The Presidency of Abraham Lincoln Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Presidency of Abraham Lincoln - Essay Example Abraham Lincoln was a fierce opponent of slavery. He joined the newly formed Republican Party due to its anti-slavery platform. As a U.S. Senator from Illinois, Lincoln was concerned about the institution of slavery being expanding into newly formed states in the west. In June of 1858 he gave the famous â€Å"house divided† acceptance speech following his election to the Senate affirming his belief that â€Å"this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free.† (Hubbard, 1998). Because of his very public stance against the institution of slavery, his election as president was not acceptable to southern states, seven of which broke off from the Union prior to the inauguration. Lincoln’s first act as president was to call up 75,000 soldiers to stop the Southern revolt. Refusing to send troops that would fight their southern neighbors, claiming Lincoln has exceeded his constitutional authority; Tennessee, Arkansas and Virginia seceded as well joini ng the Confederate States of America. Lincoln did not know much about military matters so he educated himself on the subject by reading books on military history. He had no formal education but was a learned man and became a lawyer by reading books so this was an effective method for him. Lincoln sent a supply ship to Fort Sumter located in South Carolina to fortify Union troops stationed in what Southerners now considered a different country, their own. The Civil War officially began when southern troops fired on the ship and fort. Two months later, in an effort to quickly end the war, Lincoln ordered the army to capture Richmond, Virginia, the Confederate capital but the Union was badly defeated on their way in the small town of Manassas, Virginia. Lincoln then realized the war would be protracted so signed a bill into law that called for the enlistment of half a million more troops for a three year period. Lincoln proved to be a capable military tactician and, for the most part, chose effective field commanders. Gener al George McClellan, commander of the biggest Union army, was a favorite of the troops but not Lincoln who was frustrated with McClellan’s unwillingness to advance against the Confederate army. Lincoln relieved McClellan of his command when he did not pursue the retreating Confederates following the 1862 Union victory at Antietam. (â€Å"Abraham,† 2012). Lincoln created a great deal of controversy when he suspended the right of habeas corpus (due process of law) in 1861 when Congress was not in session. He had already ended civil law in some areas but regarded these drastic, many correctly called unconstitutional, measures as necessary steps in the war effort. Lincoln revealed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 following the Battle of Antietam which freed the slaves but Southern states ignored it at the time. Two significant Union successes in the summer of 1863 at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and Vicksburg, Mississippi finally gave the Union an advantage. Lincoln made General and future president Ulysses S. Grant the Union forces Supreme Commander in 1864 due to his decisive victory at Vicksburg. General George Meade had been expected to receive the title but missed his opportunity when the troops under his command did not deliver a decisive

International HRM Strategy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

International HRM Strategy - Term Paper Example There was a steadfast improvement in the production and marketing activities in all subsidiaries. The HR ethnocentric strategy employed led to the rise of expatriate managers, who run the subsidiary organizations on behalf of the main office. The top management believes that expatriate managers can implement the American business working culture effectively towards development. These cultures involve management styles, industrial production processes and working overtime. Some social features inhibited smooth running of the business in the subsidiary organizations. In France, the labor force preferred to have an authoritative lines manager who would guide them instead of one who got his or her orders from the top management. An authoritative manager decides on his or her own (Kippenberger, 2002). The second cross- culture issue included in the case study involves working extra hours. The French work force believes in having both a professional and personal life. These cultural aspects counter the main idea for the tactic by not following the rules provided by the headquarters. Another option would include taking shifts, in the case of public holidays (Wakin, 1979). The employees and managers could decide that different groups remain behind on one holiday while the rest go and vice versa. Employees need to learn rather than train. Training involves attending classes, which consumes both time and money (Fottler, 2002). Furthermore, with the high rate of change in technology employees need to learn how to operate and adapt to new things. In terms of trade unions and participation, the human resource department worked towards a no union policy. Both local and international employees work towards the achievement of goals. The workers contributed in the production process and other subordinate activities, but not decision making. With the no union strategy, no unionized activities took place in either local or international sections of the firm.

