What are some ideas for a feature article on the quote, "there never was a story of more woe/than that of Juliet and her Romeo?"

What this quote, the final words of the play, literally means is that there was never a sadder story than that of Romeo and Juliet. The Prince speaks the quote after having heard the Nurse's and Friar Laurence's accounts of what had happened, and though the Capulets and Montagues are reconciled, he is still struck by its sadness. One way you could write a prompt on this quote would be to simply defend it, or...

What this quote, the final words of the play, literally means is that there was never a sadder story than that of Romeo and Juliet. The Prince speaks the quote after having heard the Nurse's and Friar Laurence's accounts of what had happened, and though the Capulets and Montagues are reconciled, he is still struck by its sadness. One way you could write a prompt on this quote would be to simply defend it, or provide examples of it, from the text. What I think makes Romeo and Juliet such a sad story is its dramatic irony. The Chorus tells us at the beginning of the play that the two lovers will not survive their affair, that they are "star-cross'd," or doomed by fate. This makes their every encounter, and the hope and love that they feel for each other, all the more poignant, because even as they plan to overcome their families' mutual enmity, we know all of their efforts will be in vain. So you could focus on incidents in the play that seem to lead inexorably to the final tragedy--the fight between Tybalt and Romeo in the streets, Romeo's banishment to Mantua, and the failure of Friar John to deliver Laurence's letter to Romeo there explaining his plan. These events show that the two lovers really are "star-cross'd," and that their story truly is full of woe. 

What similes are used in the poem "To Autumn" by John Keats?

John Keats' "To Autumn" is full of rich figurative language, and similes are certainly included (as a reminder, similes are comparisons that use "like" or "as"). In fact, one of my favorite literary similes occurs in the second stanza of Keats' poem: "And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep / Steady thy laden head across a brook" (19-20). This is a particularly virtuosic example of a simile, as it also includes some elements of personification. Keats compares the season...

John Keats' "To Autumn" is full of rich figurative language, and similes are certainly included (as a reminder, similes are comparisons that use "like" or "as"). In fact, one of my favorite literary similes occurs in the second stanza of Keats' poem: "And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep / Steady thy laden head across a brook" (19-20). This is a particularly virtuosic example of a simile, as it also includes some elements of personification. Keats compares the season of autumn to a "gleaner," someone who collected any leftover food from a field after the reaper finished his harvest. As such, while this example of figurative language is certainly a simile, it also employs some personification, as Keats is giving autumn human qualities. This example is just one of the masterful ways that Keats uses figurative language to describe the season of autumn, and I'd encourage you to read the piece for yourself to look for the other inventive ways Keats brings autumn to life. 

What was the Green Revolution?

The Green Revolution was a series of advances in agricultural technology and production around the world, with the most significant impact in previously less industrialized nations like India and Mexico. From the mid to late 20th century, agriculture was transformed on a global scale with changes in the methods of breeding plants and the increased use of fertilizers and pesticides to aid crop health. The Green Revolution had a significant impact on the state of...

The Green Revolution was a series of advances in agricultural technology and production around the world, with the most significant impact in previously less industrialized nations like India and Mexico. From the mid to late 20th century, agriculture was transformed on a global scale with changes in the methods of breeding plants and the increased use of fertilizers and pesticides to aid crop health. The Green Revolution had a significant impact on the state of world hunger and (under)nutrition, with high-yielding and sturdy varieties of staple crops like wheat, rice, and corn being introduced to developing nations.

There is a debate over whether the Green Revolution has increased food production to match global population growth, or if the Revolution is actually responsible for the significant population growth of the last half century. In addition, many people are concerned about the long-term environmental effects of the Green Revolution. While the crops which drove the Revolution have contributed to better food security for millions, it also requires a lot of chemicals to be used in farming. Some people are calling for a second wave of "revolution" which advocates for more sustainable agricultural practices without a drop in food production.

What would be a critical appreciation of "To a Skylark" by Percy Bysshe Shelley?

Before tackling this question, it helps to understand what a critical appreciation is. A critical appreciation is a knowledgeable evaluation of a piece of literature or poetry. For instance, the reader must have enough relevant knowledge about the particular piece in order to construct an informed opinion about it. It's worth noting that a critical appreciation can like or dislike the piece of literature being examined; the important thing is to know enough about the...

Before tackling this question, it helps to understand what a critical appreciation is. A critical appreciation is a knowledgeable evaluation of a piece of literature or poetry. For instance, the reader must have enough relevant knowledge about the particular piece in order to construct an informed opinion about it. It's worth noting that a critical appreciation can like or dislike the piece of literature being examined; the important thing is to know enough about the work to give good reasons for why you like or dislike it. 

With this knowledge in mind, let's look at "To a Skylark" by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Your critical appreciation will depend on the particular context from which you approach the poem, and also on what you like or dislike about it. It's still possible to provide some examples, though. For instance, you could say you like the poem because it skillfully uses a skylark as a metaphorical representation of the natural world. Conversely, you could say you dislike the poem because its archaic language makes it difficult to read and comprehend. Whatever the case, you'll need to back up your particular opinion by offering a careful and insightful analysis of the poetic characteristic you're discussing. Your opinion does not necessarily matter, as long as you back it up with a sound evaluation of the work in question. 

In In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar, what are three adjectives to describe the main character, Suleiman?

The three adjectives that describe Suleiman at this time of his life are trapped, intelligently perceptive (with an adverb modifying the adjective) and confused. A successful narrative exposition establishes the most essential character traits of the protagonist. In In the Country of Men, what we learn about Suleiman reveals his most essential characteristics, which lead to relevant adjectives describing him as we find him during his story. Suleiman opens with his interaction with his mother; he moves to his inner interactions with himself, then shares his surprise as he inexplicably sees his father, "right there, close enough that ... [he] could touch him," in town at the square graced by the statue of Roman Emperor Septimius Severus. Intelligently perceptive, Suleiman feels trapped and confused by the complicated and overwhelming circumstances surrounding him in a veil of silence.

1. Trapped [adj]: Suleiman is surrounded by silent, deceit, and power struggles, and he is feeling a sense of responsibility for the power struggle engulfing his mother in "a world full of men and the greed of men."

2. Intelligently perceptive [adv+adj]: Suleiman is aware of the psychological battles within his mother, who acted "embarrassed and shy, as if she had walked out naked," and aware (beginning from the first morning of his story) of the fabrication within his father's life, who, supposedly away on business, walked from the square into "a building with green shutters ... the color of the revolution."

3. Confused [adj]: Suleiman felt far from governing an understanding of his place in the world; he felt far from conquering the forces that kept him from his father and his father from him--symbolized by two "dark lenses [that] curved ... over his [father's] eyes"--and that kept him angered toward his mother, "not caring if [he] lost her or became lost from her," as when he went to stand ironically under the statue of Septimius Severus, who began by governing Gaul and ended as the all-conquering Emperor of the Roman Empire (Ancient History Encyclopedia).

I am writing a psychoanalytic essay on the character Trevor in "The Destructors" by Graham Greene. How can I write an argumentative thesis...

One way to create an argumentative thesis might be to take the quote "with all the fury of the child he had never been" and put it under the microscope to test the popular take on this novel that suggests the story is about the lawlessness and wanton vandalism of the young people of the time. A student could challenge that interpretation to spotlight the profound mental damage and mental health issues that can result...

One way to create an argumentative thesis might be to take the quote "with all the fury of the child he had never been" and put it under the microscope to test the popular take on this novel that suggests the story is about the lawlessness and wanton vandalism of the young people of the time. A student could challenge that interpretation to spotlight the profound mental damage and mental health issues that can result from mistreatment in childhood. The thesis could make an argument about why outcomes are usually grim for these young people unless they meet affection and positive influence from others such as care professionals, foster parents, or nurturing children's home staff.

Even then, their dark fears and anxieties are still way down deep below the surface waiting to sabotage their efforts to redeem themselves and make good. Some young people are so badly damaged that they feel they have reached the point of no return and they know there is nothing left for them in the way of satisfaction except to drag others down there with them; the perverse satisfaction is all the better when those are innocents and the corruption is absolute. They endlessly play out their trauma with everyone they ever meet. When things go well they then begin to have a fear of success because they have always been told they are failures and success is an unfamiliar land and very scary.

Students could look to see if they sense any of these issues around Trevor. Grahame Greene was also writing in a different time when he wrote The Destructors. The Post-War era was tough for kids as parents and society couldn't give them much attention as they fought to regain calm and order. Also the chaos and fear of war is a deadly mix of hazards for a child to grow up in. Trevor has possibly had a double dose of toxic circumstances to deal with. Students could pick through and analyze why Trevor never had a childhood and select quotes and events from the piece to perhaps support an argument in his defense. That would be very argumentative indeed, to the point where some may vehemently disagree and say that society shouldn't make excuses for these kids. But Greene's overall metaphor for a society going downhill and a class system in chaos still stands as society is affected by the manner in which the next generation develops. If society does not give troubled teens enough affection and support, it cannot be surprised if they all turn into haters and the fabric of our social order is destroyed and begins to deteriorate. Early help has now been recognized as absolutely crucial in lifting these young people and nurturing them to the greatness each human is capable of.

How does The Merchant of Venice end as a tragedy for Shylock?

Before answering this question, it's worth pointing out that The Merchant of Venice is not traditionally considered to be one of Shakespeare's tragedies; rather, it's often known as a "problem play," as certain key elements (such as Shylock's experience after his legal defeat) are left basically unresolved. Be that as it may, it is possible to find tragic elements in the character of Shylock, and it could certainly be argued that the play ends in...

