Civil Laws and Religious Authority in Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Trave

Civil Laws and Religious Authority in Gulliver's Travels  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In part one of Gulliver's Travels, Swift present readers with an inverted world, not only by transplanting Gulliver to a land that's only a twelfth the size (a literal microcosm), but also by placing him into a society with different ethical and civil laws.   Swift uses these inversions not only to entertain the readers imagination, but more importantly, to transform our perspectives to understand alien worldviews (e.g. in part four, there is great detail given to explain the Houyhnhnms' views on marriage, health, astronomy, poetry, language, death, and reproduction).   The Lilliputian conflict that erupts from the egg law (found in part one, chapter four) is an inversion, which (1) parallels the conflict of the Protestant reformation; and (2) argues that warring over religious viewpoints is futile and destructive to society, and (3) mandates lawmakers to be wary of creating laws that contradict religious teachings.   The conflict between the Lilliputians and Blefuscudians resembles the Protestant and Papist struggle because it's a struggle about interpretation of scripture. The "great prophet Lustrog, in the fifty-fourth chapter of the Brundecral" decrees that "all true believers shall break their eggs at the convenient end" (2353). The Blefuscudians (like Roman Catholics) hold a traditional view of scripture, and in their case, " the primitive way of breaking eggs . . . was upon the larger end" (2353), and that was "ancient practice" (2353). The Lilliputians (like Protestants), broke from tradition and held a personal view of scripture, as the Emperor decreed, "to break the smaller end of their eggs" (2353). And for "six and thirty moons past" (2353), the Lil... ...egg law that caused so many wars because of religious persuasions, Swift causes all lawmakers (and thus democratic voters) to be wary of instituting laws that conflict with religion.   Thus the seemingly silly egg law, points to huge ideas that affect every society. When Gulliver first awakes in Lilliput country, Swift has him strapped down staring at the sky, in a new land, with a new language, with new laws.   Swift, in a sense, straps us all down, to teach us about new perspectives and the importance of tolerance.   In Swift's inverted world, he parallels the Lilliputian conflict with the protestant reformation, argues for toleration of religious viewpoints and to not war over them, and instructs all lawmakers to be wary of creating laws that contradict religious teachings. Works Cited: Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver's Travels. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1959. Civil Laws and Religious Authority in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Trave Civil Laws and Religious Authority in Gulliver's Travels  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In part one of Gulliver's Travels, Swift present readers with an inverted world, not only by transplanting Gulliver to a land that's only a twelfth the size (a literal microcosm), but also by placing him into a society with different ethical and civil laws.   Swift uses these inversions not only to entertain the readers imagination, but more importantly, to transform our perspectives to understand alien worldviews (e.g. in part four, there is great detail given to explain the Houyhnhnms' views on marriage, health, astronomy, poetry, language, death, and reproduction).   The Lilliputian conflict that erupts from the egg law (found in part one, chapter four) is an inversion, which (1) parallels the conflict of the Protestant reformation; and (2) argues that warring over religious viewpoints is futile and destructive to society, and (3) mandates lawmakers to be wary of creating laws that contradict religious teachings.   The conflict between the Lilliputians and Blefuscudians resembles the Protestant and Papist struggle because it's a struggle about interpretation of scripture. The "great prophet Lustrog, in the fifty-fourth chapter of the Brundecral" decrees that "all true believers shall break their eggs at the convenient end" (2353). The Blefuscudians (like Roman Catholics) hold a traditional view of scripture, and in their case, " the primitive way of breaking eggs . . . was upon the larger end" (2353), and that was "ancient practice" (2353). The Lilliputians (like Protestants), broke from tradition and held a personal view of scripture, as the Emperor decreed, "to break the smaller end of their eggs" (2353). And for "six and thirty moons past" (2353), the Lil... ...egg law that caused so many wars because of religious persuasions, Swift causes all lawmakers (and thus democratic voters) to be wary of instituting laws that conflict with religion.   Thus the seemingly silly egg law, points to huge ideas that affect every society. When Gulliver first awakes in Lilliput country, Swift has him strapped down staring at the sky, in a new land, with a new language, with new laws.   Swift, in a sense, straps us all down, to teach us about new perspectives and the importance of tolerance.   In Swift's inverted world, he parallels the Lilliputian conflict with the protestant reformation, argues for toleration of religious viewpoints and to not war over them, and instructs all lawmakers to be wary of creating laws that contradict religious teachings. Works Cited: Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver's Travels. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1959.

