Abstract This paper examines the movie, "Braveheart", which tells the story of the thirteenth-century Scottish hero, William Wallace, who led his countrymen in a quest to gain freedom from the oppressive rule of King Edward I of England. It looks at how the movie distorts its two central characters and contains many inaccuracies, although it heroically depicts William Wallace and the conflict between England and Scotland. It analyzes how, although the basic plot of the film is historically accurate, it overly simplifies the characters of Wallace and Edward. It also shows how the film's representation of Wallace illustrates the attitudes and beliefs that the Scots have held for him throughout the years. Although William Wallace and King Edward were powerful and pivotal foes in the fight for Scottish Independence, Wallace's many faults are overlooked in the movie in order to depict him as a Hollywood hero. Additionally, Edward is villanized to the extreme, despite his legitimate actions as King.
From the Paper "Despite the oversimplification of his character in Braveheart, King Edward was actually a practical and effective ruler. Although Edward was a strict ruler, he became king at a time when feudalism was breaking down in Europe. A firm hand was needed to maintain stability in England as social structures changed. Additionally, his attempted occupation of Scotland would have also benefited England as a whole. Like many logical rulers of the time, Edward wanted to expand his United Kingdom. Increased land holdings were equated with increased royal superiority and national power. It was the aim of many rulers, not just Edward, to protect themselves and increase their power. Edward was given the opportunity, by the nobles of Scotland, to further this aim and acted accordingly."
Abstract This paper examines the book, "King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa". It explains how it is an account of what befell the nation now known as Congo during the years of Belgian colonial rule in the early years of the 20th century.
From the Paper "At the beginning of the twentieth century, it was becoming a commonly accepted belief among the European powers that colonial possessions enhanced the prestige of the nations that held them. King Leopold II, wishing to elevate Belgium to a higher status in the European community of nations, had his eyes upon Africa. Of course, there were also more practical reasons to play the imperial game, namely to build personal wealth and to accumulate personal power. With the major colonial states more interested in the coastal African states, Leopold managed to colonize the Congo, using public statements about his humanitarian concerns for the slave trade in the Congo and the drive to spread Christianity in the area to disguise his real intentions."
Abstract "How the other Half lives" is one of the most celebrated books on the subject of deplorable living and working conditions of immigrants at the turn of the century. Jacob Riis's powerful account of life in tenement buildings in New York City was first published in 1890 and took American's largely complacent majority by storm. The paper shows that the book may have been about the poor and the destitute of New York City, but it was meant for the 'other half' that was not portrayed in the book. The readers were those who had little or nothing in common with the real life characters of the book, and this explains the main purpose of the book to us. The paper explains that Riis saw the immigrants' heart-rending life in the tenements from the eye of his camera and then made the middle-class and upper-class Americans see it for themselves through his sharp essays and scathing images.
From the Paper "Riis accuses the wealthy and the influential of complacency and apathy and holds them responsible for at least some of the problems that tenement occupants faced. He feels that since the public is kept in dark about the gravity of the situation, the poor immigrants keep suffering and the government is never held accountable. Riis contends that normally the other half, the affluent half of the country, never attempts to get the whole truth and for this reason, a person dying of utter deprivation and starvation is classified as case of "improper nourishment"."
Abstract This paper examines how the laws of the ancient world demonstrate a consistency with the laws of the present and how they prove, without a doubt, that the challenges of the human condition have been and remain similar in scope and temptation. In particular, it looks at how this true of the laws of Moses and the laws of Hammurabi, even though the ways in which these two sets of laws differ are also very visible. It shows how Hammurabi is a comprehensive and practical canon set within the context of a real-world need for comprehensive laws of man, while the laws of Moses offer a generalized guideline of morality in the world of man as seen by God.
From the Paper "The issue of judgment demonstrates very clearly the differences between the laws of Hammurabi and the laws of the Books of Moses, with regard to the real nature of the ways in which humanity fails. The former is a comprehensive edict of right and wrong doing while the later is a moral guidepost for believers in the lord. Within the Hammurabi text it becomes clear that the intent of the actor is absolutely unimportant, as the act of wrong doing, or presumable wrongdoing is the one and only reason for judgment and punishment, yet within the laws of Moses even the intent is punishable within the confines of faith and eternity."
Abstract This paper explains that the Harlem or Negro Renaissance marked the 1920s and 1930s as a period during which the spirituality and potential of the African-American community was expressed in the most explosive way possible. The writer points out that, centered in the Southern states and with a freedom of expression generally trampled upon, black art expression was simply censored or manifested itself in its raw forms. The migration to the northern metropolis after the First World War was similar and implied the development, in all its forms, of black culture. The paper looks at how this impacted literature (poetry and prose), music (jazz played in the notorious Cotton Club and elsewhere), visual arts (painting), and acting in musicals.
