As You Like It - the Play Essay Example for Free

As You Like It the Play Essay As You Like It is considered by many to be one of Shakespeares greatest comedies, and the heroine, Rosalind, is praised as one of his most inspiring characters and has more lines than any of Shakespeares female characters. Rosalind, the daughter of a banished duke falls in love with Orlando the disinherited son of one of the dukes friends. When she is banished from the court by her usurping uncle, Duke Frederick , Rosalind switches genders and as Ganymede travels with her loyal cousin Celia and the jester Touchstone to the Forest of Arden, where her father and his friends live in exile. Observations on life and love follow (including love, aging, the natural world, and death) friends are made, and families are reunited. By the plays end Ganymede, once again Rosalind, marries her Orlando. Two other sets of lovers are also wed, one of them Celia and Orlandos mean older brother Oliver . As Oliver becomes a gentler, kinder young man so the Duke conveniently changes his ways and turns to religion and so that the exiled Duke, father of Rosalind, can rule once again. All the world s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts As You Like It (Act II, Scene VII). Can one desire too much of a good thing? . As You Like It (Act IV, Scene I). True is it that we have seen better days. As You Like It Act II, Scene VII). For ever and a day. As You Like It (Act IV, Scene I). The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool. (Act V, Scene I). The play is fictitious, but shakespeare is said to have taken the traits if rosalind from Rosalynde by thomas lodge. One of Shakespeares early plays, As You Like It (1598-1599), is a stock romantic comedy that was familiar to Elizabethan audiences as an exemplar of Christian comedy. Although the play does include two offstage spiritual conversions, the Christian designation does not refer to religion itself. Instead, it denotes the restoration and regeneration of society through the affirmation of certain Christian values such as brotherly love, marital union, tolerance for different viewpoints, and optimism about life at large. The plot is very simple: the resolution of the dramatic problem in the warped attitudes of two evil brothers toward good brothers, and related obstacles to marriage for several couples in the play (most notably Rosalind and Orlando) are easily overcome, and a happy ending is never in doubt. On one level, the play was clearly intended by Shakespeare as a simple, diverting amusement; several scenes in As You Like It are essentially skits made up of songs and joking banter. But on a somewhat deeper level, the play provides opportunities for its main characters to discuss a host of subjects (love, aging, the natural world, and death) from their particular points of view. At its center, As You Like It presents us with the respective worldviews of Jaques, a chronically melancholy pessimist preoccupied with the negative aspects of life, and Rosalind, the plays Christian heroine, who recognizes lifes difficulties but holds fast to a positive attitude that is kind, playful, and, above all, wise. In the end, the enjoyment that we receive from the plays comedy is reinforced and validated by a humanistic Christian philosophy gently woven into the text by a benevolent Shakespeare.

Black Thunder :: Black Thunder Essays

Black Thunder In the year 1800 Thomas Jefferson was campaigning very hard against John Adams for the presidency of the United States. Across the Atlantic, in France, Napoleon Bonaparte had consolidated his leadership of France. Meanwhile, in Santo Domingo (later Haiti), Toussaint L'Ouverture, with the succor of his countrymen and tropical diseases, repelled 20,000 French troops and formed a new black republic. The exploits of Toussaint did not go unobserved by slaves in the United States, especially in Virginia's Henrico County. In Black Thunder, Gabriel's Revolt: Virginia: 1800, author Arna Bontemps tells us what legacy the age of revolution brought to the slaves of Richmond. The chief character and leader of the slaves is Gabriel, the youngest of three brothers. although he is the biggest and strongest of the three. Gabriel and his brothers, Martin and Soloman, are the property of plantation owner Thomas Prosser. Gabriel's ascendancy to the leadership role of the slaves is secured when he bests Ditcher, a huge slave, who defeated Soloman and Martin in previous combats. Gabriel's' awakening and enlightenment to freedom starts and grows from his many trips into Richmond as Mr. Prosser's carriage driver. In Richmond, Gabriel makes it his duty to eavesdrop on the conversation of M. Cruezot and Alexander Biddenhurst, Frenchmen whose discourses are often laced with phrases of equality and liberty. These Frenchmen are referred to as Jacobins by the whites. Moreover, Gabriel and others are regularly listening to a freed slave, Mingo's reading of the Bible; they find passages about the Children of Israel's deliverance from Egypt and David's slaying of Goliath interesting. The slaves consider themselves another Children of Israel in another time. With a natural yearning to be free, and the enlightenment to reinforce and fuel his urge, Gabriel starts to lay a plan to smash the shackles that bind him. Everything is in place, the revolt is poised to be executed, but the unexpected and most unwelcome thing happens -- a thunderstorm. The streams become inundated, the roads turn into rivers of mud, and Gabriel's legions are bogged down, unable to rendezvous with him. The torrential rain breeds superstition and it in turn breeds desertion. Some of the slaves say the stars are against them, and others question the rightness of their mission. A dwindling force is not one that insures victory, so Gabriel postpones the revolt to await more favourable weather. During this time, Pharaoh and Ben, two slaves who are assigned the task of rallying support from the slaves of Carolina County, are having second thoughts about going through with the plan.

