Epitaph on a Tyrant- a Critical Analysis - 759 Words

Epitaph on a Tyrant Wyston Hughes Auden, or WH Auden, was a British poet, often considered by critics to be one of the best England has ever produced. Auden’s work is known, not only for its remarkable poetic calibre and craftsmanship but also for his skilful portrayal of myriad themes- ranging from the political, social, ethical, to the moral and even the individual. One of Auden’s best known poems and written, interestingly when Adolf Hitler was at the peak of his power in Europe, is a short, six line piece entitled- â€Å"Epitaph on a Tyrant† The poem talks about a man- an anonymous â€Å"he†- a perfectionist whose poetry was understandable and who, himself, understood â€Å"human folly† and the human psyche like â€Å"the back of his hand†. He was†¦show more content†¦In fact, there are many critics who believe that this poem was Auden’s own epitaph on Hitler- a personal ode to the man who had wielded such power in the years of his dictatorship and played no small role in shaping the world as we know it today and they had known it then. However the poem doesnot restrict itself to a merely historical purview. Auden’s poetry is such that it can be analyzed and interpreted in many more ways than just one and these interpretations themselves can change over time and circumstance. Hence, Epitaph on a Tyrant, though it does, most definitely allude to Hitler, discusses, also the very nature of tyranny itself- and presents it as the dynamic, multifaceted phenomenon it really is. By using phrases such as â€Å"poetry† and â€Å"perfection† Auden portrays the tyrant, almost as a misunderstood artist- a man who wishes to achieve the ultimate in what he shapes, through his creative abilities. On the one hand, it is believed that Auden may be talking about a different sort of tyrant- a benevolent despot whose character and personality are such that people find joy in his laughter and die in the wake of his grief. A man, who through his charisma, alone, brings together multitudes and in his knowledge regardin g human folly and his effective use of it, binds them together and achieves that elusive â€Å"perfection†- thereby rendering the phrase tyrant- ironic and obsolete. On the other hand, however, Auden couldShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Poem Ozymandias 1512 Words   |  7 Pageswidely recognized as one of the greatest Egyptian pharaohs and is sometimes referred to as â€Å"Ramses the Great† due to his many accomplishments; however, throughout the ages, his physical legacy is slowly succumbing to deterioration. There are many critical reviews of this poem; however, the profound sense of irony that is conveyed is the one that resonates the greatest. Irony, as used in literature, is defined as, â€Å"a technique of indicating, as through character or plot development, an intention orRead MorePoems with Theme with Life and Death and Their Analysis8446 Words   |  34 PagesEI WAI KHAING AN ANALYSIS OF THEMES ON LIFE AND DEATH OF SOME POEMS Abstract: Some basic elements of poem and types of poem are included in this paper. Although there are countless number of poems on Life and Death, only the ones which seem noteworthy are studied and analysed in terms of themes. Different opinions of different poets on life and death found in their poems are also presented and contrasted in this paper. This paper

Carhartt Is A Clothing And Boot Company - 971 Words

Carhartt has many interesting advertisements, but one stood out as a unique image. Carhartt is a clothing and boot company that sells clothing that are mainly used by the working class people. Carhartt has been around since 1889, and they have made clothing for the working class since day one. In 2015 this advertisement was used by Carhartt to advertise their clothing. This advertisement is showing a guy swinging a hammer. The hammer in this picture has a long yellow handle and it is a twenty-pound sledgehammer. The guy is hitting the ground with the hammer. The guy is located on a construction site, so he is wearing the stereotypical clothing for a construction worker. The guy in the picture is wearing all Carhartt clothing. It is winter time in the picture, so the guy is wearing a thick green Carhartt jacket. He is wearing black Carhartt coveralls and tan Carhartt boots. It is kind of unusual, but the guy is wearing a pair of sunglasses in the image when it isn’t really even sunny in the image. There is snow on the ground, which indicates that this is taking place in the winter time. In the background it looks like there is some construction material like metal beams or maybe parts to an infrastructure of some kind. There is a ratcheted strap in the image, but it isn’t holding anything together. There is another ratchet strap that isn’t holding anything together in the front of the image. In the distant background there are some trees. This advertisement has the wordsShow MoreRelated L.L. Bean Essay1781 Words   |  8 Pageshundred pair of boots, to becoming one of America largest mail order retailer of high quality outdoor goods and apparel for men, women and children. Leon Leonwood Bean founded L.L. Bean in 1912; the company headquarters is in Freeport, Maine. Leon Leonwood Bean founded his business on a belief in honesty, commitment to quality, customer satisfaction and a passion for the outdoors. Leon Leonwood Bean was an avid outdoorsman that decided that he could improve on the typical hunting boots. He had a local

