The Victorian Man Essay Example For Students

The Victorian Man Essay Before publishing Far from the Madding Crowd in 1874, Thomas Hardys novels were known, by readers at the time, to be rather vulgar because of their concentration on country folk and not members of high society. This was an unusual choice for an author at the time, whilst other classics by Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters focused their attentions to tales of the aristocracy. Hardys many Biblical and Romantic allusions added a new dimension to the novel, and his often profound comments show there is more to this tale than just a simple love story. In Victorian England, farm workers were seen to be poor people who accumulated large families and were generally less presentable in appearance and often had a lower standard of living. However, Hardy attempted to alter feelings of city folk towards the countryside and its rustics by writing his pastoral tragedy with an aim to help educate the literate people of the city. We will write a custom essay on The Victorian Man specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The novel is an authentic depiction of people living in rural society during the nineteenth century. Each of the main characters represents the different personalities that existed in the social climate at the time. The story takes place in a rustic part of England in the late Victorian period and follows three suitors in pursuit of the female character whom, they feel, would be their ideal wife. The lady at the centre of attention in the village is Bathsheba Everdene. Being a wealthy, independent young lady, she is highly sought after. She is the protagonist, propelling the plot through her interaction with her various suitors. At the beginning of the novel she is a penniless young lady but she quickly inherits and learns to run a farm, from her uncle, in Weatherbury, where most of the novel takes place. The three suitors are William Boldwood, a middle-aged man of a serious and dignified character, Gabriel Oak, a humble and honest farmer, shepherd and bailiff, and Sergeant Francis Troy, the novels antagonist, an intelligent young man whose gambling addiction and impulsive behaviour thwart his determination to achieve his goals. Hardys love for the countryside is obvious in his novel, with the main characters either owning or managing a farm, except Troy. Hardy loved the culture of the town, the plays, the art galleries, and the music. Hardy disliked Londons contempt for the country lifestyle as well as those who sought change and modernisation. Rustics in the novel are attributed with honesty and integrity whilst outsiders with no feelings are displayed as insensitive, destructive and inhumane. Hardys novels were even considered to be dull, mainly because they were focused on the countryside. In Far from the Madding Crowd, Hardy therefore aims to alter the perspective that people had of the countryside. Gabriel Oak, one of the three suitors, is a man who is portrayed to be close to nature. His character is similar to Hardy himself who was born in rural Dorset, which has much natural beauty, and was also close to nature. The title itself also suggests that Bathsheba and her suitor would, ideally, like to move away from the lively, mad atmosphere of the town, Madding (meaning madly) Crowd. A further influence on Hardys novel was his own experience with the class system. Hardys family were working-class folk and were involved in masonry. This is reflected in Far from the Madding Crowd by displays of affectionate admiration for farm workers and rustics. In the 1870s society was still dissected into a class system, since the important rise in factory work and industrialisation. This was due to the industrial revolution occurring in Britain from 1820s to 1900s. The novel displays these clear hierarchies with the community but shows impartiality to all. .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d , .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d .postImageUrl , .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d , .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d:hover , .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d:visited , .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d:active { border:0!important; } .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d:active , .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u708a30f1368f77ccbd90bafec152b92d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Hemingway, In The Old Man And The Sea , Examines The Struggles Of Man EssayThe novel could be seen as simply a love story, which could be why it was a best-seller, as many people enjoy the thrills, betrayal and drama of romantic love stories. Hardy shows how marriage should not be disguised as a way of showing that you love someone, but that people need devotion, commitment and different atmospheres within the household to be satisfied with married life. The subject of feminism arises once Bathsheba receives a proposal of marriage from Boldwood. She shows that she has a strong mentality, and is not intimated into tamely accepting his proposal, attributes which were possess ed by Hardys own mother. Her independent status allows her to enforce her own decisions without the consideration of another persons viewpoint. This enables her to effectively choose her husband. Bathsheba shows that she has control of her life, and that she will not be forced to make decisions by any one person and so refuses Boldwoods proposal, realising that he could not give her the life she would like. Bathsheba feels Boldwood would work, and the income would not be spent enjoying themselves, and she does not want to be classed as a housewife. In the current social climate, over the years more and more women are working more and retiring later, with a factor being that women are fitter and they do not like the idea of being housewives.