Before answering this question, it's worth pointing out that The Merchant of Venice is not traditionally considered to be one of Shakespeare's tragedies; rather, it's often known as a "problem play," as certain key elements (such as Shylock's experience after his legal defeat) are left basically unresolved. Be that as it may, it is possible to find tragic elements in the character of Shylock, and it could certainly be argued that the play ends in tragedy for him.

Consider, for instance, Shylock's fate: oppressed by the Christian community in Venice, Shylock is driven to seek revenge on Antonio, an anti-Semitic merchant. Just when it seems Shylock has the upper hand, though, his pride and eagerness cause him to overlook a potential loophole in the contract he drew up with Antonio, and this loophole is swiftly used to bring about Shylock's downfall, which includes the loss of most of his fortune and a forced conversion to Christianity. While Shylock can in many ways be seen as the antagonist of the play, it's difficult to avoid pitying him in the end, as his fate seems particularly tragic when one considers how much oppression Shylock has already faced. As such, after taking into account the dramatic nature of Shylock's downfall, it could certainly be argued that the play ends as a tragedy for him, even if the play itself is not a classic Shakespearean tragedy. 

Who is the solitary reaper? How does Wordsworth describe her?

At the most basic level, William Wordsworth's solitary reaper is a nameless young woman singing to herself as she works in a field. The narrator of the poem refers to her as "Yon solitary Highland Lass!" (2), and she appears to be a normal, relatively uninteresting commoner. However, the narrator describes the reaper's song with such vivid detail that, although she might be a common laborer, she is ultimately elevated to a level of significant...

At the most basic level, William Wordsworth's solitary reaper is a nameless young woman singing to herself as she works in a field. The narrator of the poem refers to her as "Yon solitary Highland Lass!" (2), and she appears to be a normal, relatively uninteresting commoner. However, the narrator describes the reaper's song with such vivid detail that, although she might be a common laborer, she is ultimately elevated to a level of significant importance by the end of the poem. 

Wordsworth focuses most of his description on the sound of the reaper's song, and he describes it in great detail. First, he compares it to a "Nightingale" (9), which then causes him to imagine "weary bands / Of travellers in some shady haunt, / Among Arabian sands" (10-12). Then, however, Wordsworth imagines that the song refers to "old, unhappy, far-off things, / And battles long ago" (20), suggesting that her song is less of an exotic tale and more of a sorrowful narrative. In any case, Wordsworth describes the reaper's song in rich, complex, and even conflicting detail. The fact that he does so is central to the poem, as the rich description of the reaper's song shows that a vital complexity can be found in even the most "common" sources. Thus, though she is simply a normal, anonymous person working in a field, the solitary reaper becomes an individual of great importance. It is fitting, therefore, that Wordsworth concludes that "her song could have no ending" (26).

Compare and contrast the poems “Ozymandias” by Percy Shelley and “Ulysses” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.What are these poems’ views of life...

Percy Shelley's “Ozymandias” was written about the statue of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, a real historical person. Tennyson's “Ulysses” is about a Greek mythological hero, more commonly known in modern schools as Odysseus, from Homer's epic The Odyssey.

The similarities between the two poems lie in their treatment of power and fame as fleeting. Although Ozymandias wanted to ensure his immortality by building a great statue, Shelley's poem shows us this is ultimately impossible—this is what the statue looks like now, according to the poem's speaker:

Two vast and trunkless legs of stone 

Stand in the desert. . . Near them, on the sand, 

Half sunk a shattered visage lies

With time, everything fades, even powerful rulers and their impressive memorials. Ulysses feels the same kind of thing is happening to him while he still lives. He has been a great adventurer, and warrior, and although he is now the king of Ithaca, he already sees the end coming.

Ulysses expresses this idea in this way:

How dull it is to pause, to make an end,

To rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use!

As tho' to breathe were life! Life piled on life

Were all too little, and of one to me

Little remains

Ulysses is still living, but he doesn't feel very alive. He feels almost like Ozymandias's statue; he is crumbling, he has lost his sense of grandeur.

Ozymandias and Ulysses are different in terms of their desire to rule. Ozymandias loves the power that comes from governing a kingdom. We see this in the words he had transcribed at the base of his statue:

My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! 

Ulysses, however, doesn't want to rule anymore. He wants to return to the life he led as a younger man:

Death closes all: but something ere the end, 

Some work of noble note, may yet be done, 

Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods. 

He knows he is getting closer to death, and he wants one more shot at what he considers glory: striving with the Gods.

The tone of the two poems differs because of the self-awareness, or lack thereof, of the poems' human subjects. Ozymandias makes a bold but ultimately foolish declaration. He seems oblivious to the transitory nature of life and power. He is not a sympathetically tragic character because he does not perceive his own weakness and his own eventual destruction.

Ulysses, on the other hand, is driven by a self-awareness of his desire to live fully while he still can, although he knows it will be brief and will probably end tragically. He says,

I cannot rest from travel: I will drink 

Life to the lees.

This means Ulysses will live life to its fullest. The lees are the sediments at the bottom of a wine barrel. Although this sediment is not particularly good, Ulysses means he will experience all of life, the good and the bad.

The reader empathizes with Ulysses's desire to avoid a quiet resignation about finishing out his days doing something he doesn't want to do.

Why is it the duty and the privilege of the accused person to choose a door in "The Lady or the Tiger"?

In the rather whimsical short story, "The Lady, or the Tiger?" it is both a "duty" and a "privilege" for the accused to select one of the two doors in the arena because as one charged with a crime, he is constrained to select a door (duty), but the accused also has the opportunity to live and be married (privilege) and escape execution.

It is an odd form of justice that the semi-barbaric king of...

In the rather whimsical short story, "The Lady, or the Tiger?" it is both a "duty" and a "privilege" for the accused to select one of the two doors in the arena because as one charged with a crime, he is constrained to select a door (duty), but the accused also has the opportunity to live and be married (privilege) and escape execution.

It is an odd form of justice that the semi-barbaric king of Stockton's narrative employs. When a subject of this king is charged with a crime, public notice is given and the "loyal subjects" assemble at the huge amphitheater that is the agent of the king's "poetic justice." With everyone seated, the king signals and a door beneath him opens. Out comes the accused subject into the arena. Opposite of him, there are two doors. Behind one is a hungry, fierce tiger; behind the other, a lady.
If the door to the tiger is opened, the guilty subject is savagely torn to pieces by the tiger, and public mourners weep and cry out for the loss of the subject. However, if the door to the fair maiden is opened, the subject is immediately married. ("It mattered not that he might already possess a wife and family.") Celebrations begin, bells ring, and the now "innocent man" leads his bride to his home. With irony, Stockton writes,

This was the king's semi-barbaric method of administering justice. Its perfect fairness is obvious.

At any rate, the uncertainty of the situation certainly entertains the people. 

What are two anecdotes in Jerome's novel Three Men in a Boat?

The dictionary defines an anecdote as “a short, entertaining account of some happening, usually personal or biographical.” Three Men in a Boat is told in anecdotal style, with one story following another. The challenge is to find ones that are short, since the narrator tends to ramble. Let’s confine our search to anecdotes that he shares from the past or from someone else, and not events as they develop on the current river trip.

One...

The dictionary defines an anecdote as “a short, entertaining account of some happening, usually personal or biographical.” Three Men in a Boat is told in anecdotal style, with one story following another. The challenge is to find ones that are short, since the narrator tends to ramble. Let’s confine our search to anecdotes that he shares from the past or from someone else, and not events as they develop on the current river trip.

One such story arises in Chapter IV, when the friends consider whether or not to take cheese along on the boat now. J. is reminded of a time when another friend asked him to take care of some cheeses for him. They had a strong smell; and everywhere J. went, the odor followed him. After he finally delivered the cheeses to his friend, he too decided that they smelled too much. He had to bury them on a beach to get rid of them.

George tells a story about boat tow lines in Chapter IX. On a previous trip, he and some friends came upon a young couple who were walking along the tow path dragging a rope behind them. But whatever boat they had thought they were pulling was nowhere in sight. The two were so lost in conversation that they hadn’t paid attention to the boat. So George and his friends hitched their craft to the couple’s line, allowing them to pull them along. When the young people finally turned around and saw a boat behind them with strangers in it, the woman exclaimed, “Oh Henry, then where is auntie?”

How has the history of white supremacy impacted urban life?

Although slavery has ended and white supremacy is no longer encouraged in the United States, the truth is that the history of white supremacy still has a strong lingering impact on the US and particularly urban communities. In part, this is because as much as we would like to deny it, white supremacists still exist; the KKK is still an active organization nationwide. However, the real impact has more to do with the way white...

Although slavery has ended and white supremacy is no longer encouraged in the United States, the truth is that the history of white supremacy still has a strong lingering impact on the US and particularly urban communities. In part, this is because as much as we would like to deny it, white supremacists still exist; the KKK is still an active organization nationwide. However, the real impact has more to do with the way white supremacy shaped the formation of cities and policies. These continue to have an impact because they have not changed since they were created, or have not changed sufficiently.

One major example of this is transportation infrastructure. In the early- to mid-20th Century, urban planning and highway development disproportionately affected black neighborhoods. Black families were often displaced by highway construction, and neighborhoods that the highways ran through (as opposed to running to) tended to remain underfunded and undercared for. The presence of the highways contributed to pollution and detracted from community stability. They also have tended to cause problems in that people in poorer communities are less likely to own cars, but affordable public transportation rarely travels on the highways. Conversely, areas that the highways ran to tended to be more successful white neighborhoods -- for them, access via car to other successful, wealthier white areas was a priority. These separations have lasted well into the 21st Century.

