What does it takes for one to be a gentleman? As a councillor, we are aware that we should be one of the best in this school and definitely uphold the qualities of a gentleman. As a councillor, I have attended one such course before which pertains to the quality of a gentleman. That was with regards to the table manners, where we were given the opportunity to prove ourselves by showcasing the proper and right way to eat. We were asked to eat in a restaurant and we had been asked to dress like a gentleman, long-sleeved shirt with a pair of long black pants and tie. Before we began our meal, we had been given a course on how we should eat like a gentleman, telling us the different utensils on the table and which ones are meant to be used for the part of the meal, such as there was one for the appetiser, main course, dessert. We also learnt how to eat and how to hold the utensils (forks, spoons and glass cup) in a proper way.
To be a proper gentleman, one must possess the basic qualities which govern the moral values of one and abide by them. To be a gentleman is no easy task. Besides, it is crucial to keep up one’s appearance as well, you wouldn’t want yourself being unshaved and hair uncut, while your clothes are not ironed, living others with a bad impression on you. Most importantly, we need to know the right thing to do at the right time. Not only does this bring out your qualities as a gentleman, but it serves as respect to others as well.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Can the Real William Shakespeare Please Stand Up?
a.) Why is William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon an unlikely candidate for the authorship of Shakespeare’s works?
Firstly, William Shakespeare had poor education. Besides, his family and him were classified as those in the lowest-income group, meaning that they had the lowest social status in the country. While these plays were usually seen everywhere, meaning that some plays had included other countries’ beliefs and cultures inside, it is unlikely for William Shakespeare, one whom has such low social status to be able to go to other countries to experience it before coming up with plays. Besides, he was uneducated. For a person to write out such plays of such high caliber definitely needs to be highly educated and adventurous to go to other places for inspiration and research.
b.) Who are the possible candidates?
There are a total of 5 candidates: Francis Bacon, Roger Manners (Earl of Rutland), Christopher Malowe, Edwerd de Vere (Earl of Oxford), William Stanley (Earl of Derby).
c.) Who is the most likely candidate for the authorship of Shakespeare’s works? Provide reasons to support your view.
We will do a brief background check of all 5 candidates before deciding on who is the most likely candidate for the authorship of Shakespeare’s works.
Firstly, we have Francis Bacon; many people actually believed that it was him that was the best and most likely candidate. However, as time goes by, we are able to analyze plays at a different level, by knowing their themes. Look at Shakespeare’s plays, they are so brilliant, which highlights the vivid imagination he had and even sometime highlights the emotions of one while Francis Bacon has almost the opposite characteristics; he tends to take things very seriously.
Next, we have Roger Manners. While Shakespeare’s plays were already in theatre, he was still a teen, unless he was a really awesome child prodigy but it seems really unlikely.
Third, we have Christopher Malowe. This candidate is pretty similar to Francis Bacon. Shakespeare’s plays as mentioned were emotional; however, his plays revolved around hard feelings but yet again there are many similarities between them. Besides, he has gotten into trouble with the law and I believe a refined man like Shakespeare will not carry out a misdeed.
Next, we have Edwerd de Vere. Although there are many similarities between their plays, he had died too soon, after he died, Shakespeare’s plays still continued on.
Lastly, we have William Stanley, who actually lived too long.
I personally feel that there could have been at least two people doing the plays of Shakespeare, and one of them could have been Francis Bacon while the other should be William Stanley. Indeed, Francis Bacon personalities differ but we cannot rule out that he treats different groups of audience differently and would change his attitudes and William Stanley could have continued his works after Francis Bacon passed on.
Resources:
http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/pseudosc/hidncode.htm
http://michaelprescott.freeservers.com/derby.htm
Firstly, William Shakespeare had poor education. Besides, his family and him were classified as those in the lowest-income group, meaning that they had the lowest social status in the country. While these plays were usually seen everywhere, meaning that some plays had included other countries’ beliefs and cultures inside, it is unlikely for William Shakespeare, one whom has such low social status to be able to go to other countries to experience it before coming up with plays. Besides, he was uneducated. For a person to write out such plays of such high caliber definitely needs to be highly educated and adventurous to go to other places for inspiration and research.
b.) Who are the possible candidates?
