Macbeth- The Witches Essay Example for Free

Macbeth- The Witches Essay It could be said that the witches in Macbeth, are possibly some of the best known characters in Shakespeares work. With famous words like Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble, it is true to say that they have probably heavily influenced the depiction of witches in later works to a great extent. The play derives from a time when witchcraft was something of great public concern. Extreme persecution of anyone found to be practising something that could be interpreted as black arts was common in Stuart society. (Old women who kept cats were in extreme danger of meeting the requirements for stereotypical witch) The play, which tells the fate, of the Scottish royal family, had real-life connections with the Scottish royal family at the time. The character Banquo was supposedly a relative of King James who was the King of Scotland. (Although it has been discovered that he never existed, he was made up at the birth of the Stuart dynasty) The heavy influences of the witches on the play, also matched King Jamess interest in Demonology. So the question has been asked was Macbeth written for King James? Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries witches, were terrifying but also fascinating to the general public. During this time hundreds of witches were persecuted, and were hung or burnt at stake. Witches were so greatly feared, because of the apparent powers which they possessed, which allegedly included; the ability to fly, the ability to raise storms and control the weather, possession of people, and an ability to kill livestock. However curiously inspite of these powers of deadly destruction, people took a great interest in the lives and ways of witches. (Rather like Macbeth when he meets them for the first time) Thousands of pamphlets were printed and sold with incredible sales; on a par with those achieved by a popular magazine or broadsheet today. These pamphlets contained gory accounts of witch trials, or sad stories from the victims of witchcraft. It is quite possible that these pamphlets were a catalyst for the problem with witches, by making everyone paranoid of supernatural threats. The cruel and unjust persecution of the witches was based on stereotypes. You may well have found yourself persecuted as a witch for example if you were; physically deformed or scarred in any way, old (especially if you were a woman, as many of the women persecuted as witches were old women who kept cats which were apparently familiars), mentally ill, or even if you just didnt fit in. In 1604, when Parliament passed an act, making the practice of witchcraft punishable by death, the situation got even worse. In Macbeth the witches appear four times; Act 1 Scene 1, Act1 Scene 3, Act 3 Scene 5, and Act 4 Scene 1. Although the originality of the appearance in Act 3 is controversial. It is thought that this scene and the character Hecate (who also briefly appears in Act 4) were not written by Shakespeare and that they were written into the script at a later date. In Act 1 Scene 1, the witches open the play in what is described in the text as a desolate place. The scene is brief, in the conversation that the three witches have, they decide to meet Macbeth on the heath. In Act 1 Scene 3, the three witches have gathered on the heath, and are awaiting Macbeth who is returning from battle. When Macbeth and his companion Banquo come by they move from their place of hiding and greet Macbeth: FIRST WITCH: All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Glamis. SECOND WITCH: All hail to Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor. THIRD WITCH: All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter. (Act 1, Scene 3, lines 46-48) After the witches have given this prophecy, Banquo criticises the witches and makes jokes at them calling them not like the inhabitants of this earth. Macbeth however is intrigued but before he can find out anymore the witches vanish. Act 3 Scene 5, is the controversial Hecate scene. In the scene Hecate does most of the talking, and she warns that they should not have done what they did to Macbeth. In Act 4 Scene 1, the scene begins with the witches entering and casting a spell. Then Macbeth (who is now King) enters and confronts the witches, demanding to know more about his future. In response the witches show Macbeth three apparitions which reveal his fate. The three apparitions tell Macbeth this: Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, beware Macduff. (First apparition) None of woman born shall harm Macbeth (second apparition) Macbeth shall never be vanquished until great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane shall come against him (third apparition). Macbeth is pleased by what he hears. The witches then show Macbeth a show of eight kings, after Macbeth sees this he is angered, and curses the witches, but soon after they vanish. Right from the very first scene the witches make a dramatic impression on the play. To audiences the first scene has a wonderful way of captivating them, generating attention and interest in the play from the first word. The odd setting and droning language of the witches makes the dialogue interesting and unusual. On stage or in the cinema, use of smoke, lightning and thunder effects give an exciting feel to the opening moments. The short length of the scene means that the audience is listening all