The Taming of the Shrew Essay Example for Free

The Taming of the Shrew Essay Michael Billington, theatre critic for the Guardian, asked whether there is any reason to revive a play which seems totally offensive to our age and society (6 May 1978). With particular reference to the final scenes of the play, explore the ways in which a modern audience can respond to Shakespeares presentation of the relationship between Kate and Petruchio  To many desultory observers The Taming of the Shrew may be conjectured as being profoundly misogynistic, an intolerable illustration of female subjugation in 16TH Century England. However in my opinion this is a far too superficial and perfunctory observation. The Taming of the Shrew displays enough ambiguity in its readings to support differing interpretations of its meaning and demonstrates its relevance to modern society. It is clear that ones own evaluation of the plight of Kate is an integral part of whether one finds the play offensive or not. On face value the shrewish Kate is tamed by the cruel, exploitative Petruchio who uses her fathers wealth as his only reason to embark on their marriage; a marriage she despairingly tries and fails to resist. He embarrasses and degrades her, culminating in the final scene where Kate openly relinquishes her independence; grovellingly placing her hand under Petruchios foot and lectures the other women about what should be their traditional servant role within marriage. However such superficial interpretations fail to consider the strong possibility of the presence of dramatic irony in Shakespeares writing, that their marriage is in fact one of partnership. Fiona Shaw, a contemporary Shakespearean actor, offers this interpretation by commenting her vision coincides with his Kate and Petruchio were rebels and would remain rebels forever1. Indeed it has been argued that Kate actually tames Petruchio by seemingly bowing to his requests: Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper,  Thy head, thy sovereign; one that cares for thee (ACT V SCENE II 145-6) Superficially this may seem a submission, but it is possible to see the irony in Kates words. After all, at the time of writing, the head of state or the sovereign was Elizabeth I, therefore the aforementioned quotation symbolises a direct ironic attack against the patriarchal concept that Kate seems to be urging. Kates final speech could be categorised as a capitulation if its reader was without any idea or contextual knowledge about Kates complex character because much of its content is derived from sources used in the Elizabethan Church such as the Book of Homilies and The Instruction of Christian Women. However, it is certainly conceivable that it could be interpreted as a subversive manifesto. Kates flattering of Petruchio through her references to his brave naval background seems to appease him, yet it is she with the soft and smooth body. Petruchio maybe stronger in the physical sense, but it is he who has had to work harder in life and will work harder in marriage if Kate has her way. H.G. Goddards comment that everyone knows that the woman can lord it over the man as long as she allows him to think hes lording it over her supports this view, even if this comment is as equally facile as Kates taming a tribute to the ambiguity of the play. Textual evidence also configures with the doubt over whether Kates plight parallels with the doctrines of the Renaissance writers who fundamentally endorsed a patriarchal social hierarchy with the female subject to the orders of their husband or father. Lucentios final line Tis a wonder, by your leave, she will be tamed so emphasises the notion of scepticism over her sudden changed behaviour and that indeed she may have colluded with Petruchio in order to win the wager. The short time-scale of the play casts doubt over whether such a character as strong as Kate could really be tamed so emphatically. Indeed the feminist critic Germaine Greer has argued that the play is not a knockabout farce of wife-battering, but the cunning adaptation of a folk-motif to show the forging of a partnership between equals2, emphasised by Petruchio in the final scene finally acknowledging their alliance -well be to bed we thee are married, but you two are sped. It is Kate who is indeed shrewd enough to realise that she must appease Petruchio if she is to be able to forge a happy marriage with him. This is after Hortensio reminds Kate say as he says, or we shall never go a clue about the possible consequences if she continues her resistance. This is not a submission, but a clever ploy by Kate who realises that if her marriage is to progress from a state of extreme discomfort she must forge a partnership.

What are the Effects of Marriage and Religion on African Americans in U

What are the Effects of Marriage and Religion on African Americans in Urban America? The last three decades have witnessed a â€Å"retreat from marriage† in the United States, marked by high rates of nonmarital births, lower rates of marriage, and divorce. Although a growing body of research on the retreat from marriage has focused on its social and economic causes, little attention has been paid to the role that cultural institutions play in furthering or resisting the retreat from marriage. This paper focuses on the role that religious institutions—and the cultural norms and behaviors they promote—play in resisting this retreat among new parents in urban America. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we find that urban mothers who attend church regularly are significantly more likely to be married at the time of birth compared to urban mothers who do not attend church frequently, and that urban mothers who have a nonmarital birth are significantly more likely to marry within a year of that birth if they attend church f requently. These religious effects are mediated in part by the relationship-related beliefs and behaviors promoted by churches. Church-going urban mothers express higher levels of normative commitment to the institution of marriage. They also are more likely to benefit from higher levels of supportive behavior (e.g., affection) from the father of their children and lower levels of conflict with the father over sexual fidelity. Thus, by fostering beliefs and behaviors that support matrimony, religious institutions help urban mothers make the transition to marriage in communities where marriage has become increasingly infrequent. Recently, there has been a huge decline in marriage... ...ay also help explain distinctive class, racial, and ethnic patterns of marriage. Works Cited Furstenberg, Frank. 2001. â€Å"The Fading Dream: Prospects for Marriage in the Inner City.† In Problem of the Century, edited by E. Anderson and D. Massey. New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation Allison, Paul D. 1995. Survival Analysis using the SAS System: A Practical Guide. Cary, NC: SAS Institute, Inc.. Anderson, Katherine, Don Browning, and Brian Boyer. 2002. Marriage: Just a Piece of Paper? Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. Axinn, William G. and Arland Thornton. 2000. â€Å"The Transformation in the Meaning of Marriage.† In The Ties that Bind, edited by L. Waite. Hawthorne, NY: Aldine de Gruyter. Thornton, Arland, William G. Axinn, and Daniel H. Hill. 1992. â€Å"Reciprocal Effects of Religiosity, Cohabitation, and Marriage.† American Journal of Sociology 98:628-651.

