Oedipuss Hubris Essay Example

Oedipuss Hubris Essay Abdul Ibrahim English 12R November 9, 2010 Confidence breeds Ignorance Sophocles’ Oedipus Cycle, Oedipus’s uncle and brother-in-law, Creon, has more lines than Oedipus. The story of the deterioration and eventual loss of Creon’s family is a plot point emphasized more in the final play of the Oedipus Cycle, Antigone, than in the latter two plays, Creon’s deterioration, however, is brought about by the same cause that triggers Oedipus’s downfall: his hubris. Though Creon is the voice of reason in Oedipus Rex, his hubris in the latter two plays causes his deterioration and eventual downfall. Throughout Oedipus Rex, Creon acts as the voice of reason, as displayed by his actions, which are calculated and politically well thought out. Early in the play, as Oedipus waits to have an audience with Teiresias, the seer, Creon, aware of Oedipus’s fate and understanding the dire repercussions should Oedipus’s prophecy be revealed to the public, suggests that the meeting be held in private. Oedipus, however, acting in egregious hubris, insists that Creon speak in front of everyone. In his explanation, he tells Oedipus that his father was murdered, causing the plague, and that â€Å"the god commands us to expel from the land of Thebes/An old defilement we are sheltering. † Creon’s intentional vagueness saves him from incrimination and allows him to maintain his standing in society and maintain his standing in political affairs. The second scene of the play displays Creon, defending himself against the accusations made that he conspired with Teiresias to accuse Oedipus of murder. Through Oedipus’s blind rage at him, Teiresias remains composed, and waits for his opportunity to speak. We will write a custom essay sample on Oedipuss Hubris specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Oedipuss Hubris specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Oedipuss Hubris specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer When he does, he speaks with eloquence, and informs Oedipus that he is â€Å"the kind of man/Who holds his tongue when he has no facts to go on. † He goes on to explain to Oedipus that he never longed for the king’s power: only his rights, which he, as the former king, abuses, as evidenced when Creon asks Oedipus if he is equal to he and Iocaste. Oedipus replies by saying, â€Å"That is why I call you a bad friend. † Creon leaves, and reveals the only animosity that he displays until he returns at the end of the novel. Creon’s prudent behavior serves as a foil to Oedipus’s arrogance throughout the play, however when Creon returns to his throne at the end of the play, he instructs Oedipus to â€Å"Think no longer that you are in command here, but rather think/How when you were, you served your own destruction. † The last lines that Creon speaks in Oedipus Rex embody the behavior that he exhibits throughout Oedipus at Colonus, where his more secretive tendencies give way to a confidence caused by his kingship and his belief that he is the link between mortal beings and gods. Creon begins to embody the hubris that Oedipus formerly embodied. He begins by showing remorse for Oedipus’s current status, and suggests that he return to Thebes. Though throughout his speech he maintains his tendency toward â€Å"rascal’s tricks/In righteous speeches,† as labeled by Oedipus, Creon’s words contain an unmistakable air of superiority about them, which he maintains throughout the entire interaction between him and Oedipus. He no longer embodies the voice of reason as in Oedipus Rex, evidenced by his kidnapping of Oedipus’s daughters in lieu of attempting to reach a reasonable conclusion. Even as Oedipus fumbles about blindly, Creon maintains his imperious persona, forcefully instructing his guards to pull Antigone away, and eventually trying to pull Oedipus away himself, old and brittle though he is. The chorus is the first to inform him that he is â€Å"adjudged to have acted wickedly. † Creon, however, tries to defend his actions by rehashing Oedipus’s story, and expressing his belief that no one would take in such a pitiful man, which Theseus and the Chorus deny and proceed to return Oedipus’s daughters to him. Creon’s â€Å"wicked† behavior in Oedipus at Colonus is an effective examination of the behavior that Creon displays through the majority of Antigone, the final play of the Oedipus Cycle. Throughout Sophocles’ Antigone, Creon embodies the hubris of Oedipus, however, he lacks the regal experience or influence to rule Thebes. Creon rules that Polyneices, Antigone’s brother and traitor to Thebes, is not to receive a proper burial. The speech itself is written in prose, one of the few speeches in the Oedipus Cycle to be written in such a way, and the style is uncannily eloquent, the facade implying Creon’s lack of real experience ruling the nation, despite the fact that in the absence of Laios, Creon was the king. While politically in the right, Creon’s decree is a strict violation of the policy of the gods, who state that all bodies, traitorous or otherwise, must be buried without exception. Creon’s pompous facade continues until a sentry suggests to Creon that the dust sprinkled on Polyneices’s corpse could be the work of the gods. Creon’s outrage at the suggestion is expressed through a hysterical rant devoid of his usual wit and laden with Ad Hominem statements in lieu of his well-placed remarks. A better outlet through which