Foundation: Myths Of Rome

Foundation: Myths Of Rome Although the foundation of Rome cannot be traced back using scholarly articles instead archaeological records have been used to provide immense data using settlements, religious sites and material dated back to the foundation of Rome. We have retrospective accounts from Livy and Virgil. The reign of Augustus was a time that used the foundation myths and the retelling of them to unify Rome due to the fragmented state that Rome was in after the civil wars. The use of the myths was used to unify Rome as one and to relate to the people that they all had and have common origins. By doing this Augustus was using myth to promote a message, not only of political union but of a union that the people originated from one beginning, to further drive this point he built statues of much grandeur and restored the hut of Romulus. Romulus and Aeneas in his imperial imagery; for instance, he erected statues of these figures in his new imperial Forum, and ostentatiously restored the thatched hut of Romulus on the Palatine after it was destroyed by fire. (Block 2 Page 108) By retelling the foundation myth stories Augustus was appealing to the moral side of the peoples nature by suggesting that all of Rome should be in unity and that tradition should be remembered and recognised. He was billing himself as Romes second founder hoping to unify Rome in a more peaceful age. In my opinion this is most definitely a use of myth for moral messages and perhaps a way to control the people in his reign. In some of the accounts written by Livy, whom is thought to be a friend of Augustus but also a truthful person, it states that Livys writing does reveal that he was an advocate of the morality associated with the Roman republic. At the same time, however, he was frequently optimistic about the new imperial era. (Block 2 page 110) Perhaps also Livy is a tactician, while supporting his friend Augustus his scepticism of the super natural elements and of the foundation myths of Rome, are evident for he suggests that the wolf that suckled Romulus and Remus was in fact a prostitute with the nickname of wolf. However Livy in his accounts of myth does show recognition and makes use of some mythical characters such as Aeneas, Romulus and Remus. Augustus used many of the writings from the accounts of Livy including the curule chair and the purple boarded toga to promote a unified Rome for example. On the reverse of a coin it showed Augustus with the inscription reading, He restored the laws and rights of the Roman people. (Block 2 Page 112) This is another demonstration of how Augustus used myth supported by the writings of Livy to unify Rome. The inscription on the coin represents this and refers to all Roman people. Neros use of myth Nero in his reign was a great entertainer and I am certain used myth as a vehicle for communication with the people of Rome. Nero was using the characters to project the parallels between him and his power as an Emperor of Rome and perhaps to influence how he was thought of. This is exemplified in the reference of Suetonius were he writes of Nero singing of the myth of Niobe to link him with the god Apollo. Nero planned to rule by following the example of Augustus so Nero was therefore following the close association that Augustus had with Apollo. This would also help us to understand that myth was being reused to keep the morality and belonging of the Roman people unified. Nero also associated himself with another god Sol by having images of him pictured in a radiate crown which would show the link to Sol. Being seen by the people of Rome was important for a ruler, and, without mass media, public events were always a stage for the emperor; how an emperor behaved in front of and toward the crowd enabled a dialogue between rulers and ruled. Nero wanted the people to see him as a god and used the similarities of himself and Apollo to create peace. Even in official coinery Nero can been seen akin to Apollo in the way he is presented as Apollo Citharoedus, advancing right in flying robes, playing lyre which he did often. Nero justified his own singing by observing that singing is sacred to Apollo (Primary Source 2.6, p. 39). (Block 2 page 143) In the reign of Nero even the Elite were made to perform and this perhaps allied Nero with the lower classes of Rome and allowed him to reach further to masses and become more popular. Nero used myth as an entertainment tool and would use themes of tragedies to perform to. It has been noted that Suetonius recorded Nero being involved in the ballets about the Minotaur, Daedalus and Icarus. He would sing about Niobe. Many of the rulers of Rome have used myth for different ends, in the case of Augustus he wanted to unify Rome and improve the strength of the empire by using myth to communicate of the origins of Rome by unifying the people the empire would be stronger. Nero in comparison was so taken up with the theatre and performing that he used it as a vehicle to promote himself to all of Rome, some believed he was claiming a god like status through the performance of myth and the production of relics depicting him as the gods Apollo or Sol. Flavian Amphitheatre The Amphitheatre was an in important stage for myth and by using the amphitheatre as a performance arena myth was able to reach wider audiences. The players in the arena would impersonate characters from myth although in some circumstances the endings to the myths may be dramatised to entertain the audience. The audience would have to have prior knowledge of myths to identify characters from their props, such as Juno