Comparing Romantic Opposition in Billy Budd, Bartleby the Scrivener and Artist of the Beautiful :: comparison compare contrast essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚   Herman Melville wrote some of the most widely read works in the history of literature during the late nineteenth century.   He has become a writer with whom the romantic era is associated and a man whose works have become a standard by which modern literature is judged.   One of his most well-known and widely studied short pieces of fiction is a story entitled, simply, Billy Budd.   In this short story, Melville tells the tale of Billy Budd, a somewhat out-of-place stuttering sailor who is too innocent for his own good.   This enchanting tale, while inevitably entertaining, holds beneath it many layers of interpretive depth and among these layers of interpretation, an idea that has been entertained in the literature of many other romantic writers.   Melville uses a literary technique of developing two characters that are complete opposites in all aspects and contrasting them throughout the narrative, thus allowing their own personalities to adverse ly compliment each other. Melville also uses this tactic in another well-known short story, Bartleby the Scrivener.   Much like Melville's two stories, another romantic writer, Nathaniel Hawthorne, uses this tactic in his short story, The Artist of the Beautiful when he creates two completely different characters who vie for the same woman's love.   Both writers use the contrary characters to represent the different facets of the human personality.  Ã‚   Using this idea and many others, these romantic writers, Melville and Hawthorne, created works with depth of meaning that were both interesting to read and even more intriguing to interpret.      In his short story, Billy Budd, Melville uses this romantically based idea of characteristic opposites in two of his main characters, Billy Budd and Claggart.   To give the comparison even more strength, Melville also puts these two characters in virtually opposing roles in the story.   Billy represents the good that is present in humans and Claggart represents the bad.   Similarly, Claggart takes on an intelligent persona while Billy appears to be a bit innocent and uneducated in the ways of the ship.   These two men are essentially at odds and appear to represent the dueling facets of the human conscience, the sort of angel and devil on the shoulder.   Claggart wishes to rid the ship of Billy and eventually, the captain of the ship is forced to hang Billy because of Claggart's malice.

Racism in the Work Place

Racial discrimination at the workplace is, unfortunately, becoming common. It exists in workplaces across the world. With globalization and better work opportunities, people are traveling across to other countries and settling down. Their culture, traditions, interests, beliefs differ from that of the locals and this leads to a conflict of interest, of sorts. This can lead to racial discrimination at places of work, community, schools and so on. On April 14, 2005, the class action lawsuit Gonzalez v. Abercrombie & Fitch, was granted final approval settlement. The settlement requires the retail clothing giant to pay $50 million, less attorneys' fees and costs, to Latino, African American, Asian American and female applicants and employees who charged the company with discrimination. The settlement also requires the company to institute a range of policies and programs to promote diversity among its workforce and to prevent discrimination based on race or gender. Abercrombie & Fitch is a clothing retailer marketing to young adults, teenagers and children. It employs over 22,000 employees, most of whom are college-age adults, in over 700 stores throughout the United States. The settlement agreement also contains provisions related to the recruitment, hiring, job assignment, training, and promotion of Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, and Abercrombie Kids employees. The provisions include; †¢ A new Office and Vice President of Diversity, responsible for reporting to the CEO on Abercrombie’s progress toward fair employment practices. †¢ The hiring of 25 recruiters who will focus on and seek women and minority employees. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Diversity Training for all employees with hiring authority. †¢ A new internal complaint procedure. †¢ Abercrombie marketing materials that will reflect diversity by including members of minority racial and ethnic groups. In addition, Abercrombie created a $40 million Settlement Fund for distribution to individual class members. This will total approximately $ 10 million, bringing the total amount Abercrombie must pay to approximately $50 million. The young men and women who applied to work at Abercrombie should have been judged on their qualifications, and not their skin color or gender. The class action settlement compensates class members for being subjected to the challenged practices and ensures that Abercrombie will improve its employment practices and diversity efforts nationwide. Given that Abercrombie is a nationwide store, only proves that even today discrimination is very common and everyone should take a stand against it.

Qualities of a Hero Illustrated in Homer’s Epic Poem, The...

