Discuss any link between the poetry of Donne and Milton Essays

Discuss any link between the poetry of Donne and Milton Essays Discuss any link between the poetry of Donne and Milton Paper Discuss any link between the poetry of Donne and Milton Paper Essay Topic: Donne Poems Poetry Much poetry from the 16th and 17th Centuries, was based around religion, addressing God, and asking for His help and advice. Two such examples of the authors who wrote this poetry are John Donne and John Milton. Both these men were highly religious people, and used their poetry to question and criticise God, as is shown in the two poems that I have studied below. In Johns Donnes poem, Holy Sonnet 14, Donne is demanding Gods help. He uses violent masculine imagery as well as passive feminine imagery to make these demands. Donne also uses metaphors and paradoxes in order to show his need for God in his life. In the first six lines of Holy Sonnet 14, Donne uses a metaphor with which his life is a usurped town. He says in the first line, batter my heart, three personed god. Here, Donne demands that God break into his town and allow the people to follow. In line two he starts to complain about how little God has done in pushing his way through the gates of his town. He tells God to oerthrow me demanding that God overthrow his town (soul) and take it over. The fourth line begins with Donne showing how Gods power could break into the town and make it new. He uses powerful verbs such as break, blow, burn when describing Gods powerful means. Then in lines five and six, Donne proclaims to God that he wants to let God into his heart but that he has failed in doing so. Although Donne takes responsibility for his failure in letting God in, he criticises gods viceroy (reasoning). In line seven, Donne shifts his feelings of self-remorse and turns them into criticisms of reason. He begins this shift by starting the sentence with reason. Reason not only signifies a shift in his tone and feeling, but it also represents Gods viceroy, his representative, within Donnes soul. The second part of this poem begins Donnes second metaphor. In this part of the poem Donne demands things of God that would be more like characteristics of things that are against what God stands for. In line nine, Donne proclaims his love to God and he tells God he wants to be loved back. But in line ten he says he is betrothed unto your enemy. Here, betrothed is inferring his relationship is so close to the enemy that it can be compared to marriage. Donne has become so close to Gods enemy that he feels helpless against him. In the next two lines Donne pleas for Gods help. Donnes plea for help is reflected in action phrases such as divorce me, break that knot again. He also pleads for action, saying ravish me and enthrall me. Donne is telling God, paradoxically, that he will never be pure or virginal unless God rapes him and will never be free unless God enslaves him. A paradox Donne uses is how he asks God to take over his body. He uses sexual images as if he was a female. Sexual imaginary is best shown in his final line, Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me. Being ravished or chaste is most commonly associated with women. He is saying in order for him to be virginal again, he must be raped and enslaved by God, becoming no longer pure. But when done by God, it will return him back to a virginal state. Another interesting paradox is why he uses the word reason when referring to Gods viceroy. Traditionally the word reason has been used to try and contradict religious influences. This may imply along with the poems mixed syntax Donnes confused state of mind when writing this poem. These types of things may also imply his insecurity with his faith in God. It seems as if he is using this poem to cry out for help from God. Donne uses metaphors and paradoxes in this poem to aid the reader in visualising God taking over Donnes body and spirit. His first metaphor compares his life with an usurped town. He uses a towns physical imagery in order to give an animated description of God usurping his soul. In the second half of the poem, Donne uses God and his enemy as the second metaphor. Here, God has to play the roles of his enemy in order to take over Donnes heart. Miltons Sonnet 19, When I Consider How My Light is Spent, shows a religious doubt within the author regarding his relationship to God. This doubt, possibly caused by the narrators recent loss of sight, stems from his confusion over what God wants him to do. Ultimately, there is no easy solution to the authors problem of religious, and Milton suggests that any clearness and happiness to be found can be had only with patience. The structure of the sonnet, which is Petrachian in style, is a conversation with God in the form of a question and an answer. It is divided into an octet which shows the reader the problem and leads to the question, and into a sestet which offers a sort of answer to the problem. The use of the word fondly in Line 7, which translates to foolishly in new English, shows that the author has doubt as to whether questioning God was the right thing for him to, and shows concern that he has made his relationship with God even more tenable. We are shown at the start of the poem, that since his blindness became apparent, Miltons talent has become ineffectual, and he has a feeling of not being able to serve his God in the ways that he has done before. We are not told exactly what Miltons line of work, or talent was, but it is clear that his life is feeling dark and empty while he is unable to perform his previously usual tasks, which is obviously making him feel like he is worthless in Gods eyes. We presume that the reply comes from a source of God, either being directly from Him, or indirectly via a messenger or angel. In reply to Miltons question as to whether a man has to be a hard worker to gain the respect of God, God says that it is not the hard-working man that comes off best, but the loyal, and believing one. The loss of light in this poem can be literal (physical blindness) or figurative (his understanding crippled, leading to a mind full of doubts). Milton doesnt understand how God can afflict him with this illness, and yet still expect him to perform his usual duties to him There is a Biblical reference within the poem to a parable in the gospel of Matthew, in which one mans talent is taken away from him, and he is left in darkness, and yet another man has five different talents Milton, as a religious man, would more than likely been aware of this story, and be worried that he had offended God in such a way that he has replayed it upon him. Ultimately, I dont think Milton is criticising God for withdrawing his sight, but is more concerned as to what he has done to deserve it, and has a worry as to how he can continue to serve God without the use of his sight. To conclude, both the poems are very emotionally and religiously charged, both asking for answers from God, and asking for some form of help. Both men seem to be in a state of religious confusion, not sure which way to turn next within their lives, nor how to regain the loyalty to God that they think they have lost. As religion is no longer as prominent in society as it was in the 16th/17th Century, the poems are not as easily related to a modern audience, and it is more difficult to understand the importance that religion had within the lives of everyday people.

