Thursday, January 23, 2020
Pagan and Christian Rituals in Beowulf :: Epic Beowulf christbeo paganbeo
Pagan and Christian Rituals in Beowulf       Beowulf was written in a time when Christianity was a newly budding religion in England. Throughout the book there are obvious references to both Christian and Pagan rituals. The characters in the epic are newly found Christians who are trying to remain true to their new faith but are weak and hence, in times of great trouble, they resort back to their Pagan traditions and gods out of fear. Pagan rituals in the book are usually present only as reflections of the past or in times of the characters's greatest turmoil. Otherwise, in times of happiness and rejoicing, they worship their one, almighty, Christian God.      When Grendel is attacking Herot, and its people think they are in their greatest danger, the people of Herot "sacrificed to the old stone gods / Made heathen vows / hoping for Hell's Support, the Devil's guidance in driving their affliction off." (175-178). With the use of the word "old" in this section, it can be inferred that the stone gods are things of the past. The rest of the passage shows that it was because of the doubt and fear, instilled in the people by Grendel, that the people of Herot regressed back to their old gods. The use of the word "heathen" shows that the soldiers were already Christian and reverted back to their old ways.      Soon after this statement, the poem reads:            Beware, those who are thrust into danger,            Clutched at by trouble, yet can carry no solace            In their hearts, cannot hope to be better! Hail            To those who will rise to God, drop off            Their dead bodies and seek our Father's peace!       This says that the people whose fear consumes them to the point that they lose faith that, after death, their souls will not be granted eternal peace by the Father, God.  This illustrates that the soldiers who have fallen from faith in their worship are doing so only because of great fear, but that they are looked down upon by God and good Christians. It says that only those who will sacrifice themselves and trust in God will be let into Heaven. These
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Looking For Zora by Alice Walker Essay
In her essay Looking for Zora, Alice Walker ventures out to Eatonville Florida to find out more about Zora Hurston. Walker masquerades as Zora’s niece and goes around inquiring on what was the cause of Zora’s death, where her grave is currently, and what was she like, alive. Walker argues that the writer’s undignified and unfamiliar resting place is far less important than the memories and influence she has left behind. The main appeal Walker uses is pathos, to evoke empathy in the audience. In a way, it is seems like she has made it a personal quest to get a stone to put on Zora’s grave as a sign of homage for a great author she was. The author shows an element of surprise when she find out that Zora died of malnutrition. In surprise she states â€Å" Hell, our condition hasn’t changed any since Phillis Wheatley’s time. She died of malnutrition!(Pg.401)†This sounds incredulous to her, so she seeks to find out from another cause of Zo ra’s death from a Dr. Benton who was Zora’s doctor. Dr. Benton confirms that Zora died from a stroke. He states â€Å"She had a stroke and died in the welfare home†(Pg. 407). Also we can see that the author uses humor. For example, when she goes to look for Zora’s grave, she yells out at the graveyard â€Å" Zora!..I’m here. Are you?†(Pg. 403). She continues to use humor when she converses with Rosalee as they are looking for Zora’s grave. Walker concludes her visit by buying a monument stone and has it engraved then visits where Zora used to live before her illness and death. I think this was a very interesting piece by Walker. She narrates her journey vividly to show the readers her emotional journey to find out about Zora Hurston. Zora must have been a really interesting person. From the essay, even Dr. Benton kept saying how she always used her mind and she was so intelligent. Today, most scholars, veterans and other people of significance are given a sort of ‘decent’ burial, but Zora had pauper’s funeral without any tombstone, yet ‘alot’ of people seemed to know her. Through Walker’s essay, she emphasizes the fact that Zora did not necessarily identify with one race, white or black, in particular and did not even have a good relationship with her own family. I believe that Walker’s argument had to do with Zora’s admiral ability to identify with cultures besides what many thought should have been her own, black community. I felt that this directly relates to the way in which Zora tried to eliminate the importance of color from her life, although it was an enormous influence on everything she did.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
The Religious Beliefs Of Organisations - 1438 Words
The religious beliefs of organisations are responsible for altering management practice in various foreign civilizations, yet when these moral principles are integrated with other devices used in Western society, it can create the most influential environment that thrives on work ethic and profitability. As such cultural beliefs are predominantly not a factor in countries such as Australia, many consider that a religious organisation is far more effective in its management practice. Despite this, it is the way in which these countries utilise religion in their workplace that makes it merely another device to inculcate the desirable outcomes that Western countries are similarly aiming to achieve; therefore, creating similar productivities†¦show more content†¦The verses in the Holy Qur’an state the highest emphasis on trusteeship, the righteousness of hard work, and the significance of learning in the workplace (Uygur 2009) while in Asian culture there is a profound s ense of Confucianism where the core religious values are based upon collectivism, loyalty to the organisation, dedication and the importance of the social hierarchy (Cultural Value for Young Generation Employees 2008). The religious values that many countries recognise are not an integral factor of Western society. While there may be the same basic principles, there are some differences that are due to each countries cultural values, making the issue of how these ethics can effect and influence management practice, particularly relevant in todays society. The ways in which religious values can positively alter management are constantly observed in other cultures and societies. The studies of religious organisations have copious potential to provide pivotal information on ideal management practice as well as enhancing our understanding of the overall concept of management and its intangible assets. This concept has been discussed and a sociological viewpoint has been established where a religious organisation may provide a greater meaningful structure for employees to embellish and thrive; clearly promoting a motivated and hard working community. Max Weber, a German
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)