Earning a college Degree Worth it Essay Example for Free

Earning a college Degree Worth it Essay Colleges across the United of America are filled with students willing to obtain college degrees. Students usually work hard to earn their college degrees beside the high cost of tuition; they are committed to their education and make extreme sacrifices. But is earning college degrees worth the effort? For many, earning college degrees are opportunities for a life changing situations, employment security, and a great sense of self accomplishment. College degrees are the shortest path to life changing situations for individuals who earn them. For example, individuals with college degrees are more likely to find jobs in accordance with their fields of studies. In addition, their jobs are often less physical and more cerebral. In the workplace, they are usually treated with fairness, and their wages increase steadily. Finally, people with college degrees can enjoy the privilege of job flexibility. To illustrate, those who majors in computer or business might work in the comfort of their homes as software developer, business analyst which jobs allow them flexible scheduling with great wages to combine with family plans. For example, they have more time for cruising, enjoying family getaway weekends, and even biking in rural town. In addition to, experiencing life changing situations, individuals with college degrees have greater chances of employment security. To illustrate, during recession they are less likely to be laid off for several reasons. First of all, they are great assets to companies that will do mostly whatever is necessary to keep them. Next, when individuals with college degrees are searching for employment, they usually do not have to wait long to be recruited by companies mostly because they are skillful and talented. Finally, individuals with college degrees in the workplace are less likely to be fired because they are contractual. They are generally hired on a salary basis with full advantages such as, health insurance and 41k. Most people with college degrees enjoy relative peace and security related to their employment. Finally, people who go to college or university to obtain college degrees of any kind ,experience great sense of self –accomplishment that will reflect on themselves. First, they are proud of themselves for what they have accomplished or overcome to be where they are. Secondly, people with college degrees are treated with respect on their job and that respect follow them even in their homes. Their social status might change totally in a way that they couldn’t imagine four to five years before. When management want to give promotion, people with college degrees are the first ones to enjoy those promotions mostly because they are well prepared. Individuals with college degrees have opportunities to invest in real state, buy fancy cars, and even invest in stock market. Individuals with college degrees can see a brighter future for themselves and families. It is obvious that college degrees bring pride, self-esteem, appreciation, and feelings of well-being for individuals who earn them. To conclude, along with many others, life changing situations, employment security, and a great sense of self-accomplishment are the direct consequences of earning a college education. Naturally, some might argue that college degrees do not worth all the sacrifices. It is widely known that education is a mean to empower individuals to become active participants in the transformation of their society. Every one of us has a role to play to better our life and society. People need to be prepared and get themselves a good education which is the key for a successful life. Indeed, college degrees do worth the effort, sacrifices, and the cost.

Characteristics of Gilgamesh and Enkidu in Fosters The Epic of Gilgame

Everyone has qualities that are heroic and noble, and everyone has their flaws. No matter who they are, or how perfect others think they are, people still have some negative qualities that can hurt their heroic ones. In the book, The Epic of Gilgamesh, by Benjamin Foster, both Gilgamesh and Enkidu had positive and negative characteristics that affected the outcome of their journey and their adventures they experienced throughout their lives. Gilgamesh was considered a hero because he had many great qualities, such as loyalty, perseverance, and heroism. Although these are heroic traits, he also had his flaws and was self-righteous, selfish, and prideful. Gilgamesh was a great man and was seen as flawless and â€Å"perfect in strength† (4). He represented almost a human version of a god; therefore, making it hard to see his flaws because he seems so ideal. He appeared like the perfect man that had absolutely nothing wrong with him. He was very courageous and this was evident when he states, â€Å"There dwells in the forest the fierce monster Humbaba, [You and I shall] kill [him] [And] wipe out [something evil from the land]† (18). This statement shows both a heroic quality and a flaw in Gilgamesh. It shows his heroism and how he felt that he could accomplish great things. His statement also shows how prideful he was because he always wanted the glory and wanted to be seen as the hero. This comes from the fact that he was part human and part god and he knew how amazing everyone thought he was and felt that he needed to live up to that expectation. This can be seen as both positive and negative because it shows his determination, but yet shows his pride. Being prideful is not necessarily a good thing because in this situati... ...eders, that journey is not to be undertaken† (21). His loyalty is obvious here because he was looking out for his friend and did not want him to go on any dangerous encounters. He also showed his loyalty and how much he respected Gilgamesh as a friend by stating, â€Å"Two cubs are [stronger] than a mighty lion† (39). He reinstates that they can handle anything together, and they will always face troubles together. He can be viewed as a bit of a follower because he sometimes fell into the steps of Gilgamesh and even though they were able to bring out great ideas in each other and accomplish great things, he still knew his place as a human, and that he would never be able to be seen as an equal to Gilgamesh. But because they both had similar heroic qualities, they were able to benefit each other with them, and they both really made a difference in each other’s lives.

