Abstract This paper explains that characterizing the medieval era as a period of barbarism ignores the fact that rebuilding a civilization after the fall of the Roman Empire was a laborious process. The author points out that despite this struggle, new urban centers emerged that would eventually become the seats of learning and progress during the later Enlightenment and the Renaissance. The paper stresses that the castle became the focal point of the major urban development because cathedrals and monasteries could never give the degree of military defense that could be provided by the castle. The author concludes that, towering over sprawling medieval cities, the castle was a visual architectural reminder that order and authority were a significant part of medieval life, both in keeping invaders out and keeping the citizenry in line with the interests of the city's elite.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Development of the Castle in the Medieval Era
The Castle as Symbolic Focal Point
Conclusion
From the Paper "The castle projected an image of power and security that was not only a deterrent to attack but also a source of pride and security for the people who lived around the castle. The castle provided the impetus for urban growth, and that urban growth (through increased tax revenues) also provided the finances necessary to expand the scale and defenses of the castle itself. A feedback loop of a sort was established between the medieval city and the medieval castle. Urban redevelopment after the fall of the Roman Empire continued along these lines for a thousand years until the beginning of the Renaissance."
Abstract In this religious study of 'The Interior Castle' by Teresa of Avila, one can realize the seven "mansions" of prayer that the Carmelite Prioress of the 16th century depicts in prayer. By analyzing the architectural symbolism that Teresa implies within the seven rooms within her Christian castle, the basis for prayer can be elucidated in stages or levels. In essence, the objective of this study is to define these seven mansions of prayer that arise with 'The Interior Castle' by Teresa of Avila.
From the Paper "... the soul is the messenger for the body, the spirit becomes the new identity in Heaven that becomes truly one with Christ in Teresa's Interior Castle. As a result of this marriage death is no longer an issue of fear and the spirit can rest within Heaven. This is the ultimate unity of prayer and meditation that allows the soul to leave the Earth and unite with the soul in God inner sanctum."
Abstract Vernon and Irene Castle were America's 'golden' couple--as well as the toast of Europe in the years immediately preceding World War I. Their innovative dance steps: Texas Tommy, Foxtrot, and Grizzly Bear, set to the syncopation of ragtime swept America, Britain and France. In the age of silent movies, film shorts of their dance routines were followed as avidly by teenagers in 1911 as are the television doings of pop stars today. The paper briefly describes the backgrounds of the couple and then examines their career as innovative dancers and choreographers in the years preceding the First World War and up to the death of Vernon Castle in a flying accident in February 1918.
Outline:
Introduction
Background
The Castles, Daring Dance, and Social Innovation in Pre-War America (and Europe, as well)
The Price of War
Epilogue
Works Consulted in the Preparation of this Report
From the Paper "The Castles appeared together in The Hen-Pecks, a Broadway musical comedy in which their dance routines, set to "the music of young songwriter Irving Berlin's Alexander's Ragtime Band, [Notable Biographies]" were a regular component sketches. The caught the eye of a French theatrical agent who, in 1912, booked them for a six-month gig at the Cafe de Paris, in the city of that name. While their comedy routines received top billing, it was their dancing that caught the crowd's attention. Simply stated, the Castles appropriated black America's ragtime rhythm and social dance steps, performing them in a seemingly 'passionless and well-mannered' fashion. Susan Cook describes the Castles' approach. "Throughout their careers, the Castles responded to the discourse of dance pathology [specifically, white fears of black influence on the social attitudes of American youth] with their own carefully crafted one of propriety in which their dancing, self-described as 'modern,' was so identified by its calculated 'refinement' in opposition to the 'roughness' associated with its working-class and ethnic predecessors. They came to mark out a kind of middle ground between the informality of the working-class dance halls the constrained rigidity of the Dancing Masters [141]." (They Castles had a major impact on American middle-class acceptance of the tango. In Argentina the dance was overtly erotic. The Castles performed it in a more 'stately' manner, although of course the erotic element shimmered just beneath the surface--suitable, one might think, for a happily married couple.)"
Abstract A look at the nature and changes in the construction of castles. The author looks at the background of castle construction, how they were built during the Medieval period and the insights that this provides about Medieval society and the inner workings of it.
From the Paper "We look at castles today, impressed by their enormous stature and the massive nature of their physical construction. Even today, with the skyscrapers and other marvels of modern construction, castles still imbue awe in the beholder. Imagining how the construction of such masterpieces could have been accomplished with the technology available to the Medieval person is almost incomprehensible. Castles have held this place in the mind from the Romantic period onward, with a revival of the wonder and majesty that such buildings can evoke. The truth of the matter, however, is that castles began as simple wooden structures and palisades, created to defend certain areas from attack by invaders. These simple wooden fortifications gradually evolved into the massive structures that we know and admire today, and the story of that evolution gives us key insights into the way that Medieval society evolved and the inner workings of the society as well."
Abstract The poet was so inspired by the painting that he created the Elegiac Stanzas the memory of his younger brother whose untimely death caused intense pain and sorrow to him. The painting of Sir George's Peele Castle shows a huge tall building weathering every storm, and the poet was encouraged by the strength of the castle and felt that man too needs to possess such courage to overcome all difficult situations.
