Abstract This paper looks at the on-going violence in the Middle East and asks whether peace can ever be achieved with Ariel Sharon as Prime Minister. The author of the paper suggests that the present policies of Israel, under the leadership of Sharon, hinder any progress that might be made towards peace and, in fact, encourage the Intifada.
From the Paper "Meanwhile, terrible, bloody violence has been part of life for the Palestinians and Israelis since shortly after the creation of the State of Israel by the United Nations, in 1948. In recent weeks and months, notwithstanding the rhetoric of "peace" issued on both sides, has not shown any signs of subsiding. In fact, according to U.S. News & World Report (Derfner, 2004), since April, 2004, when Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and U.S. President George Bush jointly praised the proposed Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, chaos and violence have been the rule of thumb, not peace."
Abstract The actions of Prospero in relation to his two servants, Ariel and Caliban, very much contradict his motivations and goals throughout the play, "The Tempest," by William Shakespeare. The paper shows that, while Prospero is trying to fight injustice and restore his own life, he is, in a sense, stealing the power and lives of his servants.
From the Paper "In Shakespeare's The Tempest, one of the main characters in the play, Prospero, has been exiled to an island. While living there he encounters two inhabitants of the island and makes them his servants. Caliban, one of Prospero's servants, has lived his whole life on the island after being left there by sailors with his mother, Sycorax. The other servant is Ariel, a mischievous spirit who Prospero found trapped in tree by a spell cast many years ago by Sycorax. The relationships between Prospero and his two servants are very different, although he maintains his control over both of them through his use of words. Prospero promises Ariel his freedom after he is done serving Prospero's desires, but Caliban is treated very differently. He is looked down upon and treated cruelly with no promise of ever being free. Unlike Ariel, Caliban is not content to serve Prospero and attempts to remove him of his power in order to restore his own life and rule over the island, but in his attempt to do so he offers to become a servant of Stephano. Throughout the play Prospero is attempting to fight the injustice of losing his power as Duke of Milan, but the way he treats his servants and steals their power is unjust."
An analysis of the relationship between Prospero, Ariel and Caliban in William Shakespeare's "The Tempest" in the light of competing critical interpretations of the play.
Abstract This paper examines how "The Tempest" has attracted a vast array of critical attention, possibly because of its intriguingly ambiguous message which naturally invites conjecture. It looks at how it is a text loaded with nuances and ambiguities which make it impossible to pin down Shakespeare's original motivation or world view. By contemplating the relationship between Prospero, Ariel and Caliban it considers the author's views of their relationship in comparison with those of major critics.
From the Paper "Caliban's attitude to Prospero is one of absolute terror of his power rather than mere subservience. Mannnoni's argument of a "predisposition to dependency ", supported by Caliban's quick acceptance of Trinculo as "... a new master whose 'footlicker' he can become..." (quoted in Reader, p. 284) is hard to accept. Shakespeare's text is surely more light-hearted than this. Caliban's comic simplicity leads him to believe that Stephano and Trinculo are gods to be worshipped, not just men to be obeyed. In the magical surrounding of the island where the fantastic often happens, the naive Caliban can surely be forgiven for believing that Stephano and Trinculo are "...dropped from heaven" (2.2.134) or "Out o'th'moon" (2.2.135)."
Abstract This paper examines Ariel Dorfman's play, "Death and the Maiden, one of the most widely acclaimed contemporary theatre pieces by a Chilean author. The author of the paper examines the play and, in particular, its characters in great detail and, with the aid of relevant literature, attempts to analyze the work and its relevance today.
From the Paper "The subsequent discussion with her husband reveals the ghosts that haunt her and her thirst for revenge. She is thus suspicious and discontent when her husband tells her that he has joined a commission which is in charge of discovering the truth with regard to the victims of the former political regime. A relevant reason for Paulina's distrust is that the political scene only appears to have changed from dictatorship to democracy, while many of the political actors have remained the same. Moreover, she does not believe in the honorable purposes of this commission because it has proposed to uncover only the deaths caused by the Pinochet dictatorship and not the surviving victims as well. The question arises thus to the fate of those who have survived but who have remained scarred for life by the abuse they were made to suffer. There seems to be not possible way of actually making justice for the political victims. The idea of revenge as it is formulated in the play is very significant. Paulina seeks revenge because she cannot have justice done to her after what she has suffered. Taking revenge is thus her only possibility of coming to terms with herself and with her past. Gerardo on the other hand represents the effort to forget and put the past aside so as to make the present possible. Interestingly, both of these opposed attitudes only emphasize the impossibility of finding the right answer and of coping with the present. If the past of persecutions and crimes is put behind, then there is no moral satisfaction and truth itself becomes relative. If, on the other hand, the past is constantly made present the emphasis lies on revenge rather than justice and again no moral equity can be reached. As the plot develops, this polarity between Paulina and Gerardo becomes more and more evident."
