honor and the honorable

3 word format

Language : english

literature

school essay

date published

19/10/2007

review : not yet assessed

level : Advanced

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Summary

According to newspaper headings and television reports, every man and woman who died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 is a hero. Even three years later, memorials are still built, hymns are still sung, and candlelight vigils are still held in remembrance of the bravest individuals modern America has ever known. The ancient Greeks would be all too happy to disagree. In fact, they would find the blind sacrifice of life in the name of a social duty to be a waste. Morality as a system of reasoning is a contemporary phenomenon; the extremities of right and wrong did not become a true force in the decision-making process until the influx of Christianity. The “common good” did not matter until the Romans placed society above the individual. The Greece of Homer’s Odyssey is a lawless Greece, and any kind of morality based on lawlessness is not morality recognizable by any ethicist. Greeks, as a reflection of their cultural beliefs, use their literature to stress the importance of two traits common to all epic heroes: the fulfillment of Xenia and Kléos. Xenia, an extravagant form of hospitality, divides the civilized from the uncivilized, while Kléos, an emphasis on death with honor above all, divides the heroic from the ordinary. The Greek hero is ultimately selfish; consequently, the greatest hero in all of epic history, Odysseus, is the most selfish man of all. In the shadow of terrorism, it is hard to admire a man who reputes any sense of humanity. However, Odysseus remains the truest embodiment of epic heroism, not based on any duty to society, but on his strict adherence to the Greek ideologies of Xenia and Kléos.

According to newspaper headings and television reports, every man and woman who died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 is a hero.
From the first book of Homer's Odyssey to the last vicious battle, Xenia is a prevailing force behind much of the plot.
This distinction is made quite literally when Odysseus is faced with the blatant incivility of Polyphemus.
While Odysseus' dedication to Xenia separates him from uncivil beings, it is his conscious struggle to achieve Kléos that elevates him to the status of hero.
Odysseus reaches the island of the Phaeacians in disguise, unwilling at first to risk the disclosure of his identity.
Kléos drives Odysseus to shatter a bond even more sacred than that of friendship: marriage.
There is no denying that ancient Greek life is primitive when compared with the advances of modern society.

$2.95

3 word format

Language : english

literature

presentation

date published

03/05/2007

review : not yet assessed

level : General public

requested 4 times

Summary

Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad, creates two very distinct heroic figures: Achilles and Hektor. These men come from different backgrounds and have different reasons for fighting in the Trojan War; Achilles fights for honor, whereas Hektor fights to defend his city, and yet both know that if they fight, they are fated to die. Because of their differing motives for engaging in warfare, both characters have distinct traits and factors that shape their views of honor and their fates. Achilles places personal honor above the group; he believes that if he chooses to fight and to die in this war, it will be on his own terms. For Achilles, honor and anger drive most of his actions. However, Hektor fights to protect his people, and to defend his city’s honor; Hektor, in general, focuses more on the group and is more concerned with the well-being of his people than with his own safety. Nevertheless, despite their many differences, The Iliad proves that neither of these men are lesser or greater heroes, and that none of their traits are absolute: at times Achilles is selfless and vulnerable, whereas Hektor can be self-centered and individualistic. Homer uses these complex characters to explore heroic figures and to illustrate that there is not one archetype for a hero.

In The Iliad, Homer characterizes Achilles and Hektor very differently
Achilles fights in the Trojan War for glory, not because he is bound by any code of honor to Agamemnon or Menelaos
Because of their different backgrounds and situations at the start of The Iliad, Achilles and Hektor have very diverse reasons for the actions they take
Homer also shows that Hektor's original intentions are corrupted by the intervention of the gods
Achilles is loved by the gods, he has a very intimate relationship with them
The Iliad is an exploration of anger and heroism, and what motivates a person to act heroic.

$3.95

4 word format

Language : english

literature

school essay

date published

28/10/2007

review : not yet assessed

level : General public

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Summary

Perhaps the very word “hero” should suffer a live vivisection for all of its purported morality and bloody, patriarchal implications. There are many universal components of the hero as explored and anatomized by Joseph Campbell in The Hero’s Adventure. You’ve seen it many times before; a young boy leaves and denies the whims of maternal dependency and suddenly the external world itself simply unfolds in all of its grandeur before him. All that he has to do is follow the prompts, and somehow, legitimize the world in his endeavors with this new god-like knowledge he stumbles upon. The texts that contain these presupposed heroic adventures and notions are many times seen as living and breathing with us in the contemporaneous realm. Stories such as Shakespeare’s Henry IV and T.H. White’s opus The Once and Future King provide us with a powerful reference in all of their didactic yet flawed nature of what a hero truly is. Ultimately, a hero is someone who breaks out of the mechanized system we all are confined within and is brave enough to be truly human.