characterised by holding a diadem and sceptre. This meant that it was no only the elite that were aware of the myths but most of society. Political and Moral use of myth It is known that Rome was decorated elaborately with temples, pictures, buildings and statues. This decoration was often dedicated to the gods and myths. It is shown myth was not only understood by the elite but by the all Romans as they were encompassed by all this imagery even in as far as the very coinage that they carried in their pockets. It is clear from the findings of many a signet ring, and images of the gods expressed in many ways in the guise of Emperors, that these rings could also be significant indicators of political allegiance to the Gods and therefore the Emperors who were represented as them. Therefore it is likely that political allegiance and identity were also communicated through the medium of myth. It has been stated that at heart of most political points are rhetoric, myth and symbolism. This will only work if myth is believed and can be a cause of unrest if the general public have access to other sources of information. Myths are a source of propaganda still used and allied with today A number of the myths were rewritten in Augustuss reign and this could be why he used them to help retell the myths and stories in a way that would support him throughout his reign, because at this time it was a period in which there was a great unrest and war in Rome. By focussing on the concept of the origins of Rome this would optimistically allow for the conflicts to dispel and develop into a unified peaceful focus for an integrated Rome. It needs also to be noted that the writings by Livy from the period of the rein of Augustus, do not all lend themselves to support Augustus and all of his ideals. From the view of Livy he interpreted the rape of the Sabine women as a politically motivated attack, a way to increase the population of Rome because they did not have women folk so the women had a dedicated use being that of reproduction. This act also cemented the relationship the Sabine villages in time after the attack, because now their daughter had offspring that were Roman and Sabine and the women acted as political mediators between both sides resulting in a combined relationship and an extension t the Roman Empire. Myth has been woven into to political life and it was a vehicle of communication between ruler and subjects. Theatrical performances that linked myth to the reality of contemporary life allowed stories to be a method of communicating with the public. The all important image to that of an Emperor was signified in many ways by having statues built of themselves in poses and with props that were representative of Gods. Myth at home The representation of myths in Villas echoed that of the imperial Rome, the example of the Roman Villa decorated highly with images taken from myth. It seems that myths had an importance to the Roman people because they are pictured on very mundane items as well as the precious, from wall paintings, pottery and silverware to combs and other everyday items. Myth is referred to in epitaphs and funerary monuments from the rich to the poor although it is not a claim to be a God it does show the widespread use of myth and how important it was to people of Rome. Myths were symbols for people to associate themselves with and present their knowledge beliefs and their own identity. Conclusion Myths were used to communicate moral and political messages but they were also retold for entertainment purposes. It is evident that rulers used myth to try and establish some type of hold and control over society. The Emperors wanted and needed to have a united Rome and used myth to retell of a time of greatness. By relating to myth the rulers are establishing an identity with myth and the ideology that is presented in a story form, this then increases a persons awareness of the correct way to behave or to warn of consequences should they behave like the characters in the myths. Although the use of myth appears to be very wide spread I believe that rulers would use the stories and adapt them to fit their own purpose, by doing this it would allow a firm control of the people from both a political and moral standing. The Romans appeared to have been surrounded by myth because it was displayed in many forms from statues and monuments created by the emperors to the items of pottery that would be used in many houses. It was used as propaganda allowing for each ruler to place their own interpretation and spin depending on their own needs and requirements. The evidence that shows how important myth was to the Romans and still exists in funerary monuments and the use of myth has provided a tool for rulers to use as a medium to deploy messages to their subjects, due to their beliefs, significance and meaning to Roman people. (Word Count 1954)

American Dream – American Beauty & Of Mice and Men

