Religion Throughout British Literature - 2205 Words

With all the books read in class this year, there has been some type of influence on the way each story was written. From Beowulf to Paradise Lost, there have been many, mostly religious, persuasions in the style and approach to writing of the novel. These influences, whether theyre religious or cultural or psychological, have a deep impact on the story and are reflective of a literary time period. The differences in each story show the changes in the culture, religion, or the way people thought. The purpose of the sequential order of the stories is to show how man has changed his ways, how he has failed and how he has redeemed himself. The first piece of literature to be analyzed is Beowulf, which was written in approximately the late†¦show more content†¦This is one of the few points in which the noble Sir Gawain disappoints his fellow knights and himself. After the third day, Gawain meets with the Green Knight. The present, a magic girdle, helps Gawain in his stance against the Green Knights attempts to chop off his head. The first two swings, the Green Knight missed. The third barely leaves a cut in his neck. After Gawain endures these three swings at his neck, the Green Knight reveals his identity. He explains that he is the lord of the castle, and the three days were all a test for the knight. The three blows were taken at him in relation to the three days of their agreement. The first two days he was honest and shared what he received, hence the first two swings missed. On the third day when he received the magic girdle, he should have returned to the lord, but he did not in fear of being thrown out by the lord. The action is not very honest of Sir Gawain, and hes upset with himself. Consequently, he got hacked in the neck on the third swing. Afterwards, he returned to the court instantly, disheartened and head hung low, knowing h e didnt display the values of Christianity and the of the Round Table. The entire story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is to show how men are tested to see if they truly hold the Christian values of courage, honesty, and chivalry. The story however, is based on paganisticShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s The Dream Of The Rood, Beowulf, And The Canterbury Tales Essay1414 Words   |  6 PagesAll literature evolves throughout time due to the changes in culture and lifestyle of the society during a particular era. Authors are influenced by the beliefs of the nation, events, struggles, and politics of the time period. These influences can be clearly or subtly shown in the works of those authors of the age. The British culture is one of the many types that reflects such rich history and customs packed into its literature. 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Throughout the text Stephen is subjected to religious extremism, particularly in Chapter 3 when he attends Arnall s sermon, while o n a religious retreat, in which he learns of Hell and sin, beleiving that God had allowed him to see the hell reserved forRead MoreThe Middle Ages1747 Words   |  7 PagesLuiz Gustavo Machado Mrs. Phillips British Literature 6 January 2016 The English Middle Ages The middle ages (1066-1485) is known as the Dark ages for representing cultural and economic deterioration following the decline of the exuberant Roman Empire. However, a variety of important events that took place in that period, mainly in England, helped shape society as we know it today. Feudalism was created in the middle ages with the king at the top of military, political, and economic hierarchy, noblesRead MoreImperialism In The 19Th Century Resulted In European Countries1726 Words   |  7 Pagesbrought up to believe. 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Thomas Paine, Father of the American Revolution Free Essays

Thomas Paine: The Father of the American Revolution When we look at the struggle for American Independence, most of us think of the war that the original patriots fought and won against the British. We look at some of the most historical figures in American history such as George Washington along with John Adams and credit them with independence of our nation. What many of us oversee is the man who inspired our weary, undermanned, unmotivated and ill equipped nation; Thomas Paine. We will write a custom essay sample on Thomas Paine, Father of the American Revolution or any similar topic only for you Order Now Paine was a man who was not even born in the American Colonies. He was born in Norfolk, England and immigrated to the British colonies amidst the revolution in 1774. Amongst his stay in the American Colonies, Thomas Paine quickly realized the desperate situation the colonies were in. Using his skills as a political activist/author, he created a book called â€Å"Common Sense† which lit the fire in the hearts of many of the colonial Patriots; it gave them the inspiration they needed to wage a war that would forever change the course of history. His influence was so desirable and effective that â€Å"without the pen of Thomas, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain† (John Adams, The Sharpened Quill). Originally titled, â€Å"The Plain Truth† he was urged to retitle it to â€Å"Common Sense† because it provided American Patriots exactly what they needed to have them open up their eyes to what was in front of them. Paine’s arguments of how it was the right time to claim independence definitely puts him up for the running as the father of the American Revolution. Being from England, Paine was more than suspected to the ways of the Monarchy. He understood the necessity of a government within a population of people. His sense of brilliancy comes from his logical view of a government. He tries his best to come up with a way that invoked the colonists into a way of thinking that would both negate the government in a bad sense, but would also shine light upon the idea of a leading group of people. With this, he speculated the argument that â€Å"Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries by a government† (Paine, Common Sense, 4). One of the reasons Thomas was successful in being a political activist, he had obviously appealed to those who had a sour taste of a tyrannical government, and he also took it into his own hands to redefine what a government was and its role to its people. England’s constitutional monarchy gave Thomas a decent sense of what not to do in terms of leadership. During his time in America, he