Thursday, April 30, 2020

the disease imagery in Hamlet serves to constantly Essay Example For Students

the disease imagery in Hamlet serves to constantly Essay dfd remind the reader of the initial problem in the play: King Hamlets poisoning by his brother. After hearing his father graphically describe the murder, it is constantly on Hamlets mind. For this reason, many of the images that Hamlet creates in the play are connected with disease and poison. The literal poisoning becomes symbolic of the rest of the events of the play. Remember that poisoning through the ear can be taken literally or figuratively (through speech and lies). Look at Poloniuss conversation with Ophelia about Hamlet, Claudius lies to Laertes and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. There are examples of decay imagery throughout the play. This is all shown in Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. These images of decay, disease, rankness, rot, and ulcers constantly pop up in the play. The idea of an ulcer that is constantly infecing and eating the body is also prevelant. Check out I. We will write a custom essay on the disease imagery in Hamlet serves to constantly specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now iv.23-38, II.ii.181, II. ii.250, II.ii.504. The dram of eale doth all the noble substance of a doubt to his own scandal That for some vicious mole of nature in them. Rosencranzs The cess of majesty Iv.iii A certain convocation of politic worms III.iv.144-9 It will but skin a film the ulcerous place.. . The images of disease all refer to the rottenness of court or the sin of Claudius ; Gertrude. Finally check out W.H. Clemens The Development of Shakespeares Imagery. It is a great resource. Hope that helped! C. Watts ed. , Hamlet, Harvester New Critical Introductions to Shakespeare (New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1988). S. Wofford ed., Hamlet (Boston, Mass. : Bedford Books, 1994) with accompanying essays. I took a Shakespeare class in high school (about two years ago). Out professor told us that the flowers signified the loss of Ophelias sanity caused by the rejection of her lover, Hamlet, and the murdering of her father, Polonius(sp?), by which Hamlet is guilty. Also, he said that it was questionable whether Ophelia took her own life, or accidentially fell in the water. I wanted to respond to Toms posting on Christian imagery in Hamlet. I thought he brought up some interesting points that I had overlooked in my reading. The idea of the Ghost of Hamlet as a parallel to the Holy Ghost is obvious to me. I agree with Tom in his description of what the Holy Ghost (spirit) is meant to be to us Christains. Along those same lines, the Ghost of Hamlet seems to have the same purpose in this play. He speaks to Hamlet without ever saying a word. He seems to guide him in his quest to revenge his death. Just as Christians are taught to feel the presence of the Holy Ghost, Hamlet feels the presence of his fathers Ghost. In the scene where he is argueing with Gertrude, Hamlet stops when he feels his fathers ghost. I believe he indeed felt his presence before he say him. There is no evidence in the text to support my claim, but it is just an interpretation I have. Another reference I like is our saviours birth is celebrated, (1672, line 140). This also to me shows how King Hamlet is often viewed as Christ-like. There seems to be a constant parallel between Christ and Hamlet throughout the play. Im not sure if this is direct or indirect. A scene that I felt also had strong Christian imagery in it was during Act IV. When Hamlet goes to see his mother, he seems to be on a mission. The entire play he has been more focused on showing her the error of her ways, than getting revenge on Claudius. This has a certain sence of Hamlet trying to be almost God-like. He attempts to show his mother a portrait of good vs. evil when he sets up the mirror to compare King Hamlet to Claudius. By doing this, he wants to point out the sins that Claudius (as well as Gertrude) have committed. At the same time, he wants to glorify his fathers perfect image. To me, Hamlet is attempting to show Gertrude the error of her ways in an almost Christ-like sence. .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4 , .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4 .postImageUrl , .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4 , .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4:hover , .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4:visited , .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4:active { border:0!important; } .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4 { 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; } .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4:active , .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4 .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; } .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4 .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud9cc96ac0b34b868df3c799133f059a4:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Albert Camus the Plague Essay He is overcome with the belief that everything he is doing is correct and good. I get the image of him trying to act like Jesus, a pure man in a group of sinners. Another issue in Hamlet that has been argued about comes during that same bedroom scene. Why can Hamlet see the Ghost and not his mother? At first, my answer is that since Hamlet is free of guilt towards his fathers death, he can see him. I had the impression that Shakespeare made the ghost only visible to him because Gertrude had sinned against him. I dont think this way anymore. If I base the fact that Hamlet sees the ghost because he is without sin, that argument can be taken away because Hamlet has just murdered Polonius. Polonius is an innocent man. Surely, this is a great sin in the mind of the ghost as well as in the mind of Hamlet. Polonius had done nothing to bring about the death of King Hamlet. This is where Hamlet begins his own downward spiral of sin. If he is after Claudius for comitting a sin, he is guilty of two murders to innocent people by the end of the play. Shakespeares Christian imagery in this play seems to be stronger than in any of the other plays we have covered so far. However, he does tend to slip in, either intentionally or not, a reference to God, Jesus or a Biblical passage in almost all of his plays. Is this his personal touch to his writings or was this a common theme for writers of this time period? Two images? Or two types of images? As far as types of images, you cant go wrong discussing images of decay/disease and images of warfare/violence. Images of decay include: Tis bitter cold/And I am sick at heart (I. i.8-9). the moist star/Upon whose influence Neptunes empire stands/ was sick almost to doomsday with eclips (I.i. 118-20). the world as an overgrown gardenthings rank and gross in nature possess it merely (I.ii.136) The canker galls the infants of the spring/Too oft before their buttons