Can managers develop the 'culture' of their organisations Critically Essay

Can managers develop the 'culture' of their organisations Critically discuss - Essay Example It is only logical that organizations and companies have good managers that management can be termed efficient.4 In light with this, organizations or companies could develop their own culture where they have unique management system that is different from other. Such kind of management ensures that the top management does not necessary have to follow the usual protocol of management.5 In fact, some of the best rated companies in terms of management are that have developed their own culture in working and dealing with their employees. Simply, they have better working conditions and the employees are motivated in numerous ways as compared to other organizations or companies. Of importance to note is that, organization culture entails behaviours that are prevailing beliefs, practises and thought. Some of these fundamentals might deter the improvement of an organization if leaders and managers do not embark on a program to support this improvement.6 It is worthwhile that for this to be a chievable, certain strategies must put in place. These strategies entail employment relationship, theory and practise, finding alternative ways to high performance in work places, transformation of personnel roles to fit the current management programme, over and above, the impact of human resource management in an organization.7 Employment Relationship Employment relationship is a legal term that is used globally to denote the relationship between the employee and the employer under certain conditions that incorporate remuneration. Through this employment relationship, rights and obligations are created between employee and employers.8 Apparently, this relationship continues to facilitate a route in which employees are could be able to access their rights and benefits associated with employment in respect to labour laws and social security. In general, employment relationship is the periphery of determining the origin and extent in which employers are mandated to treat their employ ees.9 Of importance to note is that, this relationship has drastically changed with reference to the labour market. Some of the new forms of relationships that are being created have loopholes especially on the increasing number of employees whose employment status is unclear. With numerous labour institutions working on the need for standardization, it is evident that an employment relationship is crucial to both the employees and employers. 10Consequently, an organization or company must be able to handle this kind of relationship with ultimate care to ensure that it carries the best of interest from either side.11 For instance, any organization should ensure that all its employees have clear employment details in respect of the International Labour law and any other law that is applicable.12 Their rights as human beings and workers should be respected at all cost. Through this, organization is certain of embracing it own culture that could be different from firms, organizations a nd companies that do not embrace the employment relationship.13 Empowerment, Theory and Practise Employment theories and practises are crucial plan

Attachment Theory and Child Essay Example for Free

Attachment Theory and Child Essay An attachment is a two-way emotional bond in which people depend on each other for their sense of security. Although we forma attachments through out our lives, psychologists are particualry interested in the attachments formed between a child and his/her primary caregiver.1 This essay will examine the role of attachment in childhood and it’s subsequent formation of relationships. Most babies of mammals exhibit the same patterns as human infants; they seek proximity to the mother and react with anxeity on seperation from her, which is the essense pf attachment behaviour. John bowlby believed that attachment was an innate pattern and it helped infants to survive. Bowlby had observed how baby monkeys reacted with distress on sepearation from their mother for a brief period. The mother and baby both called for each other. This shows that attachment is essential for survival however, it can be argued that research relating to animals cannot be generalised to humans. Bowlby’s theory of attachment is that children have a biological need to attach to their main caregiver as attachment helps serve the purpose of survival. The emotional relationship provides the infant with a set of expectations about relationships which stays with the child throughout life; this is known as the internal working model, and is a pattern for relationships the child may have in the future. If the child experiences love and affection, he/she will come to see him/herself as worthy of love and attention. This is the child’s working model as Bowlby sees it. The working model will determine the child’s relationship with other people and the way the child sees him/herself in the future. On the other hand, if the child experiences neglect or rejectionthey may develop a working model that is based on denial rather than on reality. Such a working model may contribute negatively to the the mental health of the child and the quality of their relationships with others in the future. Mary Ainsworth was a US psychologist who operationalised Bowlby’s concept so that it could be tested empirically. She devised an experimental procedure called the stange situation, which resulted in the classificatin of attachment patterns. In the strange situation an observer shows the caregiver and child into a room and then leaves. The caregiver watches the child play and a stranger soon enters the room. The stranger sits silently at first then talks with the caregiver and then tries to interact with the child. The caregiver leaves the room. This is he first seperation between the caregiver and the child. While the caregiver is absent the stranger continues trying to interact with the child. The caregiver returns and is reunited withnthe child. The stranger then leaves the room and the caregiver follows leaving the child alone. This is the second seperation. The stranger enters the room and once again tries to interact with the child. The caregiver returns for a second reunion and the stranger leaves. The findings resulted in the classification of three attachment types discussed below. Attachment type A, avoidant, is when the child