themebeo Epic of Beowulf Essay - Themes and Motifs in Beowulf :: Epic Beowulf essays

Beowulf:   Themes and Motifs    Beowulf is the most important work of Old English literature, and is well deserved of the distinction.   Throughout the epic, the Anglo-Saxon storyteller uses many elements to build a certain depth to the characters. Just a few of the important character elements in Beowulf are Wealth & Honor, Biblical & Paganistic, and Man vs. Wild themes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many of the characters in Beowulf are, like in most epics, defined by their status.   But, in addition to status, the Anglo-Saxon culture also adds an element of honor.   To the Anglo-Saxons, a character’s importance, as well as their wealth and status, where measured not only in monetary terms, but it was also measured in terms of honor, fame, and accomplishments.   Hrothgar, king of the Danes, is one example of the Anglo-Saxon measurement of importance in Beowulf.   In Canto 1 the story teller describes his wealth and importance, not as mounds of gold or jewels, but instead as his ability to â€Å"[lead] the Danes to such glory.† and as his tendency to â€Å"In battle, [leave] the common pasture untouched, and taking no lives.† Through this display of compassion for the commoner who doesn’t fight in battles, Hrothgar proves the full extent of his honor and therefore the extent of his wealth and status.   Beowulf, th e hero-prince, also proves his true wealth and status through his deeds as defender of the Danes..   As he fights and defeats Grendel, Beowulf Earns Fame and wealth from his companions, and from the Danes, but more importantly, he earns honor raising him to the level of an archetypal hero.   Grendel, on the other hand, is the total opposite of Beowulf.   He has no wealth, no honor, and he in infamous as an evil killer.   This lack of wealth and honor defines Grendel as a symbol of evil and corruption.   In addition to using Honor and wealth to define a character’s character, the story-teller(s) have incorporated alternating Biblical and Paganistic motifs in the epic-poem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The original Epic was obviously Paganistic due to the time period of it’s creation. But, as time wore on, the rewriting and touching up of the manuscripts by various sources including religious monks, caused the characters to have slight Christian characteristics. These Christian themes have become very important to the epic to add am element of depth that wouldn’t be possible in modern times due to the lost of the Anglo-Saxon culture and beliefs.

Ben & Jerry’s Company Analysis †Short Essay

Companies like Ben & Jerry’s could definitely be affected by high inflation because of the consumer spending. When the consumers are forced to pay higher prices for products or services that are a necessity, they cut back on products or services that are a luxury. Luxuries that are not a necessity to live like gasoline for vehicles or gas to heat homes or even food will not be bought. Any company that sells a luxury item that is not a necessity to live can be affected by high inflation. With inflation, the price of everything goes up. With that said, the price for companies to buy supplies goes up, meaning that in order to cover their overhead, they will need to find a way to make that money back which could mean layoffs or raising the price of their goods or products. In a recession, companies like Ben & Jerry’s could also face the possibility of being negatively affected because of the demand of consumers. Very much like inflation, recession has the same effect; the consumers do not want to spend their money on luxury items. With the recession, there are more people unemployed who are just barely getting by, therefore, will refuse to spend any money on something that does not decide whether they have a home or not, which includes a luxury item like ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s could also be affected because of their stock prices. During a recession, the price of stock usually declines. So, their revenue would be affected as well as their stock, which would result in bad overall performance of the company. Speaking from personal experience, any luxury item that I absolutely do not need, I do not buy. I simply cannot put myself in a position to not pay a bill because I want to â€Å"treat† myself. With all this said, Ben & Jerry’s provides a reasonably priced luxury item that I would consider a â€Å"feel-good† luxury item. Everyone loves ice cream, young and old. Consumers still need to have a quality of life with the changing economic conditions and if buying an affordable luxury item gives them that, they are going to splurge and buy it. Unlike other luxury items, such as getting clothing and spa appointments, the consumer still gets to feel good and not go broke. Ben & Jerry’s makes a one of a kind product, their flavored ice cream, which makes it an easy buying decision for the consumer. The text book also explains that McDonald’s is not hit as sensitive to the economic conditions for the same reason. Their food is reasonably priced and the consumer still gets to feel like they are â€Å"treating† themselves to restaurant food without breaking the bank. Ben & Jerry’s has social, product and economic condition missions that make them popular in their industry. Not only do they care about making a profit, but they care about their people, environment and planet. They have mission statements for each of these and they follow through. As a consumer, I would rather buy my luxury item from a company that cares about something other than making a buck like their competitors. They make their ice cream to support causes like the recent Imagine Whirled Peace flavor that hosted a competition and donated money to them to support their peace cause. They also have a foundation that gives grants to non-profit organizations that are working for progressive social change. They hold fund-raisers and rally days. They provide hope, awareness and celebration. They also use naturally and humanly produced ingredients as part of one of their missions as well, which is something that would usually increase the price of any products, but with this company, it is just part of their offering. All in all, they provide more than just ice cream to the consumers which makes them less vulnerable to the economic shocks.