Another example of lingering white supremacy can be found in many school districts. Before schools were integrated, black schools were almost universally less funded than white schools. However, after integration, the most heavily-integrated schools still tended to be poorer and less prioritized in funding (which was, in part, why Title I funds were created). In many areas, school funding is determined by local taxes; in other words, schools in poorer areas tend to receive less money than schools in wealthier areas. As a result, people living in poor black neighborhoods, who are already disadvantaged, are also not receiving an equitable education. This furthers the cycle of poverty essentially indefinitely for many families. Until we change policies such as these, white supremacy will continue to cast a shadow over our country.

What is your opinion of the three friends after reading the novel, Three Men in a Boat?

George, Harris, J. (the narrator) and a fox terrier named Montmorency spend almost two weeks in a boat following the course of the River Thames in southern England. At various times, and especially at the beginning, it seems as though we’re reading a comedy of errors. The men don’t appear to have much experience in boating. They have trouble with just about everything: packing for the trip, navigating the boat, putting up the canvas tent,...

George, Harris, J. (the narrator) and a fox terrier named Montmorency spend almost two weeks in a boat following the course of the River Thames in southern England. At various times, and especially at the beginning, it seems as though we’re reading a comedy of errors. The men don’t appear to have much experience in boating. They have trouble with just about everything: packing for the trip, navigating the boat, putting up the canvas tent, cooking meals, etc. Their difficulties make for good storytelling by the narrator. But by the end, we can see that the personalities and talents of each man complement those of his friends. They make a successful informal working team, in spite of all of their individual deficiencies and differences of opinion. The bottom line is that they’re good as friends. This adventure will probably not be the only one they tackle together.

What is researcher bias?

Researcher bias, also called "experimenter bias," is what happens when someone conducting a study intentionally or unintentionally influences the results based on their own expected outcome. An example of an intentional researcher bias might be creating a survey which asks the question, "What is your favorite food," and offers the possible choices of cake or dirt. Naturally, any respondents would feel that they had to answer "cake," because dirt is not even a food item....

Researcher bias, also called "experimenter bias," is what happens when someone conducting a study intentionally or unintentionally influences the results based on their own expected outcome. An example of an intentional researcher bias might be creating a survey which asks the question, "What is your favorite food," and offers the possible choices of cake or dirt. Naturally, any respondents would feel that they had to answer "cake," because dirt is not even a food item. Of course, there are many other foods that might be a person's favorite. Here, the researcher has intentionally created a survey where there is really only one reasonable answer. 

Unintentional researcher bias often stems from poor research design or a simple lack of experience and understanding. Let's imagine a developmental psychologist is interested in learning about how children like to spend their free time. To learn more, they have filled a room with toys, art supplies, and a television, and ask a number of children to go in and spend some time. While toys, art supplies, and television are likely to be things children do enjoy, their choices are limited here. The psychologist isn't really going to learn anything about how children like to spend their time unless it involves one of those three hobbies. This is an example of poor experiment design because it is too limiting, and it may very well stem from a lack of experience with children outside of a research setting. 

In these two scenarios, it could be easy to understand how the researchers were biased in their studies. In the first, the researcher clearly wanted people to say that cake was their favorite food. In the second, the psychologist failed to account for other activities children might enjoy. We should also take into account the sampling methods used. Did the first researcher ask only pastry chefs to participate in their study? Did the psychologist ask their friends to bring their children in for the study?

Regardless of motivations, researcher bias does occur and takes persistence to overcome. The best ways to eliminate researcher bias is by framing open-ended questions and collaborating or otherwise sharing work so that it can be examined for biased elements.

What three characteristics does Atticus exhibit during the courtroom scene in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

The courtroom sequence is perhaps one of the most significant scenes in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Among other things, the scene gives an intimate insight into aspects of Atticus Finch's personality. To answer your question, I'll focus on the three aspects of Atticus' character that I believe come most prominently to the foreground: intelligence, courage, and kindness.

1. Intelligence: it's difficult to finish reading the courtroom scene without marveling at Atticus' intelligence. During this...

The courtroom sequence is perhaps one of the most significant scenes in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Among other things, the scene gives an intimate insight into aspects of Atticus Finch's personality. To answer your question, I'll focus on the three aspects of Atticus' character that I believe come most prominently to the foreground: intelligence, courage, and kindness.

1. Intelligence: it's difficult to finish reading the courtroom scene without marveling at Atticus' intelligence. During this scene, Atticus not only shows off an eloquent insight into race relations and the role of the legal system in American society, but he also exhibits the ability to discern the truth through quick-witted questioning.


2. Courage: It goes without saying that Atticus' decision to defend a black man in a court of law is unpopular in Maycomb. Indeed, throughout the book, Lee shows Atticus being ridiculed by his neighbors for refusing to adhere to Maycomb's underlying racist culture. As such, Atticus' determination to earnestly defend Tom Robinson in court is a remarkable act of courage.


3. Kindness: While Atticus is determined to defend Tom Robinson, he avoids descending into a mean-spirited attack when questioning the Ewells. Indeed, Atticus treats Mayella with respect and kindness, and it's clear that, though he wants to expose her lies, he also does not want to needlessly humiliate her. As such, Atticus proves that an authentic kindness lies within his occasionally stern exterior. 

I have to write a sales pitch about an invention but I have to be Othello. What kind of language should I use?

What a creative assignment! I am assuming you already know what product that your sales pitch will be about.  So, I will try to help you with Othello's language.  Look at Othello's early speeches and then again at the end of the play, in Act 5.  Othello's speech is different from other characters in his frequent use of natural imagery and references to war.  For instance, he speaks of the feats of "broil and battle," and 

antes of vast and deserts idle,

Rough quarries, rocks, and hill whose heads touch heaven.  (Act 1, scene 3)

Othello also tells stories or anecdotes. He likes to tell an "unvarnished tale."  For instance, when asked how he and Desdemona fell in love, he narrates the story of his meetings with her, his telling her of his adventures, and her reactions.  Even in Act 5, when Othello gives a speech before he kills himself, he tells a story of a "malignant and turbaned Turk" whom he executed. In each of these stories, Othello's language is eloquent but simple. His sentences can be long, but they are often compound sentences rather than complex.  He is direct and forthright, without irony or puns.  It is only when he is under Iago's influence that his language changes to include animal imagery, puns, and sarcasm.  

Othello likes to use hyperboles to express his strong emotions:  

Excellent wretch!  Perdition catch my soul

But I do love thee!  (Act 3, scene 3)) 

and

Oh, that the slave had forty thousand lives! (Act 3, scene 3)

And for emphasis, he interjects his speech with such exclamations as "Zounds" and "Death and damnation" and "Oh!" Other favorite words are "monstrous," "horror," "perdition,"  "foul." Another speech characteristic is repetition.  Note how many times he repeats "handkerchief, " for instance.  And, you can't go wrong if you incorporate several alliterations within your sales pitch, such as "mighty magic" and "flood and field."  

Remember that Othello is passionate and powerful.  If he loves something or someone, he loves with intensity and hates with equal intensity.  He prefers actions to words, and he does not joke around.  

Good luck with this assignment.  

Why was the police response criticized in the Columbine High School shootings in Colorado? Was the IMS used also criticized?

The killings at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, seemed to usher in a new era in American life. Since then, we have experienced many shootings in schools, gathering places, and workplaces. While Columbine may always be remembered as the tragedy that started it all, it also taught a lesson to police departments and changed the way they respond to these kinds of horrific events.

Tragically, most of the Columbine killings occurred after the...

The killings at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, seemed to usher in a new era in American life. Since then, we have experienced many shootings in schools, gathering places, and workplaces. While Columbine may always be remembered as the tragedy that started it all, it also taught a lesson to police departments and changed the way they respond to these kinds of horrific events.

Tragically, most of the Columbine killings occurred after the police had arrived and engaged the killers in gunfire. Police training at that time dictated that the officers secure the scene and wait for the arrival of the SWAT team instead of following the killers back into the building and putting an end to their killing. It took the SWAT team 45 minutes to arrive; by then nine more students had been killed, and a teacher bled to death before he was found.

Now, police are trained to make stopping the shooter the priority. Instead of waiting for the experts (the SWAT team), police form their own “contact team” and seek out the shooter, hoping to stop him before he has a chance to kill anyone else.

Regarding the Incident Management System (IMS), Columbine also showed local agencies that they needed to learn to coordinate their responses better. Communication was a particular problem, as agencies used different radios on different frequencies and had not trained together. In such a fluid situation, information must be gathered and disseminated quickly—that didn't happen at Columbine.

What brought Dr. King and all those protesters to the Lincoln Memorial?

It looks like you are referring to the "March on Washington, D.C. for Jobs and Freedom" on August 28, 1963. On this day, more than 250,000 people, white and black, converged on the city to support the call for meaningful civil rights reforms and effective programs to combat pervasive unemployment.

The Reverend Martin Luther King also made his historic "I Have a Dream" speech on that day. All participating marchers met at the Washington Memorial,...

It looks like you are referring to the "March on Washington, D.C. for Jobs and Freedom" on August 28, 1963. On this day, more than 250,000 people, white and black, converged on the city to support the call for meaningful civil rights reforms and effective programs to combat pervasive unemployment.