From the Paper "Langston Hughes, one of the most representative creators of the Harlem Renaissance, best resumed this period as being a period when "Negro was in vogue" (Langston Hughes in his autobiography "The Big Sea". From Jackson, Caroline. Harlem Renaissance: Pivotal Period in the Development of Afro-American Culture. On the Internet at http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1978/2/78.02.03.x.html). This brief statement meant not only that the Harlem Renaissance was a period of awakening for the African American community, but also the fact that the white population enjoyed Black forms of creation. The rebel period after the First World War, with the Jazz Age and the prohibition, involved openness from the American towards the exotic and what they saw as unusual. In this sense, the African American culture was, for them, something different, as many of the White communities in Northern states had but minor contacts with it in history. They were interested in its forms of manifestation and the numerous patronages of black artists during this time created ripe premises for Black culture to develop and evolve."
Abstract This paper examines Martin Luther's crusade against what he viewed as corruption in the Roman Catholic Church and the greater importance of faith in God and Jesus Christ than of good works, as stated in his famous work, "The Freedom of a Christian Man".
From the Paper "Martin Luther introduced new religious ideas that would shake the establishment of the Roman Catholic Church throughout Europe. He was responding to what he viewed as corruption in the Church, such as the sale of indulgences and simony, the buying of ecclesiastical authority, as well as more spiritual aspects, such as which of the sacraments were valid according to the Bible, and the issue of faith as opposed to good works. By ?works,? Luther refers to the actions of the individual in his/her daily life. Good works could include helping a neighbor with a problem, giving to charity, or doing something kind. In his statement from The Freedom of a Christian Man, "law" means the mandates of the Church, of the Bible, and of society that are meant to keep people from doing what are considered bad or evil things."
Abstract This paper summarizes and analyzes the self-defense Socrates presented at his trial and explains how Socrates was condemned to die not because he did not mount a successful defense, but because his accusers were threatened by Socrates's wisdom and perseverance. The paper concludes by pointing out that Socrates defended himself successfully by proving he was not an evildoer and that he never intentionally corrupted the youth and that God alone is wise.
From the Paper "Socrates was known as one of the most influential Greek philosophers of his time. "The Apology of Socrates" offers a self-portrait based not on false gods or corruption, but rather on a vigilant attention to and exposure of common thinking and false wisdom. Socrates strongly believed that just behavior was better than injustice, and that living morally correct would bring about happiness and well-being. For his life, that is proven to be true. Socrates lived a righteous life, and died a happy man. Throughout the "Apology", Socrates is falsely accused of being a "doer of evil, who corrupts the youth; and who does not believe in the gods of the state" (733). Socrates? self defense was a success because throughout his trial, he was able to prove he was not an evil doer, that he did not corrupt the youth, and that there was no man wiser than God."
Abstract Discusses the book, "Hard Times," which is about the Great Depression. Discusses how Terkel's book is filled with human experiences, interviews, and narrations from men and women who lost everything, remained unaffected, or grew stronger during the Great Depression.
From the Paper "Studs Terkel supplies his readers with memories, reflections, and visions of the Great Depression in his book "Hard Times." It is not a history book or a book of facts; instead it is a personal collection of impressions and stories that present an overall feeling of the decade. These stories are told by those who were both directly and indirectly linked to the Great Depression. "
Abstract Ancient Greek art, architecture, and sculpture have fascinated spectators ever since their discovery. However, while the uninformed viewer might perceive of ancient Greek art, architecture, and sculpture as forming a single period in art history, marked by different styles, art historians have divided it into distinct periods. The paper looks at each of these periods: the Geometric, the Orientalizing, the Archaic, and the Classical, which are explained in terms of how differing philosophical beliefs, historical event,s and cultural developments impacted art, creating different and distinct styles. In specific reference to sculptures, the paper shows that the different styles characterizing each period express different artistic aims as regards to representation of the human body.
From the Paper "In direct contrast to this archaic statue is a classical one on the east pediment of the same temple. It is calculated that only about a decade separates these two works but, artistically speaking, ages separate them in terms of development of style and form. In this statue, also of a dying warrior, the figure "reacts to his wound as would a flesh-and-blood human. He knows that death is inevitable, but he still struggles to rise once again. And he does not look out at the spectator. He is concerned with his pain, not with us" (Tansey and Kleiner 139). This is definitely a much more realistic picture of a man who is dying from a painful wound."
Abstract The author argues that the popular Mel Gibson film, "Braveheart," is historically inaccurate. Through reference to specific scenes and incidents, the author discusses the extent to which the film confuses the history of William Wallace and his myth, obscures facts, and misrepresents traditional symbols.