Although the roots of the American Dream are founded on opportunity for all, it has become an inaccessible illusion for most. John Steinbeck’s novella â€Å"Of mice and men† explores the fragility of this concept in a more modern context. Whereas Sam Mendez’s film â€Å"American Beauty† uses black comedy to highlight the allusive nature of the American dream that has become perverted by an affiant society. Both of these texts expose a reality that reveals the isolation and loneliness experienced from pursuing American dream. George and Lenny both shared â€Å"The American Dream† of owning their own small farm house. However they too were unable to grasp the reality when their dream became crushed by society’s expectations. ‘Some day – we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and –‘, George and Lenny constantly repeats this phrase continuously throughout the novella, as their personal ambition and aim. It was this specific phrase that allowed our two protagonists to differentiate from others, it gave our protagonists hope as they were unique from all other farm workers ‘Guys like us, that work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake and then they go inta town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their tail on some other ranch’. Knowing that they were different from all other farm workers they motivated themselves to believe that they were able to obtain what others could not, as they were different from everyone else ‘They ain’t got nothing to look ahead to’ †¦ ‘But not us! ’ An’ why? Because †¦ Because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why’. Our two protagonists can closely compared with the mouse in Robert Burns Poem â€Å"To a Mouse†. The mouse within Burns poems lived on a farm very similar to Lennie and George. Through hard work the mouse creates a home, which was ultimately destroyed by the farmer. The rodents that Lennie often carried around symbolises how fragile they really were, being crushed by Lennie’s petting. The American Dream was supposedly founded on the belief that it was a dream for all and that everyone had an equal chance. However Steinbeck’s choice of emphasizing both the fragility and the selective nature of the American Dream crushes Lenny and George indefinitely. Steinbeck highlights the allusive nature of the American dream by using alienated and lonely characters who are shown to be unable to fulfil their dream. Crooks is a black man who was shunned from society merely because of his colour and race. Unable to belong with the rest of the other characters, he is often shown alone. When Lennie first confronts Crooks, Crook turned his vulnerability against Lennie and lied about George never returning, suggesting that George will never return. He plays a cruel game with Lennie, suggesting to him that George is gone for good. Only when Lennie threatens him with physical violence does he relent. Crooks exhibits the corrosive effects that loneliness can have on a person; his character evokes sympathy as the origins of his cruel behavior are made evident. Perhaps what Crooks wants more than anything else is a sense of belonging—to enjoy simple pleasures such as the right to enter the bunkhouse or to play cards with the other men. This desire would explain why, even though he has reason to doubt George and Lennie’s talk about the farm that they want to own, Crooks cannot help but ask if there might be room for him to come along and hoe in the garden. Similarly, Curly’s wife also had an ambition to be a movie star and famous. Near the start of the novella, Curly’s wife was shown to be a â€Å"tramp† or â€Å"tart†, however as the novella progresses, her lust for attention grows. This desire is shown by her confrontation with other men, even though Curly had told her not to. The lack of attention that the other characters and the story gave her is further emphasised by Steinbeck’s decision of disallowing her a name. Curly wife’s is also another character that demonstrated loneliness, however, unlike other characters, she had little significance. Similarly Sam Mendez also produces unique individuals within â€Å"American Beauty†, each having their own dreams and ambitions, to demonstrate the allusion that the American dream is for everyone. The Burnham’s in particular were bitter and confined even though they were shown to have â€Å"Everything†: a house, a car, a family. Even though the Burnhams had the depicted everything, they did not appear to be content with their life. Lester Burnham, the protagonist, has been slowly deteriorating from the typical patriarchal household. Lester is often showed to be confined within himself shut of from other characters. During the first office scene, Lester’s reflection upon the computer is shown behind green bars of text. Even Lester himself admits that he loser living the same boring life every day. At the beginning of the movie Lester starts of narrating, â€Å"In a way I’m dead already†. During the first dinner scene after Lester walks into the kitchen, Lester tells Jane â€Å"Sometimes Jane you don’t have to wait for me to come to you. You can come to me† however Jane’s response was different from the typical families creating a sunse of unrealistic expectation of what a family should be. When Lester is in the shower, he is also confined within the small shower cubicle. It wasn’t until Lester reverted back to the consumption of pot that he starts challenging everyone, breaking away from the accumulating confinement. At this point Lester breaks away from the facade that he was unworthy, gaining independence. Caroline on the other hand is taken in by the desire for success. Even though Caroline had everything that the American dream states, she continues to long for more. This shows how the American Dream is continuously filled with wants and desires. When Lester and Caroline were alone in the living room Caroline gets distracted by Lester nearly spilling beer on the coach. Lester tells her â€Å"This isn’t life. This is just stuff. And this stuff has become more important to you than living. † Both Mendez and Steinbeck imply through their texts that The American Dream is merely a facade and an allusion that anyone can obtain. However, the selective nature of the dream restricts various people from pursuing this happiness.

