The Shield of Achilles Essay Example for Free

The Shield of Achilles Essay The Shield of Achilles is a poem of nine stanzas where the author W.H.Auden has used an episode from the famous Homeric epic ‘Iliad’, as the name suggests. Achilles as we know was the greatest hero of the Trojan War and his shield as mentioned here has its reference in the book eighteen of the Iliad. There Thetis, the sea goddess and Achilles’ mother requests Hephaestus the divine blacksmith to make a shield for Achilles whose armor has been taken away by the Trojan hero Hector when he killed Patroclus to whom Achilles had lent it. Auden here has narrated the episode of the Iliad where this shield is in the making. Interestingly unlike the epical shield which was decorated by Hephaestus with stars and constellation, two beautiful towns full of people, scene of cultivation, a vineyard laden with grapes, herd of cattle, dancing girls and boys, the shield in question presents a scene of lifelessness, destruction and decadence of a moribund society of people. The poem starts with an unnamed woman and a man whom we later identify as Thetis and Hephaestus. She is looking over his shoulder to watch the shield which is being made there. Contrary to her expectations she finds the shield being decorated with barbed wire enclosures and bored officials, weary sentries, detached and dispassionate men folk, a weed-choked-field and a frustrated young boy who knows nothing about love being always exposed to murder and rape. In the poem whenever Thetis peers over the blacksmith’s shoulder hoping to see some beautiful decoration of natural beauty being embossed on the shield, some morbid spectacle is sure to greet her eyes. Finally when Hephaestus leaves after finishing the shield, Thetis is distraught to find a horrific picture which makes Achilles’ doom all the more evident. The poet has used a method of flashback to emphasize the deplorable condition of the modern human society. Whenever Thetis looks over ‘his shoulder’ Auden gives us a glimpse of the beauty of the past by mentioning what she expects to see and what gruesome sights unfold before her. The poem shows a contrast between the ancient world of real heroes and the modern world of debasement. The poet W. H. Auden thus uses the shield of Achilles as a subject but all the beautiful descriptions of Homer have been replaced to show the poet’s disgust with blankness and  shallowness of the modern society.

Abortion is a Necessary Alternative Essay -- pro choice abortion

Abortion is not as harmful as its opponents claim it to be. Instead of viewing abortion as "murder," society as a whole must consider abortion as a necessary alternative. Abortion can save a woman's life, physically, mentally, and emotionally. In today's society, the following reasons clearly impact the abortion dilemma. First, the definition of "life" the anti-abortionists provide us with is self-contradictory. Second, abortions are safer than ever in the past. Third, abortions help society avoid the challenges caused by unwanted children. Fourth, abortions benefit the mother's emotional life. Finally, abortion has its consent from the Bible. Therefore, abortion in the United States of America should remain legal. The anti-abortionist argument can be very well refuted because many professionals say that the "biological" or "life" argument the anti-abortionists use is wrong. According to embryologist Charles Gardner (Podell 64), "the Ôbiological' argument that a human being is created at fertilization contradicts all that we have learned in the past few decades." Another embryologist, C. R., Austin notes (Kamm 212), "fertilization does not confer genetic uniqueness -- this is achieved as a consequence of the first meiotic division, which takes place just before ovulation." Although necessary DNA unequivocally exists for the first time at conception, C. R. Austin informs us that (Kamm 231), "the information required to make an eye or finger does not exist in the fertilized egg. It exists in the positions and interactions of cells and molecules that will be formed only at a later time." Besides, if anti-abortionists are claiming that ensoulment takes place at conception, then what happens whe n twins are born? They grow from the ... ... was introduced to man, man had morals : these morals helped man distinguish what was right from wrong. America was built on morals based on Judeo-Christianity, thus, we were all created equal. America is a country where everyone has the same rights. And one right, regarding bearing children, effect women. But for the anti-abortionists, who will hopefully be a little less narrow-minded and a little more compassionate, perhaps the argument provided in this thesis can help to provide a bridge or two across the gap between "pro-choice" and "pro-life." Every woman deserves a right to choose an abortion. Works Cited Patricia Lunneborg, Abortion: A Positive Decision (New York: Bergin & Garvey, 1992) Kamm, F. M. Creation and Abortion: A Study in Moral and Legal Philosophy. Oxford University Press, 1992. Janet Podell, Abortion (Reference Shelf, Vol 62, No 4)

