The 4,000 Year Old History of Locks

Archeologists found the oldest known lock in the Khorsabad palace ruins near Nineveh. The lock was estimated to be 4,000 years old. It was a forerunner to a pin tumbler type of lock, and a common Egyptian lock for the time. This lock worked using a large wooden bolt to secure a door, which had a slot with several holes in its upper surface. The holes were filled with wooden pegs that prevented the bolt from being opened. The  warded lock  was also present from early times and remains the most recognizable lock and key design in the Western world. The first all-metal locks appeared between the years 870 and 900, and are attributed to the English. Affluent Romans often kept their valuables in secure boxes within their households and wore the keys as rings on their fingers.   During the period of the 18th and 19th centuries — in part to the onset of the Industrial Revolution — many technical developments were made in the locking mechanisms that added to the security of common locking devices. It was during this period that America changed from importing door hardware to manufacturing and even exporting some. The earliest patent for a double-acting pin tumbler  lock  was granted to American physician Abraham O. Stansbury in England in 1805, but the modern version, still in use today, was invented by American Linus Yale, Sr. in 1848. But, other famous locksmiths patented their lock designed before and after Linus. Robert Barron   The first serious attempt to improve the security of the lock was made in 1778 in England. Robert Barron  patented a double-acting tumbler lock. Joseph Bramah   Joseph Bramah patented the safety lock in 1784. Bramahs lock was considered unpickable. The inventor went on to create a Hydrostatic Machine, a beer-pump, the four-cock, a quill-sharpener, a working planer, and more. James Sargent   In 1857, James Sargent invented the worlds first successful key-changeable combination lock. His lock became popular with safe manufacturers and the United States Treasury Department. In 1873, Sargent patented a time lock mechanism that became the prototype of those being used in contemporary bank vaults. Samuel Segal   Mr. Samuel Segal (former New York City policeman) invented the first jimmy proof locks in 1916. Segal holds over twenty-five patents. Harry Soref   Soref founded the Master Lock Company in 1921 and patented an improved padlock. In April 1924, he received a patent (U.S #1,490,987) for his new lock casing. Soref made a padlock that was both strong and cheap using a case constructed out of layers of metal, like the doors of a bank vault. He designed his padlock using laminated steel. Linus Yale Sr.   Linus Yale invented a pin-tumbler lock in 1848. His son improved upon his lock using a smaller, flat key with serrated edges that is the basis of ​the  modern pin-tumbler locks. Linus Yale Jr. (1821-1868)   American, Linus Yale Jr. was a mechanical engineer and lock manufacturer who patented a cylinder pin-tumbler lock in 1861. Yale invented the modern combination lock in 1862.

Suicide and the Harm Principle - 2897 Words

The Right to Suicide and Harm Suicide under circumstances of extreme suffering is the morally right action as opposed to the alternative, living in pain. J.S. Mill’s Utilitarian ideals provide strong reasoning to support suicide in instances of severe pain, while Kant’s moral theory of the categorical imperative provides reasoning against taking one’s own life. Mill’s principle of utility is the maximization of pleasure and the reduction of pain. Mill regards happiness as the greatest good in life and all actions should be performed as long as they have the tendency to produce pleasure. Mill also introduces the Harm Principle. The Harm Principle is used to determine whether coercion is justifiable based on the impact of individual†¦show more content†¦Mill would invoke the Harm Principle. The act of committing suicide would be a self-regarding act. As the harm is directly imposed on herself, all other consequences of her action are considered indirect as they occur through Jan e’s self-regarding act. Hence, Jane should suffer no moral or legal sanctions for committing suicide. Furthermore, she has evaluated her options and upon deep consideration, decided that the pain of living with her condition outweighs the pleasure of living with her condition. A utility calculation can be formalized to further justify her decision on utilitarian grounds. (Utilitarianism) For Jane: 1. Tendency to cause pleasure: 100 units 2. Tendency to cause pain: 50 units For the aggregate of the other people affected: 3. Tendency to cause pleasure: 10 units 4. Tendency to cause pain: 20 units Hence: Pleasure: 110 units, Pain: 70 units. Perform the action. For Jane, dying would be the ultimate pleasure as it is the end of her suffering. She views suicide as the mean to her ultimate end: happiness. For Jane, the pain of dying is less than the pain of living. After seeing her mother die from Parkinson’s disease, she makes the valid decision to not die the same way. She recognizes that death is the end of her life and the pain of leaving her family and friends does impact on this decision. Yet, when compared to the suffering she will endure as her Parkinson’s progresses, the pleasure derived fromShow MoreRelatedJohn Stuart Mills Harm Principle Essay978 Words   |  4 Pagesmany ways. I’d like to focus of his ideas of the harm principle and a touch a little on his thoughts about the freedom of action. The harm principle and freedom on action are just two subtopics of Mill’s extensive thoughts about the conception on liberty. Not only do I plan to discuss and explain each of these parts on the conception of libe rty, but I also plan to discuss my thoughts and feelings. I have a few disagreements with Mill on the harm principle; they will be stated and explained. My thoughtsRead MoreNurse Jackie And Assisted Suicide1364 Words   |  6 PagesNurse Jackie and Assisted Suicide Ethical dilemmas exist everywhere around us in everyday situations. Something as simple as picking up a piece of trash off the floor to whether you should use a previously written paper from a separate class for a current assignment in this class. It exists in reality and even on television shows. How, then, do people resolve these ethical dilemmas and how do they defend their decisions? Nurse Jackie is a television series impregnated with ethical dilemmas, especiallyRead MoreFree Doctor Assisted Suicide Within Canada1136 Words   |  5 PagesIn late February 2016, a recent debate among Canadian politicians arose on whether mature minors have the right to access doctor-assisted suicide within Canada. In Canadian Paediatric Society1 article, it explains how the government has a three-year deadline in order to create new legislation. However, the the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) believes that this three-year deadline Is not enough time to â€Å"gather adequate and appropriate in formation† on whether this practice should be allowed to beRead MoreThe Death Of Physician Assisted Suicide1731 Words   |  7 Pagesthink it could be immoral. For physician-assisted suicide to even be considered the patient must be of sound mind when they are requesting the physician-assisted suicide. To guarantee that the process is carried out correctly a doctor or a witness should be there to prove consciousness. The patient must be diagnosed with a terminal illness, if they are not then there is a possibility for a life. There are many pro’s and con’s to physician-assisted suicide. If a person is terminally ill they would notRead MoreThe Legalization Of Physician Assisted Suicide1720 Words   |  7 PagesIt is obvious discussing physician-assisted suicide is a very controversial issue that is discussed daily by those who wish to die to avoid loss of dignity and also by those who think it is unethical. For physician-assisted suicide to even be considered, t he patient must be of sound mind when they are requesting death with dignity. Physician-assisted suicide should be a legal option for people who are unable to end their own lives. However, there should be safeguards to prevent any sort of abuseRead MoreCritical Reflection : The Euthanasia Debate1652 Words   |  7 PagesThese issues have brought forth the euthanasia debate, which poses the question, â€Å"Should an individual have the right to choose to die?† In February 2015, in the case of Carter v. Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada declared that physician-assisted suicide will be legal for a â€Å"competent person who (1) clearly consents to the termination of life and (2) has a grievous and irremediable medical condition†¦that causes enduring suffering that is intolerable to the individual in the circumstances of his orRead MoreMovie Analysis : Million Dollar Baby1273 Words   |  6 Pagesher die or not because he wants to keep her alive and he knows it s a sin if he helps her commit suicide. He understands that she is suffering and even keeping her alive is killing her. Ultimately, Frankie goes to Maggie s hospital room, take her off mechanical ventilation and injects her with adrenaline to end her life. This movie deals with the ethical issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide for people with disabilities or debilitating disease. According to Merriam-webster dictionary, theRead MoreEuthanasia Is The Act Of Killing Someone Painlessly1534 Words   |  7 Pagesirreversible coma. The term is synonymous with physician-assisted suicide, a form of active euthanasia in which a doctor provides an individual, either terminally ill or facing a diminished quality of life, with the information and means to take his or her own life. It involves a situation in which a patient voluntarily performs the act of committing suicide by taking a lethal dose of prescribed medication. Physician-assisted suicide is a controversial issue which has been debated extensively withinRead MoreMichael Morgan First and foremost, Johns desire to end his life must be examined. Applying the600 Words   |  3 PagesMichael Morgan First and foremost, Johns desire to end his life must be examined. Applying the ethical principle of Beauchamp and Childress (Johnston, Penelope Bradbury 2008), the principle of autonomy would consider John’s decision to end his life as ethically sound. It could be argued that suicide is the ultimate application of ones right to autonomy. However, this autonomy cannot be blindly extrapolated to include the participation of another individual. The distinction must be made between theRead MoreEuthanasi Terminally Ill Patient1321 Words   |  6 Pagesand according to Euthanasia (2014), it is defined as the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit. There are many kinds of euthanasia including voluntary, non-voluntary, involuntary, assisted suicide, euthanasia by action, and euthanasia by omission. Lethal injection, lethal oral drugs, starvation, dehydration, and use of gases and plastic bags are among the methods of euthanas ia (Life, 2011). Passive euthanasia is a non-intentional death and

Analysis of Enhancement Technologies Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Analysis of Enhancement Technologies. Answer: Identify 3 ethical issues that may be associated with the situation as described in the article. Gathering and processing the necessary data quick enough to avoid dangerous circumstances. Liability is another ethical issues, who is liable when an autonomous car crashes? The driver? Telsa or the programmers? The technology in the driverless vehicles have errors and they are not immune to the failure of the system. The ethical issue which would arise surrounding the liability is assigning fault when the autonomous car crashes. Another ethical issue is the maintaining confidentiality. Individuals do not have confident of the driverless cars, They may not trust it with their life as they are been driven by machine and it could have faults. Another ethical issue facing the driverless vehicle is the issue of outsourcing the production of the various components. The organization making the driverless cars could have problems when they are outsourcing production of various components to make these cars. For the 3 ethical issues nominated, identify the key stakeholders. Liability ethical issues: The stakeholder who is held responsible is the manufacturing companies. If the software misinterprets a worn down sign the blame falls to the manufacturing company. The autonomous vehicle has become more prevalent system for the responsibility. Maintaining confidentiality: Community are the main stakeholders. They do not have confident in the driverless vehicles as they are prone to risk as system can failure. The ethical issue of gathering and processing of the data quicker; the stakeholder is the programmer. These individuals are responsible to carry out all the ethical scenarios and prevent occurrence of a situation. For each stakeholder group identified, select what you believe is the relevant ethical view Manufacturing company: the ethical principle they would take is deontology On this company the right and the wrong is dependent on meeting their duty and the independent of the consequences. The future liability of the self-driven software rested on the company. Programmer: These individuals believed that there is no single ethical truth Each and every aspect they undertake is contingency based Maintaining confidentiality: justice ethics is the ethical view in regard to this stakeholder The duty to treat all the parties fairly in regards to the cost and safety is considered. For the 3 issues you have outlined assess your personal values and then, for each issue, determine your own closest fit to the list of 7 ethical principles? My personal values are as follow; Fairness: This closely apply to the one for liability. The liability is subjected to the manufacturing organization and the fault could be the programmer, or the driver. Perfection is my second value on maintain confidentiality. I like being perfect is each task I do to make sure i do everything well. Self-actualization; this is closest to gathering each information for quick decision making. The closest ethical principles that fit in my list are; Deontology and consequentialism Bibliography Bonnefon, J.F., Shariff, A. and Rahwan, I., 2016. The social dilemma of autonomous vehicles. Science, 352(6293), pp.1573-1576. Hansson, S., 2013. The ethics of risk: Ethical analysis in an uncertain world. Springer. Hevelke, A. and Nida-Rmelin, J., 2015. Responsibility for crashes of autonomous vehicles: an ethical analysis. Science and engineering ethics, 21(3), pp.619-630. McCormick, S.E., 2016. Transcendence: An Ethical Analysis of Enhancement Technologies (Doctoral dissertation, Cleveland State University). Menze, M. and Geiger, A., 2015. Object scene flow for autonomous vehicles. In Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (pp. 3061-3070).

