The story is set in a hospital Essay Example For Students

The story is set in a hospital Essay The story is set in a hospital of a steamer where two discharged soldiers are returning to Russia after serving for many years in Far East with another two soldiers and a sailor. Gusev, the main character of the story is a courteous man who used to work under a naval officer. He is satisfied about his job and now dreaming to join his family soon. His delirious dreams are filled with images of his familys farm. He is apprehensive that if he does not make it home, the farm will fail and his parents will be thrown into the streets. We will write a custom essay on The story is set in a hospital specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The second main character is Pavel Ivanitch, who is educated but choleric and maverick. He considers himself a radical, a truth-teller, and a member of the revolutionary intelligentsia. He mocks Gusevs optimistic geniality. He further accuses Gusev is blind to realize the oppression he has suffered. Pavel Ivanitch denounces injustice wherever he sees it and has a reputation for being a troublemaker. Even as his illness advances, Pavel Ivanitch protests. And he refuses to believe that he can die like the others; indeed, he insists that he is recovering. While they keep spending time arguing with each other he dies before he makes it home. After a few days Gusev grows worse too. Meanwhile he starts tormenting by a vague craving, and he could not figure out what he exactly wanted. Shortly afterward, he also dies and his body is sewn up in sailcloth with two iron weights and thrown into sea. The story closes with a description of his body sinking through a school of fish while a brilliant sunset shines above. (C, Jack) Theme Although Russia was never colonized the author, Chekov brings up two ordinary characters that are suffering under the tyranny which was ruling the country that time. Gusev and Pavel Ivanitch clearly demonstrate human suffering and injustice that citizens were undergoing. Especially Gusev represents peasants who were on the edge of the society suffering from many distresses and Pavel Ivanitch represents the educated and suppressed middle class. He is a symbol of people who were seeking to stand against so called tyranny and hypocrisy. Using these two ideal characters the author makes people to think of a social reformation which he had been influenced by third world countries he had visited. The writer denounces and criticizes suffering and injustice mercilessly through Pavel Ivanitch. To tear a man out of his home, drag him twelve thousand miles away, then to drive him into consumption and. . . and what is it all for, one wonders? To turn him into a servant for some Captain Kopeikin or midshipman Dirka! How logical! Ivanitch declares his anger to Gusev at the practice of the military of uprooting men from their families to serve some perhaps undeserving officer, trample them and make them ill, by dumping them on hot, crowded ships in the knowledge that they will probably not survive the journey home. But the uneducated and simple-minded peasant Gusev was submissive and barely notices injustice. He humbly accepts his destiny, and his attitude is very authoritarian. Once telling that he was beaten by his master, arouses Pavel Ivanitchs indignant anger, Gusev feels that he deserved the punishment, as he was behaving violently towards few china men improperly. Indeed, Chekh ov seems to be raising the question of whether the peasant class should be completely free, or whether they need strong leadership. In addition Chekhov invites people to be generous rather than being concerned about themselves and their families. Gusev worries only about what will happen to his family when he is dead, about his brothers drinking and violence towards his wife, and about the possibility that his old parents will be alienated. While Pavel Ivanitch is obsessed social injustice Gusev worries about his family and business. Gusevs daydreams about his homeland and family reveals his narrow intentions whereas Pavel Ivanitch peers into every social and political abuse he can find, Gusevs concerns are more material and immediate. This contrast between Pavel Ivanitchs concern for humanity as a whole, and Gusevs more limited concern which only extends to his own family and village lead readers for Chekhovs hidden intention. Implicit in this contrast is an acknowledgement of the difficulty of achieving social and political reform in a society in which nearly eighty percent of the population was uneducated peas ants like Gusev. These peasants were apprehensive about the welfare and survival of their families, and were unlikely to have the leisure to devote their lives to ending injustice, even assuming that they understood the issues. Apparently there is an incomparable difference between Pavel Ivanitchs and Gusevs attitudes to suffering, which mirrors the gulf in nineteenth century Russian society between the intelligentsia and the peasants. Ivanitch does not make much attempt to persuade Gusev and he does not listen too much of what Pavel Ivanitch says too. When Gusev does listen, he misunderstands. Pavel Ivanitchs impassioned diatribes are shown as useless, not only because Gusev is an unsuitable audience, but because shortly after Pavel Ivanitchs final assault, on military officers who steal, he dies. This juxtaposition of events suggests the futility of the angry activism exemplified by Pavel Ivanitch. The steamer that carries the men cares for nothing, and the sea on which they travel has no sense, no pity. This gives an insight about human suffering and death are transmuted into the joy of life that the system of nature. Both Ivanitchs bitter rants and Gusevs humble concerns are rendered insignificant by the fact that they die soon after expressing them and by the implied contrast with the vastness and majesty of the natural world into which their dead bodies are thrown. When Gusevs body is thrown into the ocean and a shark begins to investigate it, the pilot-fish are delighted by the unfolding drama. The story ends with a glorious display of the sunset, with clouds massing like a triumphal arch. Nature is shown as possessing positive human characteristics that are absent from the grim and debased human life portrayed in Gusev: joy, delight, and celebration. .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d , .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d .postImageUrl , .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d , .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d:hover , .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d:visited , .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d:active { border:0!important; } .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d { 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; } .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d:active , .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d .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; } .