Optical Illusion on Oedipus Rex and Othello

The theme of appearance and reality is such a dominant one in Oedipus Rex and Othello, and the obsession with appearance plays such an important part in bringing them closer to Oedipus’ and Othello’s tragedy, that the plays can be termed a tragedies of appearance in human life, in which the opposite of appearance is truth or reality. But this theme of uncertain vision is presented through different thematic expression in bith tragedies. Sophocles takes an internal element of character into consideration whereas Shakespeare hold a mixture of internal and external elements responseble fior the optical illusions of Othello and other characters in the play. At first it is on behalf of appearance that we see a battle waged in Oedipus red. As this battle progresses we see appearance losing more and more ground. The first stage in it is the institution of the divinely-instructed enquiry into the death of Laius, which means that the appearance of it that it was the work of outland robbers-is not trusted. Quite early in the enquiry, Oedipus is led astray by an appearance-that the robbers who were alleged to have attacked Laius must have been associated with Thebes, and the suspicion that Creon must have at their back. `the question points to Creon. Creon gives the appearance of evading it. The suspicion, he says, that unavoidably arose could not be pursued after the deed. Why not? The sphinx came†¦ for some time after this, to be sure, the suspicion seems to lie dormant. But the focus of attention is no longer on the scene of the crime, or the way it happened, but rather on those who were ultimately responsible, and Thebes. Then suddenly, after the quarrel with the hostile and apparently malevolent prophet, the suspicion is confirmed, the connection between Creon and Teiresias is established, and the existence of a whole web of enmity stands corroborated as fact. ’ Oedipus suspects that the robbers were bribed to play their part, and ultimately he thinks that both Creon and Teiresias were behind them. Thus the supposed existence of a plot to murder Laius is another appearance which leads Oedipus astray. So Oedipus is to become concerned with appearances which it becomes his life’s mission to investigate, so that he may get at the underlying truth or reality. Appearance and truth come into picture also in the discussion of faulty vision of Oedipus. Another manifestation of Oedipus’ obsession with appearance is his intellectual myopia. He has a limited vision and is unable to assess the situations in a right perspective. Robert L. Kane (1975) puts this preposition in this way; â€Å"He[Oedipus] was the victim of an optical illusion†. (p. 196) The juxtaposition between â€Å"outward magnificence and inward blindness of Oedipus and the outward blindness and inward sight of the prophet† (Kirkwood, p. 30) depicts two types of blindness i. e. physical and intellectual. One is related to physical sight whereas the other, the most pernicious type of blindness, pertains to insight. Teiresias is physically blind but whereas Oedipus is blind intellectually. This intellectual blindness of Oedipus also contributes greatly to his believe in appearance rather than truth and ultimately leads him to his tragic destination. Oedipus pos sesses faultless physical vision throughout play except in the end but he remains blind to the reality regarding himself. At one point in the play, he has the ability to see but he is not willing to do so. Additionally it is his faulty intellectual insight make him believe in the apearence of some unknown enemy and he pronounces on him the sentence of outlawry and also uttes a curse on him. The reality of it that it is on himself that he is passing both the sentences, is umknown to him. However, we may notice that the gradual and increasing loss of Oedipus’ detachment and the growing references to himself raise the suspicion that unconciously Oedipus know what reality lies hidden behind the appearance. Unlike Oedipus Rex, in Othello it is the machination of Iago that blurs the visiioon of Othello and deprives â€Å"noble Moor† to distinguish between reality and apprearence. Othello, together with several other characters largely depend on their visual faculties that is distorted and warped by the skillfull trickery of Iago. These character along with Othello base their conclusion about realities what apears to them and do not delve deep into the reality of the things. But unlike Oedipus their optical allusion is not result of something inherent in their charcter. Othello is intelligent enough that he knows that looks can be decieving but Iago trciker blinds him. For example, Othello notices that Cassio walks off swiftly after having a conversation with Desdemona. Although Othello does not see incongruity in their meeting but Iago presents this meeting differently and sneakily. Iago murmurs to Othello, â€Å"†¦I cannot think it, that he would steal away so guilty like. † (lll,iii,42) Here the machination makes the vision of Othello illusory and he concludes erreaneously as he says, â€Å"†¦I do believe ‘twas he. (lll,iii,44) But as a matter of fact, Cassio and Desdemona converse about getting Cassio’s job back as Desdemona says to Cassio: I know’t. I thank you. You do love my lord; /You have known him long; and be you well assured He shall in strangeness stand no farther off Than in politic distance. (lll,iii,11) But Othello believes what he observed and percieved through the lenses of suspicion that iago sowed in his mind. This lead to a dilemma that becomes unfixanle later and ultimately leads to the tragedy of Othello. This is interesting to note that all characters in the play, except for Roderigo (to whom Iago sometimes shows his real face) have a high opinion of Iago and refer to him as â€Å"honest Iago†. The Mutual relationship between Iago and Othello is of trust and reliance on the part of Othello but it is conniving and devious on the part of Iago. Iago has same relationship with Cassio. Cassio is also deceived by the seeming virtue of Iago and actually believes that ensign is a kind-hearted man. But at the same time is a rival to Iago in the royal court. Unlike pride in Oedipus over his abilities, it is element of trust that deprives Othello of his vision and makes him believe in appeareance as ultimate reality. Although when Iago starts working on Othello, he suspects him and asks for evidence, yet from the beginning of the play, he seems to have put entire confidence in the honesty of Iago, who had not been his companions in arms. This confidence is misplaced but it is no sign of stupidity in Othello. He does not have a distinctive fear of him. We find this even before Iago has set a trap for him. Othello fears the monster â€Å"too hideous to be shown† that he discerns about Iago’s thoughts. This manifests a strange relationship based on paradoxical feelings. It is of confidence, trust and fear. But latter events show that Othello’s trust in Iago overpowers the instinctive fear. This happens due to Othello’s non-meditative nature. He does not contemplate over issues and does not weigh their motive and consequences. A. C. Bradley rightly says in this regard; The sources of danger in this character are revealed but too clearly by the story. In the first place, Othello's mind, for all its poetry, is very simple. He is not observant. His nature tends outward. He is quite free from introspection, and is not given to reflection. Emotion excites his imagination, but it confuses and dulls his intellect. (p. 217) Above-mentioned arguments and supporting textual and extra-textual evidence clearly suggest that in Oedipus Rex, it is something habitual and internal in the chracter of Oedipus himself who is unable to distinguish between what seems to be and what actually is whereas it is an external element (Iago) as well as an internal element (his thorough trust on Iago) in Othello that leads to the optical illusion.