Fatherhood in Tartuffe and the Magic Flute free essay sample

Throughout history gender roles in society, as well as in the family unit, have changed. At the dawn of civilization many cultures were led my women in a matriarchal fashion (meaning that females held positions of power and influence over men). The logic behind this idea is one that is women are responsible for creating new life and bringing the next generation into the world, caring for their children and ensuring that our species lives on. It wasn’t until the importance of men in the reproductive process was realized that patriarchal (societies led by men) began to emerge. Once men had the power in the world, they would fight to hold on to it. Religion, â€Å"science†, and social structure would be used for thousands of years to keep women subservient to their male counterparts. As men took over, the structure of society and the family unit changed drastically. The role of fathers and father figures in the assigned readings so far shows different responsibilities owed to a father based on time period and society in which they live. In Mozart’s The Magic Flute, there is not a father characterized in the story, but Sarastro acts as a strong father figure to the protagonists. He is first introduced by the Queen of the Night as the villain of the tale who has kidnapped her daughter and must be punished. Tamino soon discovers it is The Queen of the Night who is evil and Sarastro is the pure one. When Tamino agrees to join the brotherhood, he falls under the authority of Sarastro. There are many references to or about the once secret society known as the â€Å"Freemasons† throughout this opera, the â€Å"brotherhood† is a direct representation of the masons and many of the trials they must go through for membership; with Sarastro representing the Master Mason. He may not be related to Tamino by blood, but as a religious leader, Sarastro holds many of the same duties to his followers as a father holds to his family. One of the perks of his power is the authority to punish and reward his followers as he sees fit. At the end of Act I, he demonstrates this by sentencing Monostatos to seventy-seven lashes and rewarding Tamino for his virtue with admission to the brotherhood, and upon completion of the trials, Pamina as his wife. The authority Sarastro has as his people’s ultimate religious authority allows him to govern as he sees fit, with control over his subjects. Much of the Queen’s hostility towards Sarastro is based on the fact that Sarastro inherited his position from Pamina’s father, Sarastro believes that Pamina is not safe in the care of her mother and uses his authority to save her from her mother, believing that the queen’s influence is not good for Pamina. He also intervenes to protect Pamina when Monostatos makes inappropriate advances toward her. Sarastro has inherited Pamina’s father’s title and along with it, he assumes certain fatherly characteristics, mainly the protective influence a father has over his family. Orgon, the father in Tartuffe, shows some similarities with Sarastro but with one major difference: Orgon uses his fatherly authority to force his daughter into an undesirable marriage. He has grown small-minded in his age and believes Tartuffe to be the poster child for humanity. Obviously, he wants Tartuffe to be a member of his family, and he does so by trying marrying his daughter off to Tartuffe. He tells Mariane â€Å"Yes, Tartuffe shall be allied by marriage to this family, and he’s to be you husband, is that clear? It’s a father’s privilege†. He is abusing the power given to him as Mariane’s father to impel her into a marriage with Tartuffe after he had already promised her to Valere. After much protest from just about everyone in his family failed, Elmire plots to reveal Tartuffe for the scoundrel he is. When the truth about Tartuffe is revealed, he reminds Orgon that everything he owned now belonged to Tartuffe and he tells Orgon to leave immediately. With this, Orgon looses any power he may have had left in his household. After Tartuffe has ruined everyone’s day, all seems lost to Orgon and his family until another father figure steps in to intervene. The King sends one of his personal bodyguards to arrest Tartuffe for a long list of crimes. At this point, Orgon, who’s fatherly authority has been exhausted, is overshadowed by the saving graces of his ruler. The King in Tartuffe is a character who joins the story very late, but is crucial for the conclusion of the tale. He does not show himself personally, as King he has other responsibilities than to directly oversee the arrest of a criminal. His â€Å"Officer† (a Lieutenant Colonel in the original text) arrives with Tartuffe under the ruse of arresting Orgon. The officer reveals himself as an agent of the king and acts as the arm of the king and arrests Tartuffe by royal authority, punishing him for his crimes. He then returns Orgon’s property to its rightful owner and pardon’s his crimes as reward for his â€Å"loyal deeds in the late civil war†. With Tartuffe arrested, the family is able to return to their normal lives and Valere and Mariane marry as they were meant to. The king, as the ultimate political authority, saves the day and concludes the play with his just judgements upon his subjects. Tartuffe himself is a father figure in his own regard as a clergyman (even as a fraudulent one). Religious leaders hold a certain power over their subjects, interpreting the will of their deity and communicating it to the common people. Orgon and Madame Pernelle’s inability to see through Tartuffe’s act as everyone else has is proof of the devotion they give to their spiritual leader. Whatever Tartuffe councils, they obey without question. This will get Orgon into trouble in the case of the strongbox which he entrusts to Tartuffe. Even when they are presented with evidence, the two refuse to accept that Tartuffe is anything but holy. It takes physical evidence seen by their own eyes to disprove their beliefs. Tartuffe’s priestly disguise holds power only because of title (even if it is counterfeit), and not because of any kind of lineage or appointment to leadership. Each of the aforementioned father figures share similar responsibilities in their respective family units. The king and Sarastro have much larger family units, but they have to care for and protect their people just as a father does. Tartuffe as an assumed priest in the Catholic Church bore the responsibilities of leading a catholic ? flock. It is said that a man’s house is his castle, and Orgon runs his castle with an iron fist, but he leads it nonetheless.

