Does Oedipus fall due to fate or due to flaw of his character Essay Example for Free

Does Oedipus fall due to fate or due to flaw of his character Essay In the play, Oedipus the King, it was portrayed that Oedipus, the main protagonist, was destined to slay his father and go to bed with his mother as foreseen by the Oracle of Delphi. Although Oedipus did unknowingly kill his own father, Laius, and marry and slept with his own mother, Jocasta, it was the flaws in his character and attitude, and not fate entirely that led to his downfall. In short, even though he was fated to do what he did in the story, he had the option to avoid that fate. However, his very nature prevented him from doing so. In the story, Oedipus was illustrated as a wise and very good ruler. He was sympathetic and compassionate towards his people. However, like most classical Greek tragic heroes, Oedipus also has flaws that eventually led to his downfall. Possibly his most notable flaws include his impulsiveness, rashness, stubbornness, and his tendency to make lapses or errors in judgment. These flaws were shown in several parts of the play, particularly during the time when he was in the process of discovering the truth about his past. When he recounts to his wife and mother, Jocasta, how he killed a group of travelers, one of which was later revealed to be his biological father, Laius, on a crossroad, Oedipus showed that he is highly capable of being rash and short-tempered. Although he was merely defending himself, he could have simply run away and avoided killing the travelers. By doing so, he could have avoided killing his true father while also disproving the prophecy of the Oracle of Delphi. It was also during this scene in the play that Oedipus was portrayed as a man who moves greatly based on impulse and does not think first before acting. Moreover, his rashness was also shown when Tiresias, the blind prophet, refused to tell Oedipus of the truth about the murderer of Laius. Although the prophet warned him that the truth would be bring him only pain and suffering, Oedipus still insisted and even threatened to accuse him of the murdering the fallen king himself. This forces Tiresias to reveal that it was Oedipus who killed Laius. Due to his short-temper, he accused the prophet of conspiring against him, which further showed how foolish he was. In addition, this also showed how blind Oedipus was because even though the truth was already being presented to him, he still refused to acknowledge it. Furthermore, it was his stubbornness and his desire to seek the truth that eventually led to his downfall. When he was still prince of the kingdom of Corinth, he overheard in a banquet that he was not the true child of the king and queen. He immediately sought the truth from the Oracle of Delphi, who simply told him that he would murder his own father and sleep with his own mother. This forced him to flee his home and it was during this time that he met the group of travelers whom he would all kill. After some time, he saved the kingdom of Thebes from the curse of the Sphinx by answering its riddle. This led to this coronation as the king of Thebes and also led to his marriage to Jocasta, whom he did not know to be his biological mother at the time. Finally, when he became king he then sought out to find the murderer of Laius, which set forth the chain of events that brought about his downfall. In other words, in his intense desire to seek the truth and avoid his fate, Oedipus became blinded and unwittingly fulfilled the prophecy of the oracle. Had he not left Corinth, he most probably would have not fulfilled the prophecy and avoided his doomed fate. In short, although it appeared that Oedipus was destined to fall, it was his very nature and lapses in judgment that sparked consequences which, he was not initially aware of. Moreover, it was his fatal flaws such as his arrogance and impulsiveness led him to kills his own father and marry his own mother. It can then be deduced that fate was greatly assisted by Oedipus nature and actions and did not act on its own.