There are a total of 5 candidates: Francis Bacon, Roger Manners (Earl of Rutland), Christopher Malowe, Edwerd de Vere (Earl of Oxford), William Stanley (Earl of Derby).
c.) Who is the most likely candidate for the authorship of Shakespeare’s works? Provide reasons to support your view.
We will do a brief background check of all 5 candidates before deciding on who is the most likely candidate for the authorship of Shakespeare’s works.
Firstly, we have Francis Bacon; many people actually believed that it was him that was the best and most likely candidate. However, as time goes by, we are able to analyze plays at a different level, by knowing their themes. Look at Shakespeare’s plays, they are so brilliant, which highlights the vivid imagination he had and even sometime highlights the emotions of one while Francis Bacon has almost the opposite characteristics; he tends to take things very seriously.
Next, we have Roger Manners. While Shakespeare’s plays were already in theatre, he was still a teen, unless he was a really awesome child prodigy but it seems really unlikely.
Third, we have Christopher Malowe. This candidate is pretty similar to Francis Bacon. Shakespeare’s plays as mentioned were emotional; however, his plays revolved around hard feelings but yet again there are many similarities between them. Besides, he has gotten into trouble with the law and I believe a refined man like Shakespeare will not carry out a misdeed.
Next, we have Edwerd de Vere. Although there are many similarities between their plays, he had died too soon, after he died, Shakespeare’s plays still continued on.
Lastly, we have William Stanley, who actually lived too long.
I personally feel that there could have been at least two people doing the plays of Shakespeare, and one of them could have been Francis Bacon while the other should be William Stanley. Indeed, Francis Bacon personalities differ but we cannot rule out that he treats different groups of audience differently and would change his attitudes and William Stanley could have continued his works after Francis Bacon passed on.
Resources:
http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/pseudosc/hidncode.htm
http://michaelprescott.freeservers.com/derby.htm
Shakespeare's Theatre
a.) In what sort of building were Shakespeare’s plays performed?
Shakespeare’s plays were played in Shakespeare’s theatre; the theatre was located in London, England, opened in 1599. Then, it had a small capacity, only allowing 3000 people to be inside, both standing and seated. Shakespeare’s Theatre was also called the Globe Theatre, its actual dimensions are not known, however, research has found it out to be an open-air and three-storey high amphitheatre.
b.) How did the physical constraints of the theatre affect the language of Shakespeare’s plays?
The stage could have been too small for Shakespeare’s plays to take place, judging by numerical figures, the stage was only 13.1 m in width, which may not have enough space for plays that required many people to be on stage. Besides, weather also played a huge role since it was open-air and with technology being not modern then, they were forced to attract the attention of the huge crowd (3000 people) with their voices.
c.) What sort of people acted in plays? What sort of people went to see them?
During that time, only men were allowed to act in plays. This seemed to be a law in the country because many deemed women as unsuitable to be acting in plays; this could be due to their qualities, being demure, and unable to grasp the attention of the audience. Only the rich and probably middle-income went to see these plays, as previous research has been done, we are aware that Queen Elizabeth I loved Shakespeare’s plays and invited him to conduct his plays or go to the theatre to see his plays. Peasants (Lower-Income) would not go since they were uneducated and would not be able to understand the play.
d.) How was ‘the theatre’ viewed by society?
The theatre was met with different reactions based on the different viewpoints we look from it. The royals did not have any complain about this, however, they could have disapproval of it. However, they had to follow the Queen, by respecting her; the Queen was an avid person of Shakespeare’s plays. Those that loved Shakespeare’s plays were definitely in support of it, wanting to share it with the public; however, the rich could have shown disapproval that plays of such high caliber should only be shown to those having a prominent social status.
e.) Compare the modern day Globe Theatre in London with the theatres that Shakespeare worked in.
There are not many differences with the modern day Globe Theatre and the old one Shakespeare worked in. Firstly, the location of the theatre, the current new theatre is actually located 230 m away from the original site of the old theatre. The theatre has similar outlines of the previous theatre but since it is a modern age today, the theatre built today is much stronger, unlike the old one which was demolished during a fire.