Abstract This essay analyzes William Shakespeare's final play, "The Tempest." The essay explores the organic nature of Shakespeare's art and poses a thesis regarding themes of colonization and homogeny in Shakespeare's final work. Art, Drama and Literature all begin as a great artistic tempest, but without a powerful agent like Prospero or Shakespeare and helpful sprite like Ariel or the muse, it would be difficult to tie the artistic tempest into a feasible order. This essay attempts to look at "The Tempest" from a colonial perspective and explain how diverse entities come to merge into one cohesive mass.
From the Paper "Somewhere in the shadows of every masterful creation, there lurks a steadfast draftsman with an extraordinary proclivity to build things formerly unimagined. A pivotal moment dividing substance from nonexistence resides at the fundamental core of all things real. In Shakespeare's The Tempest, chaos serves as a facilitator of order. Following Antonio's rebellious usurpation of power, a merciless storm dispels his ambition. Antonio and the subjects of Alonso are left to redefine a gravely ruptured social hierarchy and erect a government philosophy when they find themselves heedlessly discarded on a sparsely inhabited island. Performed in 1611 at the height of British colonization, The Tempest functioned "as a fascinating tale that served as a masquerade for the creation of a new society in America" (Takaki 142). Completed at the end of his career, The Tempest brilliantly epitomizes the organic nature of Shakespeare's art by cultivating his various genres into one adeptly seasoned play."
Abstract This paper examines how "The Tempest" is, perhaps, Shakespeare's most universally appropriate play in that its multicultural and colonial themes have attracted substantial study from all over the world and its characters have been employed as models for both further literary work. In particular it discusses how Caliban is, without question, a slave and how enslavement is a theme that pervades the play as a whole. It investigates this theme, not only in relation to Caliban, but also to the spirit Ariel and, to some extent, Prospero's daughter Miranda.
From the Paper "It would not be insensible to argue that any audience of The Tempest finds itself subject to Prospero's rule. Knowledge of all action previous to the events which take place on stage is presented in the most part through Prospero. Indeed, all of the other characters, once upon the island, are only able to perform what is permitted them by Prospero. Caliban enters on his command, Ariel begins the play in creating a storm at his order, and the passengers of the King's ship are lured into neat groups around the island in preparation for his plan for the recovery of his Dukedom. Most significantly, however, is the position of Prospero's daughter, Miranda. She has lived on the island for nearly all of her cognizant life, taking all of her knowledge of human society from her father."
Abstract This paper shows how Ariel Dorfman's play and Roman Polanski's movie, "Death and the Maiden", strongly indicate that Paulina's accusations that the man in her house is the same man who tortured and raped her twenty years earlier. The writer points out that the use of sound and isolation create an atmosphere where the audience must use its imagination, thus encouraging audience members to accept the man as Paulina's accuser. While there clearly is some room for the audience to consider Paulina's actions as invalid, both the clearly sympathetic portrayal of Paulina and the dramatic movement of the play and movie ultimately lead the audience to believe her accusations.
From the Paper "Dorfman's play and Roman Polanski's movie share a common plot. They are set in a South American country as a democratic regime takes over from a brutal dictatorship. Paulina is a woman who was repeatedly raped and tortured during the regime, who comes to believe that a man who stumbles onto her home is the man who tortured her in the past. While the general details of the plot remain true between the play and movie, there are important differences as well."
Abstract This paper explores the abiding elements of Jewish belief, including the origins of the major ethical, ritual and theological aspects of Judaism, as described in David Ariel's book "What Do Jews Believe?" This paper discusses how various Jewish sects have vigorously searched for a better understanding of God as well as the influence of Kabbalah in Judaism. This paper also examines the differences between orthodox, Hassidic and conservative Judaism.
From the Paper "It is intriguing how the various Jewish sects vigorously have searched, with their intellects and their souls, for a better understanding of God. The difficult question Ariel tackles is the seeming duality of God's nature, His nearness and distance from the world and humanity or "(His)transcendence and immanence." In rabbinic Judaism, God is regarded as "different from and above the world, on one hand, and closely involved and concerned with the world and its inhabitants, on the other. This paradoxical information of God's simultaneous transcendence and immanence is central to understanding rabbinic conception of God." The rabbis believe that they as "designated disciples" are able to be the interpreters of the divine."
From the Paper "A man who was cheated of his royal title by his brother and set adrift with his infant daughter, happens upon a deserted island. He defeats the evil master of the island and takes over as ruler. The man feels sorry for the son of the previous master, teaching him his language and housing him. This continues until the man catches him molesting his daughter. As retribution, the man enslaves him."
A paper which compares and discusses setting as a reflection of character in "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allen Poe, and "The Tempest" by William Shakespeare.
Abstract The author of this paper shows how the setting and atmosphere of the two works "The Fall of the House of Usher" (Edgar Allen Poe) and "The Tempest" (Shakespeare), are a reflection of the characters. Each work is analyzed individually.
From the Paper "Again, the setting is defining the characters and their moods. "Extensive decay" could just as well describe Roderick and Madeline after she returns from the tomb. It could also describe the family itself, who, through intermarriage and interbreeding, weakened its bloodlines until only the sickly Roderick and Madeline are left to carry on the name."
