Epic Heroes The Ideal Hero - 873 Words

Throughout history, epic heroes have defined the ideal characteristics of a society. Beowulf and Aenus are perfect examples of the ideal hero created from the mind of a creator, for the purpose of defining a society. Most epic heroes share certain character traits such as bravery, courage, determination, hubris or intelligence. It has been noted that sometimes epic heroes appear to simply be lucky or helped along by the gods and rely less on their own abilities. However, there are some heroes who are helped by the gods, but also rely heavily on their own abilities. Odysseus is one such hero. Continually, Odysseus escapes danger with his intelligence and ability to talk his way out of heated situations. Odysseus’ intelligence got him out of Polynicies cave, the hundreds of suitors, and his escape from Circes. Odysseus’ crew wouldn’t have made it out of the cyclops Polynices cave without the brilliance of Odysseus. When the crew lands on the cyclops’ island they immediately surge to shore to secure supplies. Without thought to the danger it could impose they come across Polynices, cave and sheep and think to take a few for the voyage home. Polynices discovers them and ends up trapping them in his cave and eating several men. After blinding the cyclops, Odysseus comes up with a plan to escape. Odyssues devises he will tie the remainder of his men to the bottoms of the cyclops’s sheep. Polynices brings the sheep into the cave at night and lets them out in the morning to graze.Show MoreRelatedEssay On Selflessness In Beowulf783 Words   |  4 Pagesare no heroes and no monsters in this world. Only children should be allowed to use these words† ― Alfred de Vigny, from Stello. As opposed to Alfred de Vigny’s statement claiming that there are no h eroes or monsters in the modern world, I believe that certain qualities which are extremely ubiquitous in modern society as well as in the epic poem Beowulf, align completely with the archetype of an epic hero, these qualities being selflessness, generosity, and bravery. The traits of epic heroes are glorifiedRead MoreAnalysis Of Byrons Poem1306 Words   |  6 Pages One such work is Byron’s, Don Juan. The poem follows the adventures of the Spanish hero Don Juan. He travels around the world and gets involved in bizarre situations, usually due to a romantic interest. The poem seems to share more similarities with the epic tradition than Wordsworth’s. Don Juan’s titular character, like many heroes in other epics, pre-existed the Byron poems. The story is vast in scale; it follows Don Juan’s adventures in love and travel. Juan’s adventures pull him from situationRead Morean analysis of the qualifications of an Epic Hero887 Words   |  4 PagesAn epic hero is someone who goes down in history as being brave, courageous, and obviously heroic. They don’t have to be asked to save the day, and often times, they aren’t even saving their own people. There are several epic poems that come to mind when thinking about European culture and where it came from. These stories are held as sacred to many different p eople, and will always be studied whenever the topic of government or culture comes up. In these poems, or stories, there is always a heroRead MoreAnalysis Of Beowulf As A Heroic Epic779 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"A hero is somebody who voluntarily walks into the unknown†. Stories about such heroes have been told for centuries. In fact, heroistic ideals are sometimes the basis of a society. The Anglo-Saxon people are a prime example of the previous statement. In Anglo-Saxon culture, being called a hero was an honor. Heroes were treated like kings. One of the most popular hero stories that bled into Anglo-Saxon life was the heroic epic of Beowulf. Beowulf was the perfect example of an Anglo-Saxon hero as heRead MoreHero Comparison Essay: Odysseus vs Gandhi1619 Words   |  7 PagesHero Comparison Essay K A K 16/12/2011 A hero, a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability (Merriam-Webster). There are two types of heroes, epic heroes and modern heroes. Odysseus, one of the most famous epic heroes ever, will be compared to Mahatma Gandhi, a modern day hero, to see if there really is a large gap separating the two types. However, one thing is certain, modern heroes can be identical to epic heroes if they are larger thanRead MoreThe Role Of Changing Perception Of The Hero1137 Words   |  5 Pagesthe changing perception of the hero Who is a hero? How does the definition of a hero change over time? The Epic of Gilgamesh is perhaps the â€Å"longest and greatest literary composition written in cuneiform Akkadian† (Dalley 39) and told to an audience, while The Odyssey, and Oedipus the King came many centuries later. However, they all have a hero that represents the values of the society at the time. This paper is going to compare and contrast the ideal of the hero from ancient Mesopotamia in GilgameshRead MoreHeroes : The Green Knight And Oedipus1156 Words   |  5 Pages A hero is seen as a selfless and courageous individual who saves the day. Joseph Campbell, an American mythologist, once said â€Å"the hero is the man of self achieved submission.