shows apparent indifference when the caregiver leaves the room, and avoids contact when the caregiver returns. The child is apparently not afraid of strangers. Mothers of type A children tend to be insensitive and do not seem interested in their child’s play. Attachment type B, securely attached, is when the child is upset when the caregiver leaves and is happy to see the caregiver return. The child is easily comforted by the caregiver. The mothers of type B children are very intersted in their child’s play and actively support and communicate with the child during play. Attachment type C, ambivalent is when the child is very upset when the caregiver leaves the room, however, the caregiver finds it difficult to sooth the child when they return. The child seeks comfort but at the same time rejects it. mothers of type C children are inconsistent in their reactions to their children. Ainsworth concluded that the primary caregiver’s behaviour determines the attachment type of the child. A sensitive primary caregiver leads to a securely attached child. Insecure attachment will lead to problems in later life. Jerome Kagan (1982) suggested that innate differences in children’s temperaments influence how the environment interacts with them. Another impact on attachment is the family circumstances that a child is part of. A childs socio-economic environment has a major impact on the attachment type the child has. If a family is hit by povery the child may not recieve the necessary support and this could lead to a change in the attachment type. A risk factor in the development of mental health seems to be a lack of formation of attachment to important people during childhood. According to Goldberg (2000), the method is a unique combination of experimental and clinical methods. He he finds it a well standardised procedure which allows for natural interactions. Lamb (1985) claims that this widely used methodology is highly artificial and extrememly limited in terms of the amount of information gathered, and that it fails to take into account the mother’s behaviour. Marrone (1998) finds that although the strange situation has been criticized for being stressful-and therefore unethical- it is modelled on normal everyday circumstances when the caregiver must leave the infant for brief periods of timein different circumstances. However, it can be argued that exposing children to stress in experimental situations can be very different to everyday life. Van ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988) carried out a major review of 32 world wide studies, involving eight countries and over 2000 infants. They found that there are differences within cultures in the distribution of types A,B and C. For example, Japanese studies showed complete absence of type A, but a high proportion of type C. There sems to be a pattern of cross-cultural differences, so that type B is the most common cross-culturally. Type A is reletively more common in Western European countries, and type C is reletively more common in Japan. He differences has been associated with differences in child-rearing. The results of these studies indicated that if we want valid interpretations of the strange situaton in a cross-cultural setting, we need to have good knowlege about child rearing. The cross-cultural validity of the strange situation methods of assesing attachment and the meaning of the classification classifications themselves has been questioned. The meaning of the strange situation has been challenged, in that it focuses on o the measurement of the attachment in terms of the infants reaction to the seperation and the subsequent reunion with the caregiver. It does not take into account that the meaning of seperation may differ across cultures. Japanese children are rarely seperated from their primary caregivers and so the seperation may be a very unusual situation for the child. this may mean something completely different to Japanese mothers and children than to American infants and mothers. Bowlby’s internal working model assumes that although the model can be modified, it remains relative;y stable throughout the lifespan. Hazen and Shaver (1987) were one of the first researchers to explore Bowlby’s attachment theory in relation to adult romantic relationships. They found the attachment theory a valuable perspective on adult love because it could explain both positive and negative emotions. Hazen and Shaver translated Ainsworth’s three attachment styles to make them suitable for adult relationships. Then they devised a â€Å"love quiz† in a local newspaper and ask respondents to indicate which of the three patterns best described their feelings toward romantic relationships. A self selected sample of 620 people, aged 14-82 years, responded to the love quiz. The mean age was 36 years. There were 205 males and 415vfemales. A second study used a sample of 108 college students. The researchers found that 60% of the respondants showed a secure attachment style and 20% showed the anxious ambivalent pattern, and 20% showed the anxious avoident pattern. The research also asked the respondents to describe their parent’s parenting style. People who were seecurely attached had said their parents were responsive and attentive, people who were anxious-ambivalant had rejecting and inattentive parent. Hazen and Shaver theorised that romantic love shares important similarities with early attachment relationships. They also found that differences in adult attachment wre related to how people felt about themselves. Although the researchers found some correlation between parenting style and attachment paterns, they went against drawing too many conclusions as this would be deterministic. In fact, it seems that as people get older, they are more likely to to be able to develop their own outlook and approach to life. The study was ased on a self selected sample and can therefore not be representative. Self report data is not always reliable, and since the study was carried out in the western world it cannot be generalised to everybody across different cultures. It can be seen through the strange situation that majority of infants are likely to develop an attachment type B, although, it is largely dependant on factors such as temperment, socio-economic factors, and parent styles. In addition, it can also be seen that the attachment style developed as a child can have a large impact on the attachment style involved in the formation of subsequent parent relationships.