After the First Death Analytical essay essays

After the First Death Analytical essay essays In the novel, After the first Death, it exposes the consequences of guilt and betrayal quite a few times throughout the story. The consequences of guilt and betrayal vary from small, to quite large and serious matters in this novel, the more serious matters towards the end of the novel, where it results in a lot of people being killed due to these elements. A serious experience in the novel that shows acts of betrayal, to not only the person himself, but also to his companions and country. The first act of betrayal takes place in chapter eleven, during the scene where the military are preparing an assault on the bridge and bus, and the terrorists have got General Marchands son, Ben, in integration. During the integration scene, where Ben Marchand gets tortured by Artkin, the terrorist leader of the operation, and is forced to tell him all of the information about the militaries operations and tactics they plan on implementing. To Ben, telling this information, even though it is false information that his father lied to him about, Ben thinks that he has betrayed not only himself, but his father, General Marchand, his family, the people on the bus, and most of all, his beloved country. Another act of betrayal also takes place in this same chapter, eleven, when the military finally decide to attack and storm the bridge from above, assaulting from helicopters, and from the sides of the bridge. Deciding that they have to bail from the operation, Miro and Artkin decide to escape, so they can live on to carry out other operations. Miro grabs Kate, the bus driver, by the arm and drags her out of the bus, while Artkin grabs Ben from the van and drags him out onto the bridge as well. Once they our out of the vehicles and onto the bridge, the noise from the guns firing, grenades going off and the helicopter make verbal communication very difficult for Miro and Artkin, and Miro notices the soldiers that are closing in fast on them, a ...

Sole proprietorship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sole proprietorship - Essay Example John and Christine are looking forward to carry on their practice as tax agents.They have the sufficient capital required to carry on the business as tax agents.The business structures available to carry on business as tax agents are sole proprietorship, partnership, company and trust. However, before selecting any structure for this business, the relative advantages and disadvantages of each are needed to be considered. FINDINGS: SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP: An entity where the person opening the business constitutes without any contract with others or incorporation of the entity. The person is solely responsible for all the debts and liabilities of the business. Advantages: It is the cheapest and easiest business structure. Sole proprietorship is under complete control of the person organizing it. Sole proprietor may retain and reinvest all the incomes of the business on its own motion. The payment of tax is easy and may flow directly to the tax return of the sole proprietor. The business may be dissolved easily. Disadvantages: The liability of sole proprietors is unlimited. So, the businesses as well as the personal assets of the sole proprietor are at risk. There are very limited sources available for the raising of funds as opposed to companies where fund raising is very high. PARTNERSHIP: An association/relationship of two or more persons to carry on a business for the purpose of earning profits is known as partnership. (Revised UPA, Section 101) Advantages: Partnerships are easier to establish as compared to companies. The two or more partners may increase funds more easily as compared to sole proprietorship. They may also have increased borrowing capacity. The pool of skills, knowledge and expertise is made wider due to the combination of more than one person. Partnerships also allow brainstorming which is more creative than the brainstorming carried out by sole proprietor. Disadvantages: Partners are liable for the actions of other partners as they act as agen ts for one another. The decisions between all partners are shared and this may cause disagreements which is the most drastic situation for a partnership. The liability of all the partners is unlimited.. However, this limitation may be overcome by constituting limited partnership. In limited partnership, the investments of the partners are liable for the debts of the firm and the partners’ personal assets are not liable. COMPANY: A company is a separate legal entity from its owners. So, the shareholders and members of the company are liable for the debts of the company only to the extent of their share/ interest in the company. The company which offers its shares to the general public for subscription is known as public company. The company which does not offer its shares to general public is known as private company. Advantages: The liability of the shareholders and/or members of the company are restricted to the value of shares purchased by him. The company is a separate leg al entity i.e. separate from its members. Therefore, any suit against the company does not involve the members personally as opposed to partnerships where the partners are