Thursday, January 30, 2020

Discuss How the Passage Contributes to the Portrayl of Faustus as a Tragic Hero Essay Example for Free

Discuss How the Passage Contributes to the Portrayl of Faustus as a Tragic Hero Essay Discuss how the passage contributes to the portrayal of Faustus as a tragic hero, paying particular attention to Marlowe’s use of language. Marlowe uses language in the passage from Act Five, Scene One to portray Faustus as a tragic hero, his use of the techniques; enjambment, metaphors and rhythm show this portray. Marlowe uses enjambement to show Faustus as a tragic hero because he now regrets his choice to sell his soul this is shown in line 86-87, ‘whose sweet embracing may extinguish clean these thoughts that do dissuade me from my vow’ although Marlowe has written these as an attempt to blackmail Mephistopheles, the use of enjambement makes the line sound rushed which makes it sound more like a desperate plea thus showing how much Faustus regrets his decision, since this is near the end of the play this is suggesting that Faustus fears eternal suffering rather than actual remorse. Faustus asks for Helen to come to him to be his ‘paramour’ this suggests that Faustus is using his sexual desire in order to ‘shut out the truth that he cannot face’ again showing his fears of eternal suffering this shows Faustus as a tragic hero because he now regrets selling his soul to Lucifer and he can do nothing to stop his fate. Marlowe uses metaphors in order to show Faustus as a tragic hero as he shows Faustus’s desire to win back his soul even though he will not prevail. In line 95, ‘her lips suck forth my soul. See where it flies! shows Faustus desire to be free as flying is used as a connotation for freedom however the line also foreshadows the ending of the play as he is dragged in to hell, showing that Faustus is a tragic hero as he desires control over his soul again but will not be triumphant. The line 102-103 ‘yea I will wound Achilles in the heel and then return to Helen for a kiss’ is a metaphor used to show Faust us’s desire to win in the battle with Lucifer. Marlowe uses Achilles who had one weakness to show Faustus’s struggle and his desire to regain control of his soul in order to avoid eternal suffering thus depicting Faustus as a tragic hero. Marlowe uses rhythm of the play to show how quickly Faustus’s fate approaches him. In lines 98-99 Marlowe uses the image of a fast paced war to show Faustus will not win the battle for his soul ‘I will be Paris, and for love thee instead of Troy shall Wittenberg be sacked’ Faustus compares himself to Paris who was defeated in the battle of Troy, this foreshadows the ending of the play as it is Faustus who loses the battle for his conscience as it is now too late to repent. Marlowe also uses enjambement in this line to show the fast paced rhythm the way one line tumbles into the next shows time speeding up showing Faustus as a tragic hero. Marlowe uses certain techniques in language in order to portray Faustus as a tragic hero as he cannot change his fate even though he wishes to through enjambement, metaphors and rhythm.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Essay --

Architecture without Architects Throughout time, the Roma settlements were perceived as 'the unknown' that might put at risk 'the known'. Therefore they are shoved to the edges of cities, as well as of society we live in. They become the slums we want to get rid of, by reshaping them according to our own expression of living. The examples of designs for Roma settlements were carried out using our techniques and regulations, without recognizing an imminent need for 'different'. The 'different' within a formal Modernist architecture was challenged through the means of various movements that were searching for alternative architectural practices. A relevant example is of the artist-architect Constant Nieuwenhuys, that took an interest in the organization of a Gypsy camp - that later became his first models in a series of maquettes of an utopian city prototype called 'New Babylon' - one shared residence, with moveable elements that allow for an-ever changing layout to respond to the inhabitants' needs; a symbol of temporality and an architecture that would instigate a transformation of daily reality. In this way, the Gypsy camps and the nomadism itself encouraged to explore new extents of architectural practice. Another example is of the architect Georges Candilis who designed a Gypsy settlement at the periphery of the French town of Avignon: "It was a very hard problem. The notion of ownership is entirely different in these people. The houses are inhabited in turn by different families. My design comprised four rings of 20 apartments each, a school and a social/cultural center. In the end, after 20 years without maintenance, these buildings fell to ruins and were torn down." His last statement appeared to reveal the temporality of mo... ...ovide a more pleasing atmosphere for the whole community. The installation at the Venice Biennale, and its later award of the Golden Lion, unveils that the architecture community is ready to contemplate the experience of Torre David, as an opportunity to learn and apply the acquired knowledge into daily practice and understanding. Coming back to the topic of Roma, we are facing the paradox - to focus not on how to reshape Roma habitation according to our way of living, but rather how to learn from them and even apply some of their practices to our formal living. What did seem repulsive or disturbing might turn into positive practical lessons of temporality and change, flexible habitation, recycling and community life. 1 Rory Stott, www.archdaily.com, 07.02.2013 2 Installation by Urban Think Tank, Justin McGuirk and Iwan Baan, Venice Biennale of Architecture 2011/2012

