The Debate On Abortion And Abortion - 1448 Words

Abortion. This word leaves most people feeling uneasy after just saying it out loud. The discussion of abortion is continuously left open-ended with millions of opinions, arguments, and questions. Abortions occur every single day leaving potential fathers devastated or thrilled, leaving friends and families broken and distraught or in contrast, proud. More importantly, leaving the potential mother uncertain and even destroyed. But with abortion in mind, what is considered wrong and what is considered right? What is moral and what is immoral? Is all faith in humanity questioned at the sole argument of either aborting or not aborting an unborn child? Moreover, who is granted the superior authority on deciding what is morally correct or incorrect this day and age. As I said before, bottomless questions and vast accusations tend to be the fuel for this fire. It is as if society is waiting for the perfect, yet, moderate argument on abortion, tying up all of the loose ends and meeting some where in between what is right and what is wrong when considering abortion rights. Is there even a common ground of understanding when debating the existence of another human? The endless and twisted argument continues to linger on, although Judith Jarvis Thomson’s â€Å"Defense of Abortion† communicated insightful views which in fact influenced my very own ideas on the argument of abortion. As I was reading Thomson’s, â€Å"Defense on Abortion† I found myself unsure and often questioning the side sheShow MoreRelatedThe Debate On Abortion And Abortion1063 Words   |  5 Pagesstand on abortion. By definition an abortion is the termination of a pregnancy and the expulsion of pregnancy tissue, including embryo, fetus, placenta, and membranes (Wicclair, Gosman 2005). In the recent years the debate on abortion has shifted to a different viewpoint that has reopened the conversation of abortion and has generated a healthy following for abortion control. The p remise of abortion control is to implement community outreach programs that will help reduce the number of abortions. I feelRead MoreThe Debate On Abortion And Abortion1490 Words   |  6 Pagescontroversial issues floating around conversation. One that always catches my ear is the debate on abortion. Growing up in a republican household, and catholic for that matter, it was obvious that â€Å"pro-life† would be imprinted into my head. My whole family, not just my parents, are against abortion. Also going to church every Sunday and learning what my religion thought was right and wrong influenced me to believe that abortion was killing a life. Since I grew up with this influence I subconsciously thoughtRead MoreThe Debate Over Abortion On Abortion Essay1682 Words   |  7 Pagespolitical debate has existed in America, there has been a strong tension between the ideologies of conservatism and liberalism. While there are numerous differences between the two ideologies, the cor e of each is expressed clearly through the modern debate of abortion. The vision, ideals, and assumptions of each ideology can be identified through the way in which each ideology argues its position on abortion. The debate over abortion has been taking place since the 19th century. Abortions were legalRead MoreThe Debate About Abortion And Abortion1709 Words   |  7 PagesThe practice of abortion is an issue that has sparked controversy for many years. One of the initial problems that lead to the debate about abortion is the fact that, the definition of the term abortion varies from one field to another. The controversy arises because the language used to describe abortion â€Å"is a reflection of the societal beliefs of the people in that area† (McFarlane Meier 65). Generally, the World Health Organization defines abortion as induced or spontaneous termination of pregnancyRead MoreThe Abortion Debate2354 Words   |  10 PagesAdedayo Adeniyi November 13, 2008 Expository writing An abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus, resulting in or caused by its death. An abortion can occur spontaneously due to complications during pregnancy or can be induced. Abortion as a term most commonly refers to the induced abortion of a human pregnancy, while spontaneous abortions are usually termed miscarriages. Abortion has a long history and has been induced by various methodsRead MoreThe Debate Of Abortion And Abortion2390 Words   |  10 PagesThe subject of abortion is undeniably a difficult one to discuss. There are many different opinions and stances which could be taken, however, the question for Christians is just where they should stand on this matter. The issue is that if people (more specifically Christians) are not careful then they get caught up in the different stances, different questions, and different opinions. If this happens then they will not be able to make a firm standing against or fo r abortion while having facts toRead MoreThe Debate Over The Abortion Debate1097 Words   |  5 PagesIt is no surprise that the abortion debate has once again have brought into the mainstream focus this year. Yet, this time around the age old debate is now attacking organizations that offer such procedures, vilifying the entire organization for only one service it offers. This vilification has continuously gained momentum for ages, but it was the attack upon Planned Parenthood earlier this year that has brought the debate to head once again. Recently Pro-Life groups took up arms to destroy the organizationRead MoreAbortion : A Controversial Debate874 Words   |  4 PagesAbortion There truly is not a more controversial or passionate debate as the one on abortion. This issue is completely unique due to the firm line between groups