William Shakespeares Antony and Cleopatra Essay -- Shakespeare Antony

William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra is aptly named, not just because the play centers around these two characters, but also because it encompasses the play’s fixation on the lovers’ oppositional relationship. On the surface level, Antony embodies the Roman ideals of a good, noble man, while Cleopatra represents the hyper-sexualized, dangerous Eastern woman. However, upon further examination both Antony and Cleopatra display complicated internal conflicts that effectively reverse these polar positions repeatedly throughout the play. In this way, the opposition between Antony and Cleopatra that exists on a simple, interpersonal level is echoed by more complicated, internal conflicts within each of these characters on a deeper, more individual level. The tension between the title characters creates the love that draws them together at the same time as it drives them further apart, thus establishing yet another layer of antagonistic relationships within the play. The importance of these oppositional relationships is underlined most starkly in Act II.2. In particular Enobarbus’ speech describing Cleopatra’s beauty functions as one of the greatest statements of the play’s conflicting themes. This speech reflects the antagonistic nature of the play’s central relationships through the invocation of equivalent antagonistic relationships between the violent descriptors used to depict Cleopatra. Throughout the play, Shakespeare establishes a love-hate relationship between Antony and Cleopatra. In doing so, there are times when the lovers are characterized as stark opposites of each other as well as instances where these characterizations are reversed. The Romans, represented b... ...defining Antony and Cleopatra’s equally oppositional relationship. The battles within her reflect Antony’s personal struggles, as well as the greater wars within their relationship. Thus, the dualities within Enobarbus’ speech reflect the oppositional relationships both within the play as a whole and within the greater context of Act II.ii. Antony and Cleopatra struggle to define themselves on intra- and inter-personal levels as well as within the greater societal sphere. Ultimately, they can never fully resolve the polar oppositions that exist both within and between them. This results in the physical and emotional violence that is both reflected and predicted in Enobarbus’ speech. Work Cited â€Å"Beggared†. Oxford English Dictionary. http://dictionary.oed.com/ Accessed 10/17/05 Shakespeare, William. Antony and Cleopatra. New York: Penguin Books, 1999.

Ethics Greek Essay

The greater the knowledge and freedom, the greater the voluntariness; and the greater the voluntariness, the greater the moral responsibility.† – Alfredo Panizo MODIFIERS OF HUMAN ACTS a) Ignorance b) Passions c) Fear d) Habit e) Violence A) IGNORANCE – Absence of knowledge which a person ought to possess â€Å"Ignorance of Law exempts no one† – implies that one who has done wrong may not simply and directly claim ignorance as defense or justification or to be freed from sanction attached to the Law that was violated – implies that one should not act in the state of ignorance but always strive to dispel it 1) Vincible Ignorance – form of Ignorance which can be easily remedied through ordinary diligence and reasonable efforts 1.a) Affected Ignorance – a person possess this kind of Ignorance when a person employs positive efforts to be ignorant in order to be escape responsibility – it is Vincible Ignorance explicitly wanted = studied ignorance 2) Invincible Ignorance – kind of Ignorance which a person possesses without being aware of it or lack the means to rectify it PRINCIPLES: 1) Invincible Ignorance renders an act involuntary – a person is not liable or cannot be culpable if he is not aware of his ignorance or when there is nomeans of rectifying his ignorance 2) Vincible Ignorance does not destroy but lessens voluntariness and the corresponding accountability over the act – when a person becomes aware of one’s ignorance, he/she has the moral obligation to rectify it- and to act with this is a form of imprudence 3) Affected Ignorance though it decreases voluntariness, increases theaccountability over the resultant act – it interferes intellect – decrease voluntariness – it is willed to persist – increases accountability – refusing to rectify ignorance is malicious – and malice is graver if ignorance is used as an excuse for not doing the right thing B) PASSION – Either tendencies towards desirable objects (positive emotions like love, desire, delight, hope, bravery etc) or tendencies away from undesirable or harmful things (negative emotions like horror, sadness, hatred, despair, fear, anger etc) Passions – psychic responses –neither moral nor immoral – however, man is bound to regulate his emotions and submit them to the control of reason 1) Antecedent Passions – precedes the act – predisposes a person to act 2) Consequent Passions – those that are intentionally aroused and kept – voluntary in cause; the result of the will playing the strings of emotion PRINCIPLES: 1) Antecedent Passions do not always destroy voluntariness but they diminish accountability for the resultant act – they weaken the will power without obstructing freedom completely – therefore, crimes of passion are always voluntary although accountability is diminished because it interferes with the freedom of the will 2) Consequent Passions do not lessen voluntariness but may even increase responsibility – consequent