Monday, January 13, 2020

Raising My Voice by Malalai Joya

The book I studied is â€Å"Raising my voice† by Malalai Joya. This is the extraordinary story of the award winning Afghan woman who dares to speak out. She was born in Western Afghanistan. Three days after she was born, a soviet-backed coup changed her life forever. Within a year, Afghanistan was an occupied country, and she says â€Å"since then war is all we Afghans have known. † (p. 7, 2009) Her childhood was spent in refugee camps in Iran and Pakistan. Her family were forced to leave Afghanistan to avoid the war. This was not a welcoming experience. â€Å"Afghans were seen as second-class humans by the Iranian government. (p. 19, 2009) Her father who was a Doctor was forced to do difficult jobs for very low wages, simply because he was an Afghan and not Iranian. Her family spent four years living in terrible conditions as exiles in Iran. â€Å"About 85,000 Afghans were squeezed into filthy, over-crowded camps. We were neglected and forgotten, where we baked in the heat of the day and shivered at night. † (p. 20, 2009) Malalai’s father believed so strongly in the value of education, even for girls, so to him, what was even worse than these living conditions were the fact that there were no schools in these camps. Afghan children were not allowed to attend Iranian schools and for this reason, her family decided to leave Iran and move to Pakistan. It was in Pakistan, that Malalai first attended a school. The school was the only school that allowed Afghan female refugees to attend. Malalai really enjoyed her classes and immediately valued the importance of education. In 1992, when Malalai was fourteen, her family moved back to Afghanistan. However, it wasn’t long before she would move back to Pakistan because it was far too unsafe to live in Afghanistan. â€Å"Young girls were being abducted, raped and killed by roaming gangs. (p. 30, 2009) â€Å"At night, armed fighters of criminal mujahideen groups would often walk right into people’s homes. All the children were locked in a bedroom with the light off and told to remain silent. We were terrified, but we could not cry out as we listened to these men yelling and turning things upside down around the house, taking whatever they pleased. † (p. 31, 2009) Malalai used to listen to the radio with her father. There were regular reports about the intifada in Palestine, and how their children were bravely fighting against the aggression of Israeli troops. She asked her father, â€Å"Why are we not from Palestine, where the children are so brave? † He replied â€Å"If that’s the way you feel, why don’t you think about becoming like a Palestinian in your own country? † (p. 39, 2009) I think this was what made Malalai go into politics and fight for her country. â€Å"This had a deep impact on me. I thought about what he said for days. I wanted to work to end what was going on in Afghanistan, and perhaps my father was showing me the way. † (p. 30, 2009) In 1998, Malalai joined the Organisation for Promoting Afghan Women’s Capabilities (OPAWC) as a full-time social activist. After living in exile for sixteen years, she returned to Afghanistan for her job to teach girls in defiance of the Taliban. This job came with a risk. However Malalai accepted the risk involved and adopted the surname Joya to protect her family’s identity. â€Å"Teaching at an underground girls’ school was a dangerous job, but I never considered giving it up. I felt it was a great injustice that Afghan girls were being denied an education. The Taliban wanted to keep them in the dark, because any time a group is denied education it is harder for them to know their rights and to fight for them. (p. 56, 2009) Upon Malalai’s return to Afghanistan, she had to learn to wear the burqa as this was a requirement from the Taliban. â€Å"I didn’t like it. Not one bit. It’s not only oppressive but it’s more difficult than you might think. You have no peripheral vision because of the netting in front of your eyes. And it’s hot and suffocating under there. The only useful thing about those long blue robes was that they could be used to hide school books and other forbidden objects. † (p. 44, 2009) Men had to grow thick beards as long as a â€Å"clenched fist†. (p. 3, 2009) according to the rules of male grooming. Books other than the Quran were forbidden. Television, movies, and recorded music were also illegal. The Taliban considered practising any other religion un-Islamic so they made it a crime. They would blow up or scrape off the faces of any other religious statues, paintings or photographs. In the Summer of 2001, Malalai was named the director of OPAWC in Western Afghanistan so she had to move back to where she was born. â€Å"We were just getting re-established when, on the night of September 11th, the radio broadcast some horrifying news. Within days everyone knew that there would be a war. † (p. 57, 2009) America started dropping bombs on Afghanistan daily, killing the lives of innocent people. The Taliban was replaced by the Northern Alliance. In 2003, the OPAWC opened a health clinic which was run by Malalai, again her safety was at risk as this was illegal. This health clinic soon expanded into an orphanage. Throughout the history of Afghanistan, whenever the