It's Beginning to Hurt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

It's Beginning to Hurt - Essay Example Having romantic relationship with several women is seen as the work of the devil, in Christianity. Stewart, the travel writer, is a happy family man, with a happy wife. Happiness in the family is key virtue, and hence supported by religions. The story illustrates the nature of opposite sex relationships (James 35). This relationship is usually sexually and hence immoral. Seduction, as illustrated in the story, encourages the evil act which in Christianity is the aim of the devil. The two characters in the story are aware of the morals of each other; however, they ignore the negative aspects of the morals. Turning a blind eye to the deeds of an individual is viewed as sin in Faustian bargain. And the negative act is favored by the devil. The Half Sister illustrates an individual who is not happy with himself and the world. He believes that he is a total failure in all aspects of the world. Plans are organized to make him marry an ugly woman (James 47). Marriage is always considered a gift; but the author illustrates the negative side of that gift, which is an ugly woman for a wife. This is the negative aspect of the

The Heroines of the Western Schoolhouse :: Teachers Education Papers

The Heroines of the Western Schoolhouse "School-Teacher Wanted: One room schoolhouse seeks a young, single white woman who is willing to leave her sheltered life and come teach twenty to thirty classes a day, for a variety of students ranging in ages from five to twenty-two. Teacher must be able to perform with inadequate teaching materials and minimal funding for her salary and for the maintenance of the school." If you fit these qualifications, you would've been a wonderful addition to the old Western schoolhouse. Women of the Western schoolhouse had a reputation for instilling values and lessons to the children of the frontier. They were historical heroines who chose to journey all the way from the East just to hear the sounds of children learning. According to Anne M. Butler, in her book Uncommon Common Women, these women left behind their family and friends, "took teacher training, signed two-year contracts, and set forth for unknown sites " (68). Schoolteachers on the frontier must have had an incredible love for children in order to deal with the difficulties the West placed in their way. Adventurous women came from the East to teach for many different reasons: some felt God's calling, others felt a sense of responsibility, and still others came because they needed money to support themselves and their families back home. But at the heart of all these women, was a love for children that allowed them to venture forth into the world unknown. In reality, was a love for children enough to keep these women in this land far from home? Well, there were other advantages for their staying, as well. When women left the East, they were uncertain of their skills, and many felt this was their only option. But these dedicated women stumbled upon a sense of inner confidence they had never known before, and they also gained a more creative outlook on things. Other young women came with the hope they'd meet their perfect match and live happily ever after. For them, the West offered a sense of adventure worth pursuing. Ladies certainly didn't choose the profession of teaching because of monetary benefits. Butler explained that schoolteachers were met with the challenge of having "low wages and a high cost of living" (73). Classes were only taught during the seasons that didn't coincide with the heaviest farm production, and many districts only paid "per head/per day, a system that lowered teacher salaries when children were absent for impassable travel conditions or seasonal farm and ranch responsibilities" (Butler 73).