Islam Religion Dbq

3/4/11 Islam DBQPer: 4 Islam was a fast spreading religion in a time when Christianity and other religions had already established themselves. Islam gained a reputation as a violent religion when it attacked and conquered areas, and made violent threats. Islam also presented itself as a religion of reward, equality, and protection. Once Islam had established itself in so many areas, it used other techniques to keep their reign. The Muslims way of spreading and keeping their empire was what made it one of the most studied empires in history.Violent attacks and threats are a part of the history of Islam. One of the main reasons Islam even got its foot was the attack on Mecca that Muhammad led. Threats were sometimes used as a strategy to convert people, such as when Muhammad told the leader of the Christian Arab tribe: â€Å"Obey the Lord and his Apostle, and he will defend you†¦ But if ye oppose and displease them†¦ I will fight against you and take captive your little ones and slay the elder†. (Doc 1) There often did end up being battles between Muslims and the Non-Muslims.An excerpt from â€Å"History Today† said: â€Å"Koranic revelation commanded them to â€Å"Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do not be the aggressors† (Doc5). The Islamic power was rapidly rising as it continued the conquests. With so much power, many people may have converted out of fear of them. The strong force the Muslims presented was enough to convert many people. Sir Edward Crecy describes the Battle of Tours â€Å"everything gave way to their [swords]†¦ all the nations of the Franks trembled at that terrible army†¦ attacked Tours†¦ nd the fury and cruelty of the Moslems towards the inhabitants of the city were like the fury and cruelty of raging tigers. †(Doc 4). Like any other religion, Islam promised rewards for obeying its laws and believing. The Qur’an says â€Å"whoever shall obey God and His Apostle, he shall bring him into the gardens of [Paradise]. †(Doc 2) Other religions at this time also had some form of heaven, but this seemed much simpler than a Karma cycle, and was very appealing. A life after death has always been a fascinating mystery to many of mankind, and the idea of the paradise is often mentioned in Islam.Other rewards, like money, were what motivated many conquests in the first place. In the History of the Arabs, it says â€Å"the objective in most cases being [riches] and not the gaining of a permanent foothold† (Doc 7). Money was a definite and quick reward, unlike the promise of Paradise. Islam also promised protection and equality in the faith. The idea that men and women of any social class would be considered equal through their faith is cited in the History of the Arabs: â€Å"Their leader is like one of them: the low cannot be distinguished from the high, nor the master from the slave.And when prayer time comes, all wash their hands and feet and humbly pray. † (Doc 3) This kind of equality within a religion was introduced within Christianity as well. The two religions have many similarities, and a document on how the Christians and other faiths reacted to the new spread of Muslim power would have been useful. To fully understand the effects of the Islam Empire, the way people reacted or did not react to the new power is necessary. These original ideas of the Islam faith were what started the movement that became the vast empire.Islam gained its original followers not from force, but from the appeal of the religion. The ideology and beliefs are what makes Islam the second most popular religion in the world today. By 750 C. E the Islam Empire had spread all the way from Arabia through Africa to Spain. (Doc 8) They had gotten this far by violence and persuasion. Once they had established themselves, they had to find ways to keep their empire without protest. The reasons this was an empire were the conquests and power the Muslims had over Non-Muslims.Being a Muslim at this time meant protection, status, and security. The Non- Muslims were given rules they had to follow to secure their protection. A Muslim writer, Syed Ameer Ali writes â€Å"The Moslems, on the other hand, required from others a simple guarantee of peace, tribute in return for protection, or perfect equality- on condition of the acceptance of Islam†(Doc 6) Non-Muslims weren’t treated like some other empires had treated the conquered peoples.They were tolerant, and while they did try and convert many people, they allowed other monotheistic religions to remain. J. J. Saunders in â€Å"History Today† says â€Å"Mohammed respected the older monotheistic faiths†¦ he called them â€Å"People of the Book†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ they were not forced into Islam but were allowed to retain their ancestral religion on payment of tribute† (Doc 5) The Islam empire was unlike any other empire because it was not a country that was taking over but a religion.Therefore it had more potential to succeed because of their tolerance and belief. The spread of the Islam Empire was caused by many factors. Their violent conquests were what initially spread the empire. The rewards and appeal of the religion is what gave it its foothold and converted many people. The tolerance and belief is what kept the empire from crumbling for many years. The Muslims had cracked the code of empires. They knew how to spread and keep an empire quickly. The Islam Empire set its mark on history, and its effect is still seen today.