personally got involved in the suits. In private limited companies, the shareholders and directors of the company are usually same person keeping the ownership and management of the company in same hands. Disadvantages: The formation of company is costly as compared to partnerships and may require large amount of capital initially. Whereas, partnership and sole proprietorship does not require any such large amounts. The accounts of companies are complex in nature. Moreover, the statutory regulations and the company law of the country require the companies to follow the regulations regarding bookkeeping and certain types of accounts. The raising of funds and capital by the companies is also restricted to the authorized capital of the company. Moreover, in case of a private company, the increasing of capital is also usually restricted by the provisions of the company law of

An assessment of the theoretical, methodological, and empirical Essay

An assessment of the theoretical, methodological, and empirical contribution of {your psychologist} to psychology and to society as a whole - Essay Example Carl Rogers is an American psychologist who became one of the founders of humanistic, client-centered (or later named person-centered), approach in practical and theoretical psychology. The scientist was born on January 8, 1902 in Oak Park, IL - a suburb of Chicago. He was the forth of the six children of a devout Christian housewife and a successful civil engineer. Carl was such a clever child that he already could read before going to the kindergarten. Since he learned to read in the early years he started his education from the second grade. At the age of 12 the family moved to a farm near Chicago where he had enough freedom to become a rather independent, isolated and self disciplined person. There a future therapist was brought up in a strict manner with a great number of chores, and according to the strict philosophy of his mother – a devout Christian. Such a life made Carl a somewhat isolated and independent introvert. Living on a farm leaved a mark on his first career choice. So he entered the University of Wisconsin Madison in order to major in agriculture. Later he switched to history, and finally religion to study for the ministry. During that time Rogers was among those selected 10 students who were to go to China for the World Christian Federation Conference for the term of six months. Being there he broadened his thinking so much that having returned home he started to doubt some basic religious views together with his own religious convictions. After graduation against his parents wishes Rogers got married with Helen Suiet. After the wedding a just married couple moved to New York City. There Carl attended the most liberal religious institution - the Union Theological Seminary. Though he was successful at this career, Carl once again decided to change the profession because the experiences he got while studying radically influenced and even changed his religious views.

Female Genital Mutilation in Egypt Essay Example for Free

Female Genital Mutilation in Egypt Essay Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a socio-religious practice that is very prevalent in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It entails the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia for cultural or any other non-therapeutic purpose. As of 1999, at least 130 million girls and women were believed to have undergone FGM. In the same year, it was estimated that about 2 million girls are at risk of being subjected to some form of the procedure every year (WHO 3). FGM is criticized mainly for its detrimental effects on a woman’s physical and psychological health. Girls and women who had been subjected to FGM may die of hemorrhage, shock, urinary tract infections or tetanus (WHO 21). They may likewise experience psychological disorders such as severe depression, anxiety and psychosomatic illnesses (Markle, Fisher and Smego 79). Advocates of FGM, however, claim that Islam requires the practice in order to preserve a woman’s chastity (WHO 6). The actual origins of FGM are very obscure – ethnologists and historians have come up with different theories regarding the existence of the practice. While FGM is commonly associated with Islam, historical evidence shows that the former has predated the latter by at least 1,200 years. The procedure was believed to have been first discussed by the Greek historian Herodotus (484 – 425 BC) (Bullough and Bullough 205). According to his writings, the Ethiopians, the Hittites and the Phoenicians during the 5th century BC were already practicing FGM (UNFPA n. pag. ). The early Romans, the Egyptians and the Arabs likewise performed FGM – there are historical accounts of Egyptian mummies exhibited signs of having undergone the procedure (UNFPA n. pag. ). For the ancient Egyptians, FGM was regarded as a sign of distinction among the aristocracy (Momoh 5). In Western Europe and the United States, FGM was known as clitoridectomy. Until the 1950s, doctors in these regions used clitoridectomy to treat â€Å"ailments† in women such as hysteria, mental disorders, nymphomania, masturbation and lesbianism (UNFPA n. pag. ). FGM is usually done on girls between 8 to 10 years old. Reproductive health experts, however, point out that the procedure