Analysing The Universality Of Human Rights Philosophy Essay

Analysing The Universality Of Human Rights Philosophy Essay Abstract:This paper aims to critically study and assess the different perspectives on the universality of human rights,and locate the position of the perspectives according to Dembours four schools of thoughts. The perspectives of human rights on cultural divesity and linguistic diversity have also been emphasized upon here. Universality of Human Rights its Different Pespectives Human Rights are rights that one is entitled to enjoy simply because of thefact that he is a human being. These are equal and inalienable for all , and cannot be denied to anyone human in nature and form. Thus they are Universal in nature, and function as a legitimate standard for a political system. This ofcourse willlead to a discussion of being human and enjoying the human rights(Donelly 2003). Being Human beings, everyone deserves to enjoy certain rights after fulfilling certain obligations to the society. These fulfillment of obligations are based on morality of the people as an individual and as a class, judged by the society at large and then being endowed with certain privileges to be enjoyed in the form of Political rights. Rectitude and entitlement, the two aspects of a right, are directed towards a preset standard of conduct, which bings forth the duty and obligation that an individual is expected to perform, and calls for individual and universal attention towards righteousness . Performance of this duty entitles the individual to enjoy the et of privileges in the form of a right. To have a right to something, makes one entltled to own the sole authority to enjoy it, denial or repression of which entitles one to have special claim for justice. Rights enjoyed by one cannot be reduced because it clashes with correlative duties of another, neither can it be reduced for enjoying a benefit. Hence, rights give authority to its holders , and not just benefits( Donelly 2003). Rights are meant to be exercised, enjoyed, respected, and enforced.These are the four principle dimensions of a right. Respecting ones rights gives other the privelege of enjoying and asserting his own rights, otherwise it is liable to be questioned , threatened or denied. A violation of a right is an injustice doneto someone, and is subject to distinctive force and remedial logic(Donelly 2003). Ludwig Wittgenstein, the analytical philosopher propagated that a concept should not be defined by what one thinks it means , but by its meaning and practice in everyday life. One should rather analyse facts on the basis of observation, rather than thinking. This led to the introduction of his concept of Family Resemblance The concept of Human rights when approached through the family resemblance matrix, highlight the following factors: Morality Their existence disregarding social recognition Possessed by every human being Their arbitrariness Emergence through political and social struggle Their usage for political communication Servitude to bourgeois Basis on human nature Bear a socio-legal concensus Ability toget transformed into legal rights ( Dembour 2006). Dembour argues that , although most people believe in the combination of the first three factors as the essential element of the concept of Human Rights, or that human rights exist irrespective of bein having social recognition as every man is deemed to enjoy it being human beings as the rights are framed on the basis of human nature, it should not be assumed that it rests on a socio- legal consensus, or bears arbitrariness in its state. He believes that Human Rights have come into existence as result of force of language use, and believes that they would cease to exist if conversation ordiscussions about them die down Different competingconcepts of Human rights exist inthe society,and people fight to establish their own opinions disregarding others. Donellys concept og Human Rights though is encouraging for many, but highlight some political or intellectual inadequacies in termsof moral integrity in his book Universal Rights in Theory and Practice. Harshers Philosphy Of Human Rights points out that Human Rights demands that every single individuals dignity is considered in an existing political norm, where one individuals security of Human Rights leads to the security of another , mankifesting this security to an indefinite expanse and time in the society(Dembour 2006). Every individual craves for recognition in the personal and intimate level where an identity is formed, as well as in the broader socio-politcal level. The uniform formation or malformation of an identity and recognition leads to infringement or violation of rights by one on the other. The politics of universalism emphasizes on equal dignity of all citizens, barring division in the society leading to classes of citizenship. However, from the politics of Universalism grows the politics of differences, when one shifts from the universally familiar and accepted practices in the society (Taylor 1994). This is the basis of differentiation amongst the fellow members of the society , which threatens the universality of theHuman Rights and often leads to its violation. While enjoying their human rights,individuals tendto forget that their forbearers had to fight to acquire them,and hence they need to be protected. Hence it is often found that Human Right issues are treated with a Machiavellean approach, with the sole intention of maintaining ones interests and dominion power( Dembour2006). A study of Dembours four schools of thought would further help to understand the different perspectives of Human Rights. Position of the Perspectives:Dembours 4 schools of thought on Human Rights Based on the analysis of the thoughts of the scholars, Debmour has broadly categorised all discussions on human rights to be based on four schools, namely- The Natural Scholars: These group of scholars believe inthe existence ofthe Human Rights independent of social recognition, laying their basis on the Universe,God, Reason or any Transcendental source. Their basis of Human rights is much contradictory according to Dembour, as they propagate that it is based on human nature as well as consensus. The Natural Scholars argue that human rights constitute a social choice of a particular moral vision of human potentiality, which is directly linked to the historical rise and consolidation of liberalism in the modern west. This according to Dembour is contradictory as human rights cannot have their existence always as well as historically. The Natural scholars according to him perceive Human Rights as universal even though they come to receive a single means of expression. They do not depend on an actual manifestation of it on the context of t he international law, disregarding the metaphysical basis.Some natural scholars again, do not agree t hat consensus is the basis of Human Rights.In this regard , Michael Freeman disagrees with Donelly for considering consensus as a