History of Romance Dating Customs

History of Romance Dating Customs Where would we be without romance? What was courtship and marriage like for our distant ancestors? Beginning with the ancient Greeks recognition of the need to describe more than one kind of love, inventing the word eros to describe carnal love, and agape to mean a spiritual love, take a stroll back through romantic heritage with this timeline of romantic customs, dating rituals, and tokens of love. Ancient Courtship In ancient times, many of the first marriages were by capture, not choice - when there was a scarcity of nubile women, men raided other villages for wives. Frequently the tribe from which a warrior stole a bride would come looking for her, and it was necessary for the warrior and his new wife to go into hiding to avoid being discovered. According to an old French custom, as the moon went through all its phases the couple drank a brew called metheglin, which was made from honey. Hence, we get the word, honeymoon. Arranged marriages were the norm, primarily business relationships born out of the desire and/or need for property, monetary or political alliances. Medieval Chivalry From buying a woman dinner to opening a door for her, many of todays courting rituals are rooted in medieval chivalry. During medieval times, the importance of love in a relationship emerged as a reaction to arranged marriages but was still not considered a prerequisite in matrimonial decisions. Suitors wooed their intended with serenades and flowery poetry, following the lead of lovelorn characters on stage and in verse. Chastity and honor were highly regarded virtues. In 1228, it is said by many that women first gained the right to propose marriage in Scotland, a legal right that then slowly spread through Europe. However, a number of historians have pointed out that this supposed leap year proposal statute never occurred, and instead gained its legs as a romantic notion spread in the press.   Victorian Formality During the Victorian Era (1837-1901), romantic love became viewed as the primary requirement for marriage and courting became even more formal - almost an art form among the upper classes. An interested gentleman could not simply walk up to a young lady and begin a conversation. Even after being introduced, it was still some time before it was considered appropriate for a man to speak to a lady or for a couple to be seen together. Once they had been formally introduced, if the gentleman wished to escort the lady home he would present his card to her. At the end of the evening, the lady would look over her options and choose who would be her escort. She would notify the lucky gentleman by giving him her own card requesting that he escort her home. Almost all courting took place in the girls home, under the eye of watchful parents. If the courting progressed, the couple might advance to the front porch. Smitten couples rarely saw each other without the presence of a chaperone, and mar riage proposals were frequently written. Courtship  Customs Tokens of Love Some of the Nordic countries have courtship customs involving knives. For example, in Finland when a girl came of age, her father let it be known that she was available for marriage. The girl would wear an empty sheath attached to her girdle. If a suitor liked the girl, he would put a puukko knife in the sheath, which the girl would keep if she was interested in him.The custom of bundling, found in many parts of 16th and 17th century Europe and America, allowed courting couples to share a bed, fully clothed, and often with a bundling board between them or bolster cover tied over the girls legs. The idea was to allow the couple to talk and get to know each other but in the safe (and warm) confines of the girls house.Dating back to 17th century Wales, ornately carved spoons, known as lovespoons, were traditionally made from a single piece of wood by a suitor to show his affection to his loved one. The decorative carvings have various meanings - from an anchor meaning I desire to settl e down to an intricate vine meaning love grows. Chivalrous gentlemen in England often sent a pair of gloves to their true loves. If the woman wore the gloves to church on Sunday it signaled her acceptance of the proposal.In some parts of 18th-century Europe, a biscuit or small loaf of bread was broken over the head of the bride as she emerged from the church. Unmarried guests scrambled for the pieces, which they then placed under their pillows to bring dreams of the one they would someday marry. This custom is believed to be the precursor of the wedding cake.Many cultures throughout the world recognize the idea of matrimony as the ties that bind. In some African cultures, long grasses are braided together and used to tie the hands of the groom and bride together to symbolize their union. Delicate twine is used in the Hindu Vedic wedding ceremony to bind one of the brides hands to one of the hands of the groom. In Mexico the practice of having a ceremonial rope loosely place around both of the necks of the bride and groom to bind t hem together is common.