The Reverend Martin Luther King also made his historic "I Have a Dream" speech on that day. All participating marchers met at the Washington Memorial, where a stage had been set up for Hollywood stars and famous singers to entertain the crowd, before they marched to the Lincoln Memorial for the formal part of the program.

The Lincoln Memorial program began with the singing of the National Anthem by Marian Anderson. During the program, a tribute was paid to the "Negro Women Fighters for Freedom." Religious, social justice, and labor organization leaders gave speeches for the remainder of the program. The last speaker was the Reverend Martin Luther King, who gave his "I Have a Dream" speech before thousands of people. As mentioned above, Dr. King and all the protestors had gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to support meaningful civil rights reforms and effective employment solutions for the working poor.

Among the civil rights reforms demanded was the right for all African-Americans to vote, to attend desegregated schools, to access all public accommodations, and to obtain decent housing. The protestors also demanded dignified and meaningful employment for all Americans. In order to accomplish this, they proposed that a massive federal program be created to train workers and to place them in jobs that paid living wages. Thus, a national minimum wage was thought to be a necessary tool with which to combat unemployment. The protestors also demanded that the Fair Labor Standards Act began including all areas of employment.

Finally, a new Fair Employment Practices Act would prevent discrimination against African-Americans by state and federal governments, employers, employment agencies, and trade unions. For more, please refer to the links below.

What were the values of ancient Greece?

Greek history, philosophy and mythology show that the Greek community appreciated certain values among their folks. These values can be traced back to the Platonic virtues by the notable Greek philosopher Plato. He observed that there were four predominant virtues that were essential for human and communal well-being and these include:

• Courage


• Wisdom


• Temperament


• Justice

These four values were of primary focus to the General Greek society. Leaders and the society, in general, were expected...

Greek history, philosophy and mythology show that the Greek community appreciated certain values among their folks. These values can be traced back to the Platonic virtues by the notable Greek philosopher Plato. He observed that there were four predominant virtues that were essential for human and communal well-being and these include:

• Courage


• Wisdom


• Temperament


• Justice

These four values were of primary focus to the General Greek society. Leaders and the society, in general, were expected to exercise some level of wisdom in decision making. Greek literature, such as the Iliad demonstrated the importance of discussions before decisions were made. Rash decisions were often questioned and could only be justified if evidence was produced that showed there was some level of reason and caution observed. Courage was necessary among the Greek community as seen through the depiction of Greek heroes such as Achilles, Perseus, and Odysseus, who showed no fear in the face of danger. The importance of moderation and temperance was also highly communicated, mostly through showing the disadvantages of over indulgence. Justice has also been shown to be an important value among the Greeks. The leader was expected to share out bounty or wealth fairly among his people. In addition, retribution was an important aspect of Greek life, and those who sought it were considered heroes. For instance, Orestes in Greek mythology.

What was the most important contribution of the transcontinental railroad to our national development?

There were several important contributions that the transcontinental railroad gave to our national development. I will explain a few of these contributions so you can decide which one was the most significant.

One important contribution would be the growth and the development of our country. As a result of the building and of the completion of the transcontinental railroad, more people moved to the West. As a result of this movement, more businesses also moved...

There were several important contributions that the transcontinental railroad gave to our national development. I will explain a few of these contributions so you can decide which one was the most significant.

One important contribution would be the growth and the development of our country. As a result of the building and of the completion of the transcontinental railroad, more people moved to the West. As a result of this movement, more businesses also moved westward. With the transcontinental railroad, it was easier and cheaper for people and products to be transported across the country. This growth was good for our economy. More jobs were created as we expanded to the west. Interstate trade also increased. Eventually, new states joined the country.

The transcontinental railroad impacted the Native Americans greatly. For the Native Americans, this was a devastating event. The transcontinental railroad brought more people to the West. This disrupted the Native American way of life as Americans wanted the land on which the Native Americans lived. This led to many battles between the U.S. Army and the Native Americans. Many Native Americans died in these battles, and they were forced to relocate to reservations. From the perspective of many Americans, relocating the Native Americans to reservations allowed the country to continue to grow. For the Native Americans, this expansion was deadly and devastating.

The transcontinental railroad helped us settle the land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Once the transcontinental railroad was built, branches of it were built extending to the North and to the South. This helped to settle lands in the Northwest and in the Southwest regions of the country. This furthered the growth of businesses and the growth of the economy. By 1900, many Americans wanted to continue our expansion by expanding overseas. Since we had already expanded across North America, it set the stage for the United States to become an imperial world power.

What are some characteristics of a state government?

In our system of government, we have different levels of government. We have a federal government, state governments, and various forms of local government.

There are several parts to the state government. Each state government has three branches. The legislative branch makes the laws. For example, in Wisconsin, the State Assembly and State Senate make laws. The executive branch enforces the laws. The governor is the head of the executive branch. The judicial branch interprets...

In our system of government, we have different levels of government. We have a federal government, state governments, and various forms of local government.

There are several parts to the state government. Each state government has three branches. The legislative branch makes the laws. For example, in Wisconsin, the State Assembly and State Senate make laws. The executive branch enforces the laws. The governor is the head of the executive branch. The judicial branch interprets the laws. There are various levels of state courts, with the State Supreme Court being the highest level of a court in a state.

There are certain powers reserved for state governments. For example, the state government can make decisions regarding education, trade, and punishment for crimes within a state. No state law or action can contradict a federal law or action, though.

What is the meaning of Edgar Allan Poe's To F--?

Poe’s poem is thought to addressed to Frances Osgood, a prominent poet in New York with whom Poe famously flirted – probably platonically -- for several years. The gist of the poem is fairly clear: the poet must follow a “drear path” through his life’s struggles, and the only “solace” he has is in his dreams of his beloved. The second stanza goes on to further develop the idea of “F.” as refuge. The poet...

Poe’s poem is thought to addressed to Frances Osgood, a prominent poet in New York with whom Poe famously flirted – probably platonically -- for several years. The gist of the poem is fairly clear: the poet must follow a “drear path” through his life’s struggles, and the only “solace” he has is in his dreams of his beloved. The second stanza goes on to further develop the idea of “F.” as refuge. The poet imagines her as a beautiful island, cut off from the world by stormy seas, yet nevertheless enjoying “serenest skies.” Characteristically (for Poe), the beloved is less an actual woman than an idea, or feeling; his love for her has less to do with any aspect of her character than how his memory of her is soothing his nervous disposition.

How is the cross examination of Tom Robinson different from that of Mayella Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird?

The cross-examination of Tom Robinson differs from that of Mayella Ewell in the attitudes taken by the two lawyers toward the witnesses, and in the nature of their questions.

• Cross-examination of Mayella Ewell

When she first takes the witness stand Mayella tells Judge Taylor that she does not want Atticus "doin' me like he done Papa, tryin' make him out left-handed" even though Mr. Gilmer will question her first. Then, when it is Atticus's turn to cross examine, she complains that he is "sassing" her by addressing her as "Ma'am" or "Miss Mayella." Nevertheless, he continues to be polite to her, although he asks many questions about her home life and background and the circumstances of the alleged rape.
Then Atticus asks Mayella if the day of the rape were the first time Tom Robinson were invited into her house. Mayella starts a little, then she says that it was. Further, Atticus inquires if Mayella remembers being beaten in the face, and she at first says no, then she corrects her answer to yes. In order to display her lack of credibility, Atticus asks her a number of questions such as whether she screamed when Tom attacked her and if he knocked her down and hit her in the face; also, he asks if Tom choked her, or if any of the other children heard her screams. Finally, Atticus asks Mayella if Tom beat her or if her father had. Mayella becomes angry and lashes out at the jury insulting them. Judge Taylor does not hold her in contempt, perhaps, because she is so backward.  
Throughout all his questioning, Atticus has been thorough, but always polite and professional.

• Cross-examination of Tom Robinson

In contrast to the professionalism and politeness of Atticus's cross-examination of Mayella, Mr. Gilmer immediately tries to cast aspersions upon Tom Robinson's character. First he brings up a disorderly conduct charge from the past, and then he insinuates that Tom is strong enough to choke a girl, aggressively questioning him and using the insulting word nigger and further addressing Tom with the deprecating term of "boy." He tries to entrap Tom by asking him if Mayella has lied about some things, but Tom simply says that she "is mistaken in her mind." Then, when Mr. Gilmer asks Tom why he has helped Mayella, Tom speaks from his heart before he weighs the consequences of his sentence," I felt sorry for her."
"You felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?" (No black should feel sorry for a white as that implies a feeling of superiority.)

Further, when Mr. Gilmer asks Tom why he ran, Tom replies that he was afraid he would end up in court just as he certainly is. Then, Mr. Gilmer challenges Tom in a demeaning manner:

"Sacred of arrest, scared you'd have to face up to what you did?'
"No suh, scared I'd hafta face up to what I didn't do."
"Are you being impudent to me, boy?"
"No suh, I didn't go to be."

Mr. Gilmer talks "so hateful" to Tom as Dill later complains when he cries and has to go outside. 

What are the themes in The Professor and The Madman by Simon Winchester?

One of the themes of The Professor and the Madman is the thin line between sanity and insanity. William Chester Minor, in an insane asylum for committing murder, became one of the most prolific contributors to the project that would become the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). While he suffered from what was likely schizophrenia and from paranoid delusions, he was also brilliant and had periods of great productivity. Therefore, another theme is the interconnectedness...

