Uphill: Question and End

Angela Wigger Rosebrough English Comp II October 5, 2012 Explication Essay â€Å"Uphill† written by Christina Rossetti, this poem is explaining life as a journey and life’s unavoidable death. This poem tells the reader that no matter what we face in life there is going to be hard times that we must endure. Life’s road will never be easy and no matter how we choose to live our life, death is the ultimate price we must pay. We must try to live life the best we know how so that in the end we will find comfort in our resting place. Rossetti sets the tone of this poem as conversational.A question is asked by her and someone then answers her. This pattern is used throughout the entire poem. Four stanzas are used, two questions are asked and two answers are given. The rhythm of this poem gives the reader the feel as if they were climbing â€Å"uphill†. The rhythm used is ABAB. The meter used in this poem gives the reader a feeling of pacing steps as if they were climbing. There is an alternating pattern of five stresses per line (pentameter) then three stresses per line (trimester). â€Å"Uphill† starts by asking a question â€Å"Does the road wind uphill all the way? Rossetti is simply asking if life’s journey is uphill. Then in the second line someone answers her back saying, â€Å"Yes, to the very end. † This gives the reader a feeling of sadness, thinking that life will be a long journey with many challenges ahead. In line three and four there is another question with an answer. â€Å"Will the journey take the whole day long? †(3)/ â€Å"From morn to night, my friend. †(4) The words in these four lines continue to give the reader a feeling of uneasiness. They are telling the reader that life is difficult and will be long.As we come to the second stanza Rossetti begins to ask questions about the challenges that may be faced as the journey is travelled. In line five â€Å"But is there for a night a res ting place? † Then in line six is answered â€Å"A roof for when the slow dark hours begin. † In line five Rossetti is asking if there will be place to rest at the end of her journey of life. The response is yes there will be a roof where you will find a sort of peace. In line seven Rossetti is asking how she will be able to find this place, â€Å"May not the darkness hide it from my face? † The author is hoping she will find this place.The answer in line eight reassures her that she will find the place, â€Å"You cannot miss that inn. † By the end of line eight the reader can assume that there is an end to the journey, some place, somewhere the reader believes in when the end of life comes. As the reader continues to read lines nine and ten, we see that the author is asking questions about ones who have travelled this long road before. The question asked is, â€Å"Shall I meet other wayfarers at night? † Is then answered with, â€Å"Those who have gone before. † This answer tells her that the ones who have travelled this road will be there waiting in the end.As we read line eleven the question is returned back to the subject of the â€Å"inn†. â€Å"Then must I knock, or call when just in sight? † Again this question makes the reader think about the end of the journey. â€Å"They will not keep you standing at that door. † The answer lets her know that the travelers that have past will not leave her there, they will take her in. In the fourth stanza the reader sees the true question being asked. The author finally asks the main question, â€Å"Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak? † This question is asked to find out if in the end she is going to end up where she should be.She wants to know if this place is going to be comfortable for her or if she will even like it there. Line fourteen gives her the answer, â€Å"Of labor you shall find the sum. † This answer is telling her that depending on the way she lives her life is going to determine how comfortable she will be. The last lines of the poem the author is trying to bring back her original question of comfort by asking, â€Å"Will there be beds for me and all who seek? † The answer she receives is, simply, †Yea, beds for all who come. † As the reader comes to the end of this poem, we wonder, who is answering these questions.Is it someone who has travelled this road before? Rossetti left this question for the reader to answer for themselves. Whatever entity we choose it to be. Whether it be God, or Jesus, or whatever the reader believes in. Rossetti writes this poem with very simple rhythm and conversation. This is her view of life’s journey, with all the challenges we face, in the end hopefully peace and comfort will be found. UPHILL by: Christina Rossetti (1830-1894) Does the road wind up-hill all the way? Yes, to the very end. Will the day's journey take the whole long day? Fr om morn to night, my friend. But is there for the night a resting-place?A roof for when the slow dark hours begin. May not the darkness hide it from my face? You cannot miss that inn. Shall I meet other wayfarers at night? Those who have gone before. Then must I knock, or call when just in sight? They will not keep you standing at that door. Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak? Of labor you shall find the sum. Will there be beds for me and all who seek? Yea, beds for all who come. Work Cited Kennedy, X. J. , and Dana Gioia. Backpack literature: an introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and writing. 4th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2012. Print. MLA formatting by BibMe. org.

Helmut Newton

NEWTON HELMUT because of the threat of the Nazis. This turned out to be a gift to the world because it eventually gave him the freedom to pursue his now legendary career in photography. HELMUT NEWTON was born in Germany and later forced out of the country We see a lot of sexy photos of women in today's magazines, most of them designed only to titillate and excite men, having no artistic message that goes beyond â€Å"I am sexy†. In the fashion photography world, however, there is one man that has used the female form to delve into human nature even though it is viewed by many as pornographic and inappropriate.Helmut Newton, for decades, pushed the envelope in fashion photography. HELMUT NEWTON Born on October 31, 1920 in Berlin, Helmut Newton grew up in a privileged family. Due to his passion for photography, he stopped going to school and pursued an apprenticeship with Elsie Simon, a top photographer. He only had this job for a while because he had to leave Germany due to Ado lf Hitler's violent treatment of. He went to Singapore and got a job there but it did not last long though. He moved around Singapore for a while until he moved to Australia in 1940.There, he settled and built a new life with his wife, June Brunell. He continued following his passion for photography, eventually getting his work to appear in top fashion magazines around the world. Helmut Newton, 1978 HELMUT NEWTON His Career as a Photographer From his small photo studio that he built in Melbourne, he eventually got the creative momentum that led him to get his photos published in French Vogue in 1961. From there, his name became synonymous to the magazine's look and feel, leading to more work for other magazines such as Nova, Queen, Marie-Claire, Elle, Playboy and different editions of Vogue.His provocative photos of women earned him the titles â€Å"Prince of Porn† and â€Å"King of Kink†. This image of his kind of photography was cemented with the release of his book called â€Å"White Women,† an erotic publication that defines his style and artistic vision. Ornella Muti by Helmut Newton,1986 HELMUT NEWTON Purveyor of Powerful Women Helmut Newton images depicting women in men's clothing and depicting them as powerful figures, breaking all the molds built by society, made heads turned. It also led some people to ask for his head to roll.Even with all the controversy, he continued pushing the envelope in photographing women by taking images of nude bodies in provocative positions. It may have been met by scrutiny and rage in the beginning, but it eventually became the industry standard. His unconventional images of femme fatales made Helmut Newton a legend in fashion photography. Not even his death in 2004 would end his undeniable influence in how photography can exude power in women. Le Smoking by Helmut Newton,1975 HELMUT NEWTON A LegendHelmut Newton did not just limit his photography to nude women and fashion. He also shared with the who le world his early life as a survivor of the Nazi invasion in Germany. He took portraits of Nazi personalities and other people relevant to the very difficult time in world history. Helmut Newton images clearly show the world through the eyes of a nomad who wandered the earth, not giving a care to people's judgments and myopic views. Willy Van Rooy by Helmut Newton, Vogue 1967 HELMUT NEWTON Helmut Newton 31 October 1920 – 23 January 2004Newton died on January 23, 2004 due to a car accident in California. It was reported that he lost control of his car because of sudden heart attack. The 83 years old photographer crashed into the wall beyond the Hotel Chateau Marmont's driveway in Hollywood. HELMUT NEWTON Some of his work HELMUT NEWTON Dressed They’re coming (naked) Paris,1981 HELMUT NEWTON Miami,1978 Bergstrom over Paris,1976 HELMUT NEWTON Celebrities Naomi Campbell The face 1991 Sigourney Weaver Monica Bellucci Blumarine Spring-Summer 1993 (Ad Campaign) HELMUT NEWTON Thank You

Macro and Microeconimics, FDI Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Macro and Microeconimics, FDI - Essay Example During the same time the world economy was confronted with severe economic crises, especially in the South East Asian countries and Latin America. Thus’ emerged the various criticisms regarding FDIs in developing and emerging nations. However, there have been concrete evidences about the positive effects of FDIs in countries like Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. New data from these countries suggest that FDIs have been successful in bringing about benefits to both the host economies as well as the workers in the foreign owned organizations. Africa, has been failing to exploit the advantage of foreign capital in way of not attracting FDIs Also one cannot ignore the fact that FDIs have been increasing worldwide and especially in the developing nations and that these countries have demonstrated greater growth in GDP since then. However, on the contrary the growth rate of developed nations have been comparatively lower than the developing nations abiding by the economic theory that cap ita accumulation is essential for the development of nations. The various reasons behind the contribution of FDIs in moving the developing economies towards growth would be discussed in this project. This is done by the provision of supporting evidence for the sane. Also in the present economic climate the pros and cons of implementing FDI barriers have also been analyzed in the project. Flow of global FDI in the developing and developed nations The recent economic crisis drew a lot of FDIs in the developing and emerging economies across the world. However, the impacts of FDIs have been different for different countries and regions and sectors. The economic crisis majorly affected the developed nations in the world and the FDI flows into the regions have also suffered a setback due to the sluggish market prospects. However, FDI flows into the developing nations continued to grow since 2008. But the rate had come down since the previous years as well. Researchers have put for the arg ument for this decline as an outcome of drawback of both the resource seeking and efficiency FDI aimed at being exported to the developed nations which were then going through a depression and the market seeking FDIs which aimed at serving the local markets have receded (UNCTAD, 2009, p.2). Since 1980 and 2000, the world has witnessed tremendous increase in FDI flows in various sectors and regions. According to recent statistics provided by the UNCTAD, the inward stock of FDI in the world was $0.8 trillion in 1990 while the figures were $1.95 trillion and $6.15 trillion in the years 1990 and 2000 respectively. Traditionally FDI was considered to be a phenomenon which was primarily associated with the highly developed economies of the world. Developed nations have always attracted highest shares of the foreign FDIs as compared to the developing nations. However, recently this tradition has undergone change. In recent years FDI flows in the developing nations have been greater than th e economically advanced nations. The average annual inflow of FDI in the developing countries was eight times more than the years between 1982 and 1987, and the years between 1994 and 1999. Consequently the developing countries attracted almost one-third of the entire flow of FDI in the worl

