Comparing Oedipus Rex and King Lear Essay -- comparison compare contra

Comparing Oedipus Rex and King Lear   Ã‚   Oedipus Rex and King Lear are, as their titles announce, both about kings. These two plays are similar in theme and in the questions they pose to the audience. The kings in each play both fall from the pinnacle of power to become the most loathed of all classes in society; Oedipus discovers that he is a murderer and committer of incest, and Lear becomes a mad beggar. Misjudgments occur in both plays, and the same questions about the gods, fate, and free will are posed. In spite of these similarities, however, the final effects of these two plays differ greatly.    For me, as I read Oedipus Rex again this fall, I experienced a sensation nearly of agony. Because I had already known the myth as well as read the play, I was in the Greek's position of foreknowledge. This caused me to feel acutely the irony of Oedipus' confident declarations that the murderer of Laius should be "driven from every house, / Being, as he is, corruption itself to us," and again on the next page,    As for the criminal, I pray to God- Whether it be a lurking thief, or one of a number- I pray that that man's life be consumed in evil and wretchedness. And as for me, this curse applies no less If it should turn out that the culprit is my guest here, Sharing my hearth. (13-14)    Oedipus has absolutely no idea that the murderer he is denouncing so vehemently is, in fact, himself. The fact that the reader knows that, and he does not, becomes increasintly painful, especially in the line where Oedipus says, "And as for me, this curse applies no less...." Oedipus means only that he will not protect the guilty, even under the constraints of hospitality; he has absolutely no ... ...n has already occurred, is concentrated fully on them. King Lear comes to a much more acceptable resolution.    At the end of Oedipus Rex, I felt nothing but relief that the worst was finally over. King Lear also made me sigh heavily with relief, but it was more cathartic than the other. There is less agony in the experience of the play, and the ending is more resolved. While Sophocles leaves the audience with a burden of unresolved issues, Shakespeare, though not resolving them, makes them less cumbersome. In this way, King Lear, though no less a tragedy than Oedipus Rex, seems less ponderous and sad.   Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. King Lear. Ed. Russell Fraser. Newly revised ed. New York: Penguin Group, 1998. Sophocles. "Oedipus Rex." Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. The Oedipus Cycle. New York: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1939.

Desensitization and Media Violence

Discuss the relationship between violence in the media violence in the society. Does violence in the media make people more tolerant of violence in the society? Also, does violence in the media cause people to behave violently? The impact of violence in the media relating to the society is an intense topic discussed in this century. Gerbner defined violence as â€Å"a threat or use of physical force, directed against the self or others in which physical harm or death is involved† (cited in Giddens, 2006, p. 610).The media includes different means of communication, such as television, radio, newspapers, video games; internet etc. People make use of media as a source of information, entertainment and leisure activity (Brown, 2005, p. 161). According to O’Donnell (2005), the two main roles of the media are to make profit in terms of money and promote particular ideology. The information that people see, hear or read has great influence on people’s identities, values and interests. It also affects the way people think and act regarding particular issues based on the â€Å"provided† evidence (Brown, 2005,p. 62). However, people have ability to evaluate and decide what they hear, see or read based on their social experiences, ethnic origin, social class and gender (Brown, 2005, p. 185). Now, the questions arise as, what is the relationship between media violence and the violence in the society? Whether media violence cause people to behave violently or it desensitizes people? Throughout this century, sociologists and researchers have examined these issues and have attempted to explain or disprove it using different theories and researches.In the first place, the media plays great role in shaping values, attitudes and behaviour through norm setting agenda. It reinforces conformity to social norms and discourages non-conformist behaviour (Brown, 2005, p. 169). It also provides other information that the society feels important like weather a nd health. However, conflict approach declares that the media controls ideas and thoughts of the society through agenda setting and gate keeping (Brown, 2005, p. 169). In addition to that, the media used to enlarge the news of crime and violence to keep people occupied with these issues.For example, attacks older people, stabbing, raping and gang fights get over reported (Brown, 2005,p. 182). Thompson’s theory of audience models stated that interaction between media and people is â€Å"mediated quasi-interaction† which means there is no face to face or direct connection. So, it leaves the viewers in a discussion of unanswered questions. This promotes ideology and influence of what media wants on people (Giddens, 2006, p. 604). The gratification model audience uses the media for what they want and ignore the rest.Instead, hypodermic model audience what they hear, see or read without thinking about it (Giddens, 2006, p. 608&609). So, physically or emotionally â€Å"exci ted† viewers become easily stimulated by violence (Anderson & Wartell, 2003, p. 85). According to Brown (2005), â€Å"estimates suggest young viewers will see around 13000 