Essay on Drug Abuse and its Prevention Essay Example

Essay on Drug Abuse and its Prevention Essay Drug Abuse Essay A drug is a substance which may have medicinal, intoxicating, performance enhancing or other effects when taken or put into a human body or the body of another animal and is not considered a food or exclusively a food. I chose drugs that impact me a lot. It’s a sad fact that drugs are being abused among people not only in our country but also it is practiced by others especially the teenagers in our generation maybe because the lack of attention of parents to children or the friends were bad influence, but I believe it’s not excuse to be involved in such a situation like this. It is the choice of an individual whether he/she will be influenced by or follow what others do to make their lives miserable. Drug abuse is what I would consider a pretty severe problem we have here in the Philippines. There are many different types of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, and heroine to just list a few. These drugs are all fairly simple to produce. Teenage drug abuse Teenagers use drugs because they want to fit in. No one wants to be the only one not participating. No one wants to be left out. So sometimes they make bad decisions, like taking drugs, to cover-up their insecurities. * Because they want to escape or relax. * Because they think it makes them seem grown-up. * Because they want to rebel. Sometimes people turn to drugs not so much for themselves, but to make a statement against someone else, such as their families or society in general. * Because they are curious. Adolescents are curious about having new experiences. Seeing someone doing drugs makes them more curious to know how drugs will make them feel. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay on Drug Abuse and its Prevention specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Essay on Drug Abuse and its Prevention specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Essay on Drug Abuse and its Prevention specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It is important that kids are kept away from this type of environment. * Because of the Peer Pressure * Emotional pressure. Loneliness and depression raise emotional pressure, and some teens seek a chemical solution to this problem. * Because they are bored Often-bored-teen are 50 percent more likely than not often bored teens to smoke, drink, and use illegal drugs. Teens who cant talk to their parents are more likely to feel isolated, and use drugs. * Because they want attention. Ways to prevent drug abuse The reasons above should never be an excuse to abuse ourselves. While it’s practically impossible to prevent anyone and everyone from using drugs, there are things we can all do to avoid drug and/or alcohol abuse. By sharing this knowledge with those closest to you, you yourself may be able to prevent them from doing drugs, too. Good communication with all family members, especially with our parents would be one of the effective ways for us not to sort on taking drugs when it comes to dealing with our problems.