sonnet 12 :: essays research papers

1. When I do count the clock that tells the time, 2. And see the brave day sunk in hideous night; 3. When I behold the violet past prime, 4. And sable curls, all silvered o'er with white; 5. When lofty trees I see barren of leaves, 6. Which erst from heat did canopy the herd, 7. And summer's green all girded up in sheaves, 8. Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard, 9. Then of thy beauty do I question make, 10. That thou among the wastes of time must go, 11. Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake 12. And die as fast as they see others grow; 13. And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence 14. Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence. This sonnet is so famous that it almost makes commentary unessential. It will always be one of the best sonnets in the history of language. The lively and rapid passage of time, which brings every thing to an end, is described, not indeed in abundance, but with such noteworthy and overwhelming effect that humanity almost stares us in the face as we read it. The logic of the lines ends with the line itself is like the ticking of a clock or the unstoppable motion of a pendulum as it swings from side to side. The importance of the placing of this sonnet here (12) (I believe it’s because of the twelve hours of the day) as well as that of the 'minute' sonnet at (60) is hard to establish, but at the very least it points to an organized hand, which, like the clock itself, measures out the chain of important events as they occur. It is true, however, that it is not clear that we have Shakespeare’s order, so this is just my opinion. As for the forms of the sonnet, we are clear that it was definitely written by Shakespeare. A sonnet is a one-stanza poem of fourteen lines, written in iambic pentameter. One means to illustrate a verse line is to speak about how many stressed and unstressed syllables are in the line. A simple grouping of syllables, some stressed, some unstressed, is called a foot. The iambic foot is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. Pentameter means there are five feet in the line. "Iambic Pentameter," subsequently, means a line of ten syllables, which interchanges unstressed and stressed syllables according to the iambic measure.

Maximus and Odysseus Essays -- essays research papers

Maximus and Odysseus   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While watching the film Gladiator with my girlfriend I realized the striking similarities that heroes share. However, I always wonder who is more of a hero. The definition or hero is a person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life. So let us compare the two heroes as the dictionary defines them. In the end I hope to be able to define who is a greater hero.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maximus was a great warrior in the Roman legion under Emperor Marcus Aurelius. His first courageous feat occurs when he defeats the last of the Barbarians of Germaina. Leading his army along a 12 year campaign he brought it to an end. Next he risks his life as he defies the new Emperor Commodus, knowing that this could mean death. Commodus was the only son of Marcus Aurelius. However Commodus killed his father and took the place of Caesar. During his second courageous act, his wife and only son are murdered and he is to be executed. This changing his journey home as I will discuss as we move on. Furthering his acts of heroism he manages to save the lives of many slaves by battling in the arena, saving a senator from execution, and avenging his wife and son by slaying the emperor. His acts of nobility occur when he saves the senator and fulfils the wishes of the dead Marcus Aurelius. He gives Rome back to the senate and returns the power back to the people. Maximus’ continuing acts of selfless heroism and putting his life at stake for those who betrayed him make him great. His first act of selflessness occurred when he agreed to help out Commodus’ sister, who knowingly let his child, wife, and almost himself be slain. He forgives her and agrees to meet with her senator to help give Rome back. His second act of selflessness occurred when he battled in the arena taking on 5 enemies while the other slaves stayed in the back of the entryway. Going to his journey home, he no longer needed to reach the olive fields with stones that warm in the sun as his child plays, and his wife helps with the harvest. His journey has changed to get his vengeance and in the end die so he can reunite with his family. I bring this up because dieing is a change as is the change Odysseus goes through by essentially becoming no one, a regular Joe so to say. This is what I believe... ...live because he believed he wasn’t truly out to get his wife, but more so to the fact that he could sing the tale of the events later when it was all done. Revenge is much simpler than other factors. I believe at first Odysseus was out for glory at first, I think that is the real reason he was in the war. Maximus stated from day one that he only wished to return home so he could be with his family. I think the inner qualities of Maximus make him more of a hero. However, not taking anything away from Odysseus, I believe that many people in his case would have taken the chance to kill all the men that tried to get with their wives if they were away. I believe it took lots of courage to wrestle with Poseidon, leave islands with beautiful women, and his use of intelligence to beat the Cyclops was great. In the end I believe the only real thing that makes Maximus a better character and hero is that he killed for reasons better than Odysseus. Mainly in the end, when Odysseus kills the suitors, I believe I would have probably done the same thing, but that doesn’t make it right. Maximus saved a nation and did what was right. These are the reasons that Maximus has the edge on Odysseus.

