Culture of India :: Ancient World Culture

It is not surprising that thinkers as diverse as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Mahatma Gandhi have found inspiration in The Bhagavad Gita, the great HINDU religious poem. At first glance, this statement must seem odd to you: after all, The Bhagavad Gita describes a momentary surcease in a vast battle in which brothers fight brothers in bloody, historical technicolor. The principal character, Arjuna, sits in a chariot in the midst of the mass of soldiers who wait -- surprisingly patiently -- as Arjuna looks into his conscience and questions his divine charioteer, Krishna. Krishna's temporary job as charioteer is by no means accidental: this moment before the heat and horror of battle was chosen as precisely the right time to reflect on the nature of duty and devotion. The Bhagavad Gita, then, becomes a record of Arjuna's questions and Krishna's provocative responses. You might ask: What does this single work, a strangely didactic addition to the epic Mahabharata, "say" about ANCIENT INDIA? What does this work "say" about modern India? Can a reading of The Bhagavad Gita help us today to "recreate" life in Indian societies some 25 centuries ago? Can a reading of The Bhagavad Gita "disclose" elements of Indian life? It is doubtful that Emerson read The Bhagavad Gita as a guide to the world of the Hindoos (as he would have spelled it). It is doubtful that he felt he "knew" India as a result of his reading, much as people (foolishly?) feel they know a country by reading a travel and tourism guide to that nation. Instead, Emerson responded to the great concepts and questions that The Bhagavad Gita explores: the notion that an individual human life is but part of a greater reality of which humans, likewise, are a part; the notion of the transitory nature of suffering and pain (not to mention pleasure); the valorizing of the spiritual, not the material, part of human nature.

Macbeth Character Analysis Essay

In this essay I will write about the character of Macbeth and what my first impressions are of him, such as his bravery, strength, determination and courage. I will also write about how he is introduced, his reaction to the encounter with the weird sisters, his attitude towards Banquo, Duncan and Malcolm. Also, his relationship with his wife, Lady Macbeth. My very first impression of Macbeth was that he was was brave as the captain said, â€Å"For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Also, the captain implied that he is very strong and a great fighter, â€Å"†¦ With his brandished steel, which smoked with bloody execution, like valour’s minion carved out his passage, till he faced the slave†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This means that he stands with his sword covered in blood which shows he has killed a lot of people and valour’s minion means bravery’s favourite. The captain also says how merciless Macbeth is as he kills the traitor Macdonwald, â€Å"†¦which never shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, till he unseamed him from the nave to the chops, and fixed his head upon our battlements†. This quote shows how merciless Macbeth is as it states that he ‘carved’ his way through the army, and how he killed Macdonwald even after bring tired and bruised without even speaking to him. He even paraded his head on the battlefield to show everybody what he had done. Our first impressions of Macbeth are that he is brave, merciless and a great fighter. The three witches soon appeared and told their predictions; â€Å"All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!† â€Å"All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!† â€Å"All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, that shalt be King hereafter!†. After Macbeth heard the wierd sisters he was too shocked to speak as Banquo said, â€Å"Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fear things that do sound so fair†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He finally answered back by asking them to tell more and in more detail. He started to question the three witches and himself as he was confused; â€Å"†¦I know I am Thane of Glamis, but how of Cawdor? The thane of Cawdor lives†¦Ã¢â‚¬  . He was trying to figure out what this all meant and how these creatures got this information. He again tried to question them but the suddenly vanished into thin air, â€Å"The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, and these are of them.†. He asked Banquo if this was real or if they had eaten some kind of hallucinogens or drugs, â€Å"Were such things here as we do speak about? Or have we eaten on the insane root†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He then started thinking about being Thane of Cawdor and whether or not this could be true. The two messengers came, nearly straight after the predictions by the three witches, and told Macbeth that he was given the title Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth was in shock and Banquo said that evil was at work, Macbeth asked the messengers why he was the new Thane even though the old Thane still lived. He thanked the messengers and said to himself that more was to come as this is shown in the quote, â€Å"Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor. The greatest is behind.†. This means that the greatest prize is still to come and this is referring to him being King. His first thoughts of the three witches after they appeared and told their predictions were that they were some kind of supernatural beings and so Macbeth tried to find out what they meant, where they received this information and why they were telling him this. He was first thinking this was some kind of hoax but after the messengers came and said that the King had named him the Thane of Cawdor, he began to consider what it will mean if the third prediction is to come true. Banquo is Macbeth’s best friend and he trusts him with his life and vice versa. He respects Banquo and he uses his advice most of the time. They are partners in war and in friendship and do almost everything together. He likes Banquo but he sometimes has different thoughts than him as this quote states, â€Å"†¦But ’tis strange: And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths†¦in deepest consequences.† This quote means that the recent occurrences are unnatural and the forces of evil encourage them to do things, which are misleading, and there could be some consequences later. Duncan is the King of Scotland and Macbeth had given him the most respect he has ever given anyone. Macbeth was loyal to the King and fought for him and the country of Scotland. Macbeth thinks that Duncan is a good King and uses his power to good strength and also the fact that he has a good judgement, this quote shows this, â€Å"Strong both against the deed; then†¦besides Duncan hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been so clear in his great office†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This means that Macbeth thinks King Duncan is a good king who is not corrupt. Macbeth does not like Malcolm even though he is related to him, Malcolm is the heir to the throne and that is a bit of a pain in the neck. Macbeth wants to be king but cannot as Malcolm is the heir so, as you would imagine he is an obstacle in Macbeth’s ambition and target, this quote shows this. â€Å"The Prince of Cumberland-that is a step†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lady Macbeth is Macbeth’s wife and Macbeth loves her very much and so he sends her a letter telling her that he has become the Thane of Cawdor, â€Å"They met me in a day of success†¦they have more in them than mortal knowledge†¦came missives from the King, who hailed me ‘Thane of Cawdor’†¦ â€Å" Lady Macbeth is the kind of person that gets what she wants and I don’t think that Macbeth likes this that much. She persuades him to murder Duncan nearly straight after she recieves his letter. Macbeth likes Lady Macbeth but he doesn’t like the way she gets her way but he still goes with the flow, â€Å"Was the hope drunk wherein you dressed yourself†¦and live a coward in thine own esteem†¦each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away, and mock the time with fairest show†¦ â€Å" Here, Lady Macbeth uses reverse psychology by accusing him of cowardice and a lack of love or her. Overall the first impressions we get of Macbeth are that he is brave and a good fighter and that he is loyal to his country and the King. His first impressions of the three witches were the same as anybody else, surprise and that the witches are some strange people or that they are seeing things. He likes Banquo and respects him and he is very loyal to Duncan who is like a father figure to him. He doesn’t like Malcolm that much as he is an obstacle but he is still related to him. His relationship with Lady Macbeth is very good but you get the impression that she is very much in control of their relationship.

