The Aftermath of World War One Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

The Aftermath of World War One - Essay Example The race to attract the new colonies became utterly competitive. At the same time, the Ottoman Empire was decaying at a high rate. The nation that had been under the rule of Ottoman became independent resulting into change of balance in Europe. Various ethnic groups of Austria-Hungary began to fight and push for their independence. Trouble, however, came up in Weimar Germany after the Versailles treaty. Various dissatisfactions of the treaty emerged including loss of most of the territories of German speakers. Adolf Hitler and the Nazis took over power based on these dissatisfactions and came up with ideologies, which included unifying Germans to a single nation. Tension was created by the dissatisfaction and the ideologies brought about by the Nazis. As a result, Britain collaborated with France threatening to form a two-front war in Germany. Germans signed the non-aggression pact with USSR for their support thus dividing Europe into two: Nazi and Soviet influence spheres. This sparked the Second World War in September

The Treatment of Women in the Old Testament Research Paper

The Treatment of Women in the Old Testament - Research Paper Example This essay will demonstrate an argument against this point of view in conjunction with numerous examples in order to back it up. Such examples will include the major Old Testament characters of Eve, Rahab, and Ruth. In the first couple of books of Genesis, we read that Eve was created and thus was the first women to exist. The Lord decided that Adam needed a helper because he could not do everything on his own. So, the Lord put Adam into a deep sleep and took one of his ribs, which He used to form the first woman, Eve. After this, we understand how a woman must be connected to a man: â€Å"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh† (The Holy Bible, Gen. 2:24). This tells us that women must be treated with respect because they become one with their husbands. In the very next chapter of Genesis, Eve comes across her first challenge—this sets the tone for women throughout the rest of the Old Testament. In Genesis 3:6 (The Holy Bible), after being tempted by the serpent, Eve decided to taste the fruit. Once she had tasted it and found that it was good, she gave some to Adam so he could also eat some. This was the beginning of mankind, but more specifically women in general. Once God had found out what Adam and Eve had done, he cursed them for their disobedience. He said to Eve: â€Å"I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you† (The Holy Bible, Gen. 3:16). Even though Adam was also punished, his penalty was not as severe as Eve’s. This begins a theme that is seen all the way through the Old Testament—women are inferior to men because they were the first ones to sin. However, there are examples of women who went against the stereotypes of those times. Further along in the Old Testament, we can see in the book of Joshua how Rahab is treated. This wom an is a very interesting case because she lived in Jericho; she was not from the Israelites. Additionally, she was also described being a prostitute. These types of people were the lowest of the low back in those societies. At that time, the Israelites had sent spies to the city of Jericho in order to capture the city. They just happened to stay at an inn where Rahab was also the inn-keeper (Word 7). Instead of turning them over to the authorities, Rahab took them up to the roof and hid them under stalks of flax that were placed on the roof (The Holy Bible, Josh. 2:6). When asked why she risked her life for her enemy, Rahab said that she believed in the God Jehovah because of the miracles that occurred down in Egypt. For her help, Rahab asked that her and her family would be spared once the Israelites took the city. The spies replied, â€Å"If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land† (The Holy Bible, Jos h. 2:14). An agreement was then made to work out how the plan would come to fruition. When the Israelites did take the city of Jericho, Rahab and her family were spared because of Rahab’s obedience. After the Israelites had gained control of Jericho, Rahab and her family were allowed to remain along with the Jews. This story shows us how even though a woman may be considered dirty and unclean, if she displays obedience, then she can be used for good. This example of Rahab is a little