John Taylor Gatto Against School Essay

When it comes to the traditional education, John Taylor Gatto’s â€Å"Against School† questions whether we really need the nine month, drawn out, traditional curriculum. Gatto goes on to name several successful people through history that were not products of a contemporary school system. When I think of Gatto’s theory of forced schooling, a friend of mine named John Smith who goes by the alias of Viper comes to mind. Viper is in his late 20’s, lives in South Philadelphia, and has worked as a Roofer for the past 10 years. Viper went to a public school in South Philadelphia. Viper went to a school where said, â€Å"It wasn’t easy. I was scrawny and white and we were poorer than the jigs that went to school wit us, so we caught alota shit.† Viper’s school was extremely underfunded. â€Å"Some days there would be trash laid out by the trash cans cause nobody would change the trash bags, the food was shit, and the bathrooms†¦forget i t.† He would walk twelve blocks back to his house just to go to the bathroom. There were no extracurricular activities like book clubs and band and the school was rundown and decrepit. Eventually he started to miss classes regularly. He felt that the teachers did not care. Classes were extremely boring to him. He was actually approached by his biology teacher and told he could cut class everyday as long as he turned in his work and he would receive a D at the end of the year. He was not amused by the offer, he was not even interested in graduating anymore. â€Å"I expected to be a laborer for the rest of my life so I felt like education was unimportant.† Viper’s education started taking a back seat to work around his sophomore year of high school. He was the middle child in a family of four, all of whom have dropped out of high school and are laborers today. â€Å"My parents made me get a job when I was thirteen, that’s the way it was with all my brothers,† says Viper. Eventually he started to make a decent amount of money and admits to being extremely naà ¯ve, saying â€Å"Why the fuck was I gonna go ta school for eight more years if I was makin’ 25-30 thousand dollars a year. Do the math, instead of spendin 100 thousand dollars in college and waste my time in school I coulda made 200 thousand dollars by the time I was 24.† One day Viper decided to make an appointment with a school counselor. He was hardly going to class, working every day when he was supposed to be in school, and partying every night and having fun. School was more of a social event. He was just going to school to see his friends and make plans for the weekend. When he told the school counselor that he was planning on dropping out the counselor stood up, looked him in the eye, extended his hand and said, â€Å"Good Luck!† â€Å"The guy didn’t even give a shit!† Viper said. By the time December came around of his sophomore year, he was a high school dropout. He was working everyday by that time already so he was not stagnant. He was still living with his parents. The fact that he dropped out was ok with them because he could â€Å"contribute to the house,† as his father put it. Viper eventually saved enough money to get his own place and now lives with his wife of three years and their two children who are two and five years of age. He said, â€Å"I always thought I learned more out of school than in high school, but it’s not what my kids are gonna do†. He aspires to open his own roofing company one day. Although I do not agree with the path that Viper chose in life, he is happy and successful today. He is a great father and happily married. He does not drink anymore and devotes every second of his free time to his family. In a way he is almost a survivor to me. He is not well spoken or the brightest guy in the world, but he would d o anything in his power to help any person in a bind.