country faced important reforms or changes in government, tribal elders and other leaders have assembled in a traditional gathering called a Loya Jirga. In 2003, the United Nations was called in to oversee elections to a Loya Jirga. At the age of twenty-five, Malalai decided to get involved in the new political process in Afghanistan. â€Å"I had come to know first-hand their extreme suffering-especially that of women. I felt that our people needed their voices to be heard. † (p. 71, 2009) â€Å"I was determined to help put an end to the rule of the warlords and fundamentalists, and I knew the great majority of Afghan men and women shared this aim. I did not understand at the time how this decision would change my life forever. † (p. 2, 2009) Malalai was the winner of this Loya Jirga. The second Loya Jirga Malalai attended; she was shocked and appalled to see warlords and other well known war criminals there that had made Afghanistan the war ridden country that it is. So in her speech she spoke of this. â€Å"My criticism of all my compatriots is why you are allowing the legitimacy and legality of this Loya Jirga to come into question due to the presence of those criminals who have brought our country to this state. Why would you allow criminals to be present here? They are responsible for our situation now! † (p. 3, 2009) During her speech, she was asked to stop and she was escorted out of the Loya Jirga. That night, men came to a place where they thought Malalai would be staying to rape and kill her. Luckily, she was not there. Even though Malalai did not return to the second day at the Loya Jirga, her name was making headlines around the world. In 2005, at the age of twenty-seven, she was the youngest person to be elected to the new Parliament. Since then, she survived numerous assassination attempts and continued to press the cause of those who elected her. Whenever Malalai spoke in Parliament, her microphone would be cut off. My days in Parliament were always stressful and lonely because I was constantly being attacked and insulted. Sometimes I would raise the red card on my desk in protest, or even walk out in disgust. † (p. 153, 2009) In 2007, in a television interview, Malalai criticised the criminals and warlords in Parliament, â€Å"If the Afghan Parliament continued on its current path, people would soon call it a zoo or a stable. † (p. 170, 2009) However, Malalai specified that this comment was intended for the criminals and warlords and were not intended for the MPs who were real representatives. This part of her statement was left out when it was aired on television and it made her sound like she was criticising the whole Parliament which in turn is the nation because the Parliament is the ‘house of the nation. ’ â€Å"This programme ended up defaming me in the eyes of the Afghan people while giving my enemies in Parliament ammunition to use against me. † (p. 171, 2009) Malalai was suspended from Parliament for ‘insulting the institution of Parliament. ’ Protests and rallies were held worldwide to get Malalai back into Paliament. The support Malalai received was astonishing. Even some of my fellow parliamentarians have approached me to discreetly tell me that they support me, but they cannot do so publicly. † (p. 178, 2009) However, Malalai’s banishment from Parliament has meant her message has been spread worldwide. â€Å"Although I am no longer able to stand up in Parliament and raise my voice for justice, my enemies have accidently given me a gift. Because now my message is being carried further than ever before, and the cause of my people is heard all over the world. † (p. 188, 2009) The war is still continuing in Afghanistan to this day. She is not confident about this changing since Obama has been elected. He and his foreign policy advisors do not appear to have learned from the past seven years-the course they are pursuing will only push the region into a wider war and more destruction. † (p. 249, 2009) â€Å"Today we live under the shadow of the gun, and with the most corrupt and unpopular government in the world. † (p. 253, 2009) Malalai has done a lot for her country and people and has no regrets. â€Å"I would never want to take back any of the speeches I have made, nor any of the statements I have issued denouncing the corrupt and violent men and women who use and abuse their power to keep Afghanistan in their grip. (p. 267, 2009) I truly believe Malalai has made an unforgettable mark in her country and she believes this also. â€Å"You can kill me, but you can never kill my spirit. † (p. 270, 2009) I think Malalai diagnoses what is wrong with the strategic decisions being made by society throughout her life very accurately and very bravely. All her life, she has gone against what the rulings of Afghanistan have suggested is correct in order to fight for what she personally believes is correct. Malalai leads the reader to consider new strategic directions not just for the individual but also for society as a whole. The majority of the people in Afghanistan especially women are just followers, even if they do not agree with something. Malalai was brave enough to go against this from a very young age. She was fortunate to be part of a family who treated boys and girls the same and luckily her father knew the value of education so made sure she went to school. Without education she would not have the knowledge or power to be the woman she is today. She wanted to give this opportunity to other Afghan girls, so she went against the Taliban to do this through her