Brutus in the play Julius Caesar by Shakespeare Essay

Marcus Brutus is a character in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar which is based on the true story of events in Rome more than 2,000 years ago. Caesar’s loyal friend, Portia’s loving husband, and a noble Roman. However, he leads other conspirators and murders Caesar. People often question, is Brutus a hero or a villain? Brutus is not a hero nor a villain because he is not totally bad or good. Brutus doesn’t kill Caesar for power, but the good of Rome. Brutus is not a villain because he trusts Antony and refuses to murder him. Brutus is a villain because he is overconfident and therefore their actions fail. There is no human that is totally bad or good in story nor real life. Brutus loves Caesar but kills him because he believes that Caesar is not a good leader and that Caesar’s ambitions are dangerous to the future of Rome. The decision to kill Caesar is not easy for Brutus and his wife sees that. Portia tells Brutus she believes he has â€Å"some sick offence within your mind† (II.i.267-270) and that is why he can not sleep. The fact that he can not sleep shows that he is thinking about the murder and not comfortable with it. Also, he will not share his thoughts with his wife, even though she believes that â€Å"which by the right and virtue of my place/ I ought to know of†(II.i.267-270). When Brutus says â€Å"Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.† (III.ii.26) he means that he believes his actions are for the benefit of the Republic not to improve his position. During Brutus’s speech at Caesar’s funeral, he reveals his motive â€Å"I honour him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him.† (III.ii.26) He tells the Romans they are better with Ceasar dead since if they would â€Å"rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all freemen?† (III.ii.21-24). Brutus believes that Caesar would have turned the freemen of Rome into his slaves and therefore was not the best leader for Rome. Cassius must also convince Brutus that Caesar’s murder is good. Cassius tells Brutus a story about a day in the winter where they swam in a river and Caesar almost drowns. Cassius uses this story to show Brutus that Caesar is just a man, not worthy of his â€Å"name being sounded more than yours?† (I.ii.143) Cassius also tell Brutus that the fault â€Å"is not in our stars/ But in ourselves† (I.ii.140-141) which sounds like Brutus has a choice about the future of Rome. Brutus is not a villain because he trusts Antony and refuses to murder him which shows that Brutus isn’t interested in gaining power and he has a good heart. Brutus believes that â€Å"For Antony is but a  limb of Caesar. /Let’s be sacrificers, but not butchers†(II.i.165-166) and that without Caesar Anthony is not be a threat. He says, â€Å"And for Marc Antony, think not of him,/ For he can do no more than Caesar’s arm/ When Caesar’s head is off†(II.i.180-183). He does not want to murder innocent people, because he believes the â€Å"Our course will seem too bloody† (II.i.162). Brutus is a villain because he is overconfident and does not listen to the words of Cassius. His overconfidence is shown many times. Brutus shows his over confidence when talks about Cicero. On the day Ides of March, Brutus was discussing with other conspirator about if Cicero should go with them. Although other conspirator want Cicero to join them, Brutus don’t agree with that, he said, â€Å"O, name him not. Let us not break with him,/For he will never follow anything†(II.i.156-157). Later, when Cassius is talking about how he fears Antony, Brutus says â€Å"And for Mark Antony, think not of him,/For he can do no more than Caesar’s arm/When Caesar’s head is off.†(II.i.188-190). Also he believes that Anthony can speak at the funeral since whatever Antony speaks â€Å"I will myself into the pulpit first/ And and show the reason of our Caesar’s death./ What Antony shall speak, I will protest.† (III.i.237-239) and the people will believe him. In conclusion, Brutus is not a hero and not a villain. He kills his best friend, but it is for the good of Rome. Therefore he is not a villain. He trusts Antony, but that trust is the reason their plans to prevent Rome becoming a republic fails. Therefore he is not a hero. Although Antony calls Brutus â€Å"the noblest Roman of them all.†, he is overconfident. And this overconfidence leads to his suicide. Is difficult to say he is a hero or a villain. Because if he change his action, the history will change. Once the history change, our life today will change, too. One thing we learn is, no matter Brutus’s action is good or bad, he try his best and do what he believe is right to make himself and other people a better life.