The International Relations Theories in Addressing of Environmental Issues

Introduction International relations refer to the branch of political science concerned with foreign affairs of a country. It defines the ways in which countries relate with one another in the currently globalised world. The concept of globalization has increased a global approach to seeking solutions to problems arising that could be facing a particular nation, like a disease outbreak in a particular country or global issues like global warming.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The International Relations Theories in Addressing of Environmental Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Collective international efforts are always employed in addressing different forms of emerging issues. International relations have become central in the current times where international interdependence is critical for economic and political stability. The international relations facilitate the coordination of political and economic activities among nations. International relations have also established a basis for an international intervention on national, regional and international issues that affect humanitarian conditions directly or indirectly. This paper seeks to answer the question, â€Å"what international relations theory is the most effective in addressing environmental issues†. The paper will look into a variety of international relations theories that have been employed to address environmental issues with the aim of identifying the most effective theory. Environmental international relations theories International relations as a field of study has been explored since the early periods of the twentieth century. It was initiated by the urge to create a foundation for security among the European nations. The environmental issues were identified, recognized and instituted in the international business at around 1972. It was noted that degradations were, and still are being, caused by human acti vities. The increased economic activities initiated after the World War II exerted increased pressure on the available resources. Effects of the economic activities that were on the rise during this post war period also had negative implications on the environment due to pollution. The environmental concern then evolved into International Corporation besides the global concern through the United Nations (Kutting, 12). The Green Theory The green theory was a development of the environmental concerns that were continually raised by experts in the social science and humanities professions that led to environmental movement in the closing decades of the twentieth century. It was the environmental movement together with some other social movements that led to the green theory.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The theory is concerned with social matters as well as the always pr edominant aspects of politics. One of the elements of the green theory was to discuss the irrationality that was exercised by economic forces, markets and nations towards the environment. The theory in this instance expressed the establishment of localized autonomous bodies to ensure stable ecologies in different localities. The green theory has also taken a political dimension with administrations ensuring that environmental institutions are established to look into arising environmental crises. The political dimension of the green theory has led to the emergence of â€Å"environmental justice, environmental democracy, environmental activism and the green states† (Dunne, Milja, Steve, 252). According to the green theory, environmental injustice is the effect of spilling environmental consequences to third parties. When institutions make decisions in their operations and fail to contain the environmental effects of their activities to any third party then the institutions are liable for environmental injustice. The liability is effective if the third party affected by the said operations is not involved in the operations. Environmental injustice as well applies to the advantaged sections of a society or countries that by their influential advantage and authority overexploit the environmental resources at the expense of the less fortunate societies and countries. This is because their over exploitative activities impacts adverse negative effects to the environment. In its aim, the green theory strife to reduce environmental hazards as well as the protection of any third party from externalization of hazard from any entity (Dunne, Milja, Steve, 252). The objective of the environmental justice of the green theory includes the preservation of the environment for the safety of the current and the future generations, as well as that of the other inhabitants of the universe and enlisting an exclusive participation of all people in decision making forums which is achieved by ensuring proper representations of people in such forums. These forums could involve formulation of policies, signing of treaties and protocols, laying down regulations and evaluation of environmental processes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The International Relations Theories in Addressing of Environmental Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The environmental justice further seeks to ensure that measures are taken to ensure the environmental risks are reduced by the majority communities, risks are distributed in a generally acceptable democratic manner and that compensations are done in cases where actions by a given party causes environmental effects to other parties (Dunne, Milja, and Steve, 255). The green theory has enhanced the environmental justice by raising the concerns of people. This move is being achieved by the use of bodies and individuals like â€Å"non governmental organiza tions, green consumers, ecological scientists, green political parties, grass root people† (Dunne, Milja, and Steve, 255) as well as individuals with innovative transformational ideas of global activities. The theory can also be discussed from two perspectives: its activities on the analysis of the global environmental problems and the activities of new steps towards ecological justice and the green democracy. The green theorists are also keen on climate change negotiations. Attempts are always made under the green theory to integrate â€Å"knowledge and power† and to improve developed communication strategies and steps during negotiations into environmental talks. In their efforts to strengthen ecological negotiations, the green theory movement participates in these processes. An example was its participation in the talks over the global warming crisis by suggesting solutions to global warming (Dunne, Milja, and Steve, 255). The environmental democracy, as Suzan define d it, refers to the inclusion of victims of environmental outcomes in decision processes. The decisions made about environmental issues are not to be left in the hands of authorities like the political leaders. The democracy prescribes the rights of individual people to the decision making processes over environmental issues, not just governmental and industrial bodies. The composition of the decision makers on environmental issues should also include â€Å"the public, community groups, advocates, workers, academic and health care professionals† (Hazen 1). These parties are as well entitled to access information relating to environmental matters (Hazen 1).Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Environmental activism under the green movement is a strategy to ensure environmental democracy prevails. The activists’ move is always aimed at drawing the attention of decision makers and agents of environmental pollution like the industrialists. Activists’ move can include media presentation of petitions to nonviolent actions (World 1). Other International Relations Theories The green theory is however not the sole theory on the international relations. There exist a large number of such theories in the study of international relations. Some of the other international relations theories include classical realism, structural realisms, liberalism, Marxism, and constructivism among others. Just like the green theory was formulated to foster and attempt to succeed in implementing particular aspects, environmental issues, the other theories were as well very particular on the views and objectives that they were to foster. The concept of classical realism theory covers po licies such as political power and influence. It covers international law and expresses the recognition of autonomy of states which are seen as unitary actors who engage in diplomatic relations to maintain political balance (Cosmopoliticos 1). Structural realism was a scientific philosophy whose aim was to inspire into selecting the best of either side of arguments. Its aim was to end the serious consideration of both sides of a discursive issue and establish the sense of identifying and taking the best side of the argument. Its implementation was to aid discussions without taking conflicting positions (Plato1). The theory of liberalism on the other hand expresses the concept of freedom of human beings and entities. The theory for instance claims that any restriction to freedom or liberty must be justified. Illustrations of limitations to liberty were described as politics and law as they restrict human actions (Plato 1). Conclusion International relations are a political element of coordination among countries. In the bid to succeed in its objectives, theories have over time been developed to facilitate solutions to international problems. Each theory was established as a result of emerging global problems that required joint intervention from nations. It is in this light that the green theory was developed to facilitate solutions into the problem of environmental degradation. The green movement is the most effective theory of international relations in solving environmental problems because of two reasons. The first reason is because while other theories may just mention environmental issues, the green theory covers environmental issues as its sole subject. The second reason is the comprehensiveness of the green theory over the solution of environmental problems. Works Cited Cosmopoliticos. Classical Realism (Theory of International Relations) Probably. Cosmopoliticos, 2007. Web. Dunne, Timothy., Milja, Kurki., and Steve, Smith. International relations theor ies: discipline and diversity. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. Hazen Suzan. Environmental democracy. UNEP, 1998. Web. Kutting, Gabriel. Global Environmental Politics: Concepts, Theories and Case Studies. New York, NY: Taylor Francis, 2010. Print. Plato. Liberalization. Stanford, 2010. Web. World. Environmental activism. UK One World, 2008. Web. This essay on The International Relations Theories in Addressing of Environmental Issues was written and submitted by user Derr1ck to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Great Gatasby essays

The Great Gatasby essays All humans commit sin, all humans are flawed; once this is accepted by society, it would shows true signs of a progressive world. The concept of accepting the fact that all humans are guilty of sin and are flawed would seem simple, but through the years not much has changed. There is still hatred and judgment being passed every day in society. Nathaniel Hawthorne, known for his short stories written to reveal a not-so-hidden moral theme, often commenting about his views on religion and reformed religious thinking, this all came at a time of great religious reform in America. Hawthorne published two stories that seemed to follow the same pattern: The Birthmark, followed by Rappaccinis Daughter. Though the stories had many aspects of originality they both share a common central theme, that all humans sin. In the story The Birthmark, Hawthorne makes the point that all the characters demonstrate some element of sin. The main character Aylmer, a science type, passes clear judgment upon his wife; by making the following comment, "Ah, upon another face, perhaps it might," replied her husband. "But never on yours! No, dearest Georgiana, you came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature, that this slightest possible defect- which we hesitate whether to term a defect or a beauty- shocks me, as being the visible mark of earthly imperfection." This is Aylmer telling his wife that the birthmark, she once thought was a beauty mark, is a defect. By passing judgment on his wife, Aylmer has sinned for only God as a Supreme Being is entitled to pass judgment upon another. Georgiana is also a sinner. Later in the story Georgiana is guilty of becoming very vain to the point where she tells her husband that she would like to try to manipulate face and remove her birthmark, even at the cost of great risk to her health and well-being, by trying to remove the birthmark Georgiana is ...

The Battle of Alam Halfa in North Africa During WW II

The Battle of Alam Halfa in North Africa During WW II The Battle of Alam Halfa was fought from August 30 to September 5, 1942, during World War IIs Western Desert Campaign. Armies Commanders Allies Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery4 divisions, XIII Corps, Eighth Army Axis Field Marshal Erwin Rommel6 divisions, Panzer Armee Afrika Background Leading to the Battle With the conclusion of the First Battle of El Alamein in July 1942, both British and Axis forces in North Africa paused to rest and refit. On the British side, Prime Minister Winston Churchill travelled to Cairo and relieved Commander-in-Chief Middle East Command General Claude Auchinleck and replacing him with General Sir Harold Alexander. Command of the British Eight Army at El Alamein ultimately was given to Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery. Assessing the situation at El Alamein, Montgomery found that the front was constricted to a narrow line running from the coast to the impassable Qattara Depression. Montgomerys Plan To defend this line, three infantry divisions from XXX Corps were positioned on ridges running from the coast south to Ruweisat Ridge. To the south of the ridge, the 2nd New Zealand Division was similarly fortified along a line ending at Alam Nayil. In each case, the infantry was protected by extensive minefields and artillery support. The final twelve miles from Alam Nayil to the depression was featureless and difficult to defend. For this area, Montgomery ordered that minefields and wire be laid, with the 7th Motor Brigade Group and 4th Light Armoured Brigade of the 7th Armoured Division in position behind. When attacked, these two brigades were to inflict maximum casualties before falling back. Montgomery established his main defensive line along the ridges running east from Alam Nayil, most notably Alam Halfa Ridge. It was here that he positioned the bulk of his medium and heavy armor along with anti-tank guns and artillery. It was Montgomerys intention to entice Field Marshal Erwin Rommel to attack through this southern corridor and then defeat him in a defensive battle. As British forces assumed their positions, they were augmented by the arrival of reinforcements and new equipment as convoys reached Egypt. Rommels Advance Across the sands, Rommels situation was growing desperate as his supply situation worsened. While he advance across the desert had seen him win stunning victories over the British, it had badly extended his supply lines. Requesting 6,000 tons of fuel and 2,500 tons of ammunition from Italy for his planned offensive, Allied forces succeeded in sinking over half of the ships dispatched across the Mediterranean. As a result, only 1,500 tons of fuel reached Rommel by the end of August. Aware of Montgomerys growing strength, Rommel felt compelled to attack with the hope of winning a quick victory. Constrained by the terrain, Rommel planned to push the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions, along with the 90th Light Infantry through the southern sector, while the bulk of his other forces demonstrated against the British front to the north. Once through the minefields, his men would push east before turning north to sever Montgomerys supply lines. Moving forward on the night of August 30, Rommels attack quickly encountered difficulty. Spotted by the Royal Air Force, British aircraft began attacking the advancing Germans as well as directing artillery fire on their line of advance. The Germans Held Reaching the minefields, the Germans found them to be much more extensive than anticipated. Slowly working through them, they came under intense fire from the 7th Armoured Division and British aircraft which exacted a high toll, including wounding General Walther Nehring, commander of the Afrika Korps. Despite these difficulties, the Germans were able to clear the minefields by noon the next day and began pressing east. Eager to make up lost time and under constant harassing attacks from 7th Armoured, Rommel ordered his troops to turn north earlier than planned. This maneuver directed the assault against the 22nd Armoured Brigades positions on Alam Halfa Ridge. Moving north, the Germans were met with intense fire from the British and were halted. A flank attack against the British left was stopped by heavy fire from anti-tank guns. Stymied and short on fuel, General Gustav von Vaerst, now leading the Afrika Korps, pulled back for the night. Attacked through the night by British aircraft, German operations on September 1 were limited as 15th Panzer had a dawn attack checked by the 8th Armoured Brigade and Rommel began moving Italian troops into the southern front. Under constant air attack during the night and into the morning hours of September 2, Rommel realized that the offensive had failed and decided to withdraw west. His situation was made more desperate when a column of British armored cars badly mauled one of his supply convoys near Qaret el Himeimat. Realizing his adversarys intentions, Montgomery began formulating plans for counterattacks with the 7th Armoured and 2nd New Zealand. In both cases, he emphasized that neither division should incur losses that would preclude them from taking part in a future offensive. While a major push from 7th Armoured never developed, the New Zealanders attacked south at 10:30 PM on September 3. While the veteran 5th New Zealand Brigade had success against the defending Italians, an assault by the green 132nd Brigade collapsed due to confusion and fierce enemy resistance. Not believing a further attack would succeed, Montgomery cancelled further offensive operations the next day. As a result, the German and Italian troops were able to retreat back to their lines, though under frequent air attack. The Battles Aftermath The victory at Alam Halfa cost Montgomery 1,750 killed, wounded, and missing as well as 68 tanks and 67 aircraft. Axis losses totaled around 2,900 killed, wounded, and missing along with 49 tanks, 36 aircraft, 60 guns, and 400 transport vehicles. Often overshadowed by the First and Second Battles of El Alamein, Alam Halfa represented the last significant offensive launched by Rommel in North Africa. Far from his bases and with his supply lines crumbling, Rommel was forced to move to the defensive as British strength in Egypt grew. In the wake of the battle, Montgomery was criticized for not pressing harder to cut off and destroy the Afrika Korps when it was isolated on his southern flank. He responded by stating that Eighth Army was still in the process of reforming and lacked the logistical network to support the exploitation of such a victory. Also, he was adamant that he wished to preserve British strength for a planned offensive rather than risk it in counterattacks against Rommels defenses. Having shown restraint at Alam Halfa, Montgomery moved to the attack in October when he opened the Second Battle of El Alamein. Sources Defensive Military Structures in Action: Historical ExamplesBBC: Peoples War - Battle of Alam Halfa

Organic and analytical chemistry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organic and analytical chemistry - Essay Example IR provides information about the functional groups that are present in the molecules. NMR provides information about the structural relationship of the nuclei in a molecule. Mass Spectrometry: A mass spectrometer measures the deflection of charged particles as they travel across a magnetic field. This depends on their mass and velocity. A small amount of a sample material injected into the device becomes fragmented into various electrically-charged bits of molecules. These ions are then accelerated into the magnetic field section where they travel along a curved trajectory determined by their mass-to-charge ratio, m/e. Adjusting their velocity as they enter this section allows particles of each different mass to strike a detector. The rate at which different particles are detected provides the relative number of pieces of different mass in the molecule. The most important fragment is the M+ fragment, corresponding to the whole molecule. This gives a direct measurement of the molecular weight of the compound. Other fragments can be assigned to certain structural units. But MS cannot provide information about the relative positions of those parts in the m olecule. Infra-red Spectroscopy: IR spectroscopy measures the frequency of infra-red light that is absorbed as it passes through a thin film sample of a compound. The different bonds in a molecule undergo various vibrations and rotations. The frequencies of those motions depends on the masses of the atoms involved and the particular type of motion, and correspond to frequencies in the IR spectrum of light. As IR light is passed through the sample, each bond absorbs energy at its characteristic frequency. The IR spectrograph records the amount of light absorbed at each frequency across the IR spectrum. Some absorbances are characteristic of specific functional groups and appear in very certain ranges of wavelengths. The overall pattern of an

Current and Significant Trend in Health Care Essay

Current and Significant Trend in Health Care - Essay Example The health sector, in the recent past, was marred with a shortage of staff, especially nurses. This was a setback to the sector as many people had to wait in long queues for the services. However, there is an emerging trend where the staffing has been increased. The healthcare sector has employed more nurses and health practitioners to help in serving the up surging demand. For example, according to the US Bureau of Statistics, employment in healthcare increased by an average of 26,000 jobs monthly (Acton, 2013). This is evident that the sector has initiated a plan of increasing the number of people offering services. According to the forecasts in the sector, it is estimated that the number of healthcare workers will have increased overall by 30% by the year 2020. This trend is significant as it has various advantages. First, people will receive high quality services. Secondly, people in need of healthcare services will avoid long queues. Advancement in technology is an aspect that has been gaining prevalence in many sectors of the economy. The healthcare sector has also started to appreciate technology (Ginter, Duncan and Swayne, 2013). In this era, there is a need to enhance accuracy in treatment. This is by enhancing diagnosis of different kinds of diseases and complications in the patients. The use of technology has had a positive influence on accurate diagnosis of diseases and complications. For example, cancer is a complication that is affecting a larger percentage of the American population. Apparently, the complication is controllable and treated with early diagnosis. However, when cancer is in its final stages, it is not easy to control or even cure. According to statistics in 2011, over 45% of practitioners in the health sector were using modern technology, which includes use of specialized computers and tablets. One year later, over 65% of the health practitioners in the health sector had access to

Theme Based Malls Essay Example for Free

Theme Based Malls Essay The development of unorganized retailing into an organized one in the form of shopping malls was a new concept for India until recent years. With the changing shopping needs and aspirations, consumers are finding it easier to shop at malls where a wide choice of merchandise is available under one roof which comprises the reasons for the growth of shopping malls in India. Thus bringing hundreds of bulk buyers under one roof is fast emerging as a new concept in the country. It gives a far better ambience removing the hustle and bustle of the narrow lanes of market. Malls have changed the way people used to shop but its time when malls too are changing. The emerging concept of themed based malls also called as specialty malls has changed the traditional outlook of the regular ones. They provide better shopping experience to their customers. The themed based mall caters specific need of the people and have specific target market segment. The success of these malls is entirely dependent upon the catchment areas, diversity with the product category and brands, the demand of the product/brands in the city and overall experience in the mall by the niche segment of customers. In such kind of malls, the range of goods plays a critical role in attracting customers. India is still a nascent market for this kind of malls. These malls are now operating in many cities in India including tier 2 and 3. Prosperous northern cities like Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Patiala are gaining importance among retailers for theme based malls catering to niche customers for automobiles and jewellery. Some of the theme based malls existing in India are- Gold Souk (jewellery malls), Wedding Mall, Electronic Mall, Auto Mall, etc. With a rapidly expanding population of high net worth individuals, India has become one of the worlds five largest markets for luxury products and this sector is expected to grow at a rate of 15-20 percent per annum over the next five years. According to the retailers association of India these malls will take up 10% of the total malls in India in near future. There is great diversity in the Indian customer base and developers are beginning to understand the particular needs and aspirations of different market segments. In the last ten years, there has been a proliferation of traditional malls across India but demand is now creating a focus on niche markets and the necessity to provide differentiated shopping experiences. Success here is not judged by footfall but by high conversion rates as they target serious buyers. Research has also shown that the conversion rate for customer walk-ins into sales are as high as 70 to 80% in speciality malls as compared to 8% to 10% in traditional malls. The entry of organised players into retail development and mall management in India would help address issues like project execution and operational efficiency. The concept of theme-based retailing is likely to gain more momentum in the coming years. For India to grow further in this industry, it will require investment by both domestic and foreign players, attracting international retail investors wanting to enter newer markets. The ramping up of operations with big investments by both domestic and foreign participants in retail is likely to facilitate greater diversification, leading to the growth of specialty malls, thus transforming fundamental shopping format to unique selling proposition/concept.