Hinduism religion Essay

Hinduism is the religion of the great majority of the people of India. The word comes from the Sanskrit sindhu, â€Å"river,† and originally referred to the Indus. Hinduism is actually a collection of many native Indian religions, past and present. It is responsible for the social structure of India, especially for the caste system (a hereditary class system). Hinduism has some 684,000,000 adherents, most known of whom live in India. The rest live in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and countries with Indian settlements. The oldest of the world’s great religions, Hinduism is the only one without a founder. It has never tried to win converts by force and has always tolerated other religions and absorbed ideas from them (Chaudhuri 291). Hinduism has about 20 sects, with beliefs that range from primitive forms of animism to the highest reaches of mysticism and philosophy. Many of the sects and cults seem to be separate religions. Yet all have a family relationship since they spring from common traditions and thrive on the conditions peculiar to India. Most have a mystic strain and all stress nonviolence. Hinduism began to develop about 1500 B. C. while the Vedas were being composed and collected. Vedic Hinduism, or Vedism, had many nature gods, who were appealed to and appeased by prayers and sacrifices. A second stage, called Brahminic Hinduism, appeared about 1000 B. C. In this stage religion had fallen under the control of the Brahmins, or priests, who used magic rites in efforts to influence and control the gods (Wilkins 114). A third period opened about 800 B. C. with the speculative philosophy of the Upanishads. Salvation was sought, not through sacrifices and rites, but through knowledge. Six schools of Hindu philosophy arose, the most important being those of Yoga and Vedanta. In the sixth century B. C. Jainism and Buddhism arose as reform movements within Hinduism but both became separate religions. Moslem invaders conquered India after the 10th century A. D. Hinduism withstood the rival religion Islam but absorbed a few features from it. The clash between the two religions led to the founding of Sikhism in the 19th century. In the 19th century Christian and western ideas presented a new challenge. Several Hindu reform movements borrowed from Christianity and the West. When India became independent in 1947 the conflict between Hindus and Moslems forced a division of the country, the Moslem section becoming Pakistan (Wilkins 121)). II. Discussions A. Beliefs and Practices of Hinduism. Nearly all the sects and cults respect the Vedas (â€Å"revealed knowledge†), the ancient collections of religious writings. The Rig-Veda, whose origins probably go back to before 1500 B. C. , consists of about 1,000 hymns and prayers addressed to various deities. Later Vedas are the Sama-Veda, Yajur-Veda, and Atharva-Veda. The philosophical portions of the Vedas are the Upanishads (â€Å"approaches†). These are speculative treatise dealing with the nature of man and the universe. The fundamental doctrine is that of the identity of the individual soul with the universal soul (Brahman), or God (Kinsley 205). Brahman exists through a trinity of gods. Brahman is the principle of creation, Vishnu of preservation, and Siva of destruction. In addition to this trinity, most villages have their own godlings, demons, spirits, and ghosts to which the people make sacrifices and prayers. Vishnu is believed to have appeared from time to time in avatars, or divine incarnations, in both animal and human forms. The highest human forms are Rama and Krishna, who are worshipped as savior deities (Chaudhuri 297). Hinduism has many sacred objects and places. The cow is the most sacred of animals and must be protected. Most sacred of all places is the Ganges River, to which millions go each year to bathe and to become purified. Hindus believe in rebirth, or reincarnation, and in what they call the law of karma. Under this law the conditions of each new lifetime are determined by the actions of the preceding life. To the Hindu, salvation consists of liberating the soul from attachment to worldly desires in order to gain union with Brahman. If a Hindu dies liberated he must be born again into this world and again endure its suffering (Chaudhuri 299). The Vedas describe four main castes. 1. The Brahmins exercise spiritual power. (Brahmin is also spelled Brahman). 