Abstract This paper discusses how "The Castle of Otranto", written by Horace Walpole, is a prime example of Gothic literature. It examines how, in Walpole's novel, distinct characteristics can be found that will truly identify what a Gothic novel is and how one of these characteristics is the use of magical and supernatural events in the novel. It shows how magic is used as a means to provide horror and fear in the life of Prince Manfred, the greedy and cruel leader of the castle. The story primarily focuses on Manfred's preoccupation with perpetuating his power through his family, particularly his son, Conrad.
From the Paper "Another important contribution that Walpole's novel has created in English literary and cultural studies is through the realm of linguistic studies. "The Castle of Otranto" used words commonly found in English vocabulary, but with different meanings, especially when put in the context of Gothic literature. Words such as "enchantment" and "vision" convey mystery, while "affliction" and "wretched" illustrate fear and terror. These words that seemed to convey meanings that are unilateral in meaning have become bilateral. Thus, words that illustrate positive magical qualities such as "enchantment" and objective realities such as "vision" have now become words that depict horror and characteristic of the supernatural elements and events in ?The Castle of Otranto.?"
Abstract The reign of King Edward I (1272-1307) was marked by almost constant military activity in the British Isles and France. Edward's policy of expansion and conquest in Scotland and Wales was aggressive and successful. This paper examines one of the more notable characteristics of Edward's warlike policies, the construction of a large number of castles, mostly in Wales, as centers of military and civilian administration in conquered territories. The paper focuses on six of these castles, namely Flint, Rhuddlan, Conwy, Caernarfon, Harlech, and Beaumaris.
From the Paper "Whereas at other sites such as Harlech and Caernarfon the site had offered defensive advantages, at Beaumaris the castle was constructed on a flat, largely featureless marsh, so it had to create all its defensive advantages itself. The result is a highly developed plan using concentric curtain walls, round and D-shaped towers, and two vast gatehouses. It followed the established pattern of having its own dock and access to the sea, and a town was to have been constructed within its own, integrated, defenses. The town was never founded and the castle never completed, the demands of wars, not only in Wales but also in Scotland and France, rendering the expense untenable."
Abstract This paper examines the Castle Hill Show from an event management perspective focusing on issues such as conduct, waste and risk management, site communication, queue management and emergency strategies.
From the Paper "The most common occurrence of a risk exposure at an event is that of an attendee tripping, slipping or falling over. (Johnson, D., 1997, p205) Therefore it was surprising to discover that the ground surrounding the general attendee parking area at this event was uneven and unsurfaced. . In order to then gain access to the main areas of the showground it was also necessary to climb rocky embankments especially dangerous in wet weather. It would appear that this event failed to identify the potential risks these rocky areas represented to both attendees and their vehicles. (Newell, M., & Grashina, M., 2004, p177)"
Abstract This paper discusses the waste management issue in the communities of Toronto and New Castle Upon Tyne. The paper explains that, as the population of both cities increases, so do the problems surrounding waste management. In New Castle Upon Tyne the city council has determined that residents are currently creating more waste than any other city in the area. This situation creates an issue that is likely to become more dominant in society with continued growth.
Abstract This paper explains that one of the most intriguing and interesting aspects of George Lamming's "In the Castle of My Skin" is his variety of narrative forms: 1) the first-person autobiographical account of the character G., 2) the third-person account of the conversations between the Old Man (Pa) and the Old Woman (Ma) and 3) the third-person account, which relates wider activities to describe the consciousness of the village as a whole. The author points out that, although the Caribbean world of G with its colonial brutality, extreme poverty and slavery may be very different from most of the readers' daily lives filled with luxuries, stability and freedom, it does not take long to become involved in the experience. The paper stresses that book may have been written some time ago, but the world it conveys unfortunately exists today; unfortunately, the class system and one people empowering others is not a thing of the past.
From the Paper "Lamming uses the varied narrations to show the many ways that colonialism impacts the individuals and their society. In an interview, he once explained that he uses the different narratives to show the type of suppression that occurred to the villagers. It was not a physical destruction of the body, rather a mental destruction of the mind. He notes, "The result was a fractured consciousness, a deep split in its sensibility which now raised difficult problems of language and values; the whole issue of cultural allegiance between imposed norms of White Power, represented by a small numerical minority, and the fragmented memory of the African masses: between white instruction and Black imagination." The narrative approaches are thus likewise divided and splintered to break away from the wholeness and self-esteem felt by someone who is not controlled by others from the outside."
Tags: first-person, third-person, narrative, class, village
Abstract The paper reviews the Toronto Westin Harbour Castle Hotel. The paper describes the hotel, provides an overview of its ownership, looks at its classification and effectiveness of its web site design, reviews its rates, property management system and economic indicators (at least to the extent possible under the circumstances) and finally assesses the hotel's strengths, its weaknesses and one noticeable opportunity for the future. In the final analysis, the hotel does face challenges, but savvy business practices should overcome those challenges.