A company or hazardous situation Research Paper

A company or hazardous situation - Research Paper Example These are present at the work place at any one time or the other and they may lead to injury illness or even death (Alesch 50). They are the easiest to spot but often too overlooked because of the familiarity, the lack of knowledge, difficulty in a company spending time or money to make necessary improvements or just delays. This paper is going to discuss the general procedures that are used to prevent injury or harm from moving parts or machinery. It will begin by a description of how moving parts are hazards, the procedures for mitigation, personal protective equipment for specific types of machinery and lastly the engineering controls that are necessary to eliminate the hazard. As a result of industrialization and subsequently urbanization, machines became a norm in the contemporary world. They brought joy because of the different things that machines could accomplish which were either strenuous for individuals or would take a very long time for individuals to accomplish. Therefore machines increased efficiency and saved on time and costs that would be incurred as a result of human efforts. However the machines brought with them other problems. Moving machines especially have the potential of injuring a person whether the person was aware of the danger or not as long as they are working with the machine or are next to it. It became necessary for people to find ways in which the machines could be monitored or controlled so that harm does not come to individuals (Mannan and Lees 104). Moving machines can therefore cause severe workplace injuries that range from crushed fingers, hands or arms, amputations to burns and blindness. When an individual working with a given machine comes in contact with the machine by accident, the machine could injure him or others in the vicinity. This means that there is a need to control

Security awareness Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Security awareness - Article Example security awareness campaign will ensure the employees are informed and updated on various security issues that are vital in protection of the company’s resources. Security awareness campaign will aim at creating an environment that is secure in order to protect the organization and clients from breaches (McGovern, 52). The campaign will target creation of awareness and will incorporate the use of topical posters, online general awareness courses, newsletter, videos, email campaigns and forums. The goal of the campaign is to ensure reinforcement of security best practices. The campaign will target all the departments in the organization. The topics to be covered during the training entails email safety, mobile security, physical security, passwords and access control, importance of individual responsibility, definition of key cyber security terms, phishing, social engineering, data protection and destruction, threats and virus protection, internet safety, federal information and security management act together with demonstration of practical examples of vulnerability and security threats. The campaign and training will target one department at a time with an intention of ensuring all the departments are covered. At the end of the training the employees should be able to avoid breaches, pass audit requirement for compliance, create a secure environment for the organization, practice and learn secure habits and gain awareness of vulnerabilities and information security threats. The employees will be observed after the training period to assess the impact of the program (McGovern,

The Shopping Cart Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Shopping Cart Economics - Essay Example So, Goldman hired decoy shoppers of all ages and both sexes to push the thing around the store. That and an attractive store greeter did the trick, making him a multimillionaire and a legend. Market research showed that shoppers purchased more when the size of the cart is bigger. So as the stores grew, so did the cart and today’s average grocery cart is almost two times the capacity of the original. So, how can a shopping cart affect our economy? Goldman’s concept was simple: Make shopping easier for the customers and they will visit the store more frequently and buy more, generating Goldman more income. To make customers feel more comfortable while shopping, there are many additions made to a shopping cart like booster seats and seat belts for young children, miniature sized carts for children to shop alongside their parents, and shopping cart vehicles for the elderly and disabled. After all, a happy shopper makes a good income for the store. Since the customers are not bothered with weary arms carrying loads of grocery items, they have the extra time to check out other items, compare prices and contents. This has a subtle but big impact on the economy since this will foster a healthy competition among product manufacturers which will have two results: Whenever we see a shopping cart we just see it as a necessary object that makes shopping easy and convenient but the truth is companies are investing on these carts to give them more profit. This has been used for many years by companies to manipulate its customers to buy more and spend more time doing

Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Leadership - Research Paper Example As such, Whitman’s ultimate leadership strength was her knowledge of when to allow a sense of effect to develop and when to continue on (Suriyamurthi et al., 2013). Similarly, with respect to the second determinant listed above, Whitman’s exhibits the importance of tailoring and â€Å"lasering† her management message to meet the given needs within the specific workgroup she seeks to integrate with. This is a skill that many might otherwise overlook; however, it is one of the utmost importance due to the fact that without the ability to target the given shareholder with identifiable and gripping information, no matter how important the subject or how great the need to increase sales might be, the message will doubtless appear flat and otherwise stale (Dries & Pepermans, 2012). Comparatively, Whitman utilizes keen levels of communication to engage stakeholders with the excitement and uniqueness of HP’s product designs; serving to drum up support and interest for the products long before they were even able to integrate with the consumer market. As a means of presenting herself as the sole individual on an otherwise empty stage and methodically yet engagingly discussing these products with both a physical and multimedia audience, Whitman is able to convey a sense of leadership awe and excitement that would likely not have been engaged by a lesser CEO (SCHAUBROECK et al., 2012). With regards to the second determinant, Whitman seemingly has a type of built-in understanding for the type of language that would grip the consumer and provide them with a sense of awe with regards to the given product; further representing a dynamic level of leadership that helped to hone the marketing prowess with which she seeks to engage the consumer and define the organization by effectively representing its culture. As a function of this, her communication style is not one that wandered from topic to topic during the few brief minutes which she engages wit h the public. Rather, there is a direct point, key functionalities, and technical specifications that are related to the would-be user within terms that would not frighten those that otherwise would not have a great deal of technical expertise or understanding (Senn et al., 2013). This primary knowledge of the market with which she was ultimately engaging was the primal reason why HP has become such a fixture of US technology and engineering that it is today. Moreover, Whitman herself is a unique example of a management professional that was actually responsible for the development of the final product rather than merely a CEO that oversees projects completed under her watch. As a function of this technical standpoint from which Whitman necessarily approaches the business world, her communication style differentiates extensively from that of other leaders and managers (Muethel et al., 2012). Yet with regards to the means whereby Whitman was effectively able to utilize both verbal an d non-verbal communication

Advantages of using a team to develop and complete a presentation Essay

Advantages of using a team to develop and complete a presentation - Essay Example Collaborations utilizing the talents and wisdom of knowledgeable persons provide the presentation with a higher level of credibility and in-depth informative aspects far beyond what a single perspective and solitary voice could offer to the audience. It is commonplace in today’s high-tech society for presentations to be produced and delivered by means of a group effort rather than by an individual. It has been found to be much more effectual for numerous associates to speak instead of just a single person speaking for the entire organization or group. A presentation is broken up into several sections with each requiring a specialized knowledge base which is more effectively addressed by an expert in that particular area. One person can hardly be considered the most knowledgeable within an organization regarding every aspect of a complex subject or project. In addition, the audience retains more interest for a longer period of time if the presentation is broken up with differing speakers. When team members speak only on what they know best, this not only allows for a more informative presentation but does not put the burden on one person to speak about unfamiliar aspects of the subject. Each member is confident with their part and thus at ease with the material unlike a single person attempting to cover everything, a confidence which is openly conveyed to the audience. Group presentations also serve to present a cross-section of the organization’s employees instead of viewing just one representative, a major selling point to the intended audience (Friedmann, 2003). Team presentation offers a heightened level of attention for the audience as they are presented with a variety of speakers. When practiced well, the presentation flows more smoothly and coherently with a group effort because, for example, one person might be given the task of operating visual and or audio aids while another focuses on speaking to the audience.

