Literature - A Mirror Of Society Essays (1277 words) - Romanticism

Literature - a Mirror of Society The literature of a country is affected and influenced by how the people of that country live. This paper will prove that The French Revolution greatly influenced 19th Century French Romanticism. First, the cultural values of the revolution will be identified. Then, the different aspects of Romanticism will be presented. The cultural values of The French Revolution and Romanticism will then be linked. Finally, literary examples will be shown to support this connection between the two movements. Before the Revolution, the citizens of France lived in a strict, confined society with no freedom to express their feelings. Government had imposed strong, unfair laws on the common people (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia ?French Revolution?). They wanted a voice in a stable government with a strong economy (Johnson 105) and a strong sense of individuality and independence within the people. (Moss and Wilson 180) Eighteenth- century literature was much like the society in which it was produced, restrained. Society was divided into privileged and unprivileged classes, (Leinward 452) with Eighteenth- century writers focusing on the lives of the upper class. (Thompson 857) These writers followed ?formal rules?(Thorlby 282), and based their works on scientific observations and logic (Thompson 895). The Revolution gave the common people and writers more freedom to express feelings and stimulated them to use reason. According to Thompson, The Revolution ?had a major impact on Nineteenth- Century European Life.? (895) It sent a strong wave of emotion and revival throughout France (Peyre 59). This lead to new laws and standards for the citizens, including newer, less imposing literary standards. Romanticism marked a profound change in both literature and thought. Romanticism, according to Webster's Dictionary, is defined as ?a literary movement (as in early 19th century Europe) marked especially by an emphasis on the imagination and emotions and by the use of autobiographical material.? Although this may be true, there is no single commonly accepted definition of Romanticism, but it has some features upon which there is general agreement. First, it emphasized upon human reason, feeling, emotion, and expression (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, ?Romanticism?) while emphasizing the love of nature, beauty, and liberty. (Leinward 528-529) Thompson defines Romanticism as ? a major literary and cultural movement? that was inspired by the imaginations, inner feelings, and emotions of the Romantics. (895) If one term can be used to describe the forces that have shaped the modern world, it is Romanticism. (Peyre, 2) Romanticism has had such a profound effect on the world since the late 18th century that one author has called it ?the profoundest cultural transformation in human history since the invention of the city.? (Compton's Encyclopedia, ?Romanticism?) Harvey and Heseltine state that ?The outstanding characteristic of 18th-century French literature had been attached to reason.... About the turn of the century.... literature became a matter of senses and emotions.? (633) They also say that the movement of Romanticism ?gave practical expression to the new spirit...? because it recognized that the bounds on literature were ?too rigid?. (634) There are many direct relations how the French Revolution influenced the French Romanticism that followed it in the Nineteenth- century. The French Revolution had a major impact on the timeline and progression of Romanticism. Vinaver states that ?Neither a revolt or a reaction, Romanticism was a revolutionary fulfillment... And this in turn explains why the European event known as the French Revolution is at once the climax [of Romanticism]...It's [French Revolution} date, 1789, conveniently divides the Pre- Romanticism [era] from the full flowering of the new culture.? (6) Romanticism starts in about 1774, but does not take off until the last decade of the 18th- century, the same time as the Revolution. The French Revolution provided for many of the problems and basis for many Romantic literary works. First of all, the political change brought by the Revolution, along with the intellectual reverberations brought upon Romanticism. (Harvey and Heseltine 634) Also, Thompson states that ? [Romanticism was] shaped by the ideals of the French Revolution.? (895) Finally, Vinaver declares that the Revolution served as ?a great source of the problems and tendencies of Romantic proper.? (6) The Revolution also inspired many writers to write romantically. Peyre points this out when

