Macbeth, Tragic Hero Essay Example

Macbeth, Tragic Hero Essay Example Macbeth, Tragic Hero Paper Macbeth, Tragic Hero Paper Essay Topic: Macbeth Trifles Macbeth gives us a classic example of the literary definition of a tragic hero. The title character is a Thane, of high birth, and an influential leader whose decisions affect many others. He possesses a number of admirable qualities, among these honesty and conscience. Along with these positive attributes, he also possesses a fatal flaw, namely ambition. And like so many other tragic heroes, he rapidly falls from grace before encountering a moment of enlightenment. The first indication of Macbeths moral demise is plainly illustrated from the very first scene of the play, where the three witches are gathered amid an ominous backdrop that of stormy weather, signalled by thunder and lightning. The tempestuous weather serves as an indication of change and upheaval of a negative nature, so that from the outset, it is evident that all shall not run smoothly during the course of the life of the title character. The witches final words of the scene, Fair is foul and foul is fair, are eerily echoed by Macbeth later on, when he remarks, So foul and fair a day establishing a subconscious link between them. Macbeth can be described as a tragic hero since he possesses certain attributes of character and circumstances, which conform to the traditionalistic view of the literary tragic hero. Some of these characteristics are shown to us in the second scene through the eyes of Ross and the Sergeant. The latter ironically describes the Thane of Glamis as brave Macbeth well he deserves that name. Macbeth is portrayed as a noble and valiant fighter, and along with Banquo, is proclaimed the man of the hour. The Sergeant creates an immaculate picture of Macbeth, one that is larger than life. Shortly afterwards, the same man is described by Ross as the husband of Bellona, the goddess of war. The witches first encounter with Macbeth and Banquo is where the first seeds of ambition are planted in Macbeth. They use their prophetic words to seduce Macbeth into pondering the advantages of kingship, whilst Banquo remains sceptical and distant. The imperatives that Macbeth uses to try to stall these vindictive creatures reflect his perplexity. He uses words such as Stay, tell and Speak. When Ross and Angus appear and hand Cawdors title to Macbeth, Banquo remarks silently, what! Can the devil speak true? showing that, unlike Macbeth, he has associated the witches with evil. The encounter on the moor signals the beginning of the protagonists downfall. Banquo then advises Macbeth wisely, saying that: The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betrays In deepest consequence. The message Banquo is trying to get across is that in order to bring about our destruction, sometimes the forces of evil tell us simple truths, leading us to trust them. They then deceive us when it matters the most. Macbeth does not heed this warning, and later he and Lady Macbeth will sacrifice all they have for something that they think will make them happy. They do not count the blessings that they already have, and, consequently, fall into a trap of evil, deceit and despair. From then on Macbeths thoughts are set on kingship. He will become obsessed with the imperial theme. By professing that nothing is/But what is not we are fleetingly shown his single-mindedness, as he only desires the one thing which he does not have. Yet for the moment he adopts this sensible attitude: If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir. Subsequently, we encounter an event where Duncan is to bestow upon Macbeth his new title of Thane of Cawdor. Speaking of the traitorous Cawdor, he makes an important and meaningful statement, saying, Theres no art To find the minds construction in the face: He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust. Duncan has already started to build An absolute trust upon Macbeth, the new Thane of Cawdor. Here the irony lies in that Duncan has made the same mistake twice he has twice put his faith in a backstabber. Later on, Duncan makes an important statement, which is the turning point in Macbeths fall from grace it is his first plotting of murder. As soon as Duncan proclaims Malcolm as heir to the throne, Macbeth realises that he must kill both the king and his successor so that the third prophecy may be fulfilled. In order to magnify the horror of what Macbeth will do, Shakespeare establishes an almost father-son relationship between Duncan and Macbeth. This is why Macbeth asks that light not see his black and deep desires. It is an ominous wish, and it is uncannily similar to the language used by the three witches, the representatives of the evil in all of us. We then come to our first introduction to an encounter with Lady Macbeth, where she is reading Macbeths letter, in which he calls her my dearest partner of greatness. This reflects the ambitious nature of the couple. Lady Macbeth has guessed what it is that Macbeth is considering in order to gain the crown. Yet she has a very profound psychological understanding of Macbeth, and says that his nature is too full of the milk of human kindness/To catch the nearest way. She knows that Macbeth has a conscience, and that it will not be easily dispelled. She is also aware that he is morally upright and too sensitive to do something that is wrong. Lady Macbeth, nevertheless, is unlike her spouse. She is the decision-maker: domineering, manipulative and smooth talking. She abounds