Dantes Monsters Essays - Divine Comedy, Fiction, Literature

Dante's Monsters Essays - Divine Comedy, Fiction, Literature Dante's Monsters The monsters in Dante's Inferno are drawn almost directly from classical mythology. He creates some small demons and other beings, but the major monsters are taken from Greek and Roman lore. Dante uses monsters in his poem for many purposes. They all have specific jobs and are not just there purely to freighted the reader. Most of the jobs, that the monsters serve are in a modified municipal fashion. They are ferrymen, and guards to the prisons of hell. The monsters are not truly feared by the other characters of the story, for the people just seem to expect the monsters to do the jobs that they are doing. On the other hand, the demons that Dante creates are objects that strike fear into the hearts of those who see them. There are certain exceptions to the rule but for the most part the monsters fit this general mold. The first monster, that Dante encounters, is the ferryman Charon. Charon is not a true monster, for he is an old may with circles of flames around his eyes. The main reason that Dante fears Charon is not because he is physically imposing. It is because he is a little uneasy about his passage into the underworld and he does not know what to expect. Keep in mind that he has just passed thru the gates of hell, that are inscribed with some imposing sentences. These words cause Dante to think about whether he is going to be able to return from hell or if he is going to join the dammed. Then he approaches Charon who begins to shout at Dante and his guide Virgil. Dante is so overwhelmed by the scene that he passes out. Charon may not be a horrifying physical monster, but the mental devices that he uses on Dante and their effects, surely make him deserving of the title, monster. Charon comes directly from mythology, however he has a somewhat different job in this poem. In classical mythology , Charon is the ferryman across the river Styx. In the inferno, Dante makes him the ferryman for the river Acheron and uses another monster for the Styx which is deeper into hell. Charon is a very angry and objects to Dante's crossing the river because Dante is still alive and he still has the hope of going to heaven. Charon shouts at all the evil spirits that wish to cross the river into hell, for he is trying to speed up their decision to cross. Unfortunately, they have made this decision in their lives and consequently Divine Justice pushes them along. However, the action is still portrayed as a decision and this is why Charon encourages Dante not to make such a mistake. Virgil explains it to Dante thus: And they are eager to go across the river because Divine Justice goads them with its spur so that their fear is turned into desire. No good spirits ever pass this way and therefore, if Charon objects to youunderstand well what his words imply. (Canto 3 L124-130) What Charon's words imply are that he does not want Dante to cross into hell while he still has a chance to be saved. Dante then passes out, seemingly overwhelmed by not only the situation, and his fear of Charon but also because of the fear of his own mortality. The next monster, that Dante encounters, is the Cerberus, a three-headed dog. The Cerberus guards the gluttons at the entrance to the third circle of hell. The scene is that the gluttons are in a ditch of foul-smelling mud and are subject to eternal rain and hail. The Cerberus howls and claws them constantly and he clearly represents the sins that he is guarding. Cerberus' three heads and his insatiable appetite(he turns to Dante and Virgil and starts moving towards them until Virgil throws dirt into the three mouths and the monster's appetite is quenched) reflect the sins of the gluttons. Their situation in hell also represents their sins in life, for they are like pigs rooting around in mud. The Classical role of the Cerberus is almost the same as the way that Dante uses the monster. In classical mythology, the