murders on television†. Osofsky & Eisenberg (1995&2000) stated that exposure to violence undermine the development of emotion regulation skills. This leads to aggressive behaviour, attitudes and loss of problem solving strategies (cited in Funk et. al. , 2004, p. 24).It also effects moral evaluation, as a result the viewer fails to perceive or respond to signs (Eron, 2001, cited in Funk et. al. , 2004, p. 26). Researchers and sociologists refer these effects as â€Å"desensitization†. Desensitization occurs due to repeated exposure to real life violence (Ceballo et al. , 2001, cited in Funk et. al. , 2004, p. 26). Likewise, fictional violence like movies and video games also contribute to the violence behaviour (Funk et. al. , 2004, p. 26). The media produces â€Å"a powerful desensitization i ntervention on a global level† (Science Daily, 2006). Furthermore, desensitization is divided into two categories.When, the viewer show numbing or blunting of emotional reaction to violent events is called emotional desensitization. When people start reacting that violence is nothing extraordinary, it is kind of daily routine is called cognitive desensitization (Funk et al. , 2004, p. 26). A study was conducted to examine desensitization by Drabman & Thomas (1974). In this study, the children who viewed violent movie needed adult help to avoid the aggressive thinking towards the scenes. The amount of time that people spend on watching violent media leads to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Schechter, 2010). Aggression is largely based on the activation and application of aggression-related knowledge structures stored in memory† (Bushman & Anderson, 2002). Later, Molitor & Hirsch (1994) confirmed that â€Å"viewing violence increases tolerance of violence† (ci ted in Funk et al. , 2004, p. 26). It is believed that fictional violence desensitizes people to real life violence by letting the viewer engaging in violent actions (Funk et al, 2004, p. 27). A research by Funk (2004) revealed that exposure to video game violence was associated with low empathy and stronger pro violence attitudes.The social cognitive theory suggests that due to repeated exposure to media violence the person undergoes psychological desensitization. This theory explains how people acquire and maintain certain behavioral patterns, while also providing the basis for intervention strategies (Bandura, 1997). According to Bushman & Anderson (2001), scientific evidence was sufficient to claim that media violence exposure was positively linked to significant violent behaviors and that even short-term exposure was sufficient to cause increases in aggressive behavior (cited in Bushman & Anderson, 2002).The basis for future social, emotional, cognitive, and physical developmen t is laid during early childhood. They can be manipulated and victimized by the media violence. â€Å"Concerns about child exposure to violent media have increased as television and video games have shown more violence† (Schechter, 2010). One of the main theories is the Bandura’s social learning theory. This theory mainly outlines that children learn violent acts after seeing them. One of the main problems faced by children, who heavily watch television, is decrease in consciousness of pain and sufferings of others.Furthermore, they tend to be more apprehensive and alert of their surroundings. In addition to this, they resort to choose more aggressive and harmful choices towards others. Psychologists have uncovered that high exposure of violent video games can be linked to delinquency, fighting at school and during free play periods, and brutal criminal actions (Anderson & Bushman, 2007). The severity of violent acts from other types of media such as computer games and movies has also increased rapidly. The most recent type of media violence is the violent video games (Bushman & Anderson, (2002). Violent films and programs that probably have the most deleterious effects on children are not always the ones that adults and critics believe are the most violent† (APA, 2003). Researchers have developed several theories proving that society is affected by the influence of the media. A number of children were shown a video in which a person beats a Bobo doll. Then they were put into a room with a Bobo doll to check whether the child imitates the behavior. After it was implied, this theory proved that children imitated media violence. In addition to that, childhood ith aggression, later in life erupts criminal behaviours like spouse abuse and homicide (Anderson et al, Wartell, 2003, p. 81). Another research conducted by the psychologists, revealed that â€Å"children who watch violent movies, games and TV programs had been convicted of crimes at o ver three times the rate of other men† when they grow up (APA, 2003). Children get immune to the media violence they starts to imitate it (AACAP, 2011). Repeated exposure to violent media grows wide array of aggressive and violent behaviours and later it reforms as aggressive and criminal behaviour (Bushman & Anderson, 2002).The General Aggression model by Bushman & Anderson (2002) has proven their theory on the relationship between violence in media cause people to behave violently. When an environmental situation appears ambiguous, an individual may rely on what they have seen, heard or read to interpret that situation as hostile, warranting aggressive action (Ferguson et al. , 2008). Moreover, Peterson & Pfost (1989) discovered that exposure to non-erotic violent music videos led adversarial sexual beliefs and negative effects on men.Similarly, another research proved that sexually subordinate images of women leads to teen dating violence in real life situations (Johnson et al. Reed, 1995, cited in Anderson et al. , 2003, p. 89). The media also play a remarkable role in â€Å"contagion