Tuesday, January 28, 2020

The themes in Hamlet Essay Example for Free

The themes in Hamlet Essay Hamlet by William Shakespeare is a revenge tragedy that illustrates a tragic heros struggle with two opposing forces: moral integrity, and the need to avenge his fathers murder. Hamlet the prince of Denmark discovers from his fathers ghost that his father has been murdered with malicious premeditation and this atrocious act was committed by none other than his uncle Claudius. Inevitably Hamlet is instigated to seek revenge, however is incapable of such action due to the need for certainty and other emotional, psychological, and ethical factors; thus he remains indecisive. Through Hamlets complex, divided, introspective character and with the help of such an intriguing plot Shakespeare exposes the themes of immorality, revenge, and death; which are evidently the most significant and recurring themes throughout the play. Immorality plays a significant role in the play. The plot commences with Claudius not only committing the immoral act of regicide but also repulsively seducing the queen into marriage; completely disrupting the natural order of Denmark. Therefore Claudius has deprived the prior king of life, of crown, of queen Such corruption leads to Denmark being represented as a physical body which has been made ill as the people come to believe that something is rotten in the state. (I, iv, 90) The appearance of the previous kings ghost confirms a sense of foreboding about the future of the country since the new king has forced himself onto the throne through corrupt means. All this corruption affects Hamlets view of the world as well, where he comes to believe that the world is merely possessed by things rank in gross in nature. ( I, ii, 136) Even before Hamlet encounters his fathers ghost who reveals the truth about the murder, Hamlet is searing with indignation over how his mother with most wicked speed, [did] post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets (I,ii,156 157) Thus Hamlet foreshadows that such dissolute deeds cannot come to good (I. ii. 158) However when the ghost does reveal the truth Hamlet is overwhelmed with disgust at the immorality and injustice of his own uncles and his mothers foul deeds. Inevitably the occurrences of such immoral acts have brought a burning need within Hamlet, a need to seek to revenge; which is another significant theme that recurs throughout the play. Indisputably, revenge is probably the most essential theme in the development of Hamlet. Revenge is a dreadful, decadent and a bloodthirsty emotion and is the driving force behind two of the main characters in the play- Hamlet and Laertes. However Shakespeares conduct of revenge within Hamlet differs completely to the quintessential style of revenge during his era. Shakespeares illustration of revenge delves more into the physiological and moral aspect of seeking revenge; where he portrays that revenge is not an action that usually comes innately because even overpowering emotion cannot bring about immediate action. Therefore Hamlet contemplates heavily and plans the revenge, but fails to put his ideas into action until the last scene. The first sign of revenge is evidently seen in the beginning where Hamlets fathers ghost urges him to revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. (I. v.25). However Hamlet was still not convinced by the ghost as he believes it may be the devil( II,ii) Therefore in order to catch Claudiuss conscience and prove the ghosts message, Hamlet has a play enacted in the scenario of his fathers murder. This shows Hamlets need for certainty and deep contemplation. Even after The kings outburst when he had the perfect opportunity to kill whilst he was praying, Hamlet failed to perform. Hamlet states Now he is praying a villain kills my father and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven( III,iii). It is evident that Hamlet is a man with too much reason (III.ii) and not enough action. One could argue that it is as if he develops excuses for not completing the deed, mainly because he is human and that the deed is immoral. Therefore he is incapable of performing such action immediately. This proves that every action; even revenge is affected by rational considerations, involving the need for truth or certainty as well as moral, physiological and emotional factors. Nevertheless it seems as though Hamlet disbelieves the notion of performing a deed in a purposeful and controlled way; because when Hamlet does take action; killing Polonius, he prefers to do it irresponsibly, blindly and viciously. It evidently shows his thirst for revenge as well as the obscurity and complexity of his character. Hamlets blind, irrational, and impulsive, manner of killing Polonius without being aware of his identitiy formulates the beginning of a vicious cycle of retribution; as Hamlet becomes a part of Denmarks squalor and misery. This irrepressible and unjustifiable murder instigated Laertess(Poloniuss