Indelible Marks :: Personal Narrative Writing

Indelible Marks There was a small fish house, thick with the paint of a thousand whitewashes, sinking into the soft earth near the lake. The roof sagged a bit after a lifetime of carrying the crystalline blanket of Minnesota winter. Inside was a wooden counter-top, its surface cold and glossy after witnessing the murder of a million fish. Their life and blood was ingrained in the counter-top, preserving forever the memory of each fish. Perch, Bass, Bluegill, even Northern Pike had come to know death in this small room. Their colors could be seen reflecting in the wood of that counter-top. At night, the small light would cause the wet counter-top to shine like scales flashing against the sun. It was a place of beauty, and a place of horror. I was young, perhaps six or seven when my dad taught me to clean our catch in the small fish house. We never knew what we would catch, but we persistently threw in our lines anyway hoping to hook a keeper. I loved fishing. It was the battle with the fish that intrigued me. Each cast reeled in a new experience. I went in blind with only a hope that what I'd catch would be something I wanted. During the fight with a fish, I never knew if it were a prize Northern or a hefty Bullhead. A big Northern meant dinner, but a fat Bullhead just meant another smelly carcass on the beach for the ants and raccoons to take care of. Dad taught us to fish for Northerns. We were camping that trip, just my brothers, Dad and I. Dad got one of those great big green surplus army tents that you could park a motor home inside. He hung a Coleman lantern in the middle, and at night we would talk and play games. Every night Dad would check me for ticks, little black and red bugs that would embed themselves into your skin and drink your blood. Dad said that if you let a tick get under your skin, it will just sit there and eat away at you. We all loved the lake, especially my second oldest brother Garrett. He could fish with the best of them, and would keep everything he caught. For him, nothing was too big or too small to take to the fish house and add another stain to the counter.

J.C. Penney: Creating America’s Favorite Store Essay

INTRODUCTION: In 2013, this department store has been celebrating being in business for 110 years. It also once lured its customers in with its famous discount pricing strategy and coupons. The retailer is J.C. Penney, a fixture at shopping malls across the country. In 2012, J.C. Penney rebranded itself by making the announcement that it wanted to become America’s favorite store by creating a specialty department store experience (JCP, 2013). Founder James Cash Penney began the company with a Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated Fair and Square (JCP, n.d.). The well-known retailer has grown to nearly 1,100 stores and boasts a workforce of more than 116,000 full and part-time employees (Strand, 1998). JCP operates in the continental United States, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. Loyal consumers flocked to the giant big box store where it sold women, men, and children’s clothing along with jewelry and household items such as appliances and home furniture. Over the years, the giant retailer has polished its marketing finesse. JCP’s current catchy advertising line: â€Å"Creating America’s Favorite Store† (JCP, n.d.). In corporate America, there are four different market structures: pure competition, pure monopolistic, l responsibility, Decision making, oligopoly, and monopoly. J.C. Penney falls under the pure competition market structure which is defined as many sellers supplying identical products (Douglas, 2012, Ch. 7). J.C. Penney humble beginnings started as a dry foods store and branched out over the years as a successful chain department store competing against other stores such as Sears, Macy’s, and Dillard. J.C. Penney’s corporate culture includes social responsibility to its consumers, its employees, its suppliers, and to the environment. However, over the two several years, J.C. Penney has endured an economic downturn which began after the hiring of former Apple executive Ron Johnson in late 2011 and his subsequence firing in early 2013 (â€Å"J.C. Penney’s Chief Executive Ron Johnson Ousted,† 2013). Executives, such as Johnson, have the power to influence the purchasing power of consumers through several different variables such as product pricing, product design and packaging, product availability, and product promotion (Douglas, 2012, Ch. 3). This paper shall explore the company’s managerial economics decision which includes taking a look at its corporate social responsibility, consumer demand, the change in its pricing strategy over the past two years, attitudes toward risk, and the price elasticity of demand. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY COMPANY: J.C. Penney sets high corporate social responsibility for itself. On the company’s official website, it lists the company’s social responsibility which includes establishing strong environmental responsibility. Under the company’s corporate governance, JCP touts itself as a stewardship to the environment and approved its core principles in 1991( JCP, 2013). Among some of JCP’s core principles include: continuing to review its operations practice in assessing its potential impact on the environment or related human health or safety issues; working with suppliers and merchandisers to develop packages and products that are environmental responsible and safe; and taking steps to reduce the use of non-renewable energy. Among some of the company’s recent progress include: making a conscious effort to reduce packaging and paper usage, setting up an elaborate waste management recycling program, and promoting energy conservation (JCP, 2013). JCP’s corporate social responsibility shows that the company follows the Triple Bottom Line concept shortened to TBL. This concept follows the three pillars: people, profit, and planet (Faragher, 2008). Author Jo Faragher (2008) explained in her article â€Å"Sustain To Gain†, that the triple bottom line means a â€Å"business is run not just on economic performance, but also on how it affects the community and the environment† (p. 20-22). Companies such as JCP find that they cannot operate while ignoring its responsibility to the environment. By being environmentally responsible, JCP’s actions may entice certain consumers who may only spend their money on companies that care about their community and the environment. Despite a long-standing and strong corporate governance, JCP profits spiraled in 2012 following a series of poor economic managerial decisions. 2012 SEC ANNUAL REPORT: The latest figures for J.C. Penney’s sales and profits are from 2008 to 2012. According to the company’s latest United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings for 2012, the report states that the company’s market price common stock has fluctuated substantially and may continue to fluctuate significantly (JCP, 2013). Below is a graph with values indicating the company’s struggle for profits in 2012 following the hiring of Ron Johnson. The former Apple executive launched a new pricing strategy following his appointment as CEO of J.C. Penney in late 2011. In its first quarter in 2012, the company’s profits lost $163 million dollars, sales skidded to 20%, and traffic to its stores decreased by 10% (Zmuda, 2012). By the end of 2012, the company net sales decreased by more than five million dollars compared to 2011 prior to Johnson’s appointment. Unfortunately for Johnson, his confusing pricing strategy did not catch on with loyal JCP shoppers. In addition, Johnson was stubborn and did not believe in conducting research with his new marketing strategy at a few select stores before he rolled it out to all the stores (Kumar, 2013). Johnson’s biggest cheerleader at the time of his appointment was William Ackman, Founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, LP. Ackman serves on the Board of Directors of JCP and owns 18% of the company as well as other derivatives that further would boost his exposure (Glazer, Lublin, & Mattioli, 2013). Below is a graph with figures showing JCP’s total net sales in 2012 which decreased by more than five million dollars versus in 2011 (JCP 2012 SEC, 2013). In this case, poor management decisions impacted the company’s profits. | | |2012 |2011 |2010 |2009 |2008 | |Total Net Sales: | |$12,985 |$17,260 |$17,759 |$17,556 |$18,486 | |Sales Percentage: | |-24.80% |-3% |1.20% |-5.00% |-6.90% | |Operating Income: | |-1,310 |-2 |832 |663 |1,135 | |Income loss | | | | | | | |Continuing operations | |-985 |-152 |378 |249 |567 | | | | | | | | | |($ in millions) | | | | | | | CONSUMER DEMAND AND PRICING STRATEGY: Former Apple executive Ron Johnson took the helm at J.C. Penney in late 2011. At the time, Johnson’s predecessor was Mike Ullman whom was fired after more than seven years at the top strategist for JCP (â€Å"J.C. Penney’s Chief Ron Johnson Ousted,† 2013). Johnson’s experience on paper looked great. He worked for Apple and Target and his appointment was considered a coup for JCP (Kumar, 2013). Ackman touted him as the man who would turn J.C. Penney’s stores into sellers of name-brand clothes with few discounts (Glazer, Lublin, & Mattioli, 2013). In the article â€Å"The Man Who Went Too Far At J.C. Penney†, author Nikhil Kumar (2013) stated that â€Å"for decades it has served the great American middle class, luring them in with discounts and coupons† (p. n/a). Johnson’s first action in changing JCP included eliminating the company’s old pricing strategy which he considered as fake prices because the company was constantly marking down prices (Kumar, 2013). Johnson eliminated the fake prices and called his new pricing strategy as fair and square. Here is an example of Johnson’s new pricing strategy. Instead of marking up a t-shirt at the price of $14 dollars and then slashing the price to $6 dollars with its markdowns and coupons, Johnson suggested to just marked the t-shirt at $7. Johnson explained that his new pricing policy not only simple, but fair and square (Kumar, 2013). Unfortunately, the new strategy did not meet with enthusiasm from loyal consumers. In managerial economics, the pricing strategy is important for consumers especially for loyal shoppers. A change in pricing also means a movement in the consumer demand curve (Douglas, 2012, Ch. 4.1). Pricing is considered a decision variable and plays a part in consumer demand (Douglas, 2012, Ch. 3). In managerial economics, decisions makers can follow a model called the utility-maximizing model of consumer demand. In the textbook â€Å"Managerial Economics†, author Evan J. Douglas (2012) explained this model as a way â€Å"individual consumers make decisions to buy products based on the expectation that the purchase will allow them to gain the most psychic satisfaction, or utility, from their limited incomes† (Ch. 3.1). Limited income is also another way of describing discretionary income, money that is available to consumers after paying the necessary expenditures such as mortgage, utility, and other bills. In the case of JCP, the company experienced a diminishing marginal utility. The marginal utility of a product means that as one product goes up, another product that is a substitute goes down (Douglas, 2012, Ch. 3.1). With the confusing pricing strategy, loyal shoppers and prospective shoppers turned elsewhere to shop such as Sears, Target, and Macy’s to achieve their satisfaction in spending their money. In managerial economics, consumer’s satisfaction is explained as the total utility. In describing this relationship between Product A which is JCP versus Product B, Sears, the graph will show the indifference curves to be convex which means as Product A goes down while Product B go up (Douglas, 2012, Ch. 3.1). Thus, the consumers’ total utility continued to achieve while JCP’s marginal utility diminished. Perhaps another mishaps of Johnson’s new pricing policy included using the concept of penetration pricing which is the practice of setting relatively low price to achieve more consumers’ sales, therefore in return, the end result is gaining more market shares (Douglas, 2012, Ch. 9.1). Before Johnson came on board, he believed that JCP’s old pricing policy devalued the company’s brand, but it also caused confusion because the company was constantly sending out flyers and coupons that added little to the shoppers’ experience (Kumar, 2013). In the end, Johnson’s risky move did not pay off and the company saw a decline in profits in 2012. ATTITUDES TOWARD RISK: Johnson’s mistake was not road-testing his pricing ideas plan before implementing it. Risk analysis is part of managerial economics. Johnson did not take into account adjusting for risk using the certainty equivalent factor looking at the decision and the amount of money that a decision-maker feels is equivalent to the expected value of a decision (Douglas, 2012, Ch. 2.1). There are several different attitudes toward risk running from the gamut of being risk neutral to an individual who is a risk seeker. Johnson’s attitude toward risk appeared to be more of a risk seeker defined as an individual who seeks a risky action because in return that risky action means a high rate of return (Douglas, 2012, Ch. 2). Another more transparent decision rule that should have been followed for Johnson was using the Maximin Decision Rule (MDR) which is the practice of choosing choose the alternative that has the highest maximum value and the lowest minimum outcome (Douglas, 2012, Ch. 2.2). Although it appeared that Johnson did not seek out an alternative to his plan, perhaps, his best practice should have involved following the MDR concept. PRICE ELASTICITY OF DEMAND: Along with the decision variables of product, pricing, placement, and promotion, in managerial economics, decision makers also need to consider the price elasticity of demand or PED. The sensitivity of quantity demand is known as the elasticity of demand. The price elasticity of demand is affected by prices where high prices suggest consumers would buy less of the product and lower prices mean consumers would buy more of the product (Douglas, 2012, Ch. 4). PED is influenced by a multitude of factors such as availability of substitutes, household income, consumer preferences, expected duration of price change, and the product’s share of a household’s income (Andreyeva, Long, & Brownell, 2010). According to the website www.About.com Economics: The higher the price elasticity, the more sensitive consumers are to price changes. A very high price elasticity suggests that when the price of a good goes up, consumers will buy a great deal less of it and when the price of that good goes down, consumers will buy a great deal more. A very low price elasticity implies just the opposite, that changes in price have little influence on demand (About.com Economics, 2013). In the case of JCP, the company witnessed the opposite with the price elasticity of demand. Even though Johnson’s new pricing ideas were meant to streamline the shopping experience for the consumers, the end result did not take place. Consumers did not understand nor did they liked the ideas. In the end, the faithful consumers abandoned the company and looked elsewhere to spend their money. Shoppers felt the new pricing ideas were confusing adn did not feel that they adhere to JCP’s The end result: profits suffered in 2012 with a 25% sales slumped compared to 2008 when the company brought in nearly $19 million dollars in total net sales (JCP, 2013). RECOMMENDATIONS: Steps have been taken to rectify the managerial decision makings that took place in late 2011. In less than two years, Johnson is out, along with his team of executives. The Board of Directors for JCP replaced Johnson earlier this year with his predecessor Mike Ulman (Kumar, 2013). Although Ulman received criticisms under his leadership, JCP and the Board of Directors returned to the old strategy In addition, the company returned to its popular pricing strategy that it abandoned in 2011 following the appointment of Johnson. That pricing strategy involved increasing prices of private label lines followed by slashing prices as a means of bringing up sales and margins (â€Å"Department Store JCPenney Revives Abandoned Pricing Strategy†, 2013). Companies tend to go back to the same marketing strategies that worked in the past. Prior to Johnson’s departure, he admitted that his bold, but risky pricing ideas were a mistake and acknowledged that ending the retailer’s markdown and couponing were a mistake that cost him company’s profits and his job. Before JCP commit to changing its marketing strategy, it needs to consider and perhaps ask consumers what they want. At times, decision makers forget to consider and ask consumers what they want versus just believing or thinking consumers want change. Johnson’s rejected retail industry procedures which included testing changes in limited stores before rolling them out to all the stores (Glazer, Lublin, & Mattioli, 2013). This was not the case for loyal shoppers. They wanted to feel that they were getting a bargain versus just paying for one simple price. These are necessary changes the company has implemented following the firing of Johnson in early 2013. JCP is now looking to regain its standing in the department stores war. At the helm is Ulman who lead the company for the past seven years prior to being replaced two years ago. During his time as CEO, JCP saw profits gain (JCP 2012 SEC, 2013). CONCLUSION: J.C. Penney is reinventing itself and wants consumers to remember that it is â€Å"Creating America’s Favorite Store†. It has a new CEO who was reinstated and returned to its old pricing plan. It is a company that has a strong corporate governance, but due to poor managerial economic decisions, J.C. Penney went through a spiral for nearly 18 months before the bleeding stop. The poor economic decisions led to profits loss along with low morale within the company (Kumar, 2013). In managerial economics, decisions such as pricing, product, placement, and promotion affect the consumers demand curve. JCP experienced it firsthand. References About.com Economics (2013). Price elasticity of demand. Retrieved on June 2, 2013 from http://economics.about.com/cs/micfrohelp/a/priceelasticity.htm Andreyeva, T., Long, M. W., M.P.H., & Brownell, K. D., PhD. (2010). The impact of food prices on consumption: A systematic review of research on the price elasticity of demand for food. American Journal of Public Health, 100(2), 216-22. Retrieved from ProQuest Central. doi: 903343408. Department store JC penney revives abandoned pricing strategy. (2013). Retail Week, Retrieved ProQuest Central. doi: 1324133045. Douglas, E. (2012). Managerial Economics (1st ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education. Faragher, J. (2008). Sustain to gain. Personnel Today, pp.20-22. Retrieved from ProQuest Central. doi: 229932707. Glazer, E., Lublin, J.S., & Mattioli, D. (2013, April 9). Penney backfires on ackman. Retrieved on June 2, 2013 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324504704578412440293890624.ht