Formative Assessment Essay

The Rape of the Lock, written by Pope in response to a feud between two friends about the theft of a lock of hair, is revolutionary in its evolution of the comic satire genre into the field of epic poetry. Pope, an avid student of the Greek epics (he produced his own translations of some that provided much of his income during his life), takes the basic skeleton of an epic: its structure, critical content and even linguistic points; and crafts around the skeleton a poem of wit and comedy that is at its core epic, but also uses this very epic backbone to undermine its tales own importance and to satirise the content that has been moulded around the form. This creation from Pope marks the offshoot of the epic genre, transforming it into mock epic, an independent genre that bears many of the traits of its forebearer in a new light. The transformations to the epic that Pope undertakes in the Rape of the Lock to satiric effect can be broadly split into transformations of heroic content and transformations of heroic language. The former can be clearly observed here: Pope takes a staple of epic writing, heroic weaponry, and twists its use to his satirical needs. The weapon itself is given, through the use of a similar description, equal place with great weapons like Agamemnon’s sceptre, whose lineage was used to reinforce Agamemnon’s dominance and power in the Iliad, being forged by Hephaestus and owned by the Gods from Zeus to Kronos. Belinda’s weapons lineage is far less great. Instead of a scepter, the weapon of kings and priests in Homer’s writing, Belinda wields a bodkin, a hair needle. Even that difference itself is satirical: Agamemnon’s kingship is of great import to the Iliad so the parallel with a bodkin, which links to the hair in question much like the scepter links with kingship, makes a clear statement on the relative importance of the quarrel in the Rape of the Lock. The lineage too satirises the pointlessness of dispute: no claim of divinity (and thus righteousness) is made on the part of Belinda’s weapon; in fact its lineage mainly consists of feminine objects with the only male mentioned in its lineage also being the only one to explicitly be mentioned dying. Perhaps Pope, often accused of being somewhat sexist, is using this contrast and development to imply that the whole issue is a woman’s trifle and nothing next to the male quarrels of Achilles and Agamemnon. On top of this, the weapon is not the fixed centre of the lineage as in the Iliad, in which the weapon started as a divine weapon and stayed that way. Instead the object is mutable: it starts as signet rings, develops into a buckle and then becomes a bodkin. Pope changes up the epic formula of the mighty weapon into something changeable and thus insignificant, paralleling with the argument he is satirising, the implication being that it is insignificant and will easily be forgotten. The weapon also shows another perversion of the epic poem that Pope uses. Protection, be it through armour or weaponry, tends to have a high place in the Greek epics. Heroes often wear famed suits of armour or use shields/weapons to survive insurmountable odds (for example the reflective shield in Perseus’ tale in Ovid’s Metamorphoses that slays Medusa). This element of protection, divine or otherwise, is a theme that Pope subverts consistently. From the slyph Ariel who is â€Å"half dissolv’d† even by light to the â€Å"Cosmetic powers† of her dress and make-up, nothing effectively protects Belinda. The bodkin is no different, it fails to protect her locks from being cut in the initial case, and here, although she uses it to attack the Baron, it fails to return its charge, her hair, to her. Pope is modernising traditional epics, using these typical ‘protections’ to mock high societies fixation on appearance. All of her outward facing beauty and quaint bodkin’s cannot protect her from the advances of a single man, so what, Pope asks, is the use of all this artifice? Pope also mutates generic language elements from epic literature for his satirical intentions. In this passage, the clearest example is in his use of the ten syllable rhyming heroic couplet. Pope takes the rhyme of the couplet and uses it to link together two separate words or ideas, often to a comical effect. Here, in the lines, â€Å"Nor feared the chief the unequal fight to try, Who sought no more than on his foe to die. â€Å" Pope has the first line of the couplet set up the Baron’s bravery by expounding his fearlessness in fighting against Belinda in â€Å"unequal† combat (ironic in itself due to Belinda’s natural weakness compared to his â€Å"manly strength† referred to in the next couplet) before defeating the heroic xpectancy with a sexual pun; the phrase â€Å"to die† holding at the time a dual meaning referring to sexual climax, and often premature climax at that. His heroism is built up and destroyed within a couplet with the contrast of noble bravery and base desire providing a humorous and satirical twist on the typical heroism of the heroic couplet by suggesting that the drive behind the Baron’s actions is, at its deepest level, sexual, rather than noble or courtly.

