Opposites and Paradoxes in King Lear Essay Example for Free

Opposites and Paradoxes in King Lear Essay The sequence of oppositional characters and motifs in the play bring about in the audience a sense of the corruption of principles that beset the protagonists of the play. With this sense of opposition comes a strong sense of the duality within the play seemingly centred on the Epodoclean theory of a â€Å"world governed by the contrary forces of love and hate. Though this is not unusual for a stage production, McAlindon believes that when the bond of opposites that constitutes the natural order of â€Å"revolt against limit and fly to extremes. † This can be seen in the characters foremost as the sons of Gloucester as well as the daughters of Lear are directly opposed to each other. Indeed it is in the internal nature of Lear that this is focused most powerfully as his beliefs in love and kindnesses are offset by the egocentric and chloric feelings that dwell within his heart. It is mainly from the character and fate of Lear that the true extent of the breakdown of nature can be seen as within the space of two weeks he has sunk from kingship to a world of destitution and poverty as he suffers at â€Å"th’ extreme verge† in his relationship with his family. What is most tragic in relation to Lear though is his rediscovery of Cordelia before the heart wrenching death she endures as he is thrown from the heights of grief before his heart gives way under the strain of ecstatic joy. But while the emotional converses that Lear endures are tremendously powerful they are not the only matters in opposition throughout the play. There can be seen in the various settings of the play a number of thematic oppositions, with the most apparent being the contrast between the nocturnal and gloomy castle of Gloucester as opposed to the serene Dover fields where Father and daughter are reunited, where love opposes strife. Indeed there are a great number of inversions that apply a new number of possible thoughts to the understanding of the play. Lear’s sufferings are completely opposed to the more typical tragedies of the Shakespearean era where there was a distinct separation between the suffering of the social elite and â€Å"the low and the ludicrous† in the principal of the Senecan school of thought. In King Lear though it would appear to be the Saturnalism theories that prevail as the positions of the lowest are inverted with those of the highest, as Lear takes the place of his fool in declaring the unpalatable truths of the world in his madness, adopting a sense of tragedy in the manner in which this is done. There are none more demonstrative of inversions than the antonymic nominalism that occupy the play with the most pathetic being Gloucesters praise of Goneril and Cornwall, whereby his loyalty to the king becomes â€Å"treason† whereas Edmund’s betrayal is described as a show of â€Å"loyalty. † But more than this it is a key illustration of the wickedness of protagonist such as Goneril who condemn â€Å"harmful mildness. † This sense of paradox is prevalent mostly in the evil party where it comes to signify a moral and social inversion of a rational order of things. In contrast to this a positive paradox comes to represent a renewal through destruction and a discovery though loss, most notably seen in the increase of France’s attraction for Cordelia following her rejection by Lear as she becomes an â€Å"unprized precious maid,† becoming â€Å"most choice, forsaken† as the isolation of â€Å"forsaken† seemingly highlighting the paradox. What is more is that a sense of pathos is granted through this as Lear’s misinterpretation of each one of his daughters and his reliance of the â€Å"wolfish† Regan and Goneril, as well as Gloucester’s miscomprehension of Edmund as being a â€Å"loyal and natural boy. The twin paradoxes that appear in the discovery of madness, characterised by Lear, and the discovery of vision in blindness are the most powerful in the development dignity undertaken by Lear and to an extent Gloucester in this play. McAlindon believes that of all the paradoxes it is the fact that th e tragedy develops around an inability â€Å"to contain the worst effects of a terrible eruption in nature,† and none is more terrible than the progressive failing of family links. The typical familial bond of mutual love and affection that is the ornerstone of most families is shockingly absent in King Lear though it is desperately craved by Lear himself. McAlindon believes that this style of bond involves love and justice as well as that it â€Å"predicates a glad and spontaneous performance of offices and responsibilities. † It is therefore bewildering that Edmund would break such a bond in such an anti-familial manner, undermining civilised society in the process, and comparisons can be drawn between him and