with self-confidence and has no qualms whatsoever. The latter is especially evident when, in the same scene, a messenger has just been to see her to tell her of Duncans arrival at their home that very evening. She invokes evil spirits, so that they may take away her maternal instincts, love and tenderness all that makes her a woman so she can have the determination and coldness to carry off the intended evil deeds. Lady Macbeth then asks that her evil deeds be hidden and obscured from all that is good and right. The foreboding image of darkness plays a prominent role throughout the play as a force closely attached with horror and malice. Upon Macbeths arrival, his wife tells him that [His] face, my thane, is as a book where men/May read strange matters. The eye is the mirror of the soul, and through this medium, Macbeth is plainly expressing his feelings. He must put on a false pretence if he wishes to succeed in his crusade. Lady Macbeth further utters words of advice to Macbeth, when she tells him that his hand and his tongue must look like the innocent flower/But be the serpent undert. The hand is that with which you convey sincerity or acceptance of a decision, whilst the tongue expresses your inner emotions. He must revoke all his honest feelings and give way to ruthlessness, malice and heartlessness. Duncans arrival at Macbeths castle follows, and both he and Banquo paradoxically describe the castle as something resembling paradise. Macbeth is not upon hand to greet the king, under Lady Macbeths orders. She is now in charge. Speaking on behalf of all present, Duncan tells Lady Macbeth that they love him highly. He, ironically, is referring to the new Thane of Cawdor. Macbeths first soliloquy is presented to us at the end of the first act. It is the first opportunity he has had to carefully deliberate murder. He is presented as a man about to succumb to temptation; yet from the outset, he is acutely aware that if he escapes temporal judgement, he shall not escape divine justice. He wishes that there could be no negative consequences resulting from the proposed assassination, but he knows that this is well nigh impossible. Macbeth also knows that there is not a single justifiable reason why he should kill the good man who has treated him as his own. The only purpose he can find for which to kill Duncan is Vaulting ambition, which he knows only preludes a fall. Ambition is Macbeths tragic flaw. After his deliberation, Macbeth tells his wife that he does not wish to partake in the proposed deed, having realised that he does not want to risk anything. Lady Macbeth, however, has her mind made up, and uses her husbands sense of masculinity, male independence and power to push him manipulatively towards committing murder. Macbeth finally agrees, fully aware of future consequences and the callousness of the deed. There is no compelling force driving him he will kill a man for selfish, materialistic reasons. He is to commit an indefensible crime, since there is no moral, political or personal reason for it that is justifiable. He is a tragic hero because he knows what he is doing is wrong, yet he fails to realise that his future happiness will rest on the outcome of that fatal night. Macbeth is waiting for the signal to murder Duncan at the outset of the second scene. Speaking with Banquo, whom he encounters, Macbeth is nervous and jittery in both speech and manner. He begins to hallucinate, seeing a dagger in his hand, proving that his imagination is beyond control. He wonders if the vision proceeds from the heat-oppressed brain, showing that he is both feverish and under pressure. Macbeth is dealing in ambiguous terms. Part of Macbeths soliloquy is as so: Now oer the one half-world Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse The curtaind sleep; witchcraft celebrates Pale Hecates offerings; and witherd murder, Alarumd by his sentinel, the wolf, Whose howls his watch, thus with his stealthy pace, With Tarquins ravishing strides, toward his design Move like a ghost. All the images in the above extract come from the world of the occult and the supernatural, showing that Macbeth is indeed possessed by the idea of kingship, and is set on fulfilling the third prophecy. He is adopting a machiavellian attitude, believing that the end justifies the means. Shakespeare is rapidly revealing the murder in its full horror, with the emphasis being on the despicable nature of the act. The moment after the murder is the beginning of the aftermath. Macbeth has committed the deed, because Lady Macbeth says that Had he not resembled/[Her] father as he slept, [she] had donet. Macbeth has undergone a horrifying, haunting and harrowing experience that will leave him emotionally scarred for life. Macbeth says of himself: I had most need of blessing, and Amen/Stuck in my throat. He is beyond forgiveness and redemption. Glamis hath murderd sleep, and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more! These words, uttered by Macbeth, are a prediction of the insomnia he shall suffer as a result of what he has done. By killing Duncan, Macbeth has also killed his own conscience and peace of mind, and so gained a guilt-ridden conscience. Macbeth has forfeited all chances of happiness. Sleep is innocence; therefore, Macbeth covets sleep because when you sleep, you do not think. Being awake makes him relive that fatal night repeatedly in his mind to the point of madness. He wishes only for his death, so he can be rid of his sins. Macbeth has lost his zest for life life is hollow and