Understanding the Latin Root Ambul

Understanding the Latin Root Ambul To become truly adept at understanding what you read, vocabulary acquisition is very important. You can certainly try to memorize list after list of vocabulary words by making  vocabulary flashcards, downloading the best  vocabulary apps, and completing  reading comprehension worksheets that focus on vocabulary, but youd still have gaps in your knowledge. One of the best, most efficient ways to increase your vocabulary is by understanding Greek and Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes. There are  four really good reasons to learn them, and if you already understand that fact, then, by all means, take a peek at this Latin root ambul- and get started improving your vocabulary today. The Latin Root Ambul- Definition:  To walk, to take steps, to go around. From to wander; to go astray Pronunciation:  Ãƒ ¦m-bull Use the short vowel sound a.   English Words Using or Derived From Ambul Amble: To walk at a slow, easy pace. Meander. OR, when used as a noun, a slow easy walk or the ambling gait of a horse.Ambler: One who walks at a slow, easy pace or meanders.Ambulance: A specially equipped motor vehicle for carrying people or injured people, usually to a hospital.Ambulate: To walk about or move from place to place.Ambulant: Moving from place to place; shifting; itinerantAmbulatory: Of, or related to walking or moving; being able to walk or moveCircumambulate: To ceremoniously walk around or go about.Somnambulist: Someone who walks while sleeping.Perambulator (pram): A baby carriage.Preamble: Literally, to walk before. Modern usage: an introductory statement, preface, or introduction.   Alternate Spellings:  amble Examples in Context The dirty cowboy ambled up to the bar, spurs clinking on the wooden floorboards, and casually ordered two whiskeys: one for him, one for his horse.The dog groomers business has boomed since moving from a downtown office downtown to an ambulatory  grooming van.The new mom couldnt decide which perambulator would best carry the baby to the park while showcasing her posh style.Being a somnambulist isnt easy; you may wake up rummaging through the kitchen pantry with no memory of how you got there.  Never was there a more ambulant job than being a taxi driver in  New York.  The doctor said hed release her from the hospital as soon as she could ambulate on her own. Since the woman had no idea what the doctor meant (she didnt study her Latin roots), she removed the catheter and gave it a try. She didnt get to leave.After winning the grand championship, the MVP made a great show of circumambulating the field while the spectators cheered and whistled for their home team.

Discussing the possible use of common property to address the commons Essay

Discussing the possible use of common property to address the commons problem - Essay Example Hardin argues that as part of human nature, each commoner will always attempt to maximize utility by either increasing the use of the resource by one more level at any given time. In so doing, the one unit increment in utility use carries with it both positive and negative components. In this case, he states that the positive part wills functionality of the one unit increment. The negative component is a function of one unit increment on the level of competition for that particular resource. The negative component is shared by all the commoners, and it is a fraction of negative one (-1). When all such partial utilities are put together, a rational commoner only finds profitable to increase his/her utility of the resource. As this happens among all the commoners using the resource, the tragedy of depletion and lack of sustainability comes in. As such every commoner will be faced with ruin in the attempt of pursuit of each individual’s best interest. He concludes "freedom in the commons brings ruin." He further postulates that, some school of thought has it that the tragedy is often put on halt by the forces of natural selection. It is argued that natural selection often propels the forces of psychological denial. As such a commoner will only benefit as an individual from the ability to deny the truth that such acts make the society as whole to suffer. In turn, in order to succeed in enabling sustainability, education provides the best platform for counteract the human nature to do the wrong thing. Such education must constantly be refreshed to remain relevant and for the inexorable succession of generations (Hardin 50-68). After several scientific and social studies have been conducted overstretched periods of time, it has been revealed that people will not restrain from use of a common property even if they are better poised to benefit mutually from such restraints. Most often than not,

