Comedy and Plautus Essay Example

Comedy and Plautus Paper Aulularia is a comedic play written by Titus Maccius Plautus during a time when Athens was one of, if not the most powerful city-states in all of Europe. For this great society, historians use literary works to research and understand what the period was like. Aulularia is great play that can help historians investigate how slaves were, through Plautus’ humor you can catch how marriage and pro-creation is done and viewed in Ancient Athens. Titus Maccius Plautus, born sometime around 254 B. C. E. , (died in 185 B. C. E. in the village of Umbria was not always known as the famous comedic play-writer, but instead as the wandering miller. However, in his early age he is thought to have fled his hometown and made it as a carpenter/mechanic on the Roman stages (Plautus, Titus M, Aulularia). Plautus was in the great Roman army; there he was exposed to the Greek New Comedy and the plays of Menander (Plautus, Wikipedia). It wasn’t until around the age of 45 where he began writin g plays while working his hand-mill, grinding corn for the households (Plautus, Wikipedia). Plautus’ work was simply Latin adaptations of this genre of comedy. The people of Rome found everyday life very entertaining (Titus Maccius Plautus, Theatre Database). While writing these plays he had to keep in mind that most of the audience was very un-educated. However, one thing that all Romans had in common was home and family life. Jokes were made about family life and stereotyped personalities. While politics didn’t make there way into these plays, the gods did. It was somewhat controversial in the way his characters portrayed the gods. Characters in stories can almost always be compared to a god, which left him accused of teaching the public indifference and mockery towards the gods. It was interesting how upper class citizens belittled the gods and soldiers ridiculed them. All the while pimps, courtesans, and parasites praised the gods. Plays were never the only entertainment occurring at a given time, which forced Plautus to compete for people’s attention against chariot races, horse races, and boxing matches (Plautus, Wikipedia). He would go to great measures to entertain his audiences and demand their attention. We will write a custom essay sample on Comedy and Plautus specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Comedy and Plautus specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Comedy and Plautus specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer New Greek Comedy had plenty of slaves in their works usually being quite clever while playing the antagonist. However, Plautus used the slaves in his work a little differently in which they had much larger and active roles. Slaves were moved much further into the front of the action as a main character. This was Plautus’ best tactic in creating humor because people found it funny that slaves tricked their masters or compared themselves to gods. The inversion of roles by a devious and witty slave was comical and it wasn’t difficult to create a plot from there (Plautus, Titus Maccius, Theatre Database). Aulularia is a comedic play that takes place in present Athens (in relation to Plautus. ) Euclio (main character) is a very poor, older gentleman that lives in Athens. Euclio’s Household God blessed him by causing Euclio to discover the treasure in his home. However, soon you realize this is hardly a blessing because he obsesses over it, keeping it safe and pretty much ostracizes himself from the rest of the community (Konstan). Megadorus a very wealthy, older gentleman decides that he would like to marry Phaedria, Euclio’s daughter. At first Euclio is very skeptical of Megadorus because there is no reason an older rich man of Athens like himself, would want to marry a very poor mans daughter. The paranoid Euclio strongly believes that Megadorus knows of his gold. In a way he forgets about this when Megadorus tells him there is no need for a dowry to go along with the wedding that would happen that same day. Excited by this Euclio accepts the offer but no longer trusts that his home will be safe for his gold. He moves the gold to the temple of Fides. Strobilus (Lyconides’ slave) overhears Euclio talking and begins looking for the gold. When Euclio returns he beats the slave and threatens him. Euclio has no trust in Fides and decides to move it completely out of the city to a grove of Silvanus. Strobilus is all the while out of sight but keeps an eye on Euclio and when the time was right he went and stole the gold. Euclio returns and nothing is there and is absolutely crushed. Shortly after this Lyconides approaches him and informs him that the engagement of Megadorus and Phaedria. From here Lyconides explains that he has wronged his daughter at Ceres’ festival and asks her hand in marriage. Lyconides then comes across Strobilus who comes out and tells his master that he has found gold. The rest of the script has been lost but it is said that Lyconides returns the stolen gold to Euclio, who then gives Lyconides permission to marry his daughter. As a wedding present Euclio gives the gold to Phaedria and Lyconides (Plautus). The sole reason why Plautus created this play was for entertainment and he failed in his businesses. He became a play writer at 45 and brought a new wave of entertainment to Rome. â€Å"At all costs, he kept the pot of action boiling, the stream of gags and puns and cheap slapstick flowing. Anything to make the audience laugh and keep them from peeking in on the boxing match next-door† (Titus Maccius Plautus, Imagi-nation. com). In Aulularia you can see that he doesn’t particularly think highly of the upper class. Megadorus is a much older man but wants to ask Euclio’s young daughter Phaedria’s hand in marriage. This is out of lust with no regard to the social conflict. Megadorus seems so desperate for the young â€Å"flesh† that he is breaking the old tradition of a dowry. Also in Aulularia, he exhibits slaves to be much smarter than any Roman man in this play. Euclio is the poor victim who only wants his gold to be safe but cannot find a proper hiding place without having a peaceful mind. Despite the viewers finding this very comical, this has something to do with the fact that Plautus was not always wealthy and it took him a long time before he was living comfortably (Plautus). Aulularia says a great deal about the time period in Athens. Euclio was a metic in Athens, he a has permanent residency in the States but is not considered a citizen (Kempf). Euclio was very poor and really had nothing of value except for his gold. He lived a very un-easy way of life because he was paranoid that his gold would be taken from him. He lived in constant struggle and great poverty. Pythodicus says from the play, â€Å"Why, I tell you he begins bawling to heaven and earth to witness that hes bankrupt, gone to everlasting smash, the moment a puff of smoke from his beggarly fire manages to get out of his house. Why, when he goes to bed he strings a bag over his jaws. † Pythodicus is being a bit dramatic, but nonetheless, Euclio has to just hope that he lives to see another day because it is a constant struggle to put food on the table. Aulularia was a piece of literature that can really say something about slavery during these times. Athenians felt that they were superior to slaves in every aspect of life, but it showed that they could be devious and witty. Every slave featured in this play (Staphyla, Pythoidcus, Strobilus) seems to have some a decent amount of intelligence. Euclio’s old slave Staphyla, responded to him when told to watch the house by saying, â€Å"You aren’t afraid anyone will walk away with the house are you? I vow we’ve got nothing else there for the thieves to take—a full of emptiness as it is, and cobwebs. This was very surprising coming from someone who was threatened just moments before (Plautus). Megadorus slave Pythodicus. As noted before he is explaining how poor Euclio is and jokes about it with the cooks for the wedding. He is also the person who is overlooking the cooks and making sure everything goes as planned. This could job can only be given to someone trusted and responsible enough to carry out the task at hand (Plautus). Strobilus outsmarts Euclio and knows that he has a pot of gold that he is hiding. When he sees Euclio leaves the temple of Fides he sees him leave the city walls and climbs a tree well out of sight. He waits until after Euclio has left and digs up the pot of gold for himself. Strobilus even abandons his lookout for his master Lyconides to fetch this gold with the high hopes of buying his freedom (Plautus). The way marriage is done in Athens during this time was much different than the way that Megadorus goes about it. The Athenian marriage was an agreement between the bride’s father and the groom and sometimes the father’s brother (Kempf). This was the case in Aulularia. However the bride is supposed to give up all of her toys, and her hair is to be cut. On the night before the wedding the bride and groom take ritual baths and sang hymns to Hymen. The father was to make sacrifices to Hera, Zeus, Artemis, Aphrodite, and Peitho (The Women of Athens). None of these rituals were even mentioned in the play by Plautus. In the play the marriage was taking place within only a few hours of agreement between Euclio and Megadorus. This part of the play was not a good way to study the way marriage was handled in Athens during this time period. However the ending (or what remains of the ending) gives a much better idea of how the process is done. Lyconides another poor man, asks Euclio if he can marry his daughter. It was much more realistic for people to get married within their same social classes (Hunt, etc. all 98). In addition to this more realistic marriage proposal, Euclio’s dowry is the gold. In Athens during this time it was necessary for the father of the daughter to provide a dowry to the future husband (Kempf). Plautus instilled a lusty old man in almost all of his work for entertainment and this was no different in Aulularia. The old Athenian Megadorus wanted to marry Phaedria out of pure lust, and the thought of having â€Å"young flesh. † Eunomia says to Megadorus in Aulularia â€Å"Something that will make for you everlasting welfare. You should have children—God grand you may—and I want you to marry. † â€Å"Oh-h-h, murder! † Megadorus responds. In no way did Megadorus want children or have anything to do with the matter. In Athens it was the job of every man and woman to pro-create (Kempf). This does not give you the indication that this is the case at all and again is a poor piece of literature to use as a source for Athenian life back during this time period. However, if they take into consideration that this play is a comedy and this was one of the ways Plautus provided entertainment they would realize it is a mockery. This shows that Athenians looked down upon this behavior and it was not the â€Å"status quo† in Athenian society. Aulularia is a great piece of work to analyze when it comes to slavery, marriage, and pro-creation. Plautus’ work will go down as one of the great Athenian comedies and serve as a fantastic piece of documentation on Athenian society during this time period.