of violence†. It is believed that â€Å"well known person’s suicide increase the likelihood that other people will also take their own lives† (Phillips, 1979 & Simon 1979, cited in Anderson et al, p. 89). A specific reason for the reason of violence in the society has not been discovered.One of the main causes of this is not being able to employ a standardized measure of aggression and media violence. Measuring violent criminal behavior in laboratory studies would clearly be unethical (Bushman & Anderson, 2001). Furthermore scholars tend to not report negative findings in their researches. Despite all the research, there has been very little reliable evidence that media violence causes aggressive behavior. Media violence studies cannot be completely relied upon as they fail to account for third variables.Researchers acknowledge that other variables may play a role in aggression and that aggression is due to a confluence of variables (Bushman & Anderson, 2001). These variables include genetics, personality and exposure to family violence. They explain why some people show violent behavior. However, the catalyst model approach reveled that these factors interact with each other (Ferguson et al. , 2008, p. 314). All things considered, that there are several angles that show the violence in the media has a correlation with the society.It also could associates with desensitization of the people. We cry at sad movies, laugh at outrageous comedies and pump our fist whenever something explodes. What we see in films and video games invokes a physical response. If it can influence to our physical response, there is a high chance that it could influence out mental and behaviour as well. References Brown, K. , (2005), An introduction to sociology, Third edition O’Donnel, G. , (2005), Mastering Sociology, Palgrave Master Series, Fou rth edition Giddens, A. , (2006), Sociology, Fifth edition Funk, J. B. et al.Baumgardner, (2004), Violence exposure in real life, video games, television, movies and the internet: is there desensitization? , Academic Press,Toledo USA Anderson, C. A. et al. (2003), The influence of media violence on youth, American Physiological Society Schechter, D. S. et al. (2009), Is Maternal PTSD Associated with Greater Exposure of Very Young Children to Violent Media? , National Institute of Health American Physiological Association (APA), (2003), Childhood Exposure to Media Violence Predicts Young Adult Aggressive Behavior, According to a New 15-Year Study, Available from: file:///S:/media-violence. spx. htm American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, (2011),Children And TV Violence, Available from: file:///S:/children_and_tv_violence. htm Ferguson, C. J. et al (2008), VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES AND AGGRESSION: Causal Relationship or Byproduct of Family Violence and Intrinsic Violence Motivati on? , Texas A&M International University Bushman, B. J & Anderson, C. A. (2001) Media Violence and the American Public: Scientific Facts Versus Media Misinformation Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control Huesmann L R. 2007) The impact of electronic media violence: Scientific theory and research. Bushman, B. J & Anderson, C. A. (2002)Violent Video Games and Hostile Expectations:A Test of the General Aggression Model, Iowa State University Science Daily (2006), Psychologists Produce First Study On Violence Desensitization From Video Games, Available From: http://www. sciencedaily. com/releases/2006/07/060727162108. htm Stickland, J. (Does violence in movies and video games desensitize us to the real thing? Available from: http://electronics. howstuffworks. com/violence-desensitize. htm

Pagan And Paganism In Beowulf - 1699 Words

Many people believe that originally, Beowulf was a Pagan artifact. In fact, such belief has developed further to support that an anonymous Christian rewrote the piece with intent of applying Christian characters to the first script. Academics, however, differ on whether the central thematic argument was Christian or Pagan. The author remarkably puts actions into the context of the Bible owing to the impulse at the era of converting everyone to Christianity. By, interlocking the old Pagan elements of folklore and Christian belief, Beowulf grows into a standard of fiction, which is difficult to outshine. The epic of Beowulf has no recognized author ever since its original tradition. However, it does represent the culture of the Anglo-Saxon†¦show more content†¦In keeping with the morals of that age, there is no satisfaction brought by a kill without fairness. Then again, Wiglaf and Beowulf both show exceptional loyalty all through the narrative. There is no doubt that loyalty clearly motivates throughout the actions of Beowulf. It all begins with his resolution to help the Danes. Besides, at one point his father started a grudge, which ended courtesy of Hrothgar intervention. There is a recollection by Hrothgar where the Ecgtheow acknowledges him with vows of loyalty. More to the point, Beowulf travels with his men to take part in a dangerous encounter where they battle a terrifying monster not for the show of it, but with the intention that they could help his dad to pay back his debt. Wiglaf as well shows his devotion and loyalty many years later to his Beowulf, his king. This action is obvious through his decision to follow him into the fight when nobody else did. In fact, he even promises to stand by him (Dockray-Miller). This loyalty eventually makes the boldness of Wiglaf known, validating him to be gallant and superhuman like Beowulf. At each step of Beowulf’s career, it appears loyalty is his guiding virtue. As noted beforehand, the chara cter comes to the aid of the Danes for reasons, which are complex and difficult to understand. Without a doubt, he