that support or are against it. Whichever side a person finds themselves on, usually for many reasons, it becomes a fierce and firm position that will not waiver. In this case I am glad that people are so passionate, a human life is at stake. This subject should bring great feelings and beliefs up. I would be completely sickened if abortionRead MoreThe Abortion Debate Essay1544 Words   |  7 Pages No matter where you stand on the issue, abortion is a highly debated topic in today’s society. In this essay I will examine both sides of the abortion issue. I will begin with a brief overview of the abortion debate, to include the morality of the situation. Next I will discuss the Pro-Life argument. Lastly I will look at the Pro-Choice view. In the final analysis I will show how utilitarianism, altruism, and situational ethical views apply to abortion. Having in mind the extreme controversy surroundingRead MoreAbortion : A Controversial Debate888 Words   |  4 PagesAbortion is a highly debated and controversial topic within the United States. Abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy. When you have an abortion, you decimate the life of a fetus in the womb prior to delivery. There were 5,013 abortions in the state of Oklahoma alone in 2013. In the same year, there were approximately, collectively in the United States, 983,000 total abortions performed. In addition, there have been almost 60 million abortions performed in the United States since

Vale of work hoard Free Essays

Viking objects; found near Harrogate, Yorkshire On the surface, everything is idyllic †¦ imagine a broad green field in Yorkshire. In the distance rolling hills, woods and a light morning mist – it’s the epitome of a peaceful, unchanging England. But scratch this surface – or more appropriately, wave a metal detector over it – and a very different England emerges, a land of violence and panic, not at all secure behind its defending sea, but terrifyingly vulnerable to invasion. We will write a custom essay sample on Vale of work hoard or any similar topic only for you Order Now And it was in a field like this, 1,100 years ago, that a frightened man buried great collection of silver, Jewellery and coins, that linked this part of England to what would then have seemed unimaginably distant parts of the world – to Russia, the Middle East and Asia. The man was a Viking, and this was his treasure. â€Å"Suddenly, a metal detector in a field in Harrogate uncovers this extraordinary treasure†¦ † (Michael Wood) â€Å"l crouched down in the soil and you could see the edge of a few coins sticking out of the top of it†¦ (Andrew Whelan) â€Å"There, packed in, are these hundreds of coins and these arm-rings, these pieces of silver. † (MW) put it in a sandwich box, wrapped it all up, and took it home. † (AW) â€Å"You’re right there with this material, that can take you back to that tremendous moment in English history, when the kingdom of England was first created. † (MW) things you dream of, but you dont actually expe ct to happen. † (AW) This week we’re sweeping across the vast expanse of Europe and Asia between the ninth and the thirteenth centuries. And once again we’re not going to be focussed on the Mediterranean: we’re dealing with two great arcs of trade – one that begins in Iraq and Afghanistan, ises north into Russia and ends here in Britain, and another in the south, spanning the Indian Ocean from Indonesia to Africa. The week’s objects range from today’s precious Viking treasure from Yorkshire to a few pottery fragments from a beach in Africa. Between them, they bring to life the travellers, the traders and the raiders who helped to shape this world. When you use the words â€Å"traders and raiders†, one group of people above all springs to mind: the Vikings. Vikings have always excited the European imagination and their reputation has fluctuated violently. In the ineteenth century, the British saw them as savage bad guys horn-helmeted rapers and looters. For the Scandinavians, of course, it was different: the Vikings there were the all-conquering heroes of Nordic legend. The Vikings then went through a stage of being seen by historians as rather civilised – more tradesmen and travellers than pillagers – in fact they became almost cuddly. This recent discovery of the Vale of York Hoard makes them seem a bit less cuddly and looks set to revive the aggressive Vikings of popular tradition, but now with a dash of cosmopolitan glamour. And the truth, I think, is that that’s what the Vikings have always been about: glitz with violence. The England ot the early was divided between territories occupied by the Vikings – most of the north and the east – while the south and the west were controlled by the great AngloSaxon kingdom of Wessex. The re-conquest of the Viking territories by the Anglo-Saxons was the great event of tenth-century Britain, and our treasure both pinpoints one tiny part of this national epic, and connects it to the immense world of Viking trade. The hoard was found in the winter of 2007. Here’s ather and son, David and Andrew Whelan, who were metal-detecting in a field to the south of Harrogate, in north Yorkshire. â€Å"It was a typical dreary January day, in a muddy rough ploughed field. It was a field that we wouldn’t normally go in because we’re never really found anything good in there, we tend to find dozens of Victorian buttons, but it was either that or go home, so†¦ † (Andrew Whelan) â€Å"This time we were there about ten minutes and that’s when I got my signal – the big one! I started finding lead at first. I dug down a bit more, and I kept going, and I get more lead, ore lead, and all of a sudden, this round thing fell into the bottom of the hole – came out from the