Beatles memorabilia essays

Beatles memorabilia essays No rock n roll group had more influence on a generation and the world as did The Beatles. They single handedly changed the period known as the Sixties and their influence is still being felt today. Music, culture, lifestyles, hairstyles, clothing styles and attitudes all changed because of this remarkable band that emerged out of Liverpool England in the early 1960s. The Beatles were George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney as pictured above. The Beatles themselves were greatly influenced by the early rock n roll stars from America such as Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent and others. During the bands infancy they spent a considerable amount of time listening and copying the styles of these great 1950s rock n roll heroes. Its fair to say that the music style adopted by the Beatles has in roots in 1950s American rock n roll. The Beatles dawned on the music scene in the very early 1960s and by 1963 had established themselves as the premiere rock n roll band in all of England. Frenzied crowds greeted the Beatles wherever they appeared throughout all of England. Beatlemania was born. The America music scene had all but ignored what was transpiring in England. But by January 1964, after the release of the Beatles second album in England, America could not longer resist the onslaught of these four loveable guys with mop-top haircuts. They stormed onto the American music scene in February 1964 with their historic performances in Washington DC, Carnegie Hall and Shea Stadium. Their music, coupled with their first class humor and personalities, firmly established them as the rock n roll kings for an entire generation. Their popularity, both yesterday and today, still remains unequaled by any other rock n roll artist. The memorabilia licensed by The Beatles is vast and seemingly...