the time. (Research has shown that most audiences will stop listening after about a minute unless there is something to draw their attention back to the story) Another point about the first scene is that after all the smoke and thunder, the play moves to another much more friendly place, with a normal conversation, between normal people. The comparison between the witches supernatural appearance, and the normality of human life, is an excellent way of showing the contrast between ordinary and extraordinary, and good and evil. Which is a contrast that appears throughout the play. One place where these contrasts appear between ordinary and extraordinary is in the witches. Aside from adding their weird supernatural side to the plot they also contribute in a manner that brings the whole story together. If you took the witches away from the play then this is what the storyline looks like: Macbeth an ambitious thane, is returning from a hard fought battle, when he is told that he is to receive the title of thane of Cawdor. Seeing the potential of this new position, Macbeth sets his sights on higher things. Macbeth successfully assassinates the king with the help of his wife, and scares away the heirs to the throne. On the throne Macbeth is a harsh King and, as questions arise about the Duncans murder, he becomes a tyrant and many former friends are killed. Eventually his crimes are too much and Macbeth is overthrown and killed by the true heir to the throne. Much as this is a fairly good storyline, when you add in the witches it becomes a great story. (Indeed Macbeth is recognised as a theatrical masterpiece) The witches add many new dimensions and contrasts and raise many questions. Like is fate fixed? What is the balance between good and evil? What the witches do is enter the play and tell Macbeth his prophecy, by doing this they set Macbeth off exploiting an ambitious flaw in his personality. One question that surrounds the play is whether the witches possess Macbeth and make him commit the crimes, or whether they merely use an ability to predict the future, to set Macbeth off. After this Macbeths ambition drives him on to commit many murders and a regicide. Well there is certainly evidence within the play that Macbeth is possessed. When he meets the witches for the first time he is obsessed with them and maybe this is the beginning of his possession. Macbeth also shows stereotypical signs of possession in his behaviour and speech: in Act 1 Scene 3 when Macbeth first comes across the witches Banquo says look how our partners rapt because Macbeth appears to be entranced; which was a typical sign of possession. Also he shows an inability to pray, in Act 2 Scene 2 he says Amen, stuck in my throat being unable to pray was linked to the fact that according to 17th century folk-lore the possessed was being controlled by a minion of Satan. However there is also a possibility that Macbeth is in fact only inspired by the witches when he hears his fate. Then the witches coax him on with illusions, and tricks. Like the appearance of the dagger that leads Macbeth to King Duncans room in Act 2 Scene 1, Banquos ghost in Act 3 Scene 4, and perhaps the possession of Lady Macbeth. If this is the case then one has to ask would Macbeth have become King anyway if he just waited, and that his fate was fixed that he did become a legitimate King. However his knowledge of his fate led him off course. Whichever way (if either of them) it is definite that the witches were a changing part of Macbeths psychology. As has been mentioned, when Macbeths fate is prophesised by the witches in Act 3 Scene 1, he is entranced. Perhaps this due to a possession, perhaps this is due to some form of euphoria that has come over him after he finds out that he will become King. Either way he is very serious about the witches prophecies and he holds a high view of the witches as they can provide him with information about his future, which to Macbeth sounds very promising. This stands in direct contrast to Banquos opinion of the witches; he criticises the witches and ignores their predictions. Later on the scheme of events has played out and Macbeth is on the throne, again by possession or by ambition. By now Macbeth is starting to realise the potential mess he has got himself into, and so he goes to find the witches. After receiving new information, Macbeth is fooled by the witches, into thinking he has some sort of immortality. However he does not ignore their advice and he still respects what they say, so he is not feeling so powerful that he feels he can ignore the apparitions and the witches. For example in response to the apparitions warning, beware Macduff, Macbeth has Macduffs family murdered. However the sense of immortality soon fades. When he finds that Malcolm and his allies are marching to Dunsinane Castle, he realises the tricks that the witches have played on him. He sees that the apparitions were meant to fool him into thinking he was invulnerable to death, and he refers to the witches as juggling fiends. Macbeth realises the trap that he is caught in, and sees that he was part of the witches game. At this point whatever is driving Macbeth; possession or hatred dies and turns to hate for life. Although Macbeth may have been possessed he did not ask to be, however his wife Lady Macbeth did. Similarly to Macbeth though she could either be controlled by ambition, thinking that she was possessed or actually