passions are direct results of the will which fully consents to them instead of subordinating them to its control C) FEAR – disturbance on the mind of the person – being confronted by an impending danger or harm to himself, to his loved ones or to his property – one is compelled to decide to perform an act so as to avoid threat of future or imminent evil 1) Act done with fear – certain actions which by nature are dangerous or risky – in theses cases, fear is a normal response to danger – these actions are voluntary because the doer is in full control of his faculties and acts inspite of fear- fear here is an instinct for self-preservation (we even fear new experiences or situations) ex. Being left alone in a strange place, being asked to speak before a group of people 2) Act out of fear or because of fear – fear here becomes a positive force compelling a person to act without careful deliberation – fear modifies the freedom of doing, inducing the person to act in a certain predetermined manner, even without his full consent Ex. A child – studies/reads his books – out of fear of his mother A man – stops smoking – fear of contracting cancer PRINCIPLES: 1) Acts donewith fear are voluntary – acting inspite of his fear and is in full control of himself 2) Acts done out of fear are simply voluntary although conditionally involuntary – simply voluntary = person remains in control of his faculties – conditionally involuntary = if it were not for the presence of something feared, the person would not act or would act in another way – Intimidating or threatening as person with horror is an unjust act â€⠀œ Legally speaking, acts done out of fear – invalid acts Ex. Contract – made out of fear – voidable – later be annulled 3) Acts done because of intense fear or panic are involuntary – panic – obscures the mind – in this mental state, the person is not expected to think sensibly D) HABIT – permanent inclinations to act in a certain way – lasting readiness and facility born of frequently repeated acts or for acting in a certain manner – acquire the role of second nature – moves a person to perform certain acts with relative ease Habit – not easy to overcome or alter – requires a strong-willed person to correct a habit Voluntary Habits – those caused by the repetition of voluntary acts Involuntary Habits – a habit becomes such if the will is resolved to remove it and there is a struggle to overcome it PRINCIPLES: 1) Actions done by force of habit are voluntary in cause, unless a reasonable effort is made to counteract the habitual inclination  œ Bad Habits – voluntary in cause because they are results of previously willed acts done repeatedly – as long as the habits are not corrected, evil acts done by force of habit are voluntary and accountable – can be not accountable – if a person decides to fight his habit. For as long as the effort towards this purpose continues, actions resulting from such habit may be regarded as acts of man because the cause of such habit is no longer expressly desired E) VIOLENCE – any physical force exerted on a person by another free agent for the purpose of compelling the said person to act against his will Ex. Bodily torture, maltreatment, mutilation, etc PRINCIPLES: 1) External actions or commanded actions performed by a person subjected to violence, to which reasonable resistance has been offered, are involuntary and are not accountable – active resistance should always be offered to an unjust aggressor – if resistance is impossible and there is a serious threat to one’s life, a person confronted by violence cab offer intrinsic resistance DETERMINANTS OF HUMAN ACT: 1. ACT IN ITSELF – nature of the act itself ( cheating is bad itself in its nature) 2. MOTIVE OF THE AGENT (intention/purpose) 3. CIRCUMSTANCES Who=Person What=Quantity or quality Where=Place How=Manner, Means or instrument When=Time Why=Motive DETERMINING A GOOD ACTION ACT MOTIVE/END Good + good =GOOD Good + bad =BAD Bad + good =BAD Bad + bad =VERY BAD ETHICAL THEORIES 1. Deontological 2. Teleological 3. Divine Command Ethics 4. Virtues Ethics DEONTOLOGY Deos – â€Å"what is binding, right and proper† Duty-oriented appeals to obligations, laws, rules or orders 1. STOICISM Stoics : nature is good Good – surrendering/denying/accepting nature or whatever happens Self-denial/simplicity/frugality Wrong- contradict nature Three moral convictions: 1. Nature is innately good and man is part of nature 2. Man does good by following nature and evil by contradicting 3. Man ought to accept everything that is happening to him w/o question in order to live a good and tranquil life EPICTETUS: everything is governed by nature : determinism: things come as they do : â€Å"the essence of good and evil lies in that attitude of the will† : absolute obedience – greatest virtue : resignation and tranquility 2. KANT’S DEONTOLOGICAL THEORY Immanuel Kant Morality is based on â€Å"A PRIORI†( pre knowledge) of the imperative of human acts Pure reason – consistency of valid knowledge of the mind Practical reason – valid knowledge of the mind Basis: FREEWILL ïÆ'  moral duty IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL ïÆ'   sanctions EXISTENCE OF GOD ïÆ'   ultimategiver of sanctions Kant: good without any qualification is based on GOOD WILL â€Å"a person with good will acts with moral duty† (businessman/politician) KANT’S CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE ïÆ'   Like golden rule: command every human rational agent to cons istently abide with moral duties 1. Principle of Universality ïÆ'   â€Å"Act only on that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law† (evil if it cannot be universally willed. Sample: killing) 2. Principle of End in Itself ïÆ'   â€Å"act in such a way that you will always treat humanity, whether in your o wn person or the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same time as an end.