Iago in his mistreatment of Claudius in Othello. Gloucester, however, can be seen to be as equally to blame for Edmund’s waywardness as his dreadful mistreatment of him, whose breeding is only acknowledged as Gloucester â€Å"often blushed,† and seems to be a victim of tragic causality as Edmund comes to believe that he owes everything to himself. The ancient Greek writers Plato and Aristotle believe that love creates emotional awareness and allows for the creation of just law. With this in mind the manner with which Lear treats the link between him and his daughters in such a material way shatters any sense of order or responsibility in his court with the dismissal of Cordelia and Kent becoming a satire of what passes for justice in society. If Plato’s theories are developed then it would seem that the main cause for injustice is a loss of human kindness and sympathy, explaining fully Edmund’s pathological hardness as his bastardy alienates him. In the same manner in which Edmund suffers a lack of acknowledgement, so too does Lear suffer the same fate, it is only through his mistreatment on the familial ties. McAlindon believes that Lear holds a heavy â€Å"dependence of personal identity on the bond† and it is his reliance on the bond as a material tie makes him a nobody after he divulges himself from his power and estate resulting in one of the most pathetic lines â€Å"I gave you all† separated from the cruelty of Regan. The greatest dignity is then conveyed onto those around him who still perceive the bond to be a union through love, and therefore still hold the same respect for Lear despite his failure to recognise them. The importance of a character understanding the treatment of time plays an integral part in the possibility of them being seen as a tragic figure. King Lear is a tragedy characteristic of its age, a tragedy of extreme and terrible violence, as there is a sense of the untimeliness of violence and destruction that rashness and impatience bring about. Most characteristic of this flaw is Lear as his kingdom implodes through his â€Å"hideous rashness† as he signals the unleashing of pitiless violence that culminates in the utterly pathetic death of Cordelia. He is ironically guilty too of being overly patient as there is an almost comic stichomythia between him and Kent portraying his unwillingness to accept facts. A parallel can be drawn with Gloucester in this as his impatience regarding the supposed traitor Edgar is both unjust and demonstrative of the nexus between time and justice as well as injustice and haste. Calculated swiftness becomes characteristic with the actions of the evil party and can be seen by Edmunds manipulation of Gloucester under the pretence of judicial behaviour as well as that of his brother as he acts â€Å"in cunning† and its placement a the beginning of the line illuminates its two meanings. In an extreme contrast the good party align themselves with time, adopting a policy of patience that is both dignified and tragic. Edgar is keen to wait for â€Å"the mature time† whilst Kent waits for the perfect moment to reveal himself to his master, however, it is his own personal tragedy that he never finds the right moment. This can be seen as a demonstration of a true heart as this is a play that appeals profoundly to the heart as much as it does to the mind. Emblematic of a noble heart is the manner in which a protagonist empathises and treats those around them and powerful contrasts can be seen between characters and their counterparts. Indeed the most powerful of these contrasts is between the â€Å"dog-hearted daughters† of Lear and Cordelia with the scenic juxtaposition of tranquil Dover and the castles and courts of Regan and Goneril a clear demonstration of this. To be truly tragic in King Lear a character possess a good heart and this is perfectly shown by the â€Å"marble hearted sisters† as opposed to Kent’s whose own heart is pierced by Lear’s rejection of Cordelia. Alongside the good characters Lear’s heart is true in its nature, though he seems to suffer the promethean anguish, with his heart replacing the traditional liver, culminating in his death which must be presumed as being from a broken heart. Compassionate love is the supreme value in the play and as discussed above beliefs and social morals come from love and therefore the heart. Conversely though a slighted heart can produce the most devastating fury and hatred through grief as not only does the heart present the duality of nature with the possibility for disunity and anarchy but in this same manner emphasizing the importance of patience. Therefore the presence of all the aforementioned undertones and subtle themes tragedy is both made distinctly more unattainable as well as becoming much more powerful in its nature, with pathos coming to play a key role in its development.