meaningless after the murder and until his own death. At this point, Macbeth is rapidly falling from grace. He will become ignoble, cynical and ruthless, stopping at nothing to hide his crime. Macbeth goes on to murder many more possibly innocent men in order to determine that the blame for Duncans death should not fall upon him. The honest, noble, morally upright hero we were introduced to at the start of the play is now an unrecognisable monster set on keeping the one thing which has destroyed his life and those of many others. Macbeths perception of the magnitude of the crime is such that he thinks his hands will stain the waters of the sea with his blood. Yet Lady Macbeth states that A little water clears us of this deed; showing that she is confident and is unrepentant. Her husband, in stark contrast, says of the knocking at the castle entrance, Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I wish thou couldst! This reflects the level of Macbeths regret he has discovered a side of himself he wishes had remained undiscovered. The Porters oration in the third scene is a revealing and interesting one. By mentioning a hell-gate, he subconsciously creates a parallel between Dunsinane and hell. Macbeth initiates many atrocities there, which makes hell a fitting label for Dunsinane. He refers to a farmer that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty a story which is parallel to Macbeths life. The Porter also identifies greed and avarice as destructive forces, and he shows how easily man can be equivocated. Macbeth should know that he can equivocate people on earth, but never in heaven. Lennoxs description of storms, wind and strange screams of death reinforces the Elizabethan concept of hierarchy, where the king, is divine, holy and infallible. If regicide is committed, then it will shake the foundations of Nature itself. The unruly weather is due to Nature manifesting itself because of this perversion of order. When Macduff comes with news of the murder, it profoundly affects Macbeth. Had I but died an hour before this chance, I had livd a blessed time; for, from this instant, Theres nothing serious in mortality, All is but toys; renown and grace is dead, The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees Is left this vault to brag of. Macbeth believes that if he had died an hour before the murder, his life would have been blessed; as it is, he shall be tormented for all his living days thereafter. He compares the earth to a wine cellar from which the best wine has been drawn, so that it can boast only of the dregs. Further on, we find that Macbeth is quite inept at lying and covering up, since he unnecessarily goes on about what a good man Duncan was, and how unjust and cruel the killer must be. He speaks so unconvincingly that Lady Macbeth finds herself being forced to faint to take the attention away from her spouse. As the scene closes, and Malcolm and Donalbain are considering fleeing the country, the latter utters a perceptive and intensely relevant metaphorical truth: Theres daggers in mens smiles. We then arrive at an ominously frightening prologue to Macbeths reign. He has committed a metaphysical crime, so Nature is topsy-turvy, and chaos reigns. Ross tells us that by the clock tis day, /And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp [the sun]. For the rest of the play, Scotland will be in a state of perpetual darkness, which brings home the abominable nature of Macbeths deed. The roles of predator and prey have been reversed, with news of a falcon having been eaten by an owl. Horses have become carnivorous and have begun to eat each other. It is ironic that the hero who saved Scotland at the start of the play is now the one who is bringing about its destruction. The third act opens with Banquo pondering the recent mysterious event, in particular how the witches prophecies all came true, yet he suspects Macbeth of receiving the crown through dishonest means. Macbeths once good name is in disrepute. Macbeths ambition is insatiable, and therefore he wants to control time and destiny. He feels inferior to Banquo, as he tells Lady Macbeth: There is none but he Whose being I do fear; and under him My genius is rebukd, as, it is said, Mark Antonys was by Caesar. Speaking of the witches, Macbeth says, Upon my head they placd a fruitless crown / And put a barren sceptre in my gripe. He feels that his kingship is worthless if it is to be that Banquos children will inherit the crown, and not his own. His ambition keeps him yearning for more when he has already achieved his objective. Evidence of Macbeths blind ambition is the notion that he believes that he cannot change the witches prophecies; yet, he believes that he can change those given to Banquo. He will twist the prophecy round to suit himself, and so further upset the balance. At this point, Macbeth is increasingly becoming a lonesome, solitary creature. Perhaps we, the audience, could have removed some blame from Macbeth for Duncans murder, since Lady Macbeth was the driving force, and pushed her husband into committing regicide. Macbeth, however, cannot be forgiven for Banquos murder because it is he who initiates it, without any help from Lady Macbeth. In fact, Lady Macbeth knows nothing of her husbands scheme. Ironically, Macbeth uses the same intimidation tactics that his wife used on him in order to convince the murderers that Banquos murder would be a beneficial one to them all. At this stage, it may occur to us that we have yet to see a scene where Macbeth is