Shakespeare’s plays were played in Shakespeare’s theatre; the theatre was located in London, England, opened in 1599. Then, it had a small capacity, only allowing 3000 people to be inside, both standing and seated. Shakespeare’s Theatre was also called the Globe Theatre, its actual dimensions are not known, however, research has found it out to be an open-air and three-storey high amphitheatre.
b.) How did the physical constraints of the theatre affect the language of Shakespeare’s plays?
The stage could have been too small for Shakespeare’s plays to take place, judging by numerical figures, the stage was only 13.1 m in width, which may not have enough space for plays that required many people to be on stage. Besides, weather also played a huge role since it was open-air and with technology being not modern then, they were forced to attract the attention of the huge crowd (3000 people) with their voices.
c.) What sort of people acted in plays? What sort of people went to see them?
During that time, only men were allowed to act in plays. This seemed to be a law in the country because many deemed women as unsuitable to be acting in plays; this could be due to their qualities, being demure, and unable to grasp the attention of the audience. Only the rich and probably middle-income went to see these plays, as previous research has been done, we are aware that Queen Elizabeth I loved Shakespeare’s plays and invited him to conduct his plays or go to the theatre to see his plays. Peasants (Lower-Income) would not go since they were uneducated and would not be able to understand the play.
d.) How was ‘the theatre’ viewed by society?
The theatre was met with different reactions based on the different viewpoints we look from it. The royals did not have any complain about this, however, they could have disapproval of it. However, they had to follow the Queen, by respecting her; the Queen was an avid person of Shakespeare’s plays. Those that loved Shakespeare’s plays were definitely in support of it, wanting to share it with the public; however, the rich could have shown disapproval that plays of such high caliber should only be shown to those having a prominent social status.
e.) Compare the modern day Globe Theatre in London with the theatres that Shakespeare worked in.
There are not many differences with the modern day Globe Theatre and the old one Shakespeare worked in. Firstly, the location of the theatre, the current new theatre is actually located 230 m away from the original site of the old theatre. The theatre has similar outlines of the previous theatre but since it is a modern age today, the theatre built today is much stronger, unlike the old one which was demolished during a fire.
The Historical & Cultural Setting of Venice
a.) What was Venice like during the 15th and 16th century? Comment especially on its demographics and culture.
Venice was already part of England, and thus, its demographics and culture were pretty similar to majority of England. Firstly, the settlements were not modern due to the century we are currently discussing. They usually lived in villages and their villages were located in the proximity of the rivers, since they needed the water to survive. Their culture was pretty similar to England as well; there was a huge gap between the rich and the poor. The rich were mostly the royals, while the poor were mostly the peasants, whom worked as farmers. There was hardly a particular culture, except the fact that the people of Venice would usually rely on the royals (kingdom) from the queens and kings for instructions to relay and carry out.
b.) Why was Venice important during the 15th and 16th century?
Venice was important since it was seen as a key trading hub, Venice was also the easiest town for merchants to come since it was located near the sea, thus, merchants from Venice itself could set out sail themselves in search for new businesses and locations, while other merchants from other countries were allowed to come here to trade their valuable stuff, thus making it a crucial port, which contributed to the country’s economy.
c.) What was the dominant religion in Venice? How were Jews treated and regarded?
The dominant religion in Venice was most probably Christians. Jews were treated in a different way, being marginalized from the society, where most people would be together. According to past research done and knowledge of Merchant of Venice, Jews were the main subject of hatred of the Christians. From the book, we could raise an example of how Jews were treated differently, that they needed to pay interest when getting a loan, however, Christians did not need to do so, having loans with free-interest.
d.) How is Venice a choice setting for this plot and play?
Based on the research above, one of the key important points why Venice was chosen for this plot and play had to be because of its importance during that time. Then, Venice was an important place where trading took place and ships set off in search of businesses and since Antonio, the key character, was a merchant, it fitted it in. Besides, the story revolves around Antonio, where his businesses at sea play a crucial role in the plot. Another reason could be that many of Shakespeare’s plays were seen in Venice; however, we have no evidence to back it.