The role of federal agencies in fighting digital crime Essay

The role of federal agencies in fighting digital crime - Essay Example These agencies have to be up to date about all the digital networking so that they can help protect the common people, businesses and governments from getting cheated or played by digital criminals. They know that it is the requirement to keep their strategies in dealing with this threat more innovative so that this problem can be handled appropriately. Mostly the security agencies that work under the government are more influential in countering digital crimes because they have more financial support and thus are more technologically advanced. Political assistance also plays a vital role in increasing their significance. High priority is given to prevent digital crime and efforts are being made to spot crimes before they occur. There are various agencies that are working to prevent this problem. One of these agencies is the Secret Service. This agency is responsible for the prevention of three digital crimes, which are financial institutional frauds that include savings, loans and banks, the access devised frauds that include credit cards, personal identification numbers and passwords, and last but not the least digital crimes conducted on the national level. Another agency that works to prevent digital crime is the Department of Justice. This department takes care of the investigations related to computer hacking, electronic privacy laws and various other digital crimes. It basically takes care of all the legal implications of digital crimes. The department of Homeland Security agency is the combination of two agencies: U.S Customs Service and Immigration and naturalization, and the digital crime that is investigated here with highest level of priority is the child exploitation case (Wiles, 2007, p.90). Federal Bureau of Investigation is one of the largest criminal investigating agencies in the United States and in digital crimes it handles the hacking, fraud via the internet, sending of illegal material across the state borders etc. It works with the

Discuss the IOM(institute of medicine) reports and how the reports Assignment

Discuss the IOM(institute of medicine) reports and how the reports apply to your specific practice area. Do you agree with the recommendations - Assignment Example The report also discusses the education of the nurses and their views to enhance their education. The nurses should be allowed to work along with the physicians and health care professionals in designing health care (Davis, Davis, & Williams, 2010). Registered Nurses (RN) are qualified and trained to perform an initial assessment of the patients. It is a part of their job to make health care plans for the patients. They are not allowed to do so in various states of US. The report also discusses the barriers that the nurses face in carrying out their duty. It is a reality that nurses are not given equal rights to practice their duty, and IOM and RWJF has joined hands and taken initiative to transform the nursing profession (Muehlbauer, 2012). The recommendation provided in this report is fair and just. The regulations of the state and its conflicts with APRNs must be resolved, so that the nurses can practice what they are trained to do during their education. If the nurses are trained to perform some task, which is a part of their course, then, they should be allowed to apply that part of the training in her professional life (Baljekar & Malet, 2014). Davis, S. P., Davis, D. D., & Williams, D. D. (2010). Challenges and Issues Facing the Future of Nursing Education: Implications for Ethnic Minority Faculty and Students. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 7 (4),

Theater & Drama Essay Example for Free

Theater Drama Essay Art is an expression of emotion. As they say, art is everywhere. Perhaps everything in this world is driven by art. It is already part of our lives. In other words art itself is an element of life. There are many forms of art; visual art, theater, multimedia, and the like. All of these are common even during the early century times. In fact art exist and has life, it never die, for if it dies it will never be called art. Theater is one of the common medium of art. It is an art in which there is no permanent image for every performance; an artist may vary his/her expression of the art. Thus, this form is one of the most prestigious medium. Theater is one of the oldest and one of the most popular forms of entertainment (2007, Encarta. msn. com). In this form of art, an actor can perform on a space provided. Hence, a space for performance is called a theater. There are several elements of theater; text, space, and narrative. Text is one of the most common among them. In fact text is the main element of theater but even though it is the most common it is one of them most effective. Second is the space. This is to give dynamics on the scene. Third is the narrative. Narrative is used to connect a story. It is also used to relate the story to the audience. Sometimes when a story is very long the narrative element will make the delivery of the story short by narrating to the audience what happened. These elements when used together are a strong foundation of theater performance. In fact these elements do not come in single form. They are fused and forms many variation. This is to ensure that a performance will have a different taste from time to time. This is to eliminate the tendency of a boring performance. One time, I attended an acting workshop. It is on Rasa Box technique. The technique is to explore the emotion of the artist to come up with an acting that somewhat realistic. It is a technique where an artist will no longer use any subtext to be able to act a scene. Because often times the character’s experience wasn’t experienced by the actor, he/she sometimes recall his past experiences or borrow the experiences of other people to be able to feel or internalize the role. It is a hard job for the artist to recall or borrow experiences thus the technique offers a new style. During that workshop we were taught and experience or ourselves the importance of text, space, and narrative. Not all the time text is useful. Sometimes space gives a great impact when used. For example the character is angry on one of the characters. He/she will shout or scream loud to show or emphasize the anger. Now try to imagine if the artist will not give any words but will just look at the other character for a long moment and will just leave. Thus the other example is much better compared to the first. Why, it is because the first one is the most common expression of anger. In theater, the artist must be flexible to explore other expression of a particular emotion; but in reality emption is commonly mixed and this will give a better expression. I saw a performance last time. The title of the show was Uwahig but the Integrated Performing Arts Guild. It was also the show that was presented during the International Theater Festival. It is really amazing. Most of the artists did not use text but spaces and movement. The poet (narrator) relates the story in the form of a chant and song. The show started with the artist on the audience. They creep, crawl and contract as if they were undergoing suffering. Then suddenly the lights slowly fade out and the artists start to cry in agony. In that moment you will feel how important are the elements of theater and how important to know when to use those elements. Then the narrator came out. She started with a chant. It is a chant where you will feel the sufferings of the people in that story. The she slowly came to silent. Her eyes looked at the other character. Then she starts narrating again. Those spaces make the audience comprehend and feel the story of that performance. The performance ended with a narration: â€Å"And this is the start of the epic of mankind†. It is really effective. You will not feel boring when watching that show. Indeed it gives a true example on the right usage of the elements. In fact it is the right timing on the usage of those elements that makes the delivery of the story effective. One thing also that makes the text more effective is the addition of dynamics upon delivery. In theater or any performance, even in music, a loud sound is much appreciated when comes after a silence. In vice versa, a silence is much appreciated when comes after a loud sound. That’s dynamics; the rise and fall of sound of the tone of sound or movements. Another performance I saw was the legend of a falls in one country. On near-the-end scene the Raja ran to catch the woman. To emphasize the running scene, the artist act as if running by stamping their feet in a slowly rising momentum. Then when the time comes where the woman was almost caught by the Raja, the Raja jump for her and then suddenly they were in slow motion. There were times when the Raja almost hold the hand of the woman but unfortunately loose the grip. The audience that time really screams for the woman. They were as if the ones being caught. Well, that was an effective delivery. Dynamics makes the audience follow through the flow of the story. I have also an experience when I watch a theater performance where some of the usage of the text were ineffective due to the wrong timing and the often use of the style. In theater, when an image is already established, do not repeat the acting or the image. It will only give a boring performance and will ruin the impact of the show. It was a performance of a great novel and somewhat on one part of the story they improvise the delivery of the story. They make it a comedy by dancing with the new novelty songs which makes it more comedy. But they were able to leave hole on that scene. They repeated the style trice and that makes the whole scene corny and ineffective. In that experience I learn that due to the fact that there are only few elements of theater, the artist should be responsible in making choices in what to deliver. The elements of theater make the performance. It is like a textile that is made up of many fibers. It is threaded in different variations to come up with a different style. It is like eating that when you often eat the most delicious food it will no longer become delicious in someday. Variation makes the art alive; particularly the theater. Some of the artists who are concentrating on contemporary theater question the traditional use of the elements. Well, some of the traditional type of theater uses the elements ineffectively. Their delivery makes the performance boring. Before, traditional type of theater uses only single variation. When it’s a play, it’s only a play. The limited variation of the style makes it somewhat dead. We cannot deny the fact that we are living in the new generation. The people are developing and thus the likes of the people develop too. In this generation, a typical type of theater performance might be ineffective. It is more beautiful to explore more on theater. It is like an experiment. The audience needs from time to time new style of performance. One Artistic Director ones said when they were exploring on the possible images of a new production that they are planning: â€Å"Our work must be like of that effective commercial on television; it gives new performance and taste†. Well, I agree with him. Theater art is a growing art. Thus when you are stuck with your old style of art, someday your art will vanish. He was trying to imply that from time to time art must be updated. It does not mean that the performance will also be futuristic since we are now living in the future. What it means it that we will not rely on one form of style in theater arts. There is a theater arts group I knew that no longer exist. Their art die. One reason for that is they did not adopt or explore more on their art forms and rely only on the traditional ones. They also did not explore more on the variations of the elements of theater arts. One example of their art performance is the typical play where mainly their artist use the elements of theater but one thing is lacking, the timing of when to used those elements. Another element of theater is the technical aspect; the lights and sounds. They are useful because it gives life to the performance. The lights make the scene realistic and the sounds add more life to the scene. In one performance o Cirque de sole lights and sounds play a vital role in emphasizing the scenes. There were instances where the lights make the scene as if the scene is in the sky where the falling angel was seen. The angel looks as if it is really falling due to the enhancement made by the lights and the music makes gives more emotion on the scene. Many artists nowadays give emphasis on theater arts. Some feel it boring but many say that it is more difficult than film. I agree because in film an artist has several chances in revising his/her images and when the artist commits a mistake, there is a chance to correct it whereas in theater, there is no room for mistakes during performance. Once a mistake is committed, it will not be corrected anymore. It will be inculcated in the minds of the audience thus one director of a theater company says: â€Å"commit mistakes with confidence†. That means that when you commit a mistake; make it appear to the audience that it is part of the performance. In general the elements and the right timing of using them make a performance beautiful. Work cited: Theater (2007). msn Encarta. Retrieved April 30, 2007 from http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761553217/Theater. html Integrated Performing Arts Guild. Retrieved April 30, 2007 from http://www. msuiit. edu. ph/ipag/