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u90d95830b34a8748d05def18725f3a1d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: How To Structure An Inspector Calls EssayCharacter The two characters in Gusev act as foils to each other where Pavel Ivanitch is the protagonist and Gusev is the antagonist of the story. They have contrasting characteristics and respond to life and its sufferings in opposite ways. They also represent the two classes that were involved in the struggle for social justice in nineteenth-century Russia, the peasants and the intelligentsia. Gusev is a discharged soldier from the peasant class. Gusev Gusev is a simple and innocent soldier who has superstitious beliefs about how things work. He seems to be uneducated and further displays submissive and naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve characteristics. This man sets out in his long voyage after years of critical work to his masters in far east. He has been serving as an orderly to a military officer but has been sent home to Russia because he is feeble and dying of tuberculosis. He fails to realize how vague his dream is, while the other soldiers and sailors are convinced that he is too weak to survive anymore. Id rather call him a selfish man who only thinks of his parents and family and does not bother about the suppression he was facing even when it seems that life will shortly end. Prosperity has not only earned from the poor innocent people but theyve made their conditions even worse, knowing that they will not survive until they reach their destination their masters set them to Russia just to save their reputations. How revolting? How cruel? To make someone work his whole life just to make a living, outside his own country and at old age to be chasten away, to be thrown away to the ocean when he dies .He fails to realize that all human beings are worth it doesnt matter whether they are poor or rich. Gusev is delirious with fever resulting from tuberculosis, so his mind slips in and out of the present reality in the course of the story. He comforts himself by imagining of snow and the cold in his home town. This shows Gusevs tendency to passively accept injustice and suffering. He preferred thinking about something else rather than confronting problems or protest about them. The method is successful within the limits of Gusevs narrow awareness. Instead of listening to Paul Ivanitchs bitter and contemptuous comments, Gusev daydreams about the folks at home, with the result that His happiness takes his breath away. He has no interest in the wider considerations of social injustice that captivate Paul Ivanitch. During his time as an orderly, Gusev obtusely did his job without thinking about whether it is fair, as Paul Ivanitch rails, to Uproot a man from home, drag him 12,000 miles, give him tuberculosis, and make him the servant of some officer. Gusev is pure apolitical and he does not think about such matters like injustice. When Paul Ivanitch repeatedly tries to alert him to injustice, Gusev completely fails to understand what he is saying. Gusevs world is his bounded only with his family and his village. He worries about his drunken brother who beats his wife, and does not respect his parents. He worries about his brothers daughter, Akulka, sticking her legs out on the family sledge and getting frostbitten. He also worries about what will happen to the family after his death: he fears that the home will go to rack and ruin and that his parents will be thrown into street. Gusevs narrow range of interests draws attention to the wider problem of how social injustice could continue persistent in Russia at a time when the majority of the population was people like Gusev: simple, uneducated, passive, and unintelligent. Gusev is capable of making a sound against injustice but it takes the form of brutal violence. He describes an occasion when he beat up some Chinese men merely for coming into his yard. He does not know why he hit them. The same impulse occurs when he looks through the porthole of the ship and sees a fat Chinese man in a boat. Gusev thinks, for no good reason, that greasy one needs a good clout on the neck. Paul Ivanitch doesnt accept Gusevs passive acceptance of punishment from the officer for beating up the Chinese men, but it is tempting to conclude not only that Gusev needs to be governed by an authority figure, but also that he deserved his punishment. This persistent idea of him exists throughout the story till he dies making him a consistent character. Pavel Ivanitch Pavel Ivanitch is also a discharged soldier who has served for three years in the Far East and has been discharged because he is dying of tuberculosis. He feels superior to the other men in the ship infirmary, whom he rejects as a blind, benighted, down-trodden lot. He is an intellectual who is confident that he sees the truth of humanitys lot: I see everything as an eagle or hawk sees it, soaring above the earth. He is conceited of his quality of just and upright. Moreover he sees injustice everywhere and never hesitates to declare his intense and quick temper regardless of the situation. He regularly persuades placid Gusev to feel a sense of unfairness about the class system and the way he is treated by his superiors. Pavel treats Gusev with utter contempt because he is annoyed by the calm nature of Gusev and lack of comprehension of what he is saying but he does not stop convincing Gusev that he too should denounce social iniquitous. However his idea of meeting of a literary frien d displays proficiency of his ideas. .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8 , .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8 .postImageUrl , .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8 , .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8:hover , .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8:visited , .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8:active { border:0!important; } .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8 { 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; } .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8:active , .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8 .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; } .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8 .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u699e0e5b4029f6fb3762165ce36fc5d8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Summary of Act 1 EssayIt is typical of Pavel Ivanitch who plans to influence people of his ideas through literature. Nevertheless the material he has to offer is not constructive for reform but tirades against the verminous bipeds he has encountered during his service in the Far East. There is insensitivity and lack of humanity, even a cruelty, in Paul Ivanitchs constantly forcing his anger and views onto the simple and complacent Gusev. Indeed, Pavel Ivanitch enjoys in his reputation as an insufferable person, declaring: I am protest incarnate. He says, even if he were imprisoned he would not stop his protest. Ivanitch might see political injustices acutely but when it co mes to his own condition, he is deluded. When his health deteriorates to the point whereby he cant even sit up, he does not ready accept that he is weak. My lungs are all right, this is only a stomach cough. He boasts of his critical attitude to my illness and medicines, in contrast to the ignorance of the other benighted people. However, even if he is unaware of his illness more than others, it is of no use to him, a few hours later he is dead. Style, Tone and Irony Like in his