One of the themes of The Professor and the Madman is the thin line between sanity and insanity. William Chester Minor, in an insane asylum for committing murder, became one of the most prolific contributors to the project that would become the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). While he suffered from what was likely schizophrenia and from paranoid delusions, he was also brilliant and had periods of great productivity. Therefore, another theme is the interconnectedness of insanity and brilliance. While combing old books for words to define, Minor showed the careful attention to detail that distinguished him among the many other volunteers that contributed to the dictionary.

Another theme is the importance of a dictionary in standardizing word use and definitions. As Winchester writes, "The language should be accorded just the same dignity and respect as those other standards that science was then also defining.” In other words, a dictionary needed to address the nuances of meanings with the precision of science. While there had been earlier dictionaries, none was yet vast enough to encompass the entire English language. The Oxford English Dictionary was the first dictionary that allowed people to use words with confidence that these words would have a precise shared meaning.

A third theme is the strange interconnections among people of different walks of life. Dr. James Murray, the lexicographer who worked on the Oxford English Dictionary for the Oxford University Press, worked with thousands of volunteers in compiling the dictionary. He had corresponded with Minor for nearly twenty years before he realized that Minor was institutionalized in an asylum. Murray was unaware that he had been corresponding with an inmate until meeting Minor--a meeting that brought together two people from very different walks of life. 

A region of Earth’s crust where tectonic plates meet is called a what?

Where two tectonic plates meet, this space is called a boundary. Depending on the type of crust involved and the direction of plate movement, different scenarios can occur.

For example, when oceanic crust and continental crust move toward one another, the greater density of the oceanic crust causes it to sink beneath the less dense continental crust.  Eventually, the oceanic crust melts due to the heat within the asthenosphere and becomes magma. The magma rises...

Where two tectonic plates meet, this space is called a boundary. Depending on the type of crust involved and the direction of plate movement, different scenarios can occur.

For example, when oceanic crust and continental crust move toward one another, the greater density of the oceanic crust causes it to sink beneath the less dense continental crust.  Eventually, the oceanic crust melts due to the heat within the asthenosphere and becomes magma. The magma rises under the continental plate and forms volcanoes. The sinking crust makes oceanic trenches which are very deep areas within the ocean. I have described a subduction boundary in the previous example.

A collision boundary is where two continental plates move toward one another and the force and pressure build up causing the plates to buckle and form a mountain range.

In a diverging boundary, two plates move apart. This occurs on the sea floor and is known as sea floor spreading. Magma will rise up and fill in the gap as the two plates separate. This forms a mid-ocean ridge.

Another boundary is called a transform boundary where two plates slide past one another. This is demonstrated by the San Andreas fault, in California. Here, the Pacific Plate and North American Plates are sliding past one another and the fault is a crack that has formed between the two tectonic plates.

I have included a link to animations showing plate tectonics. These are valuable as visual aids to further illustrate the answer provided above.

When is sarcasm used in Chapter I of The Scarlet Pimpernel?

Sarcasm is employed in the narration of Chapter I with the discussion of the attempted escape from France by the aristocrats. [Examples are italicized.]

The author, Baronness Emmuska Orczy, an aristocrat herself, describes with sarcasm the macabre enjoyment of the people who watch as the aristocrats, who  have been labeled as "traitors to the people" after the Revolution, attempt to flee the country and escape the guillotine. This treatment of the sadistic enjoyment of the...

Sarcasm is employed in the narration of Chapter I with the discussion of the attempted escape from France by the aristocrats. [Examples are italicized.]

The author, Baronness Emmuska Orczy, an aristocrat herself, describes with sarcasm the macabre enjoyment of the people who watch as the aristocrats, who  have been labeled as "traitors to the people" after the Revolution, attempt to flee the country and escape the guillotine. This treatment of the sadistic enjoyment of the peasants is certainly ironic (sarcastic) and intended by Orczy to mock the formerly oppressed peasants, who now themselves become the oppressors.

The "fun" begins when Sergeant Bibot, who has a "wonderful nose for scenting an aristo in the most perfect disguise," does not immediately arrest the aristocrats, but instead toys with them as a cat often plays with a mouse before killing and eating it. This "keen sense of humor" amuses the crowd who stand near the barricades and watch as Bibot often lets his "prey" past the gates in order to make them think they have made their escape. Soon, however, the aristocrat is marched back. To the people this is "extremely funny" because, often as not, the prisoner is a woman, "some proud marchioness, who looked terribly comical" as she has been stripped of her disguise and realizes that she will receive but a summary trial and after this, she will feel "the fond embrace of Madame la Guillotine."

Every day Bibot has the distinct "satisfaction" of apprehending royalists and returning them to the Committee of Public Safety that is presided over by "that good patriot" Citoyen [Citizen] Foucquier-Tinville. But, there is one man who somehow slips past the watchful eyes of the guards. He is an Englishman, the "accursed Scarlet Pimpernel" who cleverly escapes by disguising himself in the most unsuspected personas. Boasting that he would never be so foolish as to let this Englishman go past him, Bibot tells the crowd of one daring escape which cost a guard the punishment of the guillotine. It seems there was a daring escape in which the Scarlet Pimpernel was dressed as a guard and the aristocrats as soldiers while a harmless cart passed out of the city. Hearing this, the crowd becomes silent.

The story savored of the supernatural, and though the Republic had abolished God, it had not quite succeeded in killing the fear of the supernatural in the hearts of the people.

But, further sarcasm comes at the expense of Bibot, who has previously ridiculed the guard deceived by the Scarlet Pimpernel. For, it seems that Bibot has let pass a cart driven by "an old hag" who has told him that her son has had the plague so that he would not wish to be near her or the cart. Ironically, this cart has been allowed by Bibot to pass through with aristocrats hidden in it. And, the "old hag" has been none other than the "accursed Englishman" himself.

Why is Holden adjusting poorly and withdrawing from social interaction in The Catcher in the Rye?

In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden admits on page one that he's telling the story from some type of mental hospital after "this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas just before I got pretty run-down and had to come out here and take it easy." The entire novel is about Holden's withdrawal from society.

Early in the novel, it seems like Holden is just a slacker. The first real hint that something is mentally and emotionally wrong with Holden is when he discusses Allie's baseball mitt and his brother's death:

I was only thirteen and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the windows in the garage. . . I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it. . . It was a very stupid thing to do, I'll admit, but I hardly didn't even know I was doing it, and you didn't know Allie."

Another instance in which it is clear Holden is removing himself from society is his desire to run away from New York. Before he expresses his desire run away with Sally, he lectures her as to what he sees as the "phony" aspects of the world, saying,

I hate living in New York and all. Taxicabs, and Madison Avenue buses, with the drivers and all always yelling at you to get out at the rear door, and being introduced to phony guys that call the Lunts angels, and going up and down in elevators when you just want to go outside, and guys fitting your pants all the time at Brooks.

Finally, Holden's desire to remove himself from society relates back to his brother's death and his belief that childhood should be kept intact throughout life. When at the Museum of Natural History, he explains that children, like his sister Phoebe, shouldn't change.

I kept thinking about old Phoebe going to that museum on Saturdays the way I used to. It didn't exactly depress me to think about it, but it didn't make me feel gay as hell, either. Certain things should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone.

There are many other instances of Holden withdrawing from society, but I see these as the three most central to his character.

How has the constitution helped promote political parties in the United States?

The Electoral College comprising of elected and appointed members from different States voted for aspirants with the leading aspirant and the first runners-up becoming the president and vice president respectively. However, ratification of the 12th Amendment changed the operations of the Electoral College by requiring separate elections for both the president and the vice president. This provided parties with an opportunity to select the candidates to run for the two positions effectively recognizing the role...

The Electoral College comprising of elected and appointed members from different States voted for aspirants with the leading aspirant and the first runners-up becoming the president and vice president respectively. However, ratification of the 12th Amendment changed the operations of the Electoral College by requiring separate elections for both the president and the vice president. This provided parties with an opportunity to select the candidates to run for the two positions effectively recognizing the role of political parties in the American electoral process and governance.

The right to vote through constitutional amendments expanded in most states by extending the right to include all adult white males. This was later expanded to include all citizens above 18 regardless of their previous state of servitude, race, gender and color. Further, changes to the voting rights such as poll tax led to changes in the electoral system which brought wider public participation in the electoral process. The size of the electorate forced the political parties to become more aggressive in their campaigns and aspirant selection. The parties had to increase their influence among the public to garner support for their candidates as is the case currently.

What type of novel is Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson?

Treasure Island is a coming-of-age story.

Treasure Island is also an adventure novel. While its genre is technically historical fiction because its setting is the 1700s, Robert Louis Stevenson wrote it with the intention of creating a narrative rich in action and suspense. Despite his suggestions of the ambiguity of morality with the character Long John Silver, Stevenson composed this coming-of-age story for his son.

A boy named Jim Hawkins discovers a sea chest containing maps and a journal. Since his father is dead, he takes the maps to the local physician, Dr. Livesey, who becomes very interested because it is a map for buried treasure on an island. The doctor then talks with the local squire Trelawney, who proposes buying a ship and searching for this treasure. Jim goes along as the cabin boy.

Once on the sea, Jim overhears the crew and learns they are pirates who intend to steal the treasure after the ship lands on the island. This is why Long John Silver, the "cook," has exerted more control over them than the captain of the ship. Once the ship approaches the treasure island, the crew becomes very rowdy, leading Captain Smolett to have half the crew go ashore and the other half remain on the ship. Jim smuggles himself along. He meets Ben Gunn, who was with Captain Flint when he buried the treasure. While this is happening, Dr. Livesay finds Captain Flint's stockade. When he hears the screams of a crew member being murdered by Long John Silver, Livesay decides to move the honest crew off the ship to the fort. A battle then begins.