to examine Creon’s deterioration is his interaction with his friends and family. When speaking to his son Haimon, who is infatuated with Antigone, Haimon points out the error of Creon’s ways, which causes Creon to lose his temper and curse his son, who eventually moves out of his house, his last words to his father being, â€Å"Go on raving as long as you’ve a friend to endure you. After Antigone is brought to the tomb, Creon goes to visit Teiresias, who informs Creon that he stands â€Å"once more on the edge of fate† and recounts the time where he was sitting in his augury chair and the birds surrounding him began to kill one another. As he tried to burn an offering at the shrine, the entrails that he tried to burn would not ignite. He goes on to exp lain that the gods â€Å"glut themselves on the corpse of Oedipus’ son,† to which Creon responds bitterly and accuses Teiresias of accepting a bribe to fabricate a prophecy. Finally, Creon’s messenger brings the news of the violence that unfolded off-stage: Antigone’s death, Haimon’s suicide, and his wife’s hanging herself, her last words cursing him for the loss of her sons. Creon deterioration is complete in this scene as he weeps over his dead family and prays that â€Å"death come quickly,† to which the Choragos replies, â€Å"the sky is deaf. † Creon’s final lines in the play are lines of lamentation, where he admits that he has been â€Å"rash and foolish† and that â€Å"Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust. At the beginning of the Oedipus Cycle, Creon is a witty, businesslike character that uses his cunning to complete the tasks assigned to him. This behavior however, deteriorates steadily throughout the Cycle to the point where Creon is a bitter, miserable man who has lost everything. Creon’s deterioration was brought about by the hubris he acquired when he became the k ing, and furthered by the fact that he defied the gods, who, in turn, took everything away from him.

The Afghanistan Culture and how it is a Threat to the US Essay Example

The Afghanistan Culture and how it is a Threat to the US Essay Example The Afghanistan Culture and how it is a Threat to the US Essay The Afghanistan Culture and how it is a Threat to the US Essay The Afghanistan Culture and how it is a Threat to the US The culture in Afghanistan has been in existence for the past two thousand years, and its beginnings can be traced back to at least the Achaemenid Empire during the 500 BCE (Emadi, 2005). It is also known as the place of Afghans or the land of Afghans when translated in the official Pashto and Dari languages. The country is mainly rural and tribal with communities around Afghanistan having native languages. There may be a few differences, but their way of life is mainly similar (Emadi, 2005). The country is Islamic, and therefore Afghans practice Islam. They eat the same food, dress the same, their music is the same, they follow similar traditions, and they celebrate similar holidays (Emadi, 2005). The country lacks a spelt-out government which leaves the Taliban, Northern Alliance and the military commanders in charge of various parts of Afghanistan. It is characterized by warfare, and many Afghans are often at the mercy of the Taliban and the military commanders (Emadi, 2005). Being a war tone region means that the culture of Afghanistan may be built on violent cultural beliefs. Such a cultural practice is where the citizens are often subjected to cruel forms of punishment. Anyone viewed to have done wrong will be beaten, amputated or executed in public (Shorthose, 2003). The public executions will include beheading, shooting, and stoning. Such a practice will mean danger for the citizens of the United States once it finds its way into America. America believes in the rule of law and will view such punishments as inhuman. However, it does not mean that the nation is completely safe from the practice. Immigration grants Afghans an opportunity to live in America and they will carry their culture with them. Some will be engrossed in the form of punishment that takes place in Afghanistan especially those who enforce the punishment on others. Eventually, these individuals will engage in such cultural practices while in America and on American citizens thus enda ngering the lives of Americans. The Afghanistan culture does not empower its women and gives all the authority and power to men (Emadi, 2005). Men will take a more public role while the domestic space is left for women (Emadi, 2005). In such instances, education will not be considered as important for women. Therefore, such a case would mean that an Afghan man either in Afghanistan or anywhere else in the world will not support the empowerment of women (Jones, 2010). Such a man in the United States will not change his cultural belief just because the United States says so. He will stick to his cultural practice and prevent his wife and daughters from acquiring any form of empowerment and especially education. It will deny America the opportunity to develop an individual who will contribute positively to the development of the nation which means that the country moves a step back regarding development and advancement due to lack of education and empowerment for its women who are originally from Afghanistan. The state is also characterized by bomb attacks especially from the Islamic extremists present in Afghanistan (Jones, 2010). They attack innocent villagers killing children