plays, Chekhov has ignored the established tradition of describing the situation, mood, and internal psychological states of characters in the very beginning of the story. Accordingly a very little action takes place in Gusev. Only a few main incidents can be identified throughout the whole story: Gusev and Paul Ivanitchs non-viable conversations; Gusevs daydreams, Paul Ivanitchs diatribes, and both mens decline through sickness into death followed by their burial at sea. A more traditional story would have taken the characters aspirations and made drama out of their fulfillment or frustration. Gusev dreams about his family, and Paul Ivanitch plans to meet a literary friend and telling him of the people he has met abroad. Neither man fulfills these plans, nor does particular emotion surround their on-fulfillment. The plans simply die along with the men. In terms of plot, this is deliberately anti-climactic. However, there is a climax of sorts in Gusev, but it consists in the transcendence of nature in the final sunset scene, and Gusevs joyful somersault into the natural world. On the other hand, the story sounds more criticizing the inactive, simple-minded peasants. Its revolting, the worst of it is they know perfectly well that you cant last out the long journey, and yet they put you here. Supposing you get as far as the Indian Ocean, what then? Its horrible to think of it. . . . And thats their gratitude for your faithful, irreproachable service! this statement of Ivanitch clearly proves this. Therefore we cannot deduce that the story gives a vague message as the incidents happen in the story does not reach to a proper climax. The use of dramatic irony can be seen all over the story. When Gusev is on the deck, he sees bullocks and a pony tethered there. The bullocks remind the bulls head with no eyes, which is already associated in the readers mind with Gusev. Gusev stretches out his hand to stroke the pony and Gusev responds with an angry curse when it bites Gusevs hand. The incident humorously comments on Gusevs own tendency to lash out violently at innocent people. A unique quality I noticed in Chekhovs writings is his fair treatment of his characters. This is shown in his use of a similar juxtaposition of events to comment ironically on Paul Ivanitch. After Paul Ivanitchs long brag about being protest incarnate, Gusev looks out through the porthole and sees some Chinese men in a boat holding up cages of canary birds, which they were reselling, and shouting sing, sing. Just like the canaries sing in their cages, Paul Ivanitch outbursts ineffectually in the ships hospital. In a further irony, Pavel Ivani tchs boasting of is how he would continue to protest even if he were imprisoned in a cellar gives a sense of humor. He is already stuck in a sick-bay but does not stop wasting his breath. His words just vanish into the air giving no use at all, like the superfluous and meaningless as the canaries songs. This implication is convinced by both mens deaths shortly afterwards. Symbolism It was getting dark; it would soon be night. The very first line of the story suggests the deaths of Gusev and Ivanitch, convincing Chekhovs use of symbols. He uses subtle symbolism in order to give insights of his characters. The image of the eyeless bulls head that frequently enters Gusevs reverie symbolizes Gusevs somewhat primitive nature, and its eye-lessness suggests his lack of vision and understanding of the world around him. In addition the black smoke and clouds that drift into his consciousness is similarly suggestive of a fogginess of vision. The fact that the horse and sledge that plays such an important part in Gusevs reveries no longer move ahead when enveloped in the black smoke suggests the stagnation of the peasantry. Chekhovs skill in using symbolism is evident in the fact that both bulls heads and black smoke would be familiar sights in Gusevs village (real black smoke comes from a pottery chimney near his family home). Therefore the images have a naturalistic ton e as well as symbolic value. Sometimes, the association of seemingly unrelated events is used symbolically to comment on the characters. While they were sailing a big fish came into collision with their ship and stove a hole in it. Apparently this statement of Gusev does not make any sense but when its deeply analyzed the writer has compared Gusev life which is sinking because of the devastation done by his masters.

Palo Mayombe

Palo Mayombe Introduction Palo Mayombe is a Congo-inspired cult, which is one of the variant forms of Reglas de Congo religious cults, widely practiced in Havana, Cuba. It has its origins in the Bantu of Congo in Central Africa and encompasses many Congo religious cults including the Biyumba, Vrillumba, and Regla Conga.Advertising We will write a custom thesis sample on Palo Mayombe specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Bantu/Congo religious practices reflect the sorcery/magical aspects common in many African beliefs, as well as the magical healing practices. The word â€Å"Palo† means the branches or sticks obtained from the forest (el monte), which are used in making sacred objects (nganga) for magical spells. Often, the practitioners of Palo (paleros) use corpses and herbs to cast evil spells when practicing black magic (Verger, 1984, p. 176). Essentially, Palo is a specialized cult involving the dead with emphasis on evil pacts with the dead, normally made at a graveyard, alongside the nganga. A distinctive iron cauldron houses the nganga alongside other ritual objects such as sticks and bones, which give it magical powers. The practice of involving the dead by the Palo experts makes them mightily feared and regarded as dangerous. In Cuba, the Palo practices are widespread are known to steal corpses for use in the magic ngangas. In the colonial era, the Africans themselves used sorcery to their advantage, as the whites in power considerably feared sorcery. The Palo uses the same magic rites, which have earned them the name, â€Å"the dark side of Santeria† that encompasses all Congo-based cults including the Regla de Ocha (Brown, 2003, p. 117). The presence of Congo in Cuba began since the colonial times in the eighteenth century comprising of majority Reglas de Congo and the Reglas Lacumi. The Reglas de Congo settled mostly in the eastern Cuba in places such as Guantnamo and Santiago de Cuba. The Congo ritu al influence has since spread in most parts of the island characterized by chanting and sacred songs. Because of the harm the objects of Palo works (obras, trabajos) have, Palo witchcraft is widely feared in Cuba. The Palo witchcraft involves working with the dead and involvement of the dead in their witchcraft practices.Advertising Looking for thesis on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Origins of Palo Mayombe Palo Mayombe is specifically Congo-inspired different from the West African derived Santo also called Lacumi or Ocha in Havana. Its presence in Cuba can be traced from the Central African slaves in Cuba under the Cuban colonialism. The emergence of Palo dates back to the late seventeenth century and the early eighteenth century, as a cauldron of many Congo-derived cults (Clark, 2005, p. 233). During this period, the cults had healing rites treating people under the name â€Å"ngoma†. M ost notable were the Lemba healing society, who