Chinese philosophy Essay

On Earth we are pushed almost simultaneously in some sort of direction, opportunity, decision, etc. and when these situations present themselves we face dilemmas of how and why we should approach them in a certain manner according to moral precepts, short and long term goals, and societal constraints. The teachings of Taoism are an excellent if not perfect life guide for these dealings, because the Tao, or â€Å"the way†, can be thought in terms of a form of enlightenment or remedy for the humanly ways of this world. The Tao upholds the natural proof that life is of the utmost importance and the most valued possession in life is intrinsically itself. In this supreme experience of life we face constant movement for advancement of self and quality of life by technology and mentality, yet the Tao gestures a content and simple life where these â€Å"improvements† aren’t the strives we need to be making. The orchestrator of Taoism himself, Lao Tzu, it was said, â€Å"the greatest Virtue is to follow the Tao and Tao alone† (Tzu 10) which states of the Tao’s incomparability to life’s other moral and spiritual modules. Throughout this paper I will divulge the in the functions of simplicity and humbleness professed in Taoism as well as the utility of the Tao in nearly every aspect of life. History and Beginnings of Taoism Taoism is believed to have started in the 6th century B. C. E. by a former government worker who maintained the royal archives during the reign of the Chou Dynasty. That keeper of the royal archives was named Lao Tzu and he became dreary from his work so left his occupation to pursue a different calling out west. It is speculated that upon his departure from the confines of China, a guard watching the border asked him to record all of his wisdom before he passed. With this incentive Lao Tzu sat down and wrote the Tao Te Ching, which was his only known work summing up to roughly 5,000 words and spoke of in depth of the manner of the Tao and how it correlates to us, this life, and the world. It was Tzu’s only work (which some scholars dispute it was other sages compiling together and not one entity, Lao Tzu) whereupon he was never seen or recorded again. With this Taoism was born. To understand the method of the Tao it needs to be understood what the Tao reflects and what the Tao is because that is the essence of the Tao, it just is. Essentially the Tao is the natural order and true way of life, it is an ultimately indescribable yet definable through guidelines and the teachings written by Lao Tzu. Lao Tzu even said in the first lines of the Tao Te Ching, â€Å" The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao† , signifying that telling and learning of the Taoism is not genuine Tao because the Tao has to be lived and found out personally from person to person. â€Å" Daoist ideas[consist of ] the ecstatic journey, physical immortality, sexual yoga, and in particular the aspiration to harmonize human life with the way of nature†, here we see a connection to individual life and becoming one being of nature through this â€Å"ecstatic journey†, which is simple bliss in our voyage through time on this earth. While were here on planet Earth we aren’t really making the best out of it but rather coming to the realization that inherently this life is the best in the way it is. This simplicity is the vitality of our life, we need to let the roots of the real planet take over our life, and not submit to contaminated constraints of society or contemporary lifestyles for, â€Å"he is detached, thus at one with all† where â€Å"he† is detached from societal conformity and thinking and one with all the underlying truth of the world. Intrinsically this universal way to life, that is the Tao, is perfect and flawless from times of sorrow to times of joy because like the Yin and Yang symbol from ancient Chinese culture in life should be in accordance and equilibrium with the natural way of things. Taken as a whole the doctrine of the Tao is to combine with your original and eternal ancestry with this earth and just be. As I have mentioned the Tao is oriented around the union of our individual life and the eternal, ever-constant (in principle), and natural way of the earth. In the marriage of life and the way, the component that we are in control of( and I say control with care because the Tao is not about control or absoluteness it’s about harmony and being taken up with your world) is our personal life and personality. This life right here and now is so important it gets taken for granted and disregarded so often due to the unnatural ways society pushes us. Without this life we wouldn’t have anything, any reality, any fun or depression, no anything. For this basic reason alone our time here in this existence, our life, is our ultimate possession in this life is this life. The opportunity to live purely and purposefully with the planet’s path is what our existence is about is what the Tao Te Ching brings to light and from this truth it can be derived that our life is the our best achievement. A very prominent message that resounds throughout the Tao Te Ching and principles of Taoism is the importance of keeping life basic and rudimentary in operation. This does not mean you are a buffoon and you should do nothing, but interpreted to common language lifestyles should be basic and not enthused by complicated thinking, personality, and actions. Science is a big discrepancy with the Taoist thought pattern, a Tao sage wouldn’t advocate for improvement in sciences. Yet with this in mind, â€Å"Taoists were often scientists of China. Theirs was a different conception of science, based not on the exploration of the underlying laws of phenomena, but on the observation of the behavior of animals, plants, the elements, and the heavens. †, more of a mild consideration for the reality around us and how it corresponds to the natural way things are and how we play a part in it as individuals. When we follow the flow of the Tao we are in sync with nature’s ever pure intentions and a simplistic life separated from convoluted ideals and standards set by humans to live by. To satisfy the Tao we have realized we should not strive for things, material or spiritual, but allow this essence of the world to become us by living in an effortless way. There is a self-gratification to simple living, â€Å" Lao Tzu rejected scientific and technological progress†¦ he wrote that content people enjoy the labor of their hands and don’t waste time inventing labor-saving machines† where we are content and reap the benefits of our work to thrive in unison with the world. In this manner of simplicity life is lived how it was meant to be lived. Tantamount in importance for Taoism is dissent from popularity and splendor in your life. If we are to be simple beings in unity with nature then we should not be crowding our heads with egoistical beliefs that our own supremacy is important. In the grand scheme of this planet we are a miniscule part but a part nonetheless, one who should surrender to the natural course of the world. â€Å"The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return. They grow and flourish and then return to source†, as explained by Lao Tzu we go about our business with highs and lows of attitude, status, and life in general but always return to the basis source where we originated from, and so we should avoid trying to raise up and improve because it is unnatural and we will just return to the basis anyway. This life’s peak is unattainable because it is not part of this journey, we shouldn’t even try to achieve the high of our live through improvement of self because we are meant to be simple and just the way we are. To just be as a basic being is to be perfectly purposeful. Our time here on this planet is to accept that the way of the world is the Tao and is the force we adhere, it is the ultimate answer to our world. We live here and now to follow the Tao and be content with our life as it is the most important thing we harbor. It is a basic life but that’s more than okay, we should have a life of no achievements because those could lead ultimately to downfalls and an unnatural course in our life going against the Tao of the world. Always unimportance in ourselves is key if we are to live harmoniously with this planet. Simplicity all around and submitting to the underlying but truly eternal and ultimate flow of the Tao is our purpose here and now, just be, no adjustments, just being. Works Cited Clarke, J. J. The Tao of the West: Western Transformations of Taoist Thought. New York, NewYork: Routledge, 2000. Print Goffman, Ken, Joy, Dan. Counter Culture Through The Ages: From Abraham to Acid House. New York, U. S. A. : Villard Books, 2004. Print Tzu, Lao. Tao Te Ching. China:np,nd. Print Welch, Holmes. Taoism The Parting of the Way. Toronto, Canada: Beacon Paperback, 1966. Print. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Sages, are wise teacher-like people regarded with high level experience and wisdom of the world and its ways. [ 2 ]. The Yin and Yang is a symbol resonating with ancient Chinese philosophy that represent the natural opposites such as dark and light, innovation and conservation, masculine and feminine, as they occur and have to be in balance and coexistence with one another.

