The Short and the Tall Essay Example for Free

The Short and the Tall Essay We are made aware of the patrols attitudes in Act one of The Long, The Short, and the Tall, towards the Japanese prisoner from their speech, tone of voice and actions. Johnstone, member of the patrol, shows he has a harsh attitude towards the prisoner. We can see this, as when the prisoner enters the cabin, unaware of the waiting patrol, Johnstone is the first person to grab him. He calls to the others to kill the prisoner as he holds him still. He says Get him! Quick! Do for him! Give it hump! Will you just ram it in? These are very short phrases and are said quickly and in a sharp tone of voice. He also uses allot of colloquial language and never actually says kill him. This emphasises Johnstones urgency and professionalism, but also shows that he has a hard image. Because Johnstone can say all this it proves to us that he has a harsh attitude towards the Japanese prisoner and just wants him out of the way. He says We should have done him when e first turned up. In other parts of the act Johnstones attitude stays the same. He still shows no respect for the prisoner or compassion. He still believes that the Japanese prisoner should be killed and doesnt trust him. He says You think that hed have second thoughts about putting the mockers on the lot of us? This rhetorical question shows his distrust of the prisoner. He also shows that he is jealous of the prisoner for all the attention he is now getting from the patrol. He says Two minutes ago you wouldnt touch him with a barge pole. None of you! He also said Not one of you had the guts to give me a hand. This shows he still thinks the prisoner should have been killed. It shows how he has a ruthless and barbaric attitude towards the prisoner. Also later in the play he has a fight with Bamforth over the prisoner. He is horrible to the prisoner and treats him unfairly. Mitchem has a very different attitude towards the prisoner. He has no feelings for the Prisoner but sees that he can be useful. Mitchem says I want this one alive. This makes it clear to us that Mitchem has plans. However he still shows no respect towards the Japanese prisoner. We can tell this from the way he tries to speak to the prisoner. He says Trust me to cop a raving lunatic! This refers to the prisoner and emphasises the lack of compassion and respect for the prisoner. Later in the act he shows that he had only one reason to keep the prisoner. Mitchem sees it as an everyday thing. He wants to keep the prisoner so he can be used later. He says to Bamforth Hes in your charge. Look after him. This proves he still has plans and his attitude is the same. When he realises that the patrol is in danger and is behind enemy lines he decides to ditch the prisoner. He says Were ditching him. This again proves his lack of compassion for the prisoner but also his professionalism. Bamforth has a very similar attitude towards the Japanese prisoner to Johnstone. When no one can bring themselves to kill the prisoner Bamforth steps up as if it was an everyday event and says Its only the same as carving up a pig. Hold him still. This is a simile and shows us that Bamforth also has no respect for the prisoner but it also shows us that Bamforth is learned of the gang-life in London. This is because of the colloquial language used. He also uses racist language that reflects on the time the play was set. As in the 1940s racism was not an issue. Also soldiers used racist language towards the enemy so as to feel better when killing them. He calls him an Asiatic glet. Johnstone and Mitchem also use this sort of language when they say Wog grub and Tojo. As Mitchem had put Bamforth in charge of the prisoner he began to talk to him. He said Get your hands up on your head! Like this! See! He then speaks to Evans and says Hey Taff! See that, he did it like I said! This shows that he has no respect for the prisoner and sees him as an object or pet almost. Bamforths attitudes completely turn around though. As he is looking after the prisoner he begins to get friendly with him and talks to him as a mate or one of the lads. He offers him a cigarette and looks at the prisoners photos with him. This disgusts Johnstone and when he leans in to give the prisoner a light he knocks the cigarette out of his mouth. Bamforth then stands up for his new mate and has a fight his own man, Johnstone for him! Bamforth calls the prisoner a bloke, he says to Johnstone I dont have to ask you before I give a bloke a fag! This shows he sees him as a human. He then beats Johnstone until Mitchem has to interrupt. Evans has a different attitude towards the prisoner as he shows he has compassion for other humans and cant bring himself to kill an unarmed man, at least. He steps up to do the job but then changes his mind. He says I I cant do it corp. This shows of his compassion for other human beings. It also shows how scared he was for killing someone, hence