and children. In many instances, they will focus their effort on Afghans they feel are supporting other military operations from countries that bring aid including the United States (Jones, 2010). The practice often transits to the United States where individuals especially Afghanistan immigrants in the United States are used by extremists in their country to cause destruction in America. These people will often train as suicide bombers or bomb experts who will develop explosives and set them up in places that they can quickly blow up. America has experienced such an incident on the 11th of September 2001 were more than three thousand lives were lost (Jones, 2010). The country continues to get involved in the issues of Afghanistan, and therefore it increases its risk of an attack. The cultural practice mainly gear ed towards the Islamic religion may cause a bomb disaster in the United States which the country will need time to recover from. Afghanistan is an extremely religious and ethnic country (Entezar, 2008). The wide spread religion in the region is Islam, and their way of life is built around Islam. Their laws are developed around the Quran, and the judges will give a ruling according to what their religion says. There is no separation of civil laws and religious laws in the country. It is the reason why much religious police in Afghanistan remain omnipotent (Entezar, 2008). The different factions in Afghanistan will jail thousands of people without a fair trial (Entezar, 2008). A big part of the country is under the Taliban rule, and they have the drive to purify their society thus the group will emphasize the use of moral values (Entezar, 2008). The Taliban continues to wage war in the country, and they will punish people, mostly severely, according to the dictates of Islam (Entezar, 2008). In America, no one is ever above the civil law. Religion is at the disposal of every individual and people are free to asso ciate with whatever religious group they feel comfortable with. Islam is part of the religion that is present, but the nation is dominantly Christian. However, it does not mean that everyone who makes a mistake will be judged and sentenced according to the Christian dictates. Everyone answers to the civil law and any individual who commits a crime no matter how big gets a trail to prove his or her innocence. The prosecution opted for by the Taliban would mean disaster for America. Many people could be executed even without trial if such a cultural practice was to find its way into the United states. The rule of law would have no power, and people would be judged and sentenced on religious lines. For the longest time, the Taliban have worked against any foreign aid organization that tries to find its way into Afghanistan. The group wants Afghans to stay poor and unempowered for them to remain under their rule and control. Massoud the former northern alliance leader, who was assassinated had tried to empower the people of Afghanistan through democracy and education (Shorthose, 2003). Many people had moved from the areas controlled by the Taliban to the regions that were under the supervision of the leader because he offered them a better chance at life. There were reports of some Taliban officials and commanders defecting and joining Massoud. He was open to foreign aid and welcomed other religions including Christianity. All that he stood for went against the dictates of the Taliban, but it was the preferred rule by Afghans. It is clear that the Taliban rule in a way that is not favorable to the citizens of Afghanistan (Shorthose, 2003). They keep control of the people through inflicting fear. It is the reason why a big percentage of the country remains underdeveloped, and many of the citizens live in rural areas where they have little or no access to advancement. The Taliban wants them to remain unempowered. Such a cultural practice would be disastrous for the people of America (Shorthose, 2003). America is a nation that allows diversity and the opportunity for every individual to make himself or herself better. People have the chance to work for a better life, and the government and various groups will empower its citizens in all possible ways. The country will allow foreign aid where necessary and work with organizations that aim at helping its citizens (Shorthose, 2003). Therefore, the cultural p ractice in Afghanistan would limit the people of America to what the Taliban want. It would deny them of any aid and chance to live a better life. Such a way of life would cause an uproar in the country, and many will rise against it. It may even result in war between the people and the Taliban and the loss of thousands of lives. Military activity in Afghanistan never stops. The military commanders are often targeting and harassing innocent people, the Taliban, backed by Pakistan and the northern alliance will always be at war due to territorial issues and the way through which the three groups govern their regions in Afghanistan (Shorthose, 2003). No one will accept the other rule, and those who suffer are innocent civilians. There are instances where the Taliban will use military force to reassure the citizens of their control and to make sure that Afghans remain afraid of them and cow under their rule (Shorthose, 2003). It means that there is no instance when Afghanistan is every peaceful. The al-Qaeda is also competing for the opportunity to rule over the Islamic