Analysis Of The Color Purple By Alice Walker - 776 Words

Alice Walkers rough life growing up, gives us a clear image of how her background impacted the delicate themes she writes about in her novels. For example, at a young age, Walker was insecure about her appearance, which led her to a new mental state of mind. In an interview of Alice by OBrien, she describes, I daydreamed of falling swords, putting guns to my heart or head, and of slashing my wrists. (OBrien). Alice Walkers insecurities led her to be depressed, which then introduced her passion for writing. Alice Walkers history of depression may pinpoint the reason she started writing but moreover, what she started writing. Alice Walker writes about sensitive topics including racism, sexism religious views, and homosexuality. Many†¦show more content†¦The Color Purple also contains many examples of gender inequality, contributing to the push for banning the novel. An example is when Mr. ____ is describing Celie, he declares, Look at you. You black, you poor, you ugly, you a woman. Goddamn, he say. You nothing at all.† (Walker 206). Mr. ____ believes that women are worthless and therefore, the wrong doings he has committed against Celie do not matter. This reference can give readers the wrong perspective of women, thinking that men have right to abuse womens rights. According to Walker, we see that Mr. ____ shamelessly points out flaws of Celie, causing her to feel worthless and uncomfortable, hence showing explicit gender inequality and abuse used in the novel. The clear use of malicious language is a definite reason why The Color Purple should be banned. Additionally, Walker exhibits the theme of gender inequality on page 206 when Mr. ____ fights to get Celie to work for him and not leave with Shug Avery. He says, Whoever heard of such a thing, I probably didnt whop your ass enough. (Walker 206). In effect, when Celie is informing Mr. ____ that she will be leaving and staying with Shug Avery, he does not want Celie to leave because she does eve rything asked of her, this is unfair to Celie. Again Walker, a controversial feminist, is illustrating the idea that Celie is an independent woman who should be allowed to makeShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Color Purple By Alice Walker1173 Words   |  5 Pagestheir heads!† â€Å"Touch the spinning wheel!† â€Å"Did I say anything about purple dragons?† We all recognize the quotes of Disney’s infamous female villains. In these, and all other Disney movies, there is usually a female protagonists and antagonists who reign supreme to their male counterparts. But what happens in reality? Do women have that same authority over their lives? Alice Walker sheds light on this debate in her novel The Color Purple. Celie, the main character, grows up in a predominantly, male-ruledRead MoreAnalysis Of The Color Purple By Alice Walker1444 Words   |  6 PagesMasamoto, Lani Ms. Britton Eng. 4 AP/Per. 3 28 August 2014 Literary Review 1. The Color Purple by Alice Walker; The color purple is commonly used to symbolize royalty and a deep connection spiritually. Celie, the main character in the novel, writes many of her very personal letters and thoughts that she has never shared with to anyone else to God. She deeply connects spiritually with God. She knows that, unlike everyone else present around her in society, God will neither discriminate or judgeRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Alice Walker s The Color Purple1489 Words   |  6 PagesSisterhood and Feminism: A Literary Analysis of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple Behind every beautiful thing, there s some kind of pain. The color purple represents royalty and nobility, which can be use to describe the personality of Celie and Nettie and their value of life. Purple is created by combining a strong warm with a strong cool color. The one color contain two completely opposite colors which represent price of royalty and nobility. The Color Purple using epi stolary style to describeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Color Purple 1043 Words   |  5 PagesIn this essay, I am going to analyze the intersectionality of oppression in Alice Walkers novel, The Color Purple. I am going to show how the political categories of race, sexuality and gender play a role throughout. I am also going to discuss Walker’s own term, â€Å"Womanism† and how that plays throughout the story. I will be focusing on the main character Celie, as well as other characters to help me demonstrate my analysis effectively. Celie, the main character, starts out the book writing lettersRead MoreLanguage and Male Supremacy in Alice Walkers The Color Purple694 Words   |  3 Pagesviolence incident. In analysis, when husbands abuse their wives, it does not cure their hurtful feelings; it only creates problems and hurts women. Historically, Southern men in the middle 1900’s, like the ones in The Color Purple, traditionally treated their wives as if they were worthless or unimportant. In her novel, The Color Purple, Alice Walker shows husbands abuse their power over their wives to escape their problems through Harpo, Mr. _____ and Grady. First, Alice Walker shows husbands abuseRead MoreEssay on Race and Class in Alice Walkers Color Purple1622 Words   |  7 PagesEssay on Race and Class in The Color Purple  Ã‚     Ã‚   An important  Ã‚  juncture in Alice Walkers The Color Purple is reached when Celie first recovers the missing letters from her long-lost sister Nettie. This discovery not only signals the introduction of a new narrator to this epistolary novel but also begins the transformation of Celie from writer to reader. Indeed, the passage in which Celie struggles to puzzle out the markings on her first envelope from Nettie provides a concrete illustration Read MoreThe Color Purple By Alice Walker1445 Words   |  6 Pages Oppression and Strength In Alice walker’s â€Å"The Color Purple† she uses foil characters such as Celie and Shug to express the polar opposites that are inevitably found when abuse occurs. Celie represents submission and low self value. Shug on the other hand represents Independence and intolerance. Both characteristics coincide bringing forth friendship and change. In the book â€Å"The Color Purple† the writer Alice Walker illustrates a story of bravery, struggle and oppressionRead MoreThe Color Purple Essay954 Words   |  4 PagesAn Analysis of three messages from The Color Purple â€Å"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are† Some people cant wait to grow up, whereas others want to hold onto the past and not see what is to come. Those people that hold onto the past or live in the past dont know how to move on. An author by the name Alice Walker(b. 1944) a woman that believed she could do a lot. Alice Walker wrote a book and it was also turned into a movie but a man stated, â€Å"the book — about the abuse andRead MoreThe Color Purple By Alice Walker1540 Words   |  7 Pages Alice Walker is an award winning   author, most famously recognized for her novel   The Color Purple ;aside from being a novelist Walker is also a poet,essayist and activist .Her writing explores various social aspects as it concerns women and also celebrates political as well as social revolution. Walker has gained the reputation of being a prominent spokesperson and a symbolic figure for black feminism. Proper analyzation   of Walker s work comes from the   knowledge on her early life, educationalRead MoreReader-Response Criticism: Langston Hughes’ Dream Boogie1222 Words   |  5 Pagesoverview on Literary Criticism. Literary Criticism is defined as â€Å"†¦an informed response a person makes to literature after openly (imaginatively) experiencing it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Clugton, R. W., 2010). This, in Laymen’s terms, means that one would make their own analysis or describe a literary work after they have fully read it and came to their own conclusion. After Clugton explains what Literary Criticism is, he went a step further to explain to the reader some strategies of approaching or mapping out those