Barry Bonds

One of the baseball’s most troublesome issues has been the increasing use of performance enhancing drugs. Retired home slugger, Jose Canseco has claimed that 85 per cent of big leaguers use steroids and Xen Caminiti, who died in 2004 from drug overdose, stated in a highly publicised article in Sports Illustrated that the incidence of steroid use has mushroomed to 50 per cent of active players. Although other players have stated this figure to be exaggerated, the problem has become widespread within major league baseball.A well known sports orthopaedist, Dr. John Andrews asserted that there has been a dramatic rise in muscle and tendon injuries among baseball players related to the increased use of supplements creatine, human growth hormone, and steroids (Teitelbaum, 2005, p. 107). The use of amphetamines in major league baseball gained substantial notoriety in 1970 when Jim Bouton, a pitcher for the New York Yankees during the 1960s and the author of highly controversial book Ball Four admitted using amphetamines and estimated that 40% of other players did as well.As with football, the size and strength of professional baseball players appear to have increased markedly during the last two decades. As a consequence, suspicions of anabolic steroid use have been dramatically soared during the last decade. In 1995, the general manager of the San Diego Padres admitted to the prevalence of steroid use in at least 10%-20% of the league players (Hinitz, Yesalis, Bahrke, 2002, p. 12-13). Jose Canseco, who was the first player to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in the same year, wrote in his book ‘Juiced’ that he used steroids to help him build the muscles he needed to succeed.He also claimed that (although without proof) many players in the game had done the same. This cast grave doubts on the home run records set by Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds and others. In 2005, the congress held a special hearing to investigate the steroid problem i n baseball. Commissioner Bud Selig while testifying admitted that the sport’s hands were tied because of a complicated agreement with the union that represented the players. Baseball was not allowed to test most players for steroids. Even for those who were exposed, punishment was light (Stewart, Kennedy, 2006, p. 61).Barry Bond, the legendary baseball player, shot to power and fame by winning three MVP awards in 1990s and he was recognised as the best all round player of the decade. He became the second 40-40 player in 1996, and narrowly missed the fit in 1997. In 1998, he became the first 400-400 player in history. 1 In 2000, the house belonged to Barry, who at the age of 35 was on the brink of a remarkable run of five career defining seasons. Up to that point, he had hit 445 home runs over 14 seasons of play. In 2000, he set a personal home run record with 49, and in 2001, he set a new all time record with an incredible 73 homers.The unprecedented late career explosion of 258 home runs in five years raised suspicions that Bonds had taken illegal performance drugs, such as steroids, which Bonds vehemently denied. In 2003, Bonds hits 45 home runs, which brought him within three of his coach May’s mark on the 1. URL: http://www. baseballlibrary. com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/B/Bonds_Barry. stm, retrieved on 15th Dec, 06 lifetime list. In 2004, Bonds chased his 660th career home run to join Mays as third on the all time leaders list. But he just fell short of Mays record. He admitted struggling with the notion of surpassing his childhood idol.Bonds openly admired his idol and said, â€Å"I love him so much. It is hard subject to talk about† (Linge, p. 178). Finally, in the fifth innings of the Giants home opener, Bonds achieved the fit and coach May expressed immense happiness that third place on the lifetime homer list was staying within the Giants family (Linge, p. 178). Currently, Bond has 734 home runs, 22 from breaking Hank Aaronâ₠¬â„¢s career record of 755. He could play only 14 games in 2005 following three operations in his right knee, he came back in full force in 2006 to bat 270 with 26 homers and 77 RBI in 130 games for the Giants in2006.Although he had arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow in October, he still has potential power. 2 Beginning in 1998 with injection in his buttocks of Winstrol, a powerful steroid, Barry Bonds took a wide array of performance enhancing drugs over at least five seasons in a massive doping regimen that grew more sophisticated with passing years. These facts were published in Game of Shadows, a book written by two San Francisco Chronicle reporters at the forefront of reporting BALCO steroid distribution scandal.The Book revealed day-to-day detail of how often and how deeply Bonds was engaged in the persistence doping. According to the book, Bonds used the drugs in virtually every conceivable form, by either injecting himself with a syringe or being injected by 2. Retrieved from the URL: http://sportsline. com/mlb/players/playerpage/7447 on 14th Dec, 06 his trainer, swallowing pills, placing drops of liquids under his tongue, and in case of BALCOs notorious testosterone based cream, and he applied it locally.The authors compiled the information over a two-year investigation that included, but was not limited to, court documents, affidavits filed by BALCO investigators, confidential memoranda of federal agents (including statements made to them by athletes and trainers), grand jury testimony, audiotapes and interviews with more than 200 sources. 3 Bond while denying the charge of steroid use was rather vague in his denial statements. In one of his statement Bond was quoted as saying, â€Å"Doctors ought to quit worrying about what ballplayers are taking. What players take doesn't matter.It's nobody else's business. The doctors should spend their time looking for cures for cancer. It takes more than muscles to hit homers. If all those guys were using s tuff, how come they're not all hitting homers? â€Å"4 People from all walks of life, from baseball fan, players, and analyst reacted to Barry’s steroid controversy and the consequent BALCO trial. Baseball player Turk Wendell reacted in Denver Post, â€Å" If my personal trainer, me, Turk Wendell, got indicted for that, there’s no one in the world who wouldn’t think that I wasn’t taking steroids.What, because he is Barry Bonds, no one’s going to say that? I mean, obviously he did it. (His trainer) admitted to giving steroids to baseball player. He just 3. http://sportsillustrated. cnn. com/2006/baseball/mlb/03/06/news. excerpt/index. html retrieved on 15th Dec, 06. 4. http://sportsillustrated. cnn. com/2006/baseball/mlb/03/06/bonds. quotes/index. html, retrieved on 15th Dec, 06 doesn’t want to say his name. You don’t have to. It’s clear just seeing his body†. 5 Journalists were although divided in their opinion regardin g the issue, majority were convinced that Bonds was guilty.Journalist George Will have expressed his view about Barry Bonds, his steroid use and its impact on the baseball statistics in the following lines. According to him, â€Å"â€Å"(Barry) Bonds' records must remain part of baseball's history. His hits happened. Erase them and there will be discrepancies in baseball's bookkeeping about the records of the pitchers who gave them up. George Orwell said that in totalitarian societies, yesterday's weather could be changed by decree. Baseball, indeed America, is not like that. Besides, the people who care about the record book — serious fans — will know how to read it.That may be Bonds' biggest worry. †5 The group who sympathises with Barry Bonds feels that he is a victim of racial prejudice. They feel that even if it is true that Bonds takes steroids, the attention that he receives far outshines that of any other athlete under investigation in the same probe. W hat the allegations of steroid use imply is that Bonds had reached his achievements on the field unfairly, and given his reputation as an unlikable player, the sportswriters and fans intend to believe this allegation.Beyond his actual guilt or innocence in this steroid probe, the public’s interest in Bonds involvement with steroids goes beyond the fact that he is an accomplished baseball player (Bloom, 2004, p. 111). 5. http://thesteroidera. blogspot. com/2006/08/memorable-steroid-era-quotes-1995-2006. html retrieved on 15th Dec, 06 Considering the fact that Barry Bonds was a steroid user, which has been proven without doubt, he should not be allowed into the Hall of Fame. This is a case of cheating and deceiving the public who passionately follow the game.If he is inducted into the hall of fame, it will be tantamount to accepting his deceitful act, which will be detrimental to the future of baseball. Moreover, since Pete Rose was denied the hall of fame for his deceiving act , it will be justifiable if Bond is treated in the same manner. As his name is already tainted, it is unlikely that people will remember him, forty, fifty years from now. His unsporting conduct and violation of sports ethics will eventually obscure him from popular memory. Only those with excellent and untainted track record, moral integrity, and true sportsmanship deserve to be incorporated into the Hall of Fame.References Bloom, J (2004) Barry Bonds: A Biography, Greenwood Press, USA Hinitz, D. R. , Yesalis, C. E. , and Bahrke, M. S (2002) Performing enhancing substances in sport and exercise, Human Kinetics Publishing Linge, M. K (2005) William Mays: A Biography, Greenwood Press, USA Stewart, M, Kennedy, M (2006) Long Ball: The legend and lore of the home run, Milbrook Press, p. 64 Teitelbaum, S. H (2005) Sports Heroes, Fallen Idols, University of Nebraska Press. The Hastings Centre Report (1985) Blood, Sweat, and Drug: The high cost being number one, Vol. 15, No. 5. p. 2