prior to spreading to Cuba occupied the banks of Congo River in the early seventeenth century. Due to contact with the Portuguese during the slave trade, the lemba gained entry into the Americas to inspire many religions. Another Congo-derived sacred society that made passage into Cuba resulting into the birth of the Palo was the Nkita. The Nkita people were among the Congo people who lived at the lower banks of the Congo River in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and they experienced much social disruption resulting from the slave trade. In the initiation into the Nkita healing society, the Nkita affiliated its members with the ancestors, who they believed possessed the ultimate authority over them (Brown, 2003, p. 120). In Palo, the names â€Å"lemba†, â€Å"nkita† and â€Å"ngoma† are common in their sacred speech. In1725-1875 as more people from Central Africa arrived in Cuba, they brought many cultures and cultic practices, which were primarily nurtured in Havana (Brown, 2003, p. 118). The lemba and Nkita were among the Central African inspirations that struggled against one another in seeking followers mainly from people burdened by enslavement. As the slavery and Spanish occupation in Cuba ended in the twentieth century, the two inspirations emerged as the Palo, which in Havana refers to â€Å"Regla de Congo† translated as â€Å"Kongo Rule† (Bockie, 1993, p. 72). The Regla de Congo or Kong law subsequently formed a â€Å"Palo society†, a powerful social society that spreads fear due to its involvement of the dead in its witchcraft practices. The Palo society comprises of four main branches or â€Å"ramas† in Havana. Each of these branches has distinct practices musically, linguistically and ritually compared to another. The branches include â€Å"Palo Kimbisa†, â€Å"Palo Monte†, â€Å"Palo Mayombe† and â€Å"Palo Briyumba† . However, in the countryside, and throughout Cuba, the Kongo inspirations take different names and engage in diverse forms of religious practices (Brown, 1998, p. 307).Advertising We will write a custom thesis sample on Palo Mayombe specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The â€Å"Palo Mayombe† just like the â€Å"Palo Briyumba† and â€Å"Palo Monte† are Havana-based and proliferates into various communities and practitioners’ temple houses. Palo literally means stick derived from the mango tree or â€Å"un palo de mango† (a stick of the mango tree) (Bockie, 1993, p. 82). The use of â€Å"Palo† to mean Kongo-Cuban religious practices reflects the power associated with the Kongo-Cuban magic objects. The branches of powerful trees or the â€Å"Palo† make up the â€Å"prendas†, which are the objects used for witchcraft for healing or harming others. The sticks (Palo) are symbolic of the sticks used to kindle fires to destroy one’s enemies (Bockie, 1993, p. 87). The Palo Mayombe Practices and the Dead Palo Mayombe essentially involves the practice of working with the dead. Its adherents are believed to communicate directly with the dead (Brown, 1998, p. 293). During initiations into the cult, the individuals must possess a â€Å"sense of wandering† with the dead spirits in order to understand the prendas and the practice of harming or healing of the Palo Mayombe. The Palo Mayombe craft involves stories, specified songs, and recollections that are held in consciousness and serve as a mode of visceral apprehension of the dead in the body of the living. Their definition of the dead involves the visceral affirmation felt in the bodies of living and the surrounding world. Thus, the Palo invokes the dead or certain aspects of the dead in all their teaching and crafts. The dead could be a deceased sibling, a parent or unknown number of the dead (Kalunga el m uerto) that spread fear to many people (Moore, 1997, p. 30). The dead make up the word of ancestors that come back to fill the minds of the practitioners with scary imaginations. The practitioners use bones or blood exhumed from graves of the dead that saturates the imaginations of the living and thus attributing to the presence of the dead among the living. The Cuban-Kongo dead comprise one of the aspects of the Palo’s dead forming an unknown mass of the dead, (â€Å"Kulunga el muerto†), which proliferates to form a dominant entity. The aspects of the dead that echo in the minds of the living first arise from the Kalunga before apprehension by the sensing living body (Brown, 1998, p. 327).Advertising Looking for thesis on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Kalunga el muerto comprise of many dead that could exist forming an indistinguishable mass that spread fear among the living. During the initiation of a new individual into the Palo Mayombe, a Palero priest baptizes the person into the secrets and mysteries of the Palo Mayombe. A palero priest serves to protect and serve the community. The Palero priest bears the light in the darkness that attracts the blessings of the evil spirits (Brandon, 1991, p. 57). However, in death, God, the Olodumare, extinguishes the Palero priest, who then becomes elevated to a spiritual guide for the darkness. The Palo Mayombe Initiation Ceremonies Any individual wishing to join Palo Mayombe must consult a Palero priest who, through the direct contact with the spirit world, will inform the person if he/she can practice Palo Mayombe. Often, rejection occurs because Palo Mayombe may not be part of the person’s destiny or spiritual path. Rejection can also arise of an individual lacks the capacit y to handle the responsibilities of the Palo Mayombe as a Palero priest. The initiation marks the first step in the Palo Mayombe practice and the involvement of the dead in their craft (Cervantes, 1994, p. 119). Upon initiation, an individual enters into the expansive spirit world of the Palo Mayombe. One of the spirits is the Zibranda that means a divine messenger and facilitate direct communication between humankind and the spirits. The spiritual cauldron for Zibranda spirit contains holy water, human bones from the dead, sticks among others. An individual initiated into Palo Mayombe collects these items at given times, over a seven-day initiation period under the supervision of the Palero priest, to construct a person’s spiritual zibranda. Another initiation ceremony is the Madre De La Luna, which simply means the â€Å"witch of the night† or the goddess of the moon. This initiation ceremony for Madre de la luna occurs in a field at night when there is a full moon. It is prevalent among the Mexican witches. The individual being initiated receives a knife that contains power for casting love spells. The knife is a source of power for any individual initiated into the mysteries of Madre de la Luna. The spiritual cauldron for Madre de la Luna consists of crystal beads of quartz and a crystal skull (Bueno, 2000, p. 154). For Madre de Agua, another powerful spirit in Palo Mayombe, the initiation ceremony occurs inside a Santeria Sopera. The Madre de Agua is particularly feared for its power and magic for strong love and money. It also serves as powerful magic in other magical works. The spiritual cauldron for the Madre de Agua comprises of two clear beads, a coral bead, and seven multicolored beads. In contrast, the La Santisima Piedra Iman spirit primarily serves to attract wealth and money among businesspersons in Latin America. Its spiritual cauldron