Characters in ‘Two Kinds’ Essay

Both, Madame Loisel and the daughter from two kinds, find themselves in similar situations. The situations seem different but in reality they aren’t, as both of them are expected to do certain things, the only different is that the daughter from to kinds in forced to do thing and Madame Loisel just feel like she had to do or to have a certain thing. The difference in the expectations between the two characters, is made by making one character want a certain thing, and the other to be forces to do something. So in other words one of the characters is wants to have certain thing and feels like the society expects the character to have these things. And the other one is made or forces by on other person or character from the story to do certain things, and is expected of certain things. The daughter is the forces character this is because the mother makes her do what she doesn’t want to. Her mother tries to make he a wonder kid and to change the way the daughter is. The mother tries to make her daughter a wonder kid and the daughter starts to respond in a way that she just doesn’t care. Then in some time the daughter be really tiered of the testes that the mother is making her that and the fact that the mother is trying to change her. And so, she starts to take short cut, and with the only intention to stay the way sh e it, the stops listening to her mother, doesn’t pay intention at the piano lessens. On the other hand there is Madame Loisel, which is a character that just feels that it is her duty to be what the society expects of all women. She feels that she has to be in the high class, that she is worth a lot and that all because of her beauty should adore her. She also had an opinion that if she wants something she has to get it or it is the end of the world. In addition, her believe is that her just deserve, also for whom she is, expensive cloths, and expensive necklace. Both of the characters respond very similar to their pressures and expectation that they are faced in the story line. The daughter responds by not agreeing to her mother and by trying to do the opposite of what she is told to do and in addition, she doesn’t listen nor try her best at the test that her mother makes her face. and a bit similar, Madame Loisel responds to  the expectations of society in a way that she just wants something and if she doesn’t get it it’s the end of the world, as if she just is the centre of the world and that she deserves all. So in other words she believes that she is worthy of having the best of the best. Then furthermore, both of the characters change in the end of their own stories. Madame Loisel becomes more realistic about life and gets a true self-esteem for what she had actually achieved. And in addition she loses her opinion that everything that she gets or receives is granted. Then, the daughter listens to her mother in the end of the story and starts playing the piano. As a conclusion both of the characters result in the same position in other words both of the characters are dramatic characters. This is because their view and their characteristics change and became completely different in the end of the story. Madame Loisel changes in a way that she becomes more aver of life and stops taking everything for granted. The daughter also changes to the positive site as she in the end of the story starts playing the piano and in other words listens.