son) quest to avenge his fathers death. Later on in act 5 Hamlet and Laertes have the opportunity to avenge their fathers in a gruesome duel. However this only leads to their downfall, revenges eventual outcome- death. Shakespeare utilizes the theme of death as a cleanser of corruption, as all the corrupt players are killed through unnatural means which ultimately restores the natural order of Denmark. As destined the characters receive the deaths they deserve. Thus the king dies in Hamlets hand as well as being poisoned like the queen, whereas Hamlet dies in a soldierly fashion being provided the respect a soldier deserves. Inevitably death is seen as the ultimate resolution for immoral injustice. Death is not only seen as a cleanser of corruption but according to Hamlet death carries various meaning involving freedom, inevitability and the fact that death renders life meaningless. It is evident that Hamlets obsession with death works in three stages: death as a means of escape or freedom, his circle of life theory and the physical decay of death which proves the futility of life. From the very beginning Hamlets seems to find the world weary, stale, flat and unprofitable. (I,ii,129-134) and would have ended his agony by committing suicide if the everlasting had not fixed his canon `gainst self-slaughter. ( I. ii. 129-134) Hamlet ponders over the means to handle his outrageous fortune(III,i, lines 58-70)and contemplates whether he should fight the slings and arrows (III,i lines 58-70) that life has thrown upon him or he should end the heart ache and a thousand natural shocks (III, i,lines 58-70) by killing himself. However he is afraid of the after life and chooses the nobler (III. i, 58-70) path to face the suffering of life in order to avoid the gruesome aftermath of death. According to Hamlet aftermath can also involve the grave where the person has to face worms and maggots feeding on him, evidently pointing out that death is a leveler which inevitably everyone is entitled for. Therefore he believes that life goes around in a circle because a man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath feed of that worm. (IV,iii, 30-32) Hamlet also believes that life is meaningless because after death all physical beauty is lost. So with Yoricks skull in hand he reminisces upon all the moments he spent with Yorick and what has become of him now. Likewise, regardless of how women emphasize on their beauty; as Hamlet states to this favor she must come. (V. i. 192-195) Evidently Shakespeare, through the voice of Hamlet proves that all the greed and lust for power eventually leads to nothing in the face of death. Shakespeares utilization of the significant intertwining themes of death, revenge and immorality, he is able to coherently elucidate how immoral injustice can never be restored and unless all the corrupt players are purged and a new king, in this case Fortinbras, is crowned. In addition Shakespeare also exposes that ultimately revenge is not the solution for internal peace but rather when committed it brings forth chaos and disorder within the society; forcing death to be the only resolution to cleanse the corruption and bring back peace and harmony to the state. In the process of the play these universal themes are dealt not in the conventional sense but in a reality based fashion which any human being can easily relate to, and this is what makes Hamlet such a tour de force.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Nature of the Conflict in Sophocles Antigone Essay -- Antigone confan

The Nature of the Conflict in Antigone  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In â€Å"Sophocles’ Praise of Man and the Conflicts of the Antigone,† Charles Paul Segal explains the nature of the conflict between Antigone and Creon: The conflict between Creon and Antigone has its starting point in the problems of law and justice. At any rate, the difference is most explicitly formulated in these terms in Antigone’s great speech on the divine laws. . . . Against the limited and relative â€Å"decrees† of men she sets the eternal laws of Zeus, the â€Å"unwritten laws of the gods.† She couples her assertion of these absolute â€Å"laws† with her own resolute acceptance of death (460) (64). In Antigone the protagonist, is humble and pious before the gods and would not tempt the gods by leaving the corpse of her brother unburied. She is not humble before her uncle, Creon, because she prioritizes the laws of the gods higher than those of men; and because she feels closer to her brother, Polynices, than she does to her uncle. The drama begins with Antigone inviting Ismene outside the palace doors to tell her privately: â€Å"What, hath not Creon destined our brothers, the one to honoured burial, the other to unburied shame?