basis of Human Rights in order to avoid conflicting and contradictory philosophical theories on Human Rights. Scholars like Donelly consider Human rights to be readily protected,and wantedthe most when they are not enjoyed. The Natural scholars on the aspect of embodiment of human rights by human laws opine that human beings can actually have human rights because they are humans. The Protest Schlars:These scholars believe that, Human Rights is language to express a protest, and is not an entitlement as thought by others. Harscher, one ofthe prominant scholars of this schol of thought argues that thebasis of human rights on God and reason should be should be absolutely discarded for the sole reason that god is non existent, and reason does not transcend as it is focused only on itself. The protest scholars depend more on things that are less specific and deal with social consciousness.However, Harschers view of considering the existence of a society where human rights are efficiently protected naturally is very m,uch surprising as the protest scholars are naturally never satisfied with whatever they receive in this world but ask for more. They always visualize human rights injustice, and want tofight the abuses of the rights. On the aspect of embodiment of human rights by human laws, the protest scholars argue that ,human rights are always beyond reach, being the negative principle at the heart of social imaginery. Dembour points out, Rights therefore according to the Protest scholars are -moral claims or aspirations, which challenge the status- quo, and are chiefly concerned with the oppressed class of people. They evolve historically and are directed towards a more free and egalitarian human society. The Deliberative Scholars: The most interesting part about this group ofscholars is that, they stay committed to human rights withou believingin them, though both the natural scholars as well as the protest scholars strongly believe inhuman rights. The Deliberative scholars consider human rights to be an essential string of procedural principles or legal and political values that is necessary for running the government. They believe human rights should not dictate howthings should be substantively , but rather act as guiding principles of a process. Both Michael Ignatief f and Conor Gearty ,the two prominent representatives of this school are of this opinion.They believe that there cannot be any human rights beyond human rights law, and the sole objective of human rights should be about the process, and not attaining the right moral solutions. The Deliberative scholars are non-religious in their approach to human rights and get itassociated with the concept of liberalism. The Discourse Scholars: The Discourse scholars are a bit cynical about the existence of human rights. Makau Mutua in his book Human Rights:A A Political And CulturalCritique presents his scepticism saying that human rights cannot necessarily present the best means to alleviate suffering. He further mentions that, to him the very concept of human rights seems dangerous as far as the human society is concerned, and Universality in terms of Human Rights is even more shocking. Wendy Browm has a different opinion than Mutua, but expresses her doubt pertaining to Human rights asking about the standpoint of Human rights, in the perspective of International justice project, or should it be considered as a progressive international justice project. Thediscourse scholars not only insist on the non-naturalness of human rights, but also question the benefits of human rights on the individuals as well as the society.They point out at the inefectivity of the concept of the human rights , but fail to provide an appropriate standpoint on this discourse, and explain what their alternative would rather be. (Dembour2006) Human Rights Perspectives on Diversity Cultural diversity in any state calls for cultural recognition in the political governance of a state,and have been reflected by various ethno-national movements, language groups, indegenous people, migrant communities. Cultural diversity has become a major challenge for many nations, and affects their policy making. Globalization is one ofthe major factors responsible for cultural diversification. The intense capital flow in the market, the post-Fordist production methods, and the widespread western consumer culture globally has given rise to various social movements that lay emphasis on their own distinct ethnicity, linguism or religion. The common claim of all these movements is to be included equally in the mainstream society, and their particular identities be recognized publicly. Cultural diversity has become a major threat to the nation states,where claims of cultural recognition put forwarded by different social movement groups has started to be considered as a majotr threat to the stability of the state and national unity.Theoretically,governing a culturally diversepolity has become a major challengingand controversial issue for the nation states, with the institutionalization of Human Rights in the cultural and social platform. The international human rights have far reaching contributions in the periphery of national citizenship. Its institutionalization in both goverment and non-governmental organizations has led to the establishment of a Universal Personhood,which go beyond the arena of classical modern political tradition. The Right of equality and non-discrimination have thus been specifically mentioned in articles peraining to individual rights to cultural identity andminority rights, obliging governments of the state to take up a pro-active approach in promoting the identity of all minorities within their territories(ICCPR Article 27 adopted by the UN in 1996)(Koenig Guchteneire 2007). Multi-Culturalism In General Multiculturalism terminoligically refers to practice of sharing a set of positive evaluation of cultural traditions and ethnic identities of minorities. The literatures, arts and even politics cites evidences about it, acknowledging the intellectual and artiostic contributions of the minorities, though multiculturist thought is often accusedof promoting nihilism as they are considered to be influenced by Derrida.The basic challenge faced by multicultural societies is,on one hand they are entitled to enjoy the rights and opportunities of a ;liberal democracy, on the other hand they also have the right to maintain their identity and remain different. This directly contradictsthenationalistic view of a state which maintains that a state should have a homogeneous culture. This refers to necessity of cultural uniformity, shared territory and citizenship as the basis of nation integrity and political legitimacy. The Classic Enlightenment thought highlights that a universal human civilizati on existed, which was accessible to all human beings. Propagators of German Romanticism emphasized that every nationality has their own linguistic and cultural character, which it had a right to defend. This concept