placed a great constraint on the individual. In this suffocating environment, passion became a crime and superstition and prejudice rose rapidly. However, there was only a pretense at holiness and purity in the Puritanical society. In order to dissimulate their own passions, people began looking for sin in the other members of community. Inebriated by what they saw as their holy mission, which required them to purge the community of evil, the people of Salem began sacrificing other members of the society to satisfy their desire for punishment and revenge. Arthur Dimmesdale in the Scarlet Letter and John Proctor in the Crucible are similar in many ways. As it shall be shown however, Dimmesdale is tormented by his sin while Proctor, although he condemns himself for his mistake, sees the rampant spread of prejudice in Salem and understands that the sins of those that pretend holiness are much greater. Both of the stories therefore deal with mass delirium and show man to be prone on corrupting even religion and the principles of good and justice. Interestingly, both of the works are centered on the idea of adultery. Arthur Dimmesdale, a priest, commits adultery with Hester Prynne and has to live with this spot on his conscience while preaching holiness to others. John Proctor, an ordinary man living in Salem, has an adulterous relationship with Abigail Williams, the reverend Parris’s niece. In both cases, the adultery sets the scene for the social delirium that feeds on the suspicion of sin and evil inside the community. In the Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne gives birth to a little girl while her husband is missing from the village. While Hester’s sin is easily discovered by the eager society, Dimmesdale’s adultery remains hidden. This is symbolized by the letter â€Å"A†, the scarlet letter, that Hester has to wear over her chest for the rest of her life. Accusations of witchcraft soon arise as well, and the adulterous woman is fiercely banished from society. She ends up living on the outskirts of the town, where she raises Pearl on her own. The little girl is almost taken from her by the people of the town, but she manages to keep her with the help of Dimmesdale. Hester has openly admitted her sin and while she stubbornly displays her shame in front of the other people but Dimmesdale has to keep his true nature hidden. This is not only the result of circumstances however. Hester’s mind and her spirit allow her to be free. She believes in life and the possibility of good and happiness beyond sin. For Dimmesdale however, his sin is also the end and it foreshadows his death. His spirit cannot feel free anymore: as a Christian he knows that it is impossible to erase his past and leave his sin behind. All through the book, Dimmesdale struggles with an unmovable reality. He knows he is guilty and also knows that his sin cannot be redeemed through earthly penance, yet he still searches for a ray of light to illuminate him and guide him towards salvation. The permanent pretense and act he has to put in front of the community is what eventually crushes his spirit. He knows that he cannot transform himself so as to escape knowledge of his sin. Ultimately, Dimmesdale cannot think of acquiring a new identity and leaving the town, as Hester urges him to. Symbolically, he refuses to give up his name and thus escape the opprobrium of the community: â€Å"Give up this name of Arthur Dimmesdale, and make thyself another, and a high one, such as thou canst wear without fear or shame† (Hawthorne, 1980, p. 242). Because of the weight of social conventions and demands, a name is attached to the individual but does not necessarily speak of a person’s character. Dimmesdale’s dilemma is that, as a believer and an essentially good man, he is torn apart by the knowledge that he is a sinner and he can no longer perform truly good deeds. This is also why he is incapable of leaving the place as Hester had urged him: Dimmesdale is tied to the community because of his sin. He cannot escape thus the space that torments him and keeps him imprisoned. By contrast, Hester, who wears the scarlet letter as the symbol of sin and social rejection, has a passport to freedom. Because she is marginalized by the Puritanical society of Boston, she is able to enjoy a spiritual freedom that the other women cannot even imagine: â€Å"The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread† (Hawthorne, 1980, p. 300). On the other hand, Dimmesdale cannot free his mind and think beyond the conventional social standards and laws: â€Å"The minister †¦ had never gone through an experience calculated to lead him beyond the scope of generally received laws†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hawthorne, 1980, p. 300). The Scarlet Letter studies therefore the inner corruption and falsehood of the Puritanical society in America. The two main characters, who are united through their sin, reveal two different attitudes when confronted with the force of mass superstition and prejudice. Hester, who wears the burning scarlet letter on her chest, is able to free her mind. She is sees that the society is corrupt and that her sin is not a tremendous one. On the other, Arthur Dimmesdale has to wear the mark of his sin secretly. The symbolic scarlet letter is burning in his soul and the shame eventually destroys him. The letter that the two lovers wear is a symbol of the action of social force in an agitated time. It represents the thirst of the Puritanical society for exposing and cruelly condemning sin. Arthur Miller’s Crucible portrays the same Puritanical society in America in an even more revealing way. The title is very significant: on the one hand, the crucible is an allusion to the witches’ melting pot, the cauldron they use in order to prepare the spells; on the other hand, the crucible is a symbol for the Puritanical hysteria that was itself a melting pot where innocent people were sacrificed to satisfy social prejudice, prudishness and revenge. Miller depicts the development of the witchcraft hysteria with great artistry. Significantly, the social delirium is caused by Abigail Williams, a selfish and passionate young woman who cannot accept the fact that John Proctor rejects her. As the protagonists in the Scarlet Letter, Abigail Williams and Proctor have committed adultery. However, Proctor is very different from Dimmesdale. While he regrets his deed, he maintains his sobriety and reason in the midst of the Puritanical hysteria. He is a believer and he also loves his wife, and therefore discontinues the relationship with Abigail. When the young girl is caught in the forest with a gathering of women and people begin to suspect witchcraft, she saves herself and blames Tituba for having â€Å"compacted with the devil†. The hysteria begins as the girls who were caught dancing in the woods declare having been lured by witches. This generates a complicated web of accusations and subsequent trials. People are condemned with no visible proof when the girls state they have been lured by dark spirits. Under the outward show of purity, the society judges and condemns the innocent with no other proof than the persuasive acting skills of young girls who faint, scream and fall ill in the presence of those who are supposedly evil. In the end, all the people who had managed to maintain their rational thinking and their sanity during these proceedings are condemned. John Proctor and his wife are also waiting to be hanged, along with other honest people who perceive the intricate web of lying and deception and refuse to bend to it. Their spirits reject the demands of the society to betray the other people in order to satisfy their thirst for revenge: â€Å"You must understand sir, that a person is either with this court or must be counted against it, there be no road between. This is a sharp time now, a precise time – we live no longer in the dusky afternoon when evil mixed itself with good and befuddled the world. Now, by God’s grace, the shining sun is up†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Miller, 2003, p. 93 ) As the judge describes it, the Puritanical society attempted to destroy evil completely and maintain only the good. Interestingly, when John Proctor is faced with a similar dilemma to that of Dimmesdale, he reacts in the same way. The court tempts John Proctor to sign a declaration of guilt and to continue his life with his pregnant wife. The temptation is even greater as the two have just forgiven each other and rediscovered their love and their desire to live. Ultimately however, Proctor cannot sign his name to a lie: â€Å"Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! † (Miller, 2003, p. 167). Like Dimmesdale, he cannot adopt a false position in society in order to save himself and therefore chooses death over falsehood. Both the Scarlet Letter and the Crucible reveal the inner workings of the stifling Puritanical world. Attempting to destroy evil completely, the Puritanical world actually destroys justice and honesty.

Hobbes and His Pessimistic View of the Humankind Essay - 1

Hobbes and His Pessimistic View of the Humankind - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Hobbes had a political view that people do not have any rights thus should concede all their privileges to the government in exchange for life. Moral actions are right acts initiated by a human being. Therefore, accepting Hobbes argument for following rules so as to avoid punishment is not acting morally due to various reasons and among them is the fact that the action does not spring from our will. That is because it is an action that people perform mechanically since it is not out of their will. Besides, the action is only performed to avoid the punishment instead of being carried out to yield positive results. The reason is that the morality of an action depends on the intention of the doer rather than controlling its results. Moreover, for an action to be regarded as moral there should be no self-interest behind it thus submitting to the Sovereign so as to maintain peace is not acting morally. If the action were motivated by the fear of God and not of political rule, the action would be considered as a moral act. It is because people would be performing it in to safeguard the ethics defined in the Bible instead of gaining from it.

Airport Security, their loop holes and solution proposal Research Paper

Airport Security, their loop holes and solution proposal - Research Paper Example tly, aviation security remains to be one of the current issues of concern as it is a priority for travelers, crew, countries, airports, cargo owners and the airlines. Moreover, it cannot be dispensed that a significant number of people pass via airports. This makes airports to be vulnerable to terrorism, as well as other forms of criminal activities as people interact (Wiener, 1988). More often than not, terrorists have utilized airplane hijacking as a lethal tool to advance terrorism. In this regard, airport security targets preventing threats or potential dangerous conditions from occurring or befalling a country. If airport security works well, the likelihood of penetration of illegal activities, dangerous situations, illegal drugs or threats into a country, place or aircraft is significantly reduced (Bart, 2007). The security at airports is crucial for various purposes: first, it protects the airports and air craft from potential risks. This way, airport security serves to assure the safety of the travelers. Secondly, in protecting the aircraft from potential risks, the airport security also checks on the security of a country. Needless to say, the purpose of aircraft security can be summarized as to prevent harm on aircrafts, passengers and aircraft crew, as well as, offer support to counter-terrorism policies and national security (Bart, 2007). The first terrorist incident on travelers on board was the Cubana Flight 455 incident that occurred in 1976. The Cubana flight had just left Barbados and was headed for Jamaica when it was brought down by a terrorist attack. In the incident, seventy three civilians lost their lives. The attack was linked to Cuban anti-Castro exiles that had a connection with the Central Intelligence Agency, as well as members secrete police from Venezuela (DISIP), which included Luis Posada Carriles. The deadliest airline tragedy that following failed security at the airport to detect a bomb on onboard occurred in 1985 and involved