Nursing Culture Groups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nursing Culture Groups - Essay Example Nasser is being respected would not mean that the young Samia will not receive treatment, which can only be best administered after examination on her private part. To ensure this balance, Mrs. Nasser must resort to negotiation. The negotiations must be made on fair grounds such that the nurse must not be seen as taking an entrenched position. She must persuade Mrs. Nasser to come to the compromise willingly. iii. Cultural care re-patterning or restructuring: This should be the final step or strategy but it must not be taken for an act of eliminating the culture of Mrs. Nasser or indoctrinating her with the nurses’ own style of culture or what she deems as best. However, she can restructure Mrs. Nasser by pleading with her to be tolerant and flexible with her culture. She will allow Mrs. Nasser to enjoy the best of services whereas she goes; especially for her own good and welfare. 3. How might the nurse ensure that Mrs. Nasser’s concerns are addressed appropriately and that Samia has received the appropriate care? The concluding situation to achieve out of this whole situation should be a win-win affair. This is to say that as much as the concerns and cultural believes of Mrs. Nasser must be respected, it is also important that Mrs. Nasser’s daughter receives the needed care and treatment. Basing on the congruent strategy of negotiation, the nurse must be in a position to convince Mrs. Nasser to compromise for the examination to be carried out. The compromise will however not come easily and this is where the nurse has a lot of work to do. The nurse actually has a duty to explain herself clearly to Mrs. Nasser to win her heart. She must make Mrs. Nasser understand that the reason for the... From this research it is clear that it is important for the nurse to understand that her professionalism as a nurse transcends beyond her ability to give medical health to a patient. It also includes an ability to have a cordial and congenial atmosphere with clients and patients such that the clients and patients can have emotional health as well. The nurse should therefore respond by giving the patient enough room to express all her concerns so that after having all the substance of the concerns, she can strategies to address them one after the other. The rationale here is that when patients and clients are given enough room to express themselves, they co-operate better with nurses and nurses have the opportunity of giving them detailed healthcare. Communication is an important aspect of the nursing practice. It becomes even more important when nurses have to communicate not just among themselves as professionals but must communicate with their clients and patients, who must underst and the nurses as professionals from a layman point of view. Due to this, nurses must learn to make themselves understood through the use of the right and most appropriate communication mechanisms. Communication is therefore critical when it is done at the interpersonal relationship level. Even more critical is when nurses have to communicate with people from different cultural background. When this situation arises, the nurse does not just have to make the patient understand him or her as a professional from a layman point of view but that the nurse must do everything possible to ensure that the communication is appropriate from the judgment and perspective of the client or patient.

Film review Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 10

Film - Movie Review Example The film also captivates through its application of irony as Raphael’s status changes from an arrogant successful salesperson to an oppressed loser (Iglesia). The film’s major characters are Raphael and Lourdes. These characters play a major role in the development of the story line besides aiding application of literacy styles, such as irony, in the film. Minor characters on the other hand include Antonio, who beat Raphael in a promotion opportunity, other sales women, the employing organization, and the passive criminal investigation system. These characters facilitate demonstration of Raphael and Lourdes’ character traits. The sales women for example elevate Raphael’s social power but undermine Lourdes (Iglesia). One of the added techniques to the film is flashback, applied towards the film’s end. The technique further illustrates the relationship between Raphael and Lourdes and therefore enriches the storyline

Flag Burning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Flag Burning - Essay Example Indeed, the symbolism of the flag is so deeply embedded in national consciousness that Bourne (qtd in Schatz and Lavine, 2007: 329) was prompted to declare that "We reverence not our country but the flag. We may criticize ever so severely our country, but we are disrespectful to the flag at our peril." The difference lies in that the flag is a symbolic representation of all that which the nation is; the flag represents the past, present and future and is not associated with particular policies and governments, as may be the nation at any given time. It is within the context of that which the flag stands for that intolerance towards flag burning should be understood. Americans are intolerant of flag burning because it expresses disregard for those who lost their lives battling under the flag, disrespect for the institutions of the nation and, a symbolic attempt to deny national memories. The 1960s were the heyday of flag burning in the United States and even though many Americans sympathized with the politics which incited the said act, few were tolerant of it. As Boime (1990) notes, countless Americans opposed the Vietnam War and supported the Civil Rights but were enraged by the expression of the aforementioned through flag-burning.