consists of green and black beads. The Mama Chola spirit is a powerful female spirit for casting spells of fertility and love as one of the practices of Palo Mayombe. The last ceremony that an individual can be initiated to in Palo Mayombe is the Francisco de loss Siete Rayos translated as â€Å"Francisco of the seven rays† (Bueno, 2000, p. 156). It is among the ancient traditional ceremonies of the Palo Mayombe. The secrets and its rules involve a spirit contained in an iron cauldron or a bowl. This spirit rules the four winds among the Palo Mayombe religious practices. The Power and the Practice of the Ngangas The sacred objects or ngangas serves to cast magical spells and usually involves communal ritual participation. The participation in the communal nganga rituals may be large especially during initiation ceremonies. The Palo Mayombe healing more often involves attacking the enemy or threatening them while promising prosperity in the lives of the afflicted. The harming or healing is achieved using prendas that bear the force of spirits of a kalunga el muerta or ma ss of the dead. The forms of attack often involve an attack by ruinous storms, hunting cats, birds of prey or bulls (Brandon, 1991, p. 59). The involvement of the dead, (kalunga el muerta), assures the keeper of protection through his/her prenda while taking advantage of the immediacy they have with the dead to attack the â€Å"unprotected lives† they target. They travel with the waves of the dead and repeatedly attack the life they want to destroy until it is carried away with the dead. The Palo Mayombe can make the nganga in various forms with different appearances managed by the paleros. While the rituals of the Palo Mayombe are shrouded with mystery, the nganga reflects the spiritual meanings in the physical world. Although every Palero can keep his or her spirits in ngangas or an outside house, most spirits of Palo Mayombe reside in a special house for the dead (La Casa de Los Muertos). Any spiritual guide cannot keep the spirits because they are so powerful and fierce ( Brandon, 1991, p. 64). Traditionally, the dark spirits are kept in a given house or under lock and key. Within the closet or room, access to other people is limited, lit only with a burning candle always. The La Casa de Los Muertos is stocked with elixirs of a magical nature for the spirits. The Production of Munansos in Palo Mayombe In Palo Mayombe practices, the munanso signifies a crucial space or room that houses the nganga. It can also mean the group membership in communal initiation ceremonies. In particular, the communal participation involves the palero, the mayombero or the ngangulero spiritual leaders depending on the nature of the ceremony or activities. The craft for Palo Mayombe involves a gradual process of ritual implementation by the practitioners (Monroe 2004). The spiritual leaders or mayombero or paleros possess plenty of knowledge gained through years of interaction with the dead and other religious members. The paleros and ahijados (children) form their own muna nso resulting into a religious family of palo at a given locality. Thus, the â€Å"munanso† represents a religious sect that consists of the members at a given locality. However, it can sometimes extend to include the participation of the whole community nationally or internationally. Initiates to nganguleros or munanso comprise of the padrino (father), ahijados (children) and the madrina (mother) forming a socio-religious organization. It is in these circles that the Palo Mayombe practices revolve with the minanso providing the channels of interaction in the Palo Mayombe practice. Teaching of the Palo Mayombe beliefs, rituals and religious language occurs within the ranks of the munanso (religious group). The padrina and the madrina undertake the initiation ceremonies of new individuals or ahijados into the munanso as they lead by example (Verger, 1984, p. 179). The responsibilities and the benefits of the group identify and determine the position of the group and its member s in the community. Thus, a munanso comprises of families of practitioners that have distinctive ritual ceremonies, beliefs and songs. In a common munanso ceremony, different practitioners play different roles including singing, playing drums or supplying religious elixirs including rum and tobacco. Sometimes during munanso ceremonies, the attendees give a small contribution in the form of pesos or human labor in the animal sacrifices and food preparations in readiness for the initiation ceremony (Clark, 2005, p. 231). Although most palero services are non-commercial, non-initiates seeking the services or adverse from a powerful palero usually pay a small fee or give some given goods or services. An older initiate enjoys a higher status and is accorded much respect from the other group members who, as years pass, become tatangangas (nganga owners). There are those who participate in various tasks such as singing or drumming and develop exceptional relationships with the paleros. Thu s, the participation of an individual in the ritual ceremonies is noteworthy as it provides a platform for social expression and religious ranking of a munanso. There are different levels in the ranking of a munanso, and each has distinct roles and functions (Bueno, 2000, p. 157). The position held by an individual depends on the roles and status during initiation and other operations. The Palo Mayombe initiation accords an individual access to the protection and guidance by munanso members, as well as, participation in ceremonies. The learning of the ritual languages occurs through song and dance during the religious ceremonies (Conrad, 1983, p. 342). However, the initiate’s religious affiliations or family determines the learning of the ritual languages. The ritual languages are extremely significant as the lack of knowledge of these languages limit an individual’s access into munanso ceremonies. In addition, participation in the ritual activities requires use of rel igious songs or mambos, which reinforces the use of the ritual language. The Palo Mayombe is a participatory religion, where each munanso member participates in ritual activities, ritual songs and various tasks during initiation ceremonies. Although it is a participatory religion, few members are destined to undertake prominent roles (Conrad, 1983, p. 346) Learning is essential in knowledge transfer and requires healthy relationships between the palores, the ahijados and the padrino/madrina. These relationships provide the means through which the Palo Mayombe practices are learned organized and replicated in each mananso. The number of the ahijados in each munanso is different led by religious leaders who instruct them, and in the process, they build a social network. Normally, a munanso in Palo Mayombe consists of family members and a few intimate friends. The predecessors or the godfathers pass on distinctive Munanso’s practices from one generation to the next, which form t he precise foundation of religious identity. Though munansos are largely distinct, some munansos bear similarities and common histories of beliefs and practices. Often, multiple interactions involving people from different munansos represents the solidarity in Palo Mayombe (Cervantes, 1994, p. 127). However, sometimes the paleros possess multiple religious identities such as catholic and santero, which illustrates the multiple religiosities of the Afro-Cuban people and cultures. Conclusion The Palo Mayombe is one of the many variants of Congo-inspired religious cults otherwise known as Reglas de Congo. The Reglas de Kongo or the Kongo law refers to the Palo society that comprise of the Palo Mayombe. The Palo Mayombe practices, most distinctively, involve working or wondering with the dead or dead spirits (kalunga el muerto). Their initiation ceremonies conducted by a palero or a spiritual priest are also distinctive and various items are required for constructing cauldrons or  "ngangas† for healing or harming. The dead spirits are housed in a â€Å"munanso†, which also signifies a religious society comprising of palero and aihijados. In Palo Mayombe, the magic and casting of spells for healing or harming others involve communication with the dead or dead spirits. Reference List Bockie, S. (1993). Death and the Invisible Powers: The World of Kongo Belief.  Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. Brandon, G. (1991). The Uses of Plants in Healing in an Afro Cuban Religion, Santeria.  The Journal of Black Studies, 22 (1), 55-76. Brown, J. (1998). Black Liverpool, Black America, and the Gendering of Diasporic Space. Cultural Anthropology, 13(3), 291-325. Brown, D. (2003). Santeria Enthroned: Art, Ritual and the Innovation in an Afro-Cuban  Religion. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Bueno, G. (2000). An Initiation Ceremony in Regla de Palo. Gainesville: University of Florida. Cervantes, F. (1994).The Devil in the New World. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. Clark, M. (2005).Where Men are Wives and Mothers Rule: Santeria Ritual Practices and  Their Gender Implications. Gainesville: University of Florida Press. Conrad, J. (1983). Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer. New York: Signet Classics. Moore, R. (1997). Nationalizing Blackness: AfroCubanismo and Artistic Revolution in  Havana, 1920-1940. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press. Verger, P. (1984). Latin America in Africa. In Africa in Latin America: Essays on History,  Culture and Socialization: 273-285. New York: Holmes Meier Publishers, Inc.

Book Review of Robert Klitgaard's Tropical Gangsters Essay

Book Review of Robert Klitgaard's Tropical Gangsters - Essay Example The book tells the story of the author who, equipped with his surfboard and a $10-million-dollar loan from the World Bank, makes an attempt to rehabilitate the ruined economy of Equatorial Guinea, one of the most backward countries in the world. Robert Klitgaard, a Harvard-trained economist, in the story, deals with several important questions which are relevant to much of the world. "As in most other countries carrying out free market reforms, Equatorial Guinea's leaders have not always known quite how to make the new strategy work - or, in some cases, whether they should really try. This ignorance and reluctance, though extreme, are in many ways prototypical, and they raise general questions. How does one go about assessing an economy's strengths and weaknesses How does one go about developing the institutions needed to make free markets work And how can one help recalcitrant, inefficient, sometimes corrupt government move forward" (Klitgaard, ix-x) Apart from these essential quest ions, the author also deals with the important role of international aid which further gives rise to new questions. Thus, the author investigates the creative possibilities and inherent limitations of outside assistance, the tensions between aid and dependency, between benevolence and autonomy, and the possible ways of action in this context. In the context of economic and political changes taking place in Africa, Robert Klitgaard is engaged in a fascinating and compelling account of his two-and-a-half-year adventure in Equatorial Guinea and it provides an insightful explanation of why foreign aid often fails to achieve its goals. In the book Tropical Gangsters: One Man's Experience with Development and Decadence in Deepest Africa, Klitgaard, who is the former head of a multi-million dollar economic development program in the Equatorial Guinea, convincingly gives an account of his struggles against government corruption, capitalist adventures, and bankrupt economic theories. The narrator was sent as an economist-consultant to Equatorial Guinea, a small West African nation which is one of the poorest countries of the world, by the World Bank in 1985. Klitgaard has been highly effective in blending his personal reminiscence and economic analysis in his engaging memoir of his two-and-a-half-year struggle to rehabilitate the local economy. In the background of the modern tendency to move toward the free market across the world, the author suggests how the countries of Africa welcomed free market for economic development. "Africa has been the vanguard of a worldwide movement away from state-controlled economies and toward the free market. For years the prevailing wisdom concerning economic development advocated an interventionist state. Government should be the mobilizers and managers of resources. In contrast, the new movement says that the private sector is the key to economic growth, and downplays the state's role as mobilizer and manager." (Klitgaard, 7) Thus, the author deals with the various aspects of the backward economies of the African countries and he makes exceptional note of lethargy, corruption, and adventurism as the basic issues affecting the progress of these economies. In his analyses of the economic problems facing Equatorial Guinea, Klitgaard focuses on cogent and convincing issues such imports outstripping exports, lack

Sexuality in Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sexuality in Islam - Essay Example Allah has described very dreadful punishments both in this world and in the world hereafter for the people who practice homosexuality. Allah says in the Quran, â€Å"What! Of all creatures do ye come unto the males, and leave the wives your Lord created for you? Nay, but ye are forward folk† (Qur'an 26:165 cited in â€Å"Islam and Homosexuality†). The people of Hazrat Lut (P.B.U.H.) practiced homosexuality. They practiced it both indoor and in the public. Prophet Lut (P.B.U.H.) repeatedly told them to stop this practice, but they would not listen, thus inviting the wrath of Allah and one day, those people were all destroyed together by Allah. Islam condemns homosexuality because it has myriad evil consequences. Homosexuality distorts the family system and deprives people of their gender traits. Islam allows the man to marry no more than four women at one time. Polygamy has been practiced by a lot of prophets in the history of Islam. Prophet Abraham, Prophet Moses, Proph et Jacob, and the Prophet Solomon had three, two, four, and 700 wives respectively (â€Å"An Introduction to Polygamy†). Critics say that if man is allowed to keep four wives at one time, the woman should also be allowed to keep up to four husbands at one time. But polygamy is in no circumstances allowed for the women in Islam. This makes sense. When a man marries four women, the child any of the wives would bear would be certainly his. On the contrary, when a woman makes love with more than one man at a time, there is no certainty in