Study On The Olmec Culture

Study On The Olmec Culture The Olmec culture has been the focus of intense discussion and archeological exploration in recent years. It is considered to be one of the most interesting and also one of the mysterious ancient civilizations. The Olmec civilization is considered to be the first known ordered civilization to arise in Mesoamerica. It was also the first civilization in the region to build huge monumental temple mounds and building. In the Pre1classic Period, the period when this civilization flourished, the following Gulf Coast sites were occupied in overlapping succession; Firstly, San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan, which was occupied between 1450 and 400 BC., then at La Venta from 2250- 500 BC And Zapotes from 1000-50 BC. One of the most remarkable relics that we have of this culture is seventeen enormous stone heads. The stone used to carve the statues was transported from a great distance which implies the reach and extent of this civilization, as well as its spread and influence. These and other aspects of the culture will be discussed in more detail below. The Olmec culture and society has been described as extremely well organized with à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦complex calendar and hieroglyphic writing system as well as unique art objects of a very high standard. However, scholars also admit that there is a great paucity of archeological and other evidence and knowledge about this mysterious and complex civilization.We know far less about the Olmecs than we do about, for example, the Aztecs and Mayans. There are very few written records to tell us about the culture. The Olmec culture and civilization is estimated have begun in about 1200 B.C. and ended around 600 A.D. During this period the Olmec were the main group or culture in Mesoamerica. What is certain about this culture is the importance and centrality of religion, shamanism and religious ritual in their daily lives. There is as general consensus that religion and belief in the supernatural influenced every aspect of their lives. Olmec sites are characterized the prominent position of the ceremonial mounds and later by elaborate pyramids that were erected for worship and possibly for sacrifice. As one study on this aspect notes; As the clock tower often defines the center of Western town squares, a central raised mound signaled the center of Olmec cities. These mounds were used for religious ceremonies and around 900 BC, they were replaced with pyramids. The following discussion will refer to the various aspects of the culture, as well as their art and religion in an attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of what is known about the mysterious and influential Olmec. Origins The term Olmec means rubber people in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztec. It was the name that the Aztecs used to refer to those people and the culture that had existed in the area of the Olmec Heartland during the fifteenth and sixteenth century. Simply stated the name means à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦those who live in the rubber land, which refers to the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦practice of extracting latex from Castilla elastica, a rubber tree in the area. There is a general paucity of solid data and information about the origins and the life-world of the Olmec culture. Our understanding of the civilization is made even more obscure by the fact that they did not appear to have a system of writing that would have provided records of their culture. As one commentator states; If the Olmec ever had a written language, all traces of it have disappeared. Even their bones are gone, rotted long ago in the humid rain forest. Virtually everything that scholars know about them is based on the remains of cities and on comparisons between their artifacts and imagery and those of later civilizations. It isnt surprising, therefore, that while the experts have plenty of theories about the Olmecs origins, social structure and religion, few of these ideas are universally accepted. Therefore, it is difficult to make incontrovertible and conclusive statements about the Olmec. In terms of what Historians and archaeologists know about the Mesoamerican Pre-Classic period, which extended from 1200 BCE-400 BCE, the Olmec civilization was the most dominant and influential during this time. The centre of this civilization at its peak was situated in La Venta in Tabasco, and San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan and Laguna de los Cerros in Veracruz. There are many theories and views about the origins of the Olmec. One theory that is often referred to is they were part of the immigration of Asiatic hunter-gatherers to the region after the ice-age. Another view that has achieved some credibility is that they were of African origin. The view that the Olmec civilization was of African origin seems to be partly substantiated by the large carved heads that possibly depict various rulers and which have African features. Some writers claim the Olmec were related to peoples of Africa based primarily on their interpretation of facial features of Olmec statues. This viewpoint is also allegedly supported by genetic and osteological evidence. This was a theory that was first put forward by Josà © Melgar, who discovered the first colossal head at Hueyapan. Some researchers such as Winters link the early origins of the Olmec with the Mandà © people of West Africa. However, this theory is very contentious and the proposed evidence has not lived up to modern scrutiny; for example, research during the past two decades has à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦failed to yield evidence of pre-Columbian African contributions to the indigenous populations of the Americas. Another factor that goes against the view of an African origin to the Olmec is that the people of the region were very susceptible to diseases brought by the Europeans. This means that the Mesoamericans of the region has been isolated for a considerable time, which in turn goes against a theory of origins that would include contact with the African continent. There are numerous other theories, including the contention that the Olmec were of Chinese origin. This view states that the original Olmec were Chinese refugees who came to the region during the Shang dynasty. However, this view is not supported by the majorly of researchers. Most researchers are of the view that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the Olmec and their achievements arose from influences and traditions that were wholly indigenous to the region, or at least the New World, and there is no reliable material evidence to suggest otherwise. This view suggests that the Olmec and the subsequent cultures that developed in the region had their own specific and indigenous character and heritage and that they were independent of any outside influences. The study of the origins and development of the Olmec culture is steeped in mystery and doubt. Another issue that is debated is the transformation of the possible hunter-gatherer origins of the Olmec into a highly successful agricultural society. As one pundit comments; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦archaeologists dont know what transformed a society of farmers into the class-based social structure of the Olmec, with their leaders and commoners, bosses and laborers, artisans and priests. Spread and Influence The mysterious Olmec civilization is estimated to have reached its peak a thousand years before the great Mayan civilization of Central America and twenty-five centuries before there Aztecs. This ancient civilization was extremely influential and affected many other cultures and tribes in the region, as one article states; Starting in 1200 B.C. in the steamy jungles of Mexicos southern Gulf Coast, the Olmecs influence spread as far as modern Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Costa Rica and El Salvador. They built large settlements, established elaborate trade routes and developed religious iconography and rituals, including ceremonial ball games, blood-letting and human sacrifice, that were adapted by all the Mesoamerican civilizations to follow. Therefore, the Olmec were influential on a number of interconnected levels, from trade and economics to religion and cultural practices. David M. Jones ( 2007) states that the art and the architectural styles of the Olmec were influential in the region. The Olmec art style and architectural organization of ceremonial spaces were exported in the early stages of long-distance trading networks and, possibly, empire-building. What is clear from research into the spread and influence of this culture is that it influenced Gulf Coast as well as spreading inland to the Basin of Mexico and to the states of Morelos, Guerrero and Oaxaca. The Importance of Olmec Culture The importance of the Olmec culture lay in their inventiveness and their discoveries which influenced later civilizations that arose in the area. They à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦developed many things culturally and religiously that were later used by the Mayans and Aztecs and many other cultures. Many of their ideas spread throughout the region. In terms of farming and agriculture, for example, there there is strong evidence that the Olmec were responsible for the invention of a method of irrigation that was to influence the agricultural techniques of the Maya and Aztecs. This also applies to the water system that archeologist have found at the sites of Olmec cities. This refer to the finding that the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦most important features of an Olmec town center was a buried network of stone drain lines long U-shaped rectangular blocks of basalt laid end to end and covered with capstones. Social and Political Life There is a general paucity of information about the actual societal and political structure of the Olmec. While there is not much evidence to build a comprehensive picture of the daily and social life of these people, there is enough available data from certain archeological sites to provide some reasonable speculations. One of the assumptions that is derived from the excavation of sites at San Lorenzo and then at La Venta is that the society was very centralized. This in turn has led to the view that the society was highly structured, with a hierarchical basis of order and class stratification. This also implies the existence of a ruling elite and a system of power and control, which was possibly based on religious beliefs. This view of the structure of the society is summarized as follows: Olmec society was à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦highly centralized, with a strongly hierarchical structure and elite that was able to use their control over materials, such as monumental stone and water, to exert control over the people and legitimize their regime. There is also clear evidence of a class structure in Olmec society. This is the view for example of Olmec scholars like Ann Cyphers. She states that there is evidence of elaborate houses for the elite or upper classes, while there are simpler housing structures for the middle and lower classes. As one study notes, The architecture of the Olmec was complex. Structures in Lorenzo, for example, included public-ceremonial buildings, elite residences, and houses for commoners (a clear separation of the classes). Cyphers also makes the important point that archeological research indicates that the society was extremely complex in structure and stratification; All these things show a society of great complexityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Scholars are also of the opinion that the society was possibly a complex unity of various chiefdoms. These groups interacted on a religious and cultural level. Agriculture and farming played as vital part in the culture of these people. Besides the obvious fact of sufficient foods and nutrition it has also been seen by experts and being as tool in the politics of the society. As a study by Amber M. VanDerwarker (2006) indicates, the increase in the size and complexity of the society coincided with the development of village agriculture, which à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦has led scholars to theorize that agricultural surpluses gave aspiring Olmec leaders control over vital resources and thus a power base on which to build authority and exact tribute. Central to the society and social life was religious ceremony and ritual. This is evident in the large and centrally situated ceremonial centers. There are however some views that suggest a slightly different social structure. This refers to the view that as a result of the slash-and burn agriculture and crop-rotation that was practiced, most of the people would have lived in smaller villages and hamlets. Although the river banks were used to plant crops between flooding periods, the Olmec also likely practiced swidden (or slash-and-burn) agriculture to clear the forests and shrubs, and to provide new fields once the old fields were exhausted. The development of an agricultural economy also had a number of social implications. With the increase of an agricultural economy more people were needed to manage and administer the resources which led to a division of labor and a class structure in the society. The ones who controlled the rich farm land would naturally have been the ones who would rise up as the Elite of the community because they controlled the food supply, and as part of the management of resources, a central center had to be established. A number of theorists are of the opinion that the development of agriculture was the impetus which led to the expansion and development of the Olmec civilization. This would also have led to its influence through trade on the surrounding regions. As one study o0n this aspect notes: A new elite class probably asserted its leadership through charisma, control of trade networks and control of people, all of which led to the evolution of a complex society and, eventually, the art style we call Olmec. 