world, and in many cases, civilians will lose their lives, and the group fights against the Taliban. These groups will recruit the young and energetic Afghanistan men with the pretense of making them productive and giving them a better life (Shor those, 2003). These young people are trained to become extremists, and in most instances, they will be used in suicide bombs and attacks on targets that both the Taliban and al-Qaeda view to be threats to their power and stability (Shorthose, 2003). It means that Afghanistan never can develop and advance. The military and warfare environment makes it impossible. The country lacks young, energetic men who will work towards its development. America, on the other hand, is grounded on empowering its citizens to develop themselves thus developing the country. It is a peaceful country with much focus on economic and political empowerment. Therefore, the Afghanistan military environment would put the country on a downward spiral. It will present a threat to the economic and political development of America and the countrys position as a superpower in the world. No development would take place thus threatening the countrys place in the world. The Afghanistan culture is a unique way of life that is uniquely recognizable to Afghans. However, the extremist groups who have slowly taken over the nation and developed an undesirable culture within the country make the Afghanistan culture a threat to the United States. The culture would mean political instability, economic sabotage, technological underpinning and the lack of empowerment which acts as the pillars of the American people and their culture. References Emadi, H. (2005). Culture and customs of Afghanistan. Greenwood Publishing Group. Entezar, E. M. (2008). Afghanistan 101: understanding Afghan culture. Xlibris Corporation. Jones, S. G. (2010). It takes the villages: Bringing change from below in Afghanistan. Shorthose, J. (2003). Unlawful instruments and goods: Afghanistan, culture and the Taliban. Capital Class, 27(1), 9-16.

Global warming and biodiversity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Global warming and biodiversity - Research Paper Example This primarily happens owing to the increase in the amount of Green House gases in the atmosphere. These gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide etc) trap the sun’s incident heat energy and do not allow them to escape, thereby increasing the Earth’s temperature. These green house gases are released into the atmosphere because of human activities like pollution, burning of fossil fuels, deforestation etc. Global warming has negative impacts on all most everything, from ecosystems to individual species. Climate-carbon cycle feedbacks are also responsible for increasing the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In fact, studies have shown that rise of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere will increase the temperature which in turn will cause change in the process of photosynthesis, leading to death of the plants. GRAPH:1 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 The other challenge that forms the core of my discussion is extermination of both floral and faunal species. Species become extin ct due to a number of reasons like deforestation, invasive species, diseases, changing climate etc. . In fact in North America alone, â€Å"123 fresh water animal species have been recorded as extinct and hundreds of additional species of fishes, amphibians, mollusks and crayfishes are considered imperiled† (Riciardi & Rasmussen, 1998) and using this data in the exponential decay model, researchers Riciardi and Rasmussen have concluded that the extinction rate in North America alone is 4% per decade. ... his data in the exponential decay model, researchers Riciardi and Rasmussen have concluded that the extinction rate in North America alone is 4% per decade. Moreover, islands like the Galapagos or the Hawaiian islands are more vulnerable to species extinction because the presence of physical barriers has cut off gene flow which has in turn decreased adaptability of the species to extinction factors. Thus, endemic species are more vulnerable to extinction. There is a definitive connection between global warming and loss of biodiversity. Global warming is one of the key reasons behind species extinction.† Plants and animals, even far from human habitation, are now endangered due to global warming, resulting from increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere through different human activities† (Malcolm, 2006). A recent study showed that the increase in the temperature led to disease outbreaks caused by Batrachochytrium among the amphibian species i n tropical America leading to extinction of 67% of the 110 species of Atelopus species (Pounds et al, 2006). Over the last century the temperature of the world has increased by 0.6 degree centigrade but most species have adapted themselves to it, but the present rate of temperature increment â€Å"could easily disrupt the connectedness among species and lead to a reformulation of species communities, reflecting differential changes in species, and to numerous extirpations and possibly extinctions.† (Root et al, 2003). Root et al, meta-analyzed 143 different studies and concluded that the shift in climate was leaving a fingerprint on animal as well as plant species. It is a common notion that environmental awareness and conservation efforts are restricted to the developed countries i.e. countries