Journal 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal 3 - Essay Example n almost unanimously agree,† Adding that, â€Å"Debates over immigration can continue for decades, resulting in significant policy changes without -- or even in opposition to -- presidential leadership. Scholars point to the lengthy debates of the 1840s and 1850s, when nativists particularly feared the growing political power of Irish Roman Catholics. From roughly 1880 through 1930, the "new immigrants" from Asia and Southern and Eastern Europe provoked many Americans into predictions of what they called racial "mongrelization.",† (Gabaccia, p.1). In consideration of the high level of immigrants which traveled to the Americas long ago and to a certain extent to this day, it is quite intriguing to see the lack of discussion that occurs on a political level as it comes to the debate over such an issue that possesses great historical relevance to the history of any nation, including the United States. In the case of current debate, often times the subject of immigration is placed heavily on the issue of border control between neighboring countries. When it comes to choosing political candidates, it becomes quite commonplace to view them first in foremost through such means as categorizing based on ethnic background, nationality, or even gender. Despite the continued desire among many to see those who live within the borders of the United States through such means that are not legal, it continues to be an issue for discussion that appears to have no clear cut way for attempting to solve the matter at all. In the end, â€Å"Race, ethnicity, religion, and nativity can fig-ure prominently in presidential campaigns precisely because they symbolize the depth of contradictions in the shifting political coalitions that uneasily unite national parties. That was certainly the case in 1928. It is equally true today,† (Gabaccia, p.2). One of the basic things which many take for granted is that of the chance to wear what we want and to do so when we please. Such

American Export Trade Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

American Export Trade Business - Research Paper Example Between 1992 and 2013, average exports by the United States is estimated to be US $103197.71 million and the maximum level in these two decades has reached in December 2012 at US $188686.00 million (â€Å"United States exports†). US primary export items are capital goods, industrial supplies, food and beverages, automotive vehicles, engines and vehicle parts; high tech manufacturing goods remains one of the most important categories of exports. However, in the twenty first century US started to lose comparative advantage on manufacturing of such goods. This paper aims at researching the stake of current US high tech trade deficit and how an improvement in the trade condition would help to improve living standards in the US economy. US export trade The Department of Commerce’s U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis released their annual report of international trade of the US in goods and services for the year 2012 in December that year. The report reveal s that exports of commodities and services by the country increased by 2.1 percent in 2012 since the month of November in 2012 and reached a record figure of $2.20 trillion. The trade deficit in US decreased since the country’s imports have fallen by 2.7 percent during this period (â€Å"U.S. export fact sheet†). Figure: Exports of United States between 2011 -2013 (Source: â€Å"United States exports†) Exports have been an important part of the U.S. GDP and in 2012 the share of exports in GDP was 13.9 percent. This share has improved in 2011 from 2008 (12.9 percent) and has remained steady since 2011 (â€Å"U.S. export fact sheet†). Capital goods form the largest category of export commodities for the US. In 2012, this category of exports was worth $526.7 billion. The leading manufacturing sector for export commodities has been named as the â€Å"motor vehicles and parts sector† (â€Å"U.S. export fact sheet†). High-technology exports The ma nufacturing sector in the US contributes a large section of the country’s GDP that other sectors and has been a driver of economic growth in the country since 1947. This sector is highly engrossed in international trade than other sectors. The manufacturing sector strengthens the growth process by bringing in technological innovation in the other industries. Production of high-technology products require high intensity of R&D. Industries that produce high tech products in the US are aerospace, pharmaceuticals, electrical machinery, computers and scientific instruments (â€Å"High-technology exports (current US$)†). The US manufactured goods account for nearly 35 percent of the total worth of high technology products traded in the international market. Till 2008 US enjoyed high trade surplus owing to high revenue income from export of high tech manufactured goods and royalties earned from the sale of technical know how. 57 percent of the country’s exports were ma nufactured goods. US outpaced its rival countries in the field of technological research and industrial development. Advancement in technology has support the manufacturers in the US

The Baroque Era Art and Modern Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Baroque Era Art and Modern Art - Essay Example According to Craig Lockard (451), Baroque artists placed more focus on new perspectives such as movement, amplified light, tension, decorations, and strong emotions to produce the various quality artworks. The enlarging horizons of thinking created by the Renaissance and Reformation resulted in an extravagant and, as considered by many people, outrageous artistic movement in the 1600s. In the modern art, artworks are made powerful by the use of current features such as color, form, and line to come up with often violent paintings that are both indications of creativity and uprising against convention. The current group artists are said to be inspired by various French artworks and architecture and the theatrical Italian Baroque style art. Although slightly different from the Baroque era, the Greek myths also continued to encourage some prominent artists during the period beginning the 20th century. In conclusion, the end of the Baroque era perhaps, had a significant impacted on the m odern state of art since it ushered in a new age of ornamentalization. Various forms of art such as painting and dà ©cor both opted to involve ornaments including the common paintings such as â€Å"the Garden of Earthly Delights.† As a result of forces causing a drift from the Baroque period, painters and sculptors also shifted from producing overdone artworks back to producing more sleek, modest and sharp finish. The world has seen massive transformations in the state of the modern art where it remains evident.

Employment Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Employment Law - Research Paper Example es; and other matters in relation to the nature of the job (National Archives, 2012) Trial period – the employer may offer a trial period in the employment agreement not longer than 3 months following the commencement of employment’s relationship (National Archives, 2012) Importance of â€Å"statutory requirements† and â€Å"Implied terms† The employment contract will also stipulate anent implied terms of service based on the set of mutual obligations for both employer and employee that are maybe set in a written statement of basic employment particulars stipulated under ERA 1996. S .1 (Emplaw Online, 2012). Some of the implied obligations of an employer are stipulated under the ‘equality clause’ to ensure that workers will not be subjected under all forms of discrimination, that they’d be able to observe custom of the trade and that they will be able to perform their common law duties for a safe environment (Emplaw Online, 2012). Part of these implied obligations is to uphold mutual trust and confidence among workers (Emplaw Online, 2012). The statutory requirements are clearly outlined in labour laws and policies of the country. In case there is breach of contract and illegal dismissal or there is unfair dismissal, this will be ruled by the Act of Parliament and dealt with by employment tribunals not by the courts (Emplaw Online, 2012). Unfair dismissal happens when there is breach of contract or there is wrongful dismissal. This is a new concept integrated in Great Britain’s labour policy after the legislation of  Industrial Relations Act and in ERA 1996 Part X, 94 and 135 (Emplaw Online, 2012). Legal protection afforded to employees by ‘Transfer of Undertakings’ legislation Labor laws in UK have also assured that employees’ rights are protected... The employment contract will also stipulate anent implied terms of service based on the set of mutual obligations for both employer and employee that are maybe set in a written statement of basic employment particulars stipulated under ERA 1996. S .1. Some of the implied obligations of an employer are stipulated under the ‘equality clause’ to ensure that workers will not be subjected to all forms of discrimination, that they’d be able to observe the custom of the trade and that they will be able to perform their common law duties for a safe environment. Part of these implied obligations is to uphold mutual trust and confidence among workers. The statutory requirements are clearly outlined in labor laws and policies of the country. In case there is a breach of contract and illegal dismissal or there is an unfair dismissal, this will be ruled by the Act of Parliament and dealt with by employment tribunals, not by the courts. Unfair dismissal happens when there is a breach of contract or there is wrongful dismissal. This is a new concept integrated in Great Britain’s labor policy after the legislation of Industrial Relations Act and in ERA 1996 Part X, 94 and 135. Labor laws in the UK have also assured that employees’ rights are protected under Transfer of Undertakings Regulations of 2006 (TUPE), or when a business is subjected to transfer. The regulation aims at ensuring that employees will not be illegally dismissed from work due to business transfer unless there is sufficient reason to warrant termination

Problem based SOAP notes for three patients Essay

Problem based SOAP notes for three patients - Essay Example B. Renal Panel in three months C. Instruct on diabetic diet. D. Instruction in side effects of Viagra. E. Diabetes education F. Seatbelt at all times in Motor Vehicle G. Influenza Vaccine (Seasonal/H1N1)--hand washing H. Foot care checks and maintenance education I. Skin checks of all moles and other changes. Narrative Report to Preceptor (After initial assessment). This is a 72 year old black male, retired school teacher who is presenting with symptoms of erectile dysfunction. He describes that he is able to have an erection but it does not stay long enough to participate in intercourse. He was diagnosed three years ago with Type 2 diabetes and is somewhat hypertensive. His medications consist of Metformin for the diabetes and Lopressor for the hypertension. Physical exam results in normal vital signs as well as normal heart and lung sounds. There is no tenderness in the abdomen. Range of motion shows some tenderness in his shoulders. His labs are normal but he does have slight sugar in his urine. I suggest that we do a trail of Viagra as this drug does not affect his other drugs. There is also a need to increase his Metformin to maximum dose and leave his Lopressor at the same dose for present. We will start conservative treatment on the shoulder tenderness with NSAIDS and pool therapy. He has not been having regular checkups with hemoglobin A1C results and I suggest that take place every three months along with a renal panel. instruction in diabetic diet and blood sugar testing at home as well as instruction in understanding how to check his feet and what the does and don't there are. Gout Subjective Data (S) CC/chief complaint: "I have pain in my right big toe. It...His labs are normal but he does have slight sugar in his urine. I suggest that we do a trail of Viagra as this drug does not affect his other drugs. There is also a need to increase his Metformin to maximum dose and leave his Lopressor at the same dose for present. We will start conservative treatment on the shoulder tenderness with NSAIDS and pool therapy. He has not been having regular checkups with hemoglobin A1C results and I suggest that take place every three months along with a renal panel. instruction in diabetic diet and blood sugar testing at home as well as instruction in understanding how to check his feet and what the does and don't there are. This is a 38 YO WM, obese complaining of severe pain in right great toe. Toe is swollen and painful to touch. States it woke him up in the middle of the night and is getting worse. Uric acid level is high. Blood pressure is borderline. Physical exam is unremarkable with the exception of the right toe and the obesity. I suggest we order Ibuprofen at top dose for inflammation reduction and pan control. Cochicine will need to be ordered at a loading dose of 1.2 mg PO and 0.5 mg every hour until pain and swelling decreases or up to 8 mg for this attack. We should then put him on a maintenance dose of 0.5 mg PO daily three times a week on Mon. Wed. and Fri.