under possession. Her need for power begins when she reads Macbeths letter In Act 1 Scene 5, she (like Macbeth when he first hears the news of his destiny) is fascinated. In the same scene as she receives the letter she calls upon the power of the spirits to un-sex her and fill me from the crown to the toe topfull of direst cruelty. (Lines 37-52) She demands that her emotional weakness is removed and that she is filled with the evil intent to murder the king. It shows from this time until Duncans murder that she has indeed been filled with this evil. It is she who really pushes Macbeth to murder Duncan, possibly with a little help from the witches. However almost immediately after the King is murdered, this evil leaves her. In Act 2 Scene 2, an owl shrieks, and Lady Macbeth is terrified. Just earlier that evening she had been driving and pushing Macbeth to murder the King, who had just given Macbeth a title for being faithful to the crown! Indeed she becomes so unhinged that she goes completely mad. Some productions of Macbeth have Lady Macbeth playing one of the witches. Some people have also suggested that maybe Lady Macbeth is one of the witches, and that there has been a disagreement among the witches, and the tragic events of Macbeth are in fact the witches punishing Lady Macbeth. The witches stand out in Macbeth in many ways, not only in character, and appearance, but also in the way that they speak. Most of the play is written in iambic pentameter, or blank verse. The witches however speak in trochaic verse, which not only has a different rhythm to iambic pentameter, but rhymes as well. The fact that the witches are the only characters to rhyme their speech makes them stand out; the droning chant in the first scene is made really eerie by use of rhyming language, with long syllables. The frequent use of antithesis, which is the use of opposites in the same sentence, is also common within the language of the witches. For example in Act 1 Scene 1 when the battle is lost and won This use of contradictive language sounds unusual, and therefore alienates the witches further. Sometimes the witches also speak as one; they often chant lines as a group, particularly Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble. This can appear eerie to watchers, as it conveys strength in the form of unit efficiency. Sometimes the witches seem to have a telepathic ability, for example when Macbeth demands to know more about his destiny, in Act 5 Scene 1 the script looks like this: FIRST WITCH: Speak! SECOND WITCH: Demand! THIRD WITCH: Well answer. Of course a telepathic ability is certainly not normal, and therefore this also adds to the eerie feel that surrounds the witches. Macbeth is a not only an excellent play, but also manages to bring into question various philosophical and moral issues. The supernatural edge to Macbeth makes you wonder about witches and the power of evil. Are there forces of evil, which can influence us? Are good and evil internal or external? The main issue surrounding Macbeth is that of fate. Is it fixed, is our path in life set or can we change or at least influence it? What is the relationship between fate and time? If ones fate is discovered, will it influence us to either strive for this future, or if we dont like what fate holds in store, will we try to change it? However you perceive Macbeth, I believe it is summed up like this. Whatever it was that drove Macbeth, ambition, possession or something else entirely, it poisoned him. People are around whose ambition will be a threat to society, and if you feel it exists, then witchcraft is also a threat to society. Yet de spite of these threats, the forces of good are on the side of the innocent. Order will be restored to its rightful owners.

The Wife of Bath and the Battle of the Sexes Essay -- The Canterbury T

How far do you agree that in the battle of the sexes it is the wife of Bath who has the most effictive weapons and armour? The Wife sees the relationship between men and women as a battle in which it is crucial to gain the upper hand, 'Oon of us two must bowen, douteless' Her armour was indeed necessary, as in Medieval England, women definitley were second class citizens who were viewed as goods and chattels, with no financial independence. They were often beaten, and it is clearly in the Wife's nature to protect herself. She uses weapons like her sexuality and her youth to make her husbands suffer, so much so that they feel impotent. 'How pitously a-night I made hem swinke!' This weapon was highly effective with first three husbands who she managed to dominate, 'I hadde hem hoolly in myn hond' and they handed over 'lond and hir tresoor' as she with held sex in order to get her own way with them. The Wife also used a weapon of deceit and she clearly comments that women have this weapon from birth, 'Swere and lyen as a womman kan' She tells her audience tha... ...nce is that she is once again in control as 'he yaf me al the bridel in myn hond To han the governance of ous and lond' Although her marriage with her 5th husband is never resolved and there is no winner because he dies whilst she is on a pilgrimmage, she has a good battle, and probably the most difficult of all her husbands. The overall picture is of a Wife who has certainly fought the good fight. Not surprising as her astrological sign is Mars, implying strength in war. She is still confident and looking to welcome husband number 6.