Shylock ways of Expressing Conflicts

Shylock ways of Expressing Conflicts The Merchant of Venice has an Italian setting and marriage plot; this is very typical of Shakespeare whose love for Italy is evident in most of his play. In Merchant of Venice Shakespeares remarkable rogue Shylock raises this play to a new level. The play was written in 1598 and reflects religious activities in the 16th century. This play defines two main settings, Venice, a city of trade where many businessmen are located, a place filled with unfortunate and unpleasant individuals; the other setting is Belmont, a city where rich, happy and stylish society of beautiful people is housed. Belmont is an enchanted world occupied with love, music and happiness. In Act 1 Scene 3, the audience expects Antonio and Shylock to immediately odium each other before they meet in the play. This is because in the Elizabethan era Jews were commonly disliked by Christian nations throughout the 16th century, as Christians believed that in biblical history Jews were the people that killed Jesus Christ (Christian messiah). Jews suffered harsh persecution over the centuries, including torture, loss of property, and forced conversion to Christianity. England expelled all Jews about 300 years earlier to William Shakespeares time, much of what remained of them were tales filled with anti-Semitic response ranging from exaggeration to complete lies, which portrayed them as vile, evil and despicable. Jews in Elizabethan times were not viewed as citizens. Instead, they were viewed as outsiders, and were often banned from many occupations because of their religion. This helped the audience understand the conflict that exists between Shylock and Antonio. Jews were l eft with few means of earning a living as only Christians could belong to professional relations as well as own land . Christians, however, could not lend money with interest, and many Jews earned a profitable living as usurers. We know Shylock is a Jew since the narration specifies that hes a Jew Enter Bassanio with Shylock the Jew. Shakespeare puts an emphasis on Shylock the Jew since he doesnt state the religion of the other characters. The audience are introduced to Shylock as a greedy man because the first thing he said was about money Three thousand ducats, well. Shylock describes Antonio as a good man, even though some people might think it means Antonio is kind and generous but to Shylock this means that Antonio has enough money to repay him. It is made clear from the way Shylock is introduced that he is hatching a cunning plan from the start because Shakespeare specifies that Shylock is a Jew but for the other characters he doesnt state their religion. The audience begin to think Shylock is devious and has something up his sleeves. and then there is the perils of the waters, winds and rocks. The man is notwithstanding sufficient. I think I might take this bond. Even though Shylock knows that Antonios ships will be destroyed (all Antonios money is invested in his ships) he still goes ahead to lend him the money. Bassanio invites Shylock to dine with them If it please you to dine with me, Shylock denies saying I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. This indicates that even though Shylock will do business with Antonio and Bassanio he will not eat, drink or pray with the. It also shows the religious differences that set Shylock apart from the Christian Venetians. Shakespeare presents Shylock this way so that the audiences hatred would be focused in the direction of Shylock. Shakespeare, while describing the Jewish moneylender Shylock according to stereotypes, fills Shylock with humanity and produces sympathy for the troubles of the Jews. On the other hand, an Elizabethan audience wont show sympathy towards Shylock as they are anti-Semitic to Jews. Just before Shylock speaks to Antonio, he lets the audience know in aside that he hates Antonio I hate him for he is a Christian. This phrase said by Shylock is based on the beliefs of other Jews on other Christians; it helps the audience to know the conflict that exists between Shylock and Antonio. The phrase also shows how stereotypical Shylock is since he doesnt really know Antonio, but because Shylock has heard of Jew-hating Christians he thinks that he too should hate Christians since all of them hate Jews. Shylock distastes Antonio because he lends out money gratis free of interest, so reducing the interest rates for people who make live as moneylenders such as Shylock and for having disgraced him in public by spitting on him and calling him names such as dog and cutthroat Jew. For humiliation as well as the persecution that the Jews have long suffered at the hands of the Christians, Shylock tells the audience that he hopes to exact vengeance on Antonio. If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.He hates our sacred nation . . . Cursd be my tribe if I forgive him! Shylock reveals to the audience that hes prejudice against Christians and he also explains to the audience how Shylock himself has experienced anti-Semitic discrimination. Both Shylock and Antonios ideas are connected around the ideas of business. Antonio the Christian believes that usury is wrong so should not be practiced, whereas Shylock the Jew who is forbidden to try any other profession decided to use usury (lending money for interest) as a way to make a living and identify themselves in the Venetian society. If I forgive him!Shylocks quote in Act 1 Scene 3 line 36-47 tells the audience that Shylock is as concerned with money as religion, and possibly even more so. Shylock uses his money to get back at Antonio so he can feed his personal grudge against him. He views the lending as an opportunity to stick it to Christians for all the troubles and sufferings they have caused the Jews. The money lending is a battle between the two men as well as their religions. Shylock and Antonio can be considered substitute for their religious issues. But money is their way of throwing in personal