Hamlets Tainted Mind Essay Example for Free

Hamlets Tainted Mind Essay In act two, Hamlet presents a self loathing soliloquy, reflecting upon his hesitation in taking revenge upon King Claudius. Shamed and inspired by the courageous tone of a play actors speech, Hamlet vows to catch the Kings guilt though a play of his own. However, while his plan may be viable, Hamlets reasoning suggests a tainted mind. The speech immediately focuses on Hamlets praise for the actor and disdain for his own lack of action. He displays a deep envy for the characters passion, while disparaging himself for lacking the same fervor. Had he the motive and the cue for passion that I have? He would drown the stage in tears. In reaction to his envy, Hamlet devises a vengeful plan. However, while indeed witty, attempting to sight someones conscious hardly qualifies as the act of passion and significance that Hamlet so yearned for earlier in his soliloquy. This contradiction insinuates Hamlets inability to register emotion on a physical scale. While his mind can generate phrases and ideas of articulacy and beauty, its too tainted and preoccupied that it can not transfer the eloquent words he recites into reality. Thus, time and time again he will completely ignore the task at hand. Hamlets plot also suggests a weakness in his ability to understand human disposition. He plans on catching a grimace of evil or worry upon Claudius, believing that the sight of his own actions will prompt the Kings emotions. Ill observe his looks, Ill tent him to the quick. So Hamlets important scheme hinges on a man publicly revealing his inner sentiment. While of course, such a notion is unreliable and impetuous, Hamlet trusts its validity. The plays the thing wherein Ill catch the conscience of the King. A man that would commit such a terrible crime, as that accused of Claudius, would hardly be affected, at least externally, by Hamlets plan. Hamlet obviously lacks a full understanding of the complexity of man. He evolved earlier in act one, when he so forcibly learned and noted that Theres never a villain dwelling in Denmark but hes an arrant knave. Evidently, his mental evolution lacks completion, as true human nature is virtually unbeknownst to Hamlet. These imperfections, while proving a tainted mind, also serve to accentuate Hamlets character. Not often can a man speak his ideas so eloquently, yet express them with little resemblance, and understand them with even less accuracy. Perhaps the contradiction suggests a direct correlation between Hamlets secluded upbringing and schooling and his lack of understanding of human nature?

Can Robots Really Be Used For Childcare Young People Essay

Can Robots Really Be Used For Childcare Young People Essay 1. Introduction What do you think of when the word robots come to your mind? If you think they are the machines that you see in a movie or read about in a science fiction novel, think again. Robots are the largest growing technological devices in the world. They perform many functions ranging from space exploration to entertainment. According to scientist, in the future, robots will be doing our yard work, taking over some of our jobs, and monitoring our health on a daily basis. Does it sound unbelievable? This might just be the kind of world our descendents will grow up in. Its hard not to think about having our lives changed by the introduction of these new robots. As for the household aspect, computers will make our daily drudgery of housework dramatically more interesting. In the next decade robots should be cleaning our floors, mowing our lawns, and even taking care of our children while we are away at work. Robots will be an integral part of our lives. 2. What are Child-care robots? A babysitter or companion on call round the clock to supervise and entertain the kids is the dream of many working parents. Now, robot manufacturers in Japan and South Korea are racing to fulfil those parents dreams with affordable robots which will act as nannies to their children. These robots will be equipped with game playing, quizzes, speech recognition, face recognition and limited conversation to capture the preschool childs interest and attention. Their mobility and semi-autonomous function combined with facilities for visual and auditory monitoring are designed to keep the child from harm. Parents would be able to use these robots as means to keep a look out for their children while they are away at work. These robots will also be a means in which parents will communicate with their kids as the robots will be equipped with a mobile phone where parents would be able to call and speak directly to their children through the robot or send short messages which would be read out by the robot to their children. 3. Technologies involved in Child-care robots Child-care robots will be equipped with cameras for parents to be able to monitor their children at all time and to make sure that they are safe and are interacting well with the robot. There will also be a mobile phone installed into the robot for parents to keep in voice contact with their children. Other than the more visible technological elements of the robots, it is what is behind the plastic outer shell of the robot which matters. The Artificial Intelligence of these robots would be of a very high level and they will be equipped with face recognition technology and the robot will be able to form a bond with the person in which it has continually come in contact with on a daily basis. The functions that the nanny robots would be able to perform are only limited to ones imagination and as long as technology continues to improve; the boundaries of the tasks that they will be able to carry out will continually be pushed. 4. Issues Child-care robots may bring about Although child-care robots will be able to substitute the role of a parent for the time that parents are away from home, would there be any implications on the wellbeing of the child due to the presence of these robots. I will now analyze the various issues child-care robots may bring about. 4.1 Safety of children An extremely important factor for consumers is that they trust child-care robots to keep their children safe from harm. The main way that parents could ensure this is through mobile monitoring, where they can watch their children at all times. An additional way to increase supervision of their children from the office, parents would be able to upload a customized map of their homes to the robot so that it can recognize danger areas where it would try to restrict the child from going to. If the robot is programmed to identify dangerous situations, it would most probably also be programmed to take steps to avoid the child from getting into the situation. In other words, the robot would be restraining the child from committing an act deemed harmful by the robot, because of the way it was programmed, even though it would not be deemed harmful by the parent itself. Imagine a robot taking a sweet away from a child because it deems that sweets will eventually cause diabetes. Maintaining the safety of a child must be done but the robot must not be an authoritarian who stops children from expressing themselves or doing what they want to do. A line must be drawn somewhere, maybe parents would be able to program how strict their robots must be but we have to keep in mind that we cannot plan for every single scenario and program the robot in certain way. Sometimes, we must wait for a situation to arise before we will be able to see how the robot and child reacts to it. 4.2 Robot Child Relationship Another extremely important factor in the use of child-care robots is how receptive children will be to the robots as well as whether the child would be able to form a bond with the robot. Studies have shown that children from a very young age would form a very close bond to their toys. In some cases, they would not go to sleep without their favourite teddy or will not play with any other toy except for their favourite ones. Now, with the robot being able to listen and speak to them and feel their touch, children would regard their robots as their friends and they would feel that they would have formed relationships with their robots. However, the issue will arise with children whom from a very young age grow up to think that the relationship they had with their robots are genuine human relations. These children would have been drawn into the false relationship by their parents and there could possibly be harmful effects on the child either psychologically or emotionally. 4.3 Emotional Psychological Risks It is possible that children who are brought up fully or partially by the care of a robot will be affected in their social and emotional development. It is understood that a baby has a very close relationship with his/her mother when the baby is born till the baby is quite old. There will be a special emotional connection between the child and the mother and no robot would be able to substitute the mother of the child and have that same emotional relationship When the baby is brought up by its care giving robot, it would not feel the same emotional bond towards the robot and thus will not have a strong emotional feeling toward the robot which would hinder the childs emotional growth as the child grows up. Another factor which may drive the child into a shell is that robots, unlike humans, will not be able to read expressions on our faces. They rely on the tone of our voices or feel our touch. They would not be able to process tears from the childs eyes and would not be able to identify if anything is wrong and would really hurt the child emotionally as well as psychologically. 5. Conclusion The technology for a child-care robot is not very far from being achieved. Companies are working doubly hard to try to come out with a robot which will really change the face of Artificial Intelligence out there in the market today. These robots would be able to interact with humans much more than anything before. However, there are many worrying factors that point to not being over reliant on these robots if they ever do hit the shelves. I feel that robots, even though programmed to handle any scenario which it comes across in bringing up a child, will never be able to substitute the human touch aspect of bringing up a child. A human being is far more superior to a robot in bringing up a child. Even though people may argue that child-care robot will only take care of the child when parents are away at work, that period of time is enough to affect the growth of the child and being at a child care centre, interacting with other children their age as well as having someone to look after them at the centres would be more beneficial to them. No matter how many people resist the usage of the child-care robots, it would most likely be that the majority of people will see more benefits than harm in it and by using these child-care robots it would be the dawn of the time of Artificial Intelligence in households.

