Hamlet Theme of Appearance vs. Reality Essay

Shakespeare examines the theme of appearance and reality in his book-Hamlet. The dilemma of what is â€Å"real† is established at the very beginning of the play. Hamlet doesn’t know what to believe and devises a plan to find out. The old king Hamlet appears to be bitten by a snake, but in reality he was poisoned, the ghost appears as an apparition, but it’s actually real, and the play-with-in-a-play strongly depicts the theme of appearance vs. reality. The dead King appears to have been bitten by a snake. In reality, he has been poisoned. Everyone believes that the king died from snakebite, but once Hamlet knows the truth he is unsettled by the revelation. When Hamlet’s dead father directs his son to, â€Å"Avenge him of his foul and most unnatural murder† (1. 5. 25), Hamlet’s response shows determination to act and a curiosity to know all the facts surrounding the murder: (1. 5. 29-31) â€Å"Haste me to know’t, that I, with wings as swift, as meditation or the thoughts of love may sweep to my revenge. † Hamlet’s choice of image is significant here. A person who wants to take revenge rarely has â€Å"thoughts of love† but only concentrates upon thoughts of revenge, but Hamlet’s thirst for revenge is immediate and deep. Shakespeare also develops the theme of appearance vs. reality when Hamlet resents his mother’s insinuation that he is putting on a show of being grief-stricken. Strangely, he is the only one in the family who is truly mourning his father’s death. He replies that all outwardly signs of his grief, such as his black cloak of mourning, his tears, and his sighs, are mere appearances, not even close to the depth of the real grief in his heart (1. 2. 70-80). This theme of appearance vs. reality will play an important part in the entire play. Another example of appearance vs. reality is the Ghost that appears as an apparition from the depths of hell, when actually he is the medium of reality, revealing the facts to Hamlet. The ghost tells Hamlet that his father was murdered, â€Å"Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder† (1. 5. 25). Since Hamlet doubts the sincerity of the Ghost’s revelation, he decides to put on the appearance of being mad to see if this is true, â€Å"I’ll wipe away all trivial records ? and they commandment all alone shall live† (1. 5. 99-102). Hamlet’s decision to simulate madness as a means of enacting his revenge is important. The news that Hamlet received about his father and his mother could drive anyone insane. As a result, the line between appearance and reality becomes notably distorted as the play progresses. Guildernstern says in Act 3 lines7-9, â€Å"But with a crafty madness keeps aloof when we would bring him on to some confession of this true state. † At times it also seems that Hamlet’s appearance of madness has become a reality, (3. 1. 201-203) â€Å"You should not have believed me, for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you not. † Hamlet loved Ophelia so this is definitely not true, but during the course of the play, his madness seems so genuine that one wonders if he is acting. The most obvious symbol of ? appearance vs. reality’ is the play-within-a-play. The actors appear onstage and act out the events that actually happened in reality. Hamlet has carefully orchestrated this play so that he can gauge the degree of reality by Claudius’ reaction, â€Å"For murder, though it have no tongue will speak with most miraculous organ? Before mine uncle I’ll observe his looks? If ? a do blench, I’ll know my course† (2. 2. 605-610). Besides furthering the plot of Hamlet, the play-within-a-play also again develops the theme of appearance vs. reality. The fictional drama being presented before the King is a parallel to the past reality of the King, and will serve to shape the future reality of the King and several other characters. Hamlet, as director of this great deception on stage, cautions the players not to exaggerate their expressions and emotions, stating that only uncivilized â€Å"groundlings† (3. 2. 10-11) are impressed by excessive over-acting. In Act II, Scene 2, Hamlet had asked the players to give a passionate presentation of the killing of Priam by Pyrrhus. Now he specifically instructs the players to â€Å"beget a temperance† in the â€Å"whirlwind of passion† in order to give it â€Å"smoothness† (3. 2. 1-9). He tells them that the aim of the play is to hold â€Å"the mirror up to nature,†(3. 2. 23-25) saying that the representation of action should be a realistic reflection of life, with moderation as the keynote (3. 2. 1-45). Hamlet’s advice to the players is important, because it reveals his state of mind before the staging of the play indicating that Hamlet’s own mind has finally reached a reasoned balance. In summary, the theme of appearance vs.reality is so well developed that everything in the play must be questioned, for nothing appears certain. Hamlet doesn’t know who is telling the truth because of the appearance of some things. Hamlet lives in a reality that appears to be true, but appearances can be deceiving. Hamlet learned that reality is completely different from appearance. The old king Hamlet appears to be bitten by a snake, but in reality he was poisoned, the ghost appears as an apparition, but it’s actually real, and the play-with-in-a-play strongly depicts the theme of appearance vs. reality.