† A hero must also go through the twelve stages which include: call to adventure, assistance/departure, trials, approach, crisis, treasure, result, returning to their ordinary world, new life, resolution and returning to status quo. Heroes such as Beowulf , The Green Knight and Oedipus, are all seen as heroes for different reasonsRead MoreEpic Heroism And Values Of The Iliad1030 Words   |  5 PagesDWC 101: Paper 1 November 1, 2017 Epic Heroism and Values of the Greek and Roman Culture The image of Achilles killing Hector and the image of Aeneas killing Turnus classify them as epic heroes. In the Greek epic poem the Iliad, Homer portrays Achilles as an enraged warrior fighting for revenge for a woman he loved. In the Roman epic poem the Aeneid, Virgil portrays Aeneas as fleeing the city of Troy to establish a new city. Achilles and Aeneas are epic heroes because they both show courage, boldnessRead MoreWilliam Wordsworth s The Prelude And Lord Byron s Biting Epic1219 Words   |  5 Pagespoets sought to write epics that incorporated new philosophies, ideals, and literary trends, while also parodying, satirizing and deconstructing the epic poem itself. Rather than merely extend the epic tradition, several Romantic poets subverted the characteristics and tropes attributed to epic poetry, creating an interesting revision of the epic. Two seminal works of Romantic poetry that adequately showcase the revision of epic tradition are William Wordsworth’s intro spective epic The Prelude and LordRead MoreAnalysis Of The Prelude And Lord Byron s Biting Epic1202 Words   |  5 Pagessought to write epic poems that incorporated new philosophies, ideals, and literary trends, while also parodying, satirizing and deconstructing the epic poem itself. Rather than merely extend the epic tradition, the Romantic poets subverted the characteristics and tropes attributed to epic poetry, in turn creating an interesting revision of the epic. Two seminal works of Romantic poetry that adequately showcase the revision of epic tradition are William Wordsworth’s introspective epic The Prelude and

Louisiana River Geography - 1904 Words

Louisiana’s Gulf Coast is eroding into the sea, and by 2100 most of Southeast Louisiana could be completely underwater. Not only does this threaten human and animal habitats, but also the energy, shipping, fishing, and tourist industries that have made this region of the U.S. a valuable part of the national economy (Marshall, 2014). In the past 200 years, half of the nation’s wetland habitats have been lost due to natural and manmade processes. Louisiana’s wetlands make up 40 percent of the total wetlands in the continental United States. 80 percent of losses, nationally, are of Louisiana’s coast (Williams). Man and nature have worked together to reshape the environment in coastal Louisiana. The Mississippi slows when it reaches the†¦show more content†¦Many communities are suffering due to coastal erosion. One example is the village of Cocodrie, LA in Terrebonne Parish. This village’s small population and its 220 residential and commercial buildings are surrounded by marshes. In Cocodrie, there is no barrier against hurricanes. Local marinas play host to recreational and commercial fishing, and The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium is located in Cocodrie. This facility of around 100,000 square ft houses laboratories, classrooms, and a research center. Infrastructure that will be affected by coastal erosion includes paved highway, dirt roads, a bridge, water supply systems, and natural gas lines. By 2050, Cocodrie will be surrounded by open water as the marshlands around the village give way to rising sea levels. Another community affected by this issue is Yscloske y, LA in St. Bernard Parish. The most important part of the economy here is fishing, and highways link the parish to New Orleans fishing communities. The Yscloskey area lies outside of the protective levees and is quite vulnerable to storms. Though losses in Yscloskey are not predicted to be as great as those in Cocodrie, a 16 percent loss by 2050 leaves the infrastructure of Yscloskey even more vulnerable (Coast 2050, 1998, p. 64-66). Local residents in these areas are watching the land disappear along with the beachfronts and Cyprus swamps that were on that land (Marshall, 2014). TheShow MoreRelatedCulture and Geography effects of the Mississippi River1023 Words   |  5 PagesThe culture of the Mississippi River has an effect on geography and in turn geography impacts the culture along the Mississippi River. The geography of the Mississippi River provided early settlers with the natural resources to survive and thrive. At the same time the aggressive expansion of culture significantly impacted the Mississippi River’s region. History of settlement along the Mississippi River illustrates the fact that the geography of the river is a natural attraction to settlers. Read MoreEssay about The Effects of Geography on the US727 Words   |  3 Pages Geography is an incredibly important part of the development of all countries. Geography, however is a very broad topic; it includes several things such as climate, physical features, size, and natural resources. Often times, events in history are caused or affected by these factors. They can, even further, cause