The Lake School Poets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Lake School Poets - Essay Example As Romanticists, they have been staunch supporters of freedom and the French Revolution. For them, it was a noble cause for it promotes the tenets of Romanticism, although they deny being a part of the said movement. The French Revolution symbolized liberty from the trappings of wealth that was the French Royalty. Not only that, it symbolized the inequality of power between the people and the monarchs. Because of this love for liberty, they believed on France’s Revolution and had their passionate beliefs. However, after some time, they abandoned their liberalist beliefs, especially William Wordsworth, and became conservatives, largely believing now in constitutional monarchy and the power of the Protestant Church as the guiding light for the British. Is the shift because of Napoleon’s failure to reach the poets’ expectations of being a libertarian because he also intended to conquer Europe, or is it because their own personal struggles that lead them to prioritiz e their own individual beliefs? Was it because of their age? This essay proposes that they became conservatives because of their Napoleon failed their expectations. II. Summary and Critique According to Bertrand Russell, â€Å"In his youth Wordsworth sympathized with the French Revolution, went to France, wrote good poetry, and had a natural daughter. At this period he was called a 'bad' man. Then he became 'good,' abandoned his daughter, adopted correct principles, and wrote bad poetry.† This is an observation to the poet shifting from being a liberalist to a conservative. Romanticists are known to being ambivalent towards the society as they were politically involved but they were also distancing themselves from the public. And as romanticists, they strongly objected to the oppression and injustice. However, the Lake poets shifted to conservatism. There are many theories on why this has happened. There is a theory that it was because of Coleridge addiction to opium, the dea th of Wordsworth’s brother and their disenchantment on the French revolution. Coleridge’s addiction to opium was because of his chronic rheumatism. The doctors prescribed laudanum to him, an opium derivative, and became addicted for sixteen years. His condition never really affected his writings as he wrote good poetry even when he was high with drugs. His good friend Wordsworth even took him into his home and he spent two years there. When he moved out, he learned that Wordsworth told their mutual friend not to take him in because he had â€Å"a derangement in his intellectual and moral constitution† (Shmoop Editorial Team). This resulted in the breaking up of their friendship and they both wrote less poetry after the incident. Another theory is that Wordsworth’s brother’s death may have contributed to the shift of the poets to shift to conservatism. This happened in 1805 and has affected him strongly. This only happened to Wordsworth, not everyon e in their movement. Although they are all good friends, this could not have effected the others that much. The last theory proposed by Fairchild is that they were all disenchanted by the way Napoleon took over France after the French Revolution. Because after the Revolution ended, Napoleon began conquering other countries. This failed them because their cause about liberty and the revolution did not end up the way they wanted it to be as Napoleon also got into other