Home and work place safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Home and work place safety - Essay Example As a point of departure, the essence of any safety practice is to curb a particular menace in a place. In line with the safety measures at work, the introduction of free and accessible database for the employees to access information is one of the foremost step in curbing menace such as indoor tanning, ensuring food safety at home and prevention of injury in either at work place or at home (Jeremy, 34). This study considers the indoor tanning as one of the primary safety exposures in both at home and at work place. Tanning refers to the outcome of a skin injury and damage. In other words tanning is the reaction of the skin upon exposure to the ultraviolet radiation. The radiation exposure facilitates the production of the extra pigment by the skin for protection against the UV radiation. This pigment makes the skin appear darker. It is imperative to note that exposure to the UV radiation increases the health risks of an individual (Heckman et al, 36). This is a health risk that can h appen either in work place or at homes where the tanning facilities are installed. The problem to be solved in this case involves minimization of the user injuries and reduces tanning access, particularly by minors whose skin is soft. This problem can be approached through various ways, however, the most effective one is to offer preventive information to the users and those who intended to use. In essence, information is of vital benefit in this case and it will go a long way to save the lives of many. Consider the following cases of remedies to this problem The state agencies should be contacted for permits issuance in the case of those who want to have the facilities at their premises be either for commercial or personal use. The essence of the permit is to ensure that all the requirements are meant, particularly the set up of the room. This will ensure that information is relayed on the required procedures and instruments before installation. All these

Case study write up Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Write up - Case Study Example his case, one strongly believes that there are organizational and structural problems that contribute to Chet’s level of stress, particularly found in the way that the organizational chart is designed. As shown in Figure 2.7, Chet’s position as Central Plant Manager indicates governing jurisdiction to 16 lines or chains of command. This means that 16 different personnel, with diverse responsibilities could report to him directly. Therefore, to manage stress using time management, Chet must recommend to higher management that the organizational structure be re-evaluated and redesigned so that stressors could be eliminated or minimized, as needed. As recommended in Whetton and Cameron’s management strategies for eliminating stressors (Table 2.3) through delegating responsibilities, collaboration and team building, work redesign and goal setting, the stress level of Chet would be appropriately managed. Based on developing self-awareness, Chet could manifest high levels of task motivation where he exemplified the desire to accomplish the defined open-end unit schedule but his persistence and productivity levels do not adhere to his defined objectives and goals. The inability to achieve these goals thereby contributes to his level of stress, in conjunction to his awareness that there needs to be a balance between time spent for his family and also to pursue leisure activities for his personal and professional growth. 4) Based on the case and your assessment of Chet’s personality, how would you advise Chet? What strategies/tools, and concepts from the chapter would you suggest to him to increase his effectiveness and lower his stress as a manger. Based on the case and on one’s assessment of Chet’s personality, one would advise Chet to recommend to management a redesign of the organizational structure so that the personnel to report directly to him would be reduced and categorized according to human resources, inventory management, night operations and

Science and Morality in Shelleys Frankenstein - Consequences of Technology :: Frankenstein essays