High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program Essay

This is the biggest ionospheric heater on the planet. Being able to heat a one thousand square kilometer area of the ionosphere all the way to fifty thousand degrees. This heater is also a phased array. This means that it is capable to steer and when the waves and be physically aimed to a selected target area. What scientists have found out is that if you send radio frequency energy up and focusing it, it then causes a heating effect. This event then literally lifts the ionosphere within a 30-mile diameter area and furthermore changing pressure systems that were at homeostasis. The act of moving is an amazing event in the fact that humans can harness this power, this is a very dangerous reality we live in. One of the worst set backs is that the scientists cannot model the system in a good way. The long term consequences of this atmospheric heating are not known this fare but this is still used which can be doing terrible things to this environment. Changing weather in point A will create more powerful storms that merge together creating more destructive storms down the line. The most dangerous facts about this is that H.A.A.R.P. has already been charged in altering the weather which is just outrageous to even think of. H.A.A.R.P. stands for High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program. The purpose behind this program â€Å"is to study the properties and behavior of the ionosphere, with particular emphasis on being able to understand and use it to enhance communications and surveillance systems for both civilian and defense purposes† (2). This program is committed to developing a world-class ionospheric research lab, which includes: the ionospheric research instrument, and a sophisticated suite of scientific instruments. The ionspheric research instrument is a high power transmitter lab that functions in the high frequency range. The sophisticated instruments will be very helpful in a wide range of on going research efforts, which don’t include the IRI, however are strictly passive. The observation of this event of what the IRI creates in a controlled environment will let scientists gain a better understanding of what happens under the natural stimulation of the sun. This intense program is controlled and run by the United States Air Force in Gakona, Alaska. The individuals most interesting in harnessing this power, who are investing toward research in charge of this are the Air Force, Navy, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. This government are in charge of this and had personnel chosen to fit the needs of what the government was most interested which is normal because the U.S. government is notorious with covering up very outrageous situations created by the government. The reason the Department of Defense is included in this is because they ensure arctic research to ensure the further creation of knowledge, meaning and potential to catch up with the national defense needs in the arctic. â€Å"Interest in ionosphere research at HAARP grows from both of the large number of communication, surveillance and navigation systems that have radio paths which pass through the ionosphere, and from the unexplored potential of technological innovations which suggest applications such as detecting underground objects, communicating to great depths in the sea or earth, and generating infrared and optical emissions†(3). Expanding our knowledge about the interactions of signals passing through or reflecting from the ionosphere can help to solve future problems in the development of DoD systems, and could as well enhance the utilization of commercial systems which rely on the expedient transfer of real-time communications however on the downside will have detr imental aftereffects in the future also so it is a win-lose situation making it not worth it in my eyes. In the process of H.A.A.R.P. research I don’t think the higher ups care at all or maybe even know how bad this is to do to one of earths most important layer of the earth because it weakens the electrically-charged sphere which covers earths upper atmosphere. â€Å"It filters out X-rays, Cosmic rays and various particle streams that would be quite damaging to life on earth†(1). In fact the altering of the ionosphere would be significantly worse for earth than anything that would result from ozone depletion and is being done everyday. â€Å"They found that the signal sent up was amplified by a thousand times when it arrived there. HAARP, when it is fully completed, will have one billion watts of effective radiative power†(1). This is completely incredible to know the amount of artificial energy that has been built up in the atmosphere that can transform into stronger storms and will be able to destroy the earth. Scientists should start looking into this so that when we have grandkids the earth is not crumbling away and will be able to be enjoyed to future generations.

Informative Speech Topages And Disadvantages Of Cultural...

Informative Speech Coms 1030 Title of speech: Cultural Diversity in the Workplace Specific Purpose: My audience will be able to understand the advantages and disadvantages of cultural diversity in the workplace. Thesis: Introduction: I. Attention Getter At some point in time we have all been in a position where we were uncomfortable in a new setting, cultural diversity is presented in everyday life; whether you’re at a new university or starting a new job. Cultural diversity is becoming more common in the work place by expanding companies around the world. II. Audience Relevance Link According to 10 Diversity Statistics That Will Make You Rethink Your Hiring Decisions, racially diverse teams outperform non-diverse ones by 35%.†¦show more content†¦For example, a company may have to invest in programs to promote the expansion of diversity. Transition: Disadvantages come along in the process of trying to expand a workplace. II. Although there are many disadvantages of diversity in the workplace here are three advantages I found. a. Diversity can inspire and drive innovation, working with people from various backgrounds, who have different working styles can form a variety of ideas (â€Å"13 benefits and challenges,† 2017). For example, someone may be able to generate an exciting idea, someone else may be able to execute it with their experiences; this encourages individuals to use their strengths to work together (Deering, 2017). b. Diverse teams are more productive and perform better, the wide range of experience, expertise, and working methods make problem-solving more advanced and create more productivity (â€Å"13 benefits and challenges,† 2017). The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) conducted a study showing that working with cultural diversity created a happy and more productive outcome. c. There is also a greater opportunity for personal and professional growth, working in a diverse group can lead to new skills and approaches; which can develop a network that can benefit your career (â€Å"13 benefits and challenges,† 2017). Working with others who speak different languages makes it easier for a company to work globally and