accusations while fighting the religious fight. Shylock is told by Antonio that normally he wouldnt take part in a deal involving interest but because his friend is in need of the money he will break his custom. Their greeting has made an ironic suggestion to the audience, which was Shylocks hateful opinion towards Antonio I hate him for he is a Christian. Shylock decides to loan Bassanio the money he needs. Shylock recites the Biblical story of Jacob to defend his practice of charging interest. Shylock shows the personal and religious differences between his religion and Christianity by reciting the Book of Genesis. As it is unnatural to gain/make money from money Christians believe usury is dissolute. But Shylocks defends his use of usury by interpreting and stating the Bible saying that him charging interest for the money he lends is not very different from Jacobs breeding of the animals in the bible. Jacobs breeding by the Christian law is believed to be natural. The Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind. As Antonio thinks that Jews arent kind and cant be kind unless theyre Christians. He witnesses Shylock, the Hebrew, become kind by lending him money and so believes thats impossible. Since Shylock is being generous by lending Antonio money, Antonio takes it as Shylock being Christianised as hes being nice. This quotation tells the audience how Antonio considers his religion superior to Judaism. The previous quotation I hate him for he is Christian illustrated how Shylock was stereotypical about Christians. There are similar beliefs in the religions of both characters. The exchange in words between Shylock and Antonio prepares the audience for what is going to happen next. Antonio has publicly abused Shylock many times on different occasions and even spat on upon Shylocks clothing spit upon my Jewish gabardine Shylocks asks Antonio why he should lend him money as he would a friend when all he has done nothing but insult and humiliate him. Angry with fury Antonio insults Shylock again. Shylock doesnt want to pretend he is friends with Antonio so he says If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not as to thy friends But lend it rather to thine enemy. Shylock then unexpectedly suggests an unusual deal. He informs Antonio that this time he will lend money without charging interest. Nevertheless, Shylock will be allowed to cut off one pound of Antonios flesh from any part of his body if Antonio is unable to pay Shylock. The bond Shylock makes is a very confusing and unexpected one so it makes it complicated for the audience to understand his reason(s) for suggesting such a bond. Shylock is adopting the Christians stated business and directing them towards an a trocious end by trading flesh instead of making money breed by usury; this mocks the principles of Christianity. Antonio is told by Shylock that he wants to be companions with him and will settle the bond for a pound of flesh as a merry sport. Antonio agrees Yes Shylock, I will seal unto this bond to Shylocks bond despite Bassanios nervousness You shall not seal to such a bond for me about binding his friend to such a dangerous bond. Bassanio shows some sense of right and wrong about putting his greed before his friend, for the first time as he realises that by being greedy he has caused his friend to agree to put a price on his pound of flesh, this leads Antonio right into Shylocks trap. By signing the contract Antonio agrees to be bond. Act 1 Scene 3 is an important scene because it completes the description of the two different and main plot lines of the play: Antonio agreeing to Shylocks bond which is the three thousand ducats Antonio wants to lend for the pound of flesh that Shylock wants instead of charging Antonio interest; and second, and more dramatically, this scene introduces Shylock the Jew. In this scene, Shakespeare gives as an insight to why and how Shylock seems to be the most powerful character in the play. Even though Shylock and Antonio both have different manners and capabilities both characters are successful businessmen in Venice. When Antonio is asking Shylock for the loan he says, Within these two months, thats a month before this bond expires, I do expect, return of thrice times the value of this bond.. Shylock being a selfish businessman asks for three times the value of the loan. Antonio being a risk taker lends his good name to Bassanio to woo Portia. Antonio thinks things will be always go right for him, his business and his success will endure, this is revealed when he accepts a dangerous bond and the high interest rate if the money isnt received. Shylock is a wicked man who wants a pound of Antonios flesh if his money is not paid back, whereas, Antonio is prepared to risk his life for his friend who happens to be in love with the wealthy, intelligent and beautiful Portia- Antonios sacrifice for his friend shows how different he is from Shylock. The Jewish old testaments states an eye for an eye which means that if someone wrongs you, seek revenge, on the other hand the Christians New Testament gives us Jesus message of peace, love and forgiveness forgive and forget. The play shows how Christians and Jews used to treat each in the 16th century. We dont deal with the same issues like greed, prejudice, hatred and revenge Jews and Christians showed towards each other because in todays society everyone is equal. I feel that the scene is a very complicated scene as it explains how Christians and Jews acted towards each other in Shakespearean time as well as how Shylock tricked Antonio into accepting a dangerous bond. I feel that both views of Jews and Christians are wrong since Im sure not all Jews and Christians acted how Antonio and Shylock did in Shakespeare time. I think the play is somewhat related to the persecution of Jews in World War as well as the killings of the genocide. Even though Shylock was represented as such an extremist by Elizabethan audience/Shakespeare, he wouldnt be represented as such by a modern audience.