The Ancient Greeks idealized and worshiped their heroes, this is portrayed in Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad. To become a hero in ancient Greece, one would have to live and die in pursuit of glory and honor. Both Achilles and Hector seek victory in battle to become the â€Å"true hero.† Although both characters possess many hero-like qualities, Hector proved to be the genuine hero. Heroes are viewed differently today as the average person who is admired for courage or outstanding achievements such as firemen and police officers. The ancient Greeks viewed heroes as those that acquire more than just courage, they must be strong and inspiring as well. Although Achilles proved to be several of these entities, the Iliad begins with†¦show more content†¦Unlike Achilles, Hector bravely stays in the battle and calls upon Achilles. As Achilles rejoins the battle, Hector cowardly runs from Achilles thus also showing an un-hero like response from Hector. As the epic poem climax’s into the battle between Achilles and Hector, both characters are in angst to whom the God’s will side with.†I know you well- I see my fate before me./Never a chance that I could win you over.../Iron inside your chest, that heart of yours./But now beware, or my curse will draw God’s wrath/upon your head, that day when Paris and lord Apollo-/for all your fight ing heart-destroy you at the Scaen Gates!† (Homer 22:420-424) In this quote Hector realizes that the Gods have sided with Achilles and death is near to Hector. As Achilles pursues to kill Hector, Hector pleads for a proper burial. This is because in Ancient Greek times, it was often believed if you did not have a proper burial, you were destined to suffer between worlds until your rites of passage into the underworld were completed. The Greeks saw immortality as aretà ©, which means excellence and virtue. This is achieved through victory in battle which Hector was not able to obtain. â€Å"But this Achilles - first he slaughters Hector,/ He rips away the noble princes life/ then lashes him to his chariot, drags him round/ his beloved comrades tomb. But why, I ask you?/ What good will it do him?What honor will he gain?/Let that manShow MoreRelatedComparing Two Works Of Art Essay2100 Words   |  9 Pagesand Ajax Playing a Dice a Game†. It was painted in 525–52 0 B.C in Greece and it represents the ancient Greece. The literary artwork I will consider is The Iliad, an epic poem by the ancient Greek poet Homer in 750 BCE. I will compare both artworks and connect them to the contemporary period debating the similarities and differences that the poem and the ceramic have and how they influenced our modern world, which help the creation of the film Troy led by Brad Pitt, Eric Bana and Orlando Bloom in 2004