J.R.R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings Essay -- Tolkien Lord Rings Ess

J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings strikes a cord with almost everyone who reads it. Its popularity has not waned with the passing of time, nor is its appeal centered on one age group or generation. Book sales would indicate that The Lord of the Rings is at least as popular now as it ever was, if not more so. Some estimates put it at the second highest selling work of all time, following only the bible. While it is certainly an exciting and well written work of fantasy, which cannot help but grip the imagination, all this would be for naught except for the poignancy of the themes which serve as its backbone. Foremost of these is Tolkien’s determination to show the natural world as the measure of all things. His world revolves around nature, and his character’s affinity to it determines their place in Middle-Earth. The structure of the history of Middle-earth is based on the natural cycle of life. Tolkien’s chronicle, stretching back through the various ages of the world, is at its heart a simple story of good vs. evil. The balance of power does not swing chaotically however. Tolkien sets the world on a cyclical system. As Gandalf says, â€Å"Always after a defeat and a respite, the Shadow takes another shape and grows again.†(Fellowship, 76). Additionally, the world is also divided into various ages, declining in their greatness as time passes. The First age for instance, is filled with greater beings, both good and evil, who inevitably clash, often eliminating themselves in the process. In earlier days the elves were still numerous, the dwarves ruled their great holdfast of Moria, and evil beings such as Sauron and the Balrogs were but servants to the great dark lord Mo... ...uity through art, a link which would preserve some of the faded glory of the past. (Stanton, 93) Tolkien tells us â€Å"Farie contains many things besides elves and fays, and besides dwarfs, witches, trolls, giants, or dragons: it holds the seas, the sun, the moon, the sky; and the earth, and all things that are in it: tree and bird, water and stone, wine and bread, and ourselves, mortal men, when we are enchanted.† ( On fairy Stories, 9). This applies well to The Lord of the Rings. Farie, representing nature, is an intrinsic part of our lives. To ignore it or destroy it can only bring us trouble. With nature man finds art, beauty, abundance, and joy. All good things from nature, and all evil comes from its lack and destruction. To Tolkien, a world without nature was no world worth living in, and in The Lord of the Rings, he doesn’t let us forget it. J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings Essay -- Tolkien Lord Rings Ess J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings strikes a cord with almost everyone who reads it. Its popularity has not waned with the passing of time, nor is its appeal centered on one age group or generation. Book sales would indicate that The Lord of the Rings is at least as popular now as it ever was, if not more so. Some estimates put it at the second highest selling work of all time, following only the bible. While it is certainly an exciting and well written work of fantasy, which cannot help but grip the imagination, all this would be for naught except for the poignancy of the themes which serve as its backbone. Foremost of these is Tolkien’s determination to show the natural world as the measure of all things. His world revolves around nature, and his character’s affinity to it determines their place in Middle-Earth. The structure of the history of Middle-earth is based on the natural cycle of life. Tolkien’s chronicle, stretching back through the various ages of the world, is at its heart a simple story of good vs. evil. The balance of power does not swing chaotically however. Tolkien sets the world on a cyclical system. As Gandalf says, â€Å"Always after a defeat and a respite, the Shadow takes another shape and grows again.†(Fellowship, 76). Additionally, the world is also divided into various ages, declining in their greatness as time passes. The First age for instance, is filled with greater beings, both good and evil, who inevitably clash, often eliminating themselves in the process. In earlier days the elves were still numerous, the dwarves ruled their great holdfast of Moria, and evil beings such as Sauron and the Balrogs were but servants to the great dark lord Mo... ...uity through art, a link which would preserve some of the faded glory of the past. (Stanton, 93) Tolkien tells us â€Å"Farie contains many things besides elves and fays, and besides dwarfs, witches, trolls, giants, or dragons: it holds the seas, the sun, the moon, the sky; and the earth, and all things that are in it: tree and bird, water and stone, wine and bread, and ourselves, mortal men, when we are enchanted.† ( On fairy Stories, 9). This applies well to The Lord of the Rings. Farie, representing nature, is an intrinsic part of our lives. To ignore it or destroy it can only bring us trouble. With nature man finds art, beauty, abundance, and joy. All good things from nature, and all evil comes from its lack and destruction. To Tolkien, a world without nature was no world worth living in, and in The Lord of the Rings, he doesn’t let us forget it.