An Understanding of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare :: Papers

An Understanding of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare The dictionary's definition of fate is "the development of events outside of a persons control predetermined by a supernatural power". What is a Supernatural Power? Again the dictionary says "attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature". In other words fate means that it has already been decided, it is inevitable. You can not do any thing to stop it. So in other words your decisions have already been made up and you don't realise. It as considered fate that they would meet and fall hopelessly in love with one another and then triadic ally die for each other. Fate brought the two together as well as ended their lives. It was in their stars or as some people would say it was fate. The human condition follows the course of state. Every one makes their choices out by themselves out of there own free will. Which affects there lives and a person around them lives, but will ultimately lead to there pre-determined fate. People inflict their own wounds during struggles and fight because of the choices that they make. This applies a lot in Romeo and Juliet and plays a major role in their lives. For example "A pair of star crossed lovers" From the Prologue line 6. When they both met for the first time and talked with passion about Romeo being a pilgrim and Juliet being a saint, they were already in love with one another. Romeo: "If I profane with my unworthiness hand this holy shrine, a gentle sin is this, my lips, to blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." Juliet: "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, with mannerly devotion shows in this, for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss" The way they talk about each other as if they were soul mates is amazing. They call each other pilgrims and saints; it makes them sound

Conforming to the Majority Research Proposal Essay

Previous Research The subject of conformity is one that has not been extensively researched over the years. There are very few famous studies concerning conformity but of them Soloman E. Asch’s stands out. In Asch’s experiments, students were told that they were participating in a ‘vision test.’ While unaware to the subject, the other participants in the experiment were all confederates, or assistants of the experimenter. Seated in a room with the other participants, you are shown a line segment and then asked to choose the matching line from a group three segments of different lengths. The experimenter asks each participant individually to select the matching line segment. Confederates are asked first and on some occasions everyone in the group chooses the correct line, but occasionally, they unanimously state that a different line is actually the correct match. While the subject knows for a fact that they are wrong, it is then that you find out whether or not they will conform to the unanimous answer or state what they know to be true. The results in Asch’s experiment rang true to my own hypothesis. Close to 75 percent of the subjects in the conformity experiments went along with the rest of the group at least once. After combining all of the trials, the results showed that participants conformed to the incorrect group answer roughly one-third of the time. To ensure that participants were capable of knowing which lines were correct in the first place they were asked to write down there answers privately on a sheet of paper. According to these results, participants chose the correct answer 98 percent of the time. The next study this researcher gathered information from was interested in the consideration of age in the conformity experiments. Considering most theories of conformity do not consider adult development. This study examined age differences and their responses for two types of tests: judging geometric shapes and facial expressions. Participants were 21 younger women (18-35 years old) and 20 elderly women (63-85 years old). Researchers told the subjects to sit in one of four soundproof booths that were stocked with a desk, chair, headphones, and a microphone. They were told that the purpose of the experiment was to study how differently people judge slides of shapes and faces. The participants were given the code name ‘blue’ and when called on would give their answer but previous to that the code names â€Å"red,† â€Å"green,† and â€Å"yellow† were called out and a recording of incorrect answers was played. Thus, the participants believed the other four participants were giving the incorrect answer. As predicted, older people, compared with their younger counterparts, displayed lower rates of social conformity. The next study this researcher divulged in was about the inhibitions of people whose opinion is not shared by the majority. The experiment involved 246 students of the University of Toronto and 348 residents of Toronto. The researcher created surveys that were administered over the phone by a team of interviewers. Of the many questions asked several were what you could consider politically incorrect. For example, â€Å"This country would be better off if we worried less about how equal people are. True or False?† Once the question had been asked the interviewer started a timer and once the participant had answered stopped the timer. The results were as follows; minority opinions took significantly longer to respond than that of majority opinions. Meaning that those who decided to answer with an opinion knowingly opposite of that of their fellow country took a longer time to admit their answer. In the next study, children at a preschool; ages 4-6 years old were put in a similar situation as Asch’s subjects. In the classroom, there would be one â€Å"minority student† and the rest of the students would be told to give a wrong answer while the â€Å"minority student† was not in on it. They showed the students a book portraying a picture of an animal in size order: small, medium and large. Once the picture had been shown they took it away and showed them several other books with different animals and students had to choose which animal they had previously seen. The confederates were given the correct answer to say out loud several times then randomly given the wrong answer. The results were as follows; minority students gave a correct answer almost 100 percent of the time when there was no conflict with the majority but when conflicted with the majority’s incorrect answers the minority only answered correctly 50 percent of the time. Proposed Methods The researcher in this study wants to experiment the ideas of social conformity. They will use the structure set forth by Asch’s (1956) original experimental design. This will test how people of a given age conform to peer pressure or stand against the majority and form the minority opinion. When put in a situation where the majority of a group is answering incorrectly and the minority knows the true answer as a 100 percent fact, will they show independence? Hypothesis. Given the previous research and Asch’s experiment on conformity the researcher would have to presume that the minority will not show independence during this experiment. The majority will sway the minority to answer the way they have and will intimidate the minority. Social influences play a large role in this experiment and even larger role in our world today. Participants. The researcher in this experiment will use 60 volunteer students from the College of Staten Island (aged 18-22). This particular age group was specifically chosen, as it is believed that young adults of this age are already susceptible to peer pressure. The volunteers will be told that they will be participating in an eye exam testing the vision of college students. Participants will be separated into 4 gender-mixed groups of 15 students. The groups will be split as equally as possible between male and female. Within the group there will be 2 minority students and 13 majority students. The minority students will consist of 1 girl and 1 boy. The researcher will try to ensure that participants are not acquaintances. Methods. To begin this study the researcher will divide the subjects into their respective groups. Once the students are divided they will take 13 of the 15 students and inform them of the true meaning of this experiment. They will be told that signals will be given when they are to give the wrong answer and a different signal when they are to give the correct answer. This is when the experiment will begin. Subjects will be seated in a classroom with a research assistant standing in the back with a projector. When the experiment begins another research assistant will explain to the subjects the purpose of the experiment. They will say that they are part of a vision test and that there will be 1 line projecte d onto the board with 3 other lines adjacent to it. Of these 3 other lines 1 will be identical to the example line while 1 is only inches different and 1 is clearly an incorrect answer. They subjects must identify the identical line. They research assistant will have each student write down their answer but before doing so go around the classroom and have each subject say their answer out loud. The confederates will answer first. They will know whether to say the correct answer or incorrect answer by how the research assistant asks them to begin. If the researcher says, â€Å"Please give me your answer now† the confederates will give a false answer. If the researcher says, â€Å"And your answer is?† then the confederates will give the correct answer. When the answer is very obvious and all of the confederates say the wrong answer it is then we will find out if the subject will defy the group and not give into the social pressure.