South Asia Region Essay Example for Free

South Asia Region Essay South Asia, which consists of the nations of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, is ethnically diverse, with more than 2,000 ethnic entities with populations ranging from hundreds of millions to small tribal groups. South Asia has been invaded and settled by many ethnic groups over the centuries including various Dravidian, Indo-Aryan and Iranian groups and amalgamation of Dravidian, Indo-Aryan and native societies has produced composite cultures with many common traditions and beliefs. But, the traditions of different ethnic groups in South Asia have diverged throughout earlier times, sometimes giving rise to strong local traditions such as the distinct South Indian culture. Other ethnic groups, successively streaming in later mainly from Central Asia and Iran, e.g. Sakas, Kushans, Huns etc. influenced pre-existing South Asian cultures. Among the last of these new arrivals were the Arabs followed by the Turks, the Pashtuns and the Moghuls. However, Arab influence remained relatively limited in comparison to that of the Turks, Pashtuns and Moghuls, who brought in much cultural influence and contributed to the birth of Urdu, a syncretic language of combined Indo-Persian heritage, which is widely spoken today. Ethnic Englishmen and other Britons are now practically absent after their two centuries long colonial presence, although they have left an imprint of western culture in the elite society. Languages See also: Languages of South Asia The largest spoken language in this region is now HindustÄ nÄ «, its speakers numbering almost 422 million;[75] the second largest spoken language is Bengali, with about 210 million speakers.[76] Urdu is also a major language spoken in the subcontinent, especially in Pakistan and India, and is similar linguistically to Hindi; Hindi and Urdu together make up HindustÄ nÄ «. Although Hindi is spoken in some states of India, many people are not aware of the fact that most of the Indians speak local languages and are not familiar with Hindi. Other languages of this region fall into a few major linguistic groups: the Dravidian languages and the Indo-Aryan languages, a sub-branch of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. The other great sub-branch of Indo-Iranian, the Iranian languages, also have significant minority representation in South Asia, with Pashto and Balochi being widely spoken along the northwestern fringes of the region, in modern-day Pakistan. Many Tibeto-Burman ethnic groups, who are speakers of their language-group, are found in northeast India, Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. Other small groups, speaking Austro-Asiatic languages, are also present in South Asia. English is another language which dominates South Asia, especially as a medium of advanced education and government administration. Most of South Asia writes using various abugidas of BrÄ hmÄ « origin while languages such as Urdu, Pashto, and Sindhi use derivatives of the Perso-Arabic script. Not all languages in South Asia follow this strict dichotomy though. For example, Kashmiri is written in both the Perso-Arabic script and in the Devanagari script. The same can be said for Punjabi, which is written in both Shahmukhi and GurmukhÄ «. Dhivehi is written in a script called TÄ na that shows characteristics of both the Arabic alphabet and of an abugida. Religions Further information: Religion in Bangladesh, Religion in Bhutan, Religion in India, Religion in Nepal, Religion in Pakistan, and Religion in Sri Lanka Hindu priest saluting the sun in the Ganges, Varanasi, India   Jama Masjid, the main mosque in Delhi, India. About 64% of the South Asia population is Hindu, 33% is Muslim, 2% is Buddhist and 1% is Christians.[74] In South Asia Hinduism and Islam and in some of its countries Buddhism are the dominant religions. Other Indian religions and Christianity are practiced by significant number of people. Historically, fusion of Indo-Aryan Vedic religion with native South Asian non-Vedic Shramana traditions and other Dravidian and local tribal beliefs gave rise to the ancient religions of Hinduism and Jainism. As a consequence, these two religions share many similar cultural practices, festivals and traditions. Arabs brought the Abrahamic religion of Islam to South Asia, first in the present day Kerala, Sri Lanka and the Maldive Islands and later in Sindh, Balochistan and much of Punjab. Subsequently, Muslim Turks/Pashtuns/Moghuls furthered it not only among the Punjabi and Kashmiri people but also throughout the Indo-Gangetic plains and farther east, and deep south up to the Deccan.Afghanistan[1]Islam (99%), Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity (1%) Bangladesh[77]Islam (89.5%), Hinduism (9.5%), Buddhism (0.7%), Christianity (0.3%) British Indian Ocean Territory[78]Christianity (45.55%), Hinduism (38.55%), Islam (9.25%), Others (6.65%) Bhutan[79]Buddhism (75%), Hinduism (25%) Burma[80]Theravada Buddhism (89%), Islam (4%), Christianity (Baptist and Roman Catholic) (4%), Animism (1%), Others (including Hinduism) (2%) India[79][81]Hinduism (80.5%), Islam (13.4%), Christianity (2.3%), Sikhism (1.9%), Buddhism (0.8%), Jainism (0.4%), Others (0.6%) Maldives[82]Sunni Islam (100%) (One must be a Sunni Muslim to be a citizen on the Maldives[83][84]) Nepal[85]Hinduism (80.6%), Buddhism (10.7%), Islam (4.2%), Kirat (1.5%) Pakistan[86]Islam (96.28%), Hinduism (1.85%), Christianity (1.59%), Ahmaddiyya (0.22%) Sri Lanka[87]Theravada Buddhism (70.19%), Hinduism (12.61%), ), Islam (9.71%), Christianity ( 7.45%). Economy Further information: Economy of Bangladesh, Economy of India, Economy of Nepal, Economy of Pakistan, and Economy of Sri Lanka South Asia is the poorest region on the earth after Sub-Saharan Africa. Three South Asian nations — Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal — are characterized as least developed country. Poverty is commonly spread within this region. According to the poverty data of World Bank, more than 40% of the population in the region lived on less than the International Poverty Line of $1.25 per day in 2005, compared to 50% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa.[88] Sri Lanka has the highest GDP per capita in the region, while Afghanistan has the lowest. India is the largest economy in the region (US$ 1.90 trillion) and makes up almost 82% of the South Asian economy; it is the worlds 11th largest in nominal terms and 3rd largest by purchasing power adjusted exchange rates. Pakistan has the next largest economy and the 5th highest GDP per capita in the region,[89] followed by Bangladesh. According to a World Bank report in 2007, South Asia is the least integrated region in the world; trade between South Asian states is only 2% of the regions combined GDP, compared to 20% in East Asia. The Economist has blamed this on Indian neglect of its neighbors.[90] [edit] Governance India[91] and Pakistan[92][93] are the dominant political powers in the region. India is by far the largest country in the area covering around three-fourths the land area of the subcontinent.[94] It also has the largest population of around three times the combined population of the 6 other countries in the subcontinent.[95] India is also the most populous democracy in the world[96] and is a nuclear power. The second largest country in the subcontinent in terms of area and population is Pakistan and has traditionally maintained the balance of power in the region due to its strategic relationships with nearby Arab states[97] and neighboring China.[98] Pakistan is the 6th[99] most populous country in the world and is also a nuclear power. Bangladesh is the third largest populous country in the region. The single largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations is Pakistan.[100] Diplomacy among the countries of South Asia has been mainly driven by populist politics, with the center stage taken by India-Pakistan conflict ever since their independence in 1947, and then the creation of Bangladesh under tense circumstances in 1971. While the elite rulers of Pakistan chose the USA led bloc during the cold war era, India formed the Non-Aligned Movement. The political situation in Sri Lanka has been dominated by an increasingly assertive Sinhalese nationalism, and the emergence of a Tamil separatist movement under LTTE, which was suppressed recently. Burmas politics is dominated by a military Junta, which has sidelined the democratic forces led by Aung San Suu Kyi. [edit] Health and nutrition There are 421 million MPI-poor people in eight Indian states alone Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal while there are 410 million in the 26 poorest African countries combined.[101] Roughly 42% of Indian children under age 5 suffer from malnutrition.[102] According to the World Bank, 70% of the South Asian population and about 75% of South Asias poor live in rural areas and most rely on agriculture for their livelihood.[103] According to the Global Hunger Index, South Asia has one of the highest child malnutrition rates in the world.[104] In a latest report published by UNICEF in 2008 on global hunger shows that the actual number of child deaths was around 2.1 million.[105] As of 2008 India is ranked 66th on the global hunger index.[citation needed] The 2006 report stated that the low status of women in South Asian countries and their lack of nutritional knowledge are important determinants of high prevalence of underweight children in the region. Corruption and the lack of initiative on the part of the government has been one of the major problems associated with nutrition in India. Illiteracy in villages has been found to be one of the major issues that need more government attention. The report mentioned that, although there has been a reduction in malnutrition due to the Green Revolution in South Asia, there is concern that South Asia has inadequate feeding and caring practices for young children.[106]