Should the Building Engineer Belong to the Religious Organization Case Study

Should the Building Engineer Belong to the Religious Organization - Case Study Example Amos, 483 U.S. 327 (1987)† (2011), â€Å"Appellee Mayson, who had been employed at a [building] associated with [the LDS Church], was discharged because he failed to qualify for a certificate that he was a member of the Church and eligible to attend its temples†¦[which violated the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964]† (pgh. 1). The outcome of the case, which basically allowed Mr. Mayson to be discriminated against by the LDS, was shocking in many ways. First of all, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (also known as the LDS Church) is a church that would not be thought to be discriminatory as they consider themselves a Christian group which follows the example of Jesus. On the other hand, the Latter-Day Saints reserve the right to hire whoever they want to hire for their particular position, and since this church is a religious (and therefore, private) organization, it can choose to hire and fire anyone it pleases. There could be a numerous variet y of reasons why the LDS Church would have preferred a building engineer who shared the same faith. Perhaps he came into contact with parishioners of the church on a regular basis and it was assumed that if he were Mormon, he would encourage the spirit of kinsmanship through being a fellow Mormon.

Data Analysis Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Data Analysis - Statistics Project Example Average GDP per capita (2013) of the European Union is computed from the World Bank data and is compared with data for individual countries as reported by the Central Intelligence Agency data (based on purchasing power parity). GDP per capita for the region can, therefore, be computed as follows (The World Bank, 2015). GDP per capita= 17.96 trillion/507 million= $ 35424.06 Hypothesis HO:  µCIA= 35424.06; No significant difference between the two sources, sources are reliable HA:  µCIA≠  35424.06; A significant difference exist, one of the sources is not reliable  µ represents mean The data are on a ratio scale and represents an average output of a country per person per year. Data was collected through observation from existing sources, the World Bank and the Central Intelligence Agency (US), and with European Union countries as the population. The data is with respect to the year 2013 and may not represent the countries’ and the region’s current GDP per capita. Distribution of the countries’ GDP per capita is skewed, positively, and has an outlier in GDP of Luxembourg that was $ 91900. The countries GDP per capita also differed widely as the high values of range ($ 75100) and standard deviation (15237) shows. High concentration of countries occurred in the second and fourth stems. Mean of the countries’ GDP per capita, based on CIA data (34084) is statistically the same as the regional value that the World Bank reported for the same year.

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Appeal letter - Personal Statement Example In midst of finding my identity and recovering from cultural shock, my grades suffered inevitably. My past is my past. The positive element is to be hopeful about the future. I understand that education is a privilege, not a right. Opportunities are extremely difficult to come by because so many people miss on their first opportunity. However, my goal is to be a better student in all facets and utilize a second chance to harness my academic education. I am dedicating all my time to my academic performance, attending peer tutoring, and have signed up with groups to extend my learning. Socially, I am trying to focus on my cardiovascular health as I heard that it overall stimulates the nervous system and will enhance my mental focus. Lastly, I am enhancing my diet in rich fruits and nuts, the main source of brain power to ensure that I do my best. My only focal point in life is to be a better student. Given an opportunity, I promise to make a second chance my best one