happy. He has obtained the one thing that he desired the most, yet he is miserable because of it. He blames Banquo for his problems, yet he should be blaming himself. Macbeth is sick, unhappy and spiralling into the realms of evil. This is clearly evinced by his making use of low-life characters for his dirty work. A particularly cruel move on the central characters part is ordering that Fleance, along with his father, also be killed. Macbeth despot, tyrant and dictator is sending ruthless adults to kill an innocent child. What little heart there was in this man is now practically extinguished. The second scene is there to show us how far apart Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have grown. Macbeth has an empty title; he is unpopular and unloved. Lady Macbeth, addressing her spouse, realises that Noughts had, alls spent, /Where our desire is got without content. They have both spent their happiness, marriage, peace of mind, sleep and friends in exchange for nothing. She continues: Tis safer to be that which we destroy /Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy. She has declared that the devil you know is better than the one you dont. There has been a breakdown in communication between the pair, as Lady Macbeth asks why her husband keeps alone so much. In his reply, is the following: Better be with the dead, Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace, Than on the torture of the mind to lie In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave; After lifes fitful fever he sleeps well; Treason has done its worst: nor steel, nor poison, Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing Can touch him further. He envies Duncan, his predecessor because he is in an eternal slumber. He now sees life as a succession of obstacles, something to be endured, and not enjoyed. Ironically, he tells Lady Macbeth: We must make our faces vizards to our hearts, Disguising what they are. There has been a role reversal, since this is what Lady Macbeth used to say to him. They must have hard, impenetrable looks. Macbeth also tells her: Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill /So, prithee, go with me. He has convinced his wife by telling her that deeds that are started by evil become stronger with more evil. Macbeth is now in possession of a contaminated mind that has been poisoned by the witches. In what he thinks and says are references to the world of the occult and the supernatural, such as scorpions. He is obsessed with crime and evil. Banquos murder does not tell us much of Macbeth, only that he has sent another murderer to make sure that the job is done. He trusts no one. Fleances escape creates yet another problem for the unhappy king. Subsequently, upon hearing the news of the boys escape, Macbeth says: But now I am cabind, cribbd, confind, bound in To saucy doubts and fears. He feels trapped in by intruding thoughts, those that he has created himself. Macbeth is afraid of consequence, which is why he becomes distracted at the news. The murderer tells Macbeth that Banquo is dead, with twenty trenched gashes on his head. Banquo has been hacked and torn apart brutally and extremely violently. This horrendous picture shows the violent and ruthless nature Macbeth has developed of late. Then we witness the second time Macbeths imagination plays tricks on him, when he sees the ghost of Banquo sitting at the dinner table. In Shakespeare, ghosts are seen when the main character has a guilty conscience. Lady Macbeth chastises and mocks her spouse to rouse him out of his stupor, again asking him, Are you a man? More evidence of Macbeths poisoned mind surfaces when he says, If charnel-houses and our graves must send Those that we bury back, our monuments Shall be the maws of kites. Shortly afterwards, Macbeth toasts Banquo thus: I drink to the general joy of the whole table, And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss; Would he were here! to all, and him, we thirst, And all to all. He is being hypocritical and lying through his teeth, yet he still manages to keep face after Banquos murder, unlike during the aftermath of Duncans murder. When he sees the ghost again Lady Macbeth mocks him, but he replies, What man dare, I dare, meaning that he is not afraid of physical danger, but he is afraid of the supernatural. Macbeth is a dictator who is paranoid, insecure and apprehensive. He suspects everyone, and trusts no one. He feels as if he is constantly under threat, yet if Macbeth fears no physical danger, then occult forces intimidate Macbeth. He has sunk so low that he has a spy in every mans house. He is losing all the humanity that he ever had inside of him. He is also worried about Macduff, as evinced in these lines: For mine own good All causes shall give way: I am in blood Steppd in so far, that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go oer. He resolves to visit the witches, and in the closing line of the scene, he utters a frighteningly ominous assertion: We are yet but young in deed. The former Thane of Cawdor has just begun his catalogue of horrors. Succeeding this declaration, we behold Hecate and the witches, who are on the moor To trade and traffic with Macbeth / In riddles and affairs of death. This is yet another example of their cold and unfeeling nature they are toying with Macbeth. However, Hecate makes an astute comment describing Macbeths character, saying that he Loves for his own ends. That is to say, that he does not love evil for its own sake, but only for what it can do for him.

