Abstract This paper presents a brief biographical background on the Irish author, Brendan Behan. The paper asserts that Behan used his writing to voice his disagreement with the notion of cultural nationalism that existed during the time he lived in Ireland. The paper also delves into the idea that Behan wrote from a strictly humanistic point, attempting to enlighten his audience with amusing anecdotes about human nature, sharing the notion that all humans are subject to the same living conditions and torments and that freedom from the constraints in life lies merely in the ability of man to overcome his differences and recognize his similarities. The paper contends that his writing suggests a preoccupation with, and even love for, the diverse nature of mankind.
From the Paper "Behan began his writing career with an attempt at "patriotic poetry and prose" while still in school, his first "real" job was that of housepainter (Demastes & Schrank, 1997). Behan's early life was characterized by much political involvement, where he was arrested in 1941 for political activity and sentenced to fourteen years of penal servitude, of which he served only 5 (Demastes & Schrank, 1997). He was later arrested again in 1947 for helping an IRA operate escape and two more times after that, each time in England where he was deported back to Ireland (Demastes & Schrank, 1997). Many critics have described his writings as lively and full of humor, rather than full of the political satire often attributed to the writer."
Abstract This paper explains that the authors Brendan Behan and George Bernard Shaw possessed a common thread of culture despite their vastly different social classes, backgrounds and experiences. The paper examines this commonality and how it expressed in the writings of both authors.
From the Paper "Brendan Behan and George Bernard Shaw existed in different social classes throughout their lives. Behan was incarcerated multiple times for criminal acts, and was a lifetime member of the Irish Republican Army. Shaw was an author of significant societal standing that mingled with those of the higher class, and was revered as a genius in his work. Yet, these two authors possessed a common thread of culture that was evident in the plays, John Bull's Other Island (Shaw) and The Quare Fellow (Behan). This commonality was an Irish heritage that was an important factor in each author's life, and that prompted them to make statements on the world, as seen through Irish eyes. Shaw and Behan both constructed their works within worlds that they were familiar with. The characters of their plays expressed their individual societal experiences. However, each play was capable of..."
A critique of the collection of articles in "The Sociological Perspective" by Michael Leming, Raymond Devries and Brendan Furnish, exploring ways to unite social science and Christian values.
2,025 words (approx. 8.1 pages), 1 source, 1993, $ 71.95
From the Paper "This study will provide a critique of The Sociological Perspective: A Value-Committed Introduction, edited by Michael R. Leming, Raymond G. DeVries, and Brendan F.J. Furnish.
The editors have compiled a group of articles in order to discover ways in which sociology and Christianity can come together. The editors note three strategies used by Christian sociologists, and then write that the common feature of all three strategies, and of all the following articles, is the desire to put sociological knowledge to use to accomplish God's work in the world. All of the authors agree that it is better to be sociologically conscious than unconscious, and that the sociologically conscious Christian is better equipped to realize the goal of shalom, to implement love and justice in the world (p. 13). The editors and contributors, then, can hardly be said..."
Abstract In Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," considered by many scholars as the greatest masterpiece of English Romantic poetry, the psychological themes associated with the mariner's wanderings play a very crucial role in the poem's overall effect; thus, the Mariner himself is trapped in a watery and dangerous world as a result of his own psychological problems which arise from the realms of the unknown. This paper shows, however, that since Coleridge decided to use psychology to tell a good portion of this tale, it is relatively easy to insert other characters into the plot-line which may or may not add more depth and mystery to the poem.
From the Paper "Also, the lines "And a thousand thousand slimy things/Lived on; and so did I" (Part IV, lines 15-16) indicates that he sees himself as nothing but a slimy creature cast upon the wide open sea where his journey as the Mariner eventually takes a turn for the worst when he kills the albatross and condemns himself and his crewmates to death. Of course, these "slimy creatures" could be enhanced with the addition of some type of sea serpent or monster, such as a giant octopus or a mythological creature. Since the earliest days of seafaring, sailors have reported seeing unidentified "sea monsters" in almost all of the major oceans; thus, the Mariner, like those early explorers, could have encountered some strange "slimy thing" during this part of the poem."