† Antigone’s offer to Ismene (â€Å"Wilt thou aid this hand to lift the dead?) is quickly rejected, so that Antigone must bury Polynices by herself. The protagonist, Antigone, is quickly developing into a rounded character, while Ismene interacts with her as a foil, demurring in the face of Creon’s threat of stoning to death as punishment for violators of his decree regarding Polynices. The main conflict thusfar observed is that whi ch the reader sees taking shape between Antigone and the king. Antigone is a religious person who is not afraid of death, and who re... ... pervading themes in Sophocles is the justice of the universe. We are to understand that, in some sense, cosmic justice ultimately prevails (718). WORKS CITED Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms, 7th ed. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1999. Segal, Charles Paul. â€Å"Sophocles’ Praise of Man and the Conflicts of the Antigone.† In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. Sophocles. Antigone. Translated by R. C. Jebb. The Internet Classic Archive. no pag. http://classics.mit.edu/Sophocles/antigone.html â€Å"Sophocles† In Literature of the Western World, edited by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. NewYork: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984. Watling, E. F.. Introduction. In Sophocles: The Theban Plays, translated by E. F. Watling. New York: Penguin Books, 1974.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Organizational Behaviour Challenges Essay

Organizational Behaviour is academic study of organizations by examining them using the methods of economics, sociology, political science, anthropology, and psychology. Being of a multidisciplinary nature, organizational behaviour is all the more complicated to study as well. It is primarily the study of individual and group dynamics in an organizational setting, as well as the nature of the organizations themselves (culture, subcultures, psyche etc. ). Whenever people interact in organizations, many factors come into play. Organizational studies attempt to understand and model these factors and seek to control, predict, and explain them. There is some controversy over the ethical ramifications of focusing on controlling workers’ behaviour. As such, organizational behaviour has at times been accused of being the scientific tool of the powerful. Those accusations notwithstanding, OB can play a major role in organizational development and success. My six month long experience of setting up a design room in Romania was an eye opener into the aspects of organisational behaviour and how important it is for a manager to be able to deal with these aspects in the work arena. The project was fairly new to the manufacturing industry. Look more:Â  starbucks problem essay My job primarily consisted of setting up the design room and training people to run it. There were several problems that I faced and some of them are as follows: Problems at individual level Individuals make up a team. If there are problems among them, the whole team and its dynamics are affected by it. At Romania this was exactly the case which resulted in difficulty in making them work as a team, ask advise from one another, respect each other and in general increase job efficiency in order to meet targets. That is partly because the workforce in Romania is protected so there is not much that can be done by managers. Although the fact has been recognised by surveys etc. , nothing is done in the workplace officially in order to change things. The opposite is true for private companies however where management is very controlling and demanding. The human element I observed in such situations that the contingency approach to organisational behaviour in small teams only makes things difficult. Managers not only in my company but other companies that I had discussions with take it for granted that they will have to treat people in a different way in order to have their work done. Variations were stark due t the personal psyches of each individual in the team. This was however managed by trying to bring them at a standard level of thought and training. The above two problems can also be seen as a result of the fact that Romanians tend to keep their personal lives separate from the workplace (Steven 2003). I believe that managers should use Development Administration and Management techniques (Cooke 2004) to develop the workforce in places like Romania and other third world countries. Lack of responsibility Romanians, being used to the previous communist workplace, did not have to wrry about their work ethics much. They knew that they would have a job whether they did it well or not. This was something that didn’t change throughout the whole time I was there. It is clear that the reason for this failure was due to the fact that the external environment (communist culture) was at work here and an intrinsic part of their life conditioning. This ultimately meant that they did not learn from their mistakes and didn’t now show a commitment to improvement. Secondly I believe that the design room concept being new, it had to be implemented using change management techniques (Hay & Hartel 2003).