side, so I’d actually Just missed it. It fell into the bottom of the hole and I thought, ‘Oh dear, I’ve found an old ball cock, I’ve got a lead cistern with an old ball cock’. So I picked this round thing up, and put it on top of the ploughed land, I put my glasses on, and I looked at it, and I could see all these animals on the cup, and all these bits of silver in the top. † (Dave Whelan) â€Å"l crouched down in the soil, and you could see the edge of a few coins sticking out of he top of it†¦ and there was a coin of Edward the Elder, I think†¦ on top. (Andrew Whelan) The hoard that David and Andrew Whelan had found was contained in this beautifully worked silver bowl, about the size of a small melon. Astonishingly, it contained over 600 coins, all silver, and roughly the same size as a modern pound coin, but wafer thin. They’re mostly from Anglo-Saxon territory, but there are also some Viking coins produced in York, as well as exotic imports from western Europe and Ce ntral Asia. Along with the coins was Jewellery: arm-rings – one gold and five silver ones. And then, there’s the ingredient that makes it absolutely certain that this is not an Anglo-Saxon but a Viking hoard; there’s what we call hack silver – chopped- up fragments of silver brooches and rings and thin silver bars, mostly about an inch (2. 5 cm) long, that the Vikings used as currency. The hoard pitches us into a key moment in the history of England, when an Anglo-Saxon King – Athelstan – at last defeated the Viking invaders and built the beginnings of the kingdom of England. Above all, it shows us the range of contacts enjoyed by the Vikings while they were running northern England. These Scandinavians were tremendously well connected, as the historian Michael Wood makes clear: â€Å"There’s a Viking arm-ring from Ireland, there’s coins minted as far away as Samarkand and Afghanistan and Baghdad. And this gives you a sense of the reach of the age; these Viking kings and their agents and their trade routes spread across western Europe, Ireland, Scandinavia. You read Arab accounts of Viking slave dealers on the banks of the Caspian Sea; Gull the Russian – so-called because of his Russian hat, and he was Irish this guy, you know! dealing in slaves out there on the Caspian, nd those kind of trade routes; the river routes down to the Black Sea – through Novgorod and Kiev and these kind of places; you can see how in a very short time, coins mint ed in Samarkand, say, in 915, could end up in Yorks 2 hire in The Vale of York hoard makes it clear that Viking England did indeed operate on a transcontinental scale. Here is a dirham from Samarka nd, and there are other Islamic coins from central Asia. Like York, Kiev was a great Viking city, and there merchants from Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan traded their goods via Russia and the Baltic to the hole of northern Europe. In the process, the people around Kiev became very rich. An Arab merchant of the time describes them making neck-rings for their wives by melting down the gold and silver coins they’d amassed from trade: â€Å"Round her neck she wears gold or silver rings; when a man amasses 10,000 dirhams, he makes his wife one ring; when he has 20,000 he makes two†¦ and often a woman has many of these rings. † And, indeed, there’s a fragment of one of these Russian rings in the hoard. Although Kiev and York were both Viking cities, contact between them would only very rarely ave been direct. Normally the trade route would be constructed through a series of relays, with spices and silver coins and Jewellery moving north, as amber and fur moved in the other direction, and at every stage there would be a profit. But this trade route also carried the dark side of the Vikings’ reputation. All through eastern Europe, the Vikings captured people to sell as slaves in the great market of Kiev – which explains why in so many European languages the words for slave and Slav are to this day still so closely connected. But this hoard also tells us a great deal of what as happening back in York. There, the Vikings were becoming Christian but, as so often, the new converts were reluctant to abandon the symbols of their old religion – the Norse gods were not entirely dead. And so, on one coin minted at York around 920, we find the sword and name of the Christian St Peter, but intriguingly the ‘i’ of Petri – Peter – is in the shape ofa hammer, the emblem of the old Norse god, Thor. It’s a coin that shows us that the new faith uses the weapons of the old. We can be pretty certain that this treasure was buried soon after 927. In that year, the AngloSaxon Athelstan, King of Wessex, finally defeated the Vikings, conquered York, and received the homage of rulers from Scotland and Wales. It was the biggest political event in Britain since the departure of the Romans. And the hoard contains one of the silver coins that Athelstan issued to celebrate it. On it, he gives himself a totally new title, never used before by any ruler: ‘Athelstan Rex totius Britanniae’ – Athelstan, King of all Britain. The modern idea of a united Britain starts here. Here’s Michael Wood again: â€Å"The wonderful thing about the treasure is that it hones in on the very oment that England was created as a kingdom and as a state. The early tenth century is the moment when these, what we might call ‘national identities’, start to be used for the first time. And that’s why all the later kings of the English, whether it was Normans or Plantagenets or Tudors, looked back to Athelstan as the founder of their kingdom. And in one sense you could say they go back to that moment in 927. † But it was a pretty messy moment, and the hoard demonstrates that the struggle between Viking and