Sony Strategy Analysis

SONY Strategy Case Analysis Executive Summary Sony is currently faced with the problem of low operating margin and stagnant market share in the videogame console industry. PlayStation3 of Sony is competing with Xbox360 of Microsoft and Wii of Nintendo. Despite the high technology, Wii outsells PlayStation in the market. This shows that the traditional strategy of Sony based on hardware should be reviewed according to the new trend. Considering gradually increasing market size and harsh competition, Sony should invest more on creating new customers and software. AnalysisAfter experiencing the five or six cycles defined by advancement of underlying technology, there are currently three main competitors in the videogame industry: Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. The PlayStation of Sony and the Xbox360 of Microsoft can be characterized by high technology and interoperability with other electronic products. Meanwhile, the Wii of Nintendo emphasizes innovative and user-friendly capabilities such as wireless motion-sensing controllers. Therefore, the Wii could appeal to more widespread customers such as senior people including traditional gamers.Based on enthusiastic reactions to Wii, the leading market share of PlayStation in the prior generation is replaced by the Wii of Nintendo. As of 2008, the Wii substantially outsells the two rivals. According to Five Forces Analysis, Sony has been faced with the following characteristics in the game industry. Suppliers: The bargaining power is relatively high since videogame console makers outsource the manufacturing of console. Also, they need the support of game developers. In this respect, the one of the main reasons why the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 could succeed as a new entrant would be the supplier-friendly strategy of Sony.Sony took the policy to license any PlayStation software as far as it does not clash with hardware. Also, Sony provided third-party developers with various development tools and soft libraries. Buy ers: Compared with past customers who could enjoy the limited game console suppliers, current customers could enjoy the various types of game platforms. Also, based on the high technologies, the games for every age or demographic are coming out to the market. Therefore, game console makers should ensure as many customers as possible to enjoy the economy of scale in the increasing market size.This gamer-friendly environment results in the high bargaining power of customers. Regarding customer-based viewpoint, Sony failed to captivate the people from all levels. Even though PlayStation software is targeted at a more mature audience, PlayStation of Sony has been usually used by the traditional gamers of young age. Threat of new entrants: In the game industry, the possibility of new entrants to succeed is very slim because new platform based on high technologies requires high cost and risk.Therefore, small or medium sized companies are very difficult to finance R&D and marketing. Also, it is very difficult for new entrants to find game developers. Three giant companies (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo) overwhelmingly dominate the market of videogame console and there exists a big entrance barrier. It is the reality that a small company cannot help being pushed out by three major companies. Since Sony got into the game industry, the biggest threat of new entrants would be the appearance of new contender, Microsoft, in 2001.Threat of substitute products: There exists the high possibility of substitutes from other industries. Personal computers or mobile handheld devices could be the potential substitute of videogame consoles. The reality is that many people are enjoying games using other devices such as I-Phone or I-Pad over time. In addition, consumers don’t have to bear the additional cost when they change from game consoles to other substitutes. Considering the high diffusion rate of personal computers or mobile devices, potential substitute products could be hi gh threat to selling game consoles.Positioning among current competitors: Definitely, Sony is the major entity in the game console market. However, the market situation is not so bright as the past over time. As a new entrant in 2001, Sony could get a huge success through giant money, high technology, stylish design and support of game developers. However, Sony is now suffering from negative operating profit and turned over the status of top maker to the Wii of Nintendo. So, Sony needs to set up new strategies in the videogame industry. RecommendationFirst of all, Sony should broaden customer scope from traditional gamers to the general public. Game industry is still growing although the attractiveness is waning over time. Sony is trying to position the PlayStation as the ultimate hub for digital living room. However, the people are still not familiar with PlayStation and consider it just game machine. Therefore, Sony needs to enforce the marketing for family-friendly game console m aker. The one of the main reasons for Wii’s success is that Nintendo targeted the niche market that other competitors have ignored.Nintendo focused on the general public with the easy and simple game consoles instead of expensive and complicated ones. Wii contributed to letting the public general realize the fun of game. Now, Sony needs to leverage the opponent’s assets as a Judo Strategy as Sega did in the past. If the family-friendly image is added to the high technology of Sony, the PlayStation could appeal much more to the general public. Lastly, Sony needs to more invest on its software. Sony has been focused on the product itself based on high technology and attractive design.As Nintendo makes high margin based on the customer-friendly software forgoing high price of console, Sony needs to broaden available games for PlayStation. A wide range of Adult users could bring new Blue Ocean of profits. Utilizing the advantages of PlayStation, the high technology and int eroperability with other electronic devices, Sony could set up the new digital hub replacing TV and Computer at home. To do this, above all, Sony should establish the affluent in-house software associated with developers as Apple make additional profits through various apps.