The Vicious Cycle :: Sociology Sociological Essays

The Vicious Cycle â€Å"Cuanto Cuesta?† asked Dr. Catherwood as he slowly paged through the June 1, 1998 Ocixeman newspaper. â€Å"Tres pesos, Senor,† replied the smiling clerk, gold teeth sparkling in the bright sun. Dr. Catherwood casually tossed a five peso coin on the counter of the small newsstand and remarked, â€Å"Keep the change amigo.† This drew another large grin from the clerk. Dr. Catherwood strolled away, contemplating his upcoming expedition. He had just arrived in Ocixem earlier by plane. Dr. Catherwood was on sabbatical from his position as an anthropology professor from Harvard University in Acirema. He had a meeting at a local cafe in an hour with Dr. Ortiz, his Ocixeman colleague from the Mayan Institute. Just the other day, Dr. Ortiz had telephoned him in his office claiming he had made an incredible discovery. After the second Scientific Revolution, people didn’t keep scientific secrets from the world, so he was quite intrigued. It was considered high treason to keep a discovery from the World Government as a part of their anti-terrorist policy. Wondering why he would take such a risk in guarding his discovery, Dr. Catherwood promised to join his friend immediately in Ocixem. Dr. Catherwood was early, so he took a seat in the outdoor cafe and ordered a cold lemonade. The humid jungle air condensed on his glass as the beads of sweat did on his head. He suddenly appreciated the fact that he was from the colder climate of Acirema. Little did he know that Dr. Ortiz’s discovery would have wide ranging applications to his thoughts. Doctor Ortiz suddenly appeared, rushing over to sit across from Dr. Catherwood. â€Å"Sorry to keep you waiting,† he exclaimed, â€Å"but I was finalizing our travel preparations.† â€Å"Travel preparations?† asked Dr. Catherwood. Dr. Ortiz explained that for the past two years, he had been working amongst the ruins of the ancient Mayan civilization and had begun to decipher many of their hieroglyphics. He was focusing on how such a large and successful society could nearly vanish from the face of the earth. Some scientists theorized that the Mayans were assimilated into other cultures and disappeared that way. Although descendants of the Mayans can be recognized in present day Ocixem by their short stature, hawk noses, and flat foreheads, Dr.

Introduction of Advertising

Principle of Advertising Lecture 01 Introduction of Advertising Prepared by Samantha Chow What is Advertising? Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands by Marty Neumeier http://www. zagbook. com/ Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands by Marty Neumeier http://www. zagbook. com/ Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands by Marty Neumeier http://www. zagbook. com/ Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands by Marty Neumeier http://www. zagbook. com/Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands by Marty Neumeier http://www. zagbook. com/ Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands by Marty Neumeier http://www. zagbook. com/ What is Advertising? It is the â€Å"non-personal† communication of information usually paid for What is Advertising? Persuasive in nature about Product Service Through various media ATL vs BTL ATL Advertising †¢? ATL = Above the line †¢? Conventional in Nature †¢? Mass media (TV, radio & print) to promote brand †¢?Non-personal to customers †¢? Make use of current traditional media – TV, newspaper, magazine, radio, outdoor BTL Advertising †¢? BTL = Below the line †¢? Less conventional †¢? Direct mail, Public relations, sales promotions †¢? Using highly targeted lists of names to maximize the response rate †¢? Touch and feel product ? brand recall Available Media TVC Print Newspaper Weekly Magazines Non-weekly magazines Airport Bus Body Bus shelter Cinema First Vision In-store PromotionWhat is Marketing? What is Marketing? It is the process by which companies create customer interest in goods or services. What is Marketing? It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business development. End of Lecture 01 Thank you 😀 Resource from: Marty Neumeier, Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands [http://www. zagbook. com/] Prentice Hall, 2007, I ntegrating advertising, promotion and market communication