developed as a defense against french Universalism restrained itself from interfering with individual human rights. Every society is a multicultural one irrespective of the fact of holding diverse ethnic groups, as it id full of individuals havinf different values and views peraining to the world. The practice of Multiculturalism in a society in thas respect can be a practice of instigating strong individualistic thinking, about personhood. If the core practices of multiculturalism is based on institutionalised diffrerences, it has the definite poossibility of regressing into apartheid, nihilism, or enforced ascription of cultural identities( Eriksen 1996,pgs 49-53). Linguistic Diversity Language is one ofthe three major dimensions of cultural diversity. Historically it is evident that Nation States have been formed on the basis of linguistic homogeneity,so as to ease the process of communicatrion in the governance. The most sensisite challenge that a government faces is blending a collective identity with the territorially based national movement. Though Linguistic diversity does not lead to seccesionist movements, it sufficientently threatens a democracy. Language being the most essential form of communication, no state can maintain a state of neutrality as far as language is concerned. Apart from carrying out communicative and instrumental function,language also performs symbolic functions and contributes to the cobnstruction of collective identity. State building is often characterised by linguistic homogenization as found in the case of France. The standardization of scripts, grammar , semantics and cannonization of literatures are the most important policy tool s involved in the process of state building. The Classical Democratic Theory is essentially develop on this linguistic characteristics of a state, where language is considerd as the main public discourse. This modular concept is presently challenged by the defacto linguistic diversity that arises out of international migration abnd social networks which is basedon the new electronic media communication,and by dejure linguistic pluralism imposed on the nation states by the international human rights regimes.Ferdenand de Varennes argues that, language rights are generally considered as basic human rights of freedom of expression and non-discrimination both in the global as well as various regional human rights regimes. Thet are inadequately captured by notions of unenforceable collective or minority rights. It is argued that claims to the privalkte and public use of minority language rights are more justified as individual human rights. However since minorities cannot be termed as bea rers of collective rights, the transnational legal discourse on human rights de-legitinmizes strong policies of language homogenization and clearly obliges states to respect and promote linguistic diversity (Koenig Guchteneire 2007). Conlusion To conclude, it can be said that governing cultural and linguistic diversity is a very important and controversial issue in contemporary politics whethe in the domestic politics or international politics. States in order to accomodate increased cultural diversity has to balance by recognition of the diferences. They also have to promote equal participation of the minorities, ethnic groups and indegenous groups publicly, and with a vision towardsthe future should frame policies accordingly. This task alls for framing suitable policy making pertaining to trhe issues of the ethnic, linguistic and religious claims for recognition, going beyond classical institutional contours and modern nation-state. They also highlight that while human rights provide some normative yardsticks for making policies pertaining to these issues there are no simple or easy solution for dealing with the burning challenge of cultural diversity. The dynamics of ethnic ,linguistic, and religious diversity follow t heir own logics which are varied depending on the historical trajectories of state formation and nation building. Therefore,to accomodate cultural diversity it is essential to find highly context-sensitive pluralistic policy designs. Having knowledge of socio-historical context are pre-conditions for framing successful pluralistic policies that would contribute successfully to the political governance of cultural diversity. (Koenig Guchteneire 2007).

Soliloquies Essay - Importance of the First Soliloquy in Macbeth

Importance of the First Soliloquy in Macbeth      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Following king Duncan's arrival at Inverness, Macbeth delivers his first major soliloquy. This speech summarizes his reasons for not wanting to commit murder. It is also an image of the plot of Macbeth, as it foreshadows the chain of events that is to follow the murder of Duncan. Although Macbeth knows that he cannot "trammel up the consequence" of Duncan's murder and that his actions will have repercussions, he commits the murder and continues to kill; thus is Macbeth shown to be a weak character who can be easily convinced to perform terrible deeds. Although this is not apparent before the predictions, the moments following them and his homecoming demonstrate Macbeth's own vulnerability. The important speech that he delivers summarizes the results of Duncan's murder, and the multitude of murders following this all follow suit. Macbeth's eventual deterioration is inevitable.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Near the beginning of the play, Macbeth is portrayed as a brave soldier and a noble officer in the king's army. He successfully leads the attack upon the invading forces of Macdonwald, the Thane of Cawdor, and Sweno, king of Norway. He is killing upon the order of another, in this case, the king: "[Macbeth] Like valour's minion carv'd out his passage/Till he fac'd the slave" (I.ii.19-20). Macbeth here appears as a powerful warlord who, although at times seems bloodthirsty, is effective in destroying the foe. Before his meeting with the witches, we have a rather clean view of him; he is a "good" man.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Macbeth and Banquo stumble onto the barren plateau where the w... ...e manipulated. While he can figure and rationalize alone, outside influences such as Lady Macbeth and the witches change his actions and skew his thoughts. This weakness of character was particularly unacceptable in Macbeth's time, when men were meant to be full of both mental and physical fortitude. Macbeth was a great man, but his tragic fault was his undoing, for a man of his power could not survive in those times without much more moral strength than he had.    Bibliography    Primary Source:    Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Coles Total Study Edition. Toronto: Coles, 1992.    Secondary Sources:      Ã‚   1. Coles Editorial Board. "Marginal Notes to Macbeth," Macbeth. Total Study Edition. Toronto: Coles, 1992.      Ã‚   2. Coles Editorial Board. Macbeth Notes. Toronto: Coles, 1992.   