From the Paper " Sylvia Plath's life and poetry are strongly and clearly related. But critical focus on the biographical element in her work tends to diminish the standing of her poetry. Those who attempt to read the life through the poems are proceeding contrary to what Plath intended and what she deserves. This does not mean, of course, that knowledge of Plath's life is valueless or that it will not sometimes enhance some readings of the poems. It only means that the poems in Ariel, for instance, were written to be read by readers who knew little about the lives of Plath, Hughes, or anyone they knew. In the wake of Plath's death, of course, it is nearly impossible to become the ideal reader for whom the poems were planned. But critics of all kinds have gradually come to see that it is the work rather than the life that matters--or, at least, that while both may matter they.."
Abstract This paper summarizes and analyzes "The Tempest" and looks at whether the analogy commonly used by critics, that the leading character in "The Tempest" can be compared to Shakespeare himself, deserves merit.
From the Paper ""The Tempest" fills out the Shakespeare folio as the last production "the bard" creates with his own witty craft. Numerous critics through the years liken the leading character Prospero to that of Shakespeare by making poignant, yet simple comparisons (1659). Shakespeare retires from playwriting and the theatre in real life, while the character Prospero relinquishes magic and an island. However, this general analogy only succeeds in being a basic argument such as all writing derives from the life of a writer. Innumerable and significant differences exist between the fictional and the factual that demand deeper analysis. With many complexities and nimble nuances the textual evidence implicates Prospero's enchantments as being moral tools to accomplish virtuous deeds. Prospero renounces magic when he achieves a guarantee of overall good and simple virtuous actions themselves beget mystical moments."
This paper is a comparative analysis of political editorials from "The New York Times" and "The Dallas Morning News" on the subject of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Gaza pullout plan.
815 words (approx. 3.3 pages), 2 sources, APA, $ 29.95
Abstract This paper explains that both papers discuss the ramifications of the pullout news to the security of Israel, as well as the success towards the peace that both Israel and Palestine have been trying to broker for many years already. The author points out that the editorial of the "Dallas Morning News" expresses the same "mixed emotions" as the "New York Times" editorial had expressed; however, the editorial primarily expressed a positive attitude of Sharon's Gaza plan as the first step towards brokering peace in a "peaceful manner" between Israel and Palestine. The paper relates that, while the "New York Times" editorial has applied the issue in the context of the current state of terrorism and U.S. intervention to foreign policy-making, the author of "Dallas Morning News" editorial focused on Sharon's "realistic" resolve to end the conflict between the two nation-states.
From the Paper "The print media has become an effective means to discuss important issues in the society today, especially with the prevalence of newspapers that cater to various audiences or readers today. Political editorials, in particular, serve as the people's daily reference in knowing what is the political stand or position that the newspaper assumes given a particular current issue to discuss. These editorials, however, do not dictate to their readers what position or stand to take on an issue; rather, they serve as another viewpoint at which readers are able to think about the issue. In effect, editorials serve as additional information that lets people understand all facets of a social issue being discussed."
Abstract The United States' foreign policy to Israel is and always has been highly influenced by domestic politics, particularly by presidential elections. This paper begins by describing the effect of electoral politics upon the foreign policy of American presidents. It then outlines the power of the Jewish vote, the Jewish lobby, and the growing power of the fundamentalist Christian vote. The paper then notes that, although policy toward Israel is strongly influenced by domestic policy, it is virtually nonpartisan. The paper discusses the limits of domestic political influence on foreign policy and the strategic basis for presidential decisions concerning the region. It concludes by looking towards the future of domestic special interest groups.
From the Paper "In Heroic Diplomacy, Kenneth Stein calls US policy in the Middle East "remarkably non-partisan." The major parties may put forth candidates with consistently opposed domestic agendas, but with regard to Israeli policy, disagreements about aid, intervention, and peace do not happen down party lines. An early example of this was in the leadership of the American Zionist Emergency Council, which was co-led by the strong Democrat Rabbi Stephen Wise and the ardent Republican Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver. A present-day nonpartisan issue is whether or not Bush should be more involved in the peace process."
Abstract This paper begins with a look at the death by suicide of poet Sylvia Plath and her previous attempts at suicide throughout her life. The paper then looks at Plath's childhood, her relationship with her parents, her academic achievements, her marriage and her writings.
From the Paper "One of America's best known twentieth century poets, Sylvia Plath (1932-1963) lived an artistically productive but tragic life, and committed suicide in 1963 while separated from her husband, the British poet Ted Hughes. Before her death at age 30, Sylvia Plath had suffered a bout of severe depression for several months, the likely result of her separation from Ted Hughes and her strong suspicion of his adultery with the English poet Assia Wevill ("Sylvia Plath"; "Sylvia Plath, 1932-1963" 2). Sylvia Plath had also made several previous suicide attempts, beginning at age 20, or perhaps even earlier, always precipitated by the spells of depression and debilitating self-doubt that dogged the poet from early adolescence on (Neurotic Poets, Sylvia Plath 6-7)."