Old Buildings

Many old buildings are protected by law because they are part of a nation’s history. However, some people think they should be knocked down to make way for new ones because people need houses and offices. How important is it to maintain old buildings? Should history stand in the way of progress? In the contemporary age, the contradiction between preserving history and progress becomes increasingly serious, which has disturbed and alarmed many people. In terms of the old buildings, many people assert that old buildings should be protected while others contend they should be knocked down for constructing the new ones. It is widely acknowledged that old buildings play the crucial role in our society. First of all, old buildings are the indispensable parts of the history, which could reveal the historical mysterious and witness the development of history. Meanwhile, many old buildings are the icons or landmarks of the nation. To illustrate, the Forbidden City symbolizes the Chinese time-honored history and becomes the important tourist spot. The existences of old buildings tend to maintain the distinct features of the cities as well as avoid those cosmopolitan cities are awash by the skyscrapers. More specifically, the old buildings reflect the national unique culture lasting hundred and thousand years. However, due to the widespread of demolishing the old buildings, the extinction of culture identity will ensue. Overall, in nowadays, there is unanimous consensus on maintaining old buildings which is the effective method to preserving history. There is no denying that the history gives us overall experience of the nation’s past. Comparing with history, we could draw a host of lessons, thereby avoiding mistakes for current progress. Nevertheless, people empower to pursue blindly the maximum profit for enhancing the level of our daily lives and progress of human society, from the long-term point of view, sacrificing the history to meet our current need would hinder the development. In my view, there is definite link between preserving history and progress but the fundamental contradiction. History is conductive to our progress and we should take it seriously forever.

Adoption Rights for Gays and Lesbians essays

Adoption Rights for Gays and Lesbians essays Adoption Rights for Gays and Lesbians Just a few years ago, most children grew up in a traditional or nuclear family, which refers to the conjugal household consisting of a husband, a wife, and their dependent children, whose relationships are traditionally recognized by the American family law. Yet, in todays society, fewer and fewer American households are daresay traditional families. The constant societal changes have brought about the rise of alternative or nontraditional families, many of which include group living, unmarried cohabitation and single-parent families-all of which are mutually interdependent households, but not recognized as so by the American family law. As part of these alternative or nontraditional families, in the past decade we have begun to see a sharp rise in the number of lesbian and gay men forming their own families through adoption, foster care, artificial insemination and other means. So why are lesbians and gays still being repressed? Why are they being denied the right to adopt? Wh y is it that there are still countless states across the United States who however hold very stringent laws regarding lesbians, gays and adoption? Living in a society like the one we live in today, very healthily promotes diversity and acceptance, yet, unjustly contradicts itself and sanctions the same advocacy material-but, contrary to popular belief and assumptions, gays and lesbians can be equally as good at parenting as heterosexuals. Through the chaos of myths and stereotypes, gays have come a long way at battling a society that can at times be cruel, insensitive and intolerant. Amongst the myths and stereotypes is the present notion that lesbians and gay men are unfit to be parents. Yet, in looking at and evaluating all of the research to date, the same unequivocal conclusion about gay parenting has been reached, th...

The Suicide Death of Conrad Roy III

The Suicide Death of Conrad Roy III On July 12, 2014, Conrad Roy III, 18, killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning by shutting himself in the cab of his pickup truck in a Kmart parking lot with a running gasoline-powered water pump.​ On Feb. 6, 2015, Roys 17-year-old girlfriend Michelle Carter, who was being treated in a mental facility at the time of his death, was charged with involuntary manslaughter for encouraging him to go through with his suicide plan via a number of text messages and phone calls, including one call while he was dying. Here are the latest developments in the Conrad Roy III case. Judge Upholds Manslaughter Charges in Encouraged Suicide Case Sept. 23, 2015:Â  A juvenile court judge has denied a motion to drop criminal charges against a Massachusetts teenager who encouraged her boyfriend to commit suicide. Michelle Carter will face involuntary manslaughter charges for the death of Conrad Roy III. Judge Bettina Borders pointed to evidence that shows Carter was on the phone with Roy for 45 minutes while he was in his vehicle inhaling the carbon monoxide that would kill him and failed to call the police. Judge Borders also cited text messages that reveal that Carter, 17 at the time, told Roy to get back in the truck when his suicide plan began to work and he became afraid. The Grand Jury could find probable cause that her failure to act within the 45 minutes, as well as her instruction to the victim to get back into the truck after he got out of the truck, caused the victims death, the judge said in her ruling to deny the defense motion to dismiss the charges. The defense plans to appeal Borders ruling. The next pretrial hearing is scheduled November 30. Michelle Carters Attorney Wants Charges Dropped Aug. 28, 2015 - The attorney for an 18-year Massachusetts teen accused of encouraging her boyfriend to commit suicide has asked a judge to dismiss the charges against her because prosecutors are trying to apply manslaughter to speech. Joseph Cataldo, attorney for Michelle Carter, said his client is not responsible for the death of Conrad Roy III. It was his plan, Cataldo told the judge. He is someone who caused his own death. Michelle Carters only role in this is words. Carter, who was being treated at McLean Hospital, a psychiatric facility, at the time of Roys death, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in New Bedford Juvenile Court. Online Relationship Roy, from Mattapoisett, and Carter, from Plainville, had seen each other only a couple of times in-person, they were mostly online friends, exchanging thousands of text messages over the past two years. Cataldo said that Carter, now 18, at first tried to discourage Roy from killing himself, but when that did not work, she became brainwashed over the weeks leading up to his death to assisting him with his suicide plans. Roy had been hospitalized in a psychiatric facility two years before his death and was on medication for his mental condition, Cataldo said. Roy left suicide notes at his home for his family on the day he died. Romeo and Juliet Pact Rejected Cataldo told the court that just days before he killed himself, Roy sent Carter a text suggesting that they should kill themselves together like Romeo and Juliet. Carter responded to the text with, (Expletive), no we are not dying. Carter tried to help Roy by suggesting that he join her at McLean Hospital, but he rejected the idea, Cataldo said. The government is harping, if you will, on her saying when are you going to do it? When are you going to do it? Joseph Cataldo, Carters attorney said. What they are not harping on are all the times she said dont do it, dont do it. Words Are Harmful But, at the court hearing on the defense motion to dismiss the charges, Assistant District Attorney Katie Rayburn told the court that it is possible to commit a crime with words only. One can be an aider and abettor or an accessory before the fact simply for words, Rayburn told the judge. Her words are not protected, Your Honor. Her words are harmful, offensive and likely to cause an immediate, violent act. The indictment against Carter included text messages she sent other friends after Roys death in which she appears to admit being responsible for his death. Its My Fault It’s my fault. I was talking to him while he killed himself. I heard him cry in pain, Carter texted a friend. I was on the phone with him and he got out of the car because it was working and he got scared and I told him to get back in. In a later text, she explained why she told him to get back into the vehicle. I told him to get back in because I knew he would do it all over again the next day, and I couldnt have him live that way the way he was living anymore. I couldnt do it. I wouldnt let him, Carter said. Therapy didnt help him and I wanted him to go to McLeans with me when I went but he would go in the other department for his issues, but he didnt want to go because he said nothing they would do or say would help him or change the way he feels. So I like, started giving up because nothing I did was helping and but I should have tried harder, she continued. Like, I should have did (sic) more. Its all my fault because I could have stopped him but I (expletive) didnt. All I had to say was I love you and dont do this one more time, and hed still be here, Carter said. You Just Fall Asleep On Aug. 28, prosecutors released to the media other texts that Carter sent directly to Roy during the time leading up to his death. They included: There is no way you can fail... Youre strong... I love you to the moon and back and deeper than the ocean and higher than the pines, too, babe forever and always. Its painless and quickEveryone will be sad for a while but they will get over it and move on.Do you have the generator? WELL WHEN ARE YOU GETTING IT?You just need to do it, Conrad. The more you push it off, the more it will eat at you. Youre ready and prepared.All you have to do is turn the generator on and you will be free and happy. No more pushing it off. No more waiting.You have everything you need. There is no way you can fail. Tonight is the night. Its now or never.Yeah, it will work. If you emit 3200 ppm of it for five or ten minutes you die within a half hour. You lose consciousness with no pain. You just fall asleep and die. Conviction and Sentencing Carter was freed on $2,500 bond and was ordered by the judge not to use social media. Even in youthful offender court, in Massachusetts, she was looking at the possibility of being sentenced to 20 years if convicted. However, in August 2017 she was sentenced to 15 months in prison, with the sentencing judge ultimately convicting her of involuntary manslaughter due in part to the complexities of criminal responsibility in the case. Source Woman sentenced to 15 months in texting suicide case, CNN.com. August 3, 2017

Dyspraxia In Early Years Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dyspraxia In Early Years - Essay Example Difficulties arise with this condition, and affects: â€Å"intellectual, emotional, physical, language, social and sensory development† (Vickerman, 2008). The concept of this condition had existed more than a century, but its etiology remains unknown (Occupational Therapy Cork, n.d.). A number of theories had been developed; however, none specifically pinpointed its etiology. Although the primary reflex theory had been the initial model for dyspraxia, stimulation of the brain theory better illustrated the developmental learning and coping strategies on dyspraxia clients. The theories, primitive reflex theory and stimulation of the brain theory had both been based on development and capability of central nervous system (central and peripheral). The grounds for primitive reflex theory (neuromaturational model), as asserted by Mulhall (n.d.), involved the immaturity of neurological reflexes as disruption in nervous system development occurs. Alternatively, the stimulation of the brain theory (dynamic systems model) proposed â€Å"the interpretation of sensory inputs by the CNS, and particular actions are selected based on current experience, state of internal and external environment and one’s memory of similar movements† (Floet & Duran, 2010). The general causes for both theories are similar: â€Å"hereditary, physical/psychological trauma, movement deprivation, soft neurological damage, perceptual difficulties, obesity or low fitness level† (Hammond, 2005). In primitive reflex model, causes given had been arranged in primary and secondary order—in hierarchal pattern. These had been neatly categorized, and most involved elements directly and indirectly connected with CNS function. On the other hand, stimulation of the brain approach had shown a more complex relationship. The dynamism of the model had been presented in a way in which all factors (causes) had interlinked with each other. This revealed one significant point, â€Å"the performance of a motor action

Being aware of ethical leadership Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Being aware of ethical leadership - Thesis Example Ethical leaders pay close attention when making sound judgments and upholding the values such as integrity to the utmost (Mandela, 1995).A similar research carried out by Werhane notes that the features of ethical leaders are similar across the organizational continuum, though vary depending on the variety. Ethical leaders carry out the following: Articulate vision and embody the purpose and values of the organization unto which they serve. This incorporates a strong and firm culture that is enhanced through stories and myths that help strengthen the relationship among stakeholders (Ciulla and Solomon, 2010). In today’s business, it is a difficult task that has to be performed business leaders lest they face public scrutiny over their behaviors. As the author notes , ethical leadership is about helping people to realize their hopes and dreams, creating value for stakeholders and doing these tasks with the intensity and zeal of the that ethics implies in a given society. In addition Ciulla and Solomon, there must be mistakes, for humor and for humanity. Second, ethical leaders focus on organizational success rather the personal ego. This implies that they ought to focus on the network of constituents. Some of the decisions leaders make are morally wrong aimed at making a profit yet, an ethical leader has to make a decision that will both benefit the organizations and still remain ethical in the public lenses. It can also be pointed out that that judging someone’s integrity than someone’s experience and skills (Mandela, 1995). Third, there is need to create a continuous conversation about ethics, values and the creation of value for the shareholders. Yunus.M (2004), notes that having written values about ethical issues does not neither prove vital nor imminent, but rather routine conversations that are discussed on similar subjects in an organization. As leaders, there have an obligation to foster a continuous thinking so the pace of the

Chinese America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Chinese America - Essay Example ough it is constantly present during policy formation and implementation, during trials and sentencing, and during curriculum development and funding initiatives, the power of this form of racism is that it has worked its way into the very foundations of every institution, becoming entrenched in every process until it has been rendered invisible. Its presence is known, but avenues to fight against institutionalized racism are strictly curtailed by the argument of those in power that racism no longer exists. Racism today is more cunning and sly, appearing in posters depicting â€Å"Asian† car bombs dropping on America and politicians who weave racist rhetoric into public speeches. In the end, it is argued that systemic racism is far more difficult to dismantle than overt racism because it is present for minorities at every step in the upward trajectory to success. An example of systemic racism is the â€Å"model minorities† theory which posits that certain ethnic groups are more likely to become successful due to genetic qualities that are particular to their culture. Deborah Woo elaborates on this theory by stating that these differences are perceived as natural and innate, and seen as the real cause of social inequality between ethnic groups (194). For example, because of the perceived success of Asian Americans versus the perceived lack of success of African Americans in the United States, â€Å"model minorities† theory suggest that these differences between the two ethnic groups are a result of personal flaws and faults, rather than institutionalized disadvantages and biographical advantages. In this regard, the dominant group shifts blame from â€Å"us† to â€Å"them† in the process of victim-blaming, in which the marginalized group is held accountable for their own problems. This situation proves destructive to both groups in the binary between desirable and undesirable minorities because the theory is created in such a way to instigate hostility in