An Examination Of The Caviar Market Economics Essay

An Examination Of The Caviar Market Economics Essay The new business is aiming to produce a substitute caviar product in Russia and Kazakhstan, with a view to exporting it to the UK. It is anticipated that the main targets for this product will be those in the low to middle income bracket who would not generally be able to afford real caviar. Consumption of caviar in the UK is not as widespread as in some other regions and this is thought to be primarily due to the high price that is commanded by caviar in the country. The aim of the business is to provide an affordable alternative that will be provided over the internet and by phone, allowing for rapid delivery of products that are well priced. Loyalty offers will be available and the business aims to target the general consumption market rather than the exclusive, luxury segment of the market. Initially, the target will be the UK alone, although there is no particular reason that this could not be extended in time as production increases. Substitute caviar made up of a variety of d ifferent ingredients will be available in order to satisfy the widest range of tastes possible. Overview of Research Process A multifaceted research approach has been taken, due to the fact that whilst completing the initial research it became clear that the UK market may not be the best initial overseas market to target, and this resulted in a wider analysis than originally anticipated. Consideration was given to the global market for both the export and import of caviar and caviar substitutes, with a view to gaining an understanding of the general movement of caviar and also in an attempt to understand where the value lies and where there is opportunity for growth. Another research approach was to look at commentary specific to the UK market and the way in which UK consumers view the caviar products, in order to get an idea as to whether or not there is likely to be a demand for a caviar substitute of the nature proposed. This type of research will naturally require greater depth and primary research in the form of consumer questionnaires; interviews would also be desirable to supplement the general media reports. Information was also obtained in relation to the production industry in Kazakhstan and Russia, which was also seen as important as this gave an indication as to whether or not these countries had the ability to increase their production and had the necessary facilities to do so at a reasonable price. Critique of Research Process The research process was somewhat scattergun in nature, aiming to cover a wide range of issues and this resulted in lack of depth at times. By attempting to determine the potential market in the UK, the general market for caviar and caviar substitutes, the general production processes and the way in which caviar substitutes are developed, this research was naturally less detailed than may be necessary in the next stages of business development. A more focussed approach, for example, looking specifically at the UK and the va rious caviar substitutes available, may have been a more productive approach at this stage.

Family Literacy Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words - 1

Family Literacy Program - Essay Example This essay discusses a plan for developing a Center and it's program that aims to develop the mind and character of every child by platforms of English language literacy program with support basically coordinated and extended to their respective families. The main puproses of a program explained is to reduce English language illiteracy rate of the community by teaching Spanish children the classroom method of learning and understanding English. This task shall deliberately open the doors to information and present computer technology available for speech articulation utilizing the Center’s present resources for such mission. The essay also focuses on funding resources of the program, such as resources from non government organizations and other private foundations available abroad like the EU, Spain, Germany, and Canada. Educators. The essay also presents some organizationals strategies to use. Firstly, transportation is described. A minimum of one vehicle shall be purchased b y the Center to serve as a school bus. Schedule of classes and center operations as well as benefits of the program are also analyzed. Participant’s feedback is an SOP for the program so the Center will know how their program stands to their participants and find ways and means to improve both program and Center’s operations. In conclusion, the researcher mentiones that the most important benefits of such project will be enhancing understanding, reading and speech skills in the English language that could eventually provide more seats in work’s consideration for promotion.

