Abstract In this article, the writer notes that duality in literature and drama is a common theme suggesting various relationships between people, attributes, character traits, and also suggesting the larger dictum that things are not always what they seem. The writer discusses that the 'Alchemist' is a comedy written in verse and that two of the central themes in this play are inherently shaped around ideas of duality. The first of these themes is that of illusion versus reality, again a common theme in drama and one that includes duality as how things appear is not how they truly are. This theme also shows the tendency people have to see what they want to see and to fail to perceive the true nature of people and things in this world. A second theme in this play is transformation, clearly a term related to the idea of an alchemist, who had as his primary goal changing base metals into gold, an idea that was an illusion in itself. The writer notes that in the 'Alchemist' this idea involved a deliberate duality as even the concept of alchemy itself becomes the subject of and means to a swindle, a deliberate illusion to mask the true intent of the perpetrator.
From the Paper "The names of the characters have a duality all their own as they tend to be fitting to the real character while the character him or herself seeks to hide that fact. The three conspirators are Subtle, Face, and Dol Common, and the use of the word "subtle" in particular suggests deception. Their primary target is Sir Epicure Mammon, a man whose name represents two of the seven deadly sins, gluttony and greed. The house where the conspirators create their illusion is owned by a man named Lovewit, also suggestive of one who knows a deception is taking place and who enjoys the game of it, though in fact he has left London to escape the plague. The conspirators want to be all things to all people, so long as this will give them an advantage and enable them to fleece those who visit them. Mammon is attracted by their promise of the Philosopher's stone, a legendary artifact that can turn base metals into gold and that is the object of all alchemical inquiry. Kastril is attracted by the promise of a charm so he can win at cards. Drugger the tobacconist wants his shop cleansed of impurities and supernatural threats. The duality of the three conspirators is matched by that of Pertinax Surly, the man who sees through their deceptions and who uses a disguise of his own to investigate."
Abstract This paper reviews Paulo Coehlo's novel, "The Alchemist" and suggests that it is a story founded upon Christian (and Islamic) values prizing humanity, beneficence and charity. It specifically examines the benevolence and willingness to give that characterizes the people who assist Santiago (the protagonist) on his long journey of self-realization.
From the Paper "At the same time, the "Old King," is quite interesting because of the biblical connotations and denotations his character offers. He is, first and foremost, an ancient biblical figure - his real name is Melchizedek, as he tells Santiago (Coehlo, 7) who once brought wine and food to Abraham after the latter had defeated his enemies. He is also viewed by scholars as the progenitor of all priesthood and as the King of Uprightness - or at least he is when he surfaces early in the Old Testament. Lastly, the Old King, Melchizedek, receives a tithe from Abraham even though the latter hardly knows him (Thomas, 403-404). Like Abraham in the Bible, Santiago gives the Old King something; in this case, his time rather than a portion of his riches. Beyond that, Melchizedek blesses Abraham (Thomas, 403) and it may be said that Melchizedek, by reminding Santiago of his duty to fulfill his Personal Legend, blesses him, as well. In the end, Coehlo has given a distinctly biblical connotation to the Quest motif at the heart of the story."
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that in recent years, two related and overlapping schools of literary theory have emerged that have offered competing responses to the relationship between Renaissance drama and the political power of Tudor and Stuart Britain. To determine the differences in these perspectives, this paper provides an analysis of Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors," Ben Jonson's "The Alchemist," Thomas Kyd's "The Spanish Tragedy" and Heywood's "A Woman Killed with Kindness". The writer looks at these works from the perspective of two modes of criticism or theory, with various criticisms from the new historicist camp and cultural materialist camp being reviewed. An assessment of the complexities of these modes is also provided, taking into account the social, theoretical, and critical movements that informed them. A summary of the research and salient findings are presented in the conclusion.
Outline:
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors."
Ben Jonson's "The Alchemist."
Thomas Kyd's "The Spanish Tragedy."
Thomas Heywood's "A Woman Killed with Kindness"
Analysis
Conclusion
From the Paper "This relationship between social contract and means of production becomes even clearer when its importance in the community was taken into account, with marriage representing both a socially acceptable framework in which people could live together and have children, it was inextricably related to how people earned their livings and what roles they played in this society. In this regard, Orlin emphasizes that although marriage ceremonies feature prominently in the opening and conclusion of the play, there is a difference between the celebratory nature of the occasion today and the implications the institution had during this period in history. There is no romantic comedy involved in the marriage of John and Anne Frankford, for example, and the opening scene ... "
Abstract This paper examines and analyzes the setting, mood, characters, and plot of Nathanial Hawthorne's "The Birthmark" and, through this analysis, explains how Hawthorne's story teaches us that boundaries not only exist between man and nature, but that they should also be respected.
From the Paper "This setting of "The Birthmark" serves as the perfect backdrop for the tale, taking place in the "latter part of the last century" (Hawthorne 600). Aylmer is a "man of science, an eminent proficient in every branch of natural philosophy" (600). While Aylmer was married man, it is difficult to assume that he was completely normal. In a time when the "mysteries of Nature seemed to open paths into the region of miracle, it was not unusual for the love of science to rival the love of woman in its depth and absorbing energy" (600). This key passage gives us insight into Aylmer's character. We know that while Aylmer is married, he is also very passionate about science. Nature, the narrator tells us, is on the brink of miracles, and this mentality is one that captures Aylmer and holds him like a prisoner."