Medieval and early modern Essay

The medieval and early modern periods were eras with distinctive issues and ideals. Some of their key themes were very similar, such as the importance of religion and the role it played in everyday life, while other matters were unique to their time, such as the medieval selling of indulgences, or the early modern Reformation of the Church. These examples illustrate clearly the mixture of change and stasis in the two ages, as a subject shared by both periods yielded so great a diversity of issues. The distinction of the eras makes it evident that some change did occur, but as the period of time between them was not very great, the change must be limited. Everyman and Dr Faustus are respectively medieval and early modern drama texts that share common issues. However, the way in which they handle them varies, and allows an exploration of whether the people and culture of the medieval and early modern period differed by slight degree or strict demarcation. The medieval age of English history is epitomised as a strongly religious time, where Christianity provided a strict identity and purpose in life. Belief in Heaven, Hell and Judgement was very real, as was the constant fear of sin and damnation. The Church was able to manipulate the devout faith of its followers by selling fake holy relics and religious indulgences. The laymen believed it was necessary for them to obtain such items in order to purify themselves of sin, and enter Heaven without suffering through Purgatory. Medieval drama did much to reinforce these beliefs, being completely liturgical. Morality plays were first performed at religious holidays, and warned audiences about sin and salvation, with personification of the psychomachia. They all shared a highly similar narrative structure as good and evil battled for the soul of an initially virtuous man who had become caught in vice. This person represented the whole of humanity, and the play would show how, despite temptat ion and with the help of Christian values, he realised his error and won salvation. By the early modern era, neither the faith in Christ nor in Judgement had diminished, but the understanding of them had altered. People became frustrated with the â€Å"ecclesiastical despotism† that was rife in the established Church, and there was widespread dissatisfaction with the papal  organisation which, according to Erasmus, was felt to be dominated by ignorant monks. The subsequent Reformation changed the form and understanding of religion, making it more accessible to the average person by removing the intercessory functions of priests and bishops, and giving ordinary people more control over their spiritual state. This religious change also had political implications. The disestablishment of the Church created a degree of civil unrest among Catholic and Protestant groups, as factions sprang up with each viewing the other as traitorous, either to England or to God. However, this was not the only face of the early modern era. As the beginning of the Renaissance, it was also â€Å"a time of heady intoxication with†¦learning and†¦discovery.† The exploits of the European sailors and the excitement over new civilisations are allegorised by Faustus’ discovery of magic and the power it wields. As a liturgical morality play, Everyman submits itself fully to the pre-Reformation teachings, and absorbs the conventional attitudes. It was written to encourage medieval audiences to avoid material pursuits, and to ensure they involved themselves in good deeds and were prepared for Judgement. Death was a constant escort in medieval England, and could be expected at any time. As such, Everyman does not convey fear of death itself, but rather of how God will judge man after it, as the protagonist proclaims â€Å"Full unready I am such reckoning to give† and begs for more time in which to make his â€Å"counting-book†¦so clear That my reckoning I should not need to fear.† To achieve this salvation, Everyman is advised to turn to the Catholic rites of confession and penance, and to scourge himself to remove his sins. As Cawley highlights in his introduction, morality plays were â€Å"less interested in man’s earthly life than in his spiritual welfare in the l ife to come.† Religion is as prominent in Doctor Faustus, but Marlowe presents a contrasting attitude to that of Everyman. His play provides a mocking critique of religious customs, and particularly ridicules Catholic rituals. Marlowe dresses Mephostophilis in the habit of an old Franciscan friar, as Faustus comments â€Å"That holy shape becomes a devil best,† illustrating an air of contempt for the Catholic clergy. He further associates Catholicism with  evil and devilry as he conjures Mephostophilis by chanting in Latin, the language of the Catholic Church. This mockery of Catholicism may be testament to contemporary social attitudes rather than the personal view of Marlowe himself. In the medieval era, it was highly uncommon for anybody to speak out against the Church, either through fear or because it was all they knew, but the Reformation encouraged writers to criticise the papacy and the earlier Church, often as a form of public entertainment. Writers often allied Catholic characters with themes of idiocy or ineptitude, as Marlowe does in his portrayal of Pope Adrian as â€Å"a humourless megalomaniac, void†¦of commonsense† . Marlowe manipulated the public disdain of Catholicism to criticise established religion in general, challenging many commonly held views, especially regarding forgiveness and salvation. Everyman’s central theme suggests that God’s mercy always allows sinners to repent, regardless of how much wrong they have done. This belief is illustrated when, despite Death telling Everyman to â€Å"Come hence, and not tarry,† Everyman is