Constitutional and Administrative Law Assessed Corsework Essay

Constitutional and Administrative Law Assessed Corsework - Essay Example he principle of separation of powers assumes that certain functions should be carried out by different institutions with neither impinging the other’s authority. As Montesquieu argued; â€Å"All would be lost if the same man or the same ruling body†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦were to exercise these powers.3† Furthermore, Lord Acton commented that â€Å"Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely4†. Accordingly, the preservation of separation of powers is essential as a check on autocratic power. As part of this, judicial review of the legality of acts of the executive represents the central method by which courts control exercise of governmental power; which in turn operates as a central underlying facet of the separation of powers. As such, the doctrine of ultra vires is theoretically vital in serving as a testament to the independence of the judiciary in its role under the fundamental constitutional separation of powers in ensuring that public bodies, such as government departments, local authorities, tribunals, agencies have not acted ultra vires5. Moreover, the ultra vires doctrine is cited as the first principle of natural justice and the rule of law that public bodies are required to act within the scope of the powers allocated to them by Parliament6. With regard to the UK position, the doctrine of the separation of powers has traditionally been limited and criticised for being somewhat unclear in comparison to other democracies7. Nevertheless, it has been commented that the doctrine does in fact influence everyday operations of the executive, legislature and judiciary8 and Barnett argues that â€Å"Separation of powers†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ runs like a thread throughout the constitution of the United Kingdom9.† Nevertheless, in the UK there has not been a clear separation of the branches of the state10, but rather a fusion, which in turn has created polarised debate with regard to the need to reform the British constitution. For example, the executive clearly carries out

Hotspot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Hotspot - Essay Example isolation then the medical charges or costs will also have to be improved as a way of attracting more patients to healthcare (Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt, 2011). Secondly, isolating or keeping off from these hot spots can also make them improve their quality and access to their healthcare. The hot spots also take advantage of the many victims visiting their premises for healthcare as a good chance to provide poor services. At some point, they are also forced by the large number of victims to give poor quality services because they give offer their services faster in order to be able to attend to all the victims. They feel as if they experience monopoly in delivering their services hence due to low competition they do not provide adequate healthcare to the patients. For instance, Frank Hendricks whom the doctors identified as the worst of their patients by then was receiving poor medication despite his serious heart failure, chronic asthma, diabetes, hypothyroidism and gout illnesses. Then Brenner started taking care of him until he was discarded form the hospital. He gave him encouragement because he had already lost hope in life due to the poor medication he was getting in the hospital. After a while, Frank goes back to his normal life. This serves as enough evidence that the hot spots never gave patients enough concern and quality medication. Through isolating the hot spots then could give the doctors of the hot spots an alarmed way to improve their services because for instance if, all the patients avoid going and queuing in the emergency room, the doctors will find ways to trap back their patients, and they will obviously improve the quality of the medication in the hospitals (Takenaka and Osirim, 2010). Most patients in the region seek treatment through the emergency department because it is where they can get urgent medical treatment. Following the large number of people visiting the hospital, then it is rather difficult to receive treatment via the

What are the challenges posed in researching media audiences and how Essay

What are the challenges posed in researching media audiences and how have media and cultural studies researchers addressed them - Essay Example is considered as valuable by authors Morley and Barker who want the contribution of audience research to extend beyond what they term mere â€Å"stories† (Press, 2007: 95). Audience Research: Research on users of information systems, and the World Wide Web environment which combines the features of an information system with many potentially entertaining visuals should be studied using the gratification theory. When there are a variety of different channels to choose from, our understanding of individual’s selection as well as use behaviour may be enhanced, according to Iyer (1998: 14). It is an accepted fact that television presents a distorted view of reality (Bryant; Zillmann, 2002: 69). Researchers, media critics, television executives, and the general public are interested in knowing whether the distortion has any effect on people, and if so, why and to what extent. Over the past few decades there have been two persistent criticisms against media effects research: one is that the evidence accumulated till date show very little indication of media effects on people’s psyche, behaviour, etc, in spite of the myth of â€Å"massive media impact†. The second criticism of media effects research is that it has for the most part lacked any focus on Barker (2007: 128) states that researchers felt the need for a fully elaborate audience research paradigm, and responded to it by developing the Uses and Gratifications Tradition. The virtues of this essay which has not yet been published, and the research that lay behind it, are the attempt to combine in a mutually informative way, a theoretical framework, working concepts, methods of enquiry, research implements and paradigmatic studies. Audience research in the United Kingdom, and consequently in the rest of Europe was conceived and constructed under Stuart Hall’s encoding-decoding model (Hall, Stuart, 1992: 31 as quoted in Barker (2007: 128). This model created a conceptualization of text-audience relations