Essays --

All it takes is one person to take the lives of twenty six students. Imagine dropping your kid off at school, and finding out that they, along with twenty five other classmates were killed by a single gunman. This was the reality for many parents at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newton, Connecticut. And while this terrorist act affected the lives of 26 families, it also affected America as a nation. A day after the tragic shooting, the National Rifle Association’s Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre addressed the media, and examined how America needs to take action to protect our children. In La Pierre’s speech, he claims how the effect of a gun can differ depending on who is firing the gun. Through the use of logos, pathos, and demagoguery, he effectively provides an argument that existing gun laws have not saved us from the violence that our society has developed. The use of Logos in LaPierre’s speech is evident through the use of facts supported by his impactful words and statistics. LaPierre depicts how the media has created a violent culture in our society today, â€Å"A child growing up in America witnesses 16,000 murders and 200,000 acts of violence by the time he or she reaches the ripe old age of 18.†(La Pierre, 17) He claims that in today’s world, many movies, video games, and T.V. shows depict violent situation that usually involved bad guys shooting innocent people. LaPierre wants people to see that the media is too blame for this violent culture. By using large numbers such as sixteen and two hundred thousand, he is able to prove that media does have an effect on our society. LaPierre believes that anything can influence society, and the killers are the ones who will incorporate movie scenes into their real life actions... ... right now, starting today, in a way that we know works †(LaPierre, 3) The italicized words allow the audience to reflect on themselves. LaPierre wants people to realize that they can make a change and provide money/guns for school security even if the government will not. He also states the words â€Å"we† and â€Å"family† throughout his whole speech. This is LaPierre’s most effective use of Pathos. He is constantly remind the audience he is on their side and that he is suffering with all the families that have lost loved ones. LaPierre incorporated pathos and logos to create the effect he desired on his audience. He demonstrates logos effectively by the use of facts and supporting evidence. He also uses pathos to appeal to the audience’s emotions. Both strategies, give provide a greater chance that the audience will agree with his argument for armed security in schools. Essays -- All it takes is one person to take the lives of twenty six students. Imagine dropping your kid off at school, and finding out that they, along with twenty five other classmates were killed by a single gunman. This was the reality for many parents at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newton, Connecticut. And while this terrorist act affected the lives of 26 families, it also affected America as a nation. A day after the tragic shooting, the National Rifle Association’s Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre addressed the media, and examined how America needs to take action to protect our children. In La Pierre’s speech, he claims how the effect of a gun can differ depending on who is firing the gun. Through the use of logos, pathos, and demagoguery, he effectively provides an argument that existing gun laws have not saved us from the violence that our society has developed. The use of Logos in LaPierre’s speech is evident through the use of facts supported by his impactful words and statistics. LaPierre depicts how the media has created a violent culture in our society today, â€Å"A child growing up in America witnesses 16,000 murders and 200,000 acts of violence by the time he or she reaches the ripe old age of 18.†(La Pierre, 17) He claims that in today’s world, many movies, video games, and T.V. shows depict violent situation that usually involved bad guys shooting innocent people. LaPierre wants people to see that the media is too blame for this violent culture. By using large numbers such as sixteen and two hundred thousand, he is able to prove that media does have an effect on our society. LaPierre believes that anything can influence society, and the killers are the ones who will incorporate movie scenes into their real life actions... ... right now, starting today, in a way that we know works †(LaPierre, 3) The italicized words allow the audience to reflect on themselves. LaPierre wants people to realize that they can make a change and provide money/guns for school security even if the government will not. He also states the words â€Å"we† and â€Å"family† throughout his whole speech. This is LaPierre’s most effective use of Pathos. He is constantly remind the audience he is on their side and that he is suffering with all the families that have lost loved ones. LaPierre incorporated pathos and logos to create the effect he desired on his audience. He demonstrates logos effectively by the use of facts and supporting evidence. He also uses pathos to appeal to the audience’s emotions. Both strategies, give provide a greater chance that the audience will agree with his argument for armed security in schools.