Critical Thinking and Worldview

Critical Thinking and Worldview Buddhism worldview On the question of origin of life, Buddhism has no exact answer. Actually, Buddhism does not explain the origin of life. Its view is that life is too complicated for our minds to understand; Thera (n.d) quoted Bertrand Russel on this â€Å"The idea that things must have a beginning is really due to the poverty of our thoughts† (Thera, n.d, p. 1).Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Critical Thinking and Worldview specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Khyentse (2008), Buddhism identity is based on four facts â€Å"all compounded things are impermanent, all emotions are pain, all things have no inherent existence, and Nirvana is beyond concepts† (p. 3). Understanding these four facts and putting them into practice make one a Buddhist. The middle path teachings of Buddhism teach on the meaning and purpose in life. A person ought to live a â€Å"neutral, upright and center ed life† (Buddha Net, 1996, p. 1). To understand life, one is required to take a position that is unbiased and, as noted above, be neutral and upright. From this position, it becomes possible to critically examine life and the problems associated with it, and come up with sustainable solutions. Buddhism teaches on moral precepts (the Pancha Shila), noble qualities (the Paramita), the four sublime tests, teachings of Sigalovada Sutta and metta Sutta. All these teachings call for moral decency. They also emphasize being caring in words and actions, and living a simple life (Boeree, n.d). A person’s destiny is dependent on some factors. One of them is Karma. The present life is dependent on the past Karma. The practice of dhamma also contributes to one’s destiny (Jade Buddha Temple, 2013). Comparison of Buddhism to a Christian worldview Christianity views the origin of life in the creation carried out by God in the Garden of Eden where all animals, and Adam and late r Eve were created (Ge 1:24, New International Version). This is in contrast to Buddhism which views such ideas as being due poverty of thoughts. Christian identity has to do with believing that Jesus Christ is the son of God, he was crucified because of mankind’s sins and living according to the teachings of the bible (Rom 10:9). Buddhism, on the other hand, does not recognize Jesus but has a set of teachings that form its identity.Advertising Looking for critical writing on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The purpose of life in Christianity’s view is to serve God. This is accomplished by following the ways of the bible and allowing the leadership of the Holy Spirit in one’s life (Isa 43:7). This contrasts with the Buddhism view which does not recognize the existence of Holy Spirit and God. Christianity advocates for uprightness in morals. It teaches that one should love his/ her neighbor as he loves himself/herself. It also advocates for caring for the less unfortunate in the society (Ex 20:12-17). There is a very big similarity between Christianity and Buddhism on the issue morality. The two worldviews advocate for uprightness in actions and thoughts. They also advocate for people to be accountable for their actions. The Christianity view on destiny is that every person has a predetermined life. To live this predetermined life depends on whether a person submits to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. It also teaches on after death life whereby there is paradise and hell. Living in one of the two depends on whether a person, in his/her first life, lived according to God’s will (Isa 43:7). This is a big contrast to the Buddhism view on destiny. References Boeree, C. G. (n.d). Buddhist Morality. Shippensburg University. Web. Buddha Net. (1996). Buddhism – The Middle Path. Buddha net Production. Web. Jade Buddha Temple. (2013). Buddha’s perspective of man’s destiny. Jade Buddha Temple. Web. Khyentse, D. J. (2008). What Makes You Not a Buddhist. Boston, MA: Shambhala Publications.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Critical Thinking and Worldview specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thera, D. M. (n.d). The Origin of the World. Buddha Sasana. Web.