5. Art There is as general agreement among scholars that the Olmec civilization producedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the earliest sophisticated art in Mesoamerica and that their distinctive style provided a model for the Maya, Aztec and other later civilizations in the region. There are also certain changes in Olmec art over time that should be noted. One is that before 900 B.C. most of the art tend to be ceramic, while later objects were made form jade and serpentine; which were rare materials that required considerable skill to fashion. However, what has fascinated people for centuries is the subject matter and the significance of the figures in Olmec art. There are a number of subjects that are often repeated in Aztec art. These include dragons, birds, dwarfs, hunchbacks and, most important, the jaguar or more correctly the were-jaguar that is part human, part jaguar. It should also be made clear that art in this culture, as in many other ancient cultures, cannot be separated from the spiritual and religious underlying life of that culture. The art and shamanic and spiritual aspects of the society are inextricably intertwined. Olmec art is essentially an expression of the religious beliefs that permeated the entire society. A case in point is the image of the jaguar that is so dominant in Olmec art. The jaguar represents a belief system that was deeply involved in the supernatural and the shamanic vision of reality. The jaguar figure in Olmec art is similar to a number of other figures in that it shows a combination of or transition between human and animal. It must be remembered that in many ancient worldviews there is no distinction between the human and natural world. In other words, many ancient belief systems do not adhere to the more modern distinction between man and nature. The jaguar figure in Olmec art is possibly therefore a representation of this belief system where the barriers between humanity and nature and between man and animal is seen as illusionary or has been broken down. The above refers particularly to the shamanic perception of reality, where transformation of man to animal is seen part of the ability of the shaman. The shaman has the facility to change his or her form in order to achieve certain supernatural ends. Linked with this was the belief that was prevalent among the Olmec that, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ each individual has an animal spirit. This refers as well to the general shamanic views about power animals. Shamans believe that everyone has power animals animal spirits which reside with each individual adding to their power and protecting them from illness, acting similarly to a guardian angel. Each power animal that you have increases your power so that illnesses or negative energy cannot enter your body. The spirit also lends you the wisdom of its kind. A hawk spirit will give you hawk wisdom, and lend you some of the attributes of hawk. The above quotation provides some insight into the way that the Maya possibly understood the link between man, nature and the supernatural. This shamanic aspect can be seen in the important figure of the jaguar. It is also worth reiterating the fact that Olmec art, like many ancient cultures, cannot be considered in isolation from the religious and spiritual beliefs of the civilization. This is an aspect that will be explored in more detail in the following section on religion. The jaguar was also very important for Olmec culture in that it was linked to one of their central gods. The jaguar was also referred to as nahual, which is an animal that is so closely related to a certain man, that if the animal dies, the man will also die. From another angle, jaguars were also seen as the alter ego of the shaman. The following provides insight into the reason why the jaguar figure was revered and why it was so prominent in Olmec art To the ancient Indians the jaguar was a symbol of supernatural forces-not a simple animal, but an ancestor and a god. In order to understand the significance of the jaguar figure one has to suspend the modern dualistic view of the world and reality that makes rational distinctions between man and nature and between the known and the unknown. The Olmec lived in a world where such distinctions were seen as illusionary and the jaguar was a symbol of this belief and a conduit between this world and the supernatural. As we explore the literature on Olmec art the references to the jaguar image also become more complex and intertwined when we enter further into the often confusing world of Olmec myth and religion. For example, in Olmec imagery we also encounter a werejaguar baby. This refers to the offspring of a jaguar mother and a human father. This mating à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦resulted in a race of infants combining the features of the jaguar and man in varying degrees. These are usually shown as somewhat infantile throughout life, with the puffy features of small fat babies, snarling mouths, fangs, and perhaps even claws. These werejaguars were deities of thunder, lightening, and rain. This in turn can be linked to depictions of an Olmec God who was half jaguar, half serpent. 5.1. Olmec Heads ( Source: http://www.theancientweb.com/explore/content.aspx?content_id=19) Another predominant characteristic of Olmec art are their distinct human heads and faces. As one commentator notes, Olmec-style human figures typically have squarish facial features with full lips, a flat nose, pronounced jowls and slanting eyes reminiscent (at least to early travelers in the region) of African or Chinese peoples. . There are seventeen of these massive heads and they are presumed to have been sculpted between 1200 B.C. and 900 B.C. The stone used is volcanic basalt and the height ranges from 5 ft. to 11 ft. and they weigh as much as 20 tons. The heads have been located at the following places; ten heads at San Lorenzo, four heads at La Venta , two at Tres Zapotes and one at Rancho La Cobata. One of the fascinating and intriguing aspects of the heads is that experts do not know how these large stones were transported over such long distances. Archaeologists still have not determined how the Olmec transported the basalt from quarries to various settlements as far as 80 miles awayand, in San Lorenzo, hoisted it to the top of a plateau some 150 ft. high. However it is the meaning of the heads that has made them such a source of interest and mystery. Experts conjecture that the heads were possibly representations of well- known and revered citizens or leaders. This however does not explain the facts that many of the heads have been intentionally defaced. There are two possible explanations for this. The one is that they were damaged when the leader or prominent figure depicted in the statue fell out of favor. However, taking into account the shamanic and religious nature of the culture, the second explanation is more likely. This refers to the sacrifice of the gods in order to replenishment and renewal of the earth and the relationship between man and the universe. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the Olmecs did this themselves after a ruler died as a sacrifice to the gods or animal spirits. This form of sacrifice is also encountered in other ancient cultures and might explain the damage to the statues. Innovations The Olmec are credited with a number of major innovations in Mesoamerican history. However, there is still a great deal of speculation and debate about these innovations. They include the origins of the Mesoamerican ballgame, as well as aspects such as bloodletting and sacrifice, as well as writing and the invention of Zero. There is little doubt that the Olmec civilization had a far-reaching effect on the region one needs only refer to the complex political and social structure that was developed. Their political arrangements of strongly hierarchical city-state kingdoms were repeated by nearly every other Mexican and Central American civilization that followed. They are also credited with providing the basis for religious mythologies that were imitated in other civilizations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the Olmec formulated the forerunners of many of the later Mesoamerican deities. There is considerable debate among scholars as to whether the Olmec invented a writing system and whether they were first civilization in the Western hemisphere to do so. Many are of the opinion that there is no evidence to suggest that there was a writing system among the Olmec. However there are more recent indications that a writing system was developed by the Olmec. These include, Symbols found in 2002 and 2006 date to 650 B.C.E. and 900 B.C.E. respectively, preceding the oldest Zapotec writing dated to about 500 B.C.E. The 2002 find at the San Andrà ©s site shows a bird, speech scrolls, and glyphs that are similar to the later Mayan hieroglyphsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The discovery of the Cascajal block near San Lorenzo in 2006 seems to suggest that the Olmec were one of the first cultures in this part of the word to develop a writing system. The Cascajal block à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦showed a set of 62 symbols, 28 of which are unique, carved on a serpentine block. This find has been hailed as the earliest pre-Colombian writing. However, this is by no means considered to be conclusive proof and many archeologists remain unconvinced that this block is representative of the Olmec culture. One of the reasons for this skepticism is that the Cascajal blockà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ bears no apparent resemblance to any other Mesoamerican writing system. However the debate also includes a view the Olmec may have developed a system of signs that was to lead to the writing systems of the Maya. This refers to well-known Epi-Olmec, hieroglyphs. There is a view that the Epi-Olmec may represent a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦transitional script between an earlier Olmec writing system and Maya writing. In this regard it is also important to note that, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.Even less is known about the spoken language of the Olmec. Since the Mixe-Zoquean languages still are, and historically are known to have been, spoken in an area corresponding roughly to the Olmec heartland, it has generally been regarded as probable that the Olmec spoke a Mixe-Zoquean language. Many of the innovations ascribed to the Olmec are much less controversial; for example the view that the compass could have an Olmec origin. Various archeological discoveries have led to view that, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the Olmec may have discovered and used the geomagnetic lodestone compass earlier than 1000 B.C.E. The Olmec are also considered to have discovered the concept of zero. This refers to the Long Count calendar that was developed by cultures after the Olmec but which probably had its origins in the Olmec civilization. The Long Count calendar required the use of zero as a place-holder within its vigesimal (base-20) positional numeral system. Many archeologists are convinced that because of various objects found in the Maya homeland, the Long Count Calendar most probably had its origins in the Olmec civilization. However, as with most of our knowledge about the Olmec, this view is also mired in doubt and controversy because of a lack of substantiated evidence Religion and mythology Figure 2. Olmec holds a half human-half jaguar baby. ( Source: http://www.crystalinks.com/olmec.html) The Olmec civilization was immersed in religious and spiritual significance. It is often stated that the supernatural and religion was the formative factor in this culture. It is also conjectured that the Olmec were essentially shamanistic in their religious activities and outlook. One of the central myths and beliefs of the Olmec people was the view that there were different but interlinked planes and dimensions to reality and not just the world of ordinary sense experience. They also believed that the human body, and especially the body of ruler or king, was divided into to correspond with the main cosmic levels in their mythology. These were the celestial or heavenly, the terrestrial, the earths surface and the watery underworld. This cosmology therefore had the following implications. The head represented the celestial realm and hence the colossal heads found in Veracruz and Tabasco were probably ancestral portraits depicting the seat of the mind and the most exalted part of the most important rulers. The bodies, standing, sitting or kneeling, represent our environment in different aspects. And the lower parts, like the limbs and feet, as the roots of a tree, penetrate into the underworld and contact its forces. The priest or the shaman enters into these different regions and levels of reality at will in order to achieve balance between the different realms of existence and to bring about healing and other effects. Furthermore, as noted in the above discussion on art, The ruler or the shaman could do this through ritual transformation into his nagual, his animal spirit companion. There are many different types and categories of Olmec gods. They also have different attributes and powers and different relationships to the human world; while some of the gods have healing powers, others represent dark forces. However, as there are no written records no names can be given to the gods and they are usually designated by a number. Another interesting fact is that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦No Olmec deities can be categorically defined as male or female. What is clear is that they influenced later Mesoamerican cultures and civilizations. The Olmec deities and Gods were a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦source of many aspects of pan-Mesoamerican mythology and religion, and as prototypes of later gods and goddess. There are at least ten gods in the Olmec pantheon. The following is a brief overview of some of the central gods and deities and their major characteristic and influence on humanity. God 1: Olmec Dragon This is also referred to as Earth Monster. it has à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦flame eyebrows, a bulbous nose, and bifurcated tongue. This is one of the most commonly depicted gods or deities. God 2: Maize God This God has plants growing from as cleft in his head. God 3: The Bird Monster This God has both Mamalis and reptilian features and is linked to ruling and kingship. God 4: Rain Spirit and Were-jaguar It is not clear if this god is one or two separate entities. Other gods include, God 7, The Feathered Serpent and Fish or Shark Monster (God 8). There is as great deal of confusion about the exact nature of these gods and many are combined by some experts. In order to make list of Olmec gods more comprehensible, the following is a selection of the best known of these gods and the ones that have had the most influence on subsequent civilizations. The Jaguar God The Jaguar God was a principle deity in the Olmec mythology. It was seen as an Earth god as his power was limited to the terrestrial plane. This god represented the forces of life and was linked or the water and earth. The Feathered Serpent The plumed serpent or the feathered serpent is a mythological figure that is found in many cultures in Mesoamerica and it is believe that this figure originated with the Olmec culture. This god is linked to time and calendars and is seen as the provider of maize to humanity. It is also very strongly associated with the concepts of death and resurrection, which were primary factors in the Olmec religion, as is evident in their emphasis on ritual sacrifice. Man of Crops. This is an important fertility figure. The Man of Crops à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ was a human man or boy who chose to give his life so that his people might grow food. The heroic Man of Crops is sometimes mentored or assisted by a god figure from the other world. The Rain Spirit. This god plays an important role in Olmec mythology and was also carried into the civilizations that came after the Olmec. This god often had many helpers. As has already been referred to, the idea of sacrifice and making an offering to the gods in order to maintain harmony and peace was central to the Olmec culture. This involved a continuous succession of rituals and ceremonies where, it is suggested by some, that there were human sacrifices. In these rituals the priest or shaman would à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦cut himself to produce blood, which would be presented to the gods. Certain animals, such as turkeys, dogs, squirrels, quail, and iguana, were also considered as acceptable sacrifices. Some claim that there is strong evidence that the Olmec indulged in human sacrifice. However, others state that this is pure speculation. No Olmec or Olmec-influenced sacrificial artifacts have yet been discovered and there is no Olmec or Olmec-influenced artwork that unambiguously shows sacrificial victims (like, for example, the danzante figures of Monte Albà ¡n) or scenes of human sacrifice à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Conclusion: Decline of the Olmec In about 300 B.C. the Olmec civilization suddenly seemed to disappear. What is known is that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ between 400 and 350 BCE, population in the eastern half of the Olmec heartland dropped precipitously, and the area would remain sparsely inhabited until the 19th century. It is not clear why this occurred. One possible reason is that some natural catastrophe occurred. The depopulation could also have been the result of radical environmental changes in the area. Archeologists also suggest that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ these changes were triggered by tectonic upheavals or subsidence, or the silting up of rivers due to agricultural practices. While the Olmec civilization still remains shrouded in mystery and conjecture, what is very clear from the literature is that this culture had an enormous impact on the region and on the modern word. The Olmec left behind some examples of the most enigmatic and thought-provoking art that the world has seen. The Olmec also very possibly provided agricultural as well as economic models that were influential in the region and which led to the advanced Aztec civilization. What is also clear from the lite