Ideas to Reduce Corruption

To reduce the level of corruption in our countries, we, as the next generation, must take the lead to make our desire of change public to each government. At the same time community leaders must be used to spread the idea of a progressive change. As my first step to do so, I will convince my sector leaders to increase education in people, youth and childhood, starting from just a few and going up in the whole country. After that, work with the example to other countries and make the change visible and desirable.Corruption is such a major problem in our societies. For bad luck we are daily inmerse in cases where we have to face corruption and of course we will do it depending on the circumstances. Sometimes I think that we already live with corruption as a normal standard of living, how sad! Therefore instead of falling into the trap we should in first place think about what we are doing and the repercussions that my acts are going to have in a long term.The first step is to think if there is correct way to do things, maybe it is difficult but our problem is that we feel comfortable and we forget that we can think outside the box. We should start letting our voices out, and let them be heard, and of course even if it sounds as a utopia, the change starts with us and how are we willing to face this new challenges. It? not going to be easy and we are not going to be able to change it in one day, but slowly, with a noble heart, with passion and desire, small actions can do gigantic things. Last but not least in my particular case, if someday I become what I’m wishing for; Ministry of Agriculture of Ecuador from that position at least I will be able to give back a little bit to my community and to the agricultural sector, and I will try my best to do things right for my country.To reduce corruption is not an easy thing, it requires a lot of effort, but the change should begin by getting people to acknowledge that corruption is not something distant, allusive only to politicians or people in power; sadly, corruption is enrooted in the culture of our countries at all levels; it is like cancer that spreads slowly killing ethical and moral values of citizens. I think the only way to stop the vicious circle of corruption is to raise the awareness among people that corruption must not be considered a common practice, corruption is a problem and the solution is in the hands of each and every one of us.It is in us the responsibility to say no to corruption, to build a better and fairer society. What I propose is to make a social awareness campaign which encourages people to say no to corruption, starting with simple things, like respecting the lines, not offering or receiving bribes, respecting the traffic police, acting with empathy, etc. ; the idea is that this small wins in the day to day activities of people set in an environment in which the vicious circle of corruption can be broken. This campaign should frame its message in civic pride a nd the desire for improvement, something like: â€Å"I am Latin American, and I say no to corruption†.This has to be visual; I can imagine employees putting an emblematic sign of the â€Å"I say no† campaign in front of their desks just to let know others they are not willing to make bad businesses, or policemen wearing I say no badges to let know drivers they won’t accept bribes and posters of â€Å"I say no† in court rooms. Of course this campaign should be based on real actions, such as the improvement of laws, severe penalties for corrupt public functionaries, education in schools and colleges of ethics, improvement of public services, among others.Even though such movement can be sponsored by the government, an ONG, the private sector or any group, the most important is that it must get the support of all constituencies and the message must really get to touch the mind and hearts of people to achieve the impossible, to be part of something special, a nd to create an â€Å"I say no† culture. The best way to change Latin America is to supply basic needs in the communities. Until the basic requirements of healthcare, nourishment and safety are met the more complex building blocks that would inoculate the communities from corruption cannot be achieved.To do this we need to raise the wealth and more importantly distribute it fairly. A simple solution is not available, little steps must be taken to improve governmental entities, private sector, education with example and action. Tactics like micro financing can develop the most vulnerable communities and igniting a culture of respect for those well off individuals who do affect those communities in a positive way. Whenever the benefits of taking the corrupt road outweigh the costs of taking it, the propensity of corruption among public institutions will be present in a significant way.Today in Latin America most our countries are left at the mercy of the only effective deterren t for corruption we are able to find: ethics. And as effective as they are, history has proved us that relying on them is not only naive but kind of irresponsible. So in order to get rid of this awful disease, more is needed to generate change. Going back to the first idea, individuals make their decisions considering the costs and benefits of a particular path. So in order to influence such decisions, incentives must be created to increase the benefits or increase the costs.Either way would prove to be an effective way of influencing behavior. Then what we could do is try to increase the costs of corrupt behavior. How can a society do so? By modifying their current institutions, in order to create a set of rules applicable to everyone, and creating enough will power to enforce this rules. People talk a lot of the role of culture in the corruption dilemma. Nevertheless institutions also help to shape culture. In order to change culture we first have to change our institutions.Which institutions to change, and how to change them, goes beyond the scope of the writer’s intention, but an opinion is clearly defined towards changing institutions as a way of eliminating corruption in our countries. First of all we need to act as we talk; we need to really step up and act upon our words on a positive way. Secondly we need to rely on education and values for our society. We need to start positively influencing our inner circle (Family and friends) and start working our way out (Work ad society). Corruption is something that must be change with time.You cannot change it in one week or month, even one year. The Key is culture and institutions and strong competitive market. In order to eliminate corruption you have to prepare the coming generation with new values, habits and thinking so you begin to create an environment of respect for the society.. The second thing is that it is necessary to guarantee and strong State that applies the law, but also an institution that develop new way to be more efficient and respond to a highly demand society.Finally, it is need to create incentive for people, if the people's needs are not fulfill are not totally fulfill, t is likely to fall in corruption; one way to avoid this is with real competitive market, and if there is a unfair situation, the State has to react. Assuring this three ideas it is more probably you can have a better society in the future generation. To reduce corruption in Central America we all have to do our part. If you get to deal with a corrupt person, always do the following two things; first don't comply with the corruption. Then speak up. Don't keep it to yourself. If you keep quiet, the corruption will never stop. Doing these two things, one person at a time, will make this a better region for everybody.