The Issue Of Income Inequality And Minimum Wage - 1179 Words

Some say that money is the root of all evil, but at the same time, very few can argue against the fact that money makes the world go round. The United States is one of the wealthiest nations in the World, and while the economic situation in the United States is much better than that of China or India, money, or the lack thereof, is one of the biggest issues plaguing the Unites States of America. One of the key issues that have risen in recent times on the media is the widening wage gap between the rich and the poor, and the debate on whether or not an increase in minimum wage could solve the problem. While the whole nation would like to solve the issue of income inequality and minimum wage, the focus of this argumentative paper will be on the state of California. An increase in minimum wage should be adopted since everyone deserves to earn a livable age, especially when the reality of the economic situation in America points to the fact that the gap in income between the rich and the poor is greater than ever before. Some of the reasons why the minimum wage should be increased in California is because the minimum wage is not substantial enough to meet the living costs of California, there is plenty of wealth to go around for all to share, and the minimum wage has not kept up with the growing inflation and worker productivity. California in particular is quite an expensive place to live in so an increase in minimum wage is definitely needed. The cost of living inShow MoreRelatedWage Gap Between The Middle Class And The Upper Class1441 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Wage is a topic that is constantly covered in the media. One big issue is the growing wage gap between the middle class and the upper class. While minimum wage increases are considered a good method to reduce income inequality, they are controversial since many business owners and economists argue that they increase the unemployment rate. Impact of minimum wage on employment One concern that is commonly mentioned during the debate on raising minimum wage is the loss of employment asRead More Increasing the Minimum Wage Will Reduce Income Inequality Essay1252 Words   |  6 PagesNo person can maximize the American Dream on the minimum wage. -- Benjamin Todd Jealous No family gets rich from earning the minimum wage. In fact, the current minimum wage does not even lift a family out of poverty. -- Jon Corzine Income inequality has been a major problem facing American society for decades, but has recently become a major concern. I personally believe the major gap between the income of the rich and poor is a not just, but is not a major concern for the governmentRead MoreEffects Of Income Inequality1038 Words   |  5 PagesEquality is one of the biggest concerns in most societies. Independent of philosophy, culture, or religion, the society always care about this growing issue. Inequalities are shown in diverse ways by people’s position in the distribution of wealth or income but could also be related to other characteristics like having a disability, different ethnicity or background or gender. In the 2005 World Development Report elaborated by the World Bank, it is stated: â€Å"We now have considerable evidence thatRead MoreThe Problem Of The Wage Gap944 Words   |  4 PagesThe wage gap is one of the most important issues that needs to be discussed and solved in contemporary society. Out of all the developed countries the United States of America has the largest wealth inequality, similar to countries such as Mexico and Malaysia. The United States is very dependent on its currency, without it then you are almost unable to live. Healthcare is free in most other developed countries while in the United States you are forced to literally pay for your life if the situationRead MoreInequality : Inequality And Poverty1729 Words   |  7 Pages Inequality and poverty exist in our society because wealth and opportunity are inherited. If we all entered the world with an equal amount of resources, some would still rise above others but everyone would get the same chance to succeed in life. Since greed is one of the norms of our society, and wealth is passed from generation to generation, there will always be inequality and poverty. The system of wealth and inequality is actually pretty simple. It all boils down to a few things what youRead MoreMinimum Wage Laws For The United States Essay1742 Words   |  7 PagesThe minimum wage is the mandated price floor paid on hourly or daily basis for the employees regulated by the government or the union. In â€Å"Federal Minimum Wage†, New Zealand and Australia enacted the first minimum wage law during the late 19th century to prevent employers’ exploitation of workers. In 1912, Massachusetts passed the first minimum wage legislation in the US that was enforced for wom en and children, and fifteen more states followed in the next eleven years. However, the Supreme CourtRead MoreShould Minimum Wage Be Increased?1691 Words   |  7 PagesShould Minimum Wage be Increased? Introduction The term, â€Å"minimum wage† refers to a lowest payment that an employer is bound to pay to its workers. Today minimum wage is made compulsory in more than ninety percent of nations including Canada where workers are demanding to increase minimum wages for a long time. Minimum wages are revised by governments in order to met growing needs of workers. There is a difference of opinion on the issue of increasing minimum wages among people of Canada. EmployersRead MoreIncreasing Minimum Wage For Women And Young Employees901 Words   |  4 Pagesto pay gap. Although there are a considerable amount of solutions being applied to eliminate the issue of gender pay gap such as protective laws by the government, there would still exist several remaining problems concerning pay discrimination. This essay is going to discuss whether or not the solution of increasing minimum wage for women and young employees could reduce the issue of income inequality such that it would improve all salar ies from different occupations, help single mothers to supportRead MoreThe Impact Of A Minimum Wage Increase1153 Words   |  5 PagesImpact of a Minimum Wage Increase Who gets paid the minimum wage? Well, at some point in our lives we all have been paid the minimum wage. But who are those people earning the minimum wage right at this moment? These are the people who have menial jobs. They work in restaurants, retail stores, bars, and maintenance services (OEA, 9). In 2014, the city of San Francisco proposed an initiative indicating that it would raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2018 (Ballotpedia). So would a typical low-wage workerRead MoreMicroeconomics : Income Inequality For Fast Foodservice Industry1289 Words   |  6 PagesMicroeconomics: Income Inequality for Fast Foodservice Industry Income inequality is a very important concept to talk about when we really go deep into microeconomics. In the United States alone there are sectors that have income inequality that has been in our headline news for the past years, and to top off the list would be fast foodservice. There has been a lot of studies that looked into CEO-to-worker compensation ratios across all labor forces that show fast foodservice industry is the most