Anglo-Saxon wasn’t yet over. The treasure certainly belonged to a ich and powerful Viking, but he must have stayed on in Yorkshire under the new regime, because some of the coins in his hoard were minted by Athelstan in York in 927 Something must then nave gone wrong tor our Viking, which led him to bury the hoard – but he did it so carefully that he must have intended to return. Was he killed in the ongoing skirmish between Vikings and Anglo-Saxons? Did he go back to Scandinavia, or on to Ireland? Whatever happened to 3 the treasure-owner, most of the Vikings in England stayed on and, in due course, were assimilated. In north-east England today, places with names ending in â€Å"by† and â€Å"thorpe† – like Grimsby and Cleethorpes – are living survivals that still speak of the long Viking presence. And the Vale of York Hoard reminds us that these places were also the end – or the beginning – of a huge trade route that around 900 stretched from Scunthorpe to Samarkand. In the next programme, we’ll be on a different trade route, but one that also links the Middle East and northern Europe. We’ll be in Poland, with a Christian saint and a miraculous glass†¦ that turned water into wine. How to cite Vale of work hoard, Papers

That Summer Sarah Dessen free essay sample

That Summer The book â€Å"That Summer† by Sarah Dessen is a book about the relationship between two sisters, who have their struggles but come together in the end more as friends than as a family member. Haven is just another teenage girl that doesn’t agree with what her body looks like and tries her hardest to either be noticed by the guy she likes or hide in the crowd from the girls she wants to avoid. Haven is six feet tall her freshman year and lives in the shadow of her twenty-one year old sister, Ashley.Ashley is a petite five-four, with a curvy rounded body that everyone wishes they had; tiny feet, perfect hair, small enough to be cute, but forceful enough to be respected. When Ashley was Havens age she had already been voted most popular, dated and rejected the captain of the football team, and was a star cheerleader. She was always number one. Ashley had the life every girl dreamed of: being popular and always had the cutest boyfriend at all times. Haven is the complete opposite; awkward and tall. With her parents’ divorce and her father getting remarried, Haven has just been trying to quietly get over all the chaos in her life.Haven is doing well until Ashley announced she was getting married in a few months; on August nineteenth. Ashley was getting married to Lewis Warsher, who would be the end of Ashley’s long boyfriend list. Out of all Ashley’s boyfriends there was only one boyfriend that actually ever meant something to Haven, his name was Sumner Lee. Sumner wasn’t like anyone else Ashley had ever dated. Ashley liked the guys who were well dressed, football players, wresters, and maybe a tennis player here or there. Sumner on the other hand, didn’t fit this description. He wasn’t an athlete. He was skinny with black curly hair and bright blue eyes. Sumner had changed Ashley in a way that meant the world to Haven. Ashley was different with Sumner around. Ashley was always rude to Haven; acted like she wasn’t there and ignored her. Now with Sumner around Ashley actually talked to Haven and treated her like a sister. This helped a lot to Haven because it was during the time period when their father was getting remarried to the weather girl. One night Ashley and Sumner broke up.To Ashley it was like every other break up in her life; go to sleep, wake up in the morning and nothing was never wrong. Ashley would move on and forget about everything that had ever happened. While working one afternoon, Haven was on her lunch break and saw. . . . . Sumner! She went up and talked to him and they caught up on things like how they’ve been. She told Sumner that Ashley was getting married and the world still revolves around Ashley. Between Havens awful job, Sumner, and Ashley and her wedding crisis every minute haven just couldn’t take it anymore.So she quit her job and ran away from home. Haven was at a nearby park, curled up into a ball just trying to forget everything that had happened to her. She was pretending that she wasn’t six feet tall and awkward. Ashley wasn’t getting married. She was pretending that she was with Sumner. On the street of the other side of the park the purring noise of a car was going by that she’s heard before. It was Sumner’s car. Haven immediately got up and followed him to a nearby senior center where he was volunteering at. It was a dance night there.Haven went inside and was watching Sumner dance with all the old ladies. Haven watched him dance for a while and as she was walking away Sumner ran over and grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to him for the last dance of the night. All the senior citizens were in a perfect circle around the both of Haven and Sumner swaying back and forth to the music. The music was coming to a stop. Haven and Sumner were gazing into each other’s eyes and when Sumner leaned into Haven, she just leaned into him and closed her eyes for a kiss.This is what Haven has been dreaming of and tonight was when it all finally came true. Haven got into Sumner’s car so he could take her home and that’s when she broke down. She told him everything; about how she quit her job, running away from home, and how she just couldn’t take Ashley and all her problems anymore. Haven didn’t want to go home but that was the place Sumner was going to take her. Haven wasn’t going home so she got out of the car and ran into the nearby woods. It started to rain and haven was lost and had no idea where she was at.Meanwhile, Sumner was at havens house