†( self-preservation/selfrealization/charity) 3. CONVENTIONALISM OR CONTRACTARIAN THEORY THOMAS HOBBES What is good is agreed by the society through social contract TELEOLOGICAL THEORIES Telos- end Consequence oriented theory Good is based on the result of the act 1. HEDONISM Hedos – pleasure â€Å"eat and be merry for tomorrow you will die† Good is personal experience of pleasure ARISTIPPUS – The greatest pleasure/ pain is the greatest evil – The only norm of determining what is good is â€Å"the most intense sensual pleasure of the moment.† – Sexual act between lovers give one of the most intense sensual pleasure EPICURIUS – Man is material and spiritual (death is disintegration) – Man by nature seek pleasure – â€Å"good and evil consist in sensation but it should be directed by reason and virtue. – Real pleasure – moderation decided by the mind – Prudence – wisdom and capacity to control oneself – Social injustices source of pain in human relation 2. UTILITARIANISM Greatest good for the greatest number of people JEREMY BENTHAM – Good if it promotes greater good (generic law/ofw) – Bad – suffering – Quantitative utilitarianism – Utility or usefulness of an act JOHN STUART MILL – Qualitative utilitarianism – Not the act and its end but more on the dignity of the person but the dignity of the human agent. – â€Å"better to be dissatisfied than a pig satisfied† – Action is right if it promotes happiness/ bad-unhappiness – VIRTUE ETHICS Virtue- moral practice or action in conformity to a standard of right Wisdom based on knowledge of what is good Good is the possession of moral characters or virtues Reason elevates and leads man to things true and good Aristotle: good is based on function : rational faculty of man achieves excellence through exercise of virtue : moral virtue is a result of habit :ARETAIC ETHICS (ARETE – excellence or virtue) : focus on heart and character of the moral agent :Virtue ethics- disposition/motivation or trait of being good : self-actualization – doing good as a part of being a rational animal Golden mean or moderation SOCRATES: INTELLECTUALISM ïÆ'   knowledge is virtue / virtue is knowledge : â€Å"know thyself† : unexamined life is not worth living PLATO: PHILOSOPHICAL LIFE -contemplation of true and good is best for life DIVINE COMMAND THEORY Religious idea Rules and commandments provide moral guidance St. Thomas Aquinas: Natural law ETHICS OF CONSCIENCE Subjective norm of morality Based on natural law Voice of God / inner voice / other self Practical judgment of reason Types: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Right conscience – correct ethical evaluation good as good/ evil as evil Erroneous – good as evil and evil as good Certain – firm judgment of the validity and morality of an action Doubtful/dubious – uncertain Lax – bahala na / Scrupulous- sees evil or wrongness even though there is none

Movie Analysis The Good Lie - 1610 Words

The Good Lie Movie Analysis The good lie is a movie about a refugee family from war ridden Sudan. They begin as children trying to fight for their lives on the way to safety, losing a brother along the way to a group of soldiers. When they finally reach the refugee camp they find: a safe place to stay, warm food, and new clothes. Shortly after their arrival they lose yet another brother. They patiently wait for a plane ticket out of Sudan, and after thirteen long years, they get their chance. They bored the plane excited to see what is in store only to find out their sister will not be staying with them. The three brothers depart from their sister with a lady named Carrie Davis. They face many new challenges together along with any†¦show more content†¦I can only imagine the frequentness of situations like this and knowing that it really happened, made it all the more bittersweet. The last conversation between Mamere and Theo about the fact that, because this lie helped Theo , then it is a good lie, made me really think about the decisions refugee families often make. The moment when the brothers meet Carrie Davis, is one that leads to many triumphs. She serves not only as their job coach, but also as their friend and mentor. She teaches them about many things such as; using a telephone, knocking and waiting to be invited in, and ultimately that a good friend can get you through anything. Watching this movie in the mindset of an ELL teacher it helps me to envision what my students might face. Carrie Davis is a woman who just wants to get her job over with. She has no interest in personal relationships with her clients, that is until she meets; Paul, Mamere, and Jerimiah. The three brothers bond and innocence eventually leads to her caring for them. It is later revealed that her cold demeanor is due to the loss of her sister. After hearing the story that the brothers tell, she is able to move on. She also learns the true meaning of family. Challenges for ELLs vs. Refugees The term ELL makes one image come to mind, a person from another country. The thought had never occurred to me that typical ELL students and refugees would face different challenges. The challenges the family in the good lie face areShow MoreRelatedIs Lying Bad For Us?1195 Words   |  5 Pageshelp us crack these baffling questions. In these essays, they define the meaning of a lie, why