The Lasting Impresion of Reality Tv and Its Lack of Moral

Reality television has been around far longer than many give it credit. Many viewers forget about the very first reality television shows such as Big Brother, Survivor, and non-trashy versions of The Bachelor that displayed things such as alliance, friendship, and character development through the praises of its audience. Although newer shows have been accused of growing â€Å"trashier†; I feel that this change is actually only in response to the demand of its audience. Show popularity drops when the message they portray becomes â€Å"unhip†, or â€Å"uncool†.So in order to keep up ratings shows were forced to show what people wanted to see. As our country has slowly let go of morals and standards, its people have been forced to adapt. Reality television has been forced to diminish all possibilities for ever being labeled as â€Å"moral†. It has taken a direction for the worse and shows today lack little meaning or value. In its most current state, televis ion shows force its younger viewers to grow up faster, making younger and younger kids do adult things.These reality shows exemplify things such as sex, drugs, violence, and self-harm. Television producers these days simply have no problem exposing the youth to this rubbish. In fact, the producers are specifically targeting the youth with their unmoral and controversial shows. They often reward the rebel characters with extra TV time or book them for another reality show, while the moral and respectable characters are made out to be boring and hardly ever get rewarded.America keeps asking what is making each generation less and less moral, but they fail to recognize what kinds of examples are being set. Children have not become more influential, they simply have been influenced by worse things. In the past few years, there has been a major change to reality television that diminishes its moral teaching reputation. From music videos of half naked women to reality shows full of betray al, lies, and more vulgar than most can handle, the state of American television is in trouble.So where can you turn to when you want to avoid these unmoral shows and watch something good for a change? Well there is no clear-cut answer. Sadly, even some of the biggest networks such as CBS and NBC have started targeting the young crowd with shows that are completely inappropriate. The only solution to this problem is to simply search around a bit to find the perfect show for you. Use sites such as TVguide. com and Amazon. com to check out some reviews and customers' opinions on the show before you start getting into it..