lasting economic, social, and even political effects. Two examples of this is in America are, the devastating, hurricane Katrina, and the Louisiana Purchase. The Louisiana Purchase wasRead MoreThe Water Systems And Landforms1012 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction While studying water systems and landforms in our lab, we begin to wonder about certain climates and regions. In this paper, I will discuss the water systems and landforms found in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as well as two other cities in the United States. I will explore the amount of water that comes and leaves their systems, as well as the natural landforms that occupy their regions. Background Throughout this paper, there are terms you will need to know. While discussing the waterRead MoreFactors Influencing United States Expansion909 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the first half of the 1800s or 19th century there were many factors influencing United States expansion. From the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 to the Gadsden Purchase in 1853 the United States had tripled in size since its original thirteen colonies and only paid forty-five million dollars in doing so. The idea of Manifest Destiny spread quickly throughout the country and soon thousands were moving westward in search of a new way of life. The idea of Manifest Destiny was for the URead MoreLouisiana Purchase Essay1253 Words   |  6 PagesThe Louisiana Purchase was the most influential and important land purchases in American history. The acquired land in this historical purchase proved to far outweigh what most Americans at the time could imagine. The Louisiana Purchase more than doubled the size of the United States, and lead to many great discoveries and societal benefits. Some of the major and most prominent ways that the Louisiana Purchase influenced the evolution of American were the expeditions of Louis and Clark on theRead MoreThe Lewis and Clark Exploration Essay1741 Words   |  7 Pageslinked. These two names, the last names of Meriwether and William respectively, are that of two of the greatest explorers in the history of the United States. With the help of Indians and a group of brave men, the vast area west of the Mississippi River was the object of their exploration. Lewis was born to a Virginia planter family in 1774. His father, who had been an officer in the American Revolution, died when Lewis was five years old, and for a brief time he lived in Georgia when hisRead MoreThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1333 Words   |  6 PagesThe acquired Louisiana territory doubled the size of America and allowed the boundaries of the country to be extended. This acquisition of land became to be known as the Louisiana Purchase. However, the new and unknown territory had to be explored in order to obtain an accurate sense of the strange land and what resources it had to offer. Jefferson was in need of someone brave enough who would take on the challenge and achieve success. The role best fit the appointed soldier, politician, and publicRead MoreTo What Extent Was the Election of 1800 Aptly Named the Revolution of 1800? Respond with Reference to Two of the Following Areas: Foreign Policy - Judiciary - Politics - Economics623 Words   |  3 Pageswith Albert Gallatin issuing the, â€Å"Report on Roads and Canals,† leading to the creation of a national road were both big contributions to the American economy at that present tim e. Along with the Louisiana Purchase from France and Lewis and Clarke Expedition were two huge factors in the way America’s geography would turn out to this present day, along with helping the economy drastically. The election of Thomas Jefferson was on of the best things that has ever happened in American history, the economicRead MoreThe History Of Lewis And Clark1651 Words   |  7 PagesThe History of Lewis and Clark In 1803, shortly after the Louisiana Purchase, Thomas Jefferson, our third US President sent two men, U.S. Army Captain Meriwether Lewis and William Clark out to explore the unexplored west and in search of a water route across North America, fulfilling the dreams of Thomas Jefferson in sending explorers across the America. Thomas Jefferson chose Meriwether Lewis who was previously his secretary to lead the expedition. Thus being chosen to lead the expeditionRead MoreCoastal Erosion Essays1155 Words   |  5 Pagesdecrease. The causes behind coastal erosion are varied. They are often the result of manmade problems, such as pollution (Williams). However, the erosion of some coastlines is a natural process that occurs without human interaction (Internet Geography). Just as important as understanding the definition of coastal erosion, is appreciating where the phenomenon it is happening. It is important to recognize that coastal erosion does not affect every beach and coastal area in the world. In fact

Collective Bargaining Creating Better Working Conditions Free Essays

