Abstract This paper discusses how, often, in traditional societies, the mythology comes to reflect the culture and works to establish certain social conventions. It examines how the attempt to raise awareness of injustice through the reinterpretation of mythology is shown in Deepa Mehta's film. "Fire", in which Mehta attempts to parallel her alternative storyline to traditional Hindu myths in order to demonstrate the purity of the love between the two, female, main characters in a male-dominant society that will not accept their love. It shows how Mehta uses the traditional Hindu myths that are embedded in Indian culture to teach the societal values that she believes to be true, even if these ideals are not the traditionally accepted values of modern culture.
From the Paper "In the film, the protagonist Radha is the barren wife of Ashok, who because of his wife's inability to have children, practices celibacy in training to become a swami. Radha represents the "traditional" Indian woman, duty bound and disregarding of her individuality in favor of attending to the needs of the family. She runs the family take-out business and is also the primary caregiver to Ashok's mother, Bhiji, who is mute and paralyzed from a stroke. The other protagonist, Sita is the newest member of the household, as the wife through an arranged marriage to Jatin, Ashok's younger brother. Sita quickly becomes dissatisfied with Jatin, as it becomes apparent that he is still in love with his Chinese-Indian girlfriend and that he will not give up the affair."
Tags: homosexuality, india, radha, love, hindu, culture
Abstract The paper explores how mythology of the ancient Greeks expressed their views of themselves and of the world around them on a number of levels. The paper explains that mythology served as a quasi-historical background to each separate city-state and reinforced their sense of pride and of identity. The paper adds that it also expressed the national character and imparted heroic qualities to their perseverance, courage and enterprise. The paper describes how mythology offered opportunities for them to further their love of beauty and their desire for philosophical inquiry.
From the Paper "In exploring the myths of the Greek civilization, one can apprehend the interconnectedness of the Greek character and culture with their stories of the fabulous past. On one level, myths attempt to preserve the history of a people, and tend to reflect historical events, albeit in a rather stylized and fictionalized format. On another level, myths express the views and self-image of a people, by personifying elements of the national character at a heroic level. On yet another level, myths offer a divine explanation for natural, but puzzling, occurrences, as a particular nation chooses to understand them. The early Greeks were composed of small, family-centered tribes living in hamlets. Pirates from land and especially from sea were a constant danger."
Abstract This paper discusses the mythological Goddess, Isis, and her maternal influence on art. The paper looks at how she became an Egyptian icon, idolized in art because she represented the feminine aspects of life: creation, rebirth, ascension, intuition, wifely fidelity, healing, magic, love and compassion. According to the paper, Isis possessed great skill in magic, loyalty to her husband, womanly power and maternal protection, all represented in artifacts.
From the Paper "The Egyptian culture had an amazing ability to preserve their past because their civilization focused on a strong religion-based mythology. This mythological faith was prominently observed in relics of art. The prevailing mythological Goddess Isis was among the most important illuminating and inspiring Goddess displayed in Egyptian art. Her influence in mythological tales caused her to be an Egyptian icon because she represented the feminine aspects of life; creation, rebirth, ascension, intuition, wifely fidelity..."
Abstract The paper discusses how literary modernism, at the beginning of the twentieth century, is considered to have emerged as a radical break with tradition in the field of both artistic production and criticism. The paper examines how the break with tradition presupposed, among other things, the novelty of ideas and technique, new artistic means of creation and a new perspective on authorship. The paper examines the poem "The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock", concluding that the main theme of the poem is the discrepancy between modernism and the primitive, between daily life and the dream world, all these being dualities, not oppositions, and being at the very core of artistic creation, as part of human experience as such.
From the Paper "The modern artist's search for novelty is thus not a break with tradition in itself, there are no new emotions to be found, only new means of expression, new rhetorical devices, and especially the inclusion of common or " low " things, next to the "high" ones, to the extent that all kinds of experience can be considered literary experience. These features just mentioned are also among the most striking particularities of Eliot's poetry."
Abstract This paper looks at two works by Washington Irving, "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and Edgar Allan Poe's "Fall of the House of Usher" as examples of American mythology. The paper discusses similarities of theme, structure and cultural context of these three stories, comparing them to contemporary urban legends in their moral-giving roles.
From the Paper "The short stories by Washington Irving, "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "The Fall of the House of Usher" written by Edgar Allan Poe are all relatively early American short stories, written by authors with a penchant for darkness in their works. While written in different time periods, by authors with very different backgrounds, these stories' similarities outweigh their differences, as we shall see. All three stories share thematic, structural, historical and cultural similarities that give the reader a particular sense of the mystical in such a way as to call them American mythology. Poe's and Irving's stories are not light-hearted, and are written in serious tones that lead the reader to wonder if they're really true or not."
Abstract This paper examines the existence of the courtly love theme in popular culture. The paper refers to traditional texts, such as Chaucer's "Complaint to his Lady" and John Donne's poem, "The Canonization"; in relation to the contemporary television program, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". The paper defines three essential elements of Courtly love poetry: The ennobling force of human love, the elevation of the beloved above the lover and love as ever unsatisfied, ever increasing desire. It describes that modern courtly love are usually adaptations, and that how they adapt the traditional story reflects the values and attitudes of the courtly love convention appropriate to a contemporary audience.
From the Paper "Courtly Love has developed from the later Middle Ages through to modern times as a highly conventionalised code. Examples are evident in popular culture though are usually adaptations - adopting selective aspects. This can be seen through the similar values and attitudes portrayed in the texts."