able to go to Confession and purify himself from sin. Knowledge, Beauty, Strength, Discretion and the Five Wits are sent to accompany him to the grave, helping Everyman to realise God’s compassion. Good Deeds guide Everyman into the grave and beyond, providing protection and support when he needs it. In comparison, Faustus also finds that he is sent good forces to protect him from eternal damnation. Unfortunately, these forces are not strong enough to withstand Mephostophilis. The latter’s evil and cunning defeat nature itself, as he dissolves Faustus’ congealed blood with a chafer of unearthly fire to ensure Faustus bequeaths his soul to Lucifer. A Good Angel and a pious Old Man are also sent to rescue Faustus’ soul, but their efforts are overcome just as quickly, as the devils entice Faustus with hellish delights and overpower his weak soul. The Good Angel urges Faustus to â€Å"leave that execrable art† and turn to repentance, but each time Faustus considers prayer the Bad Angel dispirits him, dramatising the internal battles raging within the protagonist’s soul. Marlowe does not conclude that everyone can find redemption in God, as despite striving to turn to Him in his final moments, Faustus is torn apart by devils and condemned eternally. The playwright provides a cynical view of  salvation, as the Good Angel and the Old Man fail to save Faustus, despite seemingly plotting as much as Mephostophilis to win the protagonist’s soul. Marlowe provides further dubious similarity between the two sides, as in their last scene the angels appear to work almost as one, completing each other’s speeches and reinforcing the same message that it is too late for Faustus to repent. The play appears to be concerned with punishment rather than deliverance and salvation, as Faustus is warned that â€Å"He who loves pleasure must for pleasure fall.† In contrast, Everyman is forgiven for a lifetime of sin in his last few moments. Although both plays treat the same ideas of religion and redemption, they portray divergent views. This may be explained by the contemporary change in religious understanding. Some scholars argued that people’s destinies were predetermined, regardless of their actions, while others claimed there was hope for everybody. As Lester notes in his introduction, medieval writers believed that because of mankind’s fallen state, man relied on the grace and salvation earned by Christ and ministered by the Church. In this respect, the distinction between medieval and early modern seems to be vast. However, the fact that both plays have handled the same issues, albeit in different ways, suggests that the difference is of degree rather than demarcation. As well as the religious elements, Doctor Faustus incorporates Renaissance themes of discovery and knowledge, as Faustus finds a â€Å"world of profit and delight, of power, of honour, of omnipotence† has opened to him. Fundamentally, it is a craving for ultimate knowledge that drives Faustus to necromancy, as he proclaims, â€Å"A sound magician is a demi-god: here tire my brains to gain a deity!† By integrating such humanist ideals into the play, Marlowe creates a dimensional personality for Faustus, which the audience can appreciate and respond to. They witness the development of the character, forcing them to become emotionally involved in the mental turmoil he endures, and keeping them engrossed until the very last line of the play. Professor Bradbrook suggests that Doctor Faustus is primarily an examination of the protagonist’s â€Å"mental development, rather than simply†¦the form of Faustus’ fortunes.† The rationale behind Faustusâ€⠄¢ detailed growth is that it makes him a real person, with whose experiences the audience can sympathise. Everyman’s character is not developed in the way his counterpart’s is. He is generic and seen as part of the wider universe rather than as an individual. The dramatist has been careful to portray Everyman as representative of mankind rather than as a character in his own right. He is not given a personal history nor is any indication provided that might differentiate him from anybody, with the effect of making Everyman relevant to all audience members. He personifies every man and the trials of every person. His example can be applied to anybody, and everybody can see that the salvation he reaches is available to them as well. In this manner, Everyman is as accessible to the audience as Faustus is, although in different ways and with variant purposes fulfilled. There are further similarities between the medieval and early modern plays, some of which have been adopted directly from the former. The use of allegorical and highly functional characters is prevalent in both plays, although it is not as common among other Renaissance texts. In Everyman, each character serves a distinct purpose, showing Everyman how he has misplaced his trust in worldly matters and must turn to Christian teachings for salvation. Fellowship and Kinship tempt Everyman astray by offering to distract him with feasting, drinking and women. Even material Beauty and Knowledge cannot help him, leaving Everyman to seek out Confession, Contrition and Good Deeds. Doctor Faustus is very much in keeping with this medieval attribute. Mephostophilis is the embodiment of temptation, as he distracts Faustus from repentance whenever he feels the protagonist waver, and later admits â€Å"‘Twas I that, when thou wert I’ the way to heaven†¦led thine eye.