Poetry Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Poetry Paper - Essay Example He sees both the roads and looks at them until the vision of his eye permits him to do so. The second stanza of the poem begins with the explanation of the poet for both the roads. He presents that both the roads do not hold much differences. The only difference in the two paths is that one of the roads seems to be less used and less travelled. He chooses this path for himself. In the third stanza of the poem, Frost restates his point that both the paths were almost the same and he thinks that he would come back to walk on the other path some other time. He then states that deep down he knows the fact that he will not get a chance to come back and walk on the other road. In the last stanza of the poem, Frost presents that after the passage of many years he will share his experience with other people and explain to them that he had a choice to opt between one of the two paths in the woods. He concludes his poem by saying that he will explain to the people the reason for his choice. Th e poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken† by Robert Frost has an important underlying theme and is not merely about the decision of Frost of opting for a path in the forest. The poem explains the characteristics of human nature and presents an important point that comes in the life of every human being which is the point of taking a decision. This is an occurrence which takes place in the life of every individual when a person has to opt for a decision. The two paths in the poem signify the point in a person’s life when he has two different options but he has to opt for only one. The analysis of Frost of the two roads in the woods explains human nature when every person analyzes the different options that are available to him so that he can choose what is best for him. The thinking of Robert Frost that he will come back to walk on the other road when he is well aware that he will never be able to do so also highlights an important aspect of the human beings. It explains the hap pening of the life of every individual as after a person makes a choice regarding his life; it is not possible for him to go back to that point and opt for another option that was available for him then. This is because one option that a person chooses leads towards many other happenings and it is not possible to go back to the first point and start from the scratch again. The poem also puts forward another very important aspect of the nature of human beings which is dissatisfaction. A human being does not get satisfied with what he gets and he always tends to think that had he opted for another choice for himself, he might have been in a better position. This ambiguity is presented in the poem when Frost also wills to walk on the other path but he knows that it will not be possible. Thus the poem carries important themes and messages. Works Cited Top of Form Frost, Robert.  The Road Not Taken, Birches, and Other Poems. Claremont, Calif: Claremont Canyon Press, 2010. Print. Bottom of