is already being carried out on younger girls – there have been cases wherein infant girls were subjected to FGM just a few days after their birth (WHO 147). FGM is classified into four general types: a. Type I – Excision of the prepuce, with or without excision of part or the entire clitoris. b. Type II – Excision of the clitoris with partial or total excision of the labia minora. c. Type III – Excision of part or the entire external genitalia and the stitching or narrowing of the vaginal opening (infibulation) (Momoh 6). d. Type IV – Pricking, piercing or incising of the clitoris and or the labia; scraping of tissue surrounding the vaginal orifice; cutting of the vagina and or the introduction of corrosive substances or herbs into the vagina to induce bleeding or to tighten the opening (UNFPA n. pag. ). FGM is usually performed by traditional midwifes or village barbers. They use unsterilized instruments such as razor blades, knives, broken glass, scissors or sharpened stones. Furthermore, they conduct procedures without anesthetic in unhygienic settings (WHO, 148). A new phenomenon, however, has emerged in the recent years – the â€Å"medicalization† of FGM. Despite laws banning the practice of FGM, hospitals in Egypt, Kenya and Sudan now clandestinely perform the procedure. Under the pretext of an illness, female teenagers in these countries are circumcised in the hospital either early in the morning or late at night. The procedure is done during these hours in order to evade detection and arrest. The punishment for performing FGM is relatively stiff – a $625 fine or incarceration for up to a year. But doctors willingly look the other way for the money – medical practitioners in Kenya, for instance, are paid between $37 and $125 for every procedure they perform. Traditional practitioners, in sharp contrast, could charge only as much as $25 (Nzwili n. pag. ). Egypt’s current problem with FGM can be traced back to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in 1994. The ICPD was held in Cairo – supposedly a turning point in the understanding of health, development and women’s rights in the Islamic world. Critics, however, pointed out that the Cairo Program of Action merely â€Å"forwarded a holistic vision of the connections between sexual ad reproductive health and women’s economic autonomy, social and political equality, access to education and freedom from violence† (Chavkin and Chesler 35). The issues regarding the right of women to control their sexuality and the relevance of this right to achieving health and social justice were inadequately discussed (Chavkin and Chesler 35). Despite this shortcoming, the ICPD managed to transform the issue of FGM from a relatively low-profile subject into matter of national debate. Conservative religious leaders who participated in the conference and their allies in the Egyptian press expressed their approval of FGM by claiming that it is an important part of national and religious identity. Progressive women’s groups, on the other hand, argued that the practice perpetuated the inferior status of women in Egyptian society. In the process, this dispute on FGM showed that the topic of women’s rights is simply a means for Egyptian politicians to attain popularity among the electorate (Chavkin and Chesler 35). Eager to make a good impression on all the foreign delegates of the ICPD, particularly on those from the West, the Egyptian minister of health stated that FGM was already a dying practice in Egypt. But on the very next day, CNN reported about the circumcision of a young girl that took place somewhere in Cairo (Chavkin and Chesler 35). The minister, in an act of political face-saving, declared that the Egyptian government was determined to confront and put an end to the practice. In order to appease Egypt’s conservative sector, meanwhile, he signed an ambivalent decree which allowed only public medical facilities to perform FGM. The law even included provisions which set standard fees and special days when families could book appointments (Chavkin and Chesler 36). The aforementioned aftermath of the ICPD showed the greatest obstacle towards fully implementing anti-FGM policies and programs not just in Egypt but in all other countries that practice FGM – the reconciliation of universal imperatives of human rights with the values of local cultures. The same dilemma also hounded other FGM-related fatalities, particularly the death of four-year-old Egyptian girl Amira Hassan. She died in 1996 due to anesthesia-related complications while undergoing FGM. Instead of pressing charges against the doctor, Ezzat Shehat, Hassan’s parents simply dismissed her demise as â€Å"a will of God† (HURINet n. pag. ). They believed that subjecting their daughter to FGM was their duty as good Muslims (HURINet n. pag. ). Most Egyptians continue to believe in the said relationship between FGM and Islam. A 2005 UNICEF report on the practice revealed that about 97% of women between 15 and 49 years old were subjected to circumcision (Reuters-AlertNet n. pag. ). Despite a 2008 law which renders FGM punishable by three months to two years in prison and a fine of LE 1,000 to LE 5,000, the practice continues to be secretly carried out in Egypt. According to the country’s conservative and religious groups, FGM is necessary to maintain a woman’s