Critically reflect on my managerial role within my job Essay

1. Introduction With the development of society and economics, our world has become much more complex and changeful than years before. Today’s managers have to be very sensitive to the changing of the environment, to understand and cope with the diversity of the world. As a result, the role management plays in private sector as well as public sector has become more and more important, both theoretically and practically. Elements of management could be found as early as in the building construction of the Pyramids in ancient Egypt. However, great progress has been made since last century in the study of management. The theories of management vary from culture to culture, from generation to generation. The following report is my understanding towards the principles of management and a reflection of my own managerial roles at work, referring to Mintzberg’s ten principles. 2. About management theory The first theory of management was delivered by Henri Fayol, a French industrialist, in 1916. He defined management as â€Å"to manage is to forecast and plan, to organise, to command, to co-ordinate and to control†(Mc Ilwee T. and Roberts I., 1991, p.117). The other important management theories, such as Elton Mayo’s human relations movement, Max Weber’s idealized bureaucracy, and Henry Mintzberg’s ten principles on management, have emerged subsequently. Here, I mainly want to introduce Henry Mintzberg’s ten principles on management. * What is it? Henry Mintzberg’s ten roles management theory was based on the study of five chief executives and a few others managers’ real lives. He described what he had seen as the roles a manager play, which were called ten principles on management. The ten roles are divided into three groups: interpersonal, informational, and decisional (see Figure 1). Figure 1 The Ten Managerial Roles The three interpersonal roles are radically considered the interpersonal relationships. In the figurehead role, the manager represents the organization in all matters of formality. â€Å"Duties that involve inter personal roles may sometimes be routine, †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Nevertheless, they are important to the smooth functioning of an organization and cannot be ignored by the manager† (Mintzberg H., 1989, p.15-16). The leader role defines the relationships between the manger and employees. In the liaison role, the manger maintains information links both inside and outside organization. The interpersonal roles make the managers more easily accept information. Thus, the three informational roles are primarily concerned with the information aspects of managerial work. â€Å"The processing of information is a key part of the manager’s job† (Mintzberg H, 1989, p.18). In the monitor role, the manager acts as the nerve centre for the organisation, receiving the latest, most concrete, most up-to-date information. In the role of disseminator, the manager transmits special information into the organization. In the role of spokesperson, the manager disseminates the organization’s information into its environment. â€Å"Information is not, of course, and end in itself; it is the basic input to decision-making† (Mintzberg H., 1989, p.19). The decisional roles make significant use of the information. The unique access to information places the manager at the centre of organisational decision-making. There are four decisional roles. In the entrepreneur role, the manager tries to improve their organization by seeking effective ways of using resources and technologies. In the disturbance handler role, the manger resolves unexpected problems that threaten organizational goals. In the resource-allocating role, the manager decides how organizational resources will be used to meet planned objectives. In the negotiator role, the manager negotiates on behalf of the organization. Although the Mntzberg’s ten managerial roles are described individually, they are hardly separated. â€Å"No role can be pulled out of the framework and the job be left intact† (Mintzberg H., 1989, p.19). So we should consider the Mntzberg’s ten managerial roles as both interactive and integrated. * Why do I choose it? There are many definitions of management, and most of them are relatively concise and simplistic. However, â€Å"management is a complex process – much more complex than this simple definition leads us to believe† (Griffin R. W., 1999, p.4). Although there are several other major approaches and theories that exist, such as the human resources, quantitative, and systems approaches, I believe that their impact on the management basics is not as greatly felt as that of the works of Mintzberg. Mintzberg focused on what the manager’s job and life is really like, applied the folklore and fact to managers, and got the ten managerial roles theory. Compared with other management theories, Mintzberg’s work is considered as the best reflection of the practice in the real manager life, which analyses the managerial roles comprehensively. Many of them can be found in today’s management ideas and practices. In addition, Mintzberg regards the ten roles as a whole, which makes us more easier understand the process of management. 3. Critically reflect on managerial role within my work I worked in Liaoning Provincial Financial Bureau, taking charge of government procurement. Although I am not at the position of manager yet, I actually shoulder the equivalent responsibilities in the administration of work. Most of the ten managerial roles, which Mintzberg had mentioned in his article, were involved in my daily work. In addition, these roles do not exist separately, they connect with each other. Here is an illustration of my managerial roles at work with regard to Mintzberg’s theory (see Figure 2). Figure 2 Firstly, the interpersonal roles help me get more useful information. With no title manager, the figurehead role seldom occurs in my work. But I actually perform the leader role. I should set goals and make plans to decide how the process of government procurement to be arranged. In the three interpersonal roles, I think the liaison role is the basic role in my work. From my personal experience, if I