Georgia OKeefe and Janet Cummings Good Research Paper

Georgia OKeefe and Janet Cummings Good - Research Paper Example Georgia O’Keefe was born in 1887 outside of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. She suffered from a great number of afflictions that would leave her bedridden and would interrupt her career from time to time. She had suffered from typhoid fever as a child and later would suffer from difficulties with her vision from a bout of the measles. She worked as a teacher for many years and inspired many students during her career. She had her first gallery showing of ten of her drawings at the 291 galleries in 1916. (Eldridge and O’Keeffe 19). Her life was spent devoted to art, although she did find love with the man who first showed her art in the 291 Gallery. would be the love of her life. Alfred Stieglitz approved her work for the gallery and an attraction developed between them. Unfortunately, Stieglitz was married and their affair would have to wait to be legitimized until he divorced his wife. He was granted a divorce in 1924 and shortly after he and O’Keefe were married. In 1946, Alfred died from the effects of cerebral thrombosis (Eldridge and O‘Keefe). framed perspectives of flowers. However, these works are not the only types of work that were done by the artist. Another one of her more famous pieces shows the skull of a steer with various flowers around the work. This piece, while the artist contended for her whole life that none of her work was sexual in theme, can be seen to represent the female reproduction system (Hein 34). As well, the flowers that are so famously hung in homes and businesses across the world, can be seen as symbolic of the female genitalia. Still, O’Keefe claimed that this was not the case and that she did not intend for there to be eroticism in her art. In fact, she claimed there was no such aspect to her work (Garrard 449). Still, O’Keefe has been the topic of many feminist critics due to the visible sexual undercurrent.

Diversity in Sports Essay Example for Free

Diversity in Sports Essay Diversity in sports simply means equal opportunities for every athlete irregardless of gender, color, race, or origin. This is what the true spirit of competition should be all about. Sports should not only involve the white race, Americans, or men but also other races and sex(Jackson 2007). Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. , in his report to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, said that in recent years, diversity in sports has become very evident. In the world of American football, the Indianapolis Colts, coached by an African-American, won a Super Bowl. In baseball, the Chicago White Sox, a multi-racial team managed by Ozzie Guillen, a Latino, and Ken Williams, an African-American, won the World Series in 2005. A year later, the New York Mets, who is managed by a Latino manager and an African-American general manager, almost duplicated the White Sox’ feat, losing only in Game 7 of the National League Championship. This goes to show that moves to diversify sports are moving forward(Jackson 2007). The National Basketball Association (NBA) has led the way in terms of sports diversity by opening its doors to other races. Long ago, the NBA was dominated by Americans or Canadians. Recently, however, one can see the teams drafting players from Europe and recently Asia. The Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Football League (NFL) are likewise starting to provide opportunities for other races which is why spectators would get to see the likes of Alfonso Soriano and Sammy Sossa hitting homeruns here and there(Jackson 2007). Diversity in Sports 4 The NBA: Taking the Lead In Diversity Leading the way as far as diversity in professional sports is the National Basketball Association (NBA). For more than twenty years, the NBA has become the leader in promoting equal opportunities to all races. Here are some NBA diversity facts and figures as reported by The Institute for Diversity in Ethics and Sports(Spears, 2007): 15% of team vice presidents in the NBA are held by colored people, which is the highest in all of professional sports. 79% of NBA players have colors. In 2007, the number of African-American players increased to 75% which is higher than the 73% recorded in 2006. Employment opportunities for colored people at the League offices were at 34 percent, which is 2% higher than the previous year. 39% of professional positions in the League Office are occupied by women. 12 teams in the NBA are handled by African-American coaches. The NBA’s total of 40% still tops all of professional sports. With 53 African-American head coaches, the NBA has more than doubled the number of colored head coaches in any other professional sports. Next in line is the MLB with 25 colored managers. 41% of assistant coaches in the NBA are colored which is the highest so far in the history of the league. Diversity in Sports 5 There are four African-American CEO/Presidents in the league and two other presidents of basketball operations. To date, they are the only people who have held such position in all of professional sports. In 2006, there were eight African-American general managers in the NBA, which tops other professional sports league. By the end of 2006-07, the NBA had 64 percent white referees, 32 percent African-American, 3 percent Latin Americans, and a single black referee in Violet Palmer. Diversity in College Sports While professional sports is heading towards diversity, such is not the case in college sports. According to a report by the University of Central Florida, diversity has not been progressing in collegiate leagues. Here are the facts(Belew, 2006): In Division I schools, only 25. 