Bluebells of Scotland

Bluebells of Scotland â€Å"Bluebells of Scotland† is a piece written and composed in the late romantic era around 1899 by Arthur Pryor. The piece was composed from a traditional Scottish folk song for the trombone and orchestral accompaniment. In the late 1800s the trombone was not viewed as an instrument that could perform particularly difficult pieces. Compelled by society’s negative opinion of the trombone, Pryor composed â€Å"Bluebells of Scotland† in order to display the capabilities of the trombone and to emphasize that it could play very difficult pieces.This piece is a little more upbeat and physical than other pieces of the same time period, but what makes this piece particularly unique is that it is the only piece with a high level of difficulty for trombone that was composed in the time of its conception. The piece is intended to be accompanied by an orchestra but can be played with piano accompaniment as well. The characteristics of this piece are v ery dynamic and free. The expressivity of the piece is left up to the interpretation of the performer which allows for a large amount of freedom and creativity.There are quite a few cadences that allow the performer to take control of tempo and dynamics. â€Å"Bluebells of Scotland† includes both very slow and lyrical passages as well as many very quick and difficult runs, double-tonguing, octave jumps, lips slurs, and a vast amount of high register notes. The introduction of the piece begins with a triumphant cadence peaking at a high register C, which slowly decays into a very lyrical melodic sequence that takes the shape of the original lyrics, which read: â€Å"Oh where, tell me where, is your highland laddie gone?Oh where, tell me where, is your highland laddie gone? He's gone with streaming banners where noble deeds are done. And it's oh! in my heart I wish him safe at home. † The piece then moves into a much more difficult technical variation of the original mel ody and progressively builds in speed until the also very triumphant ending. Around the time the then eighteen or nineteen year old Arthur Pryor composed â€Å"Blue Bells of Scotland†, he had only been playing the slide trombone for three to four years.Pryor was given the slide trombone as a payment to a debt and taught himself to play it fairly quickly. Amazingly, Pryor wrote the piece with the knowledge of only a few slide positions and would use false tones and alternate positions for notes in the fifth, sixth, and seventh positions. Despite this, â€Å"Blue Bells of Scotland† is still one of Pryor’s most memorable pieces and is still widely known today. A few years after composing â€Å"Bluebells of Scotland† he arrived in New York by invitation of John Philip Sousa.After arriving to be in Sousa’s new concert band, Pryor was offered by Frank Holton the position of principle chair trombonist. When Holton left the position, Pryor became the featu red soloist of over 10,000 solos as principle trombonist for Sousa’s band. â€Å"Blue Bells of Scotland† serves as a constant reminder of the trombone’s capabilities as a very lyrical instrument and its ability for technical prowess as well. Arthur Pryor inspired interest in the trombone with his virtuoso playing, and â€Å"Bluebells of Scotland† in particular has been a standard of trombone literature for decades and a favorite challenge for advanced players†(Kleiner). The piece will always have a special place in the hearts of all trombonists, both past and future. Works Cited http://www. celticscores. com/sheet-music/628_Blue_Bells_of_Scotland http://bluebellstrilogy. com/blog/2010/05/arthur-pryor-blue-bells-and-trombone/