From the Paper " Westin Harbour Castle: A Hotel Property Profile Few if any hotel properties in Canada are more distinguished than the Westin Harbour Castle property on 1 Harbour Square in Toronto, Ontario. With this in mind, the following paper will describe the facility and its capacity, describe the nature of its ownership - whether it is privately-owned or not, whether it is affiliated with a brand or not - and will proceed from there to outline its size, location, target market and classification ranking. Additionally, the paper will review the rates of the facility and its structure and property management system capabilities."
Abstract The paper explains that scientist and novelist C.S. Snowe maintained that, after the Industrial Revolution, the way that human knowledge was classified experienced a catastrophic schism. The paper discusses the divide between science and the humanities. The paper explores how this notion of a divide is evident in the way that modern literary critics frequently interpret 18th century Gothic novels, such as "The Castle of Otranto", by Horace Walpole. The paper concludes that, in Walpole's novel, the past has more impact on the present, affirming the psychological importance of personal history rather than the forces of imminent change and scientific progress.
From the Paper "The realism that Walpole perceives in his narrative is the morality that the characters struggle with, in attempting to do the 'correct' thing. Finally, at the end of the novel, Manfred realizes his ancestor's crimes and repents: "Thou guiltless but unhappy woman! Unhappy by my crimes!" Manfred says to his first wife Hippolita, "my heart at last is open to thy devout admonitions... what can atone for usurpation and a murdered child? A child murdered in a consecrated place? The characters that submit to fate, rather than try exercise scientific control triumph, affirming Snowe's theory that there was a growing divide between science and human emotion in terms of how the culture perceived these systems of knowledge."
Abstract The Gothic literature genre began with the publication of Horace Walpole's novel entitled, "The Castle of Otranto" in 1765. The paper discusses how elements of magic and terror are interspersed throughout the novel. It shows how this work is similar to that of Matthew Lewis' "The Monk" (1796). The paper analyzes how magic is utilized in both novels in developing the characters of the protagonist as they descend and succumb to their worldly needs and desires. Magic is discussed as a force that led to Manfred and Ambrosio's downfall in "The Castle of Otranto" and ?The Monk,? respectively. Passages from both novels are included in the paper.
From the Paper "While magic is used as a useful force in ?The Castle of Otranto,? magic is used as a force of evil in ?The Monk.? Magic and its use in the novel become apparent in the last chapter of the novel, wherein Ambrosio and Matilda are being persecuted by their society and the Church because of the sinful acts they have committed. Ambrosio, as the main character in the story, is portrayed initially as a "saintly" monk, and Lewis illustrates him as a man who ??has never been known to transgress a single rule of his order; The smallest stain is not to be discovered upon his character; and He is reported to be so strict an observer of Chastity, that He knows not in what consists the difference of Man and Woman. The common People therefore esteem him to be a Saint.?? This passage is an important revelation to the readers, since in the latter part of the novel, the readers will become acquainted with the sudden changes in Ambrosio's character as he becomes immersed in his sinfulness and worldly needs and desires."
Abstract This paper reviews the story "The Red Room" by science fiction writer H.G. Wells. It examines how the story is typically gothic and how the setting is an old, derelict castle- Lorraine Castle in which a young duke has died. It shows how this setting already suggests a mystery and immediately contributes to suspense in the story. It also discusses the genre, the structure, the setting and the language used to create atmosphere and imagery.
From the Paper "At the beginning of the story, the character of the narrator is open minded and sure of himself. He believes there are no ghosts. He is very cynical, which is shown when he refuses to believe what the three old pensioners tell him. The character says ?I can assure you said I, that it will take a very tangible ghost to frighten me.? The author uses very expressive words in his writing and uses the adjective "tangible", this means you can touch the ghost. You cannot touch ghosts and this is why the author uses the adjective, because the character believes ghosts are not real. The character feels unsure when the three old pensioners make him feel uncomfortable. He says ?the three old pensioners made me feel uncomfortable.? This explains that the character is not made to feel at ease. It also accentuates that the old pensioners are quite convincing."
Abstract This paper introduces the author Italo Calvino. The paper presents a brief background of Calvino's life and discusses several of his literary works. The paper contends that much of Calvino's writings, especially "Castle", is indicative of the 'nouveau roman', the new novel, popular in Europe during the 1950s and 1960s that tried different ways of altering the normal narrative approach. The paper examines the metaphorical use of tarot cards in Calvino's work, specifically citing examples from "The Waverer's Tale" and "Castle of Crossed Destinies".
From the Paper "Historians differ on the origin of tarot cards. Most believe that Egypt was the first to use similar images and symbols. Tarot is also represented from the early Greek, Roman, Norse and Indian cultures to the Italian and French medieval courts. The first clear reference to tarot is based on an Italian sermon from about 1500 A.D. (Pratesi). Regardless of origination, it is agreed that many civilizations-ancient to modern-have commonly used the tarot to divine the future. It is not unusual, then, to see references of these cards in literature. Writers integrate it into their plot; poets use it as imagery. Italo Calvino's Castle of Crossed Destinies provides an excellent example of tarot not only used within the plot, but as a narrative metaphor. He weaves his narration around a group of medieval travelers staying at a castle who find themselves incapable of speaking."