Use Of Rhetoric Media Accounts Of The Berlin Airlift

The Use of Rhetoric in Media Accounts of the Berlin Airlift In the late 1940’s Berlin became the dividing line between Communism and Capitalism. This beleaguered city was to be the front line of the Cold War. In 1948 The city, divided into four sectors, one of which was occupied by the Soviet Union, was engaged in a life or death struggle for survival. The Berlin Airlift was not simply a struggle for the life of one city. The city was a prize in the game of chess between the west and the Soviet Union. The media of the day utilized rhetoric and propaganda to influence the emotions and allegiances of the people who read them. In 1948 Berliners were caught between starvation on one side, and Communism on the other. Westerners feared,†¦show more content†¦Aristotle believed that rhetoric frequently utilizes three persuasive appeals, Logos, pathos and ethos. The newspapers, magazines and newsreels of the day, certainly support the use of these types of rhetoric. In the early stages of the Blockade on April 2nd 1948, the British ne wspaper the Daily Mail engaged in the use of rhetoric in it’s article The Red Bluff, when it stated, The frontier between East and West now divides Berlin. That city is controlled by nations who are glaring at each other with furious eyes. Heaven knows neither we nor the Americans or French want war. Through the dumb, patient, millions of Russia are cut off from us, we are convinced that they do not want it either. But if a few fanatics in the Kremlin, whose hands are already dyed with blood, are desirous of plunging the world into madness and ruin, they must be stopped. They will be. The writer is using Ethos, an appeal to ethics, by urging people to right something grossly wrong, and pathos by describing the Soviet Union as murdering madmen who want to destroy all that it good. This is a theme which comes up frequently in the media of the era. Shortly after this article was published on June 12 1948 the U.S.S.R closed the autobahn for repairs. Road transport in an out of the cities was halted 3 days later. On 21st June all

Computer Crimes Essay Example For Students

Computer Crimes Essay Computer crime is any illegal act which involves a computer system whether thecomputer is an object of a crime, an instrument used to commit a crime or arepository of evidence related to a crime. Telecommunication crime is thefraudulent use of any telephone, microwave, satellite or othertelecommunications system. Many telecommunications systems themselves arecomputers and therefore in some instances, offences against a telecommunicationsystem can also be considered a computer crime. Computers and telecommunicationshave become a critical part of the daily lives of Canadians, and criminals havealso been able to take advantage of this technology. The Royal Canadian MountedPolice is responsible for the investigation of all computer crime offenceswithin its jurisdiction. It also investigates such crimes where the Governmentof Canada is the victim, regardless of primary jurisdiction. In addition, theRCMP can investigate offences involving organized crime or offences related tothe national interests of Canada. RCMP Support Staff There are RCMP Commercial Crime Sections is every major cityin Canada. Each one of these units has at least one investigator who hasreceived specialized training in the investigation of computer crimes. Theseinvestigators are supported by the RCMP Computer Investigative Support Unit (CISU)located at RCMP Headquarters in Ottawa. CISU can provide technical guidance andexpertise to all Canadian police departments and federal government agencies inrelation to computer and telecommunication crime investigation. Types of CrimeIn Canada today, the main types of computer and telecommunication crime areunauthorized access to computers (hacking), mischief to data, theft oftelecommunications, and copyright violations of software (illegal copying anddistribution of software). In addition, computers are commonly found in manyother types of investigations and these systems must be examined for evidence. Types of crime where computer evidence has been located include murder, fraud,stock market manipulation, pornography, proceeds of crime, and drug importation. The term computer hacker refers to an individual who, via a modem orsome other computer communications device, circumvents computer security andbreaks into a computer system. Hacking could be roughly equated to abreak and enter. A hacker can steal data, sabotage information, ordo nothing but browse. The Scope of the Problem Owing to the technical nature ofcomputer and telecommunication crime, law enforcement personnel must be properlytrained to conduct such investigations. The Canadian Police College offers threedifferent computer crime courses covering everything from search and seizure ofcomputer systems to examination of computers for evidence. These courses areavailable to any police agency in Canada as well as to some foreigninvestigative agencies. Computer and telecommunication crime is a globalproblem. Offences can transcend national boundaries and very often do. For thisreason, the RCMP maintains contact with computer crime investigators around theworld including investigator s in the United States and Great Britain. Statisticson computer crime and telecommunications crime are difficult to accumulateprimarily due to reluctance on the part of victims to report such crime and themany different jurisdictions in Canada. However, with growing economic losses tovictims, more crimes are being reported to police. Recent losses in relation totelecommunications crimes have been very large. Some computer criminals operateon an international scale and in an organized fashion. These criminals can routetheir activities through countries where jurisdictional processes and legalproblems can make investigation difficult. Computers