Course Work 1 case summary and report Coursework

Course Work 1 case summary and report - Coursework Example The summery presents a court case on assisted murder. The summery has a number of mistakes that lead to reduced clarity. There are errors associated with grammar mistakes such as wrongly spelt words, unclear phrases, wrong punctuations, and wrong use of words. The summery does not consider the use of law or court language. Again, it is a bit unclear on the court ruling given that the summery only indicate five court ruling without any informed conclusion. Grammar Errors A number of words are wrongly spelt or their use brings unintended meaning. Misspelled words include euthanasia, in the first paragraph, defense in the second paragraph, parliament in the third paragraph, un-proportionate in the fourth paragraph, forcibility, Switzerland, and foresee in paragraph six. The word â€Å"weather† is used in paragraphs two and four to imply â€Å"whether.† Unclear Phrases/Sentences and wrong punctuations The summery has some unclear phrases and sentences whose usage makes it d ifficult to understand the summery. A phrase like, â€Å"The applicants were really badly disabled,† is incorrect since it uses two adverbs to show the degree of disability. At most one adverb had to be used. A case like, â€Å"So what the Court had to decide was whether there was†¦,† is not clear in terms of whether the court was supposed to do so or it was exactly what the court did. The sentence should be, â€Å"The Court decided on whether there was†¦,† The summery has other related cases of poor sentence structures, and poor punctuations (Summary of R. V. Nicholson , 2013). Use of Law Language The summery depicts a court case but makes use of only a few words that create an impression of a court ruling. Instead of using words like â€Å"brought† to imply the case opening, the words, â€Å"†¦presented before the court†¦,† could have been used. The summery also avoids the use of court case word such as plaintiffs, defendants, accused, prosecutor, charge, and offense among others. Such worlds bring in a court mood. Again, there is no conclusion on the court ruling. The court only breaks the case into five offenses but there is no aspects like a conclusion on the charges placed on the offenders. Corrections to such mistakes would make the summery clear and more understandable. Case Summery of RV Nicholson The case was presented before the Court of Appeal on July 31, 2013 by Nicholson alongside other plaintiffs. This happened after a decision about assisted suicide case and euthanasia was made by the European Court of Justice. In the case, it was claimed that the applicants were completely disabled and thus they could hardly commit suicide without assistance. The case was ruled under Section 2 of the Suicide Act 2010, which says that it is unlawful to assist a person in committing suicide. Based on the Act, it was held that the accused (the assistants of the suicides) were guilty of murder. Again, the FPP provided orders on when the accused would be prosecuted. Such an advice was provided with respect to the Purdy v United Kingdom case of 2010. AC45. The court ruling was open for the accused to defend themselves by clarifying their defense side. The court wanted clarifications on whether there were any defense attempts by the disabled individuals. The court further held that the accused did not observe Article 8 of Human Rights Act 1950. This

Out of her mind women writing on madness by rebecca shannonhouse Essay - 1

Out of her mind women writing on madness by rebecca shannonhouse - Essay Example ses of â€Å"Renee† and Slater, the terror is created in the mind of the patient, part of her delusional state itself rather than something inflicted upon her by the outside world. Despite knowing that their anxieties are not based on anything in reality, neither woman can shake the fear or the depression which pervade their lives. All of the stories discuss various treatments they received, as well as their responses. Ward goes into detail great about shock therapy from the dissociated perspective of her protagonist Virginia, but the most common treatments discussed are medications. In the case of Slater’s Black Swans, the treatment (Prozac) is credited with â€Å"saving† the patient. (Shannonhouse, 146) The opposite is true of Millet’s The Loony Bin Trip, in which the medications are given to women against their will, controlling them with terrifying hallucinations, physical side effects of medications or physical restraint. Whether they appreciated their therapies or not, the medications had a profound impact on each of the women presented. In The Snake Pit by Mary Jane Ward, the narrator Virginia relates her depression and confusion using short words and choppy sentences. Her words are bleak, and her thoughts move haphazardly from one to another with little to hold them together. Virginia asks for advice about what to do from her real friends but they cant help her so she asks in her mind. Her delusions are no more helpful than real people: Dear Emily Post: Is it proper to go out park-sitting in a hoover apron? Answer: This is a custom entirely unknown to me, but if it is the general practice in your community it would be well not to be conspicuous. I assume the hoover apron is always fresh and that you would not lap the clean side over the soiled side and attempt in that way to maintain a false front. (Shannonhouse, 62) This stream of consciousness style of writing conveys clearly the confusion and dissociation Virginia experiences, both before and