chastity (Samaan n. pag. ). Indeed, cultural and religious beliefs are also major factors behind the issue of FGM in Egypt. The practice has already existed long before the advent of Islam. And for a good reason – patriarchy was already in existence even before the emergence of religion. For a patriarchal society to survive, female sexuality must be limited and controlled (Turshen 146). FGM is regarded as one of the most effective means of controlling a woman’s sexuality. The clitoris, the labia minora and the labia majora – the organs removed in FGM – enable a woman to enjoy sexual intercourse. In a patriarchal society, women are not supposed to experience the pleasures of sex. They are supposed to be sexless beings, faithfully serving their respective families and engaging in sex only for the purpose of procreation. Women who do otherwise are considered promiscuous (Turshen 146). It is therefore believed that circumcised women are less likely to be unchaste and commit adultery. In addition, FGM is viewed as a means of emphasizing femininity. When a woman is circumcised, the parts of her body that are metaphorically seen as male, such as the pubic hair and the clitoris, are removed. During ancient times, it was believed that the clitoris â€Å"would grow and protrude like the (penis)† (Turshen 150). Men, on the other hand, undergo circumcision in order to enhance their sexuality. Male circumcision entails the cutting of the foreskin of the penis. A circumcised penis is believed to be more responsive to sexual arousal than an uncircumcised one; thus the ancient belief that circumcision is necessary for virility. Furthermore, a circumcised penis is easier to keep clean. Circumcision eliminates the formation of smegma, a combination of oil, moisture and dead skin cells which serves as a lubricant during sexual intercourse (Turshen 146). Islam does not directly state that all Muslims must be circumcised regardless of gender. However, much of the existing Islamic literature today emphasizes a special link between Islam and FGM (Turshen 151). The most well-known hadith (oral traditions that record the Prophet Muhammad’s speech and actions) about FGM tells of a debate between Muhammad and Um Atiyyah, a woman who used to circumcise female slaves. Muhammad was said to have asked Um Atiyyah if she continued to practice her profession (Denniston, Hodges and Milos 148). She said she did, adding that she would not stop doing so â€Å"unless it is forbidden and you order me to stop doing it† (Denniston, Hodges and Milos 148). He then replied, â€Å"Yes, it is allowed. Come closer so I can teach you: if you cut, do not overdo it (la tanhiki), because it brings more radiance to the face (ashraq) and it is more pleasant (ahza) for the husband† (Denniston, Hodges and Milos 148). Since the first centuries of Islam, however, Muslim scholars have been scrutinizing the authenticity of the hadiths. They believe that majority of the hadiths were â€Å"contradictory and (contained) affirmations that gave a bad impression of the Islamic religion† (Denniston, Hodges and Milos 148). In lieu of the hadiths, Muslim scholars came up with their own explanations behind the association of FGM with Islam. The first theory was that FGM was a means of saving women from the degradation that they experienced in the pre-Islamic era. For the Muslims, the pre-Islamic era was the â€Å"Age of Ignorance† – a period of corruption, bloodshed, moral turpitude and social chaos (Akhtar 23). Women in the pre-Islamic era had few rights. The practice of burying infant females in the sand was very rampant. Those who managed to live to adulthood, meanwhile, had no other means of survival except through prostitution (Akhtar 23). It has been mentioned earlier that the organs removed in FGM – the clitoris, the labia minora and the labia majora – enable a woman to enjoy sexual intercourse. By removing these organs, therefore, it was expected that women would no longer take pleasure in sexual intercourse and abandon prostitution in the process. The second theory is that some Islamic societies might have acquired the practice of FGM from other cultures or religions. During Muhammad’s time, the Jews were considered as the elite of Arab society. Consequently, it became inevitable that Islam was influenced by Jewish doctrines and practices such as circumcision (Denniston, Hodges and Milos 148). But this begs the question of how come even Muslim females are circumcised – the Jews circumcise only males. The answer is that Islam might have tailored certain Jewish doctrines and practices to suit its own objectives. One of the objectives of Islam was to uplift the status of women (Akhtar 23). In order to achieve this goal, Islam put its own flavor to the Jewish practice of circumcision. As a result, even Muslim women were required to undergo circumcision. Despite varying explanations regarding the origins and purposes of FGM, one thing is certain – it is not without detrimental physical and psychological effects. The most immediate negative effects of FGM are severe pain and hemorrhage, which, in turn, can result in hypovolaemic shock and death. Other direct effects include abscesses, wound contamination and local infections – obvious results of performing the procedure in unhygienic surroundings using unsterilized tools (WHO 149). FGM