saw that a majority of the Patriots were already displeased with the current system and he also saw that they were susceptible to return to the old ways because of the low morale to take things into their own hands. One of the things Paine wanted to do was sway the American people out of the idea that a king is necessary. He goes along doing this by formulating an argument that â€Å"In the early ages of the world, according to the scripture chronology, there were no kings; the consequence of which was there were no wars; it is the pride of kings which throw mankind into confusion† (Paine, 9). His argument against the crown then made sense to people because they then knew that having a king would lead to all sorts of complications with history repeating itself. Thomas did not see the point in exalting one man and making him better than others. He validated his points by using the ultimate weapon in political history: religion. Using evidence of the â€Å"scriptures† he articulates a dictation using, â€Å"As the exalting one man so greatly above the rest cannot be justified on the equal rights of nature, so neither can it be defended on the authority of scripture; for the will of the Almighty, as declared by Gideon and the prophet Samuel, expressly disapproves of government by kings† (Paine, 11). There are many instances that Paine brings religion to his argument, but I feel like this is where he excelled at it the most due to his hatred toward a government that is a monarchy or any type of government that exalts one man and exempts him from the rights of an individual. As far as being politically motivated, he also formulated a list from a military aspect that gave the Americans a rough number on what they would need to protect their seas and borders. He also made it clear that the American colonies were not going to win a war in numbers, but in unity. The colonies themselves were small enough to unite a single front and take on the British. No war would come without money you say? Paine suggested that to gain help from foreign powers, we would incur a ton of debt to help fund professional armies. What was his solution? The west had unclaimed land that we could use to pay off this debt. Giving the United States a Foreign presence, this would boom trade and inevitably open the country to expansions that they would never see before. Of course he knew that with the opening of new trade routes we would need to protect them. â€Å"No country on the globe is so happily situated, so internally capable of raising a fleet as America. Tar, timber, iron, and cordage are her natural produce. We need go abroad for nothing† (Paine, 20). Paine formulates how much money it would cost the British to focus a war with America, drawing troops from other theatres of war in the world. Showing the revengeful Americans that they would inflict a huge blow to British pride as well as create a hole in their wallets, enticed them to band together and get building. They didn’t need to rely on any foreign help to amass their own navy. He also foretold of a peace with the British because the British needed the Americans for their raw resources and valuable materials. He created an ideology that â€Å"the mercantile and reasonable part in England, will be still with us; because, peace with trade, is preferable to war without it† (Paine, 23) In conclusion, Thomas Paine will always be one of the original American Hero. For being someone not of â€Å"American† descent, he came from the homeland of the British Isles and incited a revolution that brought forth one of the most powerful nations in the world. With a sense of honor and dignity, Paine did the unimaginable; started a revolution amongst people who should not have won. He gave them the â€Å"common sense† that was needed in order to be successful. â€Å"On these grounds I rest the matter. Instead of gazing at each other with suspicious or doubtful curiosity, let each of us, hold out to his neighbor the hearty hand of friendship, and unite in drawing a line, which, like an act of oblivion, shall bury in forgetfulness every former dissention. Let the names of Whig and Tory be extinct; and let none other be heard among us, than those of a good citizen, an open and resolute friend, and a virtuous supporter of the RIGHTS of MANKIND and of the FREE AND INDEPENDANT STATES OF AMERICA† (Paine, Conclusion). How to cite Thomas Paine, Father of the American Revolution, Essay examples

Reading an Advert Essay Example For Students

Reading an Advert Essay The first bit in the advert shows a predominantly red background with dancers silhouetted in the bottom left hand corner. I think that the silhouette is in the corner because that isnt what we are supposed to see. Even though this image shows enjoyment and excitement as the feeling you get from coca-cola, this isnt what they are selling. In the bottom left hand corner as well there is a small logo saying, dance. The writing in this caption is in much the same style as the coca-cola logo so this and the red could both be the first signs of coca-cola. The second clip is of a hand on a keyboard. As in the last clip, the caption, dance is still in the corner. In this piece there is no harsh colours but the main colour is still red. This clip is when the music starts and the hand looks like it is playing the adverts theme. Music and dance play a big part in this commercial and this shows excitement and moving around that shows you can never be still. The camera focuses on the black and white of the piano keys. This could be to suggest the contrast between the feeling that you get from coca-cola and any other drink suggesting coca-cola is unique. The third extract is of a commuter at a station dancing on the platform. The caption dance is still in the bottom left hand corner. The obvious thing that strikes you is that the man does not care if people are watching him or what they think about him. He is having a good time and he has no cares when he is drinking coca-cola even if he is going to or coming back from work. The thing about this clip is that is in a very unusual place, which shows that it can be drunk and enjoyed anywhere and that it can take all your cares away, even if you are going to work. The man is the central figure, even though his face is blurred, because he represents the action and energy made by the feeling you get from a coca-cola. In the background is a drinks vending machine with the coca-cola logo on the side. This is to remind you that he gets the feeling from coca-cola