Causes for the Central Powers Losing the First World War

After the First World War had ceased on the 11th of November 1918, there were a lot of negotiations on the issue of how to sustain peace, and how to treat the Central Powers, which consisted namely of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria. France wanted urgent reparation for the damages Germany had caused, and did not consider giving her a â€Å"mild punishment†, such as the one Britain had suggested. There are several important reasons as to why the Central Powers lost World War One.During this analysis I will be looking at the most vital ones, and giving a brief idea of how and why these shaping events took place. There was one particular event involving especially Germany at an early stage of the war: the von Schlieffen plan. In 1914, Germany tried to pursue the so-called â€Å"von Schlieffen plan†, in which the goal was to surround the French armies. They planned to do so by flying through Belgium to the coasts of France, to then capture the Channel ports an d use the way of the rivers to surround France, their support and their navy.This was easier said than done; the Belgian resistance was strong, making Germany unable to capture the Channel ports and thus unable to get somewhat control of France. The fact that the von Schlieffen plan failed had a great impact on the Central Powers’ motivation throughout the war, as well the fact that it did not manage to show their authority from early on. Several smaller reasons to why the Central Powers lost also need to be taken into consideration. Britain tried to block German ports and trade routes, making it difficult for them to acquire weapons, ammunition, transport and food from other countries.Considering that the Germans were already exhausted by the war, because of the fact that they did not expect a long-term war. To add to that, there was not a lot the other Central Powers could do to help Germany, meaning that they all-in-all did not get many new supplies of tools for warfare. I n conclusion, there were many minimal causes for the results of the First World War, such as British blockade of German ports and trade routes, German exhaustion and the fact that they did not get much help from the other Central Powers. US entered the war in April 1917.This was a vital reason for the Allies’ victory. Seeing as it was at the very end of World War One, and Germany was already exhausted, it did a great deal to their morale when a whole new continent joined the war. The US contributed by providing Britain and France with food, merchant ships and credit. By mid-1918 over half a million American soldiers were involved in the war. As well as the physical help, the USA gave a vast blow to German morale. Thus, the US joining the war was one of the leading steps to the Allies winning.As my short analysis has shown, there were many different reasons for the Central Powers losing the First World War, in which there were small reasons as well as big ones. The causes I ha ve mentioned are the failure of the Schlieffen plan, small reasons such as British blockade, German exhaustion and not getting any help from the other Central Powers and lastly, the US joining the war towards the end. These are only some of the reasons, however they show how German morale to some extent affected the