telling her family what had just happened. After that Ashley ran out looking for haven and found her in the woods in the pouring rain. When Ashley found Haven, Haven just started to cry and told Ashley how everything was wrong. Ashley was comforting to Haven more than she’s ever been and that’s exactly what Haven needed. Today was the day of Ashley’s wedding. As Haven and her mother were walking to their car, her mother stopped her and told her that things would be better and that Haven needs to accept the fact that her sister was happy getting married to Lewis.During the wedding Haven was wishing that she could talk to her sister one more time before she walked down the aisle but she was too late. Ashley was already walking down the aisle and was as beautiful as always. When Ashley got to Haven she stopped and hugged Haven. Haven realized that everything was going to be ok at that moment. I really liked this book and would recommend it to anyone. It really shows the struggle between two sisters and how they overcome it. The book talks about the divorce between Havens parents and kids who have had their parents split up might really relate to it.

Oliver Cromwell - Hero or villain free essay sample

The first and only Lord Protector of England was Oliver Cromwell, a very controversial and unique figure in the history of England. He was credited with not only steering and protecting the protestant Church of England, but also in quelling many of the civil wars during that period, and contributing to the way England would be governed in future. However, he is also held responsible for creating religious tension and dividing the people of England due to his extreme Puritanical views, which subsequently caused a lot of civil unrest and bloodshed. To understand whether Cromwell was a hero or a villain we cannot judge him based purely on the results of his actions, but gain a deeper understanding of the person and an insight into reasons for his actions. Some of the key actions that Oliver Cromwell took which affected the country were: He opposed King Charles I and his closure of the Parliament. We will write a custom essay sample on Oliver Cromwell Hero or villain? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page His punishment for the King was execution, as a traitor of England. This is evidence of Cromwell standing up for his belief in the parliamentary government, instead of Charles I’s Divine Right to rule, which the king had used to cause a lot of bloodshed. Firstly, In 1645, Oliver Cromwell made one of his most significant contributions to England. It was a highly trained army which overthrew the King during the Civil war, to bring back the parliamentary system. This was the New Model Army. They were equipped with the latest weaponry, armor, and equipment. This army was used to end civil wars and rebellions around the country. 1648, the New Model Army was used to defeat King Charles II and his bloody civil wars given his divine right to rule, and to reinstate the parliament instead, which he had shut down. In 1649, Cromwell sent the New Model Army to put down the Catholic rebellion to protect the Protestant religion against the Catholic atrocities. In each of these instances, he stood up to defend the Protestant religion, and the parliamentary system. This does not indicate greed or him being power hungry but merely trying to make the correct decision to avoid civil wars under difficult conditions, where the king and the royalists was powerful and popular and religion was extremely important to people. This is also obvious in his decision to not accept the crown because he wanted to abolish the monarchy system, and did not believe in the king’s right to be head of church and the head of kingdom. Oliver Cromwell also expelled sixty corrupt members of parliament. On the other hand, in 1647, after Charles I was executed, England became a Republic. Parliament abolished the monarchy and the House of Lords. But a group of people wanted bigger changes, and challenged the control of Parliament. These were the ‘Levellers’. The levellers didn’t get what they wanted, and two years later, the members of Parliament rejected their ideas again. They thought the levellers were a serious threat to their power. Rumours spread that the levellers, in rage, were planning to seize power. Cromwell decided to arrest them for treason in 1649, and were locked in the Tower of London. In 1657, the members of Parliament surprised Cromwell by asking him to become king. He refused the crown, but had in effect, taken all the powers of being king. This made him seem greedy to some of the people of England had his enemies, but heroic to others. This action was controversial. Being a Puritan, Cromwell believed that theatres were evil and closed them all down in England. He also took away Christmas and Easter holidays because they were not mentioned in the Bible. Church services were made simpler, and music, statues, and stained glass windows were taken away from churches. This made him unpopular with the people of England. To conclude, I believe that Oliver Cromwell was a man who tried to take the right decisions and actions in very at very challenging situations. However his religious views and his personality, he was a deeply religious man, who seems to have been tortured by doubts of discovering God’s will for him and his country. He was at one time revolutionary, who executed Charles I to defend the parliamentary system, and yet executing the Levellers for giving parliament more power by representing people for equally. He was a ruler who had made many mistakes but also had many successes, but his intentions were always driven by his desire to have the best for his country.