Novelist, Read The Bible!

Novelist, Read The Bible! Novelist, Read The Bible! Novelist, Read The Bible! By Maeve Maddox Whatever your religious affiliation or views, if you wish to enrich your writing in English, its in your interest to familiarize yourself with the language of the 1611 translation known as the Authorized Version (AV) or King James Bible. More recent translations are preferable for purposes of textual criticism, but for the lover of English, the AV belongs right next to the dictionary on the writers shelf of essential references. The Bible is not one book, its a library of different kinds of writing: poetry, history, laws, drama, and philosophy. I dont recommend struggling through the food laws or the begats (long genealogical lists), but the poetic books like Job and Song of Songs provide an inexhaustible mine of balanced phrasing and indelible imagery. Hemingway took his title The Sun Also Rises from beautiful, world-weary Ecclesiastes: One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. Some other writers got titles from the same place: Earth Abides, by George R. Steward Earth Abideth, by George Dell One Generation Passes Away, Another Generation Comes, by Joyce Jones Roe And then theres this passage from the Song of Songs (also called Song of Solomon): For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies. NOTE: In this context the turtle is a turtledove. Here are some titles that this passage seems to have inspired: Our Vines Have Tender Grapes, by George Victor Martin The Little Foxes, by Lillian Hellman The Voice of the Turtle, by John Van Druten Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison Among the Lilies, by Mary Adriano and Mary Bruno Winter is Past, by Ruth Axtell Morren Some readers may balk at the old -eth endings. One way to deal with them is to read them as -es verbs. Another way is to read from the Revised King James version which modernizes the grammar: One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever. Thanks to a multiplicity of websites equipped with great search engines, you can go directly to the stories you want to read. A good place to begin is The Bible Gateway. Who knows? You may find the perfect title for your next novel. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comma After i.e. and e.g.75 Idioms and Expressions That Include â€Å"Break†15 Idioms for Periods of Time