During a hiatus, Jim sneaks away and borrows Ben Gunn's boat so he can go to the ship and cut the anchor rope, setting the ship adrift. His little boat gets smashed, so he jumps to the bowsprit of the ship and climbs aboard. He is attacked by Israel Hands. A knife hits Jim in the shoulder, but he manages to shoot the pirate. This is Jim's coming-of-age moment, and he makes other moral choices afterwards.

A certain moral ambiguity accompanies the pirates, especially Long John Silver. He kills one of the crew, but this pirate is really evil, and he later saves Jim from the pirates, saying,

You won't fight, as gentlemen o' fortune should; then, by thunder, you'll obey, and you may lay to it! I like that boy now; I never seen a better boy than that. He's more a man than any pair of rats of you in this here house, and what I say is this: let me see him as'll lay a hand on him—that's what I say, and you may lay to it.

Thus, Long John Silver becomes one of the "good-bad" villains compared to the others. In the end, Long John Silver slips away, so moral judgment never falls upon him. In this way, Stevenson avoids damaging an interesting character in literature.

Explain the statement: "And that has made all difference" with reference "The Road Not Taken."

With this concluding statement of the poem, the speaker means that the choice he had made (the "road" he took) is the reason why his life turned out the way it has. This is vague but it is the point of the poem. Had he chosen the other road, he would have the same conclusion about that choice.

In the final stanza, he explains that, when he is an older man, he will try to...

With this concluding statement of the poem, the speaker means that the choice he had made (the "road" he took) is the reason why his life turned out the way it has. This is vague but it is the point of the poem. Had he chosen the other road, he would have the same conclusion about that choice.

In the final stanza, he explains that, when he is an older man, he will try to convince himself that he took the less traveled road. Note that he says "I shall be telling this with a sigh." The sigh is important because it suggests doubt. He foresees himself, "ages and ages hence" sighing, as if he will try to fool himself into thinking that he had taken the less traveled road. 

This poem is all about making choices. The choice of taking one of two roads is a metaphor for any of the significant choices we make in life. Such a choice is made more difficult when both options look the same. Surely, it would seem more interesting to take the "less traveled" road. But note in the second stanza that both roads look like they've been traveled the same. Or, as Frost writes, "the passing there / Had worn them really about the same." Either choice would have "made all the difference."

This is a choice that he probably would not be able to revisit. So, the choice will make a huge difference in his life because he can not go back and try the other option. 

Yet knowing how way leads on to way, 

I doubted if I should ever come back.  

Why is the idea of a government monopoly on markets through force still popular? Wasn't socialism defeated in the late 80's? Will people ever...

First of all, I have a serious disagreement with the assumptions behind this question.  The question assumes that true socialism, in the form of a government monopoly over the entire economy, is actually a popular idea today. I have trouble with this assumption given that there are very few countries that have this type of socialism. This is not the sort of “socialism” that exists in the Scandinavian countries and it is not the type...

First of all, I have a serious disagreement with the assumptions behind this question.  The question assumes that true socialism, in the form of a government monopoly over the entire economy, is actually a popular idea today. I have trouble with this assumption given that there are very few countries that have this type of socialism. This is not the sort of “socialism” that exists in the Scandinavian countries and it is not the type of socialism that Bernie Sanders advocates.  This question seems to imply that many people would like to see socialism of the sort that existed in the Soviet Union, and that exists today in Castro’s Cuba, or in Venezuela after Chavez.  I do not believe that this is true.

So why, then, do some number of people want some sort of socialism? There are a variety of answers to this. Let us look at some of the more important reasons:

• Inequality of wealth seems to be rising in the rich world.  The wealth of the middle class has largely remained stagnant over the last couple of decades while the rich have gotten much richer.  People are attracted to some form of socialism because socialism promises to reduce this inequality.


• Socialism seems to some to be a fairer and more just system.  In our system, a poor person can work just as hard as a rich person and yet remain poor. This does not seem fair. It does not seem fair that we could have such a rich country in general and yet have some people remain poor and lacking in such basic needs as good healthcare.  Therefore, socialism seems to some like a system that is morally better than our current system.


• Socialism has a more optimistic view of human beings than capitalism does.  Socialism assumes that people will work hard even if they do not have to do so in order to make a living.  Socialism assumes that people will work to help one another, not just for selfish reasons. This is a much more pleasant outlook than the capitalist vision of people who only do things because it is in their self-interest.


• Some people in the United States believe that European countries have succeeded even though they have systems that are relatively social democratic.  Americans who like the idea of democratic socialism feel that it is possible to have a good standard of living without the sort of cutthroat capitalism that we have in the US.

For these reasons, at least some people would like to see more socialism in America.  They largely do not want socialism where the government monopolizes the market for everything as it did in the Soviet Union.  Instead, they want more of democratic socialism which would, they feel, create a more just world without sacrificing too much of our quality of life.  It is not clear that people will "grow tired of" this idea unless it is proven to be wrong through experimentation or until our capitalist system provides outcomes that are more to their liking.

What are the trifles in Glaspell’s Trifles?

In Glaspell's play, the "trifles" are the quilt with erratic stitching, the bird cage, and the dead canary in a pretty little box.

Ironically, the "trifles" found in the kitchen are key items to providing the motive for which the men spend their time searching upstairs. They ignore the kitchen since the County attorney has asked the sheriff as they stand in its doorway,

"You're convinced that there was nothing important here--nothing that would point to any motive?"

and the sheriff has replied, "Nothing here but kitchen things."

So, the men go upstairs and leave Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters to attend to the broken jars of preserves since "women are used to worrying over trifles." However, the broken jars of preserves are not the only "trifles" that they discover. For, as they straighten the kitchen. Mrs. Peter finds a quilt that Mrs. Wright has worked on; then, Mrs. Hale notices that the sewing is erratic at one point whereas it is neat everywhere else that has been stitched. "Why, it looks as if she didn't know what she was about!" Mrs. Hale exclaims. Then, because bad sewing always makes her "fidgety," she fixes it.

While Mrs. Hales sews, Mrs. Peters gathers the clothing that Mrs. Wright, who is in jail, has requested. Needing a string or something to wrap these items, Mrs. Peters looks in a cupboard and finds a bird cage. This cage has a broken door because a hinge has been pulled apart.

Later, Mrs. Hale suggests that Mrs. Peters take the quilt to Mrs. Wright to finish. Agreeing, Mrs. Peters looks for Mrs. Wright's quilt patches in the sewing basket, but finds none. Then, she sees a pretty red box and, thinking the scissors may be in it, she discovers instead a dead canary wrapped in silk. Its neck has been wrung. Just as they look upon the poor bird in horror, the men descend the stairs.

Facetiously, the county attorney alludes to the wives' remarks about whether Mrs. Wright was going to "quilt or knot" the quilt she was sewing,

"Well, ladies, have you decided whether she was going to quilt it or knot it?"

Mrs. Peters replies with dramatic irony, "We think she was going to--knot it." Dismissively, the attorney responds,

"Well, that's interesting, I'm sure. (Seeing the bird-cage)  Has the bird flown?"

Mrs. Hale tells him that they think the cat got it. She adds that Mrs. Wright liked the bird and was going to bury it in the pretty box.

When the men start back up the stairs, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters confer with one another about the cruelty of Mr. Wright and her terrible isolation and loneliness without children or friends. Their sympathy for this poor woman waxes as they talk; finally, they make their decision to hide the "trifles" of the bird and the box from the sheriff and county attorney.

What scene throughout the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas would be described as being foreboding?

Foreboding is the feeling that something bad will eventually happen.One example of a foreboding scene throughout the novel takes place in Chapter 19 after Bruno has dressed up as a Jew and crawled underneath the fence of the concentration camp. When Bruno walks through the concentration camp, he mentions to Shmuel that he doesn't like it in here. All of a sudden, ten Nazi soldiers surround the area in which Bruno and Shmuel are...

Foreboding is the feeling that something bad will eventually happen. One example of a foreboding scene throughout the novel takes place in Chapter 19 after Bruno has dressed up as a Jew and crawled underneath the fence of the concentration camp. When Bruno walks through the concentration camp, he mentions to Shmuel that he doesn't like it in here. All of a sudden, ten Nazi soldiers surround the area in which Bruno and Shmuel are standing and give them a command to march. A crowd of prisoners gathers and begins to march. Bruno and Shmuel are trapped in the center of the group and collectively move with the other prisoners. As they are marching, Bruno looks up in the sky and notices that clouds are becoming darker. There is also the sound of loud thunder overhead and rains begins to pour down heavily. The weather can be described as being foreboding during this scene. The reader can assume that something terrible is going to happen based on the precarious situation Bruno and Shmuel are in, as well as the ominous stormy weather. The group of prisoners is lead to a gas chamber where Bruno and Shmuel die while they are holding hands.

What was author Harper Lee trying to teach readers about morals and ethics in To Kill a Mockingbird?

One thing Harper Lee teaches in To Kill a Mockingbird is that pursuing the ethical or moral path is never the easy task; it takes a great deal of bravery.In Chapter 11, Atticus defines braveryas doing what you know is right when you know you'll fail, even "before you begin," and keep pursuing the task "no matter what." He further asserts that when pursuing the brave course of action, you "rarely win,...

One thing Harper Lee teaches in To Kill a Mockingbird is that pursuing the ethical or moral path is never the easy task; it takes a great deal of bravery.