From the Paper "Hollywood has offered the world many great historical epics that have survived over the years and are watched by generation after generation. These films include the "Ten Commanders," "Cleopatra," and more recently, "Troy," "Alexander," and "Braveheart." These films are magnificent epics that, from the audience's view point, bring the past alive. As Bruce Wallace observes about Mel Gibson's " Braveheart," the film "is on people's lips so much that it has become contemporary." It has brought the life of a man who has been dead for 800 years alive. However, from the viewpoint of historians, these films are not good because they distort history and invent facts just to attract audiences and profits. As Robert Brent Toplin writes in an article on the way that Hollywood films treat history, the films do not accurately present the past but are "innovative approaches to looking at the past" (1216). Historians argue that historical films are distorting the past and complain that Hollywood has "compromised, stretched, abused and fabricated" history(1210). This criticism, even though it sounds very hard, is correct. There is little respect for the facts in Hollywood's historical films and this claim is completely supportable through an analysis of Mel Gibson's historical epic " Braveheart." Now audiences are misled into assuming that this film is the life of Willliam Wallace, one of Scotland's most famous and important thirteenth century patriots. In no place, throughout the film there is not any hint at all that shows the events presented are not factual or that there may be any historical inaccuracies. The audience, instead,sits throughout the film believing that this is history. However, it is not. As emphasized by Graeme Morton, the life of willliam Wallace is based more on myths than on history and there are only a few known and supported facts about the life of this Scottish hero. "Braveheart" does not clarify the difference between myth and history, bases the film on a source which historians object to, disregards important symbols and in the final analysis, misleads audiences into believing that this is a historically factual film while it is not."
Abstract This paper examines how Aristophanes' use of gender portrayal and sex created his most popular play, "Lysistrata". It looks at how the women outwitted and outsmarted the men on all aspects and how they were the heroes and ended the Peloponnesian War after decades of fighting. They ended it by crippling Greece's economic status and weakening the males by means of a sex strike. It shows how, in Aristophanes' humorous battle of the sexes, he proves that women can solve any problem with their brains and beauty.
From the Paper "The alliance of the females, led by Lysistrata, was very powerful. They physically and mentally dominated the males throughout the play and ultimately convinced the men to end the war. The women had the power to seize the Akropolis, where the money reserves were kept, and hinder Greece into spending more money on the war. When the Commissioner approached the Akropolis to gather more currency, Myrrhine acted forcefully and broke a "lamp over his head" (Aristophanes, 63). This shows the physical power and aggressiveness of the women in Lysistrata and their ultimate ability to change the economic status in Greece. "
This paper explores and details items that may be found in a time capsule that reflect world events and cultural patterns from the Renaissance and Baroque eras.
Abstract This paper examines the art and cultural developments during the Renaissance and Baroque eras. The writer of this paper describes articles that could be found in a time capsule from the Renaissance era as a rebirth of culture and a renewed interest in the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome while explaining that the Baroque era grew from the Renaissance to promote an individualistic connection with God and spirituality as well as more appeal to emotions and drama. The items from art, music, architecture, philosophy and literature found in the time capsules are indicative of the events taking place during these two time periods.
From the Paper "The Renaissance represents the time period between the Middle Ages and the Reformation - roughly the 14th century through the 15th century. Many historians view the Renaissance as a period of intellectual and artistic rebirth in which European culture thrived. The arts would likely be represented in the Renaissance time capsule by oil paintings on canvas or by sculpture. The work of artists such as Da Vinci who use shadow and light to portray three dimensions in their paintings are likely to be found in the time capsule. As such, we could expect to find Da Vinci's Mona Lisa painting. We may also find a sculpture by Michelango such as his famed David sculpture which represents beliefs during the Renaissance about beauty in the nude form being a reflection of God's power."
Abstract This article looks at the history of terrorism from ancient to modern times. The writer defines terrorism and its roots. The writer also discusses different types of terrorism: state terrorism and non-state terrorism. The paper looks at the many forms of terrorism.
Brief Historical Overview of Terrorism
Introduction and Purpose
Definition of Terrorism
Purpose
Brief History of Terrorism
Roots of Terrorism
Ancient History
Modern History
Types of Terrorism
State Terrorism
Non-State Terrorism
Responding to Terrorism
Identifying Proper Targets
Conclusions
Works Cited
From the Paper "Any academic definition of terrorism would refer to a violent act omitted by individuals or a group not during a war undertaken in order to achieve a political goal. Modern forms of political terrorism became popular ... "
From the Paper "Worldwide, the industrial revolution is characterized by a shift from a traditional agriculturally based economy to one based on the mechanized production of manufactured goods in large-scale enterprises. However, the American industrialization experience is uniquely characterized by the presence of Robber Barons. The Robber Baron was characterized by exploitation of labor and monopolistic and anti-competitive practices."
A look at how, since the late 1960s, militant Basque nationalists have used terrorism in an attempt to gain independence and how Spain has responded with police crack-downs and repression.
2,280 words (approx. 9.1 pages), 7 sources, 2000, $ 70.95
From the Paper "Basque issue it inherited from Franco's dictatorship. The conflict has two basic issues. Historically, the Basques are not linked with the Spaniards. The Basques have a separate identity, demonstrated by a different culture and an entirely different language. The other issue is violence. Since the late 1960s, militant Basque nationalists have used terrorism in an attempt to gain independence. Spain has responded with police crack-downs and repression. However, the problem goes further. Issues of civil rights and the ability of the state to use force against its citizens have all been affected by the Basque conflict. These issues affect all Spanish citizens, but they have arisen from the regional conflict in the Basque country."
Tags: basque, batasuna, eta, herri, nationalism, pnv, separatism, spain