Testing Rodolpho Essay Example for Free

Testing Rodolpho Essay Catherine doesnt get drawn in by this and goes back to testing Rodolpho; she steels herself as if she is about to say something important and the audience know something is going to happen. She asks him a question that Rodolpho doesnt answer, but he immediately attacks her about Eddie and whether it was him making her ask the question:  Catherine [steeling herself]: Tell me something. I mean just tell me, Rodolpho would you still want to do it if it turned out we had to go live in Italy? I mean just if it turned out that way. Rodolpho: This is your question or his question?  The audience can tell that Rodolpho thinks about Eddie differently now to before the boxing. Before that Eddie was like a potential uncle to him but he has now realised how much Eddie hates him, or hes aware of something that he doesnt understand.  Rodolpho takes his anger for Eddie out on Catherine and he answers her question in a way that the audience dont expect him to and shocks them. Catherine is also shocked and upset that he hasnt told her he loves her. Rodolpho attacks Catherine about Eddie:  No; I will not marry you to live in Italy. I want you to be my wife and I want to be a citizen. Tell him that, or I will. Yes [He moves about angrily.] And tell him also, and tell yourself, please, that I am not beggar, and you are not a horse, a gift, a favour for a poor immigrant.  This shows Rodolpho is upset and angry that Eddie should suggest such a thing. He is proud and frustrated that Eddie and Catherine think of him this way. As he talks Rodolpho walks about showing his frustration and anger. He still doesnt tell Catherine that he loves her although he could be playing for time. The emotion moves on and Catherine talks about Eddie and what he means to her:  Its only that I He was good to me, Rodolpho. Good. He razzes me all the time but he dont mean it. I know. I would just feel ashamed if I made him sad. Cause I always dreamt that when I got married he would be happy at the wedding, and laughin and now hes mad all the time and nasty [She is weeping.]  She doesnt understand why Eddie doesnt like Rodolpho and feels like she doesnt know Eddie anymore. The audience feel her emotion and it makes them feel sad for her. She pleads with Rodolpho to get Eddie to trust him:  Tell him youd live in Italy just tell him, and maybe he would start to trust you a little, see? Because I want him to be happy; I mean I like him, Rodolpho and I cant stand it! The audience can see she is desperate and they feel for her. They want Rodolpho to do what she wants. Rodolpho doesnt seem to take her that seriously:  Oh Catherine oh, little girl  This could be taken as if Rodolpho is protective over her or that he is taking advantage of her.  Catherine tells Rodolpho she loves him but he doesnt tell her he loves her back, making the audience wonder why he didnt:  Catherine: I love you, Rodolpho, I love you.  Rodolpho: Then why are you afraid? That hell spank you?  He is suggesting that Catherine should trust him. Catherine shows she wants someone to treat her like an adult so she can be an adult:  You dont know; nobody knows! Im not a baby; I know a lot more than people think I know. Beatrice says to be a woman, but then why dont she be a woman?  The characters are developing and Catherine doesnt understand and doesnt know what to think. She is trying to understand what is going on and what people are trying to say, but she also wants to prove herself and show she isnt a baby. Things start to get more intimate and Rodolpho relates Catherine to nature and shows what Eddie is doing to her:  Catherine. If I take in my hands a little bird. And she grows and wishes to fly. But I will not let her out of my hands because I love her so much, is it right for me to do? I dont say you must hate him; but anyway you must go, mustnt you? Catherine?  This could also be interpreted as the bird being held like Rodolpho is holding Catherine. They hold each other and Rodolpho leads her towards the bedroom, showing Catherine as being defenceless and he is protective over her. This is a dramatic movement because the audience assume they will have sex. When Eddie comes in the audience can anticipate something will happen because he comes in drunk with many bottles:  [Light rises on the street. In a moment Eddie appears. He is unsteady, drunk. He mounts the stairs. He enters the apartment, looks around, takes out a bottle from one pocket, puts it on the table. Then another bottle from another pocket, and a third from an inside pocket. He sees the pattern and cloth, goes over to it and touches it, and turns towards upstage.]  Catherine enters from the bedroom first and tries to act naturally. Eddie mockingly asks if Rodolpho has been making her a dress, making the point that he thinks Rodolpho is gay. When Rodolpho appears from the bedroom Eddie realises what might have happened and the audience feel tension because they dont know what he will do. There is a dramatic pause before Eddie tells Rodolpho to get out.  Catherine follows Rodolpho and the audience can see that her loyalty is now with him instead of Eddie and she stands by Rodolpho.  I just cant stay here no more. You know I cant. [Her sobs of pity and love for him break her composure.] Dont you know I cant? You know that, dont you? [She goes to him.] Wish me luck. [She clasps her hands prayerfully.] Oh Eddie, dont be like that! This shows her desperation because she loves Eddie and wants him to agree. She doesnt know what else to do but she has decided to be a woman. What just happened in the bedroom with Rodolpho might have helped her to make this decision.  When Eddie intimately kisses her on the mouth he is showing that she is his not Rodolphos. This is a shock to the audience and might cause them to wonder if Eddie wants a relationship with Catherine. Rodolpho pulls Eddies arm away and tells him to stop it. He is appalled by what Eddie has done and might also be jealous. He tells Eddie that Catherine will be his wife, demanding and taking control. Eddie mocks and taunts Rodolfo until Rodolpho flies at him and Eddie kisses him. This is completely unexpected and shocks the audience even more than when Eddie kisses Catherine. The audience are horrified, as is Catherine who has realised that Eddie thinks Rodolpho is gay and she doesnt know what to think. As Eddie leaves the apartment he tells Rodolpho to get out alone, threatening him. The audience are not sure if Catherine is going to go with him and it is almost left on a cliff hanger because they dont know what is going to happen. The lights go down leaving a tense atmosphere.  This scene is particularly dramatically effective because of the fast pace and suspense. There is a lot of varying emotion and the audience never know what is going to happen next.