Sten Gun in World War II

Sten Gun in World War II The Sten submachine gun was a weapon developed for use by British and Commonwealth forces during World War II. It takes its name from the last names of its designers, Major Reginald V. Shepherd and Harold J. Turpin, and Enfield. Intended to be simple to build, the Sten was employed across all theaters of the conflict and was retained by many militaries for several decades after the war. The Sten also saw extensive use by resistance groups in Europe during the conflict and its easy to construct design permitted some to produce their own variations. Development During the early days of World War II, the British Army purchased large numbers of Thompson submachine guns from the United States under Lend-Lease. As American factories were operating at peacetime levels, they were unable to meet the British demand for the weapon. Following their defeat on the Continent and the Dunkirk Evacuation, the British Army found itself short on weapons with which to defend Britain. As sufficient numbers of Thompsons were unavailable, efforts moved forward to design a new submachine gun that could be built simply and cheaply. This new project was led by Major Reginald V. Shepherd, OBE of The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, and Harold John Turpin of the Design Department of the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield. Drawing inspiration from the Royal Navys Lanchester submachine gun and the German MP40, the two men created the STEN. The weapons name was formed by using Shepherd and Turpins initials and combining them with EN for Enfield. The action for their new submachine gun was a blowback open bolt in which the movement of the bolt loaded and fired the round as well as re-cocked the weapon. Design Problems Due to the need to quickly manufacture the Sten, construction consisted of a variety of simple stamped parts and minimal welding. Some variants of the Sten could be produced in as few as five hours and contained only 47 parts. An austere weapon, the Sten consisted of a metal barrel with a metal loop or tube for a stock. Ammunition was contained in a 32-round magazine which extended horizontally from the gun. In an effort facilitate use of captured 9 mm German ammunition, the Stens magazine was a direct copy of one used by the MP40. This proved problematic as the German design utilized a double column, single feed system that led to frequent jamming. Further contributing to this issue was the long slot along the side of the Sten for the cocking knob which also allowed debris to enter the firing mechanism. Due to the speed of the weapons design and construction it contained only basic safety features. The lack of these led to the Sten having a high rate of accidental discharge when hit or dropped. Efforts were made in later variants to correct this problem and install additional safeties. Sten Gun Cartridge: 9 x 19mm ParabellumCapacity: 32-round detachable box magazineMuzzle Velocity: 1,198 ft./sec.Weight: approx. 7.1 lbs.Length: 29.9 in.Barrel Length: 7.7 in.Rate of Fire: 500-600 rounds per minuteSights: Fixed peep rear, post frontAction: Blowback-operated, open bolt Variants The Sten Mk I entered service in 1941 and possessed a flash hider, refined finish, and wooden foregrip and stock. Approximately 100,000 were produced before factories switched to the simpler Mk II. This type saw the elimination of the flash hider and hand grip, while possessing a removable barrel and shorter barrel sleeve. A rough weapon, over 2 million Sten Mk IIs were built making it the most numerous type. As the threat of invasion eased and production pressure relaxed, the Sten was upgraded and built to a higher quality. While the Mk III saw mechanical upgrades, the Mk V proved to be the definitive wartime model. Woman worker poses with finished Sten submachinegun, 1942. Library and Archives Canada Essentially a Mk II built to a higher quality, the Mk V included a wooden pistol grip, foregrip (some models), and stock as well as a bayonet mount. The weapons sights were also upgraded and its overall manufacture proved more reliable. A variant with an integral suppressor, dubbed the Mk VIS, was also built at the request of the Special Operation Executive. On par with the German MP40 and U.S. M3, the Sten suffered the same problem as its peers in that its use of 9 mm pistol ammunition severely restricted accuracy and limited its effective range to approximately 100 yards. An Effective Weapon Despite its issues, the Sten proved an effective weapon in the field as it dramatically increased the short-range firepower of any infantry unit. Its simplistic design also allowed it to fire without lubrication which reduced maintenance as well as made it ideal for campaigns in desert regions where oil could attract sand. Used extensively by British Commonwealth forces in Northern Africa and Northwest Europe, the Sten became one of the iconic British infantry weapons of the conflict. Both loved and hated by troops in the field, it earned the nicknames Stench Gun and Plumbers Nightmare. American officer and French partisan with a Sten crouch behind an auto during a street fight in a French city, 1944. National Archives and Records Administration The Stens basic construction and ease of repair made it ideal for use with Resistance forces in Europe. Thousands of Stens were dropped to Resistance units across occupied Europe. In some nations, such as Norway, Denmark, and Poland, domestic production of Stens began in clandestine workshops. In the final days of World War II, Germany adapted a modified version of the Sten, the MP 3008, for use with its Volkssturm militias. Following the war, the Sten was retained by the British Army until the 1960s when it was fully replaced by the Sterling SMG. Other Users Produced in large numbers, the Sten saw use around the world after World War II. The type was fielded by both sides of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Due to its simple construction, it was one of the few weapons that could be produced domestically by Israel at that time. The Sten was also fielded by both the Nationalists and Communists during the Chinese Civil War. One of the last large-scale combat uses of the Sten occurred during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. On a more notorious note, a Sten was used in the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984.