Internet A Blessing Or Curse Media Essay

Internet A Blessing Or Curse Media Essay The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the standard internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide .It is network of networks that is consist of private, public, academic, business, and government networks of local to global scope (from Wikipedia).Internet is such networking which connects the people of different area and give them chance to know about the culture of each other and share their ideas. It is one of the great inventions of science, which has removed about all complexities of life and had made the life much easier. Nowadays internet is vastly used some of the facts say that about 48% population of Asia use internet. In some countries like USA, UK, Japan about 4 out of 5 person use internet. Internet has vast use in our daily lives, it is source of information where you can find the information about any topic. There are billions websites which contain different information about different things. Many search engines such as google.com, yahoo.com, ask.com are some popular the sources of information. All scientists, engineers, doctors, teachers and many other can easily do their research on internet and can find everything with in no time. Internet is the sea of information, where everything is avaible and you can avail it if you want. Internet is the source of communication which connects you with the people who are sitting in the other corner of the world. It connects you very fast and the important is that it is free of cost. You can make video calls via Skype which is totally free of cost. There are about 31 million people who use Skype for communication. There are also so many services on internet for communication such as Chatting rooms, E-mails, Facebook, and so many others. According to a survey made in 2011 about 750 million people use Facebook , which is a fast growing source of communication. Through Facebook people know about the culture of each other and many people get chance to speak and share their ideas the people of other countries which without internet is impossible. You can visit the whole world just sitting in your room. There are so many Facebook accounts which are just to promote the religious teachings, culture and tradition and so many other. We share so many important things on Facebook. The E-mail is the cheapest and easiest way through which you drop your message to your friend, relative or someone whom you want to send with in no time even if he/she is offline. In addition internet is nice source of entertainment where we find so many interesting things like videos, games, movies, music and news .According to website comScore about 217 million people play online games. You can find the music you want to listen totally free and can download it instead of going Bazar to purchase the particular album and sometimes it become difficult to find that album on shop so your time is wasted but now you can find same thing on internet free which save your money as well as your time. There are so many other interesting things on internet, we sometimes make new friends on internet, when we get bored we just go online chat with them and have fun. The business has the important role in the development of countries and to improve the business the internet is very much helpful. Business man consider internet as blessing for them. It has made business easier for everyone to carry out, with very small investment they can have much profit, now the businessman can advertise their particular business easily without wasting money. There are about 12 million business websites. Now it has become possible that you can do shopping sitting at your home, there are so many online stores and shops where you just put the order and you get your thing at your home. By online shopping your precious time (for which one great scholar had said that time is like ice if you would not use it at time it will melt away and will be of no use) is saved and your money for going out ,having taxy will also be saved . There are many people who are earning just sitting at home by doing online jobs. Currently about () people are doing online jobs to fulfill the needs of life and for them internet is nothing less than blessing. Most of the organizations, institutions, and departments advertise their vacant seats for job on internet and someone who is looking for job can easily find it. So it has also an admirable role in employment of the countries. A healthy man has a healthy mind, and to be healthy the sports has great role. So now internet is not only helping in business, communication, information but it also helps in the sports as well. There are about 2 million websites on internet , Many people are advertising about games on internet, inviting people to join them in games competition to make fun. So many games competition are held on national and international level and their registration is done on internet which is the cheapest and easiest way for people to( achieve ). Many games videos are uploaded on internet you can find any match of cricket, football, basketball and volleyball played even in past. You can find many sports tricks on internet and now it has become possible that there are sports tutors available on internet who can teach you exercise even in home through internet that is why mostly the people who are interested in sports claim that its blessing for them. Professor Hector Alwarez-Trujillo writes in his essay (Benefits and Challenges for online learner) technology has become the key to a new world of education. He further writes that online learning has become the most popular source of learning. A great scholar MitchellKapor   say getting information off internet is like taking a drink from fire hydrant. It has become now easier for education seeker to gain education on any time they want, there is no restriction of timings. There is no need to purchase the expansive books to study but now you can find all good stuff of your course on internet. Online learning has brought new possibilities in education to all potential students: if you cant go to school, we shall send the school to you(Dwyer, and Doerr,1995). The internet has tremendous effect on the education, it has made possible for everyone to get good education, some people who cant get admission in good universities or colleges they can get same good education on internet as some universities have online courses. There are so many universities which upload the lecture on their particular website and it becomes easier for students to avail the lecture and understand it. Namal College is also one of the such universities so it has become easier for student even if the college is closed they can find their educational stuff and assignment on internet. There are many good tutorials on internet which are very much helpful to the students . There is not only the written stuff avaible but there are also video lectures avaible as well. So many scholars and educationist believe that internet is blessing .But it also has some drawbacks as well. There is also some information on internet which misleads the person. Some people upload the information on internet which is not valid and many students get astray. As there are many religious websites on which the wrong information is uploaded which further lead to the misunderstanding and religious wars. Some anti-relig ions are making websites about religion and upload the wrong information on website and which further lead to the wars. So in that sense it seems curse. Furthermore internet it has many disadvantages beside it advantages .A very annoying disadvantages is the pornography which has spoiled the youth of nation. There are about 60 million people among them are children, men and women are the victim of these things which is a sinful act and is considered as bad religiously as well as physically. Some people get addicted to pornography and just waste their lives. Mostly the youth of nation is spoiled through this internet, due to that the youngster are losing their interest in their studies they just waste the time on watching such guilty videos on internet and ruin their lives. The J K Rowling say The internet has been a boon and curse for teenagers .With the passage of time many students are getting away from their families , they do not give time to their families spend their precious time on the internet just watching videos, movies, playing online games and chatting with friends. As a scholar Philip Zimbardo say What troubles me is in ternet and electronic technology revolution. Shyness is fueled in part by so many people spending huge amounts of time alone, isolated on e-mail, in chat rooms, which reduces their face to face contact with other people Many children are becoming the victim of loneliness. So mostly parents say that internet is the cure which has spoiled their children. This may be the reason the as the time is passing by people lives the short lives and are mostly in physically fit. It has been revealed that in the century of internet mostly children are spoiled in early age and the reason for is only and only internet. As internet is source of communication as we mentioned before at the same time it also create some misconception as well. The well-known example is Facebook which is used by very much people. It waste your life and when you get addicted to it, you cant do anything important than Facebook .So news has said the Facebook is such website which has created so much misconception, due to it many life partner are separated due to just misconception by Facebook. There are many hackers on internet who steal your personal information and sometime it also lead to war when people of one country hack the secretive sites of other country and steal their secrets. It also has some disadvantages in business as well. So internet has advantages as well as disadvantages and some people consider it as blessing and some consider it the curse. A great scholar said that every silver cloud has dark linings and everything which has positive effect it do have some negative effects as well. Use of internet is just like gun, the gun is blessing if you just use it to defend yourselves but it is no more less than curse if you use it to kill the innocent people. However Internet can be blessing for us if we use it positively, all now depands on us either we are going to make it blessing or curse. Mostly people think that it do have some draw backs but its advantages overcome all the demarits of internet. It has very important role in almost all aspects of life, we can say that it has become part of our lives, world without internet will be totally different without it there will not be fast source of communication. Internet can become completely blessing if the government takes some effective steps, such as government should set an active department which should see over the activities happening on internet and should set some rule s and regulations and if someone is having the wrong use he should be stopped and a written warning notice should be given to him. The department should set rules like it should the ban the porn videos and it should all the websites which are spoiling the youth or society. By doing that no one will be able to put wrong commits about any religion and the religious war will be over and many problems will be solved, so internet will be the blessing and internet is really blessing. The End.

Preferences of Gender Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Preferences of Gender Some might argue that there is a difference in the parenting of a boy compared to that of a girl. However true this may be, one must recognize and disregard the sexist implications that have been portrayed for generations. Girls are often said to be easily content and depicted as â€Å"brave and tough†. One might be surprised to find that a little girl could be just as interested in playing with a football as she would a Barbie doll if given the opportunity. This simply demonstrates the nonsexist choice of a toy that the girl has made. There are, without a doubt, many differences and different needs in raising a boy than a girl. These differences, however, do not exhibit the difficulties it takes to raise a boy compared to that of a girl. These miniscule, however, significant issues of undoubted sexism are the very grounds for why one might argue that having a boy would be easier than having a girl. There is nothing wrong with wanting to have a little boy after already having a little girl, or vice versa, but why not want to experience both ways of parenting, since both parenting factors demonstrate hardly any difference. The question at hand now is whether or not choosing the sex of the child is so important that one would be willing to expel the pleasures of intimacy, in turn for a prenatal test that involves needles, implantations, and third party, the doctor. Where has the romance gone? Couples are free to choose how many children they have, when they want to have them and whether to terminated unwanted pregnancies, thus why should couples not be free to choose the sex of their child? The argument is that by leaving the sex up to the parents the sex ratio in the population will eventua... ...passed the age conceivability. In conclusion, one can see that the gender preference among couples in today’s society is a boy rather than a girl, more so, for personal reasons rather than scientific. The two articles were extremely informative and interesting. They state many facts as to why one might choose to want to have a boy rather than a girl. Personally, I would be completely content with just a healthy baby, no matter the gender. In a religious stand-point, God blesses you with what he sees fit for you. His decision is not based upon what you think is best for yourself. Works Cited Malpani, Aniruddha. â€Å"Why shouldn’t couples by free to choose the sex of their baby?† Reproductive Health Matter. V10. i19. (May 2002). 192 (2) Steinbock, Bonnie. â€Å"Sex Selection: not obviously wrong.† The Hastings Center Report. V32. i1. (2002). 23 (7)

Human senses Essay

Our human senses are the major and needed parts to help with Thinking or any bodily activity in general. No matter if we Disagree that our senses are accurate or weak we still use and need Them on a daily basis. Our sense of sight, hearing, touch, smell And Taste helps us guide ourselves to our thought destinations. If Human beings weren’t developed with any senses at all we would Not be able to experience a lot of many wonderful aspects through Our lives. The sense of taste makes sure we get the accurate and Adequate amount of nutrition needed to digest our daily meals or Anything that we consume. All of our senses provide accurate Information for the situations we are faced within our daily living. Some of our senses are very weak mainly when it pertains to the Thought process. We mainly forget to think before we speak on Certain occasions. In the heat of the moment we tend to react on Temporary with some permanent decisions. Some permanent Decision we conclude with are later on regretted later on in our Lives. If a study was performed on a number of correctional Facilities throughout the United States or any other country I guarantee many of the individuals that are a part of the Correctional system truly regret the choice’s they chose to Make during the height of the moment. At any given moment There are 1,000 thought, feelings and emotions that travel through Our brain when we are excited and anxious. When we as enter These type of situations it is best that we sit, pause and think about What we are being faced with. Going through every day in life Requires a lot of thought and reaction whether it’s a good or bad Reaction. We must realize that no matter what we go through, we Have to use one of our senses we are blessed with to maintain and Menevour our thoughts. Our minds are some truly unique vessels That are designed and separated to work uniquely with our entire Body to function as a whole. We must accurately rely on our Senses to successfully succeed in life.