the child’s belongingness to a particular man unless the child is genetically tested. In addition to that, women generally outnumber men. Thus, when a man marries more than once, more women are likely to get married in their life than otherwise. Although polygamy for men is allowed in Islam, yet it is not practiced equally in all Islamic countries. Polygamy is so well-practiced by the Muslims in the Arabia, that it has also become a cultu ral trait. Polygamy is so ingrained in the Arab culture that a man keeps all the wives in the same home but in different rooms. In many Muslim countries including India and Pakistan, women cannot stand another wife of their husband. They cannot share their husband’s love with another woman. This is the reason why practicing polygamy for a Muslim man in these counties exposes him to a lot of cultural and social issues, though he is religiously justified as long as he does justice to all of the wives. There is a very sheer population of Muslim men in India and Pakistan that have more than one wife at the same time. This is purely a cultural issue. In these countries, women cannot even bear a look of their husband’s wife, what to talk of living in the same home like the Arabian women do. It is noteworthy that while Islam allows the man to keep up to four wives at one time, Islam also obliges the man to do justice to each of the four. This essentially means that a man has to distribute equal amount of money, time and assets among the wives. If a man has two wives and he lives with one more than the other, he is doing injustice and will be held accountable for his actions on the doom’s day. There are no age restrictions in marriage in Islam. A man can get married to an elder woman and so can a woman. Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) was only 25 years old when he was proposed by Hazrat Khadija (P.B.U.H.) who was 40 years old at

Type and density of liquid Essay Example for Free

Type and density of liquid Essay These are the variables that I could choose to focus on. I have chosen to focus and adapt on the idea of insulation. Prediction I predict that the more insulation (layers) there is, the smaller the reduction in heat. I think this because when the outside air tries to touch the container to cool it, it will be stopped by the insulation, so it will take longer to cool. Also, when heat tries to escape from the container, it will go into the first layer of insulation, which will then absorb the heat. It would then still keep the container warm, not letting as much heat out as fast. I also predict that if I have a lid it will take even longer to cool, because, as you can see in the picture below, evaporation will also take place. If I have a lid, the heat will then be stopped from escaping into the air through the top. As shown below- Equipment   Timer- this is to time the amount of time the liquid is in the container. This will make sure that the time will be the same for each experiment.   Data logger and Thermometer- this is to take the temperature of the water. I will use two forms of identifying the temperature. This way I can compare the two results and see if there are any drastic differences. Also, a datalogger is accurate, but I will still use a thermometer to back up my results.   Insulation Material- I am going to use a foam type material as my insulation.   Clamp- I will use a clamp to hold both the datalogger and thermometer above the container.   Container- I am going to use a glass beaker to hold the liquid. I am using this instead of a polystyrene cup, because the cup would hold residue heat, which would affect our results. Also a polystyrene cup is already quite insulated. * Kettle- this is to heat the liquid before I put it in the container. I will clean out the kettle, to make sure there is no black, therefore the heat will be reflected back into the kettle, instead off being absorbed. This should help it to reach its highest temperature. I will make sure that there is 1litre of water in the kettle each time put it on to boil. Measuring Apparatus- I will put the water directly into the glass beaker, measuring it in there. Lid- To put over the glass beaker to try and prevent evaporation. Fair Testing and Other Factors that need to be controlled There are things that I will need to try and make sure are the same throughout my experiment. These are: Amount of liquid- I will have to make sure that each time I refill the glass beaker I have the same amount of liquid. To do this I will measure it in some measuring apparatus. Each time I will use the same type and size of measuring apparatus, for the same accuracy. To make this even fairer I will simply measure the amount of water in my glass beaker, so I know that it will always be the same. Temperature of surroundings- there is not much I can do to control this, but to make sure there is no drastic change, I will stay away from radiators and places in direct sunlight. Shape, Colour, Size, Surface Area and Thickness of container- will have to be the same throughout my experiment to keep it fair and to get reliable results. For instance, if I had a different colour container each time I did my experiment it would affect my results. This would be, because instead of reflecting the heat back in, if I had a black container it would absorb the heat. To make sure of this I will use the same container each time.   Temperature of liquid to start- I will try to keep the around the same. If I cannot keep the temperature the same I will just measure the difference between the two (start and end). Type and Density of Liquid- I will keep using the same type of liquid throughout my experiment because some types may loose heat at a different rate than others. I will use water because it is easily available, and it is the same each time.   Surface container is on- will have to be the same. If for example I was to put it on a foam surface one day, and something different another day, it would affect how much heat is lost. This is due to the surface acting as insulation.   Lid- I am going to use a lid each time. This should stop a lot of heat reduction through evaporation, which I have already explained in my prediction.

The Ubiquitous Media Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Topics

The Ubiquitous Media    The news media is an ubiquitous presence in our times. Whether it is the switching of a television channel, turning a radio dial, signing on the Internet, or glancing at a newspaper, the media is present. It is a social infrastructure that was created to inform citizens of happenings, but has now become a multi-billion dollar association of corporations and advertising agencies. The real price of the media is incalculable because of how it shapes and molds our views of the world. This influence for the most part is positive and horizon expanding but may have negative connotations.    The news media is limitless. It provides for me all the basic factual information I need in order to be an informed citizen. By reading a newspaper or watching the evening news, I gain a wider view of the world. My opinions are formed partly by the news because of the facts given. My viewpoints are not formed entirely by the news media though; there is a definite difference between believing and simply listening.    Some of America tends to be easily inf...