Venice was already part of England, and thus, its demographics and culture were pretty similar to majority of England. Firstly, the settlements were not modern due to the century we are currently discussing. They usually lived in villages and their villages were located in the proximity of the rivers, since they needed the water to survive. Their culture was pretty similar to England as well; there was a huge gap between the rich and the poor. The rich were mostly the royals, while the poor were mostly the peasants, whom worked as farmers. There was hardly a particular culture, except the fact that the people of Venice would usually rely on the royals (kingdom) from the queens and kings for instructions to relay and carry out.
b.) Why was Venice important during the 15th and 16th century?
Venice was important since it was seen as a key trading hub, Venice was also the easiest town for merchants to come since it was located near the sea, thus, merchants from Venice itself could set out sail themselves in search for new businesses and locations, while other merchants from other countries were allowed to come here to trade their valuable stuff, thus making it a crucial port, which contributed to the country’s economy.
c.) What was the dominant religion in Venice? How were Jews treated and regarded?
The dominant religion in Venice was most probably Christians. Jews were treated in a different way, being marginalized from the society, where most people would be together. According to past research done and knowledge of Merchant of Venice, Jews were the main subject of hatred of the Christians. From the book, we could raise an example of how Jews were treated differently, that they needed to pay interest when getting a loan, however, Christians did not need to do so, having loans with free-interest.
d.) How is Venice a choice setting for this plot and play?
Based on the research above, one of the key important points why Venice was chosen for this plot and play had to be because of its importance during that time. Then, Venice was an important place where trading took place and ships set off in search of businesses and since Antonio, the key character, was a merchant, it fitted it in. Besides, the story revolves around Antonio, where his businesses at sea play a crucial role in the plot. Another reason could be that many of Shakespeare’s plays were seen in Venice; however, we have no evidence to back it.
Truth of Mississippi Burning
1.) For minor crimes, most states have a “statute of limitations” that prohibits bringing charges when a certain period of time has elapsed since the crime. When it comes to serious crimes, is it right for the justice system to pursue criminal charges several decades after the crime is said to have occurred?
I believe it is right for the justice system to pursue criminal charges several decades after the crime is said to have occurred. As many people say, Justice have long arms, meaning that no matter how far away the victim is, no matter how long the case is under investigation, there is still a need for justice to be upheld and the culprits should be rightfully punished. Even though time has passed, it remains a fact that the culprit had committed a crime and has not been punished for his misdeeds. However, there is another scenario or problem to consider, such as the change of the law over the years or decades. Due to the passing of years and decades, law has definitely changed from before and currently, for murder, it could be lifetime imprisonment unlike in the past, it could have been sentence to death (Example). Thus, the law currently should be used to convict him.
2.) What do you think: was the state’s image “rehabilitated”?
I think that it represents a good image of the state, since people that have committed crimes decades before in the past are punished. Having been “rehabilitated”, it means that the accused wrongly have been given a new lease of life, been cleared of guilt and can continue to live like a normal person, while those that were truly accused, will receive punishment for their crimes and justice will be upheld.
3.) How much do you know about the civil rights era in general?
Currently, we are aware that the civil rights movement was on during that time, one such example was about the Montgomery Bus event, where it sparked racial riots in a bid to stand up for human rights. However, in general, the civil rights era concentrated on the human rights of people, such as justice and wants them to be people of fairness. Till now, some still believe that the Human Civil Rights Movement is still on because fairness has not been achieved yet for everyone.
I believe it is right for the justice system to pursue criminal charges several decades after the crime is said to have occurred. As many people say, Justice have long arms, meaning that no matter how far away the victim is, no matter how long the case is under investigation, there is still a need for justice to be upheld and the culprits should be rightfully punished. Even though time has passed, it remains a fact that the culprit had committed a crime and has not been punished for his misdeeds. However, there is another scenario or problem to consider, such as the change of the law over the years or decades. Due to the passing of years and decades, law has definitely changed from before and currently, for murder, it could be lifetime imprisonment unlike in the past, it could have been sentence to death (Example). Thus, the law currently should be used to convict him.