we always seem to use them, and if they are actually bad for us. In Stephanie Ericsson’s The Ways We Lie it talks about the different types of lies, how and why we use them and what consequences can be followed by each lie. Also, adding clarity is Richard Gunderman’s article Is Lying Bad for Us that talks about how people lie to cope with things, but also expresses how lying might be bad for our physical orRead Moregone baby gone Essay615 Words   |  3 Pages Gone Baby Gone Analysis According to Kant Theory I’m going to talk in this assignment about the movie: Gone Baby Gone; which is an incredible, fresh, and real film, and its relation with Kant theory. In this movie characters are rich and alive; the story is compelling, surprising, and not at all predictable. Kant said that one must have a respect for the moral law that is expressed in the intention, and I think that Patrick’s intentions were good because he did not want for theRead MoreA Bronx Tale Analysis Essay837 Words   |  4 PagesSeptember 13, 2012 A Bronx Tale Analysis In the movie A Bronx Tale, young Calogero witnessed a shooting outside his house. The cops show up at his house later that day to question him. The police officer had Calogero go to where the police had a line of men who were suspects of the shooting. Calogero got to Sonny, who was pretty much the head gangster of the neighborhood. Calogero knew it was Sunny but chose to tell the police it wasn’t any of them. The lie that Calogero told to the police isRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible 961 Words   |  4 Pages Movie paper analysis of The crucible The circumstance brought upon a person can change them greatly. The Crucible edited and rewritten by Arthur Miller, is a movie which takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The leading actors are Daniel Day-Lewis as Proctor, Winona Ryder as Abigail, Paul Scofield as Judge Danforth, Joan Allen as Elizabeth, Bruce Davison as Parris, and Rob Campbell as Hale. It was directed by Nicholas Hytner and was Based on the witch hunt which surrounded MassachusettsRead MoreMovie Analysis : Safe Haven1583 Words   |  7 PagesThe movie Safe Haven contains a lot of in depth relationships and is very representative of the importance of communication. Katie (AKA Erin) comes to a small town in hopes of finding a new beginning, a new life, and ultimately a new â€Å"her†. Katie is the presented self, as she wants all those she meets to know her as Katie, a young girl that came for a fresh start and a clean slate, but what they do not know is her dark past and her real name. She is ul timately living a lie, but people believe herRead MoreThe Conventions Of Parents Face Raising Their Children Essay1532 Words   |  7 Pagesare handled that make a family stronger. A stronger family often starts with the parents and how they treat one another. For example, parents are seen as role models to their children and those kids pick up habits, from their parents, whether they be good or bad. As I analyse the film Leave it to Beaver, I will be exploring the portrayal of parenting conventions that accurately represent modern society. The film follows the life a young boy by the name Beaver, his older brother Wally and parents, JuneRead MoreAnalysis Of Pat Solitano ( Bradley Cooper )1501 Words   |  7 PagesAfter eight months in a mental health facility, Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) is released back home with his parents. Pat realizes that he must have a new outlook on life to reconcile and be back together with his wife Nikki. He attempts to see the good (the silver linings) in all that he experiences. At dinner with his friends, Pat meets Veronica s sister Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). It’s evident that sparks fly between Pat and Tiffany and she tries to connect with him but Pat’s only focus isRead MoreMiss Evers Boys Film critique Essay1029 Words   |  5 PagesBioethical Issues: Miss Evers Boys Introduction Miss Ever’s Boys is a docudrama film that was produced by the HBO cable network. The movie explores ethical and social issues involved in the infamous Tuskegee Study. The study was about untreated black men with syphilis. The U.S. Public Health Service is said to have conducted a study among 600 black Americans from the years 1932 to 1972. This study was done in Macon County. This paper will exclusively explore the critique the Miss Ever’s BoysRead MoreGender Stereotypes in Think Like a Man934 Words   |  4 Pagesits title, the movie encourages women to think like a man so that they can learn to control the man. Under the advice from Harvey’s book, four women determine to learn Harvey’s strategies in order to solve the conflicts with their male partners, who are the perfect embodiments of four types of men: The Mamas Boy, The Non-Committer, The Dreamer, and The Player. Though Harvey tries to use his works to empower women with their self-respect, all he does is to teach women to â€Å"lie, cheat, manipulateRead MoreThe Role of Racism and Social Injustice in To Kill a Mockingbird859 Words   |  4 PagesMocking Bird is a book that has been turned into a movie. The themes that are covered in this interesting book and movie ranges from racism, prejudice to social injustice which goes to show how human beings can be very cruel to fellow human beings simply because they are different from themselves. Tom Robinson’s trial further shows that in a society where the white race is seen to be superior, no other race mattered. This paper therefore is an analysis of the themes that emerge from the court proceedings