Free Essays on Isaac Blesses Jacob

Isaac Blesses Jacob The story of Jacob was one of many stories that posed moral problems in biblical times. It is in Genesis 27 1-29, the story of how Jacob deceived his aging father Isaac is told. God blessed Isaac, the son of Abraham, after he married Rebekah. He prayed to the Lord to make his wife fertile for she was unable to bear children. The Lord granted his prayer and his wife Rebekah gave birth to twins, Esau and Jacob (Collins 38). Isaac loved Esau because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob. When Isaac grew old and blind, he called to his eldest son Esau to go and hunt game in order for him to prepare his favorite foods. Esau was to prepare the food and thereafter, Isaac was to bless him. However, Rebekah overheard her husband telling Esau to prepare the feast and despising sent the younger son Jacob to trick Isaac into giving him the blessing. When Esau returned and he found out that his younger brother had deceived him and his father, he grew very angry with him and planned to kill him after his fathers’ death. When first reading this Scripture without any knowledge of Jacob’s motives, one might suspect the following conclusion: Isaac wanted Esau to have the blessing because he was not only the firstborn, but also his favorite. In order for Jacob to be obedient to his mother, and win the blessing of his father, he tricked him into believing that he was Esau. He wanted to receive the blessing so that he could prove that he was capable of completing all of his brother’s tasks. However, this is not what is going on at all in this passage. Even when the twins were in the womb of their mother Rebekah, they clashed (Genesis 25 23-24). When Rebekah asked the Lord why, he replied, â€Å"Two nations are in your womb, and two people of you shall be divided; one shall be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger† (Collins 38). This suggests that the future of Esau and Jacob was foreto... Free Essays on Isaac Blesses Jacob Free Essays on Isaac Blesses Jacob Isaac Blesses Jacob The story of Jacob was one of many stories that posed moral problems in biblical times. It is in Genesis 27 1-29, the story of how Jacob deceived his aging father Isaac is told. God blessed Isaac, the son of Abraham, after he married Rebekah. He prayed to the Lord to make his wife fertile for she was unable to bear children. The Lord granted his prayer and his wife Rebekah gave birth to twins, Esau and Jacob (Collins 38). Isaac loved Esau because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob. When Isaac grew old and blind, he called to his eldest son Esau to go and hunt game in order for him to prepare his favorite foods. Esau was to prepare the food and thereafter, Isaac was to bless him. However, Rebekah overheard her husband telling Esau to prepare the feast and despising sent the younger son Jacob to trick Isaac into giving him the blessing. When Esau returned and he found out that his younger brother had deceived him and his father, he grew very angry with him and planned to kill him after his fathers’ death. When first reading this Scripture without any knowledge of Jacob’s motives, one might suspect the following conclusion: Isaac wanted Esau to have the blessing because he was not only the firstborn, but also his favorite. In order for Jacob to be obedient to his mother, and win the blessing of his father, he tricked him into believing that he was Esau. He wanted to receive the blessing so that he could prove that he was capable of completing all of his brother’s tasks. However, this is not what is going on at all in this passage. Even when the twins were in the womb of their mother Rebekah, they clashed (Genesis 25 23-24). When Rebekah asked the Lord why, he replied, â€Å"Two nations are in your womb, and two people of you shall be divided; one shall be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger† (Collins 38). This suggests that the future of Esau and Jacob was foreto...

Aspects Of City Life

Aspects Of City Life # 8211 ; Crime Essay, Research Paper Aspects of City Life # 8211 ; Crime. Different angles can be taken with respects to offense in the metropolis, and farther to this, the chief subject can be broken down into smaller countries. I have conducted two types of research ; Primary # 8211 ; Interviews etc. Secondary # 8211 ; Named Beginnings. The inquiry of offense and how it affects a metropolis is possibly best put to those people that have either lived in a metropolis all their lives ( therefore cognizing what the offense is like in the country ) , or to those that have moved to a metropolis from a town or small town ( therefore being able to do a comparing between the types of offense and their badness in the two home grounds ) . A metropolis, apart from holding a great trade more stores, civic and recreational comfortss, and dark life will besides hold many more people # 8211 ; people that need someplace to populate, intending huge sweeps of lodging estates and other residential countries. In Sunderland # 8217 ; s instance all of the above are true, and, as with many other metropoliss across the state it has a really big pupil population. There are two Centres of higher instruction in Sunderland # 8211 ; the university, and the college, both with big subscriptions. Although both have been established for a piece now, it was merely reasonably late that the old Polytechnic achieved university position. This has non merely increased the size of the university in footings of belongings but besides the figure of pupils go toing it. This therefore means that the overall size of Sunderland has increased, including the Numberss of stores, nines, recreational activities and besides houses. A great trade of people in Sunderland believe that their local saloons and nines have been # 8216 ; taken over # 8217 ; by pupils and at first there was a great trade of apprehensiveness and tenseness between locals and pupils, frequently ensuing in violent struggle. This still exists but to a much smaller ex collapsible shelter. However, something that can be connected with this is the mugging and burglary that happens to a little minority of pupils. Obviously offense occurs everyplace, no affair where you live, but pupils are seen as easy marks due to their exposure, every bit good as the fact that they have money and valuable ownerships. The badness of some of the onslaughts has been such that victims have needed extended infirmary intervention due to the hurts they have sustained. Security steps at certain halls of abode have been questioned after several onslaughts occurred in normally safe milieus. The most startling facet of violent offense in this country is that it still occurs, despite increased policing and advice to pupils sing how to forestall it. Certain territories are peculiarly unsafe and carry high degrees of offense, but the job can frequently be pin-pointed to persons, stealing out of despair for a assortment of grounds. This leads me to the chief point of my chosen subject. The focal point of my research will be upon offense against pupils, chiefly because I can utilize primary grounds ( several of my friends have been mugged ) and in a presentation, be it audio, ocular or both, it would, in my sentiment, be more shocking and at the same clip transport a preventive message. I have certain people in head to interview that have been victims of offense that will assist the presentation carry impact. The positions of the general populace would besides be valuable to my research and so I plan to transport out an independent study to detect the positions of local people. By making this it will intend that I am non taking one side or the other ( pupils or local occupants ) but an indifferent position upon offense in the local country, the grounds it occurs, and worsening state of affairss. It will be up to the audience to make up ones mind whether or non pupils are below the belt discriminated against, or whether locals justly take the jurisprudence into their ain custodies.