the stuttering. When he says this, his voice is scared and his whole body is tensed up! He often takes the situation light heartedly and humorously. He says to Bamforth, I always knew you were an oriental creep at heart man. This shows how Evans is a friendly and funny person. He has a compassionate attitude towards the prisoner. He actually sees the prisoner as a decent human being. We see Maclieshs attitude towards the prisoner in this section. He treats the situation with humour at first but then argues with Johnstone about what should have been done to the prisoner. For humour he says He isnt exactly what you would call a handsome bloke! This shows that he hasnt got much respect for the prisoner but he still isnt as bad as some other members of the patrol. When he is arguing with Johnstone he argues by saying You cannot order men to put a bayonet into an unarmed prisoner. He also says Havent you heard of the Geneva Connection. This shows how he is professional in his job and sticks to the rules. It also shows that he may not have the same intentions as Mitchem but still believes the prisoner should be kept. Because the prisoner has been stripped of his arms by the patrol they cannot kill the prisoner. If they were to kill him it would be illegal, murder. Because the patrol have already found out that they are behind enemy lines the prisoner is no longer of any use to them. This links to inter-relationships between the groups of characters in the play. The professional soldiers, with the higher ranks (Mitchem, Macleish and Johnstone) talk about the delicate issues while the others (privates) seem to have a bit of a laugh and mess around while not on duty. The professionals talk about the problem they have with the Japanese soldier. They decide they have to kill him! They discuss this important issue while the other members of the patrol become mates with the prisoner. Mitchem says Were ditching him! What will the prisoners new friends think about this? It is illegal to kill the prisoner as he has become a prisoner of war and has no arms, however he will be a danger and a burden to the patrol! The rest of the patrol hardly show interest in the prisoner, they are interested but forget about it after they are told to carry on with there business. They arent main characters in this part of the play.

Stephen Cranes The Open Boat and Jack Londons To Build A Fire Essay

Stephen Crane's The Open Boat and Jack London's To Build A Fire Stephen Crane’s short story, â€Å"The Open Boat† speaks directly to Jack London’s own story, â€Å"To Build A Fire† in their applications of naturalism and views on humanity. Both writers are pessimistic in their views of humanity and are acutely aware of the natural world. The representations of their characters show humans who believe that they are strong and can ably survive, but these characters many times overestimate themselves which can lead to an understanding of their own mortality as they face down death. In â€Å"To Build A Fire†, the main conflict throughout is man versus nature although it would be inaccurate to say that nature goes out of its way to assault the man. The fact of the matter is, nature would be just as cold without the man's presence regardless of him being there .The environment as a whole is completely indifferent to the man, as it frequently is in naturalist literature. The bitter environment does not aid him in any way, and it will not notice if he perishes. In the same way, the dog does not care about the man, only about itself. Ironically enough though, as the man was dying he was getting upset toward the dog because of its natural warmth, the instincts that it had, and its survival skills and those were the elements that the man lacked for survival. It is ironic that the man had to die in order to find out that man's fragile body cannot survive in nature's harsh elements, regardless of a human’s natural over-confidence and psychological strength. The protagonist of the story, who is purposely not given a name, as the idea that the environment will determine his fate rather than his free will. The Man is forced to accept that he is not invinc... ...nd they are simply along for the ride. Stephen Crane’s â€Å"The Open Boat† and â€Å"To Build a Fire† by Jack London are both naturalistic tales that portray the universe as a somewhat indifferent being that could not care less for the any of the men in either story. The irony is biting, yet completely subverts the ideals and values that humanity generally holds of being superior and invincible in the world. Works Cited Gurian, Jay. "The Romantic Necessity in Literary Naturalism: Jack London." American Literature: 112-20. Print. London, Jack. "To Build a Fire, by Jack London." The World of Jack London 2012 ®. Web. 02 May 2012. . Pizer, Donald. "Jack London's "To Build a Fire": How Not to Read Naturalist Fiction." Philosophy and Literature 34.1 (2010): 218-27. Project Muse. Web. 1 May 2012. .