Death and Resurrection
The first imperative lesson that Arthur learns occurs after Merlyn transforms Arthur into a fish and accompanies him in the castle moat.
Both Harry and Arthur seem to be imparted with the necessary internal knowledge to carry out their destiny and the external conditions are sensitive to their need to go on and succeed as heroes as well.
Legitimate Rule/Why They Fail
Often times the world does not know how to institutionalize the gift of the new ideology that the hero brings
The Missing Piece of Consciousness

$2.95

3 word format

Language : english

literature

school essay

date published

05/10/2007

review : not yet assessed

level : Expert

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Summary

Each individual develops his own vision of the universe. A naïve person looks up to the sky to see the moon and strains to glimpse a shooting star, or perhaps, a distant planet. Euphoric about what appears in the distance, he becomes oblivious to what lies directly in front of him. Spending all of his life gazing at the galaxy, he misses the view of his own world. A cunning individual peers up to the heavens and understand his position in the alignment of the planets. He zeroes in on the stars, noticing the flaws in each seemingly perfect constellation. Yet, he remains grounded enough to view people so close up that he can almost watch thoughts flow through their minds. In William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar, and William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, both authors show that a naïve person loses his focus, while a cunning person navigates the difficult passages necessary to succeed.

Each individual develops his own vision of the universe.
A person who misjudges his audience's thinking patterns fails to gather the backing of his group, whereas someone who possesses knowledge of the human psyche prospers by gaining essential support.
On the contrary, in Julius Caesar, Marc Anthony understands the Romans' emotions and makes a tangible, visual appeal to their immediate needs.
Likewise, in Lord Of The Flies, Jack attracts a huge following and quenches the tribe's thirst for excitement while surviving on the island.
Correspondingly, Ralph cannot bring himself to fight back against his nemesis, Jack, and his tribe after the death of Piggy.
Like Antony, Jack takes the necessary action at the most opportune time to solidify his position of power.
Similarly, Ralph's obsession with rules and order effectively prevents him from competing against the nimble Jack who outwits his foe by promising the tribe hunting and fun.

$4.95

5 word format

Language : english

humanities/philosophy

research papers

date published

11/02/2008

review : not yet assessed

level : Advanced

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Summary

The author of this meager submission once attended a birthday banquet at the local McDonald’s establishment in the far southwestern corner of Oklahoma. The highlight of this social outing, which must have included many compelling and edifying moments, consisted of a game in which contestants were forced to stand and drop straws from their mouths in order to land them in awaiting cups on the ground. This event rounded off a long series of rituals which left every attendee with the feeling that he/she had been part of a successful attempt at remembering another child’s day of birth.
As socially significant as this party had been, it in no way compares to the complex social implications and expectations which accompanied banquets in the Greco-Roman world. These often extravagant affairs were endeavors which sought to appease more than a six year old anticipating wrapped-up toys, ice-cream and friends. Instead, in a world where personal honor and stratification were of highest significance, banquets functioned as tools for the betterment or detriment of everyone involved. An examination of these diverse but common dinners will undoubtedly lead to a deeper understanding of New Testament teachings, specifically those concerning table fellowship and feasts, by providing important historical background.

Throughout history, ancient Rome has been one of the great leaders in the field of Empire building. The stench of blood and fear filled the Mediterranean region as Rome conquered city after city and nation after nation. Many cities fell to the Romans in battle, while many more submitted to Rome out of fear, and respect. These factors, among many others, helped make Rome the ultimate warrior state.
Ironically, Rome began as a small city-state with little to distinguish itself. The land was difficult to cultivate, and they were surrounded on all sides by enemies. Romans didn’t have a natural harbor that they could use for mercantile trading, nor any other way in which they could make a living for themselves. Surprisingly, Rome’s poverty was one of the more influential reasons for their survival as a people. Luckily for Rome, they had nothing to offer invaders. Unbelievably, this small city-state eventually grew to rule an area two-thirds the size of the continental United States (p57).