also has substantial long-term risks. The practice usually obstructs the drainage of urine, vaginal secretions and menstrual blood. This occurrence, in turn, results in chronic pelvic infections, menstrual dysfunction and menstrual pain. Urinary retention, meanwhile, leads to chronic urinary tract infection and renal damage. When menstrual blood is unable to flow out of the body, abdominal pain and swelling ensue (WHO 149). The abdominal distention that circumcised women experience due to the lack of menstrual flow has been misinterpreted as a pregnancy. As a result, some circumcised but unmarried women have been subjected to honor killings – killed by their male relatives in order to preserve the honor of their clan. FGM also exposes a woman to the risk of contracting HIV. Unsterilized instruments may transmit HIV-infected blood into an HIV-negative patient (WHO 149). Women who underwent FGM may also experience difficulties in sexual intercourse after the procedure. Penetration may either be painful or impossible due to a narrow introitus. Prolonged postcoital bleeding and anorgasmia may likewise take place. In some cases, surgery was necessary to open up the vagina for penetration (WHO 150). FGM may render a woman infertile. Chronic pelvic infections often lead to the obstruction of the fallopian tubes. The latter is one of the most common causes of ectopic pregnancy, which can lead to the death of both the mother and the baby. Narrowing of the introitus, meanwhile, may force a couple to use the anus or the urethra for sexual intercourse. Fluctuating hormones during pregnancy put circumcised women at more risk for genital and urinary tract infections than their uncircumcised counterparts (WHO 150). The most common psychological disorders among circumcised women are depression and anxiety – they have to conform to parental and societal expectations while dealing with pain, complicated recovery and other long-term health effects. Painful sexual intercourse may result in them having immensely traumatic memories of their wedding night. Circumcised women also have to live each day in fear – they constantly view each cyst that grows in them as a possible symptom of cancer or other serious ailment (WHO 152). When the physical pain becomes too much for them to endure, they might resort to suicide. Female genital mutilation is one of the worst forms of violence that can be inflicted on a woman. In an effort to tie her to the home, she is horribly mutilated and made to live in constant pain for the rest of her life. A circumcised woman is also made to live in fear. She is constantly warned by society that to avoid circumcision is to face ostracism and even condemnation. Much still has to be done before FGM will finally be abolished. But the first step remains to be education. Societies must be made aware of the importance of educating girls. Numerous studies have already proven that girls who have attained basic education are healthier and are less likely to die in childbirth than those who did not. When the members of a particular society – both male and female – are healthy, this society becomes productive. Works Cited Akhtar, Shabbir. The Quran and the Secular Mind: A Philosophy of Islam. New York: Routledge, 2007. Bullough, Vern L. , and Bonnie Bullough. Human Sexuality: An Encyclopedia. New York: Taylor and Francis, 1994. Chavkin, Wendy, and Ellen Chesler. Where Human Rights Begin: Health, Sexuality and Women in the New Millennium. Chapel Hill: Rutgers University Press, 2005. Denniston, George C. , Frederick Mansfield Hodges and Marilyn Fayre Milos. Male and Female Circumcision: Medical, Legal and Ethical Considerations in Pediatric Practice. New York: Springer, 1999. â€Å"Egyptians Stand by Female Circumcision. † 10 December 1996. The Human Rights Information Network (HURINet). 27 February 2009 http://www. hartford-hwp. com/archives/32/018. html. â€Å"Egypt Mufti Says Female Circumcision Forbidden. † 24 June 2007. Reuters-AlertNet. 27 February 2009 http://www. alertnet. org/thenews/newsdesk/L24694871. htm. Markle, William H. , Melanie A. Fisher and Raymond A. Smego. Understanding Global Health. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2007. Momoh, Comfort. Female Genital Mutilation. Abingdon: Radcliffe Publishing, 2005. Nzwili, Fredrick. â€Å"In Africa, FGM Checks into Hospitals. † 5 December 2004. Women’s ENews. 27 February 2009 http://www. womensenews. org/article. cfm/dyn/aid/2097/. â€Å"Promoting Gender Equality: Frequently Asked Questions on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting. † n. d. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 27 February 2009 http://www. unfpa. org/gender/practices2. htm. Samaan, Magdy. â€Å"Shoura Council Passes Child Law, Criminalizes FGM. † 12 May 2008. Daily News Egypt. 27 February 2009 http://www. dailystaregypt. com/article. aspx? ArticleID=13659. Turshen, Meredeth. African Women’s Health. Trenton: Africa Word Press, 2000. World Health Organization (WHO). 1999. Female Genital Mutilation Programmes to Date: What Works and What Doesn’t. Geneva, Switzerland: Department of Women’s Health – Health Systems and Community Health. World Health Organization (WHO). Mental Health Aspects of Womens Reproductive Health: A Global Review of the Literature. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2008.