Comparative Essay – Othello/Macbeth Tragic Heroes

Unit 1: ‘Many critics have argued that Othello is not a true Shakespearean tragic hero. Explore the idea that Shakespeare intended to make Othello fit the criteria of his tragic hero with comparison to Macbeth. ’ By Marina Georgallides A tragic hero, determined by Aristotle, must show a nobility and virtue of a certain magnitude however, their path to happiness should be ceased by their destructive vice (Harmartia- the flaw that eventually leads to their downfall).Peripeteia, the point where the character’s fortune changes, must evoke a state of pity and fear amongst the audience, and give above all, a didactic message. The outcome of this characteristic should result in a complex but sole instigation of both the hero’s Catharsis (a cleansing of emotion which is described by Aristotle as an effect of tragic drama on its audience) and Anagnoris when they reach their moment of realisation. It can be argued that Shakespeare fully abided by these rules in order to make a distinction between his characters’ prosperity and misfortune.Fintan O’Toole (post modernist critic) argues that Othello â€Å"is not tragic, merely pathetic†. However, Othello will be identified as a far greater tragic hero than Macbeth, illustrating how Shakespeare fully intended on creating a tragically heroic character such as Othello. As the play progresses, Othello’s monumental Harmartia is gradually revealed; his sense of inherent jealousy is implemented by Iago, the Machiavellian villain, and his gullibility makes him susceptible to it.Once he becomes convinced that his wife Desdemona is unfaithful, his jealousy does indeed feed itself just as Iago ironically warns, â€Å"the green eyed monster, which doth mock the meat it feeds on† (Iago- Act 3 Scene 1), leading to the hero’s monstrous behaviour. The apparent alliteration, â€Å"death and damnation† (Act 3 Scene 3) and â€Å"waked wrath† (Act 3 Scene 3), rev eals the great influence that Iago has upon Othello as his linguistic eloquence and his mental state rapidly collapse, resulting in both his use of evil imagery in language and in action, the murder of Desdemona.The hubris, argued by Helen Gardner (in 20th century) â€Å"is heroic because Othello acts from inner necessity†, appearing to show Othello’s desire to remake the world into a better place, an act that is heroic â€Å"in its absoluteness†. This admission of ethical duty perhaps may have encouraged a contemporary audience to pity Othello as his act, although terrible in itself, is nevertheless wonderful in its own manner of righteousness. Othello therefore appears to be more honourable since his wrong doing was out of love and not of hatred, something for which Gardener seems to forgive Othello.A contemporary audience would argue that gender also plays an important role in Othello as men were regarded as stronger and wiser, making it more forgivable of Ot hello. However, a 21st century audience would view women as equally as important as men, showing that Desdemona’s murder was underserved and unforgivable of Othello. Dr Johnson (1765) declared that Othello was a â€Å"very useful moral†, as the protagonist shows how one can be stifled by naivetà ©; the repetition of â€Å"honest Iago†, the external forces of evil, combine to cause Othello’s tragic manifestation and thus, his downfall.Macbeth’s Hamartia is his lust for power that eventually and unsurprisingly leads into his downfall. Arthur Kirsch (1984) highlights Macbeth’s â€Å"emptiness of his desires and the insatiability of his aspirations†. Macbeth becomes infatuated with the witches’ prophecy as he soon discovers how real it is, allowing him to be somewhat fixated on the idea of murdering the King and soon after, Banquo. â€Å"Macbeth does murder sleep†- the use of third person indicates the exponential deteriora tion of his mental state after killing an innocent King, as a result of his unquenchable thirst for power; essentially in itself more than one of the seven vices.Both Iago and Macbeth in this case, are the embodiment of the vices, both jealousy and greed, as opposed to Othello, who is only influenced by the vice itself. J. A Bryant (1961) argues that, â€Å"Macbeth is a wholly negative character who possesses the capacity for good but chooses to commit evil instead†, illustrating that his ulterior motive wasn’t for the good or righteous, as opposed to Othello, but for the selfish rise to power, evidently making him less of a tragic hero; he merely chooses evil because it works to his own advantage rather than making the world into a ‘better’ place.Both a Shakespearean and a modern audience would believe that Macbeth, like the Devil, has willed himself into a desperate position whereby he is captive of nothing except the providence he chose to ignore. In fa ct, a further aspect of his Hamartia is arguably his supposed lack of masculinity that he is constantly belittled and ridiculed for by Lady Macbeth. The use of a rhetorical question in â€Å"Are you a man? † indicates her ability to manipulate him into believing that he is not ‘strong’ enough to murder.This too, plays an important but yet, not as dominant, role in Macbeth’s downfall. The second element combined to create a tragic hero is Peripeteia where the downfall from a virtuous status to a catastrophic one is evident. Regardless of however many times Othello is referred to as the â€Å"Moor† by Iago, a derogatory term used to highlight his race, a Shakespearean audience will still be amazed by his aristocratic virtue as he possesses the verbal eloquence to assert to the signiors in the rule of three adjectives as â€Å"potent, grave and reverend†.In Act 3 Scene 3 however, Othello