Khe Sahn, Leaving Home, Geography Lesson; Journey Theme Essay

Each person’s life undertakes a journey, whether it is physically or mentally. We all undergo our own adversities, tears, pains, and obstacles which can change yours and the society’s perspectives of life. Journey’s can be classified as a distance, course, travelled or appropriate for travelling. The poems â€Å"Leaving Home† by Peter Skrzynecki and â€Å"Geography Lesson† by Brian Patten both include different techniques such as metaphors and imagery to emphasise the different processes, changes, choices and conflict that each person or character may face throughout a journey. Techniques are also used in the song â€Å"Khe Sahn† composed by Donald Walker, providing a glance of how soldiers were treated in the war and the challenges they had to overcome, which all relate back to journeys. ‘Leaving home’ is not just about the destination, but the process in which he goes through to get there, and what he learns along the way is what truly counts. The character’s interview with head office caught him by surprise when the â€Å"first country appointment† left him and his family with a â€Å"dull-witted, frog-mouthed obedience†. This metaphor shows how unaware the family was about what could happen and that this was the beginning of his process through a journey. He learns along the way that he holds an unknown future and emotionally, this journey is taking its toll on him. The process within the journey helps determine the up-coming events, whether it is broken into steps or left in somebody else’s hand to determine through the ride. In comparison to ‘Leaving Home’, ‘Khe Sahn’ explores the quick change, that the main character experiences in the context, leaving the process to change his life rapidly. The hostile reception took a toll on the character and when returning from war it was extremely overwhelming. â€Å"I’ve had the Vietnam cold turkey† is Walker showing the process that the character or inspiration of the text has experienced and that he had to abruptly withdraw from the war he witnessed and fought in. The context is providing an internal look on the character and the issues and conflicts he came across after the war. Earlier in the text we find that the character ‘left his heart to the sappers round’ which means, this is him planting his heart to the Khe Sahn battle. Returning from the battle leaves him struggling to find himself mentally, indicating the process he experiences throughout his journey, and to find himself and whom he used to be so quickly. ‘Geography Lesson’ is the internal thoughts of a young student who shares his personal memories of his Geography teacher. Change is a major theme used throughout this poem. It overlooks his teacher’s life and the change he progresses. His belief that his Geography teacher should ‘sail across a warm blue sea’ to a place that he had ‘only known from maps’ glimpses into the thought of the student and the goal in which he believes his teacher should achieve. â€Å"He spoke of the lands he longed to visit† uses personal pronouns to illustrate that the journey is about his teacher and not the young student. â€Å"And I couldn’t understand why he never left†. The contrast between the two quotes emphasise the change and that he never got to the places he longed to visit, which makes the audience wonder ‘Why didn’t he go to the lands?’ ‘What happened to him?’ directing the audience’s attention to the obstacles involved in the journey, making us wonder how his journey ended. ‘Leaving home’ establishes the conflict, change and hatred the character has towards head office, by using disjointed images to describe the office boys. With his family, the main appeal is set towards the ‘unknown† where his distant future is set to thrive. Here we see the change in his attitude towards head office. It now presents his actual revulsion in them because of being sent somewhere that, to him, is unsatisfactory. Comparing the interview as trial and verdict makes the journey seem more daunting than it really is, with his disgust towards head office it is emphasised by using imagery, which highlights his loathing towards the office boys. â€Å"Stood at a window, laughing in the rain, Clapping to a fiddler’s music – Their naked hairless bodies, The colour of sour milk†. The sickening imagery used ends the poem by making it appear that head office, leaves a bad taste in his mouth. The imagery reflects on the journey by showing the change from confusion to rapid repulsion that he has towards the office people. ‘Khe Sanh’ in itself, is very much like a poem. The lyrics explore the lack of support that we, as a society, put towards a particular issue. The lyrics demonstrates that by protesting through a song, it can help influence Australian’s thoughts to sympathise with the veteran soldiers that have undertaken the hardships throughout the battle. Along the way, the society’s perspectives on the veterans changed. â€Å"Well the last plane out of Sydney’s almost gone† is a constant repetition throughout the composition, which helps get the message across that he is holding all this excess baggage from the war and all veterans hold onto that. Whilst the rest of society have moved on, forgotten about it, and don’t understand the adversity the ‘vets’ have gone through. The change from life after war takes a massive toll on the character, and the emotional journey from life after war is tough to break. But the choice for Walker to compose lyrics using the ‘Khe Sahn’ battle was to indicate the journey all veterans undertook and attempted to overcome. Whilst, ‘Geography Lesson’ uses symbolism to identify the place he had only known from maps. Patten’s devotion towards the poem indicates a life full of experience and imagination, leaving you with an urge to ‘sail across a warm blue sea’ and get to the place the teacher ‘longed to visit.’ Symbolism is used to create an effect on the audience by using repetition, (like in ‘Khe Sahn’), to describe the geography teachers ‘heaven’. â€Å"The green leaves of the orange trees burned† is a constant line in the stanza’s, used to help indicate his teacher’s dream. The imagery in this quote builds your imagination on what the place on the map is really like; seeming like it is a bright and positive place to be. The young student uses his teacher as his role model, reflecting on his own decisions in life. This emotional journey brings a sense of hope, desire, and dreams, to not waste your life, but to live it to the fullest. In conclusion, we all embark on a passage through life. Whether it be physically, mentally or emotionally. To get through a journey you only need to take one step at a time, but you must keep on stepping in order to complete your journey. This is found in ‘Leaving Home’, ‘Khe Sahn’ and ‘Geography Lesson’, by overcoming their own pathways through life. Through these texts it is found that Journeys are full of ups and downs, twists and turns, and obstacles that all lead us to our final destination. It really does change our perspective of life itself.