Topic Topics For Oedipus the King

Topic Topics For Oedipus the KingWriting a thesis paper is easy, because of the three essay topics for Oedipus the King that is taught in most schools. In high school there are nine topic topics and this is also the case in college. There are plenty of materials available at your local library for you to learn these topics. Essay topics for Oedipus the King can be found in academic journals and online resources.Since many students forget to turn the page, they will read one after another. So, they have to learn to read before they write the essay. Some students have already studied to become good writers, but without any experience they start writing with no basic knowledge of composition. It is important to become familiar with the three topic topics for Oedipus the King before you start writing. The topics for Oedipus the King is always worth the effort and time you put into it.This topic will introduce the meaning of the three central figures of the play. Although the text will fo llow the story line, it will be a lot easier to read and comprehend if you first understand the meaning of these characters. Once you know the meaning of the character's speech patterns, you will be able to anticipate what is coming next.The other two topics for Oedipus the King are the Gods and the other actors. Since the Gods are one of the most important plot devices in the play, it is important to discuss them in detail. By knowing about the Gods and the roles they play, you will be able to anticipate what might happen next.Finally, it is important to find out more about the other actors who play roles in the play. As a student, it is important to develop your ability to think on your feet. Reading about the actors and their roles is also a good way to prepare yourself for the role that you may be asked to play.Writing an essay on the three essay topics for Oedipus the King will take time, but it will certainly be well worth the effort you put into it. So, have fun learning all three topic topics for Oedipus the King!It will take some time, but this is a very difficult task. Prepare yourself and be ready to tackle the topic of an essay for Oedipus the King.

A Feminist Analysis of Shakespeares Hamlet

A Feminist Analysis of Shakespeares Hamlet According to feminist scholars, the canonical texts of Western literature represent the voices of those who have been given the power to speak in Western culture. The authors of the Western canon are predominately white men, and many critics consider their voices to be domineering, exclusionary, and biased in favor of a male point of view. This complaint has led to much debate between critics and defenders of the canon. To explore some of these issues, we will examine Shakespeares Hamlet, one of the most famous and widely read works of the Western canon. The Western Canon and Its Critics One of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the canon is Harold Bloom, author of the bestseller The Western Canon: The Books and School of the Ages. In this book, Bloom lists the works that he believes constitute the canon (from Homer to the present) and argues for their safeguarding. He also spells out who, in his view, the canons critics and enemies are. Bloom groups these opponents, including feminist scholars who wish to revise the canon, into one School of Resentment. His contention is that these critics are striving, for their own peculiar reasons, to invade the world of academia and replace the traditional, largely canonical programs of the past with a new curriculumin Blooms words, a politicized curriculum. Blooms defense of the Western canon rests on its aesthetic value. The focus of his complaint is that,  among the professions of literary teachers, critics, analysts, reviewers and authors too, there has been an increasingly noticeable  flight from the aesthetic brought on by an unfortunate attempt to assuage displaced guilt. In other words, Bloom believes that the academic feminists, Marxists, Afrocentrists, and other critics of the canon are motivated by a political desire to correct the sins of the past by replacing the literary works from those eras. In turn, these critics of the canon argue that Bloom and his sympathizers are racists and sexists, that they are excluding the under-represented, and that they oppose...adventure and new interpretations. Feminism in Hamlet For Bloom, the greatest of the canonical authors is Shakespeare, and one of the works Bloom most celebrates in The Western Canon is Hamlet. This play, of course, has been celebrated by all kinds of critics through the ages. The feminist complaintthat the Western canon, in the words of Brenda Cantar, is generally not from the point of view of a woman and that womens voices are virtually ignoredis supported by the evidence of Hamlet. This play, which supposedly fathoms the human psyche, does not reveal much at all about the two major female characters. They act either as a theatrical balance to the male characters or as a sounding board for their fine speeches and actions. Bloom gives fuel to the feminist claim of sexism when he observes that Queen Gertrude,  recently the recipient of several Feminist defenses, requires no apologies. She is evidently a woman of exuberant sexuality, who inspired  luxurious  passion first in  King Hamlet  and later in King Claudius.  