be disclosd (I. iii.39-40) About drinking in the general censure take corruption (I.iv.24-35) Something is rotten in the state of Denmark (I. iv.90) Though to a radiant angel linkd/Will sate itself in a celestial bed/and prey on garbage (I.v.55-7) Taint not thy mind (I. v.85) For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion (II.ii.181-2) Pestilent congregation of vapours (II. ii.302-3) my imaginations are as foul/as Vulcans stithy (III.ii.83-4) Tis now the very witching time of night/when churchyards yawn, and hell itself breathes out/contagion to this world (III. ii. 388-90) A mildewd ear/blasting his wholesome brother (III.iv.64-5). Nay, but to live/In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed,/Stewd in corruption, honeying and making love/Over the nasty sty! (III.iv.91-4) Lay not that flattering unction to your soul/That not your trespass but my madness speaks/It will but skin and film the ulcerous place/Whiles rank corruption, mining all within,/ Infects unseen (III.iv. 144-49). diseases desperate grown/By desperate appliance are relievd,/ Or not at all (IV.iii.8-10) For like the hectic in my blood he rages,/And thou must cure me (IV. iii.63-4) To my sick soul (IV.v.17) It warms the very sickness in my heart,/That I shall live and tell him to his teeth,/Thus didst thou.' (IV. vii.52-4) Ist not perfect conscience,/To quit him with this arm? and ist not to be damnd,/To let this canker of our nature come/ In further evil? (V.ii.67-70). After establishing that this pattern of imagery exists, its important to explain its meaning. Simply put, Shakespeare uses imagery to support the notion of corruption spreading throughout the Danish court. Its source is Claudius, who killed the rightful king and incestuously married Gertrude. It corrupts Gertrude (in her agreement to this incestuous union), Ophelia (in her agreement to allow her father and Claudius to spy on her meeting with Hamlet), Laertes (who falls from honor by deciding to use treachery and poison to kill Hamlet), Hamlet (who is disabled by his indecision), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (who are induced to spy upon Hamlet, who is supposed to be their friend). .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112 , .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112 .postImageUrl , .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112 , .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112:hover , .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112:visited , .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112:active { border:0!important; } .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112 { 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; } .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112:active , .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112 .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; } .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112 .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub2b643d43db1fec798b91633f850f112:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Coaching for competence Essay Hope this helps. It is an incidental comment from a minor character which lays down, in the opening moments of the play, that which is to pin together all its aspects. Francisco the guard says, I am sick at heart. Franciscos sick melancholy is faithful to the form which permeates the play unexplained, difficult to define, but with a clear sense of dread. And, typically, his expression of misgivings is misinterpreted, perhaps even underestimated Barnardo, seeking palpable reasons for Franciscos distraction, asks whether Francisco has had a quiet watch. Perhaps he wonders if the ghost has disturbed Francisco. Whatever is ailing Fransciso remains secret, simply becoming a part of the anxious atmosphere. Throughout the play we can trace a progression of corruption in almost all of the main characters. We are constantly reminded of this decay through the imagery used. It is a significant point that the ghost, the only character that could arguably be termed an outside objector, and who is certainly qualified to make some form of prophetic judgment, should be one of the prime sources of imagery of disease, poison and decay: Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole With juice of cursed hebona in a vial, And in the porches of y ears did pour The leperous distilment; whose effect Holds such an enmity with blood of man That swift as quicksilver it courses through The natural gates and alleys of the body, And with a sudden vigour it doth posset And curd, like eager droppings into milk, the thin and wholesome blood. So did it mine. And a most instant tetter barked about, Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust All my smooth body. A graphic description, with consideration given to the fact that only moments before the ghost had instructed Hamlet not to pity it! Perhaps the most immediately obviously corrupt character in Hamlet is Polonius. His corruption has occurred long before the play begins; the progression is in the extent to which it is revealed to us. From this courteous, almost comically long-winded member of the court, emerges a personality that is first dominating (as he instructs Laertes These few precepts in thy memory look thou character,), then clearly abusive (towards Ophelia: Affection? Pooh! You speak like a green girl,/Unsifted in such perilous circumstance,/Do you believe his tenders, as you call them? and soon I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth,/have you so slander and moment leisure/As to give works or talk with the Lord Hamlet./Look tot, I charge you. Come your ways.), then meddling and subversive, as he sets spies on his own son, and finally irredeemably and ultimately fatally corrupt and subversive, as he schemes and plots around Hamlet. His death physical corruption is a precusor, signifying to the audience the ultimate fate of all those characters exhibiting signs of corruption. snip Hamlet is finally separating his positive aspects which we have seen throughout the place O what a king is this, says Horatio of Hamlet, the observed of all observers from the circumstance and treachery against which they have struggled, and into which they have been entangled. Hamlet himself cannot not rule. He, too, has become corrupted, not in mind, but in history, by becoming the focus of the ancient revengers dilemma. Not taking revenge will reduce him and make him unfit for rule by his own standards.. . and taking revenge will do the same. Any action is morally dubious. Though Hamlet still maintains our sympathy at the end of the play, he has murdered five people and caused the suicide of one. But Hamlet can still decide Denmarks future, by effectively appointing a successor. Thus, the corruption dies with him; all the inevitable justice is carried out; and Hamlets legacy remains. From a morally dubious situation, Hamlet is able to wrest an honorable death, and the chance of stability for the future of his country.