Innocent III Essay Example

Innocent III Essay Example Innocent III Essay Innocent III Essay Essay Topic: History Under Innocent III, the state of the papacy and papal authority changed dramatically and emerged to form what some historians describe as a papal monarchy1. One could argue that during Innocents reign of 1198-1216, the medieval papacy was at the peak of its power in terms of military strength, control over Rome, international political power and moral influence. Innocent IIIs own writings reflect this point of view, as he makes clear that he views his position as one of unquestionable, divine endowed authority. However when considering this question of whether the papacy was indeed at its height under Innocent, the gap between theological theory and political reality must be considered, as well as Innocents reign in relation to his predecessors and successors which may lead historians to inflate their opinion of this period in papal history, due to the decline of the papacy that occurred under Innocent IV. Innocent III international involvement is greater than any of the popes before or after him, during his reign he interfered in almost every kingdom in Europe2, however this does not provide evidence for him actually wielding any power as he was regularly ignored by monarchs such as by King John of England. In England, King John defied the pope by making Hubert Walter chancellor after Innocent had ordered him to release him from office after he began building a church in Lambeth. He also defied him and caused England to be put under interdict in 1205, when John refused to comply with the decree that tax from the clergy should be paid in a lump sum by each diocese. Therefore one could draw the conclusion from this that the papacy had to operate out of good will or else it was ignored, such as when he was forced to back off from the situation in Germany in 1208. However despite England and other examples such as France in 1200 having to be put under interdict for obedience, eventually Innocent III did get his way and his authority was respected, as in 1213 John wrote the Charter of Submission. In this charter he recognized the popes power when he wrote we have pledged and sworn our fealty henceforth to our lord aforesaid, Pope Innocent III3. The reasons behind John finally succumbing to the pope are due to the widespread effects of the interdict and the influence of the pope himself on the Church in England and the life of the clergy, an issue which will be discussed later. Therefore the pope Innocent III does appear to hold substantial international power, despite initial defiance, he ultimately got his way despite the geographical limitations straining communication. One must consider that the medieval papacy throughout the middle ages lacked the bureaucracy, financial resources and political apparatus to effectively be an international authority body, Chaney points out that despite this, Innocent III unlike popes before him, was successful in having international influence despite the fact that a message from Rome to England could take up to a month and was regularly ignored as many letters were regarded as forgeries4. Therefore Innocent III did wield a great deal of authority, Munro argues that the monarchs of Europe were his vassals5, a view clearly shared by Innocent himself when he wrote Now just as the moon derives its light from the sun and is indeed lower than it in quantity and quality, in position and in power, so too the royal power derives the splendour of its dignity from the pontifical authority.. 6. This view is further substantiated by numerous examples of leaders all over Europe seeking out his guidance and even placing their countries under papal rule such as in Hungary and Poland7. Philip Augustus, arguably the most powerful monarch in Europe at the time, was disciplined by the pope for violating the marriage sacrament, Sancho of Portugal was forced to place his country under papal over lordship and he made Alfonso of Leon break off the marriage with his niece. The most famous example of the popes international intervention is acting as arbiter in the dispute over the election between Otto and Philip. One could argue that under Pope Innocent III, the medieval papacy reached its peak of military power and as papal power was dependent on military strength this would render his reign very powerful. Innocent had strong international allies as well as having his own armies of mercenaries, employed troops and loyal military service of barons of the Papal States. He also had the power to call whole nations to arms. However one must question the popes actual military strength as he relied heavily on his international allies rather than his independent power, exemplified by the handing over of the Papal States to Marquis Azzo VI of Este. However, unlike popes before him, Innocents interest in crusading more than those before him may be significant proof that he did indeed hold secure military power. The Albigensian crusade itself however counters this view of the pope having great military power as it became a war of conquest and spiralled into a massacre when the abbot of Citeaux; Arnold Amaury, encouraged troops to commit murder8. On entry into the papacy in 1198, Innocents views on his position as pope were made very clear, he saw himself as the vicar of Christ and therefore a moral authority to all Christians . He appears to have exercised moral authority as leaders approached him for guidance such as Francis of Assisi in 1210. However, one must question the gap between theory and reality, although he believed this to be true, to