Poetic Reflections on Mortality and Ephemerality Essay

Have you ever hypothetically pondered the details of your own fatality? Everyone covets a bit of certainty that not many realities allow, but mortality -while a glum concept- is a definite fate we will all ultimately encounter in our respective lifetimes. â€Å"Nothing is more predictable than death. Each of us will die without any need to take adventuresome risks. † (Kelly, 1986). This is likely the reason prolific poets Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost have created quite similar themed poems using dissimilar imaginative slants in which they optimistically convey the topic of human transience. Death is a disheartening, tragic matter that not very many individuals readily wish to discuss. Because ephemerality is, however, an extremely ordinary notion to countless expressive artists, it is vital to notice the literary elements these renowned authors applied which set such works apart from less potent pieces. The symbolism, tone, assonance, rhythm, and other literary techniques behind the elegies â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969) and â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893) fervently beg for further exploration. No matter which approach authors apply to such deviations, one truth remains; the amount of life contained in the works by Frost and Dickinson is somewhat ironic to say the least. If you envision the scenery described in literary pieces you read as if you are a participating, fictional character, you exceptionally possess â€Å"The human power that shapes artistic expression†¦ † (Clugston, 2010 a). Put in simpler terms, you clearly have a vivid imagination! Prodigious writers can and will effortlessly incorporate such imagery into their work by imploring the implicit values of society and culture(s). Nothing Gold Can Stay† by Robert Frost (1969) is unquestionably far from the exception as he connects the way leaves grow, change, and die to our eventual demise with ease. Frost wrote, â€Å"Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. † (Frost, 1969). With the introduction of this allusive writing technique, he develops a clear yet slightly ambiguous mental picture for his readers to envisage. Of course, we know nature is not a person nor does have hands in which it could literally grasp a color. Hence, the meaning of Robert’s words is symbolic and figurative. Sure, Mr. Frost could very well have written something resembling â€Å"Beings age like leaves change colors. † Instead, this brilliant poet was aware of the fact that generating embodiment versus the aforementioned simile delivers the most enticing reading experience to the audience. In â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893), the author similarly dishes out a full serving of powerful metaphors making this another comparable aspect to personification found in Frosts’ poem. At the very beginning, Emily Dickinson refers to unescapable, human cessation as a chivalrous gentleman when she states, â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me;† (Dickinson, 1893). The author is actually being extremely facetious as a deliberate, artistic maneuver in order to give life to the darkest of subjects. She selects to represent passing away in a more graceful process. It is a steady flowing motif continuing throughout the body of this work to form a concise, elucidating theme. From centuries beyond the grave, the narrator describes the peaceful process of her passing, in which Death is personified and escorts her in his carriage. During the leisurely ride, she passes many ordinary sights: a school house, fields–but finally realizes that the ride will last for all eternity. † (Chen & Aull, 1993). Dickinson’s apparent intention in this poem is depiction via exemplification. Her language is a quintessential representation of an allegory with more thought provocation than verity. Again, readers should prepare themselves to observe a nonliteral or rhetorical scenario and focus on ascertaining the seriousness hidden behind a much more abstract meaning. Symbolism is another conceptualized, literary element featured in both stories despite being more prevalent in â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969). Frost used the typical colors of nature (green and gold) imply symbols of spring, that progress as the remaining cycles of nature seasonally occur. Furthermore, he hints at a deeper meaning behind death— a period of transformational change. In order to appreciate this impression, â€Å"Recall Socrates’s argument: ‘the state of death is one of two things: either the dead man wholly ceases to be and loses all consciousness or, as we are told, it is change and a migration of the soul to another place’. † (Deppman, 2000). He picked the color gold to symbolize the fragility and eventual insignificance of even our most valuable physical and emotional possessions. By his statement, â€Å"Then leaf subsides to leaf, So, Eden sank to grief. † (Frost, 1969), Frost selects to demonstrate the sorrow felt after loss of life as well as depicting an analogous allusion to the biblical Creation story. Whereas in â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (1893), Emily Dickinson poses a more unconventional attitude toward her own demise. In lines five through eight, she writes, â€Å"We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put away, My labor, and my leisure too, For his civility. † (Dickinson, 1893). When the speaker refers to ‘his’ â€Å"kindness† and â€Å"civility†, she is articulating death as a slow, patient, and compassionate. â€Å"She progresses from childhood, maturity (the â€Å"gazing grain† is ripe) and the setting (dying) sun to her grave. The children are presented as active in their leisure (â€Å"strove†). The images of children and grain suggest futurity, that is, they have a future; they also depict the progress of human life. † (Unknown Author, 2009). Thus, the carriage ride actually symbolizes