Grade Deflation At Princeton University Essay -- Higher Education

In Lisa Foderaro’s article â€Å"Type A-Plus Students Chafe at Grade Deflation†, she summarizes an ongoing debate within the higher education community of Princeton University. Foderaro wrote an informational article to depict both sides of the argument in a fair and balanced manner. She was attempting to expose a possible academic problem and the solution and consequences of a change in school policy. The article covers how the prototype grade deflationary policy at Princeton affects students both academically and professionally. The students refute any positive effects with negative consequences such as how policy affects the students mentally, puts students at a competitive disadvantage, and creates unrealistic standards in grading. I agree and disagree with some of the students’ stances as there are always benefits and consequences to any policy. Princetonian students argue that the policy of limiting the number of A’s to just 35 percent of all grades given has detrimental effects on Princeton’s A- plus type body of students. They argue that the lowering of a students’ GPA through this policy makes it harder for the students to compete with other equally intelligent ivy-league students who are not affected by the policy. The undergraduate student body president heard from students that the policy was creating inequities in the grading system. â€Å"I had complaints from students who said that their professors handed back exams and told them, ‘I wanted to give 10 of you A’s, but because of the policy, I could only give five of you A’s.’ This is very surprising and exposes an important flaw that the policy has created. Additionally the students argue that there are mental affects created by the policy including dampening competition an... ...n students and their administration at Princeton. Perhaps even if there may not have been significant decreases in acceptance rates, students feel punished and will therefore perform more poorly. It seems as though this policy has in essence put a wet blanket that was the bright flame of the pursuit of challenging intellectual stimulus through education. Regardless of the aim of any policy it is imperative that all sides are weighed equally and the decision is based logically on these results. Works Cited 1. Foderaro, J.W. (2010, January 31). Type-a-plus students chafe at grade deflation. New York Times, Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/education/31princeton.html?pagewanted=print 2. Staff, Initials. (2009, December 02). Editorial: on grade deflation. The Daily Princetonian, Retrieved from http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2009/12/02/24601/

The Existance Of God :: essays research papers

The Existance Of God Either God exists or He doesn't. There is no middle ground, and any attempt to remain neutral in relation to God's existence is automatically synonymous with unbelief. It is far from a "moot" question, because if God does exist, then nothing else really matters; if He does not exist, then nothing really matters at all. This is kind of unfortunate for someone like myself, because I've always lived on that nonexistent middle ground. Until now I've never been put in a position where it was questioned. The last couple of years I've referred to myself as a recovering Catholic, but never redefined my religion (or lack thereof) since then. When I found out I had to take a stand in this paper one way or another, yes or no, black or white, it was unsettling. At that point it became more than a term paper. Can I, with a clear conscience, write a 15 page paper denouncing the existence of God? I kind of cringed as I imagined being struck down Indiana Jones style, and in that, I had my answer. So without further adieu, the next 15 pages is me, making my case (I think) for the existence of God. What better place to start, than Pascal's Wager. Pascal's Wager takes this angle: You must wager. There is no choice, he says, you are already committed. I liked the example he used of the toss of the coin, he wants us to see this choice as the gamble that it is. Before you put your money on either, examine the odds, says Pascal: One on side of the coin, heads: God exists and there is an eternal heaven to be gained and an eternal Hell to be avoided. On the flip-side of the coin: God does not exist, no heaven and hell to look forward to or fear, no rewards and no wrath. Choose God, says Pascal, If you win you win everything if you lose you lose nothing, though the odds are even, the rewards are not. Choose heads and win, and in the words of Willy Wonka, you win the "grand and glorious jackpot." Is this true? Is it wrong for me to take a theist's approach to this paper, and yet still disagree with Pascal's logic? Pascal says there is a full and happy life to be won, but isn't there also a full and happy life to be lost, depending on your ideas of full and happy?

Knight Eliduc Essay

Eliduc is a courtly knight admired greatly by the king of Brittney. The king trusts Eliduc to guard the lands and also grants him free reign to hunt wherever he pleases. Since Eliduc is favored so greatly, many envious enemies try to slander his name to the king. Without credible accusation, the king banishes Eliduc. With hopes that the king will calm down, Eliduc travel to Logres. Eliduc takes with him ten knights, and due to his wife’s mourning and grief of his departure, Eliduc assures her that he will remain faithful. While traveling through the land of Tontes, Eliduc finds the land to be at war. He finds that an old Lord has refused to give his daughters hand in marriage to any beau’s, therefore; another powerful lord wages war for her. Eliduc uses this situation as a chance to prove himself and become favored by the new lord. He insists that he will fight for the king, and so the king allows granting him fine lodging and hospitality. Eliduc plans on tricking the e nemy into thinking they have won, but in their departure, he attacks the enemy. His plan to defeat the enemy works. The king then makes Eliduc a vassal for a year. Hearing of Eliduc’s act of valor, the kings’s daughter Guilliadun wishes to meet him. Immediately, Guilliadun falls in love with Eliduc, however out of respect for his marriage, he is hesitant and reserved. Guilliadun confesses that she will die if she cannot have Eliduc and tries to win him with gifts. Eliduc receives the gifts in grace, but easily masks his affection for Guilliadun. Eliduc does so out of reverence for his wife Guildeluec. Meanwhile, Eliduc’s old king seeks him out and Eliduc does return back to Brittany; however, he promises he will return back to Tontes if needed. Guilliadun is saddened by the news and claims she will kill herself, but Eliduc reassures her of his return. Once Eliduc returns to Brittany he is angered by the negative news he hears of his wife. After quickly ridding the Brittany of its enemies, Eliduc returns to Tontes in search for Guilliadun. They are lovingly reunited and begin to sail home to Brittany. However, Guilliadun is disheartened by the news that Eliduc is married, she faints, in a coma-like state. After noticing how distraught ELiduc was after his return, Guildeluec is convinced he isn’t saddened because of the hermits death at the abbey. Guildeluec sends spies and discovers Guilliadun. Along with feeling betrayed by Eliduc, she feels pity for Guilliadun. After witnessing a weasel bring his mate back to life with an herb, Guildeluec brings Guilliadun back. Eliiduc is informed of the miracle and happily chooses Guilliadun as his new wife. Eliduc’s first wife and new wife â€Å"came to a good end thanks to God, the true divine†. I chose to analyze the quote â€Å"came to a good end thanks to God, the true divine†. Marie implies in the end of the lay that the only way to find serenity through love in this world is by making oneself docile to the charity of selfless love, epitomized in God. I, however, that this quote in no way reflects God. Yes, it involves love; however God is also about faithfulness, honesty and respect. By being reserved from Guilliadun during her first attempts, Eliduc did show respect to his marriage. However, after hearing stories of Guildeluec while he was gone caused him to want to pursue Guilliadun. Eliduc never once asked Guildeluec. It amazed me that Guldeluec was content with Eliduc’s choice. She never tried to win him back but actually felt pity for Guilliadun and her sorrow. Guildeluec’s actions are a reflection of selfless love, which show reverence to God. Ultimately, I thought it was ironic to give thanks to God, being that the outcome, in my opinion was ungodly. Adultery did not take place, however betrayal and mistrust did.