2. The Kshatriyas are warriors who exercise secular power. 3. The Vaisyas are merchants and cultivators. 4. The Sudras are artisans and laborers. Indian society has thousands of castes and subcastes, each of which identifies itself with one of the four castes in Hindu literature. Membership in a caste is based on family association and occupation. Below the castes are the outcastes, or untouchables, who historically have been denied certain social rights. The Indian constitution of 1950 outlawed discrimination against untouchables. The scriptures do not make the caste system an essential element of Hinduism, but it is perpetuated by tradition (Wilkins 139). Hindu worship for most part takes place in the home. A Hindu temple or shrine is considered an abode of deity and is not used for communal worship. There are kinds of Hindu clergy. Temple priests collect offerings and care for the temples and shrines. Domestic priests perform rites involving births, marriages, and deaths. Gurus are spiritual teachers. Sadhus are monks; most live in monasteries, but many live as wandering mendicants (beggars) (Chaudhuri, 304). B. Jesus Christ and Hinduism The original basic beliefs of Christianity are stated in the Apostles’ Creed. It affirms that Jesus Christ is the son of God and that God sent him to earth to live as a man and to suffer and die for the redemption of mankind. It also states the belief that Jesus, after being crucified, arose from the dead and ascended to heaven, from which he will return to earth to judge the living and the dead. Belief that Jesus was born of a virgin mother and that there is a life for man after death are essential parts of the creed (Kinsley 211-212). Man’s need for help from a higher power was stressed in religious earlier than Christianity. The concept of God as benevolent and forgiving—rather than as vengeful—is a main tenet of the Christian’s faith. Another Christian belief is that even though man has sinned seriously and separated himself from the love of God, he can be saved by repentance and accept Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior. The necessity, and therefore the possibility, of communion between God and man is accepted by all Christians (Kinsley 211-212). C. Doctrinal Differences At first, the gospel of Jesus was spread by his disciples, followers who remembered his sayings. As Gentiles (non-Jews) as well as Jews entered the church, the influence of other minds began to be seen in the interpretations of doctrines. In this work, early Christian theologians borrowed ideas from the teachings of the Greek philosophers. At the same time, national traits and customs began to affect rituals and observances. Even within each year of the three great divisions of the Christian church—Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox— there are variations of practice. This is particularly true of the Protestants. The sacrament of baptism provides an example. Baptists hold that the convert must be completely immersed in water; Methodists believe that sprinkling water on head is sufficient. Most denominations baptize infants, but some insists that the individual be old enough to understand the meaning of the sacrament (Wilkins 144). There are other differences. The Disciples of Christ and certain Protestant groups insist upon using the Bible alone as a source of guidance. The doctrine of the Trinity—the belief that God is three beings (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in one divine nature—is accepted as basic by most Christians, but is rejected by Unitarians and Universalists (Wilkins 144). III. Conclusion Religion is such a big help in building our faith on God as individuals. Hinduism is a religion where each believer believes on reincarnation. Its followers are hoping to live life again but depending on how they live their lives at present. Though Hinduism has no founder yet believers tend to have strong faith and continuously believe and follow its structured beliefs. On the other hand, for the Christian Church, its faith is built on the Trinity which is the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit and Christians believe that these three personas are one. Reference: 1. Chaudhuri, N. C. Hinduism: a Religion to Live By (Oxford University, 2003). 2. Kinsley, D. Hinduism: a Cultural Perspective (Prentice-Hall, 2002). 3. Wilkins, W. J. Modern Hinduism: an Account of the religion and Life of the Hindus, 5th edition (Humanities Press, 2005).