Christopher Marlowe Essay

Christopher Marlowe Introduction: Drama presents fiction or fact in a form that could be acted before an audience. It is imitation by action and speech. A play has a plot, characters, atmosphere and conflict. Unlike a novel, which in read in private, a play is intended to be performed in public. Christopher Marlowe was a greatest of pre Shakespearian dramatists, poet and translator. Marlowe’s plays are known for the use of blank verse, He was known as the Father of English Tragedy Origin and development of British Drama: The Romans introduced drama to England, during the medieval period. A number of auditoriums were constructed for the performance of the art form, when it came to the country. Mummers’ plays, associated with the Morris dance, became a popular form of street theatre during the period. The performances were based on the old stories of Saint George, Robin Hood and Dragon. The artists moved from town to town, to perform these folk tales. They were given money and hospitality, in return for their performance. The mystery and morality plays, performed during medieval period – at religious festivals, carried the Christian theme. The English Renaissance, a cultural and artistic movement in England country that lasted from 16th to early-17th century, paved the way for the dominance of drama in the country. Queen Elizabeth I ruled during the period, when great poetry and drama were produced. The renowned playwrights of this time included William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, B en Jonson and John Webster. The dramatists wrote plays based on themes like history, comedy and tragedy. While most of the playwrights specialized in only one of the themes, Shakespeare emerged as an artist who produced plays based on all the three themes. Pre Shakespearian Drama: The University Wits, nearly all of whom were associated with Oxford and Cambridge, did much to found the Elizabethan school of drama. They were all more or less aquainted with each other, and most of them led irregular and stormy lives. Their plays had several features in common. There was a fondness of heroic themes, such as the lives of great figures like Mohammed and Tamburlaine.Heroic themes needed heroic treatment: great fullness and variety; splendid descriptions, long swelling speeches, the handling of violent incidents and emotions. These qualities, excellent when held in restraint, only too often led to loudness and disorder. The style also was ‘heroic’. The chief aim was to achieve strong and sounding lines, magnificient epithets, and powerful declamation. This again led to abuse and to mere bombast, mouthing, and in the worst cases to nonsense. In the best examples, such as in Marlowe, the result is quite impressive. In this connection it is to be noted that the best medium for such expression was blank verse, which was sufficiently elastic to bear the strong pressure of these expansive methods. The themes were usually tragic in nature, for the dramatists were as a rule too much in earnest to give heed to what was considered to be the lower species of comedy. The general lack of real humour in the early drama is one of its most prominent features. Humour, when it is brought in at all, is coarse and immature. Christopher Marlowe (1564 – 1593): Marlowe’s Early Life: Christopher Marlowe, English dramatist, the father of English tragedy, and instaurator of dramatic blank verse, the eldest son of a shoemaker at Canterbury, was born in that city on the 6th of February 1564. He was christened at St George’s Church, Canterbury, on the 26th of February, 1563/4, some two months before Shakespeare’s baptism at Stratford-on-Avon. His father, John Marlowe, is said to have been the grandson of John Morley or Marlowe, a substantial tanner of Canterbury. The father, who survived by a dozen years or so his illustrious son, married on the 22nd of May 1561 Catherine, daughter of Christopher Arthur, at one time rector of St Peter’s, Canterbury, who had been ejected by Queen Mary as a married minister. The dramatist received the rudiments of his education at the King’s School, Canterbury, which he entered at Michaelmas 1578, and where he had as his fellow-pupils Richard Boyle, afterwards known as the great Earl of Cork, and Will Lyly, t he brother of [John Lyly] the dramatist. Stephen Gosson entered the same school a little before, and William Harvey, the famous physician, a little after Marlowe. He went to Cambridge as one of Archbishop Parker’s scholars from the King’s School, and matriculated at Benet (Corpus Christi) College, on the 17th of March 1571, taking his B.A. degree in 1584, and that of M.A. three or four years later. Marlowe’s Contribution to British Drama: In a playwriting career that spanned little more than six years, Marlowe’s achievements were diverse and splendid. Perhaps before leaving Cambridge he had already written Tamburlaine the Great (in two parts, both performed by the end of 1587; published 1590). Almost certainly during his later Cambridge years, Marlowe had translated Ovid’s Amores (The Loves) and the first book of Lucan’s Pharsalia from the Latin. About this time he also wrote the play Dido, Queen of Carthage (published in 1594 as the joint work of Marlowe and Thomas Nashe). With the production of Tamburlaine he received recognition and acclaim, and playwriting became his major concern in the few years that lay ahead. Both parts of Tamburlaine were published anonymously in 1590, and the publisher omitted certain passages that he found incongruous with the play’s serious concern with history; even so, the extant Tamburlaine text can be regarded as substantially Marlowe’s. No other of his plays or poems or translations was published during his life. His unfinished but splendid poem Hero and Leander—which is almost certainly the finest nondramatic Elizabethan poem apart from those produced by Edmund Spenser—appeared in 1598. There is argument among scholars concerning the order in which the plays subsequent to Tamburlaine were written. It is not uncommonly held that Faustus quickly followed Tamburlaine and that then Marlowe turned to a more neutral, more â€Å"social† kind of writing in Edward II and The Massacre at Paris. His last play may have been The Jew of Malta, in which he signally broke new ground. It is known that Tamburlaine, Faustus, and The Jew of Malta were performed by the Admiral’s Men, a company whose outstanding actor was Edward Alleyn, who most certainly played Tamburlaine, Faustus, and Barabas the Jew. Plays of Christopher Marlowe: Marlowe’s plays, all tragedies, were written within five years (1587-92). He had no bent for comedy, and the comic parts found in some of his plays are always inferior and may be by other writers. As a dramatist Marlowe had serious limitations, though it is possible to trace a growing sense of the theatre through his plays. Dido, Queen of Carthage (1586): Dido, Queen of Carthage is a short play written by the English playwright Christopher Marlowe, with possible contributions by Thomas Nashe. The story of the play focuses on the classical figure of Dido, the Queen of Carthage. It tells an intense dramatic tale of Dido and her fanatical love for Aeneas (induced by Cupid), Aeneas’ betrayal of her and her eventual suicide on his departure for Italy. Jupiter is fondling Ganymede, who says that Jupiter’s wife Juno has been mistreating him because of her jealousy. Venus enters, and complains that Jupiter is neglecting her son Aeneas, who has left Troy with survivors of the defeated city. He was on his way to Italy, but is now lost in a storm. Jupiter tells her not to worry; he will quiet the storm. Venus travels to Libya, where she disguises herself as a mortal and meets Aeneas, who has arrived, lost, on the coast. He and a few followers have become separated from their comrades. He recognises her, but she denies her identity. She helps him meet up with Illioneus, Sergestus and Cloanthes, other surv iving Trojans who have already received generous hospitality from the local ruler Dido, Queen of Carthage. Dido meets Aeneas and promises to supply his ships. She asks him to give her the true story of the fall of Troy, which he does in detail, describing the death of Priam, the loss of his own wife and his escape with his son Ascanius and other survivors. Dido’s suitor, Iarbas, presses her to agree to marry him. She seems to favour him, but Venus has other plans. She disguises Cupid as Aeneas’s son Ascanius, so that he can get close to Dido and touch her with his arrow. He does so; Dido immediately falls in love with Aeneas and rejects Iarbas out of hand, to his horror and confusion. Dido’s sister Anna, who is in love with Iarbas, encourages Dido to pursue Aeneas. She and Aeneas meet at a cave, where Dido declares her love. They enter the cave to make love. Iarbas swears he will get revenge. Venus and Juno appear, arguing over Aeneas. Venus believes that Juno wants to harm her son, but Juno denies it, saying she has important plans for him. Aeneas’s followers say they must leave Libya, to fulfil their destiny in Italy. Aeneas seems to agree, and prepares to depart. Dido sends Anna to find out what is happening. She brings Aeneas back, who denies he intended to leave. Dido forgives him, but as a precaution r emoves all the sails and tackle from his ships. She also places Ascanius in the custody of the Nurse, believing that Aeneas will not leave without him. However, â€Å"Ascanius† is really the disguised Cupid. Dido says that Aeneas will be king of Carthage and anyone who objects will be executed. Aeneas agrees and plans to build a new city to rival Troy and strike back at the Greeks. Mercury appears with the real Ascanius and informs Aeneas that his destiny is in Italy and that he must leave on the orders of Jupiter. Aeneas reluctantly accepts the divine command. Iarbas sees the opportunity to be rid of his rival and agrees to supply Aeneas with the missing tackle. Aeneas tells Dido he must leave. She pleads with him to ignore Jupiter’s command, but he refuses to do so. He departs, leaving Dido in despair. The Nurse says that â€Å"Ascanius† has disappeared. Dido orders her to be imprisoned. She tells Iarbas and Anna that she intends to make a funeral pyre on which she will burn everything that reminds her of Aeneas. After cursing Aeneas’ progeny, she throws herself into the fire. Iarbas, horrified, kills himself too. Anna, seeing Iarbas dead, kills herself. Tamburlaine the Great (1587–1588): Tamburlaine the Great is a play in two parts by Christopher Marlowe. It is loosely based on the life of the Central Asian emperor, Timur â€Å"the lame†. Written in 1587 or 1588, the play is a milestone in Elizabethan public drama; it marks a turning away from the clumsy language and loose plotting of the earlier Tudor dramatists, and a new interest in fresh and vivid language, memorable action, and intellectual complexity. Along with Thomas Kyd’s The Spanish Tragedy, it may be considered the first popular success of London’s public stage. Marlowe, generally considered the greatest of the University Wits, influenced playwrights well into the Jacobean period, and echoes of Tamburlaine’s bombast and ambition can be found in English plays all the way to the Puritan closing of the theatres in 1642. While Tamburlaineis considered inferior to the great tragedies of the late-Elizabethan and early-Jacobean period, its significance in creating a stock of themes and , especially, in demonstrating the potential of blank verse in drama, are still acknowledged. Part 1 The play opens in Persepolis. The Persian emperor, Mycetes, dispatches troops to dispose of Tamburlaine, a Scythian shepherd and at that point a nomadic bandit. In the same scene, Mycetes’ brother Cosroe plots to overthrow Mycetes and assume the throne. The scene shifts to Scythia, where Tamburlaine is shown wooing, capturing, and winning Zenocrate, the daughter of the Egyptian king. Confronted by Mycetes’ soldiers, he persuades first the soldiers and then Cosroe to join him in a fight against Mycetes. Although he promises Cosroe the Persian throne, Tamburlaine reneges on this promise and, after defeating Mycetes, takes personal control of the Persian Empire. Suddenly a powerful figure, Tamburlaine decides to pursue further conquests. A campaign against Turkey yields him the Turkish king Bajazeth and his wife Zabina as captives; he keeps them in a cage and at one point uses Bajazeth as a footstool. After conquering Africa and naming himself emperor of that continent, Tamburlaine sets his eyes on Damascus; this target places the Egyptian Sultan, his father-in-law, directly in his path. Zenocrate pleads with her husband to spare her father. He complies, instead making the Sultan a tributary king. The play ends with the wedding of Zenocrate and Tamburlaine, and the crowning of the former as Empress of Persia. Part 2 Tamburlaine grooms his sons to be conquerors in his wake as he continues to conquer his neighbouring kingdoms. His oldest son, Calyphas, preferring to stay by his mother’s side and not risk death, incurs Tamburlaine’s wrath. Meanwhile, the son of Bajazeth, Callapine, escapes from Tamburlaine’s jail and gathers a group of tributary kings to his side, planning to avenge his father. Callapine and Tamburlaine meet in battle, where Tamburlaine is victorious. But finding Calyphas remained in his tent during the battle, Tamburlaine kills him in anger. Tamburlaine then forces the defeated kings to pull his chariot to his next battlefield, declaring, Upon reaching Babylon, which holds out against him, Tamburlaine displays further acts of extravagant savagery. When the Governor of the city attempts to save his life in return for revealing the city treasury, Tamburlaine has him hung from the city walls and orders his men to shoot him to death. He orders the inhabitants â₠¬â€ men, women, and children — bound and thrown into a nearby lake. Lastly, Tamburlaine scornfully burns a copy of the Qur’an and claims to be greater than God. In the final act, he is struck ill but manages to defeat one more foe before he dies. He bids his remaining sons to conquer the remainder of the earth as he departs life. The play is often linked to Renaissance humanism which idealises the potential of human beings. Tamburlaine’s aspiration to immense power raises profound religious questions as he arrogates for himself a role as the â€Å"scourge of God† (an epithet originally applied to Attila the Hun). Some readers have linked this stance with the fact that Marlowe was accused of atheism. Others have been more concerned with a supposed anti-Muslim thread of the play, highlighted in a scene in which the main character burns the Qur’an. Jeff Dailey notes in his article â€Å"Christian Underscoring in Tamburlaine the Great, Part II† that Marlowe’s work is a direct successor to the traditional medieval morality plays,[3]and that, whether or not he is an atheist, he has inherited religious elements of content and allegorical methods of presentation. The Jew of Malta (1589): The Jew of Malta is a play by Christopher Marlowe, probably written in 1589 or 1590. Its plot is an original story of religious conflict, intrigue, and revenge, set against a backdrop of the struggle for supremacy between Spain and the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean that takes place on the island of Malta. The Jew of Malta is considered to have been a major influence on William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. The play opens with a Prologue narrated by Machevill, a caricature of the author Machiavelli. This character explains that he is presenting the â€Å"tragedy of a Jew† who has become rich by following Machiavelli’s teachings. Act I opens with a Jewish merchant, called Barabas, waiting for news about the return of his ships from the east. He discovers that they have safely docked in Malta, before three Jews arrive to inform him that they must go to the senate-house to meet the governor. Once there, Barabas discovers that along with every other Jew on the island he must forfeit half of his estate to help the government pay tribute to the Turks. When the Barabas protests at this unfair treatment, the governor Ferneze confiscates all of Barabas’s wealth and decides to turn Barabas’s house into a convent. Barabas vows revenge but first attempts to recover some of the treasures he has hidden in his mansion. His daughter, Abigail, pretends to convert to Christianity in order to enter the convent. She smuggles out her father’s gold at night. Ferneze meets with Del Bosco, the Spanish Vice-Admiral, who wishes to sell Turkish slaves in the market place. Del Bosco convinces Ferneze to break his alliance with the Turks in return for Spanish protection. While viewing the slaves, Barabas meets up with Ferneze’s, Lodowick. This man has heard of Abigail’s great beauty from his friend (and Abigail’s lover) Mathias. Barabas realizes that he can use Lodowick to exact revenge on Ferneze, and so he dupes the young man into thinking Abigail will marry him. While doing this, the merchant buys a slave called Ithamore who hates Christians as much as his new master does. Mathias sees Barabas talking to Lodowick and demands to know whether they are discussing Abigail. Barabas lies to Mathias, and so Barabas deludes both young men into thinking that Abigail has been promised to them. At home, Barabas orders his reluctant daughter to get betrothed to Lodowick. At the end of the second Act, the two young men vow revenge on each other for attempting to woo Abigail behind one another’s backs. Barabas seizes on this opportunity and gets Ithamore to deliver a forged letter to Mathias, supposedly from Lodowick, challenging him to a duel. Act II I introduces the prostitute Bellamira and her pimp Pilia-Borza, who decide that they will steal some of Barabas’s gold since business has been slack. Ithamore enters and instantly falls in love with Bellamira. Mathias and Lodowick kill each other in the duel orchestrated by Barabas and are found by Ferneze and Katherine, Mathias’s mother. The bereaved parents vow revenge on the perpetrator of their sons’ murders. Abigail finds Ithamore laughing, and Ithamore tells her of Barabas’s role in the young men’s deaths. Grief-stricken, Abigail persuades a Dominican friar Jacomo to let her enter the convent, even though she lied once before about converting. When Barabas finds out what Abigail has done, he is enraged, and he decides to poison some rice and send it to the nuns. He instructs Ithamore to deliver the food. In the next scene, Ferneze meets a Turkish emissary, and Ferneze explains that he will not pay the required tribute. The Turk leaves, stating that his leader Calymath will attack the island. Jacomo and another friar Bernardine despair at the deaths of all the nuns, who have been poisoned by Barabas. Abigail enters, close to death, and confesses her fatherà ¢â‚¬â„¢s role in Mathias’s and Lodowick’s deaths to Jacomo. She knows that the priest cannot make this knowledge public because it was revealed to him in confession. Act IV shows Barabas and Ithamore delighting in the nuns’ deaths. Bernardine and Jacomo enter with the intention of confronting Barabas. Barabas realizes that Abigail has confessed his crimes to Jacomo. In order to distract the two priests from their task, Barabas pretends that he wants to convert to Christianity and give all his money to whichever monastery he joins. Jacomo and Bernardine start fighting in order to get the Jew to join their own religious houses. Barabas hatches a plan and tricks Bernardine into coming home with him. Ithamore then strangles Bernardine, and Barabas frames Jacomo for the crime. The action switches to Bellamira and her pimp, who find Ithamore and persuade him to bribe Barabas. The slave confesses his master’s crimes to Bellamira, who decides to report them to the governor after Barabas has given her his money. Barabas is maddened by the slave’s treachery and turns up at Bellamira’s home disguised as a French lute player. Barabas then poisons all three conspirators with the use of a poisoned flower. The action moves quickly in the final act. Bellamira and Pilia-Borza confess Barabas’s crimes to Ferneze, and the murderer is sent for along with Ithamore. Shortly after, Bellamira, Pilia-Borza and Ithamore die. Barabas fakes h is own death and escapes to find Calymath. Barabas tells the Turkish leader how best to storm the town. Following this event and the capture of Malta by the Turkish forces, Barabas is made governor, and Calymath prepares to leave. However, fearing for his own life and the security of his office, Barabas sends for Ferneze. Barabas tells him that he will free Malta from Turkish rule and kill Calymath in exchange for a large amount of money. Ferneze agrees and Barabas invites Calymath to a feast at his home. However, when Calymath arrives, Ferneze prevents Barabas from killing him. Ferneze and Calymath watch as Barabas dies in a cauldron that Barabas had prepared for Calymath. Ferneze tells the Turkish leader that he will be a prisoner in Malta until the Ottoman Emperor agrees to free the island. Doctor Faustus (1589-1593): Marlowe’s â€Å"The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus† stands as one of the most influential and frequently-referenced pieces of literature in history. The play is the story of Dr. Faustus, a man who considers study in the fields of logic, medicine, law, and divinity and instead chooses to forsake them all to practice black magic. He enters into a deal with Mephastophilis, a servant of the devil, in which Faustus gains the services of the demon but has to give up his soul after 24 years. The play deals with several important themes. The corrupting influence of power, sin and redemption, and the divided nature of man are interwoven throughout the piece. Absolute power corrupts Faustus thoroughly. In the beginning we are introduced to a man at the top of his game. He’s mastered several important disciplines and is seeking a further, more rewarding, challenge so he turns to black magic. Faustus dreams of the many amazing things he’ll accomplish with his new powers. He muses on sending spirits to India to fetch him gold, ponders having them â€Å"Ransack the ocean for orient pearl,† and contemplates how he will use his spirits to gain knowledge of â€Å"the secrets of all foreign kings.