2.) What do you think: was the state’s image “rehabilitated”?
I think that it represents a good image of the state, since people that have committed crimes decades before in the past are punished. Having been “rehabilitated”, it means that the accused wrongly have been given a new lease of life, been cleared of guilt and can continue to live like a normal person, while those that were truly accused, will receive punishment for their crimes and justice will be upheld.
3.) How much do you know about the civil rights era in general?
Currently, we are aware that the civil rights movement was on during that time, one such example was about the Montgomery Bus event, where it sparked racial riots in a bid to stand up for human rights. However, in general, the civil rights era concentrated on the human rights of people, such as justice and wants them to be people of fairness. Till now, some still believe that the Human Civil Rights Movement is still on because fairness has not been achieved yet for everyone.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Customs & Lifestyle
a.) Personal Hygiene
There are not many pieces of evidence to suggest examples of personal hygiene. However, we are able to guess the situation of personal hygiene based on our general knowledge and after reading Merchant of Venice. There is unlikely to have a high level of personal hygiene, considering that most countries were not modern at that time and like countries in Asia, it could have been dirty then due to the fact that we do not have enough knowledge about how the kingdom runs the country. Yet again, there are no pieces of evidence to suggest that it was dirty; it could have been quite clean. During that time, there were many diseases and people were learning how to cope against them, thus, they could have maintained a high level of personal hygiene.
b.) Diet
During that time, many people were peasants and since there was not much trade, many people depended on themselves for food. As peasants, most of them were farmers are depended on bread for their food; they grew rye and barley as ingredients to make bread. Besides bread, their only other sources of food come from pottage (a soup made from oats), meat (pigs), mutton (sheep and lamb) and other animals living in the woods near the village. They usually drank water taken from the river and milk; however, a more common drink would be ale, made from barley.
c.) Recreation
Once more, there is insufficient evidence to tell us what they did for recreation. One would have thought that Christmas could be a day of recreation for them. However, it isn’t, it causes grieve instead. Based on our knowledge, recreation could have been derived easily, by living in happiness, some hobbies could include hunting in the woods, or going out to sea.
d.) Accommodation
The peasants usually lived in towns, however, these towns were located at places where people could meet up easily, such as near rivers. These towns were very small compared to the towns we have now in England, such as Brimingham and London. Houses were usually built using wood, since buildings were very expensive and only the rich could afford mansions.
e.) Dress
The dress code could have been really simple in England; however, we do not have any evidence to support this claim. Based on our general knowledge, it is likely that they were dressed casually, just normal shirts and shorts made out of cloth. The rich definitely had better clothing, probably made out of silk and fibre and maybe with the use of ornaments made out of gold on it.
Resources:
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/england_medieval.htm
There are not many pieces of evidence to suggest examples of personal hygiene. However, we are able to guess the situation of personal hygiene based on our general knowledge and after reading Merchant of Venice. There is unlikely to have a high level of personal hygiene, considering that most countries were not modern at that time and like countries in Asia, it could have been dirty then due to the fact that we do not have enough knowledge about how the kingdom runs the country. Yet again, there are no pieces of evidence to suggest that it was dirty; it could have been quite clean. During that time, there were many diseases and people were learning how to cope against them, thus, they could have maintained a high level of personal hygiene.
b.) Diet
During that time, many people were peasants and since there was not much trade, many people depended on themselves for food. As peasants, most of them were farmers are depended on bread for their food; they grew rye and barley as ingredients to make bread. Besides bread, their only other sources of food come from pottage (a soup made from oats), meat (pigs), mutton (sheep and lamb) and other animals living in the woods near the village. They usually drank water taken from the river and milk; however, a more common drink would be ale, made from barley.
c.) Recreation
Once more, there is insufficient evidence to tell us what they did for recreation. One would have thought that Christmas could be a day of recreation for them. However, it isn’t, it causes grieve instead. Based on our knowledge, recreation could have been derived easily, by living in happiness, some hobbies could include hunting in the woods, or going out to sea.
d.) Accommodation
The peasants usually lived in towns, however, these towns were located at places where people could meet up easily, such as near rivers. These towns were very small compared to the towns we have now in England, such as Brimingham and London. Houses were usually built using wood, since buildings were very expensive and only the rich could afford mansions.
e.) Dress
The dress code could have been really simple in England; however, we do not have any evidence to support this claim. Based on our general knowledge, it is likely that they were dressed casually, just normal shirts and shorts made out of cloth. The rich definitely had better clothing, probably made out of silk and fibre and maybe with the use of ornaments made out of gold on it.