In the nineteenth century, America was sizeable as it delved into the Industrial Revolution and watched its economy grow. With new technology and a voracious appetite for capital goods, the nation’s productive capacity multiplied. Cities formed as business owners built factories that attracted and hired millions of workers. We will write a custom essay sample on Collective Bargaining Creating Better Working Conditions or any similar topic only for you Order Now Immigrants poured into the country, while prospective settlers west found the frontier closed. The working class was scrambling for employment and factories willingly provided it. Yet the very abundance of these laborers turned them into expendable machine parts. No one bothered to make working conditions safer as ociety believed that the working class deserved their terrible conditions due to their lack of natural ability. Soon, however, workers found that they could unite to achieve their goals. At the turn of the nineteenth century, Americans, dissatisfied with low- paying, hazardous Jobs stemming from Social Darwinism, publicized their plight and began to form unions that ineffectively bargained with factory owners and the government to create better working conditions. unskilled workers in particular were subject to strict rules set by their employer about their hours and tasks. Stockholders needed profits, and laborers needed Jobs. As a result, industry tycoons found that they could mistreat their underlings. Clocks were â€Å"set back to stretch the day’, and doors were locked to keep employees from leaving early (Mitelman 80). A minute of tardiness cost a precious hour’s salary, and almost a full hour of work at the end of the day did not translate Into an hour’s compensation. A worker who arrived a few minutes late could get fired (Sinclair 20). But no matter; hordes of willing replacements teemed at factory gates. Too late did a congressional committee discover that Chicago packhouses were unsanitary and driving workers to their deaths. Employees had to work In closed rooms only slightly warmer than freezing and stand on wet floors that made feet more susceptible to disease. The committee reported the â€Å"neglect on the part of their employers to recognize or provide for the requirements of cleanliness and decency of the employees† (â€Å"House† 116). Industry had no care for their expendable workers, and the government was slow In discovering the health risks the working environment posed. Nor did companies concern themselves with more sudden hazards that could strike their factories. Out of economy and sheer nonchalance, they neglected to Install basic safety measures. Thus the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire In 1911 that started as a small fire and exploded Into a conflagration amid the combustible shirtwaist fabric and wooden floors. Hundreds of workers perished as they rampaged through the long tables â€Å"out through the one open door† (Mltelman 82). The factory doors were troublesome as they opened Inwards towards the pressing, panlcklng crowd. Firefighters found themselves stranded halfway off the ground as their ladders could not even reach the top three floors of the factory. The sheer momentum of those workers desperate enough to Jump â€Å"ripped big holes through the life nets†, yet others ingle fire escape soon buckled, plunging workers to their deaths before they could reach the safety of the neighboring rooftop (Mitelman 83). The systematic slaughter of Triangle Shirtwaist employees could have been avoided had the company heeded simple fire precautions. Yet the company’s owners, similar to other business magnates who held such power, only acted with such brazenness because of the social version of Charles Darwin’s â€Å"survival of the fittest† work. One of the greatest biologists in history, Darwin believed that the genetically supreme would succeed. Translated into Social Darwinism, industrial tycoons were rich because they were naturally talented. Assisted by high capabilities, wealth could burgeon in the hands of those who earned it, so the government had no place meddling with its cries of reform (Henretta 579). Men such as Andrew Carnegie, a wealthy steel businessman at the turn of the century, had himself risen from an abject immigrant childhood, crediting his competence. He believed in a few choice elite spreading the wealth to the poor, since â€Å"the laws upon which civilization is founded† had given society’s wealth to that group (Carnegie). Inheritors erred and squandered their bequests, since only the original businessmen had the â€Å"superior wisdom, experience, and ability’ to earn such large fortunes (Carnegie). The working class could receive monetary assistance, but the most prosperous men, with the most power in lawmaking, decided there was no use in improving laborers’ conditions if they couldn’t rise out of poverty themselves. As the wealthy lived in luxury during the Gilded Age, unsympathetic to the plight of the uneducated masses, these men suffering from fires and starvation began the labor movement themselves in search of change. The Knights of Labor, founded in 1869, advocated republicanism as it strove for its goal of employee-run cooperatives with fair payment, a minimum working age, and gender equality. The group worked to secure â€Å"the organization and direction, by co-operative effort, of the power of the industrial classes† in order to achieve these mighty objectives (â€Å"Knights† 