Richard Smallwood Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Richard Smallwood - Research Paper Example Smallwood started his career as a musician in 1982. Young artist gained popularity very quickly. Already at the beginning of 1980’s Smallwood became one of the most famous and successful gospel musicians. His first project was called The Richard Smallwood Singers. This first album had a success and the next, called Psalms, was even nominated for a Grammy. â€Å"I wanted to write a complete project with songs that dealt with the promises found in His Word so that I could encourage and remind us that God is still in control. Soon after, I began dreaming songs. I have dreamed a few songs before, but I can count the times on one hand that I remembered what I had dreamed after I had awaken. But this time, not only could I remember what I had dreamed but sometimes more than one song would come at the same time and I could barely keep up with them. I knew that God was saying something that we all needed to hear† (Smallwood). The next album was called Textures. It also had a great success and nominated and won. Many famous musicians were interested in his music and recorded it, Yolanda Adams, Karen Clark-Sheard, Destiny's Child are among them. Swallowed accompanied many great singers such as Leontyne Price. The current group of Richard Smallwood is called Vision, he created many great projects with it. After finishing his Master’s degree in 2004, the musician was invited to the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Richard Smallwood’s life concert was recorded at the Manhattan Center in New York† (Ladywoo Ministry of Music").

Case Analyses Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Case Analyses - Assignment Example How provides more product features to the products that his customers uses such as logos on the mat at the entrance of the doors with other relevant writings. The main service he is entitled to is the cleaning and maintaining the quality of the fabrics he is brought from the customers and on such additional benefits, the customer will expect to pay for benefits that satisfy needs, but nothing more. Other customer value addition mechanisms include the mat’s cleanliness, timeliness, and service delivery as well as StatePride’s response to requests for additional mats or replacement of dirty mats in an emergency which the customer values largely. Office functions such as invoicing and flexibility in regard to the responsibilities that the customer is entitled to comes as a whole package with the company. The employees are also expected to include other value additions such as attitude and helpfulness of the laundry’s customer service representatives as well as the clarity of communications between these people and the customer. Currently StatePride has placed its emphasis not on the total costs that are incurred by the customer but on the value of the long-term relationship. Such costs may include the square footage within the customers’ facility required for uniform lockers. Other associated costs normal business functions such as personnel time needed to check-in product and account for returns, accounting department time to process invoices, or workers’ time to fill out repair tags as this is handles by the firm in remitting its services. All potential and the current customers need to be alerted that StatePride seeks to drive down the total costs over the long term and hence increasing its core clientele. The pricing of the firm is reduced considerably as it does not incorporate the various loss and abuse charges, wastewater surcharges, name and emblem charges, or setup charges which have an adverse