In Chapter 11, Atticus defines bravery as doing what you know is right when you know you'll fail, even "before you begin," and keep pursuing the task "no matter what." He further asserts that when pursuing the brave course of action, you "rarely win, but sometimes you do." In addition, Atticus acknowledges that doing what is morally and ethically correct is always the hardest task, the task one rarely succeeds in, just like he did not succeed in acquitting Tom Robinson due to the racial prejudices of Robinson's jury. Therefore, Atticus also equates pursuing the moral and ethical course of action with bravery.

We especially see Atticus equate moral and ethical actions with bravery when he explains to Scout that just because the majority of the town disagrees with his decision to put his all into defending Robinson does not mean that doing so is the wrong course of action:

The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience. (Ch. 11).

Hence, in upholding the ethical and moral choice of action to defend Robinson, despite minimal chances of success since so many people oppose his action, Atticus is also pursuing the brave course of action. Through Atticus's brave and moral actions, author Lee shows us that behaving morally and ethically often requires bravely fighting against the rest of society, and chances of success are generally slim.

What are the different ranks of coal?

Coal originates from dead plant material. Plants photosynthesize by use of light energy to produce glucose they use as a food source. When these plants die, the decay process is sometimes stopped and the energy is kept within the plant debris. This is known as an organic sediment called "peat." This eventually becomes buried and subjected to pressure underground, facilitating the coalification process.

Coal has several "ranks" and is consecutively transformed from the highest to...

Coal originates from dead plant material. Plants photosynthesize by use of light energy to produce glucose they use as a food source. When these plants die, the decay process is sometimes stopped and the energy is kept within the plant debris. This is known as an organic sediment called "peat." This eventually becomes buried and subjected to pressure underground, facilitating the coalification process.

Coal has several "ranks" and is consecutively transformed from the highest to the lowest.

1. Lignite: lowest rank, peat transformed into rock, used to fuel generation of electricity


2. Sub-butiminous: metamorphosed lignite, loss of oxygen and hydrogen yielding more carbon content


3. Butiminous: metamorphosed sub-butiminous coal, most abundant (50% of coal produced in the US), higher carbon content than sub-butiminous


4. Anthracite: highest rank, highest carbon content (>87%)

Coal is considered a "nonrenewable resource" because of its difficulty to reproduce. Coal is believed to be abundant in North America, Russia, China, and India to name a few. In terms of contribution to the world's coal supply, China leads with 22% followed by the US (19%), former Soviet Union members (16%), Germany (10%) and Poland (5%).

In order to reduce the length of Shakespeare's Hamlet, what scenes could be cut and what themes or issues might be affected in the play?

After having watched dozens of versions of Hamlet, I find it really interesting to answer this question.  There are a few scenes that are commonly cut and others that are greatly trimmed down in order to save time.  Most of the time, these scenes have to do with the minor characters (such as servants or friends) and do not have much to do with the main characters (Hamlet, Ophelia, the ghost, Polonius, Gertrude, and Claudius).  Sometimes these scenes have to do with the conquests and battles of Denmark.

Act 1, Scene 1 can be trimmed down.  There is a lot of conversation here between the characters on watch about the country's conquests.  The important part of this scene is the appearance of the ghost.

Act 2, Scene 1 can be trimmed down.  At the beginning of this scene, Polonius is asking Reynaldo to spy on Laertes in France.  Even though this event shows Polonius is fond of spying, it is not important to the main characters and could be cut.  The important part of this scene is Ophelia’s observation of Hamlet’s behavior.

Act 2, Scene 2 can be trimmed down with the news about the ailing King of Norway and other military decisions removed.  Everything else from this scene should remain.

Act 3, Scene 1 can be trimmed down.  The most important part of this scene is Hamlet’s interaction with Ophelia, so the length of conversation between the king and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern can be edited.

Act 4, Scene 2 could be completely removed in that it is about Hamlet simply speaking to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern about the disposal of Polonius’ body.  The scene does serve as a good example of Hamlet’s “antic disposition” because he obviously knows Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are spying here.

Act 4, Scene 3 can be trimmed down.  Again, the discussion of Polonius’ body is superfluous (with the exception of the worm comment made to Claudius).  What is important about this scene is that Hamlet is being sent to England to his death.

Act 4, Scene 4 could be completely removed as long as the director doesn’t mind removing the character of Fortinbras.  This is about the conquests of Denmark.  Even the comparison of Hamlet’s conquests and Denmark’s conquests are not necessarily important to the plot.  The only real importance is that Hamlet discusses his inaction.

Act 4, Scene 6 could be completely removed.  It is about Horatio and the sailors.  They do talk of Hamlet, but the scene becomes unimportant when Hamlet returns.

In regards to the second part of your question, the themes and issues affected here all have to do with the everyday doings of the Danish court and the country of Denmark.  Instead, most of the meat of this play  has to do with the doings of the main characters.  None of the main themes or issues would be affected.

Identify the phrasal category of the bold constituent "extremely dedicated" in the following sentence. You have an extremely dedicated team.

You have an extremely dedicated team.

The words "extremely dedicated" constitute an adverbial adjective phrase that is a pre-modifier to the head noun "team." The phrasal constituents "extremely dedicated" are pre-modifiers of the noun phrase "an extremely dedicated team," with "team" being the head noun of the phrase. 

The word "extremely" is an adverb, while "dedicated" is an adjective, "dedicated" being the adjectival past participle form of the verb "dedicate." Both the adverb and the...

You have an extremely dedicated team.

The words "extremely dedicated" constitute an adverbial adjective phrase that is a pre-modifier to the head noun "team." The phrasal constituents "extremely dedicated" are pre-modifiers of the noun phrase "an extremely dedicated team," with "team" being the head noun of the phrase. 

The word "extremely" is an adverb, while "dedicated" is an adjective, "dedicated" being the adjectival past participle form of the verb "dedicate." Both the adverb and the adjective fill the pre-modifier slot adjacent to the head noun. The simple description of the order of pre-modifiers in a noun phrase is this:

Article, possessive + quantifying determiner + definitive, pronoun, article determiner + numerical determiner + adverb, adjective participle (phrase) + noun modifier (phrase) + head noun. [An even simpler description is available from the British Council and a more complex one from BYU.]

Noun phrase construction can be constituted of one single noun or pronoun, as in "[You] Go home." Noun phrases can also be complex having many pre-modifying quantifiers, determiners, adjective and adverbial adjective or noun phrases, as in this elaborate example: "Only half of the twenty-seven diversely smallish brightly decorated Easter eggs were found." The italicized words are pre-modifying quantifiers and determines, adverbs and adjectives. "Easter eggs" is the countable compound head noun.

The final constituent modifying phrase of the "Easter egg" example matches the targeted constituents in your sentence. Specifically, "brightly decorated" is an adverbial adjective phrase pre-modifying a head noun just as "extremely dedicated" is an adverbial adjective phrase pre-modifying a head noun.

What are quotes from To Kill a Mockingbird that showed Jem's courage during the Bob Ewell attack? Please include an explanation on how it showed...

Jem shows courage because he protects his sister during the attack from Bob Ewell.  After the attack, he also shows courage because he does not seem very affected by it.  He is just glad he can still play football.

When Jem and Scout were walking home after the pageant, they think they hear someone following them.  Jem tells Scout he is not scared.  When he realizes that the person behind them is an adult and not Cecil Jacob, he tries to protect his sister.

“Run, Scout! Run! Run!” Jem screamed.

I took one giant step and found myself reeling: my arms useless, in the dark, I could not keep my balance.

“Jem, Jem, help me, Jem!” (Ch. 28)

Jem tried to save Scout, and he ended up getting the brunt of the attack.  Of course, Scout was also protected by her costume.  However, Jem would not necessarily know that.  He could see better than she could, since she was hindered by the ham costume.  However, it was still very dark.

Atticus and Heck Tate discuss how dangerous Ewell was.

He pointed with a long forefinger. A shiny clean line stood out on the dull wire.
“Bob Ewell meant business,” Mr. Tate muttered.
“He was out of his mind,” said Atticus. (Ch. 29)

Tate says he was not crazy, he was just very angry because of the verdict of the Tom Robinson trial.  It hurt his pride, and he decided to take it out on Atticus's children.  He could have killed them.

At the beginning of the book, we learn that Jem does not think his injury is a big deal.

When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. When it healed, and Jem’s fears of never being able to play football were assuaged, he was seldom self-conscious about his injury. (Ch. 1)

One arm is longer than the other.  Jem doesn’t care, because at least he can still play football. This shows that Jem didn’t let the incident get to him.  He wasn’t traumatized by the attack.

Upon his return to Abbenay, we witness Shevek frustrated that Takver has moved. He consoles himself by claiming that Takver is needed to fight the...

In Chapter 8, we learn that a terrible famine has fragmented many informal, social ties in Anarres. To save Anarres from human extinction, Divlab (a loosely-structured bureaucratic organization that dispenses work assignments to citizens) has instituted labor drafts to build up fast-disappearing food supplies. Upon his return to Abbenay, Shevek is distraught when he learns that Takver has been assigned to the Comestible Algae Experimental Development Laboratories in the Northeast for an "indeterminate period."