Le Corbusier Architecture Essay

Le Corbusier Architecture Essay Le Corbusier (1887-1965) is a Swiss-French architect; he is considered by many a pioneer of modern architecture. Le Corbusiers ambition is evident as he was an individual of many talents including painting, writing, and design. Le Corbusiers attitude towards the home, the objects of the home and the way in which this was expressed in his art and architecture will be discussed. By assessing the Five points in Architecture used by Le Corbusier as a structural basis for much of his architecture up to 1953, a discussion can be made of his following homes Maison Citrohan, Maison La Roche, Ville Contemporaine, Lesprit nouveau Pavilion, Maison Cook , The Villa Stein and Villa Savoye. Le Corbusier artwork displays an association with his architectural design these association and the influence of his artwork upon his designs will be discussed, in association with the development of purism. Additionally the response faced by his architecture of the 1920 and 1930s will be assessed. In 1915 Le Corbusier and friend, engineer and entrepreneur, Max Dubois evolved two ideas that inspired his style of work throughout the 1920s; One being the Maison Domino which represents the Five points in Architecture. The five points included Pilotis (columns), roof garden, free plan, free faà §ade and ribbon windows. These elements were seen by Le Corbusier as Objects-types which he explains in detail in his book, Vers une architecture and journal, LEsprit nouveau. In 1918 with the help of the artist Amedee Ozenfant, Le Corbusier adopted the painting with the use of oils. Together they developed the Purism movement, Ground in Neo-Platonic philosophy, Purism extended its discourse to cover all forms of plastic expression from salon paintings to product design and architecture. The purism movement derived from cubism in which similarly the main subject matter was the common objects of the cafà © table, the studio and the machine shop: guitars, bottles, and pipes which were presented in their most natural and clear forms that were expressive of modern machine age, unlike the abstract and decorative approach of cubism. It was against what le Corbusier and Ozenfant regarded as the unwarranted distortions of cubism in paintings as it was in favour of the evolutionary perfection of, say, thonet bentwood furniture or standard cafà © tableware. They collaborated on the book, Apres le cubisme, Along side poet Paul Dermee in 1920, he founded the magazine lesprit Nouveau with its main subject matter being the arguable relation between art and industrial society which was already developed in Apres le cubisme. Many architectural ideas which were mentioned in LEsprit nouveau developed from the planning of an ideology of modern paintings. Still life (1920) is a purist painting by le Corbusier which uses flat images with the overlapping of planes similarly to cubism, however its different in the way the objects are made to look solid and not as abstract like in cubism. The repeated curving outline of the guitar and bottle he achieved is also a popular cubist concept. The selection of common, everyday objects which are represented in the paintings are considered objet-types. the object would become an objet-type, its platonic forms resulting from a process analogous to natural selection, becoming banal, susceptible to infinite duplication, the stuff of everyday life. The colour scheme contains only the neutral colours, black, grey, white and different shades of green. Citrohan House, 1925-7 in Weissenhofsiedlung, Stuttgart The Citrohan house is a pure prism, the use of concrete allows large uninterrupted interior space; it consists of a white box supported by columns with a flat roof and the use of consistent rectangular windows which extend to the corner columns and resemble an industrial kind. It was in relation with this building in which Le Corbusier published his Five points for a New Architecture. The Citrohans section and main arrangement was inspired by a cafà © In Paris where le Corbusier lunched everyday. Simplification of the light source; single bay at each end; two lateral bearing walls; a flat roof over; a veritable box which could be used as a house. Le Corbusier believed that the house should be as standardized as a car; hence the name Citrohan came from the name of the famous automobile company, Citroen. The idea of mass production was important and the fact the Citrohan visualized a way of a life clear from all the unnecessary clutter of the customary bourgeois dwelling at the time. Using the Maison Citrohan as his model, he was determined on using mass production processes in order to solve the housing crisis of the post-war years, similar to the way in which Ford cars where processed. In 1924 industrialist, Henri Fruges, agreed to carry out Le Corbusiers idea of mass produced housing for his workers in Pessac using the Citrohan as its bases. This included 130 reinforced frame houses along with one common type known as the sky scraper unit which was a combination of the Maison Citrohan and the back-to-back units he had designed for the city of Audincourt. The Citrohan house at the Stuttgart Weissenhofsiedlung was the last in the series of Citrohan-type houses in which he developed the true version. In Vers une architecture Le Corbusier described this house as a machine for living in, by which he meant a house whose functions had been examined from ground floor up and stripped to the essentials. Both the house and car are considered objects-types due to the fact they both have significant functions, like the machinery of a car which is enclosed within the exterior layer he believed the function of the house should also be invisible, covered in an ideal layer. Maison La Roche/Jeanneret, 1923, in Paris The Maison La Roche/Jeanneret which was designed in 1923 for Raoul La Roche, a collector of paintings, and Le corbusierss brother Albert and wife Lotti Raaf. The house displays many influences of the purist movement, from the fixtures of the house to its form. The use of overlapping surfaces and the transparent areas of glazing are similar to the characteristics of purist paintings which include the overlapping of planes. The fixtures used within the home also relate to the subject matter of Purism which include, radiators, naked light bulbs, simple Thonet chairs, door latches, metal windows- are obviously of industrial extraction. These are objects-types similarly to the objects represented in the purist paintings like the bottles and machine parts, these are objects that tend towards a type which is determined by the evolution of forms between the ideal of maximum utility, and the necessities of economics manufacture. Le Corbusier believed the whole modern