Communication Theory Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Communication Theory Paper - Essay Example The communication process in use depends on the availability of resources, skills and understanding of the members. This paper aims to analyze the communication process adopted by XYZ Hospital where I work as a trainee. It also provides a brief account of cultural differences that affect the communication process within the work premises and also recommends some necessary steps to minimize the risks associated with communication misinterpretations. The group communication process being utilized in our workplace is efficient and effective due to its direct nature. The direct communication strategy helps in transferring the information and ideas directly. However, there are certain factors involved that affect the communication process and its effectiveness. Since, we are working in a hospital setting and have a diverse workforce; it becomes difficult to keep the cultural and moral values unbiased for all the employees. The gender differences and cultural distinctions pose a threat to a single communication pattern for effective and efficient use of communication methods (Gaddis, 2006). The group comprises 6 male members and 3 female members excluding me. I am working as a group leader and the factors that influence the communication patterns involved are identified after careful analysis. The communication style differs on the basis of gender differences. Female members require carefully chosen words and more flexible tone than do the male members. Female members are more sensitive to the linguistic peculiarities than males. The tone, facial expressions, body language, eye movement, gestures and actions must be in line with the message being conveyed. Females are more sensitive to the tone of voice and expressions on face. They require a flexible and soft attitude and work more efficiently if provided with specific instructions about the work. On the other hand male staff requires a more

American Express Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American Express - Case Study Example American Express is perceived as a premium brand product and the principles listed above are reflected in their credit card business. Though the service credit cards are directed at several different income and status levels, they have been able to maintain a mystique of exclusivity. The cards cover the range of the common inexpensive credit card to the 'cause marketed' Red Card which donates a share of the profits to fight AIDS. High income levels are targeted with the Black Centurian Card costing $2500 and made out of titanium. Their peripheral businesses, such as car rental and hotel reservations, have benefited from this brand recognition and customer loyalty. Teamwork has allowed American Express to become a truly global company. They entered the international market at the beginning of the 20th century with the introduction of internationally accepted Traveler's Checks. Their cards are now recognized around the world. While much of American Express's success has come from their innovation in financing, they have also been able to cultivate and manage relationships based on their reputation. When the company went through organizational restructuring in the middle of the 1980s to confront the growing competition from Visa and Mastercard and the loss of merchant services, they turned to their core business and its principles. "Rebuilding relationships with merchants became a top priority, as did significantly increasing American Express Card acceptance across a wide range of industries and geographical markets" ("Our History"). Years later, the company's chief executive would say, in retrospect, "If not for the strength of our brand name, American Express would have collapsed by the late 1980s" ("Our History"). For American Express, it was not the product but their brand reputation that saved the company. Today, many other products compliment the financial card segment. They have co-branded with Citi Bank and other financial institutions to offer bank issued credit cards. They offer a wide range of personal and business travel services that fit well with the financial card unit. They have become a one-stop-shop for the personal or business traveler. In addition they offer an array of business services from financing to taxes that once again are based on, and linked to, the business credit card unit. A business can arrange all their financing, financial planning, lines of credit, travel, lodging, and airlines, and have it all billed through the payment service unit. These services would not have been possible for American Express without the unique position and reputation of their financial card product. Works Cited "Our