Japanese Occupation Essay

Characteristics of Philippine literature during Japanese occupation 1. The Philippine literature during that time is full of chaos, war, because of Japanese occupation. 2. Filipinos during that time surrender but instead of giving up till the end they fight together with general Douglas MacArthur 3. The Philippines is conquered by Japanese but because of guerrillas some islands are conquered. 4. Japanese had pressed large numbers of Filipinos into work details and even put young Filipino women into brothels. Historical background Japan launched an attack on the Philippines on December 8, 1941, just ten hours after their attack on Pearl Harbor. Initial aerial bombardment was followed by landings of ground troops both north and south of Manila. The defending Philippine and United States troops were under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who had been recalled to active duty in the United States Army earlier in the year and was designated commander of the United States Armed Forces in the Asia-Pacific region. The aircraft of his command were destroyed; the naval forces were ordered to leave; and because of the circumstances in the Pacific region, reinforcement and resupply of his ground forces were impossible. Under the pressure of superior numbers, the defending forces withdrew to the Bataan Peninsula and to the island of Corregidor at the entrance to Manila Bay. Manila, declared an open city to prevent its destruction, was occupied by the Japanese on January 2, 1942. The Philippine defense continued until the final surrender of United States-Philippine forces on the Bataan Peninsula in April 1942 and on Corregidor in May. Most of the 80,000 prisoners of war captured by the Japanese at Bataan were forced to undertake the infamous â€Å"Bataan Death March† to a prison camp 105 kilometers to the north. It is estimated that as many as 10,000 men, weakened by disease and malnutrition and treated harshly by their captors, died before reaching their destination. Quezon and Osmeà ±a had accompanied the troops to Corregidor and later left for the United States, where they set up a government-in-exile. MacArthur was ordered to Australia, where he started to plan for a return to the Philippines. The occupation The Japanese military authorities immediately began organizing a new government structure in the Philippines. Although the Japanese had promised independence for the islands after occupation, they initially organized a Council of State through which they directed civil affairs until October 1943, when they declared the Philippines an independent republic. Most of the Philippine elite, with a few notable exceptions, served under the Japanese. Philippine collaboration in Japanese-sponsored political institutions – which later became a major domestic political issue – was motivated by several considerations. Among them was the effort to protect the people from the harshness of Japanese rule (an effort that Quezon himself had advocated), protection of family and personal interests, and a belief that Philippine nationalism would be advanced by solidarity with fellow Asians. Many collaborated to pass information to the Allies. The Japanese-sponsored republic headed by Preside nt Josà © P. Laurel proved to be unpopular. Resistance Japanese occupation of the Philippines was opposed by active and successful underground and guerrilla activity that increased over the years which eventually covered a big portion of the country. Opposing these guerrillas were a Japanese-formed Bureau of Constabulary (later taking the name of the old Constabulary during the Second Republic), Kempeitai, and the Makapili.[4]Postwar investigations showed that about 260,000 people were in guerrilla organizations and that members of the anti-Japanese underground were even more numerous. Such was their effectiveness that by the end of the war, Japan controlled only twelve of the forty-eight provinces. The Philippine guerrilla movement continued to grow, in spite of Japanese campaigns against them. Throughout Luzon and the southern islands Filipinos joined various groups and vowed to fight the Japanese. The commanders of these groups made contact with one another, argued about who was in charge of what territory, and began to formulate plans to assist the return of American forces to the islands. They gathered important intelligence information and smuggled it out to the American Army, a process that sometimes took months. General MacArthur formed a clandestine operation to support the guerrillas. He had Lieutenant Commander Charles â€Å"Chick† Parsons smuggle guns, radios and supplies to them by submarine. The guerrilla forces, in turn, built up their stashes of arms and explosives and made plans to assist MacArthur’s invasion by sabotaging Japanese communications lines and attacking Japanese forces from the rear. Various guerrilla forces formed throughout the archipelago, ranging from groups of U.S. Army Forces Far East (USAFFE) forces who refused to surrender to local militia initially organized to combat banditry brought about by disorder caused by the invasion. Several islands in the Visayas region had guerrilla forces led by Filipino officers, such as Colonel Macario Peralta in Panay, Major Ismael Ingeniero in Bohol, and Captain Salvador Abcede in Negros. The island of Mindanao, being farthest from the center of Japanese occupation, had 38,000 guerrillas that were eventually consolidated under the command of American civil engineer Colonel Wendell Fertig. One resistance group in the Central Luzon area was known as the Hukbalahap (Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon), or the People’s Anti-Japanese Army organized in early 1942 under the leadership of Luis Taruc, a communist party member since 1939. The Huks armed some 30,000 people and extended their control over portions of Luzon.[11] However, guerrilla activities on Luzon were hampered due to heavy Japanese presence and infighting of the various groups,[12] including Hukbalahap troops attacking American-led guerrilla units.[13][14] Lack of equipment, difficult terrain and undeveloped infrastructure made coordination of these groups nearly impossible, and for several months in 1942 all contact was lost with Philippine resistance forces. Communications were restored in November 1942 when the reformed Philippine 61st Division on Panay island led by Colonel Macario Peralta was able to establish radio contact with the USAFFE command in Australia. This enabled the forwarding of intelligence regarding Japanese forces in the Philippines to SWPA command as well as consolidating the once sporadic guerrilla activities and allowing the guerrillas to help in the war effort. Among the signal units of Col Peralta were the 61 Signal Company manned by 2LtLudovico Arroyo Baà ±as, which was attached to forces of the 6th Military Division, stationed in Passi, Iloilo, under the command of Capt. Eliseo Espia; and the 64th Signal Company of the same Military Division, under the Command of LtCol. Cesar Hechanova, to which 2Lt. Baà ±as was given the responsibility sometime later. Increasing amounts of supplies and radio were delivered by submarine to aid the guerrilla effort. By the time of the Leyte invasion, four submarines were dedicated exclusively to the delivery of supplies to the guerrillas. Other guerrilla units were attached to the SWPA, and were active throughout the archipelago. Some of these units were organized or directly connected to pre-surrender units ordered to mount guerrilla actions. An example of this was Troop C, 26th Cavalry. Other guerrilla units were made up of former Philippine Army and Philippine Scouts soldiers who had been released from POW camps by the Japanese. Others were combined units of Americans, military and civilian, who had never surrendered or had escaped after surrendering, and Filipinos, Christians and Moros, who had initially formed their own small units. Colonel Wendell Fertig organized such a group on Mindanao that not only effectively resisted the Japanese, but formed a complete government that often operated in the open throughout the island. Some guerrilla units would later be assisted by American submarines who delivered supplies,[21] evacuate refugees and injured, as well as inserted individuals and whole units, such as the 5217th Reconnaissance Battalion, and Alamo Scouts. By the end of the war some 277 separate guerrilla units made up of some 260,715 individuals fought in the resistance movement.Select units of the resistance would go on to be reorganized and equipped as units of the Philippine Army and Constabulary. End of the occupation When General MacArthur returned to the Philippines with his army late in 1944, he was well supplied with information. It has been said that by the time MacArthur returned, he knew what every Japanese lieutenant ate for breakfast and where he had his hair cut. But the return was not easy. The Japanese Imperial General Staff decided to make the Philippines their final line of defense, and to stop the American advance toward Japan. They sent every available soldier, airplane and naval vessel into the defense of the Philippines. The Kamikaze corps was created specifically to defend the Philippines. The Battle of Leyte Gulf was the biggest naval battle of World War II, and the campaign to re-take the Philippines was the bloodiest campaign of the Pacific War. But intelligence information gathered by the guerrillas averted a bigger disaster—they revealed the plans of Japanese General Yamashita to entrap MacArthur’s army, and they led the liberating soldiers to the Japanese fortifications. MacArthur’s Allied forces landed on the island of Leyte on October 20, 1944, accompanied byOsmeà ±a, who had succeeded to the commonwealth presidency upon the death of Quezon on August 1, 1944. Landings then followed on the island of Mindoro and around the Lingayen Gulfon the west side of Luzon, and the push toward Manila was initiated. The Commonwealth of the Philippines was restored. Fighting was fierce, particularly in the mountains of northern Luzon, where Japanese troops had retreated, and in Manila, where they put up a last-ditch resistance. The Philippine Commonwealth troops and the recognized guerrilla fighter units rose up everywhere for the final offensive. Filipino guerrillas also played a large role during the liberation. One guerrilla unit came to substitute for a regularly constituted American division, and other guerrilla forces of battalion and regimental size supplemented the efforts of the U.S. Army units. Moreover, the loyal and willing Filipino population immeasurably eased the problems of supply, construction,civil administration and furthermore eased the task of Allied forces in recapturing the country. Fighting continued until Japan’s formal surrender on September 2, 1945. The Philippines had suffered great loss of life and tremendous physical destruction by the time the war was over. An estimated 1 million Filipinos had been killed from all causes; of these 131,028 were listed as killed in seventy-two war crime events. U.S. casualties were 10,380 dead and 36,550 wounded; Japanese dead were 255,795. A Japanese soldier stand in front of US propaganda, in the Philippines. American period 1898–1946 This article covers the history of the Philippines from 1898 to 1946 and spans the Spanish-American War (after which the United States acquired the Philippines from Spain) and the subsequent Philippine–American War, the Philippines as a U.S. territory, the Philippine Commonwealth, the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during the World War II, and Philippine independence from the U.S. in 1946. (but I will not include the Japanese occupation because I already did in previous topic) *The Katipunan revolution which had begun in 1896 had formally ended with the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, a truce between the Spanish government and the principal revolutionary leaders which had been signed in November 1897. Emilio Aguinaldo, who held the office of President in the revolutionary government, and other revolutionary leaders were given amnesty and a monetary indemnity by the Spanish government in return for which the rebel government had agreed to go into voluntary exile in Hong Kong. ————————————————- Spanish-American War period (1898) ————————————————- On April 19, 1898, following on a joint congressional resolution, U.S. President William McKinley signed an ultimatum demanding that the government of Spain at once relinquish its authority and government in the Island of Cuba and withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters. This resulted on April 20 in a declaration of war against the United States by Spain, followed on April 25 by a declaration of war by the U.S. against Spain. ————————————————- On February 25, 1898, following the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor on February 15, Theodore Roosevelt sent the following cable to Commodore George Dewey, commanding the U.S. Navy’s Asiatic Squadron: â€Å"| Order the squadron, except the Monocacy, to Hong Kong. Keep full of coal. In the event of declaration of war Spain, your duty will be to see that the Spanish squadron does not leave the Asiatic coast, and then offensive operations in Philippine Islands. Keep Olympia until further orders.