Biography of Saddam Hussein of Iraq

Biography of Saddam Hussein of Iraq Born: April 28, 1937 at Ouja, near Tikrit, Iraq Died: Executed December 30, 2006 in Baghdad, Iraq Ruled: Fifth President of Iraq, July 16, 1979 to April 9, 2003 Saddam Hussein endured childhood abuse and later torture as a political prisoner. He survived to become one of the most ruthless dictators the modern Middle East has seen. His life began with despair and violence and ended the same way. Early Years Saddam Hussein was born to a shepherds family on April 28, 1937 in northern Iraq, near Tikrit. His father disappeared before the child was born, never to be heard from again, and several months later, Saddams 13-year-old brother died of cancer. The babys mother was too despondent to care for him properly. He was sent to live with the family of his uncle Khairallah Talfah in Baghdad. When Saddam was three, his mother remarried and the child was returned to her in Tikrit. His new stepfather was a violent and abusive man. When he was ten, Saddam ran away from home and returned to his uncles house in Baghdad. Khairallah Talfah had recently been released from prison, after serving time as a political prisoner. Saddams uncle took him in, raised him, allowed him to go to school for the first time, and taught him about Arab nationalism and the pan-Arabist Baath Party. As a youth, Saddam Hussein dreamed of joining the military. His aspirations were crushed, however, when he failed the military school entrance exams. He attended a highly nationalistic secondary school in Baghdad instead, focusing his energy on politics. Entry into Politics In 1957, the twenty-year-old Saddam formally joined the Baath Party. He was selected in 1959 as part of an assassination squad sent to kill the Iraqi president, General Abd al-Karim Qasim. However, the October 7, 1959 assassination attempt did not succeed. Saddam had to flee Iraq overland, by donkey, moving first to However, the October 7, 1959 assassination attempt did not succeed.   Saddam had to flee Iraq overland, by donkey, moving first to Syria for a few months, and then going into exile in Egypt until 1963. Baath Party-linked army officers overthrew Qasim in 1963, and Saddam Hussein returned to Iraq. The following year, due to infighting within the party, he was arrested and imprisoned. For the next three years, he languished as a political prisoner, enduring torture, until he escaped in 1967. Free from prison, he began to organize followers for yet another coup. In 1968, Baathists led by Saddam and Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr took power; Al-Bakr became president, and Saddam Hussein his deputy.   The elderly Al-Bakr was nominally the ruler of Iraq, but Saddam Hussein really held the reins of power.   He sought to stabilize the country, which was divided among Arabs and Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites, and rural tribes versus urban elites. Saddam dealt with these factions through a combination of modernization and development programs, improved living standards and social security, and brutal suppression of anyone who caused trouble despite these measures.   On June 1, 1972, Saddam ordered the nationalization of all foreign-owned oil interests in Iraq. When the 1973 energy crisis struck the following year, Iraqs oil revenues shot up in a sudden windfall of wealth for the country. With this flow of money, Saddam Hussein instituted free compulsory education for all Iraq children all the way through university; free nationalized medical care for all; and generous farm subsidies. He also worked to diversify Iraqs economy, so that it would not be utterly dependent on volatile oil prices. Some of the oil wealth also went into chemical weapons development. Saddam used some of the proceeds to build up the army, party-linked paramilitaries, and a secretive security service. These organizations used disappearances, assassination, and rape as weapons against perceived opponents of the state. Rise to Formal Power In 1976, Saddam Hussein became a general in the armed forces, despite having no military training. He was the de facto leader and strongman of the country, which was still supposedly ruled by the sickly and aged Al-Bakr. Early in 1979, Al-Bakr entered into negotiations with Syrian President Hafez al-Assad to unite the two countries under al-Assads rule, a move that would have marginalized Saddam from power. To Saddam Hussein, the union with Syria was unacceptable. He had become convinced that he was the reincarnation of the ancient Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar (r. 605 - 562 BCE)  and destined for greatness. On July 16, 1979, Saddam forced Al-Bakr to resign, naming himself president. He called a meeting of the Baath party leadership  and called out the names of 68 alleged traitors among those assembled.   They were removed from the room and arrested; 22 were executed. In the following weeks, hundreds more were purged and executed. Saddam Hussein was not willing to risk party in-fighting like that in 1964 that had landed him in prison. Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolution in neighboring Iran put the Shiite clergy in power there. Saddam feared that Iraqi Shiites would be inspired to rise up, so he invaded Iran. He used chemical weapons against the Iranians, tried to wipe out Iraqi Kurds on grounds that they might be sympathetic to Iran, and committed other atrocities. This invasion turned into the grinding, eight-year-long Iran / Iraq War.   Despite Saddam Husseins aggression and violations of international law, much of the Arab world, the Soviet Union, and the United States all supported him in the war against Irans new theocracy. The Iran/Iraq War left hundreds of thousands of people dead on both sides, without changing the borders or governments of either side. To pay for this expensive war, Saddam Hussein decided to seize the oil-rich Gulf nation of Kuwait on grounds that it was historically part of Iraq. He invaded on August 2, 1990. A US-led coalition of UN troops drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait just six weeks later, but Saddams troops had created an environmental catastrophe in Kuwait, setting fire to the oil wells. The UN coalition pushed the Iraqi army back well inside Iraq  but decided not to roll on to Baghdad and depose Saddam. Domestically, Saddam Hussein cracked down ever harder on real or imagined opponents of his rule. He used chemical weapons against the Kurds of northern Iraq  and tried to wipe out the marsh Arabs of the delta region. His security services also arrested and tortured thousands of suspected political dissidents. Second Gulf War and Fall On September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda launched a massive attack on the United States. US government officials began to imply, without offering any proof, that Iraq might have been implicated in the terrorist plot. The US also charged that Iraq was developing nuclear weapons; UN weapons inspection teams found no evidence that those programs existed. Despite the lack of any ties to 9/11 or any proof of WMD (weapons of mass destruction) development, the US launched a new invasion of Iraq on March 20, 2003. This was the beginning of the Iraq War, or Second Gulf War. Baghdad fell to the US-led coalition on April 9, 2003. However, Saddam Hussein escaped. He remained on the run for months, issuing recorded statements to the people of Iraq urging them to resist the invaders. On December 13, 2003, US troops finally located him in a tiny underground bunker near Tikrit.   He was arrested and sent to a US base in Baghdad. After six months, the US handed him over to the interim Iraqi government for trial. Saddam was charged with 148 specific counts of murder, torture of women and children, illegal detention, and other crimes against humanity. The Iraqi Special Tribunal found him guilty on November 5, 2006, and sentenced him to death. His subsequent appeal was denied, as was his request for execution by firing squad instead of hanging. On December 30, 2006, Saddam Hussein was hanged at an Iraqi army base near Baghdad. Video of his death soon leaked on the internet, sparking international controversy.

The Meaning of the Name Kovacs

The Meaning of the Name Kovacs Kovcs (КÐ ¾Ã ²Ã °Ã'‡) is a surname that means forger or smith in the Hungarian language, from the Slavonic Kovaà ¨. The Hungarian equivalent to the English surname Smith, Kovcs is the second most common surname in Hungary. Kovacs is the second most common Hungarian surname according to surname distribution data from Forebears. Surname Origin:  Hungarian, Slavic Alternate Surname Spellings:  KOVATS, KOVAC, KOVAT, KOVATS, KOVACH, KOWAL, KOVAL Fun Facts About the Kovcs Surname The Kovacs surname most commonly originates from Hungary, although this is not always the case. Similar surnames include Kovach (Carpatho-Ruthenian), Kowal (Poland) and Koval (Ukraine). The singular Kovac may be the original surname, an adaptation of Kovacs, or a shortened version of a longer name such as Dukovac. These are all just general guidelines, however. The specific surname variation used by your family may also be something as simple as a spelling change and have nothing to do with its original origin. Famous People With the Surname Ernie Kovacs, popular American television comedianLszlà ³ Kovcs, legendary cinematographerTom Kovach, American author and activistLuca KovaÄ , a fictional character (doctor) portrayed by Goran ViÃ… ¡njić on the American television series ER Genealogy Resources Kovacs/Kovats FamilyTree DNA ProjectThis Y-DNA project is open to all individuals with the surnames Kovacs, Kovats, or any derivative such as Kovaks, Kovak, Kovac, Kohen, Kohan, Kohn, Kovan, etc., of any ethnic or religious background.   Kovacs Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Kovacs family crest or coat of arms for the Kovacs surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. Kovcs Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Kovcs surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Kovcs query. The Kovacs Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the popular last name Kovacs from the website of Genealogy Today. Source: Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.