Abstract This paper analyzes different song lyrics, novels, and a play for how they demonstrate self-love, erotic love, and mother-child love. It refers to Achebe's "Things Fall Apart," Hwang's "M Butterfly," Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath," and several song lyrics. It also includes a personal reaction to forms of love.
From the Paper "Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" we see self-love most expressed in the character of Okonkwo. Okonkwo's accomplishments demonstrate an affirmation of the strength values and beauty of the native Igbo culture. This culture is being systematically..."
Analyzes Plato's conception of love and whether it allows for a love characterized by respect for individual differences by examining four different writings.
900 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 2 sources, 2002, $ 35.95
Abstract This four-page essay examines and analyzes Plato's Symposium, Nussbaum's essay, The Speech of Alcibiades: A Reading of the Symposium"; and Vlastos'essay, "The Individual as the Object of Love in Plato," in terms of whether Plato's conception of love allows for the love between individuals, a love that is characterized by respect for individual idiosyncrasies and autonomy.
Abstract This paper examines the nature of love in Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet in terms of Greek philosopher Plato's definitions of love. This paper argues that Romeo and Juliet does indeed exemplify the types of ideal love that Plato talks about and gives examples including sexual desire, willingness to risk death, madness, divinity of the lover and other.
From the Paper "The nature of love has been speculated upon by humans for thousands of years, perhaps since long before humans have been able to give it conscious thought. Some of the most wise and thought-provoking insights into the nature of love have passed down to us from the Greek writer and philosopher, Plato. Plato is responsible for our knowledge of the philosophies of Socrates, but he also wrote down many of his own thoughts and opinions, especially those on the nature of human conditions. Plato's ideal form of love is exemplified in the play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, as we will see. Plato describes various types of love through his dialogues including the Symposium and Phaedrus, which give some of the clearest vision of his ideals on the subject."
Abstract In this paper, the author compares how the theme of love is represented in two stories, "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver, and "Shiloh" by Bobbie Ann Mason. One story describes how love builds between two spouses while the other shows how love can fall apart. The author cites additional sources to describe the theme in the two works. The paper concludes by stating that both stories show the incredible epiphanies associated with love, and the destructive force of emotional pain.
From the Paper "In his article in "eThoughts.com," Travis Gibbs asks the question, "Is love some absolute, a fact of the universe that can be discovered and copied onto and into human lives? (Gibbs). The two stories, "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver, and "Shiloh" by Bobbie Ann Mason, illustrate that love is constructed in dissimilar ways. Carver constructs love as a positive manifestation of growth and understanding in an unlikely setting, while Mason shows us love destroys itself, as manifested between two people who fit into a normal "construct," that is, being man and wife."
Abstract This paper looks at recent studies that have been able to unravel several mysteries about the components, phases, and duration of love. The paper shows that each component of each stage and phase of love, when properly applied in comparison to a real-life relationship, can help to predict the duration of a relationship, as well as allows lovers to realize and fix any problems in their relationship.
From the Paper "The least important component in this stage is C. Persons in this stage are subject to a wave of new and intense emotions, both of general and sexual physiological activation. They also experience a gradually satisfied desire to establish a special affective bond with the other."
Abstract This paper looks at Portia's true love for Bassanio in Shakespeare's play, "The Merchant of Venice" and contrasts it with Antonio's self-serving, obsessive love for the same man. Reflections on Shakespeare's insights on true love are offered.
From the Paper "The Merchant of Venice like all of his plays is full of meaning on many levels. One of the predominant themes in this play however is that of love. A number of people in the play either love each other or claim to.."
Abstract This paper compares the different conceptions of love in Ancient Greek society as exhibited by Plato and Socrates in "Symposium" and "Phaedrus". It contends that in spite of different concepts of love, both conceptions include desire, god, beauty and wisdom.
From the Paper "The views of Plato on a variety of topics are typically illustrated for readers through the dialectic method, a dialogue that represents a series of questions and replies aimed at logical ..."
Abstract This paper examines "love", from a scientific, particularly chemical point of view and discusses whether famous romantic literature can have a scientific explanation explaining the affects of love. The question, "what is love?" is answered using scientific reasoning, and a modern view of romantic literature.
From the Paper "The word love has become a very generalized and overused term in today's society. Does anyone really know what love is? A person can say that they love many things: parents, walks on the beach, favorite foods, lamps, books, pets-etc. There is no other word in the English language that is as hard to fully explain. An important theme throughout history is love; artists portray their views of love through many different platforms, visual as in paintings, literature, and music. What is it about love that no one can explain it, and everyone is trying to express what he or she believes it truly is? The powerful emotions that love provokes in the individual can cause people to act uncharacteristically; at times the passionate affection for another person can result in extreme behavioral changes. Can it be that love is like a drug, giving the user a narcotic or stimulating affect that changes the behavioral patterns of the user, due to the reaction of love with the central nervous system? With that in mind, what happens to the first-time user, and the user who becomes addicted?"
Abstract This paper looks at how the play "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare and the film "Shakespeare in Love", directed by John Madden, utilize disguise as the key to romance and intrigue. It looks at how "Shakespeare in Love" displays the theme of disguise as an equal response to the trickery and guise found in "Romeo and Juliet" and how in "Romeo and Juliet" the theme of disguise through the masquerade ball is important in Romeo realizing his love for Juliet.