The Concept Of Imprisonment And Human Rights Criminology Essay

The Concept Of Imprisonment And Human Rights Criminology Essay The terms prison and imprisonment are used interchangeably in a way that the existence of the first term is a mandatory precondition for the existence of the latter one, or vice-versa. In other words in criminal justices process, the first term prison refers to the place where in the latter term imprisonment is to be taken place; and imprisonment indicates the limitation of inmates liberty. However, different terms are used by different countries and legal systems to explain terms prisoner, prison and imprisonment. For example in the US different states use different terminologies like inmate and prisoner; correction and imprisonment interchangeably.  [1]   Of course some legal systems use detention instead of imprisonment and detainee instead of prisoner.  [2]  Hence, these above discussed facts show that there is no uniformity in the use of terms in the criminal justice system of different states. However, after the establishment of the United Nations organization (UN) and the regional organizations states are adopting uniform usage of terms through the ratification of binding and normative treaties and standards. In order to avoid ambiguity during the writing and reading this research paper, the writer will use the term prison to mean a place where individuals deprived of personal liberty as a result of conviction for an offence serve their conviction  [3]  emphasis added. Likewise, the term prisoner will be used to refer to an individual deprived of personal liberty as a result of conviction for an offence.  [4]  Finally, the term imprisonment will be used to mean deprivation of liberty as a result of conviction.  [5]  However, readers should be aware that the term inmate to mean prisoner may be used in some parts of this research paper. Evolution Indeed, crimes as a source of social evil emerged from the biblical times; however with the change of socio-economic situations its nature and techniques also changed; in line with this, the modes of control and punishment used by the state changed.  [6]  Therefore, prisons as we know today are result of recent developments compared to the age of commission of crimes. From these facts one can understand that before the coming of the contemporary prison system there were other modes of punishment against wrongdoers. To borrow the words of Thorsten Sellin; [s]societys offenders have been dealt with in many ways. Until recent times, historically speaking, punishment was harsh; criminals were exiled, enslaved, tortured, mutilated, and executed. The use of imprisonment as a method of treating the offender is relatively new, dating back no further than the last quarter of the 18th century. Of course, jails, lockups, and places of detention of various kinds have been in existence for hundreds of years. But it was only 200 years ago that they were used for anything other than places of detention for offenders awaiting a harsher kind of punishment.  [7]   During the Roman Empire, prisons were used to detain offenders pending trial or execution and to punish defiant servants.  [8]  Hence, it was not used to imprison convicted individuals like the practice today. The English prison was used for the same purpose with Roman ones in the 9th and 11th centuries. However, unlike the contemporary situation, all costs incurred during the stay of a prisoner in the prison, including salaries for sheriffs, would be covered by the prisoner himself.  [9]  To rectify the rising of petty offences in Europe, prison labor was introduced in correction centers in the sixteenth century.  [10]  This new system was aimed at rehabilitating prisoners so that they can serve the society after release. Latter on transporting prisoners from Europe to colonies, which was aimed at engaging them in the farm lands in America and Australia was introduced.  [11]  This system ended together with the end of colonialism in the Northern America and Australia . In America the concept of prison is related with the Quakers, a protestant religious sect, who were highly concerned about the cruelty and harshness of the then system.  [12]  As a result of their concern about the redemption of the souls of the criminals they came up with the idea of the penitentiary, a place of separation where criminals could think upon their evil deeds and repent.  [13]  Though it is debating, there is a view that prisons as a means of social institutions emerged in Pennsylvania in the last part of the eighteenth century.  [14]  In general the need to reform young offenders, the detention of those politically in disfavored and banishment constituted to the 19th century prisons. Function of imprisonment From the historical point of view imprisonment has had different objectives at different times. As mentioned above, prisons used to serve as a place where detainees awaiting trial or execution stay. In this case its purpose is aimed at keeping the individuals until conviction or execution. It is widely known that the purpose of imprisonment is firmly related with the objective of criminal punishment. Accordingly, the best way to discuss about the function of imprisonment would be to look in light of the objectives of criminal law. However, looking at the historical point of view on the treatment of prisoners is of worth. Typically, inmates in ancient times were put to death or used as slave labor force, but, in most of these cases, a period of incarceration or detention was preceded. When they were not otherwise engaged in labor they were held in remote and hostile surroundings, making escape virtually impossible and these drastic sanctions and inhuman treatments continued until the coming of 18th c Enlightenment.  [15]   The 17th c colonial jails and earlier various confinement and detention facilities hardly resembled the institutions that the term prison implies today. That is because such places were solely for the purpose of detention and confinement with no pretence of rehabilitation or reformation and such places were called penal institutions or penitentiaries.  [16]   However, following the coming of 18thc Enlightenment, prison officials began to develop the ideas of reformation and rehabilitation programs to their inmates. For instance, during the 1800s; New York prison officials developed two major systems of prison organization.  [17]  The first system was introduced in 1821 and under this system; prisoners stayed in solitary confinement at night and worked together during the day and it emphasized silence. That is to mean prisoners could not speak to, or even look at, one another because prison officials hoped that this silence and isolation would cause inmates to think about their crimes and reform. However this system failed without fully achieving its purpose partly because the rigid rules and isolation drove inmates insane. The 2nd system, however, was different both in methods of admission and treatment. It was opened in 1876 as a model person for offenders between the ages of 16 and 30 and this system made use of flexible sentences and allowed inmates to earn early release for good behavior and, moreover, it offered physical exercise, military training and an educational program which generally used education as a means of rehabilitation.  [18]  But the institution did not fully achieve its high expectations, largely because it judged inmates on their prison behavior and conduct instead of on their actual fitness for release. Further improvement and modification have been made in the 1900s. For instance, in the 1930s prison officials began to develop rehabilitation programs based on the background, personality, and physical condition of the individual inmate and this approach made rehabilitating and reforming programs more meaningful.  [19]  This is indication of well-developing system that laid the foundation for cotemporary rehabilitation and correction systems. But despite such efforts attempts to rehabilitate and reform inmates could not bring the desired results largely because of poorly trained staffs, lack of funds, and ill-defined goals. An extension of these rehabilitating and reforming process further strengthened and enlarged in 1960s and many people in the field of corrections felt that inmates could be helped better outside prison. As a result, community correctional facilities and halfway houses were established in 1960s and inmates lived in these facilities just before release and received counseling to help them adjust their life outside prison.  [20]  Following the emergence of rehabilitation and reformation programs, modifications of the various prison terminologies became feasible. As mentioned above, in the past, prisons were called penitentiaries or penal intuitions. Now days, however, the popular name is correctional institutions or correctional facilities. Similarly a modification is made from the term guard to correctional officers and these modifications in nomenclature emerged with the professionalism of the field of corrections during recent decades and the desire to modify the harsh images eluted by the terms prison and guard. In the past and still now, there has been a lively debate regarding the purposes for establishment of prisons and sending inmates in to these institutions. Some commentators argue that prisons are established only to imprison convicted criminals.  [21]  That is to say their purpose is to punish convicted law-breakers using imprisonment as a means of retribution. Indeed as Edward Kaufman said, retributive purpose of imprisonment is necessary for the society, however it is considered as barbaric now days.  [22]  He further mentioned that; [I]imprisonment for retribution may drive a delinquent further along the road of crime through forcing association with criminal elements and increasing rage toward and alienation from society. Permitting brutal retribution may stimulate brutal responses not only in the individual but in society as a whole, as in riot control and war.  [23]   Based on the above stated reasonable pitfalls, it is fair to suggest that retribution as a purpose should be supported by rehabilitation to halt further wrongdoings in the community. Others insist that their main purpose is to deter offenders from committing further crimes after they are released and to deter those potential law-breakers from committing crime in the future.  [24]  That is to mean the purpose of these institutions is to present convicted offenders from relapsing in to crime after their release by taking lessons from their first incarceration and the existence of prisons as penal institutions will make potential law-breakers to be refrained from committing crimes as well. However, there is an idea that sending someone to prison might not deter him/her from committing crime inside the prison compound.  [25]  The same problem can be deducted from the third objective of imprisonment incapacitation which is aimed at halting possible commission of crime by the individual prisoner by putting him in prison. Therefore, the deterrence and incapacitation objectives of imprisonment lonely cannot realize the aimed purpose of deterring or incapacitating unless it is supported by other mechanisms like rehabilitation. Still others advocate that inmates are sent to correctional institutions to be reformed or rehabilitated.  [26]  That is to say during their stay in the institutions they will come to realize and learn the wrongfulness and hazardous effects of committing crime and will further learn skills which will help them to be a law abiding and productive citizens when they are released. In practical terms, the purposes for the establishment of prisons could be interpreted as a combination of the above reasons and, therefore, they are established for more than custody and control. Now days, the concept of rehabilitation is being claimed as a right based on different international and regional treaties and standards. This is aimed at striking the balance between the two seemingly contradicting duties of prison centers humane treatment of prisoners and its punitive nature to maintaining peace and security. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), under its article 10 deals on human treatment of prisoners. It further states that [t]he penitentiary system shall comprise treatment of prisoners the essential aim of which shall be their reformation and social rehabilitation.  [27]  As per this provision, states parties have the obligation to employ rehabilitation as a main purpose of imprisonment in their criminal justice system. The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules (UNSMR), which interprets the rights of prisoners under the International bill of rights, states that; [t]he purpose and justification of a sentence of imprisonment or a similar measure derivative of liberty is ultimately to protect society against crime. This end can only be achieved if the period of imprisonment is used to ensure that upon his return to society, the offender is not only willing but able to lead a law-abiding and self-supporting life.  [28]   In a similar way of expression, under its general comment No. 21, the ICCPR human rights committee has stated that no penitentiary system should be only retributory; it should essentially seek the reformation and social rehabilitation of the prisoner.  [29]  Similar way of expression is used in different regional treaties and standards.  [30]   Generally, the above discussed arguments together with the biding and normative international and regional treaties tell us that rehabilitation is the main purpose of imprisonment in todays criminal justice system. Accordingly, it imposes obligation against states in general and prison centers in particular to use rehabilitation tools for their prisoners. But, this does not mean the other purposes of imprisonment will be totally disregarded they will rather use them side by side. Prisoners rights: Do Prisoners have a right? Some people believe that inmates should have no rights for the reason that any rights that they once had were forfeited, while they were incarcerated as part of the price they had to pay for their crimes.  [31]  Of course, rights namely human rights and freedoms are not absolute and, thus, they may be subject to limitations so as to protect the rights of others and the interests of the society. On the other hand, the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), dictates that, All persons are born free and equal in dignity and rights. However, equal enjoyment of rights might not be practicable due to various grounds where imprisonment is one among these. The above stated arguments and other factors pose the question do prisoners have rights once imprisoned? Researches show that, many people are of the opinion that imprisonment results in forfeiture of rights of prisoners in general.  [32]  Sometimes this assertion is confirmed by court decisions. In the famous price v Johnston  [33]  case the US Supreme Court declared that lawful incarceration brings about the necessary withdrawal or limitation of privileges and rights. Indeed history tells us that prisoners were facing the worst punishments in prisons because it is believed that they forfeit their rights. But what about human rights, which follow human beings where ever they go? Are prison center unreachable for human rights? Is it an exception to the universal application of human rights? The above decision of the US Supreme Court is a reflection of the belief of the then society. However, after the establishment of the UN and adoption of the UDHR, SMR, ICCPR and other regional Treaties the perception that imprisonment forfeits rights changed. This is because issues related to the rights of prisoners were included in all the International and Regional Human rights Treaties and Standards. Indeed the concept of regulating the rights of prisoners in the international level was raised during the League of Nations. For this reason the then Penal and Penitentiary commission has prepared rules on the treatment of prisoners which was approved by the League of Nations Assembly in 1934.  [34]  These rules were finally inapplicable and latter on revised by the UN secretariat and finally approved by the UN ECOSOC as Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (SMR) in 1957.  [35]  These standards are now implemented through many regional and domestic legislation s and standards to gain binding status. Particularly, Europe through its European prison Rules and the US the 1962 model penal code and standard correction rules of the 1973 are considered as Bill of Rights for prisoners.  [36]   It is after such an international effort of the UN and other regional organizations that courts began to pronounce that rights follow human beings. The same court of the US (the Supreme Court) in the coffin v Reichard case decided that -a prisoner retains all the rights of ordinary citizen except those expressly or by necessary implication taken from him by law.  [37]  This decision was a stepping stone for further realization of rights of prisoners in the US and all over the world. In strengthening the above decision of the Supreme Court, Justice Blackmun said, Fundamental rights follow the prisoner through the walls which incarcerate him, but always with appropriate limitations.  [38]  But the main point that has to be asked is what are the limitations and how one can know what his rights are and what are not in prison. Justice Blackmun said that the court shall use a Balancing test of protecting the interest of the individual and restricting them for different reasons. The UN general assembly in the adoption of the Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners has declared the same and urged states parties to apply the standards and international or regional treaties where they are party to. As mentioned above determining what rights of prisoners will be limited during their imprisonment is crucial. There are some people who argue that the rights that are limited and retained by prisoner during his imprisonment could be easily identified by the purpose of punishment intended.  [39]  Form this proposition we can easily understand that except for rehabilitation, most of the other purposes of imprisonment discussed above results in forfeiture of most of the rights of prisoners. Basically, Richard L. Lippke suggested certain criticisms against those who said prisoners forfeit their rights during imprisonment. He said that, in practice it is only state officials who can impose penalties on prisoners, however if their rights are forfeited during imprisonment it is not clear why any ordinary person cannot impose same.  [40]  The other problem identified is the duration of forfeiture, which according to Lippke is difficult to know for the reason that; [M]any criminals violate their victims rights only briefly, though they do them great harm in the process. If we tie the duration of forfeiture to the time it takes victims to recover, the problem is that some victims may never recover from brief, but devastating, right violations. Yet not all right violators can justly be punished indefinitely, not even all serious right-violators who do their victims permanent or irreversible damage.  [41]   The third problem is related to breadth or scope of the forfeiture. Accordingly, this poses a question Does someone who punches another person in the nose forfeit the relatively narrow right to not be punched in the nose, or the broader right to bodily autonomy? For him both the narrower and broader approaches are problematic since the narrower gives dubious ground for officers where as the broader approach authorizes forfeiture of rights which can be claimed not violated by the prisoner.  [42]   Now it seems fairly clear that prisoners retain their rights except those deprived specifically by law and due to their deprivation of liberty. However, there is well known perception and practice that the retained prisoners rights is less stringent than ordinary persons rights, therefore can be overridden for the benefit of less weighty ordinary persons rights.  [43]  It is not clear why a state discriminates between its citizens based on status, in this case prisoner and ordinary citizen despite its prohibition in different treaties including the UDHR. Rights retained Identifying rights retained is highly related with the purpose of imprisonment that we deserved to attain. Most obviously, this involves severe curtailment of their rights to freedom of movement for some period of time. We might also have to curtail their rights to freedom of association and intrude upon their privacy, though to what extent in each case are matters that require further substantive analysis. Prisoners would fully retain other moral rights. These might include rights securing interests in political participation, freedom of speech and conscience, control over labor, subsistence, health care, visitation with family and friends, and access to culture and entertainment. Pp 134 Incapacitation It is hard to see how more extensive restrictions on the rights of prisoners will reduce threats to the rights of others in ways that are clearly greater in magnitude than the direct burdens such restrictions will impose on inmates. Pp135 Keeping prisoners locked in cells most of the time with few opportunities to exercise their autonomy or to maintain or develop social and labor skills may marginally reduce crime within prisons in the short-term. However, such an approach seems a prescription for disaster in the longer term if our aim is to reduce crime. The vast majority of prison inmates will eventually be released from prison, most sooner rather than later. 136 (If prison life is better than life outside prison (an unlikely proposition in any case), the solution might be to improve the living conditions of the least advantaged members of civil society). It should be apparent that rehabilitative crime reduction considerations point us away from harsh prison regimes toward those that impose moderate or minimal deprivations on offenders. Prisoners are unlikely to become better functioning members of civil society if they are kept under conditions that deny them access to education, meaningful work, mental health treatment, and ready access to the family members and friends who care about them.. 138 retribution Retributive logic demands that serious offenders suffer losses or deprivations commensurate with their crimes. In all probability, penal confinement will always satisfy that demand. Thus, the only point of contention among retributivists will likely be about precisely which rights must be maintained and facilitated if prisoners are to retain the capacities vital to moral personality. Pp 141 More intriguing is Edgardo Rotmans claim that prisoners have a moral right to rehabilitation (Rotman 1990, 10-13). Rotman interprets this right both negatively, as a right not to be allowed to deteriorate in prison, and positively, as a right to improvement in such things as work skills and mental health while in prison. His primary argument for this right is that deprivation of freedom is the sine qua non of modern legal punishment. Freedom is the highest value and its loss is what offenders appropriately suffer. The other things (mostly bad, unfortunately) that happen to them in prison are not part of punishment, so prisoners should be protected from them. Moreover, many offenders come from socially and economically deprived backgrounds, and this requires the state to not only prevent them from deteriorating while in prison but to actually improve their lives. Pp 143 critics Even if we grant that freedom is the highest value in modern societies, it does not follow that its loss, or its loss alone, is all that offenders should suffer However, the detention or incarceration of prisoners does not mean that all the rights they have are lost as a result of such detention or incarceration. That is because certain rights like the right to respect inherent human dignity and human ways of treatment, the right to food and health care, shelter and Freedoms like freedom of thought, belief and so on are fundamental to human existence and they are inherent entitlements that come to every person as a result of being human. As a result, inmates under detention or imprisonment have such and the like fundamental human rights and freedoms and retain these rights with the exception of those that have been lost as a result of deprivation of liberty. Following the declaration of the UDHR in 1948, states have developed considerable number of human rights instruments including the Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners (BPT), Standard Minimum Rules of the Treatment of Persons (SMR) and other instruments specifically dealing with the rights and human treatments of prisoners at the national, regional and international level. These basic principles and minimum standard rules form part of customary international law, which means that they are binding, regardless of whether a state has ratified international treaties concerning these instruments. Moreover, states have undertaken obligations under international and domestic legislations both to promote and protect the wide variety of human rights in general and that of prisoners in particular.