makes more references to the â€Å"devil†; a reflec tion of Iago’s evil nature being imparted upon him, as â€Å"goats and monkeys† are images that connote the devil. His eloquence of poetry in Act 1 is in stark contrast to his rather barbaric and politically incorrect behaviour in Act 3, particularly to a 21st century audience as his act of â€Å"striking her† (Desdemona) across the face is an incredulous act that is totally unacceptable to feminists now but may have been deemed as common or even deserved to a contemporary audience of the 16th century.His affection dramatically changes towards Desdemona and it can be argued that Othello â€Å"allows manipulation and jealousy to lead to his self-destruction†- Tasha Kelley (2010) Othello simply cannot help the jealousy that he feels within him, no matter how much of an influence Iago is upon him. At this point, Othello is entirely convinced and absolute in the killing of his wife; the use of hyperbolic language in â€Å"I’ll tear her all to piecesâ €  emphasises his sheer mercilessness since â€Å"all† of Desdemona will be killed.Unlike Othello, Macbeth changes rather early on in the play, and the only real evidence that the audience sees of his nobility is what others say about him. In Act 1 Scene 2 Duncan expresses, â€Å"O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman†; the use of positive adjectives to describe Macbeth would give both a Shakespearean and modern audience a good impression of Macbeth even before he is revealed in the play.On the other hand, current and contemporary audiences would also notice that the other characters in Macbeth are the ones who prove Macbeth’s honorary class, and not he for himself. After one consecutive scene, Macbeth’s Peripeteia is extremely abrupt that it can be portrayed as almost non-existent. â€Å"If Chance will have me King, Why Chance may crown me, Without my stir†- immediately one gains the impression of his violent underlying tone that is implied by the use of the word â€Å"stir†, revealing to a contemporary audience that his destructive intentions are intrinsic.According to Aristotle, there must be a clear distinction between the character’s prosperity and misfortune; Macbeth, as a tragic hero, does not condition himself to these rules religiously enough and it therefore, can be argued that his downfall is far too early on in the play for an audience to fully grasp his nobility. Whereas, Othello’s greatness is explored thoroughly for two whole Acts, allowing an audience of any time period, to understand that his noble qualities are innate.A contemporary audience, for example, would understand the reason for Othello’s downfall much better than they would with that of Macbeth’s as the play enables him to develop as a character and thus, show his true intentions, which are in this case, to love and protect Desdemona. Alas, an alternative interpretation of Macbeth of a Shakespearean audience would b e that he is an incessantly complacent man who, by all means, allows arrogance to corrupt his mind even in the first scene of the play.The most famous of quotes where Macbeth visualises a dagger, represents his wavering resolve and lust for power that slowly descends into his madness. â€Å"Is this a dagger, which I see before me†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Act 1 Scene 7, the use of a rhetorical question illustrates Macbeth’s hallucination of seeing an object that is clearly not there, which in comparison is a major downfall for someone who was deemed to be â€Å"valiant† at the start of the play.Susan Snyder (1994) states that â€Å"the play provides no answers to the questions it raises about the relative culpability of the witches’ equivocal predictions and Macbeth’s potential to commit murder†. Evidently, there is no real justification or distinction in Macbeth’s downfall other than his sick ambitious need for power. The third criterion that qualifies a tragic hero is Anagnorisis, where the protagonist acknowledges his/her own flaw that has led them to their downfall.After all the accusations and trauma that Desdemona has been through, her last and most angelic words being, â€Å"Commend me to my kind lord- O, farewell! † This suggests that she is a saint for forgiving all that Othello has done to her and shows just how much she loved Othello; a contemporary audience would ultimately feel pity for her as she is not the one to blame. However, a different view of Desdemona and what she represents has emerged over recent years amongst modern audiences; feminist and new historic critics have  examined her character in relation to the society she moves in.Marilyn French (1982), explores the masculine and misogynistic value system within Othello, and despite Desdemona’s assertiveness in choosing her own husband, French emphasises that Desdemona â€Å"must be obedient to males† and is â€Å"self-denying in the e xtreme† thus when she dies she is a stereotype of female passivity. Once killing Desdemona, Othello begins to express his sincere remorse for his wrongdoing through the repetition of alliteration.The use of alliteration in â€Å"Cursed, cursed† and â€Å"cold, cold†, Act 5 Scene 2, reveals how ashamed he is with himself for committing such a crime as he is emphasising it through the repetition of consonance sound â€Å"c†, and above all, goes closer to prove his tragic hero status. Through his two speeches, Othello is able to elaborate on the fact that he is wrapped with guilt; the rhyming couplet of: â€Å"I kissed thee ere I killed thee: no way by this, Killing myself, to die upon a kiss. † epitomises his Anagnoris as he realises his sheer love for Desdemona with what remains within him, a flare of eloquence.In