has an interest in gaining honor and increasing his reputation. Leaders make the most achievements throughShow MoreRelatedPagan And Paganism In Beowulf812 Words   |  4 PagesWritten at a time when Pagan and Judeo Christian beliefs were both in the Scandinavian region, Beowulf provides a unique blend between the two, creating a vibrant and fascinating world full of monsters, magic sword, and mighty heroes who save the innocent. God plays an immense role in Beowulf as defender of men, giver of victories, and provider of Beowulf. What is unique about the God in Beowulf is He is not truly Christian or Pagan, but rather a blend created from the beliefs of the Celtic peopleRead MoreChristianity And Paganism In Beowulf1005 Words   |  5 Pageshero named Beowulf. Beowulf is an epic poem about good versus evil written by an anonymous Christian monk. Paganism was the Geats first religion, and once Christianity became introduced, the religion slowly shifted from paganism to Christianity. Beowulf has successfully exhibited the transition from paganism to Christianity. The epic poem has a shift from Christianity to paganism throughout the poem. There are many symbolic examples that successfully display the transition from paganism to ChristianityRead MoreTheme Of Christian And Pagan Elements In Beowulf978 Words   |  4 Pageseowulfs representation of Pagan and Christian elements Beowulf was written during the time that society was in the process of converting from Paganism to Christianity. Early Christianity developed in the Roman Empire, where many religions were practiced and formed into paganism. Paganism is commonly used to refer to various, largely unconnected religions and beliefs from that time period. Beowulf was written in England between the 8th and 11th century. The name of the author is unknown, but referredRead MoreBeowulf : Christian Or Pagan Epic?865 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish 12 24 September 2015 Beowulf: Christian or Pagan Epic? Believe it or not, Thor was not just a fictional superhero that appeared in comics created by Marvel. Ultimately stemming from Proto-Indo-European religion, Thor is a prominently mentioned god throughout the recorded history of Germanic mythology and paganism. Pagans, a member of a community observing a polytheistic religion, dominated Southern Europe society and literature until Christianity slowly drove out paganism around the 700s. BeforeRead MorePaganism In Beowulf953 Words   |  4 Pagesof Christianity and Paganism in Beowulf Beowulf was composed when England was transitioning from a pagan to a Christian culture. In chapter 3 of A Little History of Literature, it is said that Beowulf was likely written by a Christian monk who inserted Christian themes into the story. This is why Beowulf reflects both Christian and pagan views. These two religions and their elements affect the story in different ways. There are pagan views of fate and fame in Beowulf, but there are also ChristianRead MoreReligion in Beowulf1385 Words   |  6 Pagesin Beowulf Throughout the story of Beowulf, the concept of religion plays a significant role. The Christianity ideology views state that man can survive and do great things through the protection of God. A strong desire of pride is also represented in the form of a hero in Beowulf, which in a sense goes against Christian morals. This clash with Christian morals in Beowulf was in the context of pride vs. humility and selfishness vs. sacrifice. In the book, Hrothgar first explained to Beowulf thatRead MoreEssay about Beowulf as a Messianic Narrative1027 Words   |  5 PagesBeowulf as a messianic narrative has been a subject of great controversy. Given the time period, ‘Christianity’ was not completely established, and it was entwined with cultural paganism, as seen woven throughout the text. The definition of a messianic narrative (containing the ultimate messianic figure) is found in Isaiah 53, a prophecy spoken by God through the Hebrew prophet Isaiah. This is the standard to wh ich Beowulf must be compared to determination the nature of the poem. Many scholars suchRead MoreTheme Of Christianism In Beowulf843 Words   |  4 Pages700, Beowulf is considered the mother poem of England. The tale is based in Sweden, as well as the small Danish island of Zealand. The poem follows the title character, Beowulf, in his battles with various monsters. Beowulf comes to the aid of Hrothgar to defeat the monster Grendel that had been terrorizing Herot Hall for twelve years. Beowulf also defeats Grendel’s mother at the bottom of the lake, in what is referred to as the ‘battle hall’. Fifty years after his initial triumphs, Beowulf suffersRead MoreStrengths And Weaknesses Of Beowulf1056 Words   |  5 PagesBeowulf, presumably written by a Christian monk, (Circa 700 A.D.), accurately depicts the strengths, weaknesses, and overall flaws that ultimately lead up to the protagonist’s demise. Rising from Geatland, Beowulf, the legendary warrior who has ended countless monsters reign of terror, gets word of an evil being tormenting Denmark, modern day New Zealand. Not one to be outdone, Beowulf sets sail to with fourteen of the finest warriors he could find. Arriving, he and his men are met by a loyal subjectRead MoreReconciling Ingrained Traditions with Newly Emerging Christianity1203 Words   |  5 Pages Before the eighth century, England was a pagan society, the English originated from a society marred in idolatry and polytheism. The intermingling of Christian and pagan elements in Beowulf are consistent with the attitudes toward religion that are found in Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Beowulf was written in the Middle Ages (500-1000) on Scandinavia, which was a highly pagan society, however the narrator is telling this story within the timeframe of medieval Anglo-Saxon