Saturday, March 21, 2020

Biography of Damien Hirst, British Contemporary Artist

Biography of Damien Hirst, British Contemporary Artist Damien Hirst (born June 7, 1965) is a controversial contemporary British artist. He is the best-known member of the Young British Artists, a group that shook up the U.K.s art scene in the 1990s. Some of Hirsts most famous works feature dead animals preserved in formaldehyde. Fast Facts: Damien Hirst Occupation: ArtistKnown For: Key member of the Young British Artists and the creator of controversial, sometimes shocking artwork.Born: June 7, 1965 in Bristol, EnglandEducation: Goldsmiths, University of LondonSelected Works: The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1992), For the Love of God (2007)Notable Quote: I was taught to confront things you cant avoid. Death is one of those things. Early Life and Career Damien Hirst (born Damien Steven Brennan) was born in Bristol and grew up in Leeds, England. His mother later described him as a morbid child, interested in grisly and gruesome images of disease and injury. These subjects would later inform some of the artists iconic works. Hirst had several run-ins with the law, including two arrests for shoplifting. He failed numerous other academic subjects, but he succeeded in art and drawing. Damien attended the Jacob Kramer School of Art in Leeds, and in the late 1980s, he studied art at Goldsmiths, University of London. In 1988, in his second year at Goldsmith, Damien Hirst organized an independent student exhibition titled Freeze in an empty London Port Authority building. It was the first significant event organized by a group that would become known as the Young British Artists. The final version of the exhibition included two of Hirsts iconic spot paintings: multicolored spots on white or near-white backgrounds painted by hand with glossy house paint. International Success Damien Hirsts first solo exhibition, In and Out of Love, took place in an empty shop on Woodstock Street in central London in 1991. During that year, he met the Iraqi-British businessman Charles Saatchi, who became a primary patron. Saatchi offered to fund any art that Hirst wanted to create. The result was a work titled The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living. It consisted of a shark preserved in formaldehyde inside in a tank. The piece was part of one of the first Young British Artists exhibitions at the Saatchi Gallery in 1992. As a result of the media attention surrounding the piece, Hirst earned a nomination for the U.K.s Turner Prize for distinguished young artists, but he lost to Grenville Davey. In 1993, Hirsts first major international work at the Venice Biennale was titled Mother and Child Divided. The work included a cow and a calf cut into sections and exhibited in separate tanks. The next year, Hirst exhibited a similar piece: Away from the Flock, which featured a sheep preserved in formaldehyde. During the exhibition, the artist Mark Bridger entered the gallery and poured black ink into the tank, then offered a new title for the work: Black Sheep. Bridger was prosecuted, but at Hirsts request, his sentence was light: two years of probation. In 1995, Damien Hirst won the Turner Prize. In the latter half of the decade, he presented solo shows in Seoul, London, and Salzburg. He also branched out into directing music videos and short films, and he formed the band Fat Les with actor Keith Allen and Alex James of the rock group Blur. By the end of the decade, the Young British Artists, including Hirst, were seen as a key part of the mainstream art scene in the U.K. Later Career On September 10, 2002, the day before the one-year anniversary of the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attacks in New York City, Hirst released a statement describing the attacks as kind of like an artwork in its own right. The outrage was quick and severe. A week later, he issued a public apology. After meeting Joe Strummer of the band The Clash in 1995, Damien Hirst became good friends with the guitarist. In late 2002, Strummer died of a heart attack. Hirst stated it had a powerful effect: It was the first time I felt mortal. In March 2005, Hirst exhibited 30 paintings at the Gagosian Gallery in New York. They took over three years to complete and were based on photos taken mostly by assistants but finished by Hirst. In 2006, he introduced the work: A Thousand Years (1990). It contains a life cycle of maggots hatching inside a box, turning into flies, and feeding on a bloody, severed cows head in a glass display case. The case included buzzing live flies, many of which were electrocuted in a device designed to ward off insects. The famed artist Francis Bacon praised A Thousand Years (1990) in a letter to a friend a month before he died. In 2007, Hirst presented the piece For the Love of God, a human skull copied in platinum and studded with over 8,600 diamonds. The only part of the original skull included are the teeth. The price for the work was $100,000,000. No one bought it at the original exhibition, but a consortium that included Hirst himself purchased it in August 2008. Praise and Criticism Damien Hirst has earned praise for drumming