Abstract
This paper looks at the impressive 700 year history of the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. It examines the origins of its construction and how architectural tastes have changed over time, influencing different improvements made to the building. It links this history to the novel written by Hugo known as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and how through his novel, the Cathedral became famous again. It shows that through this fame, the Cathedral was given a face-lift.

From the Paper
"More than seven hundred years old, the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris exemplifies Gothic architecture. Those who visit it cannot fail to be awed at the magnificent structure, which bears her history proudly, now restored to her former grandeur. Many millions of people in the last century have never set foot in its soaring halls, yet they feel that they know it, because they have read Victor Hugo's monumental novel, Notre Dame de Paris, or The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The Cathedral inspired Hugo to write his moving book, but the book in turn provided an incentive for the Cathedral to be restored from the ravages of the past. The histories of building and book are intertwined."

Tags:church, construction, building, architecture, gothic, romantic, art

Abstract
This paper examines how, in the story "Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving, Dame Van Winkle is an early representation of a woman as a cultural villain. It looks at how constant nagging and verbal abuse from Dame Van Winkle has been considered Rip's reason for "disappearing" for twenty years. It also explores how, apart from her constant nagging and scolding, she also prevents her husband from living according to his own character and identity.

From the Paper
"Dame Van Winkle disapproves of other's actions. She believes that everyone should act right and do his or her own responsibilities. First, Dame Van Winkle abhors laziness. As a consequence, she is always harassing her husband because he is lazy. She disapproves of her husband Rip Van Winkle the most for not attending to his own responsibilities. During this time period, it was the husband's responsibility to provide for the family. As a husband, Rip was clearly not willing to fulfill this responsibility. Nevertheless, according to the narrator, he was able to perform chores, and he often helped his neighbors, but he was not willing to perform the same work for his family or on his own farm (450). As a result of her dislike of laziness, she is incessantly "dinning in his ears" (451) about it explains the narrator."

Tags:abuse, verbal, identity

Abstract
This paper looks at how the Notre Dame Cathedral includes a number of unique elements in Gothic architecture as well as being characteristic of Gothic cathedral architecture in other ways. It discusses how it contains massive sculptures and huge windows with designs suggesting different theological and iconographic references. It analyzes how these iconographic representations demonstrate shifts in the way human being related to the Church and to God at the time the cathedral was built.

Outline
Introduction
Gothic Art and Notre Dame
Windows
Portals
Conclusion

From the Paper
"One of the ornamental types found in Notre Dame is the rayonnant style, or the radiant style, which dominated the second half of the thirteenth century. Among the most prominent examples of this style are the two great rose windows in the north and south transept faHades of Notre Dame. The huge north rose window is the work of the master builder Jean de Chelles, and it is a masterpiece of architectural ingenuity. Nearly the entire mass of wall opens up into stained glass, and this is held in place by an intricate armature of stone tracery that practically has the tensile strength of steel. The Gothic passion for light is seen in a most daring and successful effort to subtract all superfluous material bulk just short of destabilizing the structure and to transform the hard substance into insubstantial, luminous color. This vast and complex structure of stone-set glass has maintained its structural integrity and equilibrium against the disintegrative forces of nature and time for seven hundred years, showing the genius of the builder."

Tags:gothic, art, windows, portals, sculptures

Abstract
An analysis of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Paris, France, is provided in essay format. The paper describes how the structure's purpose, function, and design are illustrative of the purpose, function, and design of temples from ancient Greek civilization.

From the Paper
"The Cathedral of Notre-Dame Paris France is one of the world's most admired architectural feats - one that has been modified many times over its centuries of existence..."

Tags:geometry, church, Catholic, Hellenistic, altar, stone, culture, city-state

Abstract
This paper discusses the history of the present day cathedral known to all as Notre Dame, or Our Lady. It discusses the grandeur of gothic style that is evident in the architecture of the building and the purposes of the various aspects of the structure. The paper then discusses changes that have been done to the interior of the cathedral. Finally, the paper briefly compares the architecture of the cathedral to the temple of Solomon.

From the Paper
"The only structure mentioned in the bible that approaches the vision of a gothic cathedral would be the temple of Solomon, the third king of the land of Judah and Israel. Though Solomon had the funding and the will necessary to cause the structure to be erected in his capital, he did not have the craftsmen capable of executing his vision. He turned to the Phoenicians, a coastal people known for their skill with ships. (www.bible-history.com) The design of the temple was not particularly noteworthy in its exterior design. It seems to have been a flat roofed box like structure. (The Old Testament)"

Tags:design, gothic, structure, spire, cornerstone

Abstract
This paper explores and details two of world's greatest examples of architectural innovation and greatness. Both Notre Dame de Paris and the Taj Mahal are edifices that offer tourists and philosophers great inspiration as dramatic structures which herald the opulence and vision of bygone centuries. This paper contains in-depth historical facts and details the similarities and differences of both structures.