The Consequences of Technology Revealed in Shelley's Frankenstein      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, written in the late nineteenth century, the author proposes that knowledge and technology can be dangerous to individuals and all of humanity.   Frankenstein was one of the first cautionary tales about scientific research.   Shelley's novel offers profound insight of the consequences of morally insensitive scientific and technological research.    Learn from me. . . at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how   much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow (Shelley 101)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The popular belief of how Frankenstein came to be written derives from Shelley herself, who explains in an introduction to the novel that she, her husband Percy Shelly, and Lord Byron set themselves the task of creating ghost stories during a short vacation at a European villa.   According to Shelley, the short story she conceived was predicated of the notion as the eighteenth became the nineteenth century that electricity could be a catalyst of life.   In her introduction she recalls the talk about Erasmus Darwin, who had preserved a piece of vermicelli in a glass case, till by some extraordinary means it began to move with voluntary motion," (Joseph vii).   The extraordinary means forms the basis for Frankenstein.   Many people also believe that a nightmare that Mary Shelley had could also be partly responsible for the creation of the novel.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the time the novel was written, England was on the brink of leading the Industrial revolution in Europe.   The experiments of Huntsman (crucible steel manufacture), Newcome (steam-powered pumps), and Cochrane (coal tar production) throughout the eighteenth century in England were decisive in the initial transformation of England into an industrialized country (Burke 137, 173, 195).   The emerging age of technology appears to have found followers throughout the culture and to have become firmly reinforced by the time   Frankenstein was written.   Eric Rabkin (author), says that in England early in the eighteenth century, "there exist a populous discourse community that accepted the rhetoric of science" (Rabkin 39).   This rhetoric has proof extending back to the English Renaissance. Those sensitive to change and those prepared to embrace a rhetoric of change need not be scientists.   While scientists address a discourse community of scientists, novelists   Ã‚   address a wider discourse community of the literate.   If we can accept the earlier   argument that science and poetry are not ontologically antagonistic, then we might well hope to find fictional uses of the rhetoric of science . Science and Morality in Shelley's Frankenstein - Consequences of Technology :: Frankenstein essays The Consequences of Technology Revealed in Shelley's Frankenstein      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, written in the late nineteenth century, the author proposes that knowledge and technology can be dangerous to individuals and all of humanity.   Frankenstein was one of the first cautionary tales about scientific research.   Shelley's novel offers profound insight of the consequences of morally insensitive scientific and technological research.    Learn from me. . . at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how   much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow (Shelley 101)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The popular belief of how Frankenstein came to be written derives from Shelley herself, who explains in an introduction to the novel that she, her husband Percy Shelly, and Lord Byron set themselves the task of creating ghost stories during a short vacation at a European villa.   According to Shelley, the short story she conceived was predicated of the notion as the eighteenth became the nineteenth century that electricity could be a catalyst of life.   In her introduction she recalls the talk about Erasmus Darwin, who had preserved a piece of vermicelli in a glass case, till by some extraordinary means it began to move with voluntary motion," (Joseph vii).   The extraordinary means forms the basis for Frankenstein.   Many people also believe that a nightmare that Mary Shelley had could also be partly responsible for the creation of the novel.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the time the novel was written, England was on the brink of leading the Industrial revolution in Europe.   The experiments of Huntsman (crucible steel manufacture), Newcome (steam-powered pumps), and Cochrane (coal tar production) throughout the eighteenth century in England were decisive in the initial transformation of England into an industrialized country (Burke 137, 173, 195).   The emerging age of technology appears to have found followers throughout the culture and to have become firmly reinforced by the time   Frankenstein was written.   Eric Rabkin (author), says that in England early in the eighteenth century, "there exist a populous discourse community that accepted the rhetoric of science" (Rabkin 39).   This rhetoric has proof extending back to the English Renaissance. Those sensitive to change and those prepared to embrace a rhetoric of change need not be scientists.   While scientists address a discourse community of scientists, novelists   Ã‚   address a wider discourse community of the literate.   If we can accept the earlier   argument that science and poetry are not ontologically antagonistic, then we might well hope to find fictional uses of the rhetoric of science .