The Impact of Social Class Divisions on the Women of Victorian England :: essays research papers fc

The Impact of Social Class Divisions on the Women of Victorian England Two hundred years ago, during the reign of Queen Victoria in England, the social barriers of the Victorian class system firmly defined the roles of women. The families of Victorian England were divided into four distinct classes: the Nobility or Gentry Class, the Middle Class, the Upper Working Class, and lastly, the Lower Working class . The women of these classes each had their own traditional responsibilities. The specifics of each woman’s role were varied by the status of her family. Women were expected to adhere to the appropriate conventions according to their place in the social order . For women in Victorian England their lives were regulated by these rules and regulations, which stressed obedience, loyalty, and respect. The highest social class in Victorian England was the Nobility or Gentry class. The members of this class were those who inherited their land, titles, and wealth . Popular opinion at the time asserted that the noble class women led lives of lavish luxury and wedded bliss. "Ladies were ladies in those days; they did not do things themselves, they told others what to do and how to do it." It is apparent as to how this notion that the women of the noble class led lives of fortune. Social parties and balls were common festivities, which these women regularly attended. For many, dancing was a favorite pastime. To an outsider, it seemed that a lady of the gentry class had nothing short of an enviable existence. The lavish way of life these women exhibited was outwardly apparent in the fashions of the time . Noble class women were adorned in ornate dresses, extravagant jewels, and the finest accessories. The best way to describe the look of upper class women in Victorian England is to say that she looked like a porcelain doll . However, the lives of these women were not as easy as it may have seemed. In retrospect, their roles, although seemingly wonderful, were actually oppressive. They were taught to be obedient and loyal to their husbands . Their opinions were devalued, and they were thought of as nothing more than an accessory to their husbands. Furthermore, there was little security in terms of financial stability . Land, titles, and money were inherited by the closest male relative; typically the older son, but if there was no older son then the estate would go to a more distant relation.

Nature and Nude Bodies :: Advertising Health Ads Essays

Nature and Nude Bodies Beginning a long time ago, many companies started using sex in their advertisements; however, contemporary advertisements are beginning to use different aspects of nature to sell their products. For years, sex appeal was perhaps the most important attribute of a product. Companies would show young, half-naked bodies in their TV commercials and magazine advertisements. The producers sought to force the public audience to take pleasure by looking at these beautiful ladies, while also making viewers feel naughty at the same time. Advertisers thought the audience would not be able to avoid looking at these well-endowed women. And to consumers, the women were appealing, and that made the product itself appealing. In some recent commercials, however, the concentration has changed from sinful desires to the more healthy approach to life. Everyone wants to appear healthy and in good shape. To achieve this, many people are eating better, working out more ofte n and using healthier products on their skin. To demonstrate the idea about natural products, I have chosen three advertisements to show how these companies use nature to sell their products . According to health care specialists, the best way to stay healthy is to use natural products such as products containing natural vitamins and minerals. In fact, even in ancient history, natural plants were used to make skin-care products. Berries and shrubs were pounded into pastes that protected the skin, while also keeping gnats and flies away (Lee 18). Therefore, in ancient times and in the present, as long as an advertisement mentions something about a natural ingredient or contains a visual look of nature, consumers will more than likely buy that product. In a recent Eucerin ad from a Health and Beauty magazine, Eucerin is publicized as a skin lotion used to protect against the sun. The top of the black and white ad shows a nude woman from the shoulders up.

Film Analysis of A Midsummer Nights Dream :: Movies A Midsummer Nights Dream Essays

Film Analysis of A Midsummer Night's Dream Michael Hoffman directed William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and it is an enchanting new version of Shakespeare's most magical comedy. It has dangerous potions, fairies and strange romances. It is a tale of a wondrous single night in which wicked spirits turn the world of love on its head. First I have to make it clear that I have never really thought much of A Midsummer Night's Dream. I have always considered it fairly frivolous and not too important in William Shakespeare's career. I really do not know why, it just is what it is. I must say, that Michael Hoffman's William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is a very good film, BUT, it is not for everyone because it is purely Shakespeare updated to 19th Century, Tuscany, Italy where the characters ride around on a new invention, the bicycle. All the magical fairies, tangled romances, Oberon and Puck are all here to bedevil the ill-fated humans, as Puck says, "What fools these mortals be". The movie opens with an interesting effect to show the name of the film, it's quite magical. The opening is interesting but then it bogs down for about 15 minutes and since I was tired I found it a bit of a struggle staying awake, but I did and I was rewarded. I quickly woke up as the scene moved into the woods late at night as the fairy world came to life with interesting, magical creatures. Stanley Tucci plays the mischievous Puck quite well as does Calista Flockheart as Helena, one of the tortured lovers; she nails Helena's love craziness. Christian Bale as Demet rius, Sophie Marceau as Hippolyta and Domenic West as Lysander play the other lovers. Rupert Everett's Oberon has a brooding to him that I have never seen which makes that role work for me in ways it has never before. I personally feel that Michelle Pfeiffer as Titania, the fairy Queen was absolutely beautiful. Kevin Kline as Nick Bottom and Ms.