city should be elevated up a level in order to keep the ground clear, providing a better circulation of cars. This idea was projected in the studio wing, for which a single cylindrical pilotis stands at the centre beneath, along the axis of the long access road. The studio wing was a demonstration of urbanistic doctrine. Ville Contemporaine, 1922 Contemporary City which was a city of skyscrapers in a park for three million inhabitants, was inspired by the Utopian vision where techniques of modern construction, automobiles and aeroplanes were brought together in a n ordered diagram, with nature and the machine reconciled and harmonized. Lesprit nouveau Pavilion, 1925, in Paris The Pavillon de lEsprit Nouveau built in 1925 was a pavilion in the shape of an apartment from the ideal city which included furnishing of the modern machine age objects alongside purist works of art. Maison Cook, 1926-7, in The clarification of Le Corbusier formal theory is also partly linked to his daily experience of painting. This can be evident in Maison Cook of 1926-7 in which the precise control of volume, surface and profile may be sensed. Maison cook consist of a square plan and faà §ade, hence its almost cubic form. The single cylindrical piloti on the central axis and the use of continuous strip windows from one side to the other helps emphasis the symmetry of its overall shape. Le Corbusiers uses a concrete frame in order to achieve spaces of varies qualities including lighting, size and views. The curved partitions dramatize the free plan, catch the light, and stand like objects in the lucid space; inevitably they call to mind the bottles and guitars of Purist pictures. The five points are clearly emphasised in the Maison cook, with the piloti as a central point set back from the faà §ade level dramatizing the separation of structure from external cladding. The use of the piloti provides a passage below the house for both pedestrian and cars. Use of the continuous windows draws attention to the free faà §ade and also contains a roof garden on top which replaces the green area used by the building. The Villa Stein (1926-1928) in Garches The Villa Stein is an impressive example of the avant-garde movement such as the intense handling of interior space provided by a regular grid of pilotis along with its free plan, furthermore with its use of modern building techniques and use of industrial materials. The site for the villa was of a long and narrow stretch of land, allowing the chance for a freestanding building volume with space for a garden front and back. This enables the chance to organise an architectural journey starting from the entrance through to the garden, hence touches upon old themes of villa design to do with the transition from urban to rural experience. At first sight the villa appears to be a formal rectangular block consisting of horizontal strips of white wall and thin strips of glazing, In comparison to Maison Cook its rather striking. Similarly to Villa Savoye it celebrates the arrival by car in an almost ceremonial way. The lowest level includes a variety of openings including a garage, small entrance to the servants quarters, the main entrance and a large area of industrial glazing which represents the use of the modern building technique. Looking at the faà §ade there is no evidence of piloti, however the way in which the windows extend to the edges suggest that the faà §ade is a non-weight-bearing membrane. However the facades subtle rearrangement and similarities of the rectangles and slight transparency at the edges, present a visual uncertainty about the position and thickness of the faà §ade surface. Hence, The Villa Stein-de Monzie is organized as a series of layers. This can relate to Le Corbusiers purist paintings, where the overlapping of planes occurs. The main entrance is expressed by a canopy which slightly resembles the wings and struts of an aeroplane, which Le Corbusier identifies as an objet-type for its emphasis on function. The arrangement of partitions within the whole layout reflects Le Corbusiers paintings, where curves and rectangles slide, overlap, and harmonize into a perceived unity within a rectangular frame. There are many features within the Villa Stein which relate to the engineering objects Le Corbusier considered objet-types, in particular the Ship. This includes a protruded, curved volume used for storage recalls the funnel of a liner; other nautical allusions are found in the railings, the spiral stairs. In Vers une architecture, in the chapter Eyes Which Do Not See, the caption An architect pure, neat, clear, clean and healthy, appears under one of the ship illustrations. This could be used to describe the Villa Stein/de Monzie due to its comparison with a ship. The Villa Savoye, 1928, in Poissy, France The Villa Savoye in Poissy designed in 1928, is a great example of Le Corbusiers five points of architecture. The main living space elevated on pilotis, with its strong horizontal faà §ade is centred within a breathtaking landscape; with the use of continuous horizontal windows providing clear panoramic views. One of the main parts to Le Corbusiers machine age concepts was the provision of enough green space. This is apparent for the villa savoye site where organisations of trees and grass have a clearly framed view. Nature is celebrated as dramatically as the idea of the house as a machine a habiter, or the theme of procession by car. The use of piloti in the Garches was an important mechanism within the interior; whereas for the Ville Savoye use of piloti is predominating for both exterior and interior. From a distance Ville Savoye has been compared with a Purist still life on a table-top and the associations with ships funnels or machine parts are not hard to make. This relates to the engineering objects le Corbusier considered to have relevance and the right balance he aimed for as he felt the architecture of the recent past was of poor and missing significance compared to the Parthenon, the Roman baths, Mansart etc. These engineering objects include ships, aeroplanes, cars and factories which were greatly evident in his book Vers une architecture. The use of silos and factories were praised for their clear and distinct articulation of volumes and surfaces: ships and aeroplanes for their rigorous expression of function. The guitar outline emphasized in le Corbusier purist painting, still life, has a strong connection to the plan shape of the Solarium. This shows the influence his painting had on his architecture and the way in which he produced similar results, because it provided him with a filter of experiences and a laboratory of forms. Or (choose which quote) The same formal intelligence working in different media achieved analogous results.