and also plays a part in the anchorage of the whole advert. The fourth extract is of three coke bottles dancing. This implies that the coca-cola has so much energy in it, the bottles even move themselves. This is an insight into the effect it has on us. This is also when the caption dance disappears. This could be because the writing on the coke bottles is similar to the writing in the caption and so this shows the connection between action and movement dance and coca-cola. The cola bottle also moves to the beat of the backing track. The fifth part is of a night-gowned dancer in an attic bedroom. The main colour in this one is yellow which, to me, represents warmth, sunshine and summer. This could be to show that coca-cola is best drunk when it is summer and it is really hot weather. Also with the clip being in a bedroom it shows that coca-cola can wake you up even if you are sleepy at the end of the day and it puts you on a high. The aspect of being on a high is also shown because it is shot in an attic, which is obviously very high up in a house. This sixth clip shows you a woman dancing in a field with a child. The child symbolizes that coca-cola is not just for young adults, but all generations can have it and it has same effect. The overall colour in this one is also yellow which I think is suggesting the same thing as the one above clip 4. The womans body is not shown in this one because the main focus is the child. The child suggests innocence to the viewer and that coca-cola is not associated with wrong. This seventh extract shows two members of the bar staff dancing at work. In the background there is a coca-cola machine and this is to show that they are actually selling the coca-cola. Again, this clip shows you that you can have fun anywhere with coca-cola. The childs face suggests innocence and pleasure. The eighth piece is of a woman drinking. She first takes a drink of coca-cola and then holds it up in the air. The main feature is the bottle but there is also the look of pleasure on her face that shows her feeling. The dark blue background contrasts with the red coca-cola bottle. Number nine is of 4 dancers in what appears to be a derelict warehouse. I think that they have used this background because it makes the dancers stand out. All of the dancers are wearing red and black. These are the Coca-cola colours as they are used in the logo. They appear to be very active and this could be a result of drinking the coca-cola product. While reading Pygmalion EssayThe nineteenth clip is one of three coca-cola bottles dancing. This implies that the coca-cola has so much energy it moves. Its alive so it makes you alive. Energy is a key factor in this advert and every clip shows movement of some kind. Number twenty is a man with a piano outside in the open air. What makes this clip so striking is the setting that it is in. It is saying that coca-cola motivates you to do anything and it doesnt matter where it is or how it is done. The next clip is of a woman, clearly at work, throwing all her papers into the air. This is implying that coca-cola takes all your cares away and when you are drinking coca-cola nothing matters anymore because youve got the buzz that coca-cola is supposed to give to you. This image could be very enticing to people who are at work and feeling fed up with their work. Clip number 22 is of a man and a woman in front of, what looks like, a very expensive car. This is suggesting that these people would rather have fun with a cheaper can of coca-cola than an expensive car. This means that most people who cant afford a car can always get the same pleasure out of a coca-cola. Clip number 23 is of a youth, boogie-box and a bottle of coke. This shot has a weird camera angle and it focuses on the boys face. The background is black and this makes the items and objects stand out over it. The aim of this clip is to show that it can be drunk to add to the feelings of happiness and excitement that you already have like this youth is already having a good time but then he decides to add to it by drinking coca-cola. This clip, number twenty-four, is kind of a microcosm of the whole advert which is summed up in the mans movement and the large coca-cola advert behind him. The man and his movements signify the whole energy of the advert and the big coca-cola logo in the background signifies the whole effect of coca-cola in the advert. The last clip is of a woman running with her arms in the and her hair blowing behind her. The look on her face is one of pleasure and joy. The caption underneath her reads, you cant beat the feeling plus the trade mark. The word cant is a word, which suggests that there is no other like coca-cola and it is impossible to be better than it. Beat is a word, which suggests superiority over all other drinks. The camera focuses on her face and the look on her face, obviously from drinking the product. Feeling, relates to the look on her face. This is a good picture to end on because it goes well with the phrase, you cant beat the feeling. She looks like she is really enjoying herself. This is an important shot in the advert because this is the anchorage and will stick in peoples minds along with the logo. The whole advert suggests movement and liveliness and obviously this is the supposed effect that coca-cola has on you. People will be grabbed by the suddenness of each shot and the way the advert shouts out at you to go and buy the product, because if you do you will be immediately transformed into a person who hasnt got a care in the world and has bags of energy. We get the impression that coca-cola can be an uplifting experience for people who are down and it can add to a feeling of pleasure if they are already enjoying themselves. The sound track on the advert goes very well with the image of dancing and energy that the advert portrays. The sound track is very lively. Most adverts music is just there for effect but the music in this advert plays a very important role and without it the advert would not work. Music for some adverts would not have words in either but this one does. This could be because there is no other speaking in the advert and this is to get the message across instead of having lots of talking over it and spoiling the advert. Also a song is catchier than a voice and people will remember a song more easily than a voice over. Altogether with the music and shots the advert is altogether is very lively and this is what the coca-cola company wanted to show as the effects of the product.