the act of abandoning her life and the memories it contained. She humbly revers death as the calm, quiet finally of incarnation. Dickinson even insinuated the harsh reality of visiting of her own grave when she wrote, â€Å"We paused before a house that seemed, A swelling of the ground; The roof was scarcely visible, The cornice but a mound. (Dickinson, 1893). Aging to the point of loss of life does remain the central theme inside both poems, but representations are a tad more distinct in Frosts’ than in Dickinson’s symbolic approach. Have you ever witnessed one’s mood shift completely? Authors generally try to maintain the same theme throughout one work. It is equally as important to dis cern the how the author’s tones contribute to the clarity of each piece. Sometimes, whether done by the author accidentally or with intent, we observe a change in the mood(s) of a motif. While Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost mutually demonstrate the qualities of human temporariness, their tones are also diverse. By writing, â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969), the permanent state of leaving this world is denoted in a matter of fact way. Frost does not truly elude to his personal outlook on an afterlife, but focuses more on the cycle of life itself. Dickinson not only utilizes the same facet, but also takes it a step further when she states, â€Å"Since then ’tis centuries, and yet each, Feels shorter than the day I first surmised the horses’ heads, Were toward eternity. (Dickinson, 1893). She began her countenance with succinct tenor that later becomes a bit clouded. Dickinson’s audience receives a definite resolve rather than experiencing the need to imply ideals she holds about her faith. Each of these poems is incredibly whimsical, but Frost concisely manipulates the setting of nature giving his work the currency of application to any period in time. Sound patterns are another inspired technique both composers have exposed us to in the intricacy of their work. We automatically follow the rhythm these superb authors display. For instance, Frost uses alliteration in â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† when he writes, â€Å"So dawn goes down to day. † (Frost, 1969). The repetition of words that begin with a â€Å"d† is a strategy meant to make the thought stronger and more emphatic for readers. His rhyme scheme is comprised of modest, consonant couplets (non-alternating). Dickinson actually used the complete opposite effect. In her poem â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893), she integrated the repetition of vowel sounds by presenting an alternating pattern of words known as assonance. Again, an example is unmistakable in the lines, â€Å"We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put away, My labor, and my leisure too, For his civility. † (Dickinson, 1893) and more specifically the poetic harmony of the words â€Å"away† and â€Å"civility. † With the rhythm in this poem, there is rhyme, but it has a much greater reliance on pronunciation. She may have started a trend in literature as, â€Å"Assonance is frequently substituted for end rhymes in modern poetry. † (Clugston, 2010 b). The authoring style Frost exercised was extra simplistic, yet multidimensional as well. Is it not an astounding conception to think of the distinguished artistry that must have went into two ostensibly austere compositions about the matching theme of impermanence? The fact that we cannot artlessly disregard the scholarly adeptness and literate gifts of Dickinson and Frost is surpasses distinction. Even more significant than the expiry themes both versifiers applied is the presence of underlying secondary themes. Frost hints life as being â€Å"golden,† leading one to surmise he is ‘saying’ to â€Å"Carpe Diem† or â€Å"Enjoy the day. (Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010). Therein, he selects to show life has precious intrinsic worth. Even though there are purity and a biblical reference in Frost’s â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (1969), his nature theme additionally highlights environmental/scientific characteristics. Syntax expended by Dickinson in â€Å"Because I could not stop for death† (Dickinson, 1893), in fact, alludes to a compassion and sympathy being felt for the persona. A prime example is her statement, â€Å"The carriage held but just ourselves, And Immortality. † (Dickinson, 1893). If the dramatic concentration of this author was to deliver a graceful reflection on her evolution, she was unequivocally efficacious. Some find it helpful to get an outsider’s opinion of the depressing conversational topic of human immortality. While our passing lingers as a fully common subject for individuals to contemplate spiritual principles, authors have written pieces that include a plethora of other beneficial notions worth uncovering. â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893) is exquisitely illustrated by Emily Dickinson and venerated as an allegoric requiem with assonance that produced solid imagery. Likewise, Robert Frost impeccably regulated â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969) to communicate symbolism with a classic form of consonance that is painless to identify. Both literature icons fine-tuned those components with figures of speech, personification, and tone and themes, rhyme schemes, and other literary techniques all requiring immense, prior critical thought in â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969) and â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893). They expel an aura of chirpiness that renders as a refreshing and unique outlook encompassed in positivity. These poetic mavens wanted their audience(s) to derive a deeper message about making the most of our lives. Two notorious, inspirational pieces of literature are calling upon us to take some risks and make an impression before we take our last breathe.

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