up new interest in the arts through his celebrity persona and sense of the dramatic. He helped bring the British art scene back to prominence internationally. His supporters, including his benefactor Saatchi and many other noted artists, say that Hirst is a showman, but that getting the attention of the public is essential. He is sometimes mentioned in the company of 20th-century masters like Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock. However, detractors question whether there is anything artistic about dead, preserved animals. Brian Sewell, an Evening Standard art critic, said that Hirsts art is no more interesting than a stuffed pike over a pub door. A 2009 Hirst show titled No Love Lost, which featured his paintings, received almost universal criticism. His efforts were described as shockingly bad. Plagiarism Controversy In 2000, designer Norman Emms sued Damien Hirst over the sculpture Hymn, which was a reproduction of the Young Scientist Anatomy Set, designed by Emms and manufactured by Humbrol. Hirst paid an out-of-court settlement to two charities and Emms. In 2007, artist John LeKay, a former friend of Hirst, claimed that the inspiration for many of Hirsts works came from the Carolina Biological Supply Company catalog. He also claimed that the diamond-encrusted skull titled For the Love of God was inspired by LeKays own crystal skull work in 1993. In response to a number of other claims of copyright infringement or outright plagiarism, Hirst said, As a human being, as you go through life, you just do collect. Personal Life Between 1992 and 2012, Hirst lived with his girlfriend, Maia Norman. They have three sons: Connor Ojala, Cassius Atticus, and Cyrus Joe. Hirst is known to spend much of his private time at a farmhouse in Devon, England. He also owns a large compound in Mexico where multiple artists help carry out his projects at his art studio. Source Gallagher, Ann. Damien Hirst. Tate, 2012.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

The Importance of the Supply and Demand Model

The Importance of the Supply and Demand Model Forming the basis for introductory concepts of economics, the supply and demand model  refers to the combination of buyers preferences comprising the demand and the sellers preferences comprising the supply, which  together determine the market prices and product quantities in any given market. In a capitalistic society, prices are not determined by a central authority but rather are the result of buyers and sellers interacting in these markets. Unlike a physical market, however, buyers and sellers don’t have to all be in the same place, they just have to be looking to conduct the same economic transaction. It’s important to keep in mind that prices and quantities are the outputs of the supply and demand model, not the inputs. It’s also important to keep in mind that the supply and demand model only applies to competitive markets - markets where there are many buyers and sellers all looking to buy and sell similar products. Markets that don’t satisfy these criteria have different models that apply to them instead. The Law of Supply and The Law of Demand The supply and demand model can be broken into two parts: the law of demand and the law of supply. In the law of demand, the higher a suppliers price, the lower the quantity of demand for that product becomes.  The law itself states, all else being equal, as the price of a product increases, quantity demanded falls; likewise, as the price of a product decreases, quantity demanded increases. This correlates largely to the opportunity cost of buying more expensive items wherein the expectation is that if the buyer must give up consumption of something they value more to buy the more expensive product, they will likely want to buy it less. Similarly, the law of supply correlates to the quantities  that will be sold at certain price points. Essentially the converse of the law of  demand, the supply model demonstrates that the higher the price, the higher the quantity supplied because of an increase in business revenue hinges upon more sales at higher prices.   The relationship between supply in demand relies heavily on maintaining an equilibrium between the two, wherein there is never more or less supply than demand in a marketplace.   Application in Modern Economics To think of it in modern application, take the example of a new DVD being released for $15. Because market analysis has shown that current consumers will not spend over that price for a movie, the company only releases 100 copies because the opportunity cost of production for suppliers is too high for the demand. However, if the demand rises, the price will also increase resulting in higher quantity supply. Conversely, if 100 copies are released and the demand is only 50 DVDs,  the price will fall to attempt to sell the remaining 50 copies that the market no longer demands.   The concepts inherent in the supply and demand model further provide a backbone for modern economics discussions, especially as it applies to capitalist societies. Without a fundamental understanding of this model, it is almost impossible to understand the complex world of economic theory.