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Adidas and Nike - 1270 Words

ADIDAS AND NIKE Nike and Adidas are two the largest sportswear companies of nowadays. They are the giants in the sportswear industry, which always introduce innovative products, in order to become the ultimate market leaders. Nike is an American multinational corporation, which produces footwear, clothes, equipment and other active sport items (Feifer 2014). The company was founded in 1964 by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman. Nike uses specific method of advertising, which differentiates it from other sports companies; it creates motivational short videos, which promote sport and inspire people to stay fit. Hence, making an accent on sport, but not sportswear, Nike attracts customers in nonintrusive manner. In 2013, the total revenue of†¦show more content†¦Due to the new small brands, Adidas promotes its own brands, making additional advertisements for its products. In addition, Adidas is not solely concentrated on the sportsmen’s demands. The promotion strategy also concentrates on an average consumer who has or may have no connection with sport life. Hence, the promotion strategy of Adidas embraces wider range of opportunities, which give some advantages for products promotion, comparing t o Nike. Adidas uses high-low pricing method as a key instrument of price regulation. First, the company sells new goods using the high-price, but offers significant discounts, which make the price lower up to 50% (Seroka amp; Love-Johnson 2005). On the one hand, the point of this strategy is to demonstrate customers the availability of the products and the company’s loyal attitude to its clients. On the other hand, Nike tries to offer an average price on its products. Hence, a Nike’s brand may cost up to 20% cheaper than a similar product introduced by Adidas (Holmes amp; Bernstein 2004). In fact, both companies will receive almost the same revenue for a new product line, but the amount of the profit will be different at the beginning and at the end of the selling. In conclusion, it can be said that both companies do well and have their own loyal customers. Despite the differences in the marketing strategies, they are able to stay on the top of the global market. From my point of view, Nike should pay moreShow MoreRelatedNike vs Adidas1039 Words   |  5 PagesNike, Inc. (IPA: / naÉ ªki/) (NYSE: NKE) is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered in Beaverton, near the Portland metropolitan area of Oregon. It is the world s leading supplier of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of sports equipment with revenue in excess of $18.6 billion USD in its fiscal year 2008 (ending May 31, 2008). As of 2008, it employed more than 30,000 people worldwide. Nike and Precision CastpartsRead MoreNike vs Adidas1379 Words   |  6 Pages1. Visit minimum 5 retailers of NIKE/ADIDAS and prepare a brief summary report of: a) Typical customer profile/demographic profile of the products of NIKE/ADIDAS shoes. b) Acceptance levels of the 2 brands in the consumers of your city. c) Consumer feedback for improvement, if any, of NIKE/ADIDAS. Ans: The Finally report After visit of Six Outlets of Nike Adidas: Introduction: As we know that both the brands NIKE and ADIDAS are having a very good reputed brandsRead MoreNike vs Adidas1127 Words   |  5 Pagesis to compare and identify the various marketing strategies followed by two of the world’s best sports company’s Adidas and Nike as they have been in rivalry for a long time. I would also like to find out the strengths and weakness of both the companies. 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Because of this, a resale market has been established where these certain styles are sold by people able to obtain them with profit margins ranging from $100-$1000. As a reseller, negotiating the buying and selling price of shoes is something that I deal with on an almost daily basis. Over the past few weeks howeverRead MoreMarketing Strategies For Nike And Adidas1317 Words   |  6 Pagesthe sports apparel of Nike and Adidas. According to the research, promotional strategy is a two-way interaction between company and consumer designed primarily to increase sales, often by attracting new customers. On the other hand, advertising strategy is designed to sell a product (Chron.com). Nevertheless, Nike has become the leader in the industry for advertising and marketing strategies than Adidas. In the sports apparel industry, Adidas could be viewed as one of Nike competitors. PromotionalRead MoreComparison Between Nike And Adidas1679 Words   |  7 PagesApparel. The companies I chose are Adidas and Nike. The reason I chose these two is because they re both popular brand names around the world. Nike is base in the US and Adidas is base out of Germany. Nike and Adidas carries manufactures basically the same products. These companies offer similar products in comparisons to each other. Both of these brand s are well- know in households. The slogan for Nike is Just Do It is well-known around the world. Nike s slogan is used in printable ads