Melba Pattillo Beals, Warriors Dont Cry Essay -- Warriors Dont Cry

Melba Pattillo Beals', Warriors Don't Cry In the book Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, the author describes what her reactions and feelings are to the racial hatred and discrimination she and eight other African-American teenagers received in Little Rock, Arkansas during the desegregation period in 1957. She tells the story of the nine students from the time she turned sixteen years old and began keeping a diary until her final days at Central High School in Little Rock. The story begins by Melba talking about the anger, hatred, and sadness that is brought up upon her first return to Central High for a reunion with her eight other classmates. As she walks through the halls and rooms of the old school, she recalls the horrible acts of violence that were committed by the white students against her and her friends. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Brown vs. The Board of Education that schools needed to integrate and provide equal education for all people and it was unconstitutional for the state to deny certain citizens this opportunity. Although this decision was a landmark case and meant the schools could no longer deny admission to a child based solely on the color of their skin. By 1957, most schools had began to slowly integrate their students, but those in the deep south were still trying to fight the decision. One of the most widely known instances of this happening was at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. It took the school district three years to work out an integration plan. The board members and faculty didn't like the fact that they were going to have to teach a group of students that were looked down upon and seen as "inferior" to white students. However, after much opposition, a plan was finally proposed. The plan called for the integration to hap pen in three phases. First, during the 1957-1958 school year, the senior high school would be integrated, then after completion at the senior high level, the junior high would be integrated, and the elementary levels would follow in due time. Seventeen students were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be the first black teenagers to begin the integration process. The town went into an uproar. Many acts of violence were committed toward the African-Americans in the city. Racism and segregation seemed to be on the rise. Most black students decid... ...f and eventually led to complete integration of all ethnic groups in America. The definition of a warrior is "one who is engaged in or experienced in battle, or in the military life; a soldier; a champion". Melba Beals proved to be a warrior throughout all of the events that surrounded the integration of Central High School. Although she eventually had to leave town, she and the other eight students showed true bravery and courage when they decided to scale the walls of segregation and end the oppression of the white people in Little Rock. Beals was truly woman who fought hard and kept her faith in route to becoming a "warrior" and eventually a "champion" in the fight for civil rights. Sources: Beals, Melba Patillo. "Warriors Don't Cry." Pocket Books. (February 1995). Cozzens, Lisa. "The Civil Rights Movement 1955-1965." African American History. http://fledge.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/civilrights-55-65 (25 May 1998). Beals, Melba Patillo. "Warriors Don't Cry." Pocket Books. (February 1995). Cozzens, Lisa. "The Civil Rights Movement 1955-1965." African American History. http://fledge.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/civilrights-55-65 (25 May 1998).