Monday, February 17, 2020

Visual analysis of biopic film 'Citizen Kane' and its underlying Essay

Visual analysis of biopic film 'Citizen Kane' and its underlying feature - Essay Example The film received nine Oscar nominations, but won only one for Best Original Screenplay (Citizen, 1997). The pessimistic theme of the spiritually failed man is illustrated from various unreliable points of view or perspectives, of different characters. This at times provides a contradictory and non-sequential portrait. The film illustrates the tragic story of a rags-to-riches child who was lucky to inherit a fortune. The child was taken by a wealthy banker, from his father, mother and humble surroundings. He was raised by the banker, and he eventually became a very wealthy, energetic and arrogant newspaperman. He built his reputation as a generous champion of the poor and the underprivileged in the society. This is because he had his mind focused on a political career (Jonathan, 2007). However, his political aspirations shuttered following the revelation of an improper love affair with a professional singer. The life of Kane was self-destructed due to the desire of fulfilling the ultimate American dream of power, success, wealth, fame, and immortality. Following his two failed marriages, he turned into a tyrannical monster. He spent his final days alone and unhappy (Christey, 2004). He met his death in a refuge of his desire, a magnificent castle filled with treasured possessions to make up for the emptiness in his life. The film created controversy before it was shown on May 1, 1941 in New York City. This is because it was believed to caricaturize and fictionalizes unique events and persons related to William Randolph Hearst (Higham, 1985). Hearst was a very powerful and influential publisher and newspaper magnate during that time. The controversy as a result of the film also entailed ruthless suppression during early 1941, due to FBI investigations, newspaper smears, intimidation, discrediting, and blackmail. The film faced accusations of

Monday, February 3, 2020

Using appropriate conceptual support, critically evaluate the City of Case Study

Using appropriate conceptual support, critically evaluate the City of Pittsburgh approach to cloud adoption. Were they successful in their cloud implementation Why or why not - Case Study Example Data and software packages are permanently kept in servers on the internet. It allows an access to information anywhere anytime as long as one has electronic devices like; desktops, tablets, computers, hand-held sensors and many others (latimes.com). The basic requirement to retrieve information from cloud is the internet connection. One must establish the internet connection either through wired or wireless internet or mobile broadband connection. You can now access the same information using different devices in a different location at different time. That is why it is the best option to use in your business as anyone who is connected to the internet can work on documents anytime anywhere. There are different types of clouds that depend on what one needs. Public cloud –if you want anyone who is internet connected can access the cloud space. Private cloud-is for specific individuals or organization. It can limited public access as one may be required to use passwords to access this type of cloud. Community cloud- is shared amongst two or more organizations that share similar cloud necessities. Hybrid cloud is a combination of two or more types of clouds. It is a mixture of public, private or communal. In this essay we are going to evaluate on how the City of Pittsburgh approached the cloud connectivity and if they were successful (Markoff, 2010). City of Pittsburgh needed the cloud computing to operate its numerous social activities including schools and recreation centers like football pitches and state of art hospitals, economic activities like steel mining and political activities in governance and administration of the city. The city had started experiencing problems like; employees increasingly demanding to use the mail services and the increase in the cost of maintaining the servers, underfunded retirement funds, rising cost

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Efficiency Reward Management in British Airways