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

History - Essay Example The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHC)v is based upon these four freedoms, and this essay will examine which articles correspond to these four freedoms. This essay will also examine Barack Obama’s speech, which also corresponds to the four freedoms as well. Many of the articles correspond to the freedom from fear. This might be because the declarations of human rights are protection documents for people’s lives, so the the UDHC would be focused upon this. Many of the articles seem to deal with issues such as slavery, torture and other atrocities that might happen in a dictatorship or during wartime. For instance, Article 5 states that â€Å"no one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.† This would definitely be aligned with the freedom from fear – if a person is subjected to some kind of torture, and this is known to the person, then this would definitely induce fear in this person. FDR might have me ant freedom from fear in a broader sense, in that citizens need to be free from other country’s threatening their borders with war, but torture would be in line with this freedom as well. Further, another article that is aligned with the freedom from fear is Article 14 – and this article states that everybody has the right to seek and enjoy asylum in other countries if they are being persecuted. This, too, is based upon the freedom from fear, in that, if individuals are being persecuted, which often happens in countries where there is some kind of ethnic cleansing or the country is under siege from war. Therefore, they have a right, if they are living in fear, to seek asylum from another country where they wouldn’t be living in this fear. Another freedom is the freedom from want. This is somewhat associated with the previous freedom, the freedom from fear, in that want and fear often happen in the same conditions. There is an article that corresponds to this fre edom, as well, and that is Article 17, which is the freedom to own property and also states that nobody shall arbitrarily deprive another person of this property. This corresponds to the freedom from want, in that, if a person owns property, then this is a measure of prosperity and wealth. This also means that the person is less likely to want – if the person does fall on hard times, then the owning of the property can sustain him or her. Owning property is not a guarantee against poverty, but it makes it less likely that poverty would happen to that particular individual. Another article which corresponds to this freedom is Article 23, which states that everybody has a right to work and free choice of employment, without discrimination and with favourable remuneration, which ensures that the person’s family has dignity and respect, as well as means of social protection. This is more related to the freedom from want, because, as with owning property, having a job would ensure some type of economic security. It might be minimal, as, in different countries, wages are known to be quite low, but, even if the pay is minimal, it still is better than nothing. And, no matter how minimal the wage is, the money would still go towards providing the basic necessities of the people of the country, and this would correspond from the freedom from want. Freedom of religion is another important freedom, and some of the articles

The Radical Republican Party of the Reconstruction Era Essay -- Carpetb

During the Reconstruction Era of the Civil War, a two new political groups began to form. The Radical Republican Party gained some of its greatest members, two groups of people from opposite sides of the country (Hodges 1). The carpetbaggers and scalawags joined forces to reconstruct the South, but they were met with controversy and criticism because of their radical worldview (Hodges 1). The carpetbaggers and scalawags’ goals were met with controversy then, but the group can be attributed with one of the first Civil Rights attempts within the South among other great achievements (Coleman â€Å"Affect on Reconstruction† 1). The Radical Republican Party encompassed both the carpetbaggers and the scalawags (Hodges 1). The carpetbaggers were newly joined members of the Republican Party that moved from the North to the South to make money from the South’s poverty and in turn help begin the Reconstruction in the South (Hodges 1; Muhammad 1). The â€Å"carpetbagger† label could encompass any well educated member of the middle class (â€Å"Carpetbaggers and Scalawags† 2). During the Reconstruction Era, large numbers of people were traveling from the North to the South (Muhammad 1). Since there was such a large number of people traveling during that time, a cheap way to carry luggage was in high demand (Muhammad 1). So â€Å"carpetbags†, which where made from old carpets, were manufactured (Muhammad 1). This bag held the owner’s only possessions, specifically for the carpetbaggers as they headed south (Muhammad 1). On the other hand, scalawags were Southerners who disliked secession or had fought for the Union Army (Hodges 1). The â€Å"scalawag† label encompassed wealthy southern landowners, displaced carpetbaggers, black freedman, former Whigs, poor S... ...a of Arkansas History and Culture. The Central Arkansas Library System. October 26 2011. February 5 2014. Harris, Rodney. â€Å"Minstrels [Political Faction].† The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. The Central Arkansas Library System. October 26 2011. February 5 2014. Hodges, Mary Frances. â€Å"Carpetbaggers and Scalawags.† The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. The Central Arkansas Library System. October 26 2011. January 30 2014. Muhammad, Brian. â€Å"Carpetbaggers in Reconstruction: Definition, Lesson & Quiz.† Education Portal. January 30 2014. Richards, Adam. â€Å"Scalawags in the Civil War: Definition, Lesson, & Quiz.† Education Portal. January 30 2014. Sansing, David G. â€Å"Adelbert Ames: Twenty-seventh and Thirtieth Governor of Mississippi: 1868-1870; 1874-1876.† Mississippi History NOW. Mississippi Historical Society. December 2003. February 5 2014.