Korean Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Korean Art - Essay Example The painting largely uses the primary color red. Blue is also used but not as much as red. The most prominent secondary color is green. White and brown define the colors of the subjects’ skin and the collars of their clothes. In general, the colors form an attractive combination that perhaps reflects the cultural background of the painter or the subjects. With the many images of different sizes and shapes, there are different lines used in the painting. Thick brush strokes were used to show the prominent parts of the image. For instance, the backrest of the chairs of Indra and Brahma are painted with thick brush strokes detailing the images forming curved lines. There are also lines not so heavily thickened like the brushstrokes on the clothes of the images which give the design and folds. Thin lines are used to define more detailed parts of the images such as the edges of images. For instance, the designs of the headdresses are given more details through the use of thin lines . With the various images portrayed in the painting, it has been necessary to use not only different thickness of lines but also different shaped lines such as curve, diagonal, horizontal, vertical and straight. The swords held by the guardians are some examples that show the aforementioned differences in direction and form of lines. Moreover, there are also different shapes and forms used in the painting. The shapes like the blue decorations used in the background have indefinite shapes but they are closed figures that are used for some purpose by the painter. Other forms are shown in the headdresses and the heads of some of the subjects. The painting is two-dimensional, laid on a flat canvass that it has features similar to a photograph. The subjects facing the... With the many images of different sizes and shapes, there are different lines used in the painting. Thick brush strokes were used to show the prominent parts of the image. For instance, the backrest of the chairs of Indra and Brahma are painted with thick brush strokes detailing the images forming curved lines. There are also lines not so heavily thickened like the brushstrokes on the clothes of the images which give the design and folds. Thin lines are used to define more detailed parts of the images such as the edges of images. For instance, the designs of the headdresses are given more details through the use of thin lines. With the various images portrayed in the painting, it has been necessary to use not only different thickness of lines but also different shaped lines such as curve, diagonal, horizontal, vertical and straight. The swords held by the guardians are some examples that show the aforementioned differences in direction and form of lines.Moreover, there are also diffe rent shapes and forms used in the painting. The shapes like the blue decorations used in the background have indefinite shapes but they are closed figures that are used for some purpose by the painter. Other forms are shown in the headdresses and the heads of some of the subjects. The painting is two-dimensional, laid on a flat canvass that it has features similar to a photograph. The subjects facing the viewer straight forward have a seemingly photographic effect that shows two dimensions. However, there are also three dimensional figures.

Dante's Inferno Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Dante's Inferno - Essay Example In his journey, he met three animals – leopard, lion and wolf. At a glance, it just seemed that these animals were plain predators that would cause harm to the narrator. However, these animals are symbols of the forms of sin. The leopard symbolizes sins of self-indulgence or lust. This form of sin is the easiest to commit. Naturally, humans seek pleasure, extravagant and sometimes greedy which are often sins of youth. The sin of bestial violence is represented by the lion. These are sins of adulthood, one of which is pride. The wolf represents malicious sins or the sins of age (Davis 2006). The poem illustrated the different levels of hell which corresponds to a particular sin. Beginning in Canto IV, the first circle is the Limbo where sighs were mostly heard is described as peaceful, yet sad. The souls in this were those people who are good but were not baptized. In the Catholic religion, one has yet to be baptized for the original sin (sin of Adam and Eve) to be forgiven. I am truly torn about this particular punishment because I also believe that if one is not baptized, one is not a part of the Christian world. In this case, since God has three entities – the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost- God is Christ and if you are not a Christian, there is no place for you in heaven or in paradise. On the other hand, logic tells me that there are non-Christians who are more deserving than Christians, and in this perspective it is not fair. The second circle is where the lustful are tortured; but the punishment is still considered as mild because lust is closely assoc iated with love and therefore is viewed with compassion. The third circle of hell was smaller, filled with cold and heavy with dirty rain. This circle is surrounded by new suffering with souls unhappily lain in the filthy mud, tormented by the three-headed doglike demon Cerberus. These were the