Efficiency Reward Management in British Airways Competition in the airline industry has gone global and the market and industry dynamics have necessitated the need for companies to make concerted efforts streamlined towards ensuring that high quality goods and services are offered in the market at competitive prices. This has resulted in the adoption and implementation of several tools and strategies by British Airways geared towards the aforementioned goals attainment. One of the strategies that have been soundly embraced by British Airways is the effective and efficient management of human resource department in regards to the selection, recruitment and satisfaction of employees. This has been attained through an emphasis on work site wellness program within the company. These initiatives are aimed at enhance performance management within the company. Company Overview Stiff competition has pushed the airline industry to attain very high levels of service quality to their customers. British Airways has been left outside the bracket in this push to smoke away competition and remain a top provider of airline services. The market expectation levels are expected to improve with the increase in the complexity of travelers demands. British Airways has recognized that employees from its most prized assets and has attached the capacity to improve its performance on the ability to effectively and efficiently manage its of human resource department. The pivotal challenge faced by the company is its inability to become a truly transnational airline. The recent economic crunch, political uncertainties in the Middle East and managerial problems have negatively on its ability to improve on its current performance. However, despite the above challenges, Yahoo Finance (2010) illustrates that net profit for the company has improved from 72m Pounds in 2003 to $438 m in Pounds in 2007 and the earnings per share increased from 6.7 pence to 37.2 pence within the same period. Efficiency Reward Management in British Airways Reward management Chew and Teo (1991) state that a reward system expresses what an organization values and is prepared to pay for; it is governed by the need to reward the right things in order to convey the right message about what is important in terms of expected behaviors and outcomes. The importance of HRM has increased with time and the need to properly manage people is becoming a central focus within organizations today. This has precipitated competition amongst various organizations seeking to portray the best skills in peoples management. This has defined a new role for line managers whose roles in organizations have shifted from the traditional supervisory role to more advanced people resource management. To effectively take efficient steps in the recruitment and selection, employee relations, reward management, appraisal and performance reviews, line managers must receive the support of the HR specialists. The above discussions illustrate the high levels at which British Airways as gone to enhance high levels of performance through better rewards management. Reward systems within organizations are always based on how ones value to the organization. It is concerned with both financial and non-financial rewards and embraces the philosophies, strategies, policies, plans and processes used by organizations to develop and maintain reward systems. Most organizations make use of the term compensation to refer to pay or remuneration. There has been a noted problem with the term compensation in that it means rewards to the employee is only for making amends for the distasteful fact people have to work to make a living. In the analysis of Chew and Teo (1991) proposition for most people work is, in the main, a source for disutility, and they therefore require payment to compensate them for the time they devoted towards it. While this argument is true in its literal sense, it however fails to provide a complete definition of pay philosophy. This is because pay philosophy should take into consideration one competence and contribution, not just compe nsation simply because some none has worked for it. In appreciating that employee rewards takes into deep consideration of the organizations integrated policies and practices, rewards are best given according to market worth of an employee. In addition to that, the ones contribution, skills and competence should also form central measurements under which rewards systems can be based. The rewards scheme runs through the culture and philosophies of an organization and is developed within its framework with the aim of maintaining the best levels of pay, benefits, compensation and other forms of rewards. According to Carter (1988), reward system consists of financial (fixed or variable pay) and employee benefits, which together comprises the total remuneration. In addition to that, rewards system also encompasses non-financial components that include (recognition, praise, achievement, responsibility and personal growth). The non-financial components of rewards system also include performance management systems (Lafferty McMillan, 1989). The combination of the two; financial and non-financial rewards forms the total reward system. Deeper analyses of the reward systems reveal that it has five more components that include processes, practices, structures, schemes and procedures (Heskett, Sasser and Hart, (1990). The successful design, development and implementation of management decisions are very complex and at times daunting tasks for many managers especially when managing the most prizes assets of organization-employees. Usually, managers will be faced with daily problems that require the application of tools that will ensure for the successful operations irrespective of the sectors they manage such as the identification of the objectives of the organization, alternative means of achieving the stated objectives and the selection of the means that accomplish the objectives in the most efficient manner. The first process in the decision making process will entail the identification of the problem. The problem in dealing with employee rewards for the optimum benefit of the organization must enhance the ability of the organization to effectively achieve its objectives. Ideally, successful identification of the problem will encapsulate trying to delineate answers to questions such as what coul d be the causes of the problem, where this is happening, how it is happening, when it is happening, with whom it is happening, and why it is happening (MacNamara, 2008). In essence, this should be followed by an in-depth analysis of the delineation of the complexity of the problem, verification of the understanding of the problem; prioritization and understanding the role to be played towards the redress of the problem (Collins, 1987). In recognizing the fact that an organizations performance depends primarily on the quality of its management and employees, line managers appreciate the role of reward in improving the quality of management through generous rewards. British Airways knows that rewards alone cannot play the sole role of management quality improvement but this process demands with it a number of other factors for it to be fully realized. This is because, the culture, values, and management style of an organization, together with its performance management and employee development programs are equally important (Bureau of Tourism Research, 1989).ÂÂ  It is therefore true that reward management forms an integral part of quality management but cannot stand alone in an organization in ensuring quality management. Reward management is one of the central management issue British Airways top management has over the year managed excellently. Effective reward management not only motivates the employees but also depicts harmonious management style the company is applying to capture and succeed in the market. In addition, the recruitment and retention of best talents take precedence in the business. According to Debrah (2005), The reward or compensation people receive for their contribution to an organization includes monetary and non-monetary components. Remuneration does not simply compensate employees for their efforts it also has an impact on the recruitment and retention of talented people. In this regard, reward management within British management calls for brilliant strategies to ensure that it succeeds. Towards this, the company has employed a number of strategies to help successful implement this program. These strategies include controlling reward, monitoring and evaluating reward theories, managing development of reward system, devolution of line mangers for responsibility for reward system (Hollings, 1998). Controlling reward British Airways has got a good reward management control strategy. Control offers the opportunity to plan and execute reward in a more organized and logical manner which reflect the spirit and mission of the company. According to Gabriel (1988), employers and managers should pay attention to their employees and special attention to the best employees. This is done to encourage good performers, to push them to greater heights. Positive recognition for people can