 “Hawk Roosting” and “Golden Retrievals” Essay

In the two poems Ted Hughes’s, â€Å"Hawk Roosting,† and Mark Doty’s, â€Å"Golden Retrievals†, the writers use tone and visual imagery to present the animals’ unique point of view in the poems. The tone of â€Å"Hawk Roosting† is powerful, sinister, and arrogant compared to the lighthearted, playful tone that is set in â€Å"Golden Retrievals.† The hawk’s monologue in â€Å"Hawk Roosting† shows how the Hawk sees the world with such power and a sense of ownership as he tells the reader that he â€Å"kills where [he pleases] because it is all [his]† (line 14), in difference the k-9 in â€Å"Golden Retrievals† who sees it in a playful and distracted manner. The egoistic narrator in â€Å"Hawk Roosting† is a hawk that uses imagery make the reader envision the world from his eyes. The reader can imagine the narrator’s â€Å"each feather/ hooked head and/ feet locked upon the rough bark† (4, 9, 11). The wording seen during the course of the poem â€Å"Hawk roosting† creates an image for the role that the Hawk thinks he plays in the world. The Hawk views the world from â€Å"the top of the wood† and as the Hawk is able to fly he â€Å"the earth’s face [is] upward for [his] inspection† (8) showing his excellent view of his surroundings and how he views the world as his own. In â€Å"Golden Retrievals† the distracted narrator paints a picture in the reader’s mind of how many objects he encounters and allows the reader to imagine the dog constantly chasing after a new object on a daily basis. He â€Å"sniff[s] the wind, then/ [is] off again† (4-5) while the owner is â€Å"sunk in the past, half [their] walk,/ thinking of what [the owner] never can bring back† (7-8). In contrast to the Hawk, the Golden retriever is much more of a carefree character. The wording used in this poem is much more energetic than the diction seen in â€Å"Hawk Roosting.† The narrator speaks of things that remind the reader of dogs and their nature such as â€Å"Fetch, Balls and sticks, [Bunnies], a squirrel†. Hughes uses a dark tone to portray the hawk as a very powerful, wild, and sinister animal. The Hawk states, â€Å"There is no sophistry in my body:/ My manners are tearing all heads-† (15-16) showing how he views himself as a ruthless king of the earth and the â€Å"whole of Creation† (10). In opposition  to Hughes, Doty uses a more playful and distracted tone to depict a character who is concerned with fetching and is easily distracted because â€Å"Balls and sticks capture [his] attention/seconds at a time†(1-2). The Dog views himself as a friend to its owner, and although the Dog is distracted with running, chasing squirrels, and fetching, the Dog also is aware of its owner Doty uses the playful thoughts of a dog while Hughes contrasts with the stark thoughts of a commanding hawk. These opposing characterizations help the narrators convey very different animalistic perspectives of the world. While the Hawk views the world with ownership, the Dog is easily di stracted by passing objects and enjoys the little things in life.

What Is an Autobiography (And How to Write Yours)

Your life story, or autobiography, should contain the basic framework that any essay should have, with four basic elements. Begin with an introduction that includes a thesis statement, followed by a body containing at least several paragraphs, if not several chapters. To complete the autobiography, youll need a strong conclusion, all the while crafting an interesting narrative with a theme. Did You Know? The word autobiography  literally means SELF (auto), LIFE (bio), WRITING (graph). Or, in other words, an autobiography is the story of someones life written or otherwise told by that person. When writing your autobiography, find out what makes your family or your experience unique and build a narrative around that. Doing some research and taking detailed notes can help you discover the essence of what your narrative should be and craft a story that others will want to read. Research Your Background Just like the biography of a famous person, your autobiography should include things like the time and place of your birth, an overview of your personality, your likes and dislikes, and the special events that shaped your life. Your first step is to gather background detail. Some things to consider: What is interesting about the region where you were born?How does your family history relate to the history of that region?Did your family come to that region for a reason? It might be tempting to start your story with I was born in Dayton, Ohio..., but that is not really where your story begins. Its better to start with an experience. You may wish to start with something like why you were born where you were and how your familys experience led to your birth. If your narrative centers more around a pivotal moment in your life, give the reader a glimpse into that moment. Think about how your favorite movie or novel begins, and look for inspiration from other stories when thinking about how to start your own. Think About Your Childhood You may not have had the most interesting childhood in the world, but everyone has had a few memorable experiences. Highlight the best parts when you can. If you live in a big city, for instance, you should realize that many people who grew up in the country have never ridden a subway, walked to school, ridden in a taxi, or walked to a store a few blocks away. On the other hand, if you grew up in the country you should consider that many people who grew up in the suburbs or inner city have never eaten food straight from a garden, camped in their backyards, fed chickens on a working farm, watched their parents canning food, or been to a county fair