Effect of social media on Family time Essay

As human beings we need to socialise and communicate with others. Of all the relations that we have in life, the most precious and strong are the ones with our families. Many a times during adversities when the closest of friends may leave us, our families – parents, siblings, spouses, children etc. are those who stand by us, giving all the support that we need. With the passing of time and evolving of technology, social media has creeped into our lives as an integral part. Having both good and bad sides, I think social media on our family time effects in connecting family members that are far away, creating distance among close family members and breaking of relationships. Connecting with family, relatives or even friends that live abroad is one of the greatest ways social media helps keep the bonds alive. In the past when a child would go abroad to study or when any family member would travel for a certain purpose, their family behind could only hope to hear from them via ha ndwritten letters. Thereafter came about telephone calls and then came e-mails. Now in this era, with people posting about their daily activities on social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter, the families or parents are well updated regarding their loved ones. Many lost childhood friends are easily found and reconnected. Moreover a growing number of married couples are seen to have found each other on some form of social networking sites. Serving well in its purpose of connecting people, social media does also cause distancing of those who are close to us. Too much of anything is bad. Balanced amount of time given in social networking can be good but when we spend hours after hours on it, we often see ourselves distancing from direct family. How often it is seen that a teenager or young adult remains busy on his or her phone completely ignoring their parents or siblings or having minimal conversations with them.

Oration - Definition and Examples

An oration is a  speech delivered in a formal and dignified manner.  A skilled public speaker is known as an orator. The art of delivering speeches is called oratory. In classical rhetoric, notes  George A. Kennedy, orations were classified into a number of formal genres, each with a technical name and certain conventions of structure and content (Classical Rhetoric and Its Christian and Secular Tradition, 1999). The primary categories of orations in  classical rhetoric were  deliberative  (or political),  judicial  (or forensic), and  epideictic  (or ceremonial).   The term oration sometimes carries a negative connotation: any impassioned, pompous, or long-winded speech (Oxford English Dictionary). EtymologyFrom the Latin, plead, speak, pray Observations Clark Mills BrinkWhat, then, is an oration? An oration is an oral discourse on a worthy and dignified theme, adapted to the average hearer, and whose aim is to influence the will of that hearer. PlutarchIt is a thing of no great difficulty to raise objections against another mans oration, nay, it is a very easy matter; but to produce a better in its place is a work extremely troublesome. Paul Oskar KristellerIn classical antiquity, the oration was the very center of rhetorical theory and practice, though among the three types of speech—deliberative, judiciary, and epideictic—the last was to become the most important in the later centuries of antiquity. During the Middle Ages, the secular public speech and the political and social institutions supporting it disappeared more or less completely. Rhetorica Ad Herennium, c. 90 BCThe Introduction is the beginning of the discourse, and by it the hearers mind is prepared for attention. The Narration or Statement of Facts sets forth the events that have occurred or might have occurred. By means of the Division we make clear what matters are agreed upon and what are contested, and announce what points we intend to take up. Proof is the presentation of our arguments, together with their corroboration. Refutation is the destruction of our adversaries arguments. The Conclusion is the end of the discourse, formed in accordance with the principles of the Art. David Rosenwasser and Jill StephenIf you read or listen to (for example) political speeches, you will find that many of them follow this order. This is because the form of the classical oration is suited primarily to argument—to the kind of writing in which the writer makes a case for or against something and refutes opposing arguments. Don Paul Abbott[Throughout the Renaissance,] the oration remained fixed as the supreme form of discourse, just as it had been for the Romans. In the opinion of Walter Ong, the oration tyrannized over ideas of what expression as such—literary or other—was....It is no exaggeration to say that the rules of the classical oration were applied to every kind of discourse.