Helping Others Essay

One day on the way home from work, I was driving on the freeway. I passed a car that had broken down and was sitting on the side of the road. There was a lady and her two littlechildren that were stranded. It was hot outside and I stopped to see if I could help. I gave them a ride to their house, made sure that they would be ok and then I left. I never saw them again. I didn’t know this family; I didn’t stop because I thought that I may win an award or get famous because of it. I stopped because I have been in that position before and know how it feels to be stranded with your children. Why would someone help another person whom they don’t even know? There have been some controversial theories on the helping of others. One theory is from the egoists. A major believer in the egoism theory is the famous author, Ayn Rand. She believes that a person should only help another person if they hold value to them, or if in helping them they will receive something in return , which is all supposed to relate to one’s own happiness. Egoism claims that each person has but one ultimate goal: his or her own welfare. This theory also implies that not everyone can be an egoist. It relies on other people being altruistic. Most altruists believe that each person has an obligation to give pleasure and take away the pains of other people. Altruism involves the unselfish concern for others. It entails doing things only out of a desire to help, not because one feels obligated to do so because of loyalty, duty, or religious reasons. Altruism involves true selflessness. The sacrifice of one’s own welfare for the welfare of another is what this theory is about. Rand believes, as do most egoists, that an altruistic person has low self-esteem and a lack of respect for other people. I can’t see how this could be true. I think that one would need to have some self-esteem in order to risk their lives for others. And in reference to the lack of respect for others, I think that is exactly the opposite of the reality: respect for others would seem to be a driving force behind altruism. I do not agree with Rand and the egoism point of view. I wonder what the world would be like if there were more people who follow egoism. Would the heroes of the world not exist? What would happen to us  all? If every person were out for themselves and didn’t care about others, except for what they would get out of being nice, what a mean and selfish world this would be. Would there have to be more altruistic people in order for our world to survive? I h ope not. I truly would hate to live in a world like that, mainly because a person, me included, would either have to be the egoist or the altruistic and I don’t want to be either one of those. There have been many stories about the brave people who helped to rescue wounded and trapped victims under the ruins of the twin towers, September 11, 2001, after the terrorist attack. I believe that these heroes did this because of their concern for others. I don’t believe that the rescuers would have time to stop and figure out their priorities and possible gains from helping the victims. They acted immediately and ran in there regardless of the danger to themselves. Most of the rescuers had no idea who they were rescuing, nor what would happen to themselves once they got into the rubble. If there were egoism principles applied to this rescue, would anyone have been saved? I believe that unless there was some kind of reward offered, not as many people would have been rescued. I don’t know how an egoist could have friendships or ever find real love. What kind of parent would an egoism enthusiast make? I believe that the child would definitely suffer and ultimately end up being altruistic. Living under a dominating and controlling person would be horrible, and it would cause low self-esteem and lack of respect for others outside of the relationship. I think that the less respect you show another person, the less respect that person has for others. On the other hand, I think the altruistic person is the one who gets walked on all of the time and used. This would not be good either. What kind of real relationship can one have if they are never concerned for their own welfare? I would think that it would be a very one-sided relationship. Personally, I believe that there has to be some balance between the two theories. I think that egoists are selfish, and I would not fit into that category. I do not believe that I would fit fully into the altruistic category either. It would be really difficult to be fully one way or another. The theories of egoism and altruism are contradictory to each other. I don’t believe that being fully one way or the other could provide true happiness. If there could be a society that is fully altruistic or fully egoistic, then I think our ethical system would not work. I believe  that my life shows a mix of the two theories. I look out for myself, while at the same time I look out for my children and animals. My family knows that they are most important to me, but they also know that I am important to myself. I don’t think that I could take care of my family if I did not take care of myself at the same time. Self-respect and healthy self-esteem are important to me.