† His ambitions even extend to the throne of Germany. When finally granted the power he so desires, Faustus proceeds to do very little with it. He starts out auspiciously enough with an adventure in a chariot pulled by dragons so that he may unlock the mysteries of astronomy. Faustus seeks to test the accuracy of maps of the coasts and kingdoms of the world as well and eventually ends up in Rome. Soon after, however , he basically lets his amazing power go to waste. He spends his time impressing various noblemen, playing petty tricks on people, and conjuring up specters of Alexander the Great and Helen of Troy. The underlying statement Marlowe is making is one of the basic tenets of modern psychology. People simply don’t appreciate things they didn’t have to work to gain. In the beginning, Faustus is a great man, full of ambition and at the top of his field. While he ‘earns’ his new-found power in a sense by forfeiting his soul, he has done no actual work to acquire it. Throughout the course of the play we see the formerly-ambitious Faustus reduced to a petty conjurer and celebrity because of the corrupting influence of his power. Instead of choosing to act on his lofty ambitions or, heaven forbid, use his power for unselfish reasons; he simply wastes his days amusing himself with practical jokes and beautiful women. Marlowe also comments on the nature of sin and redemption. Faustus essentially commits the ultimate sin by signing a pact with the devil. He chooses of his own free will to give up his eternal soul in exchange for an earthly reward. According to Christian mythology, one can be forgiven of any sin, one has only to repent and ask God’s forgiveness. Despite the severity of his sin, Faustus is given several opportunities to repent his sin and be saved, and is encouraged to do so both by the good angel who appears several times and by the old man in scene 12. Each time he chooses to remain loyal to Hell. He seems to consider repenting at the very end, but Mephastophilis threatens to tear his body apart, so he chooses instead to send Mephastophilis to torture the old man whose words he finds himself unable to heed. Even though an easy answer to the problem of losing his soul exists, and he is several times reminded of it, in the end his own weakness prevents him from making the choice to repent and damns him for all eternity. The divided nature of man is literally personified in the play by the good and evil angels that appear to Faustus periodically. These characters represent opposing sides of Faustus’ own psyche, as well as representing emissaries of heaven and hell. Faustus is continually undecided whether he should continue his bargain or repent and seek salvation. He is clearly afraid for his eternal soul but is unable to relinquish the amazing power his bargain has afforded him. Marlowe may have intended the two angels as literal beings, but it’s obvious he also intended them as an allegorical representation of Faustus’ own internal struggle. Themes are an integral part of the play, but Marlowe’s work has truly stood the test of time. What is it about Doctor Faustus’ story that has made it resonant to countless generations of readers since it was written? The good doctor is a character with whom readers can sympathize. This is not to necessarily say that he is a ‘sympathetic’ character, but simply that he’s a man who faces temptation and a tough choice. Human beings face tough choices every day, and like Faustus we are forced to weigh the consequences of yielding to those temptations. Every human being faces temptation almost every day of their lives. These temptations range from the miniscule, such as being tempted to eat a slice of bread in spite of your pledge to adhere strictly to the Atkins diet, to the extreme, such as your best friend’s drunken girlfriend coming on to you. The story of Faustus rings true with readers even today because of this. It speaks to every reader because there are no people who have lived without temptation. We all have our â€Å"good angel† and â€Å"bad angel,† the voices inside our heads that spell out consequences of choices we’re faced with. In most cases, people who give into temptation are aware of the consequence s of that choice. The fact that Faustus’ temptation is a far greater one than any of us is likely to face and has far greater consequences than any of us will ever be up against just makes it even more resonant. Everyone has given in to a strong temptation at some point in their lives and it makes us feel good to see someone doing the same despite the enormous consequences that follow for Faustus. Despite the fact that Faustus has committed the ultimate sin by choosing of his own free will to give up his immortal soul for an earthly reward, the possibility of salvation exists for him until the very end. We as people want to believe that the possibility of salvation and forgiveness exists for us no matter how heinous the deeds we have committed are. Marlowe’s play speaks to this desire within us, telling us that, like Faustus, the possibility of repentance and forgiveness exists for us no matter how badly we screw up. It’s a very comforting thought, especially to those living with guilt over some past transgression. Another reason that the story in â€Å"Doctor Faustus† is as relevant today as it was when Marlowe wrote it is Faustus himself. Some may see him as a tragic hero, and it’s very possible to consider him in this light, but it’s also not much of a stretch to call him a villain. Men like Faustus exist even today, people who are willing to do whatever it tak es to get what they want regardless of the consequences to themselves or to others. Ken Lay in the recent Enron scandal comes to mind as an example of this. Mr. Lay was perfectly willing to practically destroy the lives of thousands of people by taking their hard-earned money and squandering it on yachts and other expensive trifles. He, in effect, sold his soul. Faustus’ selfish deeds remind us that people like him exist in real life. When Faustus is corrupted by his power and basically squanders it we are both angry at his inability to find a way to do good with his powers and pleased that he is getting what he deserves. Society likes it when people who commit evil deeds have it blow up in their face. We want to see justice served, whether it be Faustus’ eternity in hell or Mr. Lay’s recently-handed-down prison sentence, it feels good to know that evil people are punished. â€Å"Doctor Faustus† has truly stood the test of time as a great piece of classical literature. Countless indications of its influence exist even today, ranging from the film â€Å"The Devil’s Advocate† to the good and evil angels that appear on the shoulders in Warner Brothers cartoons. Marlowe’s use of complex themes and subtle commentary on the nature of man coupled with the underlying messages that speak to the human p syche have established â€Å"Doctor Faustus† as a pinnacle of the writer’s craft and a treatise on the human condition. Edward the Second (1592): Edward II is a Renaissance or Early Modern period play written by Christopher Marlowe. It is one of the earliest English history plays. The full title of the first publication is The Troublesome Reign and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England, with the Tragical Fall of Proud Mortimer. Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II is typically applauded as an aesthetic achievement, a history play that brings form and meaning to the incoherent material of its chronicle source by retelling the king’s slightly dull, twenty-year reign as the fierce and deadly struggle of a few willful personalities. Within the development of Elizabethan drama,Edward II is granted a crucial role in bringing to the English â€Å"chronicle play†Ã¢â‚¬â€œincluding Shakespeare’s Henry VI plays and Richard III–the unity and purpose of the mature â€Å"history† play, epitomized by Shakespeare’s later, more aesthetically sophisticated tetralogy. In this narrative of literary development, the episodic chronicle play fails to show the dispar ate events of the past contributing to a single action — fails, like the chronicle, to comprehend the past — while the history play successfully makes sense of those events. Considered in context of the Marlovian oeuvre, Edward II again demonstrates the triumph of art and order over inchoate historical material: it is Marlowe’s â€Å"most perfect achievement in dramatic structure† and the â€Å"most finished and satisfactory of Marlowe’s plays, evidently carefully written, with the refractory chronicle material skillfully handled.† These readings of Edward II, however, have relied upon too superficial an understanding of the chronicle tradition, and they have kept the play’s formal success separate from the Elizabethan debates about historiography within which both play and source participated. The social and political stakes of Marlowe’s historiographical practice emerge when we reread Edward II against a conception of the chronicle not as mere â€Å"material† but as a coherent and influential projection of national identity and historical process. Such a comparative reading shows us not merely that Marlo we’s play is more aesthetically satisfying, but also that it significantly redefines the nation and the forces of historical change. In particular, Marlowe delineates and focuses on a private realm, which he sets up in opposition to the public as a volatile source of decisions affecting the state. In addition, reading Marlowe’s play with a new understanding of the chronicle foregrounds the metadiscursive elements in Edward II that, referring back to the source accounts, help to illuminate Marlowe’s sense of his own artistic refashioning. The chronicle form, as Marlowe’s principal source and one with considerable cultural authority, challenged him to set up his drama as a more â€Å"true† history and to defend his very different understanding of both political process and history writing. The assessments of Edward II that began this article define the play against the chronicle, which is in turn characterized as â€Å"material,† an apparently amorphous grouping of value-free facts for the artist to choose or reject. For the modern reader, accustomed to finding meaning in tales of causality, the disparate events recorded by the chroniclers — events only related to each other by their shared chronological structure — seem to lack meaning and purpose. But we can no longer read these important histories so carelessly. In her recent analysis of Raphael Holinshed’s Chronicle, Annabel Patterson has shown that the chronicle’s form and content actually worked to address the concerns and convey the values of the citizen and artisan Londoners who were its principal readers and producers. Maintaining that the Chronicle reveals not its authors’ â€Å"incompetence† but their â€Å"different set of historiographical principles,† Patterson argues that the Chronicle’s perplexing inclusivity — the quality that brought John Donne’s scathing dismissal of chronicle content as â€Å"triviall houshold trash†Ã¢â‚¬â€œin effect creates a national history that will encompass not just king and court but also citizens and even the artisanal and laboring classes. Patterson also traces, in passages throughout the Chronicle, the authors’ recurrent, approving attention to rights theory, to the â€Å"ancient constitution,† and to the value of Parliame nt in limiting the monarch’s power. She persuasively demonstrates that they make a strong case for certain liberties of the individual and the laws that protect them. The Massacre at Paris (1593): The Massacre at Paris is an Elizabethan play by the English dramatist Christopher Marlowe. It concerns the Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, which took place in Paris in 1572, and the part played by the Duc de Guise in those events. The Lord Strange’s Men acted a play titled The Tragedy of the Guise, thought to be Marlowe’s play, on 26 January 1593. The Admiral’s Menperformed The Guise or The Massacre ten times between 21 June and 27 September 1594. The Diary of Philip Henslowe marks the play as â€Å"ne,† though scholars disagree as to whether this indicates a â€Å"new† play or a performance at the Newington Butts theatre. The Diary also indicates that Henslowe planned a revival of the play in 1602, possibly in a revised version.[1] A possible revision may have something to do with the surprising number of Shakespearean borrowings and paraphrases in the text.[2] The only surviving text is an undated quarto that is too short to represent the complete original play and in all probability it is a memorial reconstruction by the actors who performed the work.[3] It preserves a lot of the violence and stabbing jokes but deletes most of whatever social value the play may have had, except for one long soliloquy near the beginning. One clue to the original substance of the play is a page which survives in manuscript. It is known as the â€Å"Collier leaf,† after the Shakespearean scholar John Payne Collier, who is known to have been a notorious forger, although modern scholars think that this particular leaf is probably authentic. Despite including a speech where one of the characters mutters obscene jokes to himself before shooting someone, it supplies a much longer and more interesting version of a blank verse speech than appears in the quarto. This suggests that the more thoughtful parts of the play were precisely the ones that tended to be cut. This was his unfinished work. Christopher Marlowe – Father of English Tragedy: The first great thing done by Marlowe was to break away from the medieval conception of tragedy, as in medieval drama, tragedy was a thing of the princes only. It dealt with the rise and fall of kings or royal personalities. But it was left to Marlowe to evolve and create the real tragic hero. Almost all the heroes of Marlowe—Tamburlaine, Faustus or Jew of Malta—are of humble parentage, but they are endowed with great heroic qualities and they are really great men. His tragedy is, in fact, the tragedy of one man-the rise, fall and death of the hero. All other characters of a Marlovian drama pale into insignificance beside the towering personality and the glory and grandeur of the tragic hero. Even various incidents of the drama revolve round the hero. The spiritual or moral conflict takes place in the heart of man and this is of much greater-significance and much more poignant than the former. And a great tragedy most powerfully reveals the emotional conflict or moral a gony of the mighty hero. Like the heroes of ancient tragedy, Marlowe’s heroes are not helpless puppets in the hands of blind fate. The tragic flaw was in their character and the tragic action also issued out of their characters. This was really Marlowe’s greatest contribution to English tragedy. Marlowe’s Themes and Style: Though Marlowe did not care for the unity of plot, his characterization was powerful and he developed the element of soul struggle in plays like Dr. Faustus. His hero Faustus, dissatisfied with the poor results of human science sells his soul to the devil so that for 24 years he may satisfy every desire. Marlowe was fascinated by king Tamburlaine who rose from a shepherd to became a master of Asia. In the Jew of Malta Marlowe shows the Jew Barabas enjoying his riches. He takes revenge on his Christian enemies. At last Barabas fell into the pit he had dug for others. In Edward II the murder of king is one of the most poignant scenes in the drama of Renaissance. Each of the plays has behind it the driving force of this vision, which gives it an artistic and poetic unity. It is, indeed, as a poet that Marlowe excels. Though not the first to use blank verse in English drama, he was the first to exploit its possibilities and make it supreme. His verse is notable for its possibilities and makes it supreme. His verse is notable for its burning energy, its splendour of diction, its sensuous richness, its variety of pace, and its responsiveness to the demands of varying emotions. Full of bold primary colours, his poetry is crammed with imagery from the classics, from astronomy and from geography, an imagery barbaric in its wealth and splendour. Its resonance and power led Ben Jonson to coin the phrase â€Å"Marlowe’s mighty line. â€Å"but its might has often obscured its technical precision and its admirable lucidity and finish. Creator of English Blank verse in Drama: Black verse is unrhymed iambic pentameter. It was first introduced by the Earl of Surrey in the 16th century. Later it was used by Marlowe and Shakespeare in their famous plays. Christopher Marlowe was the first English author to make full use of the potential of blank verse, and also established it as the dominant verse form for English drama in the age of Elizabeth I and James I. Marlowe and then Shakespeare developed its potential greatly in the late 16th century. Marlowe was the first to exploit the potential of blank verse for powerful and involved speech. Marlowe was the real creator of the most versatile of English measures. Sackville, Norton and Surrey experimented with this metre more than twenty years before Marlowe. They failed because they worked on wrong principles and the results which they produced were of an intolerable tedious monotony. Marlowe’s achievement in developing blank verse can be illustrated by the study of â€Å"Doctor Faustus†. In the chorus passage for example, the verse seems more consistently regular in its beat. The less questionable judgment is, that Marlowe exercised a strong influence over later drama, though not himself as great a dramatist as Kyd; that he introduced several new tones into blank verse, and commenced the dissociative process which drew it farther and farther away from the rhythms of rhymed verse. Marlowe’s Poems: †¢Translation of Book One of Lucan’s Pharsalia †¢Translation of Ovid’s Elegies (1580) †¢The Passionate Shepherd to His Love (pre-1593) †¢Hero and Leander (1593, unfinished; completed by George Chapman, 1598) Christopher Marlowe, a poet known mostly for his plays rather than his verse, translated two major works of classical Latin poetry — Amores by Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) and the first book of Lucan’s (Marcus Annaeus Lucanus) Pharsalia. These are long Latin poems written in the first centuries before and after the Common Era. Though the poems were at least 1400 years old when Marlowe translated them, he put them into the Elizabethan English of his day with considerable verve and poetic vividness (and with the occasional error in translation.) Ovid’s poem is a three-book collection of â€Å"elegies† (Latin elegia,) which in Ovid’s day were the equivalent of personal lyric poetry. It concerns a stylized and sometimes humorous and cynical romance between a rich Roman man and his married, foolish lover Corinna. Much of Ovid’s poetry is formulaic, based on earlier poetic forms. These forms (such as stylized addresses to the mistress, a funeral elegy, apostrophes and the like) make up a large portion of Amores, and the narrative is secondary. Ovid, however, was able to imbue his characters with convincing realism, which Marlowe translated admirably. Hero and Leander, the only long original work of poetry of Marlowe’s to have survived (and possibly the only one he ever wrote, apart from his