2% of head coaches are African-American which is higher by 2% than the previous year. In Division IA, out of a total of 119 football head coaches, only six are African-American and zero percent are women. In college basketball, only 4. 1% of head coaches come from the minority group with 2. 6% being Latin Americans. The enforcement of Title IX did not help the cause of women in college sports as not a single one of them is represented. Diversity in Sports 6 In sports involving women, most Division I, II, and III coaching jobs are occupied by 89. 6%, 90. 9%, and 92. 9%, respectively. In the men’s division, the breakdown was 90. 6%, 89. 5%, and 93. 4%, respectively, served as head coaches. Diversity in the Olympics The Olympic Games is one of the many sporting competitions that practices diversity in sports. Once every four years, athletes from various nations converge in one venue in order to have a shot at sports excellence(Guttmann, nd). There are two varieties of this international sporting event namely Winter and Summer Olympics. Contemporary Olympics started in Athens, Greece in 1896, a couple of years after Pierre de Coubertin proposed the holding of an Olympic Games to push for peace in the world. The inaugural Games only had about 300 athletes from less than 15 countries taking part in 43 events in nine disciplines. When the Olympics returned to Athens in 2004, the number of participants had ballooned to 10,000 athletes representing 202 nations vying in 28 various sports(Guttmann, nd). Women In The Olympics During the inaugural Olympics, there were no female athletes who took part in the Games. Four years later, however, golf and tennis allowed the participation of women. In 1912, swimming and diving became available for women athletes as well. Sixteen years later during the 1928 Games, gymnastics and track and field had female athletes likewise. Since then, the number of women competing in the Olympics have considerably increased. At present, fifty percent of all teams are comprised by women, with the exception of the Muslim countries, where female participation is minimal(Guttmann, nd). Diversity in Sports 7 The Paralympics Games In the true spirit of diversity in sports, disabled people can have an opportunity to experience competitive spirit and sports excellence with their own version of the Olympic Games. Introduced in 1960, in conjunction with the Olympic Games in Rome, the Paralympics, as it is called, highlights male and female athletes representing six various disability groups. The emphasis of the Paralympics Games is not on the disability but on individual achievements. Since then, the growth of the event has become steady. From the initial 400 athletes that took part in 1960, a total of 3806 athletes representing 136 nations took part during the 2004 Athens Paralympics Games. Beijing, China will be the cite of the next Paralympics Games(International Paralympics Committee, nd). Conclusion When it comes to sports, not a single nation can dominate all the events. While host nations of the Olympics choose the events where they have the advantage, chances are other nations will beat them in other fronts. This is what diversity in sports is all about. Fairness and equality in the light of competition. References Belew, B(2006 December 17). Diversity in College Sports – Coaching. The Biz of Knowledge. Retrieved July 14 2008 from http://www. thebizofknowledge. com/2006/12/diversity_in_college_sports_co_1. html Guttman, A(nd). Olympic Games. Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 14 2008 from http://www. encarta. msn. com

Leonhard Euler Essay -- essays research papers

Leonhard Euler Euler made large bounds in modern analytic geometry and trigonometry. He made decisive and formative contributions to geometry, calculus and number theory. Born: 15 April 1707 in Basel, Switzerland Died: 18 Sept 1783 in St Petersburg, Russia Introduction Euler's father wanted his son to follow him into the church and sent him to the University of Basel to prepare for the ministry. However geometry soon became his favourite subject. Euler obtained his father's consent to change to mathematics after Johann Bernoulli had used his persuasion. Johann Bernoulli became his teacher. He joined the St. Petersburg Academy of Science in 1727, two years after it was founded by Catherine I the wife of Peter the Great. Euler served as a medical lieutenant in the Russian navy from 1727 to 1730. In St Petersburg he lived with Daniel Bernoulli. He became professor of physics at the academy in 1730 and professor of mathematics in 1733. He married and left Johann Bernoulli's house in 1733. He had 13 children altogether of which 5 survived their infancy. He claimed that he made some of his greatest discoveries while holding a baby on his arm with other children playing round his feet. The publication of many articles and his book Mechanica (1736-37), which extensively presented Newtonian dynamics in the form of mathematical analysis for the first time, started Euler on the way to major mathematical work. In 1741, at the invitat...