If this is the best that Bloom can offer in suggesting the substance of Gertrudes character, it would serve us well to examine further some of the complaints of the feminists regarding the female voice in Shakespeare. Cantar points out that  both the male and female psyches are a construction of cultural forces, such as class differences, racial and national differences, historical differences. What more influential cultural force could there have been in Shakespeares time than that of patriarchy? The  patriarchal society  of the Western world had powerfully negative implications for the freedom of women to express themselves, and in turn, the psyche of the woman was almost entirely subsumed (artistically, socially, linguistically, and legally) by the cultural psyche of the man. Sadly, the male regard for the female was inextricably connected to the female body. Since men were assumed to be dominant over women, the female body was considered the mans property, and its sexual objectification was an open topic of conversation. Many of Shakespeares plays make this very clear, including Hamlet. The sexual innuendo in Hamlets dialogue with Ophelia would have been transparent to a Renaissance audience, and apparently acceptable. Referring to a double meaning of nothing, Hamlet says to her: Thats a fair thought to lie between maids legs. It is a tawdry joke for a noble prince to share with a young woman of the court; however, Hamlet is not shy to share it, and Ophelia seems not at all offended to hear it. But then, the author is a male writing in a male-dominated culture, and the dialogue represents his point of view, not necessarily that of a cultured woman, who might feel differently about such humor. Gertrude and Ophelia To Polonius, the chief counselor to the king, the greatest threat to the social order is cuckoldry or the unfaithfulness of a woman to her husband. For this reason, critic Jacqueline Rose writes that Gertrude is the symbolic scapegoat of the play. Susanne Wofford interprets Rose to mean that Gertrudes betrayal of her husband is the cause of Hamlets anxiety. Marjorie Garber points to an abundance of phallocentric imagery and language in the play, revealing Hamlets subconscious focus on his mothers apparent infidelity. All of these feminist interpretations, of course, are drawn from the male dialogue, for the text gives us no direct information about Gertrudes actual thoughts or feelings on these matters. In a sense, the queen is denied a voice in her own defense or representation. Likewise, the object Ophelia (the object of Hamlets desire) is also denied a voice. In the view of author Elaine Showalter, she is  portrayed in the play as an insignificant minor character created mainly as an instrument to better represent Hamlet.  Deprived of thought, sexuality, language, Ophelias story becomes the Story of Othe zero, the empty circle or mystery of feminine difference, the cipher of female sexuality to be deciphered by feminist interpretation. This depiction is reminiscent of many of the women in Shakespearean drama and comedy. Perhaps it begs for the efforts of interpretation that, by Showalters account, so many have tried to make of Ophelias character. An eloquent and scholarly interpretation of many of Shakespeares women would surely be welcome. A Possible Resolution Showalters insight about the representation of men and women in Hamlet, though it may be viewed as a complaint, is actually something of a resolution between the critics and defenders of the canon. What she has  done, through a close reading of a character that is now famous, is focus the attention of both groups on a piece of common ground. Showalters analysis is part of a concerted effort, in Cantars words, to  alter cultural perceptions of gender, those represented in the canon of great literary works. Surely a scholar like Bloom recognizes that there is a need...to  study the institutional practices and social arrangements that have both invented and sustained the literary canon. He could concede this without giving an inch in his defense of aestheticismthat is, literary quality. The most prominent feminist critics (including Showalter and Garber) already recognize the canons aesthetic greatness, regardless of the male dominance of the past. Meanwhile, one may suggest for the future that the New Feminist movement continue searching out worthy female writers and promoting their works on aesthetic grounds, adding them to the Western canon as they deserve. There is surely an extreme imbalance between the male and female voices represented in the Western canon. The sorry gender discrepancies in Hamlet are an unfortunate example of this. This imbalance must be remedied by women writers themselves, for they can most accurately represent their own views. But, to adapt two quotes by ​Margaret Atwood, the proper path in accomplishing this is for women to become better [writers] in order to add social validity to their views; and female critics have to be willing to give writing by men the same kind of serious attention they themselves want from men for womens writing. In the end, this is the finest way to restore the balance and allow all of us to truly appreciate the literary voices of humankind. Sources Atwood, Margaret.  Second Words: Selected Critical Prose. House of Anansi Press. Toronto. 1982.Bloom, Harold. An Elegy for the Canon.  Book of Readings, 264-273. English 251B. Distance Education.  University of Waterloo. 2002.Bloom, Harold.  The Western Canon: The Books and School of the Ages. Riverhead Books. The Berkley Publishing Group. New York. 1994.Cantar, Brenda. Lecture 21. English 251B. University of Waterloo, 2002.Kolodny, Annette. Dancing Through the Minefield.  Book of Readings, 347-370. English 251B. Distance Education. University of Waterloo, 2002.Shakespeare, William.  Hamlet. Bedford/St. Martins Edition. Susanne L. Wofford. Editor. Boston/New York: Bedford Books. 1994.Showalter, Elaine.  Representing Ophelia: Women, Madness, and the Responsibilities of Feminist Criticism. Macmillan, 1994.Wofford, Susanne.  William Shakespeare, Hamlet. Bedford Books of St. Martins Press, 1994.