Positive Psychology Paper Essay

Positive Psychology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Positive psychology is a new branch of psychology founded by Dr Martin Seligman, who is the Director of the University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Center.   This branch is defined as â€Å"the scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive† (Seligman, 2007).   In addition, positive psychology is â€Å"founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work, and play† (Seligman, 2007). As a critique, developing such field may be beneficial to human and in turn, to society.   Being aware of what positive psychology entails and applying these in life will promote healthy relationships as this field aims to promote â€Å"positive emotions, positive individual traits, and positive institutions† (Seligman, 2007).   Then again, one possible setback for the development of this new branch of psychology is seeing all the others as negative.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Generally, researchers value positive psychology as an essential part in the aim of studying the entire spectrum of human experience.   Researchers of this field do acknowledge the existence of the negative aspects of life such as hardships and dysfunctions, however, aim to study the other side of the coin.   This includes joys, good feelings and functional institutions. Studies say that humans, by nature, easily recall the negative events than the good ones.   Basing from this, a positive perspective and a healthy state of mind should be set.   One effective way of fighting the negative is to list every good thing that occurred during the day and contemplating on them.   This should be done despite having a bad day.   To be happy, one must develop the initiative to dwell on the good and appreciate one’s blessings. One should exert conscious efforts to dispel the ugly and replace them with positive and pleasant thoughts. Reference Seligman, M. â€Å"Authentic happiness†University of Pennsylvania Website. Retrieved     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   February 27, 2008, from http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx   

The Stick-Built House (In Situ)

A stick-built home is a wooden framed house constructed on a building site piece by piece (or stick by stick). It describes the process or how a home is built. Manufactured, modular, and prefabricated homes are not classified as stick-built, because they are made mostly in the factory, transported to the site, and then assembled. A custom home and a home made according to stock building plans may both be stick-built, provided that they are constructed board-by-board on the land where they will remain. Stick-built describes the construction method and not the design. Other names for stick-built homes include site built, hard construction, and in situ. What Is In Situ? In situ is Latin for in place or in position. It can be pronounced a number of ways, including  in-SIT-oo, in-SITCH-oo, and most correctly in-SEYE-too. Because commercial architecture is not generally made out of sticks of wood, the Latin in situ is often used to describe a process of building commercial properties or, more often, producing construction materials on site. For example, in situ concrete means cast-in-place concrete. That is, the concrete is molded and cured (i.e., cast) on the construction site, as opposed to pre-cast concrete (e.g., columns or beams made in a factory and transported to the construction site). One of the green methods used for the London 2012 summer Olympic Games was to provide a batching plant onsite, a one-source supplier of low-carbon concrete for all of the builders of Olympic Park. Concrete was mixed and poured in situ. In situ construction methods are thought to be more environmentally friendly. The main reason behind this belief is reducing the harmful effects of transporting beam after beam and pier after pier. Pros and Cons of Stick-Built Homes A common perception is that stick-built homes are better constructed, last longer, and have a better resale value than prefabricated or modular homes. This perception may or may not be true. Comparisons depend on the quality of the manufactured product versus the workmanship of a builder or carpenter. The major advantage for the home builder is in control. The contractor is in command of the materials and how they are assembled. Likewise, home owners also have certain administrative rights as they can oversee the piece-by-piece construction of their investment when its built in situ. Disadvantages: Common perceptions against stick-built homes involve time and money — that is, stick-built homes take more time to build and they cost more than house pieces built off-site and simply assembled onsite. Competitors also claim that continuous construction traffic to and from the building site makes the stick-built process less than a green building environment. These perceptions may or may not be true. Pushback From Prefabricators Stick-building is a traditional method being challenged by the marketers of modular and prefabricated methods. American Custom Builders, an independent modular home builder in Defiance, Ohio, describes why a system of prefabrication is better than stick built for these reasons: Stick built home have no controlled environment like a factory does — building outdoors in humidity and water can damage wood and cause delays. They say: A stick builder cannot control the weather....Our homes are all built indoors under a temperature controlled environment.Frame carpenters can take short-cuts youll never know about. They say: With An All American Home they use jigs to make sure the walls are straight and square.Stick-built homes take three times longer to build than prefabricated homes. They say: When the house is delivered, we will have it up in aprox. 9 hours.Homes built off-site are less expensive. They say: Will match our prices against his, any day! In Situ Architecture In situ architecture is a structure designed for a particular place, a specific environment, and a known site. Stick-built houses may be constructed onsite, but that doesnt mean that the building was designed architecturally for that land. Portland, Oregon architect Jeff Stern seeks to create architecture that is site specific....to capture the experience of a particular place; how the sunlight falls, and the rise and fall of the land....maintain and create strong views, maximize daylight and natural ventilation, and generally create a place better than when we began. The name of his architectural firm is In Situ Architecture. Resources and Further Reading BOCA Built, American Custom Builders, http://www.americancustombuilder.com/bocabuilt.htm [accessed September 8, 2015]About In Situ Architecture, http://www.insituarchitecture.net/about/ [accessed September 8, 2015]