Analysis of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30 Essay Example

Analysis of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30 Paper With Shakespeare’s 30th sonnet, arguably one of his most famous sonnets, the speaker introduces a theme of discontent with life itself brought on by reflection of sad memories, which contrasts the theme of love present in the sonnets preceding it. This exploration of the new theme only lasts for a short while, as the speaker ‘turns’ the theme back to the familiar theme of love at the very end. At the start of the first quatrain, the speaker begins with their expression of grief using words normally referring to courts of law. In the line, â€Å"When to the sessions of sweet silent thought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Shakespeare) the word ‘sessions’ would normally refer to the sitting of a court, though in the context of this sonnet, ‘sessions’ could be interpreted as a time of self reflection, namely the speaker’s. The next line, â€Å"I summon up remembrance of things past†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Shakespeare), again uses a metaphor, this time for the word ‘summons’, which normally would be used in terms of a court summons, requesting witnesses or the accused to appear. In this case, the speaker ‘summons’ or recalls their old memories, which lack much of what the speaker sought in life (â€Å"I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) (Shakespeare), which in turn cause the speaker to grieve over having wasted their time (â€Å"And with old woes new wail my dear times waste†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) (Shakespeare). In the next quatrain, instead of using metaphors of a court, the speaker instead uses the metaphor of â€Å"death’s dateless night†, in that death is eternal and associated with the dark. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The speaker mourns over his friends ‘hid’ inside this eternal night, and continues onto sadness that includes former love affairs that the speaker had put behind long ago (â€Å"And weep afresh loves long since cancelled woe†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) (Shakespeare). The speaker then states that they â€Å"moan the expense of many a vanished sight† (Shakespeare), with the word ‘expense’ meaning the cost or draining of his resources in grieving over faded memories. This metaphor for ‘expense’ leads to another instance involving terms related to banking in the next quatrain. The final quatrain continues with the theme of contemplating sadness in the sonnet beginning with the line, â€Å"Then can I grieve at grievances foregone / And heavily from woe to woe tell o’er† (Shakespeare). The speaker now grieves over past grievances done to him, the ‘woe’ being his sorrow. Also, the words ‘tell o’er’ are a play on the word ‘teller’, as in a bank teller (Oxquarry Books), again a banking metaphor which originally meant a person who receives money and lists figures from a person’s account, but in the ontext of the sonnet, the ‘teller’ lists the speaker’s sorrows. The following lines, â€Å"The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan / Which I new pay as if not paid before† (Shakespeare), again make use of banking metaphors. ‘Account’ in the banking sense refers to a person’s bank account, but in this case, refers to the speaker’s record of grievances, and the speaker’s ‘paying’ of these grievances refers not to money being used to pay debits, but the paying of past grievances with the speaker’s sadness. Thankfully for the speaker, the couplet of the sonnet turns the theme back to one of love for their friend, with the speaker’s ‘losses’ being restored, another metaphor which refers back to the metaphors used in courts in the first quatrain. The use of the word ‘restoration’ would normally be reserved for a legal settlement, in this case, the speaker’s ‘losses’ are his mood (one of sadness) being lifted up and ‘restored’ to a happy state. Through the use of metaphors and plays on words, Shakespeare is able to introduce and develop a new theme of sadness in his 30th sonnet, and through a turn in the final couplet, restores the theme of love for a friend which is found throughout Shakespeare’s collection of sonnets. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. â€Å"Sonnet 30. † The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. M. H. Abrams et al. 6th. Ed. The Major Authors. New York: Norton, 2000 The amazing web site of Shakespeares Sonnets. October 13, 2007. Oxquarry Books Ltd. January 2007. ; http://www. shakespeares-sonnets. com/xxxcomm. htm;.