Throughout theatre and drama history, we read about and study the great men that have dominated stages and plots. We analyze all of their speeches, actions, and intentions, but can the same be said of women? While women are studied in dramatic context, it is certainly not with the same intensity of men. So, what role does this suggest women play in drama? Women are not usually found in the foreground, but rather they are hidden in the shadows of male characters. Their dramatic functions, especially in early post-Classical theatre, are often to drive the plot or highlight the actions of the men in the drama. While it is true that men were in deed acting in the roles of women, the parts themselves were still representations of actual women. However, it can be said that sometimes in these women and in their small actions and roles are hidden clues to the unlock personalities in the play and critical plot details as well. In other words, women, though often overlooked—most likely as being speaking props—are actually the thread that sews the entire play together.
As an example of this, I turn to Ophelia in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Ophelia reveals the sexual nature of Hamlet and also his true priorities. Their interactions demonstrate that Hamlet wants to be involved in everything and be the cause of all action, but he is not as dedicated as he needs to be to actually complete his goals.

Ophelia reveals the sexual nature of Hamlet and also his true priorities.
Next, in the play, Hamlet discusses Ophelia with her father, Polonius.
Hamlet mentions the sin between himself and Ophelia during his now famous 'To be or not to be' soliloquy.
Another injury to Ophelia's mental state is when Hamlet accuses that it is a woman's love that is brief.
Was Ophelia taking the easy way out of the situation, or did she reclaim her honor in the only way that she could?

$3.95

4 word format

Language : english

literature

school essay

date published

17/12/2007

review : not yet assessed

level : Advanced

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Summary

Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the definitive post-colonial, African novel, focuses on a character who is in constant struggle with his tribe and with himself. Okonkwo, a purveyor of masculinity in his society, has many reasons for his actions in the novel. The continuing cultural violence in the novel and within the culture (often started and ended by Okonkwo), some argue, is inherent in the contradictions of the Igbo culture (Hoegberg, 69-77). Okonkwo’s actions, as well as the actions of others in the novel, explain a culture very sacred to Achebe, and through Okonkwo’s various actions and thoughts throughout the novel, the culture seems both precious and brutal, cultural relativism aside. Okonkwo is a character whose chi is in constant conflict, and Okonkwo himself is in constant conflict with himself over the masculinity, overall violence demanded by his honor based Igbo culture, and his relationship with his father.

Focus of the novel.
Proving that Okonkwo's character is formed by his relationships with the Igbo culture.
Okonkwo's duality and conflict.
The idea of Chi-ukwu.
The narrative presents Okonkwo in different lights.
Okpala explanation that Okonkwo is not destroyed by colonialism.
The defining moment in the novel and in Okonkwo's life.
The most important scenes in Things Fall Apart.

$4.95

5 word format

Language : english

social sciences

presentation

date published

15/07/2008

review : not yet assessed

level : General public

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Summary

Editor G.E. von Grunebaum captures the crux of the Islamic expansion by stating that “the civilization demonstrates its richness by being accessible from more than one vantage point” (1). In the process of examining the culture’s overall effect, an aspect of Islam’s “richness” would be the literary influence behind its overwhelming spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa. The poetry of pre-Islamic Arabia is a clearly overlooked factor in the development of the Islamic and Muslim traditions. As the incorporation of Ancient Arabian poetry appeared throughout the scriptures of the Qur’an, one could question to what extend did the literary and linguistic aspects of pre-Islamic poetry contribute to the rise of Islam during the 7th century? Reaching its height during the 7th century, Arabic poetry contributed tremendous literary esteem to the rise of Islam as seen through the poetic styles of the “Hanged Poems” by Antar, Imru-Ul-Quais, Zuhair and the stories of Thousand and One Nights. Embedded within the Holy Scriptures of the Muslim faith, pre-Islamic poetry serves as the literary and linguistic foundation of the Qur’an, which catapulted the teachings of Islam throughout the known world of its time.

Introduction.
The core of Islam's rise to power.
Illustrating the Qur'an's overwhelming impact.
The primary poems of the Mu'allaqat.
The primary poems of the Mu'allaqat.
A prominent poet of the Bedouin narratives.
Antar's prose.
Romanticized image of pre-Islam.
Characteristics of pre-Islamic poetry.
Conclusion.

$2.95

3 word format

Language : english

history 1789 to present

school essay

date published

18/12/2007

review : not yet assessed

level : General public

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