He finds himself wrestling with his cerebral acquiescence to Anarres' needs and his emotional attachment to his little family. In an anarchistic society, each citizen must go where he/she has been assigned; self-sacrifice is the epitome of anarchistic benevolence. However, Shevek finds it hard to contain his own personal disappointment, anger, and frustration. He tries to comfort himself by reasoning that Takver has gone "to work against hunger- hers, his, Sadik's hunger." Sadik is Takver and Shevek's infant daughter; in the novel, she is the apple of her father's eye. Each morning, Shevek would sit Sadik down for his "wild cosmological lectures," silly rhyme recitations, and playful bounces on his knee. So, the departure of his little family is emotionally debilitating to him; additionally, he is also wrestling with the fact that a fellow Anarres citizen, Sabul, has appropriated his work for his own.

Although it is uncommon to use singular possessives, Shevek uses them when he describes whose hunger Takver is seeking to alleviate. It's the only way he can comfort himself and to rationalize the self-sacrifice expected of him. In seeing his and Takver's sacrifice in terms of family survival, Shevek is able to shift his focus away from his personal misery and to preserve his sanity in light of Sabul's betrayal (in the story, Sabul is Anarres' leading physicist, a scientist who appropriates Shevek's work for his own).

In Anarres, the emphasis is on self-sacrifice. In order to survive catastrophes and famines, every citizen must agree to go where he/she is needed. Anarchist ideals rest on the assumption that everyone is willing to forego personal desires for the general welfare, especially in times of need; thus, the linguistic elements in Anarres culture must support the superstructure and testify to the economic base of the society. Technically, there is no government to dictate the national response; for the sake of survival, everyone must be compelled to act from purely altruistic motives. We can see, though, that even in an anarchistic society, some semblance of a central controlling authority is needed. In the novel, Divlab has the sole authority for assigning projects to all citizens.

There is no "I," "she," or "he" simply because the community must supplant the individual in order to preserve social cohesiveness in dangerous times. While such a system has its advantages, we can see that it is inadequate in addressing personal concerns. Shevek must make a choice between staying at Abbenay (and grieving for his exiled family) or posting to Rolny Peninsula, where he could live with his family but be denied a meaningful assignment. In the end, Shevek chooses to go where his skills can be used. Like Takver, he makes the decision because he believes in the anarchist ideals of self-sacrifice and mutual benevolence.

Summarize "The Harm that Good Men Do" by Bertrand Russell.

Russell begins by mentioning a philosopher named Jeremy Bentham who lived a century before him and famously stated that "people ought to make soup of their dead grandmothers." Many people disapproved of Bentham's philosophical ideas and considered him a "bad man." Russell then describes the social reforms of the Victorian Era and mentions that much of the progress was influenced by the progressive ideas of Bentham who promoted utilitarianism.

He then describes the ideal "good man" who behaves amiably, attends church, and has "irreproachable" morals. He then contrasts society's idea of a "bad man" by describing a person who is a nonconformist, has subversive opinions, seeks enjoyment without consquences, and is honest with himself and others. Russell then mentions how Wordsworth and Coleridge were considered "bad men" when they did not abide by Christain standards despite producing some of their most extraordinary works. He proceeds to list famous poets, philosophers, and scientists who were considered "bad men" simply because their views did not align with the ideals of their government. In the modern era, Russell believes that a "good man" is simply a person whose opinions and activities please those in authority.

Russell then discusses what society considers "good men" like George III who oppressed Catholics and Kaiser Wilhelm who caused immense harm to humanity. According to Russell, the purpose of a "good man" is to provide a smoke-screen to the public so that villainous individuals can secretly carry out their actions. "Good men" also ruin the political careers of those who disagree with the majority in power. Russell also argues that "good men" suppress knowledge, particularly concerning the prevention of venereal diseases, in order to maintain Biblical precepts. Russell comments on the wars which have been started over the deaths of "good men," and argues that standards of "goodness" do not make the world a happier place. Russell feels that the dominant class promotes traditional ideas and customs essentially based on superstitious, irrational beliefs that do not better society. Russell resents the fact that a man is labeled "good" if he avoids sin but does nothing to better society, as well as the fact that governments routinely punish those who act selflessly.

Russell says that men with Bentham's moral belief in "the greatest happiness of the greatest number" will live an arduous life compared to those who obey conventional precepts. Russell advocates for a morality based on "love of life, upon pleasure in growth and positive achievement, not upon repression and prohibition." He urges society to examine their definition of what a "good man" is and argues that those who exploit others for personal gain, despite their authority or popular opinion, be viewed and labeled as immoral individuals.

What material could I use to transition between teaching my students Shakespeare and the Augustan Age?

There are several possibilities. I think you might want to use a brief lecture as a bridge and talk about the Puritans, the Restoration, and the move toward tolerance after the traumas of the religious wars of the intervening period. 

A few works might help with this. A Letter Concerning Toleration by John Locke might be a good example of the shift in values towards reason and restraint. On a more literary level, one might use Pope's "Essay on Criticism" as a way of showing how literary tastes changed. His "Essay on Man" contrasts well with Milton, but is less important if you skipped over Milton. 

Some of how you handle the transition depends on what you are doing in your class. If you are focusing on poetry, this was a great age for satire, and Pope would be a good focus. If you are thinking about the rise of the novel, Watts is a bit dated but a good starting point for the conversation. Essays by Addison or Steele might also be a good way of establishing the new ideals of taste. 

To answer this more fully, I'd need a sense of the pedagogical context. The strategies that might work for a seminar in drama wouldn't fit an introductory lecture course. 

When does Romeo discover he and Juliet are from feuding families?

Romeo learns that Juliet is a Capulet at the conclusion of Act I, Scene 5.

Interestingly, Romeo senses fate at the end of Scene 4 of the first act. As Benvolio, Mercutio, and Romeo make their way to the Capulets, Benvolio worries that they will be too late, but Romeo has a sense of something else:

I fear too early. for my mind misgivesSome consequence, yet hanging in the stars,Shall bitterly begin his...

Romeo learns that Juliet is a Capulet at the conclusion of Act I, Scene 5.

Interestingly, Romeo senses fate at the end of Scene 4 of the first act. As Benvolio, Mercutio, and Romeo make their way to the Capulets, Benvolio worries that they will be too late, but Romeo has a sense of something else:

I fear too early. for my mind misgives
Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars,
Shall bitterly begin his fearful date. (1.4.107-109)

Romeo has a foreboding that this night is the beginning of something that will end with his death: "...expire the term/Of a despised life...." (1.4.110-111).

Nevertheless, he decides to go along with Mercutio and Benvolio. Not long after they arrive at the party, Tybalt recognizes Romeo as a Montague, and he wishes to run his sword through Romeo. Fortunately, Lord Capulet prevents Tybalt's rash action.
In the meantime Romeo has approached Juliet and stolen a kiss from her. After this brief encounter, the Nurse approaches Juliet and tells her that her mother wishes to have a word with her. Juliet then departs and Romeo asks the Nurse who Juliet's mother is. The nurse replies in the beginning of a loquacious answer that the mother is the lady of the house. Taken aback, Romeo asks, 

                                    Is she a Capulet?
Oh, dear account! My life is my foe's debt. (1.5.117-118)

Romeo immediately has the premonition that his life is in the hands of his enemy.  

What will happen to someone's speed if the forces acting on them are balanced?

The forces acting on a body can be classified as balanced forces or unbalanced forces. If the forces act in such a way that the net force is zero, we can term such forces as balanced forces. An example is the application of two forces, equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, on a body. A boat floating in water is an example of balanced forces. If the forces act in such a way that...

The forces acting on a body can be classified as balanced forces or unbalanced forces. If the forces act in such a way that the net force is zero, we can term such forces as balanced forces. An example is the application of two forces, equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, on a body. A boat floating in water is an example of balanced forces. If the forces act in such a way that there is a net force acting on the body, we can classify such forces as unbalanced forces. An example of unbalanced forces is an automobile that is accelerating or decelerating. 

When balanced forces are applied on a body, the net force is zero. If the net external force on a body is zero, it will stay in its state of motion, without any change. That is, an object at rest will stay at rest, while an object in motion will stay at the same speed without any change. Thus, there is no change in the speed of an object if balanced forces are applied to it. 

In comparison, the object will accelerate or decelerate if unbalanced forces are applied to it.

How would you describe Chaucer's realism and discuss the "General Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales as a mirror of English society in the 14th...

Chaucer's realism is inextricably linked to the way his poem The Canterbury Talesmirrors English society in the 14th century. To see how this trend works, it helps to look at the "General Prologue" of the poem, in which Chaucer describes (often in minute detail) the personalities, physical appearances, and occupations of the pilgrims he's traveling with. Chaucer achieves his realistic tone by writing about pilgrims who occupy a wide variety of social standings, perform...

Chaucer's realism is inextricably linked to the way his poem The Canterbury Tales mirrors English society in the 14th century. To see how this trend works, it helps to look at the "General Prologue" of the poem, in which Chaucer describes (often in minute detail) the personalities, physical appearances, and occupations of the pilgrims he's traveling with. Chaucer achieves his realistic tone by writing about pilgrims who occupy a wide variety of social standings, perform many different societal roles, and represent countless classes. For instance, Chaucer describes a Reeve, Miller, Prioress, Knight, Yeoman, Parson, an entrepreneurial woman (the Wife of Bath), and many more. In short, Chaucer's group of pilgrims is essentially a microcosm of England during the 14th century, and so he realistically represents the diverse range of people in English society. Of course, some scholars note it would be highly unlikely that such a diverse range of people would travel together, and this point has its merits. This does not necessarily take away from the realism of the poem, however, as Chaucer still realistically represents the characters he chooses to portray and provides a realistic portrait of England's many different classes and social roles.