| †| The gunboat USS Monocacy was at the time on assignment to carry the U.S. Minister to China on visits to the open ports on the Yangtze River. On April 24 word was received that the U.S. and Spain were at war, and the squadron was ordered by the British (a non-belligerent) to leave Hong Kong. It first moved 30 miles north to Mirs Bay on the Chinese coast and the departed from there for the Philippines on April 27, reaching Manila Bay on the evening of April 30. Battle of Manila Bay The first battle of the Spanish-American war took place in the Philippines. On May 1, 1898. In a matter of hours, Commodore Dewey’s Asiatic Squadron defeated the Spanish squadron under Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarà ³n. The U.S. squadron took control of the arsenal and navy yard at Cavite and Dewey cabled Washington stating that, although he controlled Manila Bay, he needed 5000 men to seize Manila itself. U.S. preparation for land operations and resumption of the Philippine revolution The completeness of Dewey’s victory, so early in the war, prompted the administration of President William McKinley to send the troops necessary to capture Manila from the Spanish. The U.S. Army sent substantially more than Dewey asked for, the 10,844 man VIII Corps (PE), under the command of Major General Wesley Merritt. Meanwhile, Dewey dispatched the cutter McCulloch to Hong Kong to transport Aguinaldo to the Philippines. Aguinaldo arrived on May 19 and, after a brief meeting with Dewey, resumed revolutionary activities against the Spanish. Public jubilance marked the Aguinaldo’s return. Several revolutionaries, as well as Filipino soldiers employed by the Spanish army, submitted themselves to Aguinaldo’s command and the Philippine Revolution against Spain resumed. Soon, Imus and Bacoor in Cavite,Paraà ±aque and Las Pià ±as in Morong, Macabebe and San Fernando in Pampanga, as well as Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija,Bataan, Tayabas (now Quezon), and th e Camarines provinces, were liberated by the Filipinos and the port of Dalahican in Cavite was secured. The revolution was gaining ground. On May 24, 1898, in Cavite, Aguinaldo issued a proclamation in which he assumed command of all Philippine forces and established a dictatorial government with himself as dictator. Philippine declaration of independence and establishment of Philippine governments On 12 June 1898, at Aguinaldo’s ancestral home in Cavite, Philippine independence was proclaimed and The Act of Declaration of Philippine Independence was read. The act had been prepared and written by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista in Spanish, who also read it. The act opens with the following words: â€Å"| In the town of Cavite-Viejo, Province of Cavite, this 12th day of June 1898:BEFORE ME, Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, War Counsellor and Special Delegate designated to proclaim and solemnize this Declaration of Independence by the Dictatorial Government of the Philippines, pursuant to, and by virtue of, a Decree issued by the Engregious Dictator Don Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy, †¦| †| On 18 June, Aguinaldo issued a decree formally establishing his dictatorial government. On June 23, Aguinaldo issued a decree replacing his dictatorial government with a revolutionary government, with himself as President. Aguinaldo later claimed that an American naval officer urged him t o return to the Philippines to fight the Spanish and said â€Å"The United States is a great and rich nation and needs no colonies†. Aguinaldo said that after checking with Dewey by telegraph, U.S. Consul E. Spencer Pratt had assured him in Singapore: â€Å"That the United States would at least recognize the Independence of the Philippines under the protection of the United States Navy. The Consul added that there was no necessity for entering into a formal written agreement because the word of the Admiral and of the United States Consul were in fact equivalent to the most solemn pledge that their verbal promises and assurance would be fulfilled to the letter and were not to be classed with Spanish promises or Spanish ideas of a man’s word of honour. Aguinaldo received nothing in writing. On April 28 Pratt wrote the Secretary of State, explaining he had met Aguinaldo, and stating just what he had done: â€Å"| â€Å"At this interview, after learning from General Aguinaldo the state of an object sought to be obtained by the present insurrectionary movement, which, though absent from the Philippines, he wa s still directing, I took it upon myself, whilst explaining that I had no authority to speak for the Government, to point out the danger of continuing independent action at this stage; and, having convinced him of the expediency of cooperating with our fleet, then at Hongkong, and obtained the assurance of his willingness to proceed thither and confer with Commodore Dewey to that end, should the latter so desire, I telegraphed the Commodore the same day as follows, through our consul-general at Hongkong | †| There was no mention in the cablegrams between Pratt and Dewey of independence or indeed of any conditions on which Aguinaldo was to coà ¶perate, these details being left for future arrangement with Dewey; and that Pratt thought that he had prevented possible conflict of action and facilitated the work of occupying and administering the Philippines.† and says that a subsequent communication written on July 28, 1898, Pratt made the following statement:– â€Å"| â€Å"I declined even to discuss with General Aguinaldo the question of the future policy of the United States with regard to the Philippines, that I held out no hopes to him of any kind, committed the government in no way whatever, and, in the course of our confidences, never acted upon the assumption that the Government would cooperate with him–General Aguinaldo–for the furtherance of any plans of his own, nor that, in accepting his said cooperation, it would consider itself pledged to recognize any political claims which he might put forward.†| †| On June 16 Secretary Day cabled Consul Pratt: â€Å"Avoid unauthorized negotiations with the Philippine insurgents,† and the Secretary wrote the consul on the same day â€Å"| The Department observes that you informed General Aguinaldo that you had no authority to speak for the United States; and, in the absence of the fuller report which you promise, it is assumed that you did not attempt to commit this Government to any alliance with the Philippine insurgents. To obtain the unconditional personal assistance of GeneralAguinaldo in the expedition to Manila was proper, if in so doing he was not induced to form hopes which it might not he practicable to gratify. This Government has known the Philippine insurgents only as discontented and rebellious subjects of Spain, and is not acquainted with their purposes. While their contest with that power has been a matter of public notoriety, they have neither asked nor received from this Government any recognition. The United States, in entering upon the occupation of the islands, as the result of its military operations in that quarter, will do so in the exercise of the rights which the state of war confers, and will expect from the inhabitants, without regard to their former attitude toward the Spanish Government, that obedience which will be lawfully due from them.If, in the course of your conferences with General Aguinaldo, you acted upon the assumption that this Government would co-operate with him for the furtherance of any plan of his own, or that, in accepting his co-operation, it would consider itself pledged to recognize any political claims which he may put forward, your action was unauthorized and can not be approved.| †| Filipino scholar Maximo Kalaw wrote in 1927: â€Å"A few of the principal facts, however, seem quite clear. Aguinaldo was not made to understand that, in consideration of Filipino cooperation, the United States would extend its sovereignty over the Islands, and thus in place of the old Spanish master a new one would step in. The truth was that nobody at the time ever thought that the end of the war would result in the retention of the Philippines by the United States.† Tensions between U.S. and revolutionary forces This and some subsequent sections of this article extensively cite portions of Worcester’s 1914 book which rely heavily on â€Å"insurgent documents† — documents of Aguinaldo’s government which, after being captured by U.S. forces, were translated into English from the original Tagalog and Spanish and were compiled and annotated by U.S. Army Captain John R. M. Taylor. In his letter of transmittal for the compilation, Taylor wrote that the documents in the compilation â€Å"| These telegrams were found by me while in charge of the division of military information, adjutant-general’s office, Division of the Philippines, among a mass of papers captured from the so-called insurgent government. I do not suppose that they are by any means all the telegrams received by Aguinaldo between June, 1898 and March, 1899. They are merely papers which have survived the vicissitudes of warfare and the series must necessarily be incomplete, but they show, to me at least, that Aguinaldo relied much on the opinion and advice of other men; that there was serious opposition to his government even in Luzon; that it had been fully determined to attack the Americans in Manila upon a favorable opportunity, and that in the event of the success of this attack the so-called insurgent government would not have continued even to call itself a republic. A republic does not award titles of nobility.| †| The first contingent of American troops under General Thomas Anderson, arrived on 30 June, the second under General Frank V. Greene on July 17, and the third under General Arthur MacArthur on July 30. General Anderson wrote Aguinaldo requesting his cooperation in military operations against the Spanish forces. Aguinaldo responded, thanking General Anderson for his amicable sentiments, but saying nothing about mili tary cooperation; General Anderson did not renew the request. In a July 9, 1898 letter, General Anderson informed the Adjutant-General (AG) of the United States Army that Aguinaldo â€Å"has declared himself Dictator and President, and is trying to take Manila without our assistance.†, opining that that would not be probable but, if done, would allow him to antagonize any U.S. attempt to establish a provisional government. On July 15, 1898, Aguinaldo issued three organic decrees assuming civil authority of the Philippines. On July 18, General Anderson wrote that he suspected Aguinaldo to be secretly negotiating with the Spanish authorities. In a 21 July letter to the Adjunt General, General Anderson wrote the Adjudant General that he had ignored Aguinaldo’s assumption of civil authority, and had let him know verbally that he could, and would, not recognize it. In another July 21 letter, General Anderson said: â€Å"Since I wrote last, Aguinaldo has put in operation an elaborate system of military government, under his assumed aut hority as Dictator, and has prohibited any supplies being given us, except by his order.