what extent is it demonstrated throughout his time as pope, and was it greater than other popes during the Middle Ages? To answer this question one must consider the popes influence in the everyday running of the church by the clergy. Using England as an example, it is clear that Innocent exercised a vast influence as during the interdict, Englishmen were deprived of the sacraments of the church as bodies were not buried and marriages were not solemnised in churches. As Binns puts it his weapons may be spiritual but they were uncommonly effective9 The clergy were greatly upset by this and as a result John had to make peace with the pope, one could argue as Chaney does that this shows the strength of the ultimate hold of papal doctrine on the church10, even if not over the individual leader. Innocent himself had no doubts over his control over the church, writing so extensive is the authority of the apostolic see that nothing can reasonably be determined in all the affairs of the church except by its authority11. However one could argue that despite having influence, this is all theoretical power and that this does not show Innocent to be as powerful as many historians inflate his image to be. The calling of the Lateran Council in 1215 is the most decisive piece of evidence in securing the view that Innocent wielded moral influence over the church, being arguably one of the most important councils of the Western church. It was widely attended with representatives from all over the world and by 400 bishops, 800 abbots as well as priors, clergy and laity. This council decided on many issues such as the entry into the crusade and reforming the church on issues such as the restricting of indulgencies12. Munro argues that the council shows the strength of the pope and papal power at its peak as the council was highly regarded as an authoritative force such as the fixing of transubstantiation as a dogma13 . To any pope throughout this period, securing ones power base in Rome and the papal states was of utmost importance and an aspiration of all popes14, one could argue that Innocent III failed in securing this power as Rome was run by a senator elected by the people and he was also forced to flee Rome on two occasions during his reign. However, despite this, Innocent managed to secure some power in Rome as unlike popes before him, he gained the right to choose the senator and he swore loyalty to the pope by oath. Therefore one must question Innocents power over Rome and whether it really demonstrates the papacy at the peak of its power as throughout his reign, he never seems to have gained a firm grip on Rome. With regards to the Papal States, Barraclough argues that Innocent III came nearest of all the popes to realizing the theory of papal theocracy held by Nicholas I and Gregory VII15 . However despite this, Barraclough also argues that there were limitations to his success and at best he half succeeded. During his reign, he more than doubled the papal lands through his policy of recuperation on accession. However his power over the Papal States was weak at best, Sayers argues that in Sicily, despite Innocent having taken to opportunity to gain power the result of Innocents rule in Sicily was chaos and caused a collapse of the government built up by the Norman kings16. However one could argue that this was due to the apparatus available to him rather than weakness in the papacy itself. One must consider when casting a judgement over Innocents power in the Papal States, what he had inherited. On accession, papal power in the Papal States was weak, Henry had power over Sicily and Papal States were held by German counts as well as the papal treasury being depleted. Therefore one must consider his power in the context of what he had to work with, leading to the judgement that he did indeed exert a great deal of power. When one considers the question as to whether the papacy reached its peak under Innocent III, from the evidence available, it appears that historians have over inflated and exaggerated the power the papacy actually held during this period as Innocents letters provide a wealth of evidence to draw from. Therefore although Innocent III held more power than many of his predecessors, it appears that due to the decline of the papacy under Innocent IV, this has led historians to regard Innocent IIIs reign more highly that it possibly deserves. One must consider the gradual gain in power of the papacy as a process and one that can not be solely attributed to one pope, as Chaney points out, the rise in papal power had begun long before Innocent had come to power17, a fact ignored by historians. However, Innocents power should not be diminished in history due to the possible faults of historians, he undeniably held a great deal of power and influence in a range of fields and therefore it does seem fair to argue that under him, the papacy did reach the apogee of its power during the middle ages . In terms of moral influence, one is inclined to agree with the view that as the spiritual sovereign of Latin Christendom, he had no rival18. However, one must still consider that despite this accolade, that is not to say that he did not have areas of great weakness such as in Sicily and that although coming close to, he did not fully achieve the aims of him and those before him in securing Rome and the Papal states. Alternatively, one could argue in his defence that this was due to the resources available to him and that the power he did secure in spite of these limitations shows Innocent III as being very powerful and shows the papacy at the peak of its power.