plays,) was written during a plague year when theatres in London were closed. Marlowe was thus unable to write for the stage, and set his pen again to classical subjects. Hero and Leander concerns the Greek mythical lovers of those names, separated by the Hellespont. It is thought that Marlowe took the story from the mythical Byzantine poet Musaeus, though the myth was known long before that time. â€Å"The Passionate Shepherd To His Love†, is a pastoral love poem, written in tetrameter. It is a justly famous piece, often quoted, and Ralegh (a contemporary poet) made a famous â€Å"Answer† to it. It is about a shepherd who longs to make a woman (or a nymph) his wife, and tries to lure her into the countryside with promises of rich gifts. This 24-line sweet-toned plea paints an idealized picture of rural life, with images of the finery the lover will make for his beloved from the fruits of the land. It is an homage to an old Greek form of poetry, and one of Marlowe’s mast erworks. The translation of Lucan’s First Book is a virtuoso piece by Marlowe, recounting the beginning of a long epic by the Roman poet Lucan. In it, Julius Caesar has returned from conquering Gaul, and debates on crossing the Rubicon and conquering his own city of Rome. It is a piece full of classical allusions, but is also a meditation on the folly of civil war. Marlowe may well have intended to translate all of Lucan’s ten extant books, but it is assumed that this effort was stopped by his early death. Marlowe wrote a Latin epitaph, which he translated into English, for Roger Manwood, an official and judge. It is a poem in the finest old Latin style, but with Elizabethan sensibilities. It, along with Hero and Leander and Lucan’s First Book are among Marlowe’s last works. Major Themes of his Poems: Illicit love The whole of Amores is concerned with an adulterous love affair. The lovers attempt to conceal their trysts and deceive Corinna’s husband at every turn; nor are the lovers faithful or truthful to one another. The embarkation of this affair seems to have caused the two lovers no moral misgivings. Never do Corinna and her lover wrestle with their consciences, or voice concern about Corinna’s deceived husband. The complete absence of sexual and social conventional morality is a bit surprising in a poem more than two thousand years old. These elegia were part of a Roman poetic convention; the love poetry of illicit relationships was a poetic trope that was much explored by Ovid and other writers of his day. That Marlowe chose to translate it, however, speaks somewhat of his taste in iconoclastic themes. Hero and Leander, too, a poem devised by Marlowe from the framework of an early myth, is concerned with a doomed love affair. The separation and desperation of the lovers (on a different scale of personal integrity, but still with the same sort of angst) in Hero and Leander is dwelt on the same way as Ovid expresses his striving and frustration for Corinna in Amores. Love denied is a powerful dramatic subject, and Marlowe liked to address it in his longer poems. Classical poetry translations Marlowe chose a short but nevertheless difficult poem to translate in Ovid’s Amores. Classical translations were in vogue at the time (the appearance of Henry Howard, Lord Surrey’s partial translation of Virgil’s Aeneid some years before this had made a mark in literary circles) and a task that a young poet would likely set himself to. The translation is not an easy one; classical Latin was a very mature language and many times more compact than Elizabethan English. The meanings of words in Latin were sometimes multi-layered and used in ways that Elizabethan scholars of Latin, such as Marlowe, were not always able to grasp. In addition, the putting of one style of verse (Ovid’s alternating hexameter/pentameter unrhymed lines) into another (blank verse English rhyming couplets) is a difficult task at best, and one that would have honed Marlowe’s skills in English verse as well as Latin translation. Apprenticeship of Marlowe The translations of Ovid and Lucan were made when Marlowe was very young. He was still an undergraduate student at Cambridge when he began them. The Latin translations, though at times extremely witty and apt, do contain significant errors. Marlowe, though doubtless a classical scholar, was not a complete master of Ovid’s extremely refined Latin, and Marlowe’s treatment of Lucan’s sometimes more awkward language is compounded by errors. The Amores were particularly admired in the medieval and Renaissance Europe, and the people who read them sometimes missed the cynical and playful side of Ovid’s poetry. Marlowe seems to have fewer of these illusions (for example, he often translates Ovid’s puella, â€Å"girl†, as â€Å"wench†, which had similar connotations in Marlowe’s day as it does now,) but Marlowe nevertheless was unaware of some of the Roman poetic conventions and the more polished double- and triple-meanings that the poet of the Augustan age employed in his verses. The translations of Ovid and Lucan, though ambitious and certainly telling of potential talent, were still, to some extent, schoolboy exercises. There is no doubt, however, that the studying of these ancient writers and the conversion of their Latin into English verse helped greatly to develop the ability of the future writer of Tamburlaine and The Jew of Malta. Cynical view of romantic love The entire relationship between the lover and Corinna in Amores is a sophisticated, realistic, somewhat jaded, and definitely cynical one. Corinna is married, and there is no talk of her divorcing her husband (though divorce was legal and practiced in the Rome of Ovid’s day.) It is plain that at least part of Corinna’s attraction to the lover is his wealth, and Corinna, though praised for her physical charms, is continuously scolded and made to look foolish. Neither lover is shown to be in the least bit heroic or even admirable — though the feeling of passion is there, with attendant sentiments. It is clear that Ovid is chronicling a sordid adulterous affair. The lovers deceive each other and those around them. There is nothing redeeming about the relationship, and love certainly does not â€Å"conquer all.† Physical gratification, and perhaps the thrill obtained from conquest and deception, seem to be the only ends and purpose of the relationship. Hero an d Leander pursue, though not nearly as cynical, a similarly doomed and pointless love affair. They are so innocent as to not be able to consummate their love immediately, and, though the poem is unfinished, their deaths are predicted in the opening lines of the poem. Much of Renaissance romance tended toward the tragic, so it is not surprising that Marlowe chose subjects with unhappy rather than conventionally happy endings. Fate Especially in Hero and Leander, but in much of Marlowe’s oeuvre, the notion of fate is a common theme. References to the mythical Fates (or Destinies — the three Greco-Roman goddesses who decided the character and length of each human being’s life) occur often, and it is used as rhetorical device to convince that something is â€Å"meant to be†. This may or may not have been Marlowe’s own particular view of life. Since his religious views tended toward the heretical, if not outright atheism, it may be that he believed more fully in free will than the old classical idea of a fated existence. The Catholic church, too, while acknowledging free will, insisted that God’s will be the dominant one. Since much of Marlowe’s poetry is wry and tongue-in-cheek, the mentions of Fate may well be largely ironic. Folly of humanity Especially in Lucan’s First Book, but also in Amores and Hero and Leander Marlowe takes pains to point out the folly of humanity. He chooses translations and tells stories in which the faults in the main characters are obvious and usually avoidable. The poet usually tells us at the outset what the problems of the main actors are, and the tragic ending is often foretold. This kind of lack of narrative suspense was common in Classical literature, and also in the drama of the Elizabethan stage. High classical culture Marlowe translated and composed in Latin, and his reverence for the ancient world was obvious both in his choice of literature to translate, and his original work. Marlowe didn’t choose mediocre or obscure Latin poetry, but the works of Ovid and Lucan. These writers were the pinnacle of their culture, and their Latin was dense, erudite, and difficult to translate. In addition, some of the situations and stories of these authors were very far removed from types of stories told in Renaissance England. Marlowe kept the essential truths in these classical works, but he adapted them just enough to make them more accessible to his readers. Marlowe and Shakespeare: Two great names: William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe Educationally they were a great contrast. Shakespeare had had little schooling, quitting school when he was fifteen years old. Marlowe, by comparison, had two degrees including a master’s from Corpus Christi College at Cambridge University. Shakespeare had had no opportunity to learn foreign languages though Marlowe was fluent in many. Marlowe had translated Ovid’s â€Å"Amores† while in college and later had done the first translation of Cervantes’s massive classic Don Quixote from Spanish to English. Many of the plays attributed to Shakespeare have reference to foreign cities and foreign languages. In a similar manner, Shakespeare had had no opportunity to learn protocol of military life, legal matters or court manners, things in which Marlowe was proficient — things that were frequently a part of many of the Shakespearean plays. Marlowe had traveled to many countries. According to records, Shakespeare had never left England. Marlowe’s influence on Shakespeare: According to the Greek composition of tragedy, the hero should be a Man of Moment – one whose destiny is closely tied with that of our own. Marlowe makes a glaring deviation from the path trodden by the Greeks. His heroes are men with whom we have a close kinship. Tamburlaine is a Scythian Shepherd, Barabas a Mediterranean money-lender, and Faustus an ordinary German Doctor. While Shakespeare follows the Greek convention in most of his major tragedies, we notice the conspicuous exception in Othello who though he speaks of himself as â€Å"hailing etc.† is after all a moor of Venice. The Greeks insisted on the observance of the unities as an essential concomitance of tragedy. Marlowe boldly violates the rule with impunity. Tamburlaine’s conquest takes well-nigh 24 years. The action of Faustus dating from his signing of the bond to Lucifer. The duration of the exploits of the Jew, too, exceeds the limit set by the ancient. The scene, too, shifts from one country to another in Tamburlaine. Faustus travels around the globe. Shakespeare, taking the clue from Marlowe, proved conclusively that dramatic verisimilitude can never be disturbed by the violations of the unities of time and place. Quite contrary to the established Greek convention Marlowe mingled the comic and tragic elements in Faustus, even though in Tamburlaine and The Jew of Malta we do not see it freely employed. Though many of the Wagner scenes are supposed to be interpolations by other hands, particularly Chapman, Marlowe cannot disown the authorship of these scenes completely. He had before him the primary aim of providing comic relief to the overtaxed minds of the auditors. But as we know, from our reaction to the Porter scene, the grave diggers scene, the appearance of the clown – and the rustic – these scenes by emphasizing the scene of contrast, only accentuate our tension. Further, with true dramatists’ insight into human life, Marlowe wants to point out that life consists in laughter and tears. To think of man’s life being burdened by unrelieved tragedy is starkly unimaginable and unreal. It was Marlowe who first presented on the English State The Titanic Struggle which rages in a man’s soul. The tempest in a soul is the very essence of Shakespearean tragedy. The struggle between the forces of good and evil in Tamburlaine, Faustus, and The Jew of Maltastands boldly in comparison with similar effects in Hamlet, King Lear, Othello and Macbeth. Marlowe, however, did not regard heroism as synonymous with virtue. His heroes are by no means patterns of human excellence overtaken by tragic frailty as in the case of Hamlet, Othello and King Lear. They can be relegated to the category of â€Å"hero-villains† – a type popularized in Elizabethan England. But these figures move before us as grand specimens of humanity overtaken by passion for reason. Tamburlaine takes to a caree r of conquests; Faustus turns to necromancy and so defies Mammon. In Shakespeare we have the classic instance of Macbeth who is the direct descendent of Dr. Faustus and Tamburlaine, while Shylock is the dramatic foster-child of Barabas. Marlowe is an astute craftsman in the effective use of suspense – a consciousness that the fate of the hero is sealed right at the outset. When Faustus signs the bond with the devil, he is actually flirting with fate even as Macbeth does when he interviews the witches. Until the play moves to its ultimate catastrophe suspense grips us – a feature common to Shakespeare and Marlowe. Again, Marlowe’s ability to compose death scenes is almost unparalleled in modern drama. In the deaths of Faustus and Edward II Marlowe’s dramatic power reaches its highest point. Death synonymous with tragic catastrophe was revealed to the future dramatists as something more than physical horror at the end of existence. Death became the loss of active and glorious living, the negation of individual power, the expiring struggle of the drama of life, its last defiance and its most irresistible appeal to pity and horror. The death scenes in hamlet and Othello derive directly from Marlowe’s inspiration. Marlowe, however, refrained from exhibiting physical horror upon the stage. The deaths of Faustus, Barabas and Tambur laine are either implied or narrated, but not enacted. The gruesome murder of Desdemona and of Antony are related to us; but the greater genius of Shakespeare for tragic poignancy did introduce scenes of physical horror at times, as in the slapping of Desdemona by Othello, the blinding of Gloucester in Lear and the stabbing of Macduff’s children in Macbeth. Edward II is an exception: In the words of Havelock Ellis â€Å"In nothing has Marlowe shown himself so much a child of the true Renaissance as in this to touch the images of physical horror. Marlowe’s treatment of the supernatural is unique and considerably influenced Shakespeare. He gives human touches to his supernatural beings which catch our eyes. Mephistopheles is capable of human feelings. His appeal to Faustus literally to adjure the devil has a tinge of pathos about them. Marlowe, at this moment, reminds us of Ariel attempting to stir the steely heart of Prospero. Even in his portrayal of the witches in Macbeth and the fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream Shakespeare is highly indebted to Marlowe. The device employed by Marlowe to represent the tempest of the emotions in the hero’s heart is unique and dramatically very effective . The good and the evil angels appearing as two characters to reflect the inner conflict was a bold invention on the part of the dramatist. Shakespeare frequently resorts to soliloquy in his tragedies. We hear also the incorporeal voice bidding Macbeth â€Å"sleep no more.† The dagger with its handle drawn towards Macbeth, the ghost of Banquo, and the ghost of Ceasar appearing to Brutus with the words: â€Å"I’m thy evil spirit† – all these are actually an objective mirror of the heart, but are incapable of giving a kaleidoscopic picture. By far the greatest contribution by Marlowe to the development of tragedy is the way he employs the medium of Blank verse. Blank verse is the only instrument capable of representing subtle shades of thought and feeling. Much of Shakespeare’s greatness is dependent on the poetry in his plays. Marlowe was the pioneer of blank verse in drama, Shakespeare was its complete master especially in the use of its various ramifications. We notice certain deficiencies in Marlowe’s tragic design, fortunately absent in Shakespeare. Marlowe concentrated his en tire attention on the development of a single character and so was almost indifferent to the rest. In Shakespeare every character has a positive individuality. We remember the passive Horatio as well as the turncoat Enobarbus. Marlowe was also ignorant of the feminine heart. Zenocrate is merely a shadow. Helen appears as a vision. On the contrary, Shakespeare’s acquaintance with the working’s of a woman’s mind is so profound that Ruskin, Arnold and Mrs. Jameson even contend that Shakespeare was primarily concerned with his heroines. Out of the physical activity and intellectual inquisitiveness of the Renaissance, there grew up a body of literature which was remarkable for its power and force. Marlowe was, perhaps, the truest representative of this literary and dramatic efflorescence. He embodied in his four plays, man’s inordinate love of physical power, his greed for intellectual wealth and his passion for material wealth and also his love of human passion. He devised a suitable medium to project his fiery soul and that was his well-known Blank verse. If Shakespeare had not Marlowe’s shoulders to stand upon he would not have been recognized as one of the greatest dramatist in the world. Shakespeare honoured his master both by imitation and direct quotation. Reputation among Contemporary Writers: Swinburne, a critic of the Elizabethan theatre had said that â€Å"Marlowe is a Father of English Tragedy and the creator of English blank verse and therefore also the teacher and guide of Shakespeare† Whatever the particular focus of modern critics, biographers and novelists, for his contemporaries in the literary world, Marlowe was above all an admired and influential artist. Within weeks of his death, George Peele remembered him as â€Å"Marley, the Muses’ darling†; Michael Drayton noted that he â€Å"Had in him those brave translunary things / That the first poets had†, and Ben Jonson wrote of â€Å"Marlowe’s mighty line†. Thomas Nashe wrote warmly of his friend, â€Å"poor deceased Kit Marlowe†. So too did the publisher Edward Blount, in the dedication of Hero and Leander to Sir Thomas Walsingham. Among the few contemporary dramatists to say anything negative about Marlowe was the anonymous author of the Cambridge University play The Return From Parnassus (1598) who wrote, â€Å"Pity it is that wit so ill should dwell, / Wit lent from heaven, but vices sent from hell.† The most famous tribute to Marlowe was paid by Shakespeare in As You Like It, where he not only quotes a line from Hero and Leander (â€Å"Dead Shepherd, now I find thy saw of might, ‘Who ever loved that loved not at first sight?'†) but also gives to the clown Touchstone the words â€Å"When a man’s verses cannot be understood, nor a man’s good wit seconded with the forward child, understanding, it strikes a man more dead than a great reckoning in a little room.† This appears to be a reference to Marlowe’s murder which involved a fight over the â€Å"reckoning†, the bill, as well as to a line in Marlowe’s Jew of Malta – â€Å"Infinite riches in a little room†. Shakespeare was heavily influenced by Marlowe in his work, as can be seen in the re-using of Marlovian themes in Antony and Cleopatra, The Merchant of Venice, Richard II, and Macbeth (Dido, Jew of Malta, Edward II and Dr Faustus respectively). In Hamlet, after meeting with the travelling actors, Hamlet requests the Player perform a speech about the Trojan War, which at 2.2.429–32 has an echo of Marlowe’s Dido, Queen of Carthage. In Love’s Labour’s Lost Shakespeare brings on a character â€Å"Marcade† (three syllables) in conscious acknowledgement of Marlowe’s character â€Å"Mercury†, also attending the King of Navarre, in Massacre at Paris. The significance, to those of Shakespeare’s audience who had read Hero and Leander, was Marlowe’s identification of himself with the god Mercury. Conclusion: The interest of Marlowe’s tragedies lies not in the death of Heroes but in their soul struggle against forces which in the end proves too great for them. He raised the subject matter of Drama to a higher level and changed the concept of tragedies by introducing heroes from the common people. His heroes are meant of exceptional qualities and passion. They transcend ordinary human aspiration until they meet their tragic end. Usually in his plays there will be no antagonist, the protagonists themselves, their inner evil thoughts will be the antagonist. There is also number of morals to teach in his plays. Marlowe may died in the age of 29, but his plays are living forever.