Health Care Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Health Care Reform - Essay Example This type awareness is must for people in the society. Irrespective of their race, religion & class women were not seen as women in the society in the beginning of this century. The woman, often conceived and the childbirth have become dangerous. There was no birth control system in yester-years. The abortion was treated as an unlawful thing. They did not follow any contraceptive methods, as the same were not available or discovered. The system of divorce was so complexes and was not within the reach of the poor in yesteryears. The women were not encouraged to learn education. In the society, no compromise is possible in the case of abortion and further action should be taken only after reviewing legal and ethical issues. People who respect moral values more than anything consider legalization of abortions, as an equivalent to murder should not be tolerated, as they would become a disease to the society. Supporters of abortion argue that a world should respect the right to women’s privacy to take decision about her body. And they also argue that any government interference or public violence or any violation of a womans right to privacy and autonomy should be strictly condemned. The history of the women is the product of time of century old women. It is the growth of the women for the last 25 years, which focused on their memories, testimonies and pointing out women’s experience. Abortion is an issue to reasonable people who disagree vehemently the legalization process, which they consider to be a hindrance to the moral norms of the society. Most dramatically, a few pro-life supporters or rather extremists took the extreme step of killing the doctors who make abortions. Thus an argument goes to save one life can another life be taken, is this step supports the society’s moral values? Supporters of abortion look this situation a perfect launch pad to show the society that women too

Design for sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Design for sustainability - Essay Example Design for sustainability refers to the philosophy of designing products or objects that are environmentally friendly and conform to the principles of social, economic and ecological sustainability. Design for sustainability is also known as environmentally sustainable design or simply sustainable design The aim of design for sustainability is to completely get rid of negative environmental effects or impacts through skillful and sensitive design. Its manifestation does no want resources that cannot be renewed, has minimal impact on the environment and relate humans to the natural environment. Therefore, when designing a product, companies should incorporate environmental and social factors throughout the life cycle and supply chain of the product with respect to their socio-economic surrounding (McAloone and Bey, 2009). The life cycle of a product begins from extracting, processing and supplying of the raw materials and energy required for the product. It then proceeds to the produc tion, distribution, consumption (reuse and recycling) and ultimate disposal. It is important to note that sustainability has no absolute value; the sustainability of any product is an allusive quality that will differ from one product to another (McAloone and Bey, 2009). Due to global concerns over environmental and social problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty, health and pollution, most industries have improved their products to meet sustainability criteria or principles in order to out do or out shine their competitors. However, there are some companies that have not adapted this principles of sustainability and their products seem to be so unfriendly and unsustainable, for instance, the plastic bags (Diehl and Crul, 2007). The plastic bags were initially considered to be more sanitary and friendly to the environment as compared to the deforesting paper bag. They are cheaper to make, sturdy and easy to carry. However, with recent findings, they have proved to be very much environmentally unfriendly and unsustainable. Plastic bags are made from flimsy plastics which are not easy to recycle. They easily blow into trees and water bodies thereby killing marine life. They also take much of the required landfill space. In addition, plastics are made from polyethylene (a by product of oil refining) which is a non renewable resource. According to Mendis (2009), the oil used in making plastics is about 4% of the world’s total oil production. Plastics are also produced using a lot of electricity as compared to the paper bags; they require four times as much energy produce and 85 times as much to recycle (Mendis, 2009). The chemicals and inks used in making the plastics can also leak and pollute the environment, particularly the soil and water bodies. When burned, the chemicals and inks in the plastics produce noxious compounds that are a threat to the human life. Plastic bags are non biodegradable; they take about 400 to 1000 years to disa ppear. Plastic bags also have the tendency of causing suffocation among children. It is estimated that about twenty five children (below one year) in the US suffocate each year because of the plastic bags (Mendis, 2009). The plastic bags are also a threat to the life of most animals. About 105,000 sea animals such as dolphins, penguins, whales and turtles die yearly due to plastic bags. Most of these animals mistake the plastic bags for food, ingest them and eventually die (Mendis, 2009). For instance the turtles always mistake the bags for jellyfish. And since the plastic bag are non digestible, they will intact even after the animal dies and decomposes. Thus, it lies in the sea and gets ingested with another animal. Having mentioned the impacts of plastic bags on the environment and how it is unsustainable, it is wise to explore ways of making it environmentally friendly or give alternative for it. To protect the environment, it is therefore important to consider the following alt ernatives to plastic bags: use

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.