Is the term a dead butcher an adequate description of Macbeths character Essays

Is the term a dead butcher an adequate description of Macbeths character Essays Is the term a dead butcher an adequate description of Macbeths character Paper Is the term a dead butcher an adequate description of Macbeths character Paper Essay Topic: Dead Souls In Cold Blood Macbeth A butcher conveys an image of someone who retails meat for a living and so slaughters or dresses meat. This kind of butcher has no feelings and no consequence to his actions. Another kind of butcher is the kind that kills indiscriminately or brutally. This kind of butcher would perform his actions cold bloodedly. An example of this butchery is when Hitler massacred millions during the 1940s. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is courageous and brave, his fighting skills and generalship have allowed him to win the battle against the most disloyal Thane of Cawdor. In the beginning of the play Macbeth is a most worthiest cousin. He is respected by his army for his bravery and savage fighting skills, killing Macdonwald like valours minion. Even from the start his savage and terrifying fighting skills are portrayed, suggesting that he is a warrior but at the start he only fights because it is his job, like the butchers job is to dress meat. Macbeth has a vivid imagination and is greatly superstitious so when the witches prophesise that Macbeth will be Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and most importantly king hereafter. He is rapt withall because his thoughts have been put into words, showing that even before he met the witches he had great ambition. The witches influence his uncontrollable imagination so much that before the actual murder his function is smothered in surmise. When it is so active it creates present fears which are less than horrible imaginings. Macbeth has been spurred into believing or considering the take off (an euphemism) of Duncan. Shakespeare creates the witches, as if they are a physical embodiment of evil, even part of Macbeths evil, however the witches only catalyse Macbeths fate. The fact that Macbeth is linked to the witches at the very beginning as he repeats the words fair and foul and day, immediately suggests that something sinister will happen to Macbeth. His vivid imagination contributes greatly to the murder of Duncan, Macbeth believes he must follow an air drawn dagger these imaginative hallucinations become intense and highly figurative as he contemplates the murder of the king. Lady Macbeth can also be considered as Macbeths partner of greatness at the beginning of the play. As Lady Macbeth recognises that he wouldst be great if Macbeth was not an innocent flower but the serpent undert. Lady Macbeth therefore, wants to be full of direst cruelty so that she can prick the sides of his intent. Lady Macbeth goads Macbeth into the murder by playing upon his manhood finally persuading him to commit the murder. Macbeth was originally going to leave becoming king to chance but when Malcolm is named Duncans successor he believes he must oerleap this obstacle His indecisiveness shows at this point that he is not a butcher. Firstly he believes that Duncan hath honoured him of late but because of Macbeths vaulting ambition, the overmastering wife, Bellona (the goddess of war, Macbeth is named Bellonas bridegroom at the beginning of the play suggesting that at this point it was Lady Macbeth that was the stronger of the two.) and the influences and prophesies of the weird sisters he commits the dreadful deed The killing of Duncan shows that his conscience was not strong enough. He does, however, at this point show some remorse. He was troubled by the contemplation of tyranny and by the actual murder. He even shows a hint of insanity as he becomes obsessed that blood will have blood and so forth becomes deluded that more murders will secure his position on the throne. The deterioration of Macbeths character begins as he starts his series of murders. As well as killing Duncan he kills the guards in the first of the many vain attempts to distance himself from the consequences of his actions in murdering the king. He is a moral coward, he fears Banquo, due to Banquos stronger spirit, royalty of nature something Macbeth lacks, as well as being ignorant of the fact that Banquo has kept his bosom franchise and allegiance clear Because of this Macbeth orders the murder of Banquo and his son, Fleance. While the murder is being carried out Macbeth is ruthless enough to urge his wife to honour Banquo as the chief guest. Macbeth cannot wait until after the banquet to hear the report as to whether the murderers have succeeded in their task, he takes a great risk, as there are many guests at the banquet. The ways in which Banquo and Duncan are killed with gashes to their head suggest a theme of butchery in Macbeths character. After these murders he needs the witches encouragement and reassurance and so when they prophesise that no man of woman borne will harm Macbeth he is given the faith to go on with his charmed life Macbeths brutality exemplifies his butchery in the vow to slaughter all unfortunate souls that trace Macduffs line. He murders Macduffs wife and babe in a frenzied spite. Shakespeare uses a family scene of a mother and son, before the murder, to provoke great empathy for them when they are killed. This murder is done in cold blood and shows that at this point Macbeth is a homicidal tyrant. The murder is made even more dramatic by the fact that the mother and child are innocent; it is Macduff that posed a threat to Macbeth, because he was from his mothers womb untimely ripped. Scotland also suffered from Macbeths boundless cruelty; in contrast to the noble Macbeth at the beginning of the play he is seen as a devil abhorred tyrant who is mad. Malcolm describes Macbeth s rule to cause great suffering for Scotland each new morn new orphans cry shows Macbeths cruelty. Ross says that sighs and groan rent the air, showing how Macbeths ruling has had great effect on the country. Macbeths character is at its lowest; this is the point in which we have no sympathy for Macbeths actions. However, the action that shows that a butcher is not a fully adequate description of Macbeth is when Macbeth shows some remorse and courage. Even though Macbeth knows that he is beaten as all the predictions have come true Macbeth vows to fight even though he is now weary of life stepped in so far it would be easier to go on as to go back. After Lady Macbeths death he sees no meaning to his life, he uses constant repetition of tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow to show how empty he sees his life. In trying to attain his kingship it has left him with nothing, his dearest love has died and he has lost the will to live. We cannot condemn Macbeth as he shows remorse; in that he is reluctant to fight Macduff because of what he has already done to his family and that he is not of woman borne. Macbeth believes that the witches have tricked him and so Macduff says that unless he fights he will be shown as rare monsters were. Macbeth desires some self-respect and believes that his soul is already charged with blood of thine therefore Macbeth nobly engages in battle with Macduff. His moral degradation is so low that even his enemies take pity on him. It is also ironic that it is Macbeth, in this tragic play, who becomes the one who is butchered and Macduff shows his cursed head to Scotland. I believe that Macbeth was not innocent, he performed brutal butchery at times but he shows some repentance as he nobly fights Macduff knowing he will be killed. Like the first Thane of Cawdor nothing in his life became him like the leaving it.