teaching with the OPAWC. She also went against the Taliban by opening a health clinic and an orphanage. This showed what a genuinely caring person Malalai was and that she was willing to risk her life to help strangers. Malalai is the first person not to mention first woman to stand up in the Loya Jirga and speak about the warlords and criminals the way she did. In her 2007 television interview, I think she is very brave for saying the things she said, however, I feel that maybe the words she used were not correct. She maybe should have been more professional as she should have remembered her role as a parliamentarian; however I think she spoke that way because she was so passionate about this subject and I do not believe these comments should have led her to be banished from Parliament, if anything she should have just been suspended. Through reading the whole book, speaking the way she did may have been the best route to take as all her other efforts seem to be unnoticed and although it resulted in her being banished from Parliament, she gained international recognition so that she can spread her views further than just Afghanistan. I do find Malalai’s arguments and story convincing, because I think Afghanistan is a much oppressed country and a sexist country. I agree that the way the warlords have run the country have led it to destruction and war. It is wrong that women are forced to wear the burqa. Nobody should be denied of an education and anyone who can justify raping and killing young girls should not be ruling a country. In my own personal strategy in life, I believe in standing up for what I believe is right. You can achieve your goals if you have the right knowledge, strategy and will power to do so-as long as you know you are right.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Creating a Company - AllSport Ltd Case Studies

Abstract AllSport Ltd is a leading sports retail store based in the United Kingdom. It was started in February 2008 with one store in London. It has since expanded to four other locations around the UK. AllSport Ltd retails a wide range of sporting gear and equipment. The company is also engaged in the production of selected sporting gear.   This report was compiled so as to examine the various aspects involved in creating and running a business. The roles of various managers were examined and SWOT and Pestle analyses carried out to examine the company position. It was found that AllSport was in a good position to grow and establish a solid brand presence in the UK and in Europe. It was recommended that management should use the analyses to establish weak points within the company and correct them to build a more successful business. Introduction This report provides a detailed report of AllSport Ltd. Based in the United Kingdom. The report was compiled as a result of intensive group work by Mosab, Fahad, Yousf and Mohammed. AllSport Ltd was chosen by the group because it is in the sports retail sector because sports is highly appreciated in the UK and is therefore a flourishing sector. Reflections and Learning Points The compilation of this report was a challenging task. The group members were introduced to the concept of ‘team work’ which is essential in the creation and running of business which brings harmony and a sense of purpose for the team members. The team was exposed to the steps involved in creating a business and gained knowledge in the planning process involved. AllSport Ltd AllSport Ltd is a leading sports retail store in the United Kingdom. It was started in February 2008 with one store in London. AllSport Ltd is on solid ground. Since its inception it has been growing steadily and expects to continue expansion into other countries in Europe. At the end of the financial year 2008/2009 it had a sales turnover of  £ 5 million. In the second financial year, 2009/2010 its profit margin increased to  £ 17 million. This year saw the company open other stores located in Manchester, Portsmouth, Perth and Dublin. AllSport Ltd retails a wide range of sporting gear and equipment. The company is also engaged in the production of selected sporting gear. AllSport has a range of prices suitable for any class of persons. It also retails major sporting brands so as to satisfy the selective customer. AllSport has a labour force of 350 employees in total. Each store employs fifty people with the exception of headquarters which employs 150. This is because the headquarters is involved in production, thus requires more employees. The main competitors of AllSport include: Sports Shoes; Sweatshop; Walktall; and Shoes International. All these companies enjoy maturity in the market, having been formed long before AllSport. Suppliers of AllSport include: Nevada Wholesale; Trade Sunglasses; Caribee; CMS Tackle Wholesale; Fusion Sport; and LeSports among others. These suppliers are able to supply needed stock on demand. Organisational Structure Chief Executive Officer The CEO oversees and manages the overall running of AllSport. He ensures that AllSport aligns itself with its strategic vision both externally and internally. The CEO therefore ensures that all departments within the company function smoothly and gears it towards achieving its objectives (Blanchard, 2009). Human Resources Manager This role is assumed by Yousf. The HR manager is involved in recruitment, where talented personnel are identified, recruited and trained. He is also involved in ensuring that the performance of employees is exemplary and ensures that AllSport conforms to