Assessment in the Classroom Essay Example for Free

Assessment in the Classroom Essay Assessment plays a crucial role in the education system as it is a process of evaluating or appraising a piece of work in order to determine where a child is at, and what further teaching needs to be delivered. It is about making a judgment and identifying strengths and weaknesses. As assessment involves making a judgment it will almost inevitably include an element of subjectivity by the assessor. However, we should strive to make assessment as objective, fair, reliable and relevant as possible, (Darr, 2005a 2005b). Assessment of writing needs to focus on particular aspects, as set out in the success criteria, and needs to address the writing itself rather than the author, (Smith Elley, 1997). We assess for different purposes, some of which include motivation to learn, creating learning opportunities, to give feedback to both students and staff, to grade, and as a quality assurance mechanism for both internal and external purposes. Assessment can be defined in two categories; being formative assessment and summative assessment. Formative assessment is a range of formal and informal assessment procedures used by teachers during the learning process that help them to modify teaching and learning activities to order improve student achievement. This typically involves quality feedback rather than grades, and focuses on the details of content and performance. Summative assessment determines the achievement of learners at a particular time and is usually delivered at the end of a unit of work. A test may be given that aims to summarize learning up to that point. The results of this test may also be used to identify any weaknesses and then build on that using formative assessment, (Clarke, Timperley Hattie, 2003). One form of assessment that is commonly used in classrooms today is the use of a rubric or checklist. Rubrics can be holistic or analytical, general or task specific. Analytical rubrics identify and assess components of a finished product, whereas holistic rubrics assess student work as a whole. Rubrics allow teachers to be more objective in grading complex student performances. Rubrics also help students understand more clearly just what is expected of them in an assignment or activity. Rubrics give a reference point and language for raising expectations. Rubrics are a formative type of assessment because they become an ongoing part of the whole teaching and learning process. Students themselves should be involved in the design of such rubrics, and in the assessment process through both peer and self-assessment. This involvement empowers the students and as a result, their learning becomes more focused and self-directed. Many experts believe that rubrics improve students end products and therefore increase learning. When teachers evaluate papers or projects, they know implicitly what makes a good final product and why. When students receive rubrics beforehand, they understand how they will be evaluated and can prepare accordingly. Rubrics can also help students become better judges of the quality of their own work and can help the assessment to be more objective and consistent by forcing the teacher to clarify their criteria in specific terms. Rubrics provide useful feedback to the teacher regarding the effectiveness of the instruction, and also provide students with more informative feedback about their strengths and areas in need of improvement. If set out correctly, rubrics are easy to explain and follow. Arter and McTighe (2000) recommend holistic rubrics for simple products or performances, particularly ones with only one important criterion to assess. They also note that holistic rubrics are useful for â€Å"getting a quick snapshot of overall quality or achievement† No detailed analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of a product or performance. So, they’re not as useful diagnostically to help plan instruction. Nor do they provide students with detailed feedback to guide their improvement† (Arter McTighe, 2000, p. 21). Some teachers suggest that it is more difficult to construct analytical rubrics for all tasks. Creating the rubric, they may find the task of developing, testing, evaluating, and updating time consuming. Often teachers find it difficult to ascertain the correct set of criteria to define performance expectations, and using the correct language to express expectations can often be difficult. There can also be lower consistency amongst different teachers as they have different ideas about what constitutes acceptable criteria. The extra detail in the analytical rubric will help multiple grades emphasize the same criteria. As there is less detail to analyse in the holistic rubric, younger students may be able to integrate it into their schema better than the analytical rubric. Rubrics can also restrict the students thinking in that they may complete the assignment strictly to the rubric instead of taking the initiative to explore their learning. Also if the criteria that is in the rubric is too complex, students may feel overwhelmed with the assignment. Rubrics can provide both formative and summative information if used in the appropriate settings and manner. The ARBs, or Assessment Resource Banks are another form of assessment that is widely used in New Zealand Schools. Teaching and learning need to be an interactive journey between both the student and the teacher. Teachers need to know about their students’ progress and any difficulties they have so that they may adapt their teaching programme accordingly. These needs are often unpredictable and vary from one student to the next; therefore a variety of assessment procedures need to be used within the classroom environment in order to determine and meet the needs of all students, (Black and William, 1998). REFERENCES Arter, J. McTighe, J. (2000). Scoring Rubrics in the Classroom: Using Performance Criteria for Assessing and Improving Student Performance. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press. Black, P. William, D. (1998b). Inside the black box: raising standards through classroom assessment. London: King’s College School of Education. Clarke, S. , Timperley, H. , Hattie, J. (2003). Unlocking Formative Assessment: Practical strategies for enhancing student’s learning in the primary and intermediate classroom. (1st NZ ed. ). New Zealand: Hodder Education. Darr, C. (2005a). A Hitchhiker’s guide to validity. Set: Research Information for Teachers, 2, 55-56. Darr, C. (2005b). A Hitchhiker’s guide to reliability. Set: Research Information for Teachers, 3, 59-60. Smith, J. , Elley, W. (1997). How children learn to write, (pp. 126-138). New Zealand: Addison Wesley Longman.