Brutus in an Honorable Man.

Estne Virtus? Confucius said that, â€Å"People with virtue must speak out; people who speak are not all virtuous. † Confucius lived in China around 500 BCE and voiced novel opinions on virtue, politics, ethics, and other abstract ideas. Even today, thousands of years later, many people believe in Confucianism. Confucius was very vocal. In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar no man is more vocal than Brutus. He assassinates Caesar, pleads to the people for their support, and conducts war with Octavian and Marc Anthony. But is he virtuous? Brutus is not necessarily virtuous; he does all of these actions to gain glory and to show his virtue. Everyone should aspire to be virtuous. However, as seen by Marc Antony and Cassius manipulating Brutus and Brutus’s death, excessive pursuit of virtue can be detrimental. Brutus’s excessive obsession for virtue leads to his failure. Brutus loves Julius Caesar; however Cassius manages to turn Brutus against Caesar by taking advantage of Brutus’s obsession with virtue. Cassius urges Brutus to â€Å"think of the world† and kill Caesar for the good of Rome (1. 2 329). Cassius explains to Brutus that Caesar must be killed in order to preserve Rome, and not because of any other reason, like Cassius’s jealousy. Cassius explains that Caesar is unfit, saying that â€Å"Caesar cannot even swim†, and unworthy to rule Rome, saying that Brutus is more fit. Brutus does not respond to the statements made by Cassius, and draws more attention to the â€Å"general shout[s]† of the people (1. 2 139). Brutus avoids the questions and must â€Å"recount hereafter† of Cassius’s reasoning, Brutus needs time to consider if the conspiracy is virtuous or not (1. 2 174). If virtuous, then he will act. Although Brutus does admit that â€Å"Brutus had rather be a villager / than to repute himself a son of Rome / under these hard conditions at this time / is like to lay upon us† (1. 181-184). Brutus dislikes the dishonor that the tyranny of Caesar brings to Rome. He thinks it detracts from his own virtue. He cares for his virtue. Later on, Cassius also sends letters to Brutus posing as Roman citizens. Cassius gives Brutus the impression that citizens beg him to â€Å"speak, stri ke, and redress† (2. 1 49). When Brutus thinks that the people want Caesar to fall, Brutus tells himself that he joins the conspiracy for the people. In actuality, he joins the conspiracy not to preserve the Republic but to show virtue, to look better, more virtuous, in the eyes of the Roman people. Brutus is not concerned for the people, but for his image when he joins the conspiracy. Brutus should kill Marc Antony when he has the chance, and not be so concerned for his own image. For instance, when Cassius proposes to Brutus that they kill Antony along with Caesar, Brutus thinks that by killing Antony the people will look to him as â€Å"butcher† and not a â€Å"sacrificer† (2. 1 179). Instead, Brutus wants the conspirators to â€Å"[appear] to the common eyes† as â€Å"purgers, not murderers† (2. 1 192 193). This shows that Brutus bases his choices on whether or not people would view him as virtuous. Although, he acts foolishly, for he not only prevents the conspirators from killing Antony, he allows Antony, Caesar’s right hand man, to speak last in Caesar’s funeral. To Brutus, Antony â€Å"can do nothing more than Caesar’s arm / When Caesar’s head is cut off† (2. 1 195-196). Brutus lets Antony speak because it would be viewed as an act of kindness and forgiveness to what was an enemy previously. When Antony enters the pulpit after Brutus, he wins the crowd and convinces them of the conspiracy’s evil. The crowd, the Roman people, now want to set â€Å"fire [to] the traitors’ houses† (3. 269). Brutus thinks he fights for the people, though the people think otherwise. If Brutus had killed Antony, and not been so concerned about virtue, Brutus would have been able to remain in Rome, remain loved by his people. Brutus commits suicide because he believes that doing so will cause people will think of him as virtuous. Brutus is lef t to fight Antony and Octavian by himself at Philippi because Cassius kills himself. Knowing the circumstances, Brutus would rather â€Å"leap in [the pit himself]† than â€Å"tarry till they push [him]† (5. 28-29). Brutus would just as soon kill himself than have himself killed. His reasoning come from the Roman belief that when a person faces dishonor, maybe a military loss, killing oneself is a virtuous way to still obtain honor in spite of what occurred. He declares â€Å"I love / the name of honor more than [he] fear[s] death† and so he runs onto his sword (1. 2 95-96). In doing so Brutus has now doomed the preservation of the Republic for the people. If Brutus had cared for the people, he would have continued to fight for them. Brutus shows that, ontrary to what he says, he has the most concern for his own image and not the well-being of the Roman people. Brutus is a selfish man, not a virtuous man. Brutus fails not because he obtains an excessive amount o f virtue, but because he hunted for virtue excessively. He hunts for glory and virtue so obsessively that he loses sense of what he believes in. Brutus is known to many as the man of great virtue. Although, the virtue of Brutus is forced, unnatural. In the end, this in itself is not virtuous. Virtue, or any characteristic, comes from the manner in which an action is performed and not the result. Odysseus is a similar man. He does many virtuous acts, although he acts knowingly that his effect, the result of his actions, will be virtuous. Odysseus took on both Scylla and Charybdis, evil sea monsters, so he himself could demonstrate his superior virtue. Many of his shipmates, and nearly himself, are killed. Odysseus survives become more â€Å"virtuous,† more â€Å"honorable,† for surviving both monsters. Although, if one looks towards how these men performed these actions, they see no virtue. After all, it is not what one does, but how one does it.