set personnel management practices. This position also ensures that employees receive reasonable compensation and benefits. In addition, it is the responsibility of the HR manager to ensure that employee records are properly maintained (Arbnor and Bjenke, 2008). Finance Manager This role is assumed by Mosab. The financial manager is responsible for overseeing preparation and compilation of financial reports. He also directs the investment strategies of AllSport. In addition to operating and executing the strategies of cash management, the financial manager also finds cost effective means of utilizing financial resources, thus increasing its profitability. Production Manager This role is assumed by Fahad. The production manager is responsible for ensuring that the sporting gear produced by AllSport is produced efficiently. He also ensures that the goods are of required quality. Sales Manager This position is taken up by Mohammed. The sales manager is responsible for ensuring that AllSport achieves its target sales volume annually. He also manages the employees in the sales department. The sales manager should motivate the sales force, impart sales ethics into them and develop a sales culture. Internal Analysis SWOT Analysis Strengths Adequate capital base which is sufficient to carry out its operations. It has managers who are competent in their fields of specialization. Located in towns where there is a constant flow of customers. Is able to price products competitively because it produces some sporting gear. The sporting industry is vibrant and growing, which ensures that AllSport is able to make profits. Weakness Only located in the United Kingdom thus are unable to take advantage of other markets. It is a relatively new company and has to compete against sporting stores with established presence in the market. The management needs to operate more cohesively in order to achieve AllSport’s objectives. Opportunities AllSport should explore establishing more stores in other locations in the UK and establishing brand presence which is strong. It should also explore establishing stores in other countries in Europe. It should establish an online store which is a strategy that is gaining popularity among retailers and shoppers. Threats AllSport does not have an online store like its competitors thus threatening its long term viability as the industry is evolving to become more internet-based. External Analysis Pestle Analysis Political The sporting industry is affected by European Union legislations, both active and proposed. The greatest threat is posed by the Tobacco legislation which would prevent English teams from being backed by English sponsors and would therefore not be able to advertise their products. This would affect AllSport because it is part of its strategic five-year plan to sponsor English teams and thus provide an avenue for advertising. Internally, it is necessary to control team jealousies occurring particularly amongst in the sales teams of stores in different locations. The sales people require further training in team work. In addition, the management team also needs to work more cohesively to achieve set goals (Marthur and Kenyon, 2008). Economic While the national economy has suffered from global economic turmoil, the UK sporting industry continues to do well. AllSport has benefitted from this having made profits since inception. It is expected that higher profits will be made once the global economy is stabilized. Sociological The people in the UK are culturally highly appreciative of sports in its various forms. They are also very health conscious and take personal fitness and exercise seriously. Technological AllSport is faced with the challenge of providing the latest technologies in the sporting industry. Technology in this industry is dynamic and it is imperative that AllSport offers the latest in sporting technology. Legal Certain changes in EU legislation for example the proposed Tobacco legislation may influence the advertising strategy of AllSport negatively. Environmental The sporting industry is becoming more internet-based as major brands establish online stores. AllSport should also try to do the same so as to remain competitive. Reflections and Learning Points AllSport Ltd is clearly a vibrant, young business in the sporting industry in the UK. Learning the various roles of managerial positions was challenging. We were able to explore and understand the duties which the human resource, finance, sales and production managers undertake in companies. This has helped us learn that it is important to ensure that roles in the companies are properly defined to guard against any conflict in carrying out duties. Internal and external analyses using SWOT and Pestle reveal that AllSport is in a good position to grow and establish a solid brand presence in the UK and in Europe. According to Blanchard, (2009), management should use the analyses to establish weak points within the company and correct them to build a more successful business. Analysing a business using these techniques (SWOT and Pestle Analysis) was a skill which will prove invaluable to each individual in the team in the future. References Arbnor T and Bjenke B   (2008). Methodology for Creating a Business Knowledge. Sweden Sage Publications. Blanchard R. (2009). Creating Wealth with a Small Business;   Strategies, Tactics and Models for Entrepreneurs. South Carolina; Booksurge Publishing LLC. Mathur S. and Kenyon A. (2008). Creating a Valuable Business Strategy. Oxford; Elsevier Ltd.