Resources:
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/england_medieval.htm
Religion: Jews vs. Christians
a.) What was the dominant religion in England and Venice in the 15th and 16th century?
According to resources, the dominant religion in England and Venice was most likely to be Christianity in the 15th and 16th century. This is most likely due to a lack of information on other religions such as Jews, thus we assume that the minority held other religions. Besides, from the book, Merchant of Venice, there is background knowledge that Shylock, who is a Jew himself, is biased against most people, thus he is a loner, so it is most likely that the majority of the people held Christianity as their religion.
b.) Why was there such animosity between Jews and Christians?
We are currently unsure of the reasons which caused animosity between Jews and Christians; however, we believe that the reasons are highly connected to the leadership positions. This probably started with the Henrician Reformation; the Act of Supremacy had made Henry VII the head of the Church of England and he introduced a slew of changes such as authorising the English translation of the Bible and English replaced Latin as the language during Church services. Besides, Henry VII also dissolved monastaries (houses reserved for a prayer). Lastly, a woman named Anne Askew was martyred (pretends to be suffering such as to obtain sympathy) but she was arrested and tortured. She could have been a Jew likewise, which caused the deep hatred between the two religions. Followed by Henry VII’s death, Edward VI took over and priests were allowed to marry while pictures/statues of saints were taken down. Lastly, Mary ended the lives of Protestants (those supporting the changes of Henry VII and Edward VI), driving people away from Roman Catholicism.
c.) In what ways did Christians discriminate against Jews in 15th and 16th century Europe?
Jews were discriminated against by the Christians; however, there are not many examples of discrimination acts, one clear example, which we can also see in Merchant of Venice that Jews were charged interests when they had to loan money. However, besides this, there are not many pieces of evidence. As mentioned earlier, the lives of Jews were also taken away by Mary I, in a bid to end the presence of Protestants in England.
Resources:
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101108093242AAmfQkm
http://www.localhistories.org/christian.html
According to resources, the dominant religion in England and Venice was most likely to be Christianity in the 15th and 16th century. This is most likely due to a lack of information on other religions such as Jews, thus we assume that the minority held other religions. Besides, from the book, Merchant of Venice, there is background knowledge that Shylock, who is a Jew himself, is biased against most people, thus he is a loner, so it is most likely that the majority of the people held Christianity as their religion.
b.) Why was there such animosity between Jews and Christians?
We are currently unsure of the reasons which caused animosity between Jews and Christians; however, we believe that the reasons are highly connected to the leadership positions. This probably started with the Henrician Reformation; the Act of Supremacy had made Henry VII the head of the Church of England and he introduced a slew of changes such as authorising the English translation of the Bible and English replaced Latin as the language during Church services. Besides, Henry VII also dissolved monastaries (houses reserved for a prayer). Lastly, a woman named Anne Askew was martyred (pretends to be suffering such as to obtain sympathy) but she was arrested and tortured. She could have been a Jew likewise, which caused the deep hatred between the two religions. Followed by Henry VII’s death, Edward VI took over and priests were allowed to marry while pictures/statues of saints were taken down. Lastly, Mary ended the lives of Protestants (those supporting the changes of Henry VII and Edward VI), driving people away from Roman Catholicism.
c.) In what ways did Christians discriminate against Jews in 15th and 16th century Europe?
Jews were discriminated against by the Christians; however, there are not many examples of discrimination acts, one clear example, which we can also see in Merchant of Venice that Jews were charged interests when they had to loan money. However, besides this, there are not many pieces of evidence. As mentioned earlier, the lives of Jews were also taken away by Mary I, in a bid to end the presence of Protestants in England.
Resources:
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101108093242AAmfQkm
http://www.localhistories.org/christian.html
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