† On July 24, Aguinaldo wrote a letter to General Anderson in effect warning him not to disembark American troops in places conquered by the Filipinos from the Spaniards without first communicating in writing the places to be occupied and the object of the occupation. Murat Halstead, official historian of the Philippine Expedition writes that General Merritt remarked shortly after his arrival on 25 June, â€Å"As General Aguinaldo did not visit me on my arrival, nor offer his services as a subordinate military leader, and as my instructions from the President fully contemplated the occupation of the islands by the American land forces, and stated that ‘the powers of the military occupant are absolute and supreme and immediately operate upon the political condition of the inhabitants,’ I did not consider it wise to hold any direct communication with the insurgent leader until I should be in possession of the city of Manila, especially as I would not until then be in a posi tion to issue a proclamation and enforce my authority, in the event that his pretensions should clash with my designs.† U.S. commanders suspected that Aguinaldo and his forces were informing the Spanish of American movements. Major J. R. M. Taylor later wrote, after translating and analyzing insurgent documents, â€Å"The officers of the United States Army who believed that the insurgents were informing the Spaniards of the American movements were right. Sastrà ³n has printed a letter from Pà ­o del Pilar, dated July 30, to the Spanish officer commanding at Santa Ana, in which Pilar said that Aguinaldo had told him that the Americans would attack the Spanish lines on August 2 and advised that the Spaniards should not give way, but hold their positions. Pilar added, however, that if the Spaniards should fall back on the walled city and surrender Santa Ana to himself, he would hold it with his own men. Aguinaldo’s information was correct, and on August 2 eight American soldiers were killed or wounded by the Spanish fire.† Peace protocol between the U.S. and Spain On August 12, 1898, the New York Times reported that a peace protocol had been signed in Washington at 4:23 that afternoon between the U.S. and Spain, suspending hostilities and defining the terms on which peace negotiations are to be carried on between the two. Due to time zone differences, this was in the very early morning of 13 August in Manila. The text of the protocol was not made public until November 5, but Article 3 read: â€Å"The United States will occupy and hold the City, Bay, and Harbor of Manila, pending the conclusion of a treaty of peace, which shall determine the control, disposition, and government of the Philippines.† Capture of Manila Main article: Battle of Manila (1898) On the evening of August 12, on orders of General Merritt, General Anderson notified Aguinaldo to forbid the Insurgents under his command from entering Manila. On 13 August, unaware of the peace protocol signing, U.S. forces assaulted and captured the Spanish positions in Manila. Insurgents made an independent attack of their own, as planned, which promptly led to trouble with the Americans. At 8 A.M. Aguinaldo received a telegram from General Anderson sternly warning him not to let his troops enter Manila without the consent of the American commander on the south side of the Pasig River. No attention was paid to General Anderson’s request that the Insurgent troops should not enter Manila without permission. They crowded forward with and after the American forces and found American and Spanish troops confronting each other but not firing. A flag of truce was waving from the Spanish, nevertheless the insurgents fired on the Spanish forces, provoking a return fire which killed a nd wounded American soldiers. General Anderson’s losses in the taking of the city was nineteen men killed and one hundred and three wounded. General Anderson, sent Aguinaldo a telegram, received by the latter at 6:35 P.M., as follows â€Å"| Dated Ermita Headquarters 2nd Division 13 to Gen. Aguinaldo. Commanding Filipino Forces.–Manila, taken. Serious trouble threatened between our forces. Try and prevent it. Your troops should not force themselves in the city until we have received the full surrender then we will negotiate with you._Anderson_, commanding.| †| Aguinaldo demanded joint occupation of Manila. On August 13 Admiral Dewey and General Merritt informed their superiors of this and asked how far they might proceed in enforcing obedience in the matter. General Merritt received news of the August 12 peace protocol on August 16, three days after the surrender of Manila. Admiral dewey and General Merritt were informed by a telegram dated August 17 that the President of the United States had directed: â€Å"| That there must be no joint occupation with the Insurgents. The United States in the possession o f Manila city, Manila bay and harbor must preserve the peace and protect persons and property within the territory occupied by their military and naval forces. The insurgents and all others must recognize the military occupation and authority of the United States and the cessation of hostilities proclaimed by the President. Use whatever means in your judgment are necessary to this end.| †| Insurgent forces were looting the portions of the city which they occupied, and as is abundantly shown by their own records were not confining their attacks to Spaniards, but were assaulting their own people and raiding the property of foreigners as well, and U.S. commanders pressed Aguinaldo to withdraw his forces from Manila. Negotiations proceeded slowly and, on August 31, General Elwell Otis (General Merritt being unavailable) wrote, in a long letter to Aguinaldo: â€Å"†¦ I am compelled by my instructions to direct that your armed forces evacuate the entire city of Manila, including its suburbs and defences, and that I shall be obliged to take action with that end in view within a very short space of time should you decline to comply with my Government’s demands; and I hereby serve notice on you that unless your troops are withdrawn beyond the line of the city’s defences before Thursday, the 15th instant, I shall be obliged to resort to forcible action, and that my Government will hold you responsible for any unfortunate consequences which may ensue.† After some further negotiation and exchanges of letters Aguinaldo wrote on September 16: â€Å"On the evening of the 15th the armed insurgent organizations withdrew from the city and all of its suburbs, †¦Ã¢â‚¬  In later congressional testimony in the U.S., Dewey described an arrangement he had made with the Spanish commander for the surrender of Manila: â€Å"That the Spaniards were ready to surrender, but before doing so I must engage one of the outlying forts. I selected one at Malate, away from the city. They said I must engage that and fire for a while, and then I was to make a signal by the international code, ‘Do you surrender?’ Then they were to hoist a white flag at a certain bastion; and I may say now that I was the first one to discover the white flag. We had 50 people looking for that white flag, but I happened to be the first one who saw it. I fired for a while, and then made the signal according to the programme. We could not see the white flag†”it was rather a thick day—but finally I discovered it on the south bastion; I don’t know how long it had been flying there when I first saw it.† U.S. and insurgents clash In a clash at Cavite between United States soldiers and insurgents on August 25, George Hudson, a member of the Utah regiment, was killed, Corporal William Anderson, of the same battery, was mortally wounded, and four troopers of the Fourth Cavalry were slightly wounded. This provoked general Anderson to send Aguinaldo a letter saying, â€Å"In order to avoid the very serious misfortune of an encounter between our troops, I demand your immediate withdrawal with your guard from Cavite. One of my men has been killed and three wounded by your people. This is positive and does not admit of explanation or delay.† Internal insurgent communications reported that the Americans were drunk at the time. Halstead writes that Aguinaldo expressed his regret and promised to punish the offenders. In internal insurgent communications, Apolinario Mabini initially proposed to investigate and punish any offenders identified. Aguinaldo modified this, ordering, â€Å"†¦ say that he was not killed by your soldiers, but by them themselves (the Americans) since they were drunk according to your telegram† An Insurgent officer in Cavite at the time reported on his record of services that he: â€Å"took part in the movement against the Americans on the afternoon of the 24th of August, under the orders of the commander of the troops and the adjutant of the post.† Philippine elections, Malolos Congress, Constitutional government Elections were held by the Revolutionary Government between June and September 10, resulting in Emilio Aguinaldo being seated as President in the seating of a legislature known as the Malolos Congress. In a session between September 15 and November 13, 1898, the Malolos Constitution was adopted, creating the First Philippine Republic. Negros Revolution and Republic of Negros November 6, 1898 was the day that the Negros Revolution concluded. The Cantonal Republic of Negros was established on November 27, 1898 and ended on April 30, 1901. Spanish-American War ends Article V of the peace protocol signed on August 12 had mandated negotiations to conclude a treaty of peace to begin in Paris not later than October 1, 1898. President McKinley sent a five man commission, initially instructed to demand no more than Luzon, Guam, and Puerto Rico; which would have provided a limited U.S. empire of pinpoint colonies to support a global fleet and provide communication links. In Paris, the commission was besieged with advice, particularly from American generals and European diplomats, to demand the entire Philippine archipelago. The unanimous recommendation was that â€Å"it would certainly be cheaper and more humane to take the entire Philippines than to keep only part of it.† On 28 October 1898, McKinley wired the commission that â€Å"cessation of Luzon alone, leaving the rest of the islands subject to Spanish rule, or to be the subject of future contention, cannot be justified on political, commercial, or humanitarian grounds.The cessation must be the whole archipeligo or none.The latter is wholly inadmissible, and the former must therefore be required.† The Spanish negotiators were furious over the â€Å"immodist demands of a conqueror†, but their wounded pride was assauged by an offer of twenty million dollars for â€Å"Spanish improvements† to the islands. The Spaniards capitulated, and on December 10, 1898, the U.S. and Spain signed the Treaty of Paris, formally ending the Spanish-American war. In Article III, Spain ceded the Philippine archipelago to the United States, as follows: â€Å"Spain cedes to the United States the archipelago known as the Philippine Islands, and comprehending the islands lying within the following lin e: [†¦ geographic description elided †¦]. The United States will pay to Spain the sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) within three months after the exchange of the ratifications of the present treaty.[46]† In the U.S., there was a movement for Philippine independence; some said that the U.S. had no right to a land where many of the people wanted self-government. In 1898, Andrew Carnegie, an industrialist and steel magnate, offered to buy the Philippines for twenty million United States dollars and give it to the Filipinos so that they could be free of United States government. On November 7, 1900, Spain and the U.S. signed the Treaty of Washington, clarifying that the territories relinquished by Spain to the United States included any and all islands belonging to the Philippine Archipelago, but lying outside the lines described in the Treaty of Paris. That treaty explicitly named the islands of Cagayan Sulu and Sibutu and their dependencies as among the relinquished territories.