72). Their weapon of choice was strikes, or at least the threat of them. Combined with trade unions, the workers gained a potent weapon through their organization. However, the Knights were idealists, insisting on radical ideas such as that all laws must â€Å"bear qually upon capital and labor†, and were unwilling to yield in their quest to equalize capitalists and laborers (â€Å"Knights† 73). Thus the more realistic trade unions such as the American Federation of Labor began to replace the Knights. Unionists such as Samuel Gompers worked for smaller causes, such as an eight-hour workday. Claiming that shorter workdays would promote innovation and enhance industrial progress, Gompers convinced the public that an eight-hour workday would reduce labor to create â€Å"more advancement and intelligence, and a nobler race of people† (â€Å"Unionist† 74). Yet rhetoric was only rhetoric; the only way to combat big business was through strikes. Theoretically the strike was an effective tool, but in practice it was more often a failure. Strikers only held the power of collective bargaining if all employees left their posts and barricaded their replacement scabs. But many of the best workers initially resisted Joining unions, as exemplified by Jurgis in Upton Sinclair’s portrayal of Chicagds meatpacking industry. An immigrant fresh from Europe, Jurgis was a strong butchering work. He believed the union was for weaklings, and â€Å"if they couldn’t do it, et them go somewhere else† (Sinclair 61). Even when the strike did succeed, arbitration between unions and managers still left workers with the short end of the stick. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory beseeched members of the Women’s Trade Union League to return after the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, luring them with promises of safety improvements that turned out to be hollow once the trusting girls returned to work (Mitelman 83). Yet workers could not know if changes would be implemented until they broke the strike, and once they did a new strike would be even more difficult to organize. The government too would rush to aid big business during strikes. In the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, hoodlums burned the Pennsylvania Railroad Company trains in a riot. The government charged the strikers with arson and rioting, â€Å"although it was common knowledge that it was not they who instigated the fire† Cones 32). Deputy sheriffs hired by the Pittsburgh mayor created chaos in the city, but they too charged the results of their conduct to the strikers Cones 32). Eventually quelled by federal troops, the riot was an example of federal government using court actions and anti-labor legislation to show that it supported industry bove the common worker. Although the federal and state governments remained unconcerned with the working class, local political machines recognized their difficulties. As the grassroots representation of laborers, local government needed votes and could get them by improving the working environment. Collectively, the group of voters had more political influence through their political representatives than individuals did. Tammany Hall in New York City helped the newly formed New York State Factory Commission pass 56 laws concerning fire safety, hazardous machinery, and wages for womena dn children (Henretta 651). The New York Consumers’ League, middle-class women shocked by the indecency of working conditions, limited Oregon women’s working hours through the Supreme Court. Other lobbyists convinced Massachusetts to pass a minimum wage law for women and children in 1912 (Henretta 645). But Supreme Court rulings and the few government laws passed could be effective only when the laws were enforced. Factories such as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory violated fire regulations even after the disastrous fire (Mitelman 83). With little to lose if disobedient, too often did industries turn deaf ears to government mandates of eform. Although the efforts of unions and politicians in the early twentieth century were easily defeated and fell short of lofty goals to improve working conditions, these spurs of labor reform began an effective labor movement that gathered force to stimulate the Progressive Era. Muckrakers exposing societys ills tugged at heartstrings and stirred the fever of reform through the sight of revolting work and sickening men, providing a sharp contrast between capitalists and laborers. As the middle and upper class abandoned Social Darwinism, the Progressive Era emerged here the government finally became a friend rather than an enemy to the lower class. Progressive presidents welcomed bills limiting hours while promoting collective bargaining through labor unions. At the same time, both the executive and Judicial branches worked to weaken big businesses consisting of trusts and monopolies. The mid-century, until the major goals of minimum wage, maximum hours, and prevention of child labor were achieved. Although laborers still strive for better conditions and industries still resist, workers are now armed with the tools they need to improve their plight. How to cite Collective Bargaining Creating Better Working Conditions, Papers