ensure a positive and a productive organization. The recognition of outstanding performance aims to create an understanding of what behaviors might add significant value to the organization and to promote such behaviors. Awards- monetary and non-monetary should be given based on the achievements and accomplishments of workers. Effective reward management calls for effective and strategic management to ensure that the programs not only succeed but also offer a good platform for other companies to emulate. This is an entrenched culture within British Airways aimed at ensuring employee performance improvement. In controlling the rewards, the organization benefits a lot from such an initiative. The befits that come along as a result of reward control include offer of the best opportunity for strategic planning, ensures continuity of the reward system, it is effective in the process of the reward scheme evaluation. Monitoring and evaluating reward theories The process of monitoring and evaluating reward theories demand good management practices from the line managers. In British Airways, This process is ideally inclusive of the major parties to the problem and will involve holding a brainstorming session where the possible solutions to the problem are all presented and analyzed. Bowen (1986) has advised against passing judgment on the possible solutions as presented at the earliest stage of evaluating rewards so as to provide chance for possible solutions and errors that could be omitted. The selection of the reward within British Airways considers best alternative to resolving the problem is the next stage and is essentially where the possible solutions advanced are analyzed and dissected in details. In the selection of the best alternative, the line managers within British Airways takes into considerations the approach that is likely to resolve the problem in the long run, the most realistic solutions, the resources available, time a nd the risks associated with each alternative (McNamara, 2008). Managing the developing reward system Initiating a reward program in most organizations has been easy but managing and developing the rewards comes along with many challenges. This is because reward systems must be well developed and enhanced to reduce employee conflict (Irwin, 2003). In British Airways, this involves assessing how the situation will be once the reward has been initiated and looking for possible weaknesses within the reward scheme. This process is well handled within the British Airways by a pool of highly trained line managers. Essentially, this will entail a careful consideration of the best way to implement the new reward policies and procedures, what resources are desirable in terms of people, facilities and finances, time, who will drive the process, and the person in who will be responsible for the success of the plan. It is imperative that the action plan is communicated to all the stakeholders who will be affected by the new changes within and without the organization to limit the possibility of conflict and take into consideration all the divergent views. Communication within the British Airways values the culture and takes into consideration the major drive within the Airline industry which centrally aims at providing the best competitive work environment to the employees. Devolution for line managers The success of reward schemes and projects has to a large extent relied on the interests, support and commitment of the senior management within the British Airways. This is in order to ensure that everybody in the project team and indeed the whole employees are focused and committed. Most reward schemes within organizations are sometimes conceived, funded and developed without appropriate senior management involvement or approval. Naila (2009) has for example noted that some projects go forward without the management clearly conceptualizing what the project entails. A distinction between mere approval and commitment should be clearly discerned so that the projects run smoothly. According to Kerzner (2006), most projects fail when the senior management lacks a clear understanding and a paucity of the projects perceived benefits, risks and difficulties. This is fundamental because the management plays a central role in costs appropriations and budget allocations for project activities . This means that while the projects approval may actually have been acquired, in the euphoria of getting the projects approved; some of the risks may be ignored or glossed over. Efficient project cost management especially in the field of IT should however ensure that projects approvals are not based on hype and unrealistic calculations but on a framework that encapsulates a realistic assessment of the projects. These remain the central themes within British Airways that define its culture and its reward schemes. Interviews in selection and recruitment The most frequently used selection method in most organizations and companies, with British Airways being no exception, is the interview. The company employs this selection process in selecting and recruiting personnel in the top management positions such as departmental managers. Interviews occur when a candidate responds to questions posed by a manager or some other organizational representative. In an interview, common areas in which questions are posed include education, experience and knowledge of job procedures, mental ability, personality, communication ability, social skills as well as the knowledge of current affairs. The recruitment process within British Airways as a close nit process that enasure only the best is recruited. This is ullusterated below by Guemier and Lockwood (1989). Quality Performance Measurement The capacity to understands and measure performance of an organizational policies is crucial for the success of any business. These measures should include process performance and improvements that can be seen by customers. The importance of performance measurement is important to ensure that customer service is given, to set individual team and business objectives, highlight problems and failure in the processes, provide the needed stimulus for continuous growth and provide benchmark for establishing comparisons. To effectively carry out quality performance, an organization must understand the component of quality costs. These is because the capacity to show that quality system is effective, find more efficient ways of working and get it right from the first time are fundamental in the processes. Performance measurements include four quality costs such as prevention costs, appraisal costs, internal failure costs and external failure costs. Through the application of EFQM that recognizes the fact that there are many approaches to achieving sustainable excellence, British Airways has extensively made use of this non prescriptive framework to analyze its quality performance measurements. This process has been carried out using leadership in at the fore front while enablers include people, policy and strategy partnership and resources who are subjected through a process. The results for the performance of the reward policy within British Airways are then measured by peoples results, customer results and social results. These generate key performance results that are generated through three result components. The tool that was preferred for this process was Radar Scoring Matrix that was capable of covering all aspects of results, approach, deployment, assessment and review. The five poor causes of quality include wrong application of measurement tools, poor combination of enablers for the process, poor leadership, inability to establish a measurement process and failure to engage of all employees in the process. Conclusion The world over, organizations and business enterprises are experiencing major economic crunch and environmental upheaval such as deregulated industrial regulation systems, globalization, competition and technological advancement. These economic, social and political circumstances have precipitated a complex and sophisticated of overlapping and concurrent interventions that are radically changing the existing structures, cultures and job requirements. In response to this dynamic and rapid change, managers need to approach the selection and recruitment from a strategic perspective. Recruitment and selection strategies, process and policies should be integrated within the company human resource department and the organization culture. These have been entrenched in the operational culture of British Airways. In the Airline industry, there is need to streamline the operations to embrace the dynamic changes in selection and recruitment. These changes include new strategies on selection and outsourcing. British Airways has been successful and continue to gain more ground in the world market due to its strategic planning and management. This paper has given a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the role of the human resource department in the selection and recruitment with special reference to British Airways.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Frankenstein and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay

In both Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde human nature is being tampered with. Dr. Jekyll creates a potion which changes himself into another person, and Frankenstein creates human life through science. In both cases they tried to change human nature from going outside the norm. Although they both intended for good the outcome was bad. So with good comes the capacity to do evil. While at the same time every person has a duel persona. The idea that every person has two sides is expressed more in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde then in Frankenstein. Dr. Jekyll all throughout the novel was bottling up his hatred and evil just waiting to get rid of it. So he created a potion that transformed him into Mr. Hyde. With the help of his potion he was able to escape reality, but he was still conscience of that what he was doing was wrong. The two sides to Jekyll was good and evil. After doing one evil doing he continued to do more, and more. Having experienced this evil he was unable to control himself, almost as if he couldn’t do good anymore because the evil had taken over. Jekyll decided to take his own life to prevent himself from doing any more harm. In Frankenstein the Shelly uses the idea of external forces acting on internal. The creation was made by Dr. Frankenstein and then abandoned by him. The creation was affected internally by the things around him. After running away everywhere he went he was saw as a monster. If you are being treated as a monster your whole life you might start to believe that you are a monster. So the creation started acting like a monster. He wanted vengeance on his creator for making him the way he is, and then not even caring for him. In conclusion both characters tried to change human nature. By doing so they attempted to become more divine, but God should be the one who creates life not humans. Humans don’t have the right to give or take life, because if we did this world would be in chaos. Also both authors show two different ways of how these characters are affected. Shelly uses external forces that provoke the internal feelings of the monster. While Stevenson shows how every person has a dual persona, a evil side and a good side. One side however is more dominant than the other, like how Hyde was more dominant then Jekyll. Both novels truly show us the evil side of life, and how cruel humanity can be.