Morality in Politics Essay

People are forced to face moral challenges in making day-to-day decisions. When it comes to benefitting individual and societal good, the great question of politics is raised: what is the right thing to do? In Sophocles’ Antigone, there is a dilemma whether to abide by the laws of the gods above the laws of the state. Antigone makes a decision that not only affects her future but the future of the state under her uncle’s rule. Antigone gains a high moral sense in that she followed the laws of the gods and therefore did the morally right choice going against state laws, either case can be deemed as morally correct. In this essay it will be argued that citizens should be free to disobey state laws when conscience dictates. Sophocles’ play enacts the moral conflict of power between the laws of the gods and the laws of state. He presents the reader with a dilemma involving religious rituals passed down in the family and a new law passed by a ruler of the state. Antigone and her uncle, Creon, have a different set of values. Creon, the ruler of Thebes, values the constant order of the state and the public good. Antigone values family and religion, and views these commitments as superior to the laws imposed by her uncle. She claims, there is an â€Å"unchangeable unwritten code of Heaven,† (Sophocles, Antigone, 17) and she decides to act against the laws of her uncle to fulfill the laws of the gods, by giving her brother a proper burial ritual against Creon’s will. Antigone considers her uncle’s laws as sacrilege. Creon thought that his decision would bring stability to his state, as he claimed that â€Å"by corruption few men thrive and many come to mischief,† (Sophocles, Antigone, 12). Creon places the ‘polis’ above family and religious values and disregards the values that Antigone holds sacred. Sophocles positions Antigone as being the heroine of the play and allows her to justify her decisions, with the taking of her own life Antigone made a statement and accentuates the power she held and that Creon lacked. In the end, Creon is left with feelings of regret and no family, thus punished by the gods for not abiding by their laws. Antigone believed that her rights were not given to her by Creon but rather given to her by the gods. She was only doing what she thought was morally right. Antigone is a religious being and clearly values the gods higher than the state; she is willing to face the consequences. Antigone was willing to â€Å"meet with nothing more grievous, at the worst, than death, with honour,† (Sophocles, Antigone, 4) she courageously fulfilled her duties as a religious being. Many people would applaud Antigone’s bravery, for any private interest should be allowed to challenge the public good. In doing so, I believe that those private interests could eventually turn into a public interest. In the play, a prophet visits Creon to warn him of the consequences that have been brought about from his unjust laws. If it had not have been for Antigone publicly objecting to Creon’s law, it would probably not have been such a big issue that brought the concern of others. Antigone allowed for others to question Creon’s law and debate if it is morally right to go against the laws of the gods. Publicly refusing to follow a law brings attention to an issue that otherwise would have been ignored. One great example in our society is during the Civil Rights era; Martin Luther King Jr. ’s actions brought great attention to the issue of racial segregation. He believed that it was right to openly break a law that was not supposed to be a law at all. His actions although non-violent broke many laws that were made to impede success among the African American population in the U. S. He believed that by publicly and consciously breaking the law exposes brutality and promotes participation. In doing so, the people against the law were perceived as being brave and those watching were forced to question what was just. When issues become public and catch the interest of the majority of the people in the ‘polis’, the government is forced to do something about it. Creon responded with a stern and much too harsh punishment that led to the death of his niece, son and wife but if Antigone would not have contested his law he could have eventually reached complete domination of political power. The general population supported Antigone but they were too afraid to say anything until they finally felt that something must be done. Creon was running a totalitarian government and was corrupting the state. He was unable to see how unjust his law was until others brought it to his attention and tried to convince him that his use of power was wrong. Antigone’s defying actions instilled courage in the people to also speak against their ruler. It might be objected that when someone disobeys state laws whenever their conscience dictates they are only helping themselves, the person breaking the law is not thinking about the common good but rather fulfilling their own good or promoting anarchy. Civil disobedience may seem reasonable when we consider Martin Luther King Jr. ’s situation but it may not always be driven with good intentions. By disobeying, regardless of good or bad intentions, they are hurting the stability of the state. Creon argues, â€Å"Obedience is due to the state’ officer in small and great, just and unjust commandments†¦ (Sophocles, Antigone, 26). † Creon did not bother to judge his laws as just or unjust, he simply did what he considered was good for the state. It is thought that if people continue to please themselves in breaking the laws of the state that they will eventually break every law and lose all respect for the state. Civil disobedience may not always serve the public good and only serve to undermine order. Breaking a law weakens the state and it’s order, it promotes anarchy and disrespects authority. It should not be encouraged or tolerated. It is a civic virtue to abide by the laws of the state it is what leads to its success and stability. By breaking the law Antigone was faced with death, she claimed that she was honoring the gods and that they would honor her in the end. But one must question if honor is worth the permanence of death. Many people feel so strongly about their opinions that they are wiling to die just as Antigone did in Sophocles’ play. One notable person in history is Socrates; he willingly faced all punishments administered to him. He claimed to have had a contract with his state of Athens that obliged him to accept punishments for taking advantage of the state in the first place. This shows that even though Socrates may have broken some law, he still held respect for the state. Not every person that breaks a law is completely recalcitrant. Like Socrates, those who fight for civil rights and follow what they believe to be morally correct are aware of their wrongdoings and make it a statement when they finally submit to the law. They are submitting to punishments even if they are deemed unjust only to prove to the state that their morals are important and can withstand any punishment. In facing moral challenges one is often forced to face it is always difficult to decipher what is right and what is wrong. Everyone has different values and obligations. Here, Antigone’s values outweighed Creon’s overwhelmingly unjust laws. One must always question what is more important and find a balance between the two. Civil disobedience is allowed when the conscience dictates in situations that lead to a greater good. Not all private interests are egocentric some may also reflect the interest of the general population. Antigone, although harshly punished just as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Socrates were as well, have all rose among the common people and proved to be great. They encompassed a passion and bravery for their beliefs that was able to attract attention to conflicts in the law. Without their brave actions the state would not have been open to change and reach a new level of stability.

The ways in which Shakespeare portrays the themes of love in Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night is a comedy set in ‘Illyria,' a Mediterranean country. However, amongst the well-timed comical scenes, Shakespeare has other emotional predicaments intertwined with a variety of characters. Such predicaments are due to misleading identities and different love themes throughout the play; including love between grieving siblings, and the counts and countess' of Illyria. The main plot of the Twelfth Night revolves round the three main characters, Viola, Orsino and Olivia who speak in rhyming couplets. Each of the main characters form a ‘love triangle' which expresses the main love themes in the play including Elizabethan courtly love, real selfless love and overwhelming love. The love between each character that form the love triangle is such that the love and affection is directed one way around the triangle; Viola loves Orsino who believes he loves Olivia who also impetuously believes she loves Viola. Outside the love triangle are the minor characters who speak in pros and show a further variety of different love themes but expressed in a light-heartened manner. These include self love and love based on a mutual agreement. All the characters in the play are all connected through different love themes. Orsino's love for Olivia is also known as ‘Elizabethan courtly love' familiar to Shakespeare at the time the play was written. This type of love is described as a man of a high status courting an unattainable woman to be rejected, so the man can therefore wallow in self-pity and act melodramatic. Orsino explains the different ‘symptoms' of his infatuation for Olivia to Viola, explaining how a typical lover should behave and giving advice about love even though, ironically, he has had little success. Viola recognises Orsino's infatuation for Olivia and questions his love for her. Viola is correct to questions Orsino's obsession to be in love as he has little interaction with Olivia until the final scene, but still believes he loves her. Orsino show's fickle mood changes believed to be experienced when in love, which Feste describes clearly.Love Poem â€Å"I have unclasped to thee the book even of my secret soul.† â€Å"O, then unfold the passion of my love†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ for thy mind is a very opal.† True, selfless devotion is another ‘side' to the love triangle in Twelfth Night. Viola expresses pure love and tremendous loyalty to Orsino, sacrificing her own happiness for Orsino's. Viola conveys her love with intense speaking and use of dramatic irony. Shakespeare allows the audience to witness Viola's distress so the play becomes more and more intense with the Viola and Orsino scenes. Viola tells Orsino of her love for him in an ambiguous manner, so he never suspects her feelings for him. â€Å"My father had a daughter loved a man, as it might be perhaps, were I woman, I should your lordship.† â€Å"I am all the daughters of my father's house, and all the brothers too†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"A little, by your favour†¦ Of your complexion†¦ About your years, my lord.† Sebastian and Olivia both show impetuous emotions through the play. Olivia immediately falls in love with Viola, who is the identical twin to Sebastian. Once Sebastian enters the play he is mistaken for Viola which further shows evidence that both Sebastian and Olivia have impulsive emotions as Olivia still accepts she loves Sebastian although he is not Viola and Sebastian falls immediately falls in love with Olivia, which may be seen as blind love. Olivia's impulsive nature is not just expressed with her love for both Viola and Sebastian but also when she announces her seven-year morning for her brother. The audience sympathises with Olivia's painful rejection by Viola, and her difficulty to tell Viola her true feelings. It is also clear of Olivia's unfamiliarity with rejection as she desperately tells Viola she may change her feelings for Orsino if Viola returns. â€Å"I love thee so that, maugre all thy pride†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Love between siblings is also apparent in the play. Once Viola is rescued from drowning she immediately feels she has lost her brother, Sebastian. Her impulsive manner towards the sea captain, shows the strong bond her and her brother have. Shakespeare uses a dreamy, pensive quality when describing Viola's distress for her loss, and for her new independence and helplessness, which the audience can try and relate to. â€Å"For saying so, there's gold.† â€Å"And what should I do in Illyria? My brother he is in Elysium.† Antonio, who rescued Sebastian from drowning, develops a protective love for Sebastian, which could be interpreted as homosexual. Antonio expresses great respect, loyalty and selflessness when trying to help Sebastian. He offers his purse to Sebastian, which also shows great trust and friendship. â€Å"My kind Antonio, I can no other answer make but thanks†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Haply your eye shall light upon some toy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"With viewing of the town; there shall you have me.† Another bond through friendships, apart from Feste, Maria, Fabian and Sir Toby who are all work colleagues, is between Viola and Orsino who are also work colleagues, but develop an trusting relationship. Viola is Orsino's confidant and this reveals his personality to her, only further enhancing her love for him. Sir Toby and Maria show flirtatious behaviour throughout the play, as well as playful behaviour at Malvolio and Sir Andrew's expense. It is clear they both enjoy each other's company and share the same sense of humour and feelings towards other characters. The love between these two characters maybe described as practical love for a mutual benefit. If Sir Toby were to marry Maria he would have a companion who looks after him and Maria would have a higher status, marrying a knight. The audience understands the relationship between these characters and accepts them as a couple. â€Å"MARIA: My name is Mary, sir. â€Å"SIR ANDREW: Good mistress Mary Accost- â€Å"SIR TOBY: You mistake, Knight: ‘accost' is front her, board her, woo her, assail her.† Malvolio, Olivia's servant, believes it is entirely possible for a countess to love a steward, so doesn't doubt the phoney letter conveniently placed in front of him by his vengeful work colleagues, who believe he has abused his power over them. In fact, the major reason Malvolio can so easily believe Olivia would and could love him is due to his obsession for power and to exercise that power over the other characters such as Sir Toby. He is described as having self-love by Olivia, which again allows him to so easily believe the letter is genuinely from Olivia although it instructs him to wear â€Å"yellow stockings† and â€Å"cross-gartered.† The letter refers to four letters â€Å"M, O, A, I† which Malvolio instinctively believes are reference to his name. â€Å"†¦ in yellow stockings, and cross-gartered†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"O, you are sick of self-love, Malvolio†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ and perchance wind up my watch, or play with my – some rich jewel. Toby approaches; courtesies there to me-† Sir Andrew has the audience's pity and sympathy throughout the play due to his naive and innocent nature. Sir Andrew is encouraged by Sir Toby to be optimistic about Olivia's feelings towards him. Sir Andrew's hopeless love for Olivia is futile and at the end of the play he is still alone, which Shakespeare has used to further enhance the sympathetic attitude of the audience. â€Å"I was adored once too.† Shakespeare interconnects all the minor and major characters through misleading identities and a variety of love themes, which I have tried to outline. The major characters speak in rhyming couplets whereas the minor characters speak in pros, making a clear distinction between the two types of characters as well as the different range of love themes expressed by the different characters. â€Å"I music be the food of love, play on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Come, sir, you peevishly threw it to her†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 