The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 Essay examples -- The Crucible Art

The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 The Salem witchcraft trials of 1692, which resulted in 19 executions, and 150 accusations of witchcraft, are one of the historical events almost everyone has heard of. They began when three young girls, Betty Parris, Abigail Williams and Ann Putnam began to have hysterical fits, after being discovered engaging in forbidden fortune-telling (not dancing naked in the woods) to learn what sorts of men they would marry. Betty's father, the Reverend Samuel Parris, called in more senior authorities to determine if the girls' affliction was caused by witchcraft. Although Betty was sent away fairly soon, and did not participate in the trials, the other girls were joined by other young and mature women in staging public demonstrations of their affliction when in the presence of accused "witches." The events in Salem have been used as a theme in many literary works, including the play by Arthur Miller which we are going to read during this unit. They are interesting to anthropologists because they display some of the characteristics of "village" witchcraft and some of the features of the European witch craze. Many commentators have seen the Salem witch craze as the last outbreak of the European witch craze, transported to North America. As in African and New Guinea villages, the original accusations in Salem were made against people who, in one way or another, the accusers had reason to fear or resent. Moreover, the first few of the accused fit the definition of "marginal" persons, likely to arouse suspicion. However, as in Europe, the accusations spread, and came to encompass people not involved in any of Salem's local grudges. As in Europe there was a belief that the accused were in league with the Devil and "experts" employed "scientific" ways of diagnosing witchcraft. Interestingly, during the colonial period in Africa, shortly after World War II, there were a number of witch finding movements in Africa, which resembled the Salem episode in some ways, and had a similar status "in between" the sort of witch hunt found in Europe and the typical African pattern. Typically, in these movements, "witch finders" would come in from outside a village and claim to be able to rid the village of witchcraft. At this period there was great dislocation, with people moving around because of government employment, a... ...er trusted them. This was likely to be a more acute problem in the U.S., since the people who were named by those who cooperated with the Committee weren't hanged and put out of the way, just fired and left to try to lead the resistance to McCarthyism. Namers of names sometimes found themselves with no friends at all, since anti-Communists often still failed to trust them. The issue of resisting collaboration with the witch hunters was important enough to Miller that he altered history, and portrayed the trials as stopping when more people refused to confess when, in fact, a significant increase in confessions probably served to cast some doubt on the validity of individual confessions. Taking liberties with the text is one of the characteristics of the interaction between humans and their myths. And a charter myth is certainly what the witch hunts in Europe and Salem have become, though they have more basis in fact than most myths. The stories of the witch hunts are charter myths for our time, to be told by feminists, left-wing intellectuals, and lawyers for President Clinton, each taking what he or she needs from the story, adding or subtracting as seems fit.