Christmas Weather Lore

Christmas Weather Lore Weather lore exists for nearly every season and every type of weather, but many of the most well-known sayings have to do with winter weather.    Besides hoping for a White Christmas, theres another reason youll want to keep a watchful eye on your Christmas Day forecast. According to weather folklore, the weather on Christmas foretells the weather for the remaining winter and upcoming year.   Based on the below sayings, what does your Christmas Day weather suggest? Stormy Christmas Weather   - If theres thunder during Christmas week,The Winter will be anything but meek. - If windy on Christmas, trees will bring much fruit. - If it rain much during the twelve days after Christmas Day it will be a wet year. A Mild Christmas Means Cold Will Come    - A green (warm) Christmas, a white (cold) Easter. - So far as the sun shines on Christmas Day,So far will the snow blow in May. - If the ice will bear a goose before Christmas, it will not bear a duck after. - If Christmas day be bright and clear, therell be two winters in the year.. The below proverbs could be used to forecast whether or not youll see a White Christmas based on the weather at Hollantide a Cornish feast traditionally celebrated at the end of October/first of November  which marked the eve of winter. - If ducks do slide at Hollantide,At Christmas they will swim.If ducks do swim at Hollantide,  At Christmas they will slide. - If Candlemas day be dry and fair,  The half of the winter is gone and mair.If Candlemas day be wet and foul,  The half of the winter is gone at Yule (Christmas). The following sayings have less to do with the weather on Christmas and more to do with what calendar day Christmas falls on:   - If Christmas Day on Thursday be,  A windy winter ye shall see. - It will be the same weather for nine weeks as it is on the ninth day after Christmas. - The nearer the New Moon to Christmas Day, the harder the Winter. Christmas Lore: Where Does It Come From?   Why are these particular Christmas weather scenarios linked to these weather occurrences? Long before there was such a thing as  meteorologists  or tools like barometers or thermometers, farmers, seafarers, and others whose daily work was tied to the weather had nothing to clue them in on what the days weather would bring. To remedy this, people began observing how animals, plants, insects, and even they themselves behaved just before certain weather events. After years and years of noticing these patterns, folks began expecting certain weather based on whether or not they observed these certain events in nature.  They then created rhymes (like those above) to make the connections easily remembered and shared. How many of the above pieces of lore have you heard before? Have you known any of them to ring true where you live?