Females Portrayal in Death of a Salesman Essay

In the play, Death of a Salesman, Linda depicts the author’s view of women within this time. Linda was anxious in becoming the finest â€Å"housewife†. Her nature and disposition, even before she enters the play, is one of kindness, love and a deep admiration for her husband Willy, despite his faults. She took on full responsibility for herself and family. At this point in history the typical woman was viewed as a housekeeper and nothing more. In most of Linda’s sense she is viewed in or around the house. She is mainly found in the living room, bedroom, and kitchen throughout the play. Often times her stage directions will be â€Å"carrying a washbin† or always retrieving what other character’s need. Stage directions within just the first few lines indicated that Linda was â€Å"taking off [Willy’s] shoes† for him. Linda was always working hard to keep the men around her happy and living in comfort. During this time this was a trait all women tried to fulfill. Linda’s relationship with Willy is the most obvious evidence of the view of women within this time. Willy is a symbol of the typical man who takes advantage of the women in his life and relies on them for comfort and support while giving them nothing in return. Linda constantly refers to her husband as â€Å"dear† or â€Å"darling† while he shows her no mutual treatment of affection. She will constantly make excuses for Willy to hide his temperament and that shows her infinite patience. This shows that Linda is not willing to go against Willy in any way even if it was to stand up for herself, she will not go against his word. Every step Linda takes, is in order to make Willy feel comfortable, constantly complementing him saying â€Å"Willy, darling, you’re the handsomest man in the world†. It is evident that the affection from a woman was much for present then that from the man. She is also seen constantly worrying for her husband and family, but not for herself. She will go out of her way to make sure Willy has everything he needs before he leaves the house and will remind him of small things saying â€Å"Be careful on the subway stairs† as if he was just a boy. The woman figure is presented as the one that must tend to everyone else’s needs and make sure that everyone else is well prepared. The women are also views, as the one’s that keep the men in their lives back from pursuing a life beyond the home. When Willy longs to go out to Alaska for a life of adventure, Linda begs him to â€Å"stay with her and the children. † Since the women are seen as such subservient wives who are entirely tied to the home, when Willy hopes to leave the comforts of home she attempts to convince him that everything around home can not get any better than what it already is. Not only will she respond this way to only Willy, but also for the sake of Willy she will react quite differently to her sons. She shouts, â€Å"Don’t you care whether Willy lives or dies? †. Even in the midst of trying to convince herself that Willy’s affair was not true, Linda will do anything to protect Willy. She demands her children to have respect just as she does towards Willy, whether it was respect deserved or not. The male figure is viewed as the selfish man who does not take consideration to the ones around them, taking complete advantage of every situation, treating there wives as toys and disrespecting them to the extreme and having affairs. Linda is made to be a wife who at all cost, no matter what the situation, will always stay nothing but loyal to her husband. Miller suggests those women are not only to be submissive to men, but also truly have no identity apart from them. Therefore, in essence the men are seen to have ultimate control over every situation and the women in their lives while the women are intentionally submissive. A woman only has purpose in a man, yet she will â€Å"hold the man back† so he inevitably will resent her basically either way, woman is destined for a life trying to â€Å"work† for her husband’s â€Å"love. Linda was always limited to what she could do, along with what she said. Arthur Miller showed how one-dimensional a women’s life was just to prove she was worthy of a home and family. Linda was never granted the right to stand up for her self, and even if the opportunity was present it would have not been taken, do to disrespecting Willy in his home. During this time this was a trait all women strived to fulfill.