† The Good Angel and Old Man are personifications of good, devout Christians who try to save Faustus. They too can be seen as tempters, as they try to win his soul. The two plays also share personification of the Seven Deadly Sins. Mephostophilis conjures them as a distraction for Faustus, allowing him to delight in the sins, while in Everyman the sins are allegorised in the behaviour of the protagonist’s dearest people and possessions, suggesting that Everyman has allowed the sins to master him. As well as thematic similarities, there are several production parallels between the medieval and early modern drama. However, these are veiled by  the immense changes that occurred on the stage in the intervening years. Before the Renaissance, plays were performed on and around large wagons, which were carted from one designated area to another. The set was very simple for transportation purposes, but this helped make it apprehendable for the common peasants. The staging was very different for Doctor Faustus, but some of the same ideas regarding spacing and costumes were used. The pageant-wagons had to make use of limited space, and used an upper room to serve as a balcony, heaven, or a distant location. In later theatre the same concept was utilised, with a single spot serving a multitude of functions. Costumes were also sparse, but symbolic props indicated particular roles and characters, another theatrical convention that early modern dramatists relied upon before professional actors were hired in the permanent theatres, and elaborate costumes and sets were made. The new theatres allowed more believable storylines to develop as settings and characters became more realistic, allowing the fiery devils of Doctor Faustus to achieve their optimum effect. However, there is one dramatic convention that is key to Doctor Faustus, which was not common in medieval works. Faustus’ soliloquies provide an insight to his character that cannot be gained in morality plays, and are actually symbolic of tragedies. While Everyman’s genre is made clear by its fully functional characters and its reliance on the protagonist’s generic nature, Marlowe’s play balances medieval aspects with contemporary humanist elements and manages to create a new genre that combines elements of morality and tragedy, creating an increasingly real persona. Faustus is distinguished from his medieval counterpart by his illustration of the psychology and passions that drive him. He concedes to his hubris and allows his ambition and lust for power to destroy him, something Everyman cannot do. The tragedy element is vital to Doctor Faustus as that is what gives it the memorable depth and allows the drama to move away from being a simple morality pla y. In conclusion, it is evident that despite their classification as two separate periods, the medieval and the early modern eras share many themes and issues. Their similarities are not limited to literal points, and  incorporate social and customary ones. The eras do have their differences, as is illustrated by their distinction and by their changing contemporary outlooks. Marlowe’s handling of the plays’ shared subjects differs from that of Everyman’s, as the former had a variant combination of social factors to draw his conclusions from. However, the time lapse between the two periods was not great enough to warrant a complete overhaul of thinking and customs. As Cookson realises, â€Å"the traditions of the Middle Ages still weighed heavily† over the early modern writers. At the point at which Doctor Faustus was composed, the difference between medieval and early modern was still of degree rather than strict demarcation. Bibliography  §Bradbrook,MC Themes and Conventions of Elizabethan Tragedy 2nd Edition (Newcastle: Cambridge University Press, 1990)  §Cawley,AC (ed.) Everyman and Medieval Miracle Plays (London: Everyman’s Library, 1967)  §Cookson,L Doctor Faustus (Hong Kong: Longman Group UK, 1987)  §Davies,T Humanism (New York: Routledge, 1997)  §Henderson,P Christopher Marlowe (London: Longmans, Green & Co, 1966)  §Lester,GA (ed.) Three Late Medieval Morality Plays (London: Ernest Benn, 1981)

Miniority Report essays

Miniority Report essays Have you ever wondered what it would take to create a Utopian society? Well in both the film Minority Report and the novel Fahrenheit 451 such tests are carried out in the future on their societies. Both F541 and Minority Report address there concern that no can be no so called perfect system for which to achieve a Utopian society; based solely on the element of human error and nature, and due to these flaws, in both F451 and Minority Report measures were taken by the government to ensure that the faults in their very building blocks of society where not exposed. Because as a result it would mean that the system was not perfect after all. The ways by which the two works go about attempting to cover up theses flaws vary. But there messages remain the same; that in order to create some you must also destroy something. In the novel Fahrenheit 451 in order to ensure that people where not exposed to offensive material they decided to begin burning books for it was the most effective censorship and as direct result strip future generations of their independent thought and their individualism. By burning the books the people are giving up their power to the government which allows the government to walk all over the people with later progresses into government molded T.V. Programs intended to create a hyper reality to distract the people from their reality and because of this the government can allow you to only know what they want you to know. Eventually thats to much for the people to know so they begin to bombard people with information so they cant focus on a cause, essentially making them into government puppets. But because of the fact that the system is imperfect there are anomalies such as montag and clarisse who choose to scrutinize the world around them; because this poses a threat to the go vernment they choose to just execute those who don't conform to there system. In the movie Minority Report directed by Steven Spielberg i ...