stark contrast, there is no real evidence of Macbeth’s Anagnoris, and in fact, he behaves rather arrogantly about the witchesâ€⠄¢ predictions because he believes that no real harm will happen to him. In Act 5 Scene 3, Macbeth expresses a very short speech in which no lamenting or mourning is apparent; â€Å"I have lived long enough; my way of life Is fall’n into the sear† is but a mere acknowledgement of his circumstances rather than realisation of his tragic flaw. A Shakespearean audience would notice that perhaps Macbeth has not fully repented for his mistake and is therefore, in terms of Aristotle, not a true, classified tragic hero.Macbeth is determined to continue fighting for his life whereas traditionally a tragic hero, such as Othello, should ultimately understand their downfall in exchange for their life. In Act 5 Scene 5, Macbeth does in fact have the verbal eloquence to express himself even in a state of supposed despair. The use of personification in â€Å"Life’s but a walking shadow† reinforces the state of his ignorance to register his own wrong doing and therefore, both a modern and contemporary audience can advocate that they do not feel the same sympathy as they do for Othello.Finally, the last criterion of a tragic hero is Catharsis; the point at which the tragic hero cleanses his heart and the audience’s too. Othello, despite all that he has been through, returns to the articulate and passionate man, and for that, an audience can feel as though the previous trauma of Desdemona’s death combined with his own wicked imagery is obliterated and washed from them. â€Å"And very sea-mark of my utmost sail† is an example of how Othello is able to speak in iambic pentameter even in such a horrific mental state, reinforcing an audience’s perception of how truly noble and titled he is.Most honourably, he is not afraid of killing himself in the name of love; he simply â€Å"kisses Desdemona, and dies†, making him appear as more of a tragic hero than Macbeth, who fights to live on. He leaves the audience feeling bere aved and pitiful because, despite his jealousy, he ‘loved Desdemona too well’, a crime that was surely too harshly punished. Although, Macbeth’s death is rather less tragic and more heroic in the sense that he refused to kill himself by â€Å"falling on my sword†; an audience would regard him as more honourable towards himself.Before Malcolm kills him, he partly recognises his wrong doing in the little speech that he gives; â€Å"Of all men else I have avoided thee: But get thee back, my soul is too much charg’d With blood of thine already†. Irrespective of the fact that Macbeth didn’t kill himself as he should have done, the imagery of â€Å"blood† reveals the extent of which Macbeth fights like a true soldier till the end. Unfortunately, as a modern audience, we cannot feel the same sympathy as we do for Othello as he neither recognises his flaw nor kills himself because of it; an imperative required for a true tragic hero.Mac beth is a rapid play that does not allow the main protagonist to develop as a character and for that reasoning; Macbeth lacks many of the imperative qualities needed within a tragic hero such as Peripeteia and Anagnorisis. Without a single doubt, Othello is one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragic heroes as fought for by Helen Gardner and Dr Johnson, regardless of Fintan O’Toole’s perception of Othello being â€Å"merely pathetic†. We can advocate otherwise that in fact Othello fulfils all four criterias of Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero.

The Vampire Religion By Christopher Herbert - 955 Words

The â€Å"Vampire Religion† â€Å"Vampire Religion† is an article written about Bram Stoker’s â€Å"Dracula.† The article is one that was found very useful in reading and understanding the story. Christopher Herbert, the author, argues of the importance that religion and events of the world played on the writing of â€Å"Dracula.† There are two parts to the article, one is â€Å"Religion/Superstition† and the second part is â€Å"The Vampire in the Church.† Both parts are vital to the article. The title of the article itself is a very good example of what the main point of the article is about, religion. The author makes many points in which the group of vampire hunters pray for God to help them (Herbert p. 100). They also greatly depend on â€Å"holy† things, such as the wafers, crucifixes, and of course God himself. All these things are very important to them, because they trust and believe that they will work in their fight against evil. Another aspect of the religious aspect is the references and events made parallel to the â€Å"Bible.† One of these examples is how Quincey died, and how this was supposed to be a representation of Jesus Christ dying (Herbert p. 100-101). Another reference to the Bible was made by Renfield, â€Å"He later likens himself to Enoch (Genesis 5:21-24), who â€Å"walked with God† (Herbert p. 107). These are just a few examples of the â€Å"Bible† references made in â€Å"Dracula.† The main thing discussed in the first part is how different Dracula is compared to the rest. He is not pure,Show MoreRelatedVictorian Novel9605 Words   |  39 Pagesagenda of the Victorian novel According to Trollope, Victorian era was the time in the history when the novelist took the position ,occupied before by the preacher, the dramatist, the essayist or the poet, a position of moral arbiter. Not only did religion and morals appear in Victorian novel as motifs, implicated in its interest in moral choice, attitude towards science, life and death , but also had broad impact on the whole fiction of that era. As enormous part of religious institutions and clergy