From the Paper
"Inside the Taj Mahal, the central structure is not the Christian nave, but the impressive chamber containing the tomb. Two stories of eight rooms lay around the central chamber, thus adding emphasis to the central chamber and highlighting its importance. Outside the tomb is a reflecting pool, distinctive of Muslim Indian architecture, created for aesthetic purposes and for contemplation of the beauty of the tomb and the magnificence of the woman who lies within it."

Tags:france, architecture, history, gothic, style, india

Abstract
This undergraduate level paper is divided into three one-page sections: the construction of Notre-Dame, the political and religious climate during the period of construction, and an analysis demonstrating the awareness that the cathedral was designed and constructed with a specific political-religious point and purpose.

Abstract
Art has always had a social aspect that is a representation of the inner functions of the culture from which art is created. Formal theories on the social nature of art, however, were not formed until the 16th century when the waxing and waning of artistic movements was seen to be affected by changing tastes in art patrons. In the 17th and 18th centuries, many different and diverse social theories emerged to draw connections between art and society - which created which? French socialist, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, said that 'art for art's sake' was an impossibility and that art sprung, regardless of the artist's inspiration or motivation from the archetypal (a more modern term) forces that governed the society, often invisibly. Art stands, in many ways, as a social criticism as well as an honoring of the society. Art is a commentary, on some level, about the artist's perception of the world. That perception is shaped by the undercurrents of political, religious and social life of the particular time. Identity, in particular, in art is marked by a defined or hidden connection to the audience with recognizable symbolic language. In the case of architecture, we have the ultimate visual special creation which creates its own distinct sense of identity. The Cathedral of Notre Dame stands as one of the most significant structures embodying both visual and spatial constructs to modify the viewer's and visitor's perception of the self.

Abstract
This paper examines three productions of Alexander Dumas' "La Dame aux Camelieas" in their respective social atmospheres. The three versions of Camille that are discussed are by Dumas, Matilda Heron and Charles Ludlam. The paper explores how each version is distinguished by the differing socio-geographical and chronological locations, each questioning different cultural conventions.

From the Paper
"La Dame aux Camelias, by Alexander Dumas, is a critical play in the history of theater. Despite the fact that La Dame aux Camelias has been condemned by critics for having scenes that "are sometimes thin... ragged... and ... out of date" (Archer), among other discredits, the work is still considered to be an indispensable cornerstone in the evolution of realist theater - "although consistently described as a work of inferior artistic craftsmanship, its longevity testifies to its status as a story of superior dramatic interest" (Hamilton). La Dame aux Camelias is a product of many theatrical and literary influences, which include the tight construction of Scribe's "well made" play, the insight of the sociological novelist Honore de Belzac, and the literary devices of melodrama. However, La Dame aux Camelias differs from Scribe's well made play in that it raises the moral thesis of the play -- at most, it is considered "something to be disparaged as a sentimental by-product of the well made play" (Stanton). It is unlike Belzac's work in that his observations are restricted particularly to his own social milieu. "

Tags:camille, marguerite, society

Abstract
This paper explains that Dame Muriel Spark was born and raised in Scotland before moving to South Africa for marriage; she has lived around the world and shares her insights on the human condition through a series of fictional works. The author relates that, having become a Roman Catholic in 1954, Spark, who is deeply religious, uses her novels to address the boundaries between religion and life by addressing the question of where people fit into the grand scheme of life. The paper relates that Spark's style varies slightly with each book but each novel is infused with comedy, an effective means of conveying her deep points; there is rarely an overt attempt to get a laugh, but genial entertainment is achieved such as the wacky, dead-pan comic undertones of "The Ballad of Peckham Rye".

From the Paper
"Spark has also effectively used her characters. In an almost biographical manner, "The Comforters" features a young woman recently converted to Catholicism. Spark's persistent religious theme is carried out once again with this character, who faces the problem of fusing matter and spirit. The protagonist is filled with doubts and surrounded by doubters. But most of all, she is troubled by voices which read aloud to her the novel she is to write (eventually, she recovers and is able to write the novel herself). Through this protagonist, she is able to communicate that the doubt we all experience, whether as to religion or some other aspect of life, can be conquered. To Spark, the road to success is self-reflection and a little help from above, which she conveys through her character's recovery. But the imaginative Sparks does not limit herself to the use of characters alone to make her point, using a combination of time and her characters in "The Girls of Slender Means"."

Tags:characters, religion, comedy, biographical, insight