Abstract Ben Jonson's 1616 "Workes" embodies the central tension of Jonson's career, that between Jonson the dramatist and Jonson the "author." It is now, more or less, commonplace to think of Jonson's career in terms of a movement from the stage to the page. While this may be accurate, it is difficult to explain why Jonson turned his attention increasingly towards the printing house and away from the playhouse. This essay examines this question by looking at how the stage and the page differed for Jonson. Looking at the figurative and literal locations of the playhouses and printing houses, the paper argues that Jonson's primary motivation for becoming a poet of print was that print offered him a safer and more authoritative mode of communication from which to exhort. Jonson, after all, was a moralist at heart, and the early seventeenth-century theater was still a marginalized and contained space, whereas the printing houses were positioned more centrally while, ironically, maintaining a greater freedom from royal control. Thus, print offered Jonson a more powerful tool to effect change.
From the Paper "A number of reasons have been suggested to explain why Jonson embraced print publication over performance. The most basic explanation is simply that Jonson sought immortality and realized that print provided a far more lasting medium than the ephemeral experience of the stage. Jonson's dedicatory poem in Shakespeare's First Folio supports this, especially when, addressing Shakespeare directly, Jonson writes: "Thou art a monument without a tomb, / And art alive still while thy book doth live, / And we have wits to read and praise to give" (22-4). Another popular reason given for Jonson's turn to printing involves his anxiety over the interpretation of his works."
Abstract This paper considers how the metaphor of alchemy is a metaphor of becoming, suggesting in terms of psychology that the old dream of turning base metals into gold can serve as a metaphor for changing the personality and for observing the process as it takes place. The nature of this metaphor is stated clearly by Schwartz-Salant (1998) when he writes 'Because alchemy is characterized by a peculiar identification between the alchemist and the material with which he or she works, personal and material transformation are intertwined so closely as to defy their separation'. The paper further discusses how this linkage is part of the complex metaphor of alchemy which accepts the possibility that changes in the personality of the artisan somehow effect changes in the matter with which he or she is working.
Abstract This paper discusses how the introduction of new materials in recent decades has provided urban designers and architects with the opportunity to transform the relationship that has historically existed between people and their environments through innovations in construction and the materials from which these buildings are constructed. This paper provides an overview of some of the historical issues, such as the history of plastics, ceramics, semiconductors and reviews questions about the design issues that emerge from the nature of the materials themselves. This is followed by a summary of the research and salient findings in the conclusion.
Outline:
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Background and Overview
Historical Issues and Influences
Emergent Technological and Design Issues
Conclusion
From the Paper "Citing the example of Japan finding itself in need of coal during the 1930s, Bell reports that the Japanese simply acquired more material by invading Manchuria and appropriating their resources. This author also observed early on that the materials revolution would have a profound effect on how architects and designers selected the materials needed for any given applications, and suggested that new technologies would emerge that would allow for completely customizable materials for any given purpose. This, in fact, is what has taken place in recent years. Indeed, innovations in materials science as well as manufacturing applications that have introduced new composites and the potential for increasingly tiny applications of these substances at the molecular level through nanotechnology promise even more science-fiction-into-science fact realities. "
Abstract This paper discusses how Carl Jung's theory of individuation relies on alchemical symbolism to describe the psychological process of growth involving collective unconscious experience and personal unconscious experience. The paper provides a review of the peer-reviewed and scholarly literature to determine what alchemy was, how it was supposed to work, whether it did in fact work, and an analysis of how Jung's theory of individuation was formulated based on these arcane alchemist concepts. A summary of the research and important findings are reported in the conclusion. A photograph of 'The Splendor Solis - Plate 8: Colors of Rebirth' is included with the paper.
From the Paper "The existing body of knowledge concerning alchemy during this period in history was largely based on manuscripts written in an esoteric and arcane, symbolic language that made them almost impossible to understand from a modern perspective; however, also during the early 20th century the emerging field of depth psychology (called 'analytical psychology' by C.G. Jung) introduced an entirely new approach to understanding the nature of alchemical pursuits and its application to human psychological development. According to Biedermann (1970), "Psychologists, notably C. G. Jung, have begun to pay serious attention to the symbolism of alchemy. Jung's interpretations are often not much easier to understand than the obscure texts of the old alchemists themselves but his investigations focused attention on the 'esoteric alchemy,' on the symbolism as opposed to the chemistry" (p. 57). "
Abstract This paper discusses the process of transmutation and defines it as the transformation of an atom of one element into another by natural radioactive disintegration or nuclear bombardment. The paper describes the work on transmutation of several physicists, including Ernest Rutherford, who achieved the first artificial transmutation in 1919 by converting nitrogen atoms into oxygen atoms. The paper also relates the steps that led to the ability to split the nucleus of an atom in an organized and controlled process thus confirming the scientific predictions that arose from the relativity theory and quantum mechanics.
From the Paper "In the late 1920s Ernest Walton won a research scholarship to work with Rutherford at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge, England. It was to him that Rutherford first assigned the task in 1927 of constructing a device capable of accelerating electrons to very high speeds. This project was a success but the achieved speeds still remained too slow. In 1929, John Cockcroft joined Walton in this project and together they worked to create an apparatus that accelerated positively charged particles to high velocities."