William Shakespeare s The Tempest - 2070 Words

After reading The Tempest and thinking about the different characters. I realized that some of them have supernatural powers. Characters that have supernatural powers are what drive the play The Tempest. Some of the characters that have powers in the play The Tempest are people like Prospero, Ariel, and Caliban. Prospero is one that is known for manipulating and he was very good at it. These people with the powers in this play use two different kinds of magic. The two different types of magic that used in the play are white magic and black magic. The white magic is magic for nature good use only, and black magic is magic that is used for evil purposes. This is where the play Malleus Malificarum comes into to play when talking about The Tempest. Malleus Malificarum has its similarities and its differences when it comes to comparing it to The Tempest. The witches use magic to magic to manipulate the mental and physical world. So the two plays are more similar than they are different when it comes to talking about power. It is safe to say that magic and power rule how people are able to manipulate and take control over other people. It is all a part of having the supernatural powers that drive the play that Shakespeare has created for us to read and be so interested in. The person that really drives this play the most with his supernatural powers is Prospero. Prospero was a person that was looking to pursue some kind of knowledge about something new all the time. By doingShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest1267 Words   |  6 Pagesaudience. During the Enlightenment Era, William Shakespeare’s writing were a form of social commentary on the English Government. Endorsed by the king, Shakespeare’s works told tales of tragedy and whimsy, incorporating both fiction and nonfiction elements. One trademark of Shakespeare s plays were the subtle allusions to the concurrent events in the English government. This is evident in his well known and final play, The Tempest. The story of The Tempest tells the tale of Prospero, a fallen dukeRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Tragicomedy The Tempest1935 Words   |  8 Pagesstand alone, frequently including elements from other influences. William Shakespeare’s tragicomedy The Tempest ( c:1611) is a play that uses intertextuality to enhance ideas about natural order. Banished to an island, Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, conjures up a tempest that brings him his usurping brother, Antonio in an attempt to restore his Dukedom. The play’s amalgamation of tragicomedy and the pastoral genre allows Shakespeare to warn his audience about unbalance, criticising the lavish lifestyleRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest1256 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespare’s The Tempest introduces a dynamic and colorful protagonist, Prospero. Throughout the play, he establishes himself as a multi dimensional character. Prospero’s interaction with other characters in the play is vital in uncovering the many different sides of his personality. Prospero displays a different part of his personality when he interacts with Caliban, Ariel, and Ferdinand, all of whom are ploys in his master plan to regain his crown. Prospero assimilates his personality toRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest1229 Words   |  5 Pages William Shakespeare most definitely did not reference Jeffrey Jerome Cohen’s Seven Monster Theses when writing his play, The Tempest. One of Cohen’s theses though - thesis four â€Å"The Monster Dwells at the Gates of Difference† - appears quite prominently in Shakespeare’s work. The thesis articulates that monsters are divisive and often arise in a culture to make one group seem superior to another. Further, societies devise monsters in order to create a scapegoat for social and political inequitiesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest Essay1019 Words   |  5 PagesStephen Greenblatt, believes that antagonists such as Caliban from The Tempest represent more than a source of evil. Some theorists argue that Caliban should been seen as a â€Å"colonial other.† I agree, and in this paper I demonstrate and give prime examples as to why Caliban is misunderstood and depicted as a mo nster when in fact he should be viewed as a native of the island. According to Greenblatt’s argument, in The Tempest, Caliban should be viewed as a colonial other rather than a universal evilRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest886 Words   |  4 PagesIn The Tempest, by William Shakespeare, there is a main issue of whether Prospero or Caliban have the better claim to control the island. In act 1, scene 2, we learn that Prospero, Miranda (his daughter), and Caliban are all located on an island. Caliban states, â€Å"This island’s mine by Sycorax my mother, (1.2.331), which means that he has inherited this island from his mother. However, critic Stephen Orgel has argued that â€Å"Power, as Prospero presents it in the play, is not inherited but self-createdRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest947 Words   |  4 PagesIn Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Caliban is the primitive monster who belongs to the bottom of the power hierarchy on the island claimed by Prospero. Caliban, the original inhabitant of the island, unwillingly becomes Prospero’s slave as he uses magic to take control of the island. Prospero sees Caliban as the savage and monster who does not acknowledge the order of civilization despite his efforts to educate him. Caliban appears as an inferior and beast-like figure from nature in the eyes of the civilizedRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest Essay987 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance† (5.1.35-36). This quote from scene five of the Tempest gives the reader a glimpse of Shakespeare’s message regarding humanity. To be human means more than to have two feet, breathe in your lungs, and the ability to communicate. To be human is a choice. Being human means showing compassion and love for those around you. In the play the Tempest, Prospero struggles with his humanity. He possesses inhuman abilities that cause him to lose sight of theRead MoreWilliam Shake speare s The Tempest1499 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare’s play â€Å"The Tempest† outlines many complex characters. One of which was Prospero, former Duke of Milan and powerful sorcerer. Prospero initially portrays a self-involved personality and God-complex but then throughout the course of the play this personality trait transpires into a more pragmatic approach to his life. All of these traits of this character makes it difficult to analyze the true character of Prospero. In the first Act of the play, we see Prospero using sorcery to drum upRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest1469 Words   |  6 PagesThe Tempest brings out the discussion of rule, in this play the theme of rule is prominent, especially in the beginning of the play where the conversation between Prospero and Miranda (his daughter) lead the actions of Prospero, this paper will be analysing the hierarchy of the characters, the definition of justice for Prospero and who’s the king of Mi lan. Prospero has magical powers which is seen later in the play, the play starts off by the telling the story of the current king and his crew on