want to provide better services, I must contact with people both inside and outside. For example, I need make contacts outside to learn what the public sectors, which I am in charge of, want to buy this year, and then decide how government procurement can be arranged. In addition, I must connect with my colleagues to learn the other public sectors’ demands. In this stage, the communication is important. Communication is the exchange of information, facts, ideas, and meanings. Good communication is vital in organisations and lies at the heart of effective management. How to achieve effective communication? I conclude the following principles according to my work experience. > Know what your objective is, > Analyse situation, > Use effective communication tools, such as mail, phone calls, meetings, etc., > Make sure you understand what the others say properly. Secondly, the informational roles are the main constitution of my work. Everyday I seek and receive a great deal of information through interpersonal roles (monitor role), and then forward information to other organization members (disseminator role), and furthermore transmit information to outsiders (spokesman role). For example, I collect information from the suppliers and buyers, and then discuss this information with my colleagues. Afterward, I must pass on clear and definitive information to outside people who concern about it. In this stage, it is important for me to distinguish different kinds of information. Because I receive a great deal of information both internally and externally every day, I must tell immediately the informal information from those formal ones, so as to get precise and useful information for users both inside and outside. It is essential to establish a steady and efficient channel to achieve a free information flow. Thirdly, the decisional roles are the most important roles in my work. Of four decisional roles, I spend more time in the disturbance handler and negotiation role. I must deal with all the questions from suppliers and buyers, and coordinate among them. Sometimes, I get them together and make trade-off to get a win-win solution in some difficult transaction. From my work experience, I conclude that the ability to analyze, interpret, and solve problems becomes increasingly important for managers. It is crucial for managers to see the organization as a whole and the relationships among its various levels and visualize ways to make the organization more efficient and effective. These abilities are essential to effective decision-making. How to achieve effective decision-making? It depends on many factors. Quality of information, which you have received, is the key element of decision-making. In addition, the skill of disturbance handler and negotiation will help you achieve effective decision-making. 4. Conclusion We have learned lots of management theories. Mintzberg’s ten managerial roles are the synthesis of theory and practice. It is helpful for management work. But I think we should pay more attention to practice of management. We should synthesize our own methods and habits that are suitable for our own area. It will eventually make the public administration more effective and efficient. Reference * Griffin R. W., (1999) Management, 6th .ed., Houghton Mifflin. * Mc Ilwee T., Roberts, I. (1991) Human Resourse Management. * Mintzberg H., (1989) Mintzberg On Management: Inside Our Strange World of Organizations, London: Collier Macmillan Publisher.

The Secret Power of Your Mind

Your mind is a very powerful thing, and most of us take it for granted. We believe we arent in control of what we think because our thoughts seem to fly in and out all day long. But you are in control of your thoughts, and you become what you think about. And that little kernel of truth is the secret power of the mind.   Its really not a secret after all. The power is available to every single person, including you. And its free. The secret is that you are what you think. You become what you think about. You can create the life you want, simply by thinking the right thoughts. Earl Nightingale on The Strangest Secret In 1956, Earl Nightingale wrote The Strangest Secret in an attempt to teach people the power of the mind, the power of thought. He said, you become what you think about all day long. Nightingales inspiration came from Napoleon Hills book, Think and Grow Rich, published in 1937. For 75 years (and likely long before that), this simple secret has been taught to adults around the world. At the very least, the knowledge has been available to us. How the Power of the Mind Can Work to Improve Your Life We are creatures of habit. We tend to follow the picture in our minds created by our parents, our neighborhoods, our towns and the part of the world from which we come. For good or for bad. But we dont have to. We each have a mind of our own, capable of imagining life the way we want it. We can say yes or no to the million choices we each encounter every single day. Sometimes its good to say no, of course, or we wouldnt get anything at all done. But the most successful people say yes to life overall. They are open to possibilities. They believe they have the power to make changes in their lives. They arent afraid to try new things  or to fail. In fact, many of the most successful companies reward people who have the courage to try new things, even if they fail, because the things we call failures often turn into extremely successful things. Did you know Post-It Notes were a mistake in the beginning? How to Use the Power of Your Mind Start imagining your life the way you want it. Create a picture in your mind and think about that picture steadfastly all day long. Believe in it. You dont have to tell anybody. Have your own quiet confidence that you can make the picture in your mind come true. You will start making different choices in line with your picture. You will take small steps in the right direction. Youll also encounter obstacles. Dont let these obstacles stop you. If you hold your picture of the life you want steadfast in your mind, you will eventually create that life. What have you got to lose? Close your eyes and start now. You will become what you think about.