Stress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Stress - Essay Example As such, it was important for me to ensure that my performance did not experience a downward trend as I intended to work there as I continued with my studies so as to support my parents in paying school fees. My parent’s quarreling and fighting usually drove me to the edge especially due to the fact that I envied my friend’s parents who showed deep concern and affection for each other even in the public. I used to ask my self so many questions which went unanswered and which distracted me from my work. On one occasion, I woke up to find my parents in a heated argument over something that completely embarrassed me especially due to the fact that almost all of my neighbors had come to witness the fight. To make matters worse, most of them were enjoying the show instead of separating them though they cannot be totally blamed due to the barbaric cultural restrictions which mutually makes it a taboo to interfere with family matters especially if you are not a member of the family. There was less I could do but eventually, they stopped fighting after realizing that they were creating an unnecessary attention. This occurrence almost squeezed out tears from my eyes but I managed to suppress them and be able to prepare myself for work. Never before in my life had I experienced such a humiliating event and as such, I arrived for work in a bad mood which was first noticed by the receptionist, who in most times enjoyed chatting with me in the morning as he was the only person who was closer to me in terms of age and education. Furthermore, we had known each other before as we shared the same hostel during my first year in college. Unlike other days, that day I was quiet and I did not feel like talking to anyone irrespective of whether he or she was my superior or a friend. Stress management is a major challenge in my life though I have not yet had the courage to accept it and acquire professional help. However, there is a solution

Major trends today in the change in labour force Essay

Major trends today in the change in labour force - Essay Example There are basically seven major factors that motivate small and large companies in diversifying their workforces. These seven factors include the social responsibility, economic payback, resource imperative, legal requirement, marketing strategy, strategy related to business communications and strategy building. As a good diversity practice the people from disadvantaged groups of a community are considered and this relates to corporate responsibility of any business. Through diversification of the workforce the individuals can get a break required for earning a living. Diversification of workforce that is through welfare to work is likely to turn the tax users in tax payers. The changing demographics have greatly affected the workforce. The labor pool today includes people from various backgrounds and different life experiences. Under the legislation many companies round the world are observing equal employment opportunity that makes it best possible to utilize a workforce that is di verse. Nowadays in such a competitive world to fulfill a customer base that is extensive diverse it is very important to have a diverse workforce which is capable of making up for the customer base from every walk of life. For the companies that opt for retaining the homogenous workforces things are likely to become ineffective very soon. While recruiting the employees all the successful companies generally look for a diverse workforce and value them for their unique abilities and qualities. Analysis of Workforce Diversity Valuing and managing the workforce diversity is one of the key elements of effective management of people. This can ultimately enhance the workforce productivity and the overall performance of the company. The demographic changes like organizational restructuring, women in working places and the legislation related to equal employment opportunity require the companies a review of their management procedures and the development of new and innovative ways to manage people. Advantages of Workforce Diversity Diversity at the workplace has a lot of benefits that are discussed ahead. Workforce diversity is probable to lead towards an innovative and creative culture that has no limits. A diverse workforce can lead a profit making by ideas, creativity, innovation and exchange of knowledge (Esty, et al., 1995). An organization that has built up a rapport for diverse workforce is famous for attracting the best talent from all parts of the world. Marketing of products can be made easier as people with different backgrounds can come up with unique marketing campaigns that are likely to increase the sale. People from different areas speak different languages so the workforce that is diverse can understand and can develop better bonds with the customers as the company has employees that can speak various numbers of languages. Workforce diversity is also taken to play a crucial part in the effective solving of problems nowadays. By the diversity different talents are put together and different set of skills is used that increase productivity of the organization. By attracting and retaining the employees with diverse skills, competencies, talents, knowledge etc. the company is likely to win a competitive advantage. Diversity assists in building a synergy amongst teams and improves the communication skills. A lot of money can be saved by this diversification process as this is what the legislation of any country says. Challenges related to Workforce