A Guide for Teachers Handling Challenging Parents

Dealing with difficult parents is virtually impossible for any educator to escape. As a school administrator or teacher, you arent always going to make everybody happy. You are in a position where it is sometimes necessary to make difficult decisions, and parents will sometimes challenge those decisions, especially when it comes to  student discipline  and  grade retention.  It is your job to be diplomatic in the decision-making process and to think through every decision without being rash. The following steps can be very helpful when  dealing with a difficult parent. Be Proactive It is easier to deal with a parent if you can build a relationship with them before a difficult situation arises.  As a school administrator or teacher, it is essential for a number of reasons to build relationships with the parents of your students. If the parents are on your side, then you typically will be able to do your job more effectively. You can be especially proactive by going out of your way to talk to those parents who have a reputation for being difficult. Your goal should always be to be friendly and personable. Show these parents that you make your decisions with your students best interests at heart. This is not the be-all and end-all solution to dealing with difficult parents, but its a good start. Building relationships takes time, and its not always easy, but it can certainly help you in the long run. Be Open-Minded Most parents who complain genuinely feel like their child has been slighted in some way. Although it is easy to be defensive, it is important to have an open mind and to listen to what the parents have to say. Try to see things from their perspective. Often when a parent comes to you with a concern, they are frustrated, and they need someone to listen to them. Be the best listener you can and respond in a diplomatic manner. Be honest and explain the thoughts behind your decision-making. Understand that you are not always going to make them happy, but you can try by showing them that you will take everything they have to say into consideration. Be Prepared It is critical that you be prepared for the worst possible situation when an angry parent comes into your office. You may have parents who storm into your office cursing and screaming, and you will have to handle them without losing control of your own emotions. If a parent is extremely agitated, you can politely ask them to leave and return once they have calmed down. Though a situation like this is rare, you should nevertheless be prepared for a student-teacher meeting that turns combative.  Always have some way to communicate with an administrator, teacher, secretary, or other  school personnel  just in case a meeting gets out of control.  You do not want to be locked in your office or classroom without a plan to get help should this kind of situation arise. Another important aspect of preparation is  teacher training. There are a handful of parents who will bypass a school administrator and go straight to the teacher with whom they have a problem. These situations can turn quite ugly if the parent is in a combative state.  Teachers should be trained to direct the parent to a  school administrator,  walk away from the situation, and immediately call the office to inform them of the situation. If students are present, the teacher should immediately take measures to secure the classroom as quickly as possible.