Make Potassium Chlorate From Bleach and Salt Substitute

Make Potassium Chlorate From Bleach and Salt Substitute Potassium chlorate is an important potassium compound that can be used as an oxidizer, disinfectant, source of oxygen, and component in pyrotechnics and chemistry demonstrations. You can make potassium chlorate from common household bleach and salt substitute. The reaction is not particularly efficient, but its something to keep in mind if you need potassium chlorate right away or just want to know how to make it. Key Takeaways: Make Potassium Chlorate From Bleach and Salt Substitute Potassium chlorate is used as an oxidizer, disinfectant, and colorant (purple) in chemistry demonstrations and fireworks projects.While its not the most efficient chemical reaction, its simple to make potassium chlorate by boiling bleach, cooling it, and mixing in a saturated solution of salt substitute in water.The synthesis works because potassium from the salt substitute displaces sodium from the sodium chlorate made by boiling the bleach. The product is sodium chloride and potassium chlorate. Since potassium chlorate is not very soluble in water, it precipitates and may be collected by filtration. Materials for Making Potassium Chlorate You only need two ingredients to synthesize potassium chlorate: Chlorine bleachPotassium chloride (sold as a salt substitute)Filter paper or coffee filter Take care to check the label on the salt substitute to make certain the ingredient is just potassium chloride. While salt substitute is potassium chloride, lite salt is a mixture of sodium chloride (table salt) and potassium chloride. The reason this project works is because potassium replaces sodium in sodium chlorate. Basically, you need to make certain you are supplying the potassium. While it shouldnt be significant, keep in mind household bleach has a shelf life. If your bottle of bleach has been opened and stored a long time, its a good idea to get a fresh one for the project. Prepare Potassium Chlorate Boil a large volume (at least a half liter) of chlorine bleach, just until crystals start to form. Do this outdoors or under a fume hood, to avoid inhaling the vapor. Boiling bleach disproportionates sodium hypochlorite into sodium chloride and sodium chlorate.3 NaClO → 2 NaCl NaClO3As soon as crystals start to form, remove the bleach from heat and allow it to cool.In a separate container, prepare a saturated solution of potassium chloride by stirring potassium chloride into the water until no more will dissolve.Mix equal volumes of the boiled bleach solution and potassium chloride solution, taking care to keep solids from either solution out of the mixture. This is a substitution or single replacement reaction. The two products are separated based on solubility. Potassium chlorate will precipitate out, leaving sodium chloride in solution.KCl NaClO3 → NaCl KClO3Cool the solution in the freezer to increase the potassium chlorate yield.Filter the mixture through filter paper or a coffee filter. Keep the solid potassium chlorate; discard the sodium chloride solution. Allow the potassium chlorate to dry before storing or using it. NurdRage has a video of the process if youd prefer to see how its done. Potassium chlorate is used in fireworks as an oxidizer and to produce a purple flame. Teeraphon Phooma / EyeEm / Getty Images You can test the potassium chlorate in a simple chemistry demonstration: Purple Fire (shown) - Mix potassium chlorate and half as much sugar. Ignite the mixture either by applying a flame or adding a few drops of sulfuric acid (instant chemical fire).Dancing Gummi Bear - The candy is the source of the sugar in this demonstration. The vigorous reaction between the candy bear and the potassium chlorate makes the bear appear to dance in purple fire. Other uses of potassium chlorate include safety matches, fireworks, disinfectants, pesticides, firearm primer, and to force plant blooming. It is also a good starting point to prepare oxygen gas or chlorine gas. Safety Tips This is a project that should be performed with responsible adult supervision. Undiluted bleach can cause skin irritation and damage eyes and mucous membranes if splashed. Heating bleach should be done outdoors or under a fume hood, as irritating vapors are released. Finally, keep the potassium chlorate collected in this project away from heat or flame until you are ready to use it. It should be stored away from sulfuric acid and sulfur, as spontaneous ignition may occur.