C. Vann Woodwards The Strange Career of Jim Crow Essay -- Woodward St

C. Vann Woodward's The Strange Career of Jim Crow In the field of history, it is rare that an author actually comes to shape the events discussed in their writing. However, this was the case for C. Vann Woodward and his book, The Strange Career of Jim Crow. First published in 1955, it discusses this history of race relations in America, more specifically the Jim Crow laws he equates with the segregation of races. Woodward argues that segregation itself was a fairly new development within the South, and did not begin until after Reconstruction ended. He further argues that since the South has seen so much change, citing the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the development of the Jim Crow laws, it is possible for more changes to occur in a movement away from segregation. Though to a modern reader this seems like a logical argument following the events of history as they occurred, it must be remembered that Woodward was writing during the time period in which all of this was happening and nothing was certain. As William S. McFeely states in his afterword, what Woodward â€Å"so modestly stated, was, in fact, a call for the overthrow of what was perceived to be the very grounding of Southern society.† Unlike most historians, Woodward wrote about segregation and the Civil Rights Movement with such proximity that he came to affect public opinion of the time period as well as the final outcome of events. Furthermore, Woodward wrote with what we can now see to be accurate foresight as well as with a clear understanding of historical writing and the challenges it can pose. In order to support his argument that Jim Crow laws were not developed during the era of slavery in the South, the traditional belief, but rather later in ... ...ctive. But someone has to make a beginning.† Making a beginning is exactly what C. Vann Woodward accomplished with the publication of The Strange Career of Jim Crow. A Southerner, he rebelled against other interpretations, unafraid of provoking anger or disagreement during his era. It is his work which laid the groundwork for future publications and in turn greatly influenced Americans’ opinions of his era and thereafter. Any criticisms of his interpretations would be due to his inability to see the future, and these were usually mistakes he attempted to remedy through revisions and later publications of the book, which, in a true testament to its importance, has yet to go out of print. When the rare occurrence of a historical work affecting the course of history occurs, such as this one, the importance of both the work and the historian becomes clear.

Brahms Symphony No.3 Programme Note

â€Å"Many music lovers will prefer the titanic force of the first symphony; others the untroubled charm of the second, but the third strikes me at being artistically the most nearly perfect. † – Edward Hanslick, music critic. Brahms’ third symphony was long awaited by his fans, after a six year break from his second symphony. It is neither forceful, nor charming. It is a strange, non-traditional work. Its opening is reminiscent of Schumann’s â€Å"Rhenish†, making us wonder, why? Is it an homage to his friend? Or is it yet another alleged reference to Clara Schumann?The premier was one to remember. On December 2nd, 1883, under the conducting of Hans Richter, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra debuted the symphony to fans and hecklers alike. Even with the death of long time enemy Richard Wagner the feud lingered on. Wagner fans chose that night to attempt an interference. However, it was unsuccessful and the show was a hit. After the premier, Brahms polished the score several times before releasing a final copy in may of 1884. There are many strange attributes to this relatively short piece.The first obvious one is the third movement; it is a poco allegretto, which is unusual for the time period. The other is the repeated use of an F- Ab – F motive, which gives a diminished sound that is completely unexpected. The motive (F – Ab – F) is said to be derived from a saying of Brahms’ close friend Joseph Joachim, â€Å"Free, but lonely† or â€Å"Frei aber einsam†. Taking the first three letters of each word you get F- A- E. This short motive Brahms, Schumann and Dietrich used to compose a violin sonata in honor of their friend.Brahms later declared himself â€Å"Free, but happy† or â€Å"Frei aber froh†. This gives us the motive F – A – F. Why, then, does Brahms choose to use an Ab instead of natural A? Probably because the Ab gives his harmony a non–tradit ional sound. Instead of the regular chord progression he uses an F major chord to a diminished 7th. This should resolve to a C major, but instead it goes back to F major. It then slides to an F minor chord, and then to an unexpected Db minor chord before another diminished 7th, finally resolving to C major, as it should.This motive is heard throughout the symphony, whether quite obvious as in the first three bars, or in the bass line as in bars 4-6. This unusual chord progression also explains why the last movement is in F minor, instead of the expected F major. The final movement of this piece leads you to think of dark, dramatic struggle due to the F minor. Rather than a tragic ending, he lets the clouds part and brings back the motive of F – Ab – F, and finishes his symphony as it began.The finale is lyrical, passionate and rich in melody. The motive is quoted just before the recapitulation and the symphony ends very peacefully. Julie White Symphony No. 3, Free Scor es at The International Music Score Library Project. Leonard Burkat; notes for the 1998 recording (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra) Kamien R, (2000) Johannes Brahms. In Music: An Appreciation (9th edition, P. 352) McGraw- Hill Walter Frisch. Brahms: The Four Symphonies, New Haven: Yale University Press (2003) : 91 – 114