or a small-town festival. Something about your childhood will always seem unique to others. You just have to step outside your life for a moment and address the readers as if they knew nothing about your region and culture. Pick moments that will best illustrate the goal of your narrative, and symbolism within your life. Consider Your Culture Your culture is your overall way of life, including the customs that come from your familys values and beliefs. Culture includes the holidays you observe, the customs you practice, the foods you eat, the clothes you wear, the games you play, the special phrases you use, the language you speak, and the rituals you practice. As you write your autobiography, think about the ways that your family celebrated or observed certain days, events, and months, and tell your audience about special moments. Consider these questions: What was the most special gift you ever received? What was the event or occasion surrounding that gift?Is there a certain food that you identify with a certain day of the year?Is there an outfit that you wear only during a special event? Think honestly about your experiences, too. Dont just focus on the best parts of your memories; think about the details within those times. While Christmas morning may be a magical memory, you might also consider the scene around you. Include details like your mother making breakfast, your father spilling his coffee, someone upset over relatives coming into town, and other small details like that. Understanding the full experience of positives and negatives helps you paint a better picture for the reader and lead to a stronger and more interesting narrative. Learn to tie together all the interesting elements of your life story and craft them into an engaging essay. Establish the Theme Once you have taken a look at your own life from an outsider’s point of view, you will be able to select the most interesting elements from your notes to establish a theme. What was the most interesting thing you came up with in your research? Was it the history of your family and your region? Here is an example of how you can turn that into a theme: Today, the plains and low hills of southeastern Ohio make the perfect setting for large cracker box-shaped farmhouses surrounded by miles of corn rows. Many of the farming families in this region descended from the Irish settlers who came rolling in on covered wagons in the 1830s to find work building canals and railways. My ancestors were among those settlers. A little bit of research can make your own personal story come to life as a part of history, and historical details can help a reader better understand your unique situation.  In the body  of your narrative, you can explain how your family’s favorite meals, holiday celebrations, and work habits relate to Ohio history. One Day as a Theme You also can take an ordinary day in your life and turn it into a theme. Think about the routines you followed as a child and as an adult. Even a mundane activity like household chores can be a source of inspiration. For example, if you grew up on a farm, you know the difference between the smell of hay and wheat, and certainly that of pig manure and cow manure—because you had to shovel one or all of these at some point. City people probably don’t even know there is a difference. Describing the subtle differences of each and comparing the scents to other scents can help the reader imagine the situation more clearly. If you grew up in the city, you how the personality of the city changes from day to night because you probably had to walk to most places. You know the electricity-charged atmosphere of the daylight  hours when the streets bustle with people and the mystery of the night when the shops are closed and the streets are quiet. Think about the smells and sounds you experienced as you went through an ordinary day and explain how that day relates to your life experience in your county or your city: Most people don’t think of spiders when they bite into a tomato, but I do. Growing up in southern Ohio, I spent many summer afternoons picking baskets of tomatoes that would be canned or frozen and preserved for cold winter’s dinners. I loved the results of my labors, but I’ll never forget the sight of the enormous, black and white, scary-looking spiders that lived in the plants and created zigzag designs on their webs. In fact, those spiders, with their artistic web creations, inspired my interest in bugs and shaped my career in science. One Event as a Theme Perhaps one event or one day of your life made such a big impact that it could be used as a theme. The end or beginning of the life of another can affect our thoughts and actions for a long time: I was 12 years old when my mother passed away. By the time I was 15, I had become an expert in dodging bill collectors, recycling hand-me-down  jeans, and stretching a single meal’s worth of ground beef into two family dinners. Although I was a child when I lost my mother, I was never able to  mourn or to let myself become too absorbed in thoughts of personal loss. The fortitude I developed at a young age was the driving force that would see me through many other challenges. Writing the Essay Whether you determine that your life story is best summed up by a single event, a single characteristic, or a single day, you can use that one element as a theme. You will define this theme in your  introductory paragraph. Create an outline with several events or activities that relate back to your central theme and turn those into subtopics (body paragraphs) of your story. Finally, tie up all your experiences in a summary that restates and explains the overriding theme of your life.