Competition in the Golf Industry

An Analysis of â€Å"Competition in the Golf Industry† It is unknown when the game of golf originated, but it is believed that people began playing in Europe during the middle ages. In the United States, golf was a sport primarily played by the wealthy individuals until tournaments began being televised. Since then, golf has grown to be a very lucrative industry with over 27 million golfers nationwide by the end of the 1990’s. â€Å"Competition in the Golf Equipment Industry,† a case study written by John E. Gamble of the University of South Alabama, is an overview of the problems currently facing major companies in the golf equipment industry: technological limitations (due to golf’s governing organizations), a decline in the number of golfers, and the economic recession, and the threat of counterfeit products. These limitations are causing leading competitors in the golf industry, namely Calloway Golf, to rethink their strategies in 2010. PLAC Analysis for Calloway Golf Ely Reeves Calloway Jr. , Calloway’s original owner, CEO and President, bought a manufacturing company of hickory shaft wedges and putters in 1983. Calloway, originally restricted to reproducing antique golf clubs, has extended its product breadth across the golf equipment industry. Calloway Golf now encompasses drivers (with the introduction of Big Bertha), putters (with the acquisition of Odyssey), irons (designed to compete against Titleist), golf balls (with the acquisition of Top-Flite), footwear and clothes branding, and GPS units (with the acquisition of UPlay). See Timeline in Appendix 1. Calloway has differentiated itself from its competitors by its innovation, beginning with the success of their driver, Big Bertha, which initiated the technology race among firms. Calloway and its’ competitors introduce more innovative products every 12-18 months to remain competitive. Furthermore, Calloway has acquired several firms since its origination in 1983 in order to expand its product breadth. Although in 2009, Calloway Golf Company was the â€Å"second largest seller of drivers and fairway woods,† revenues have declined by 17% in 2009 compared to the first six months of 2008. Challenges facing this firm will be assessed in the SWOT analysis. SWOT Analysis for the golf industry, Calloway Golf & Recommendations See Appendix 2 for Matrix Strengths: Calloway’s technological innovation in making a driver that pushed the limits of USGA standards shows motivation to become the best. Marketing to recreational golfers in an attempt to help them enjoy the game more by offering an opportunity to drive 6-10 yards further was a benchmark and pushed Calloway’s product to the best golf product of the century by a two-to-one margin. Calloway’s recognizable name also gives them a competitive edge. Weaknesses: Although these technological advances may have boosted sales, there is still little evidence that these advances help golfers lower their scores. Another weakness of the industry is sustainability. With the development of new products every 12-18 months, it is crucial that companies market their products and have strong sales shortly after introduction. Also, a weakness with Calloway’s golf balls was their brand image with the acquisition of Top-Flite golf balls, which quickly coined the game â€Å"Rock-Flight. † Opportunities: Although sales have declined 5. 7% during 2008, continued marketing efforts and remaining a household name could prove beneficial to all firms after the recession has subsided. Due to the recession, discretionary spending has declined and savings has risen, but this could quickly change after a turn in the economy. Furthermore, Calloway has recently cut their endorsements of PGA professionals to only encompass 10 men’s PGA professionals and 5 women. If they expanded these numbers, it would give them more brand exposure and possibly higher revenues since many recreational golfers base their decisions on the type of equipment successful, professional golfers are using. Threats: There are a number of threats affecting the golf industry as a whole: effects of technological limitations by USGA, a decline in the number of golfers due to the economy and lack of leisure time, and the rise of counterfeiting. The state of the current economy paired with the decline in the number of golfers, has caused companies to focus more on price and volume. Counterfeiting is largely attributable to the decisions by executives to outsource for cheaper labor to manufacturers in China; who can produce a golf club for less than $3 per club. Recommendations Companies currently operating within the golf industry, specifically Calloway Golf, must change their current marketing approaches and strategies to withstand the recession and threats facing the industry. Although Calloway has a strong R&D department that tends to remain competitive with products and technology, there have been little results in reference to scores. It is imperative that if companies are going to market a product that will help golfers drive further and straighter that the results depict this so that not to damage the brand name of a product. Secondly, due to the decline in equipment sales and the number of golfers, prices are dropping and companies are outsourcing to maintain the volume needed to remain competitive. Companies must be cautious and aware so that counterfeiting may be reduced. This reduction would also allow companies to reduce their pricing and have more sales without the competition of these cheaply priced knock-offs. In the instance of Calloway, an increase in marketing and endorsements would boost their sales due to brand recognition. Calloway has recently fallen to second place in the amount of sales of drivers. In aiding in cutting down on counterfeiting, lowering prices, and increasing marketing and endorsements, Calloway may have the opportunity to reposition themselves as number one in the marketplace. Appendix 1 Calloway Timeline 1983- Ely Reeves Calloway, Jr. purchased a 50% interest in a Temecula, California manufacturer and marketer of hickory shafted wedges and putters for $400,000. 1985-Ely Reeves Calloway, Jr. , hired aerospace and metallurgical engineers to design the most technologically advanced golf clubs. 1991- Introduction of Big Bertha 1996- Acquisition of Odyssey (leading brand of putters)