Winter at Valley Forge in the American Revolution

Winter at Valley Forge in the American Revolution The encampment at Valley Forge took place from December 19, 1777 through June 19, 1778 and served as winter quarters for General George Washingtons Continental Army. Having suffered a string of defeats that fall, including losing the capital of Philadelphia to the British, the Americans made camp for the winter outside of the city. While at Valley Forge, the army endured a chronic supply crisis but largely remained as well fed and clothed as it did during the previous campaigning season. During the winter, it benefited from the arrival of Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben who implemented a new training regimen which transformed the men in the ranks from inexperienced amateurs into disciplined soldiers capable of standing up against the British. When Washingtons men departed in June 1778, they were an improved army from the one that had arrived months earlier. A Difficult Autumn In the fall of 1777, Washingtons army moved south from New Jersey to defend the capital of Philadelphia from the advancing forces of General William Howe. Clashing at Brandywine on September 11, Washington was decisively defeated, leading the Continental Congress to flee the city. Fifteen days later, after outmaneuvering Washington, Howe entered Philadelphia unopposed. Seeking to regain the initiative, Washington struck at Germantown on October 4.  In a hard-fought battle, the Americans came close to victory but again suffered defeat. Selecting a Site With the campaign season ending and cold weather rapidly approaching, Washington moved his army into winter quarters. For his winter encampment, Washington selected Valley Forge on the Schuylkill River approximately 20 miles northwest of Philadelphia. With its high ground and position near the river, Valley Forge was easily defensible, but still close enough to the city for Washington to maintain pressure on the British. The location also allowed the Americans to prevent Howes men from raiding into the Pennsylvania interior as well as could provide the launching point for a winter campaign. Additionally, the location next to the Schuylkill worked to facilitate the movement of supplies. Despite the defeats of the fall, the 12,000 men of the Continental Army were in good spirits when they marched into Valley Forge on December 19, 1777.   Reconstructed army huts at Valley Forge. Photograph  © 2008 Patricia A. Hickman Housing Under the direction of the armys engineers, the men began constructing over 2,000 log huts laid out along military streets.  These were erected using lumber from the regions abundant forests and typically took a week to build. With the arrival of spring, Washington directed that two windows be added to each hut. In addition, defensive trenches and five redoubts were built to protect the encampment. To facilitate re-supply of the army, a bridge was erected over the Schuylkill. The winter at Valley Forge generally conjures images of half-naked, starving soldiers battling the elements. This was not the case. This imagery is largely the result of early, romanticized interpretations of the encampment story which were meant to serve as a parable about American perseverance. Supplies Though far from ideal, the conditions of the encampment were generally on par with the Continental soldiers routine privations. During the early months of the encampment, supplies and provisions were scarce, but available. Soldiers made due with subsistence meals such as firecake, a mixture of water and flour. This would sometimes be supplemented by pepper pot soup, a stew of beef tripe and vegetables.   The situation improved in February following a visit to the camp by members of Congress and successful lobbying by Washington. While a lack of clothing caused suffering among some the men, many were fully uniformed with the best equipped units used for foraging and patrols. During the early months at Valley Forge, Washington lobbied to improve the armys supply situation with some success. Statue of Brigadier General Anthony Wayne at Valley Forge. Photograph  © 2008 Patricia A. Hickman To supplement those supplies received from Congress, Washington sent Brigadier General Anthony Wayne to New Jersey in February 1778, to gather food and cattle for the men. A month later, Wayne returned with 50 head of cattle and 30 horses. With the arrival of warmer weather in March, disease began strike at the army. Over the next three months, influenza, typhus, typhoid, and dysentery all erupted within the encampment. Of the 2,000 men who died at Valley Forge, over two-thirds were killed by disease. These outbreaks were eventually contained through sanitation regulations, inoculations, and the work of surgeons. Drilling with von Steuben: On February 23, 1778, Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben arrived in the camp. A former member of the Prussian General Staff, von Steuben had been recruited to the American cause in Paris by Benjamin Franklin. Accepted by Washington, von Steuben was put to work designing a training program for the army. He was aided in this task by Major General Nathanael Greene and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton. Though he spoke no English, von Steuben commenced his program in March with the aid of interpreters. Beginning with a model company of 100 chosen men, von Steuben instructed them in drill, maneuver, and a simplified manual of arms. These 100 men were in turn sent out to other units to repeat the process and so on until the entire army was trained. In addition, von Steuben introduced a system of progressive training for recruits which educated them in the basics of soldiering. Statue of Baron von Steuben at Valley Forge. Photograph  © 2008 Patricia A. Hickman Surveying the encampment, von Steuben greatly improved sanitation by reorganizing the camp. This included the repositioning kitchens and latrines ensure they were on the opposites ends of the camp and the latter on the downhill side. His efforts so impressed Washington that Congress appointed inspector general for the army on May 5.  The results of von Steubens training were immediately evident at Barren Hill (May 20) and the Battle of Monmouth (June 28). In both cases, the Continental soldiers stood up to and fought on equal footing with the British professionals. Departure Though the winter at Valley Forge had been trying for both the men and the leadership, the Continental Army emerged as a stronger fighting force. Washington, having survived various intrigues, such as the Conway Cabal, to remove him from command, cemented himself as the armys military and spiritual leader, while the men, stiffened by von Steuben, were superior soldiers to those that had arrived in December 1777. On May 6, 1778, the army held celebrations for the announcement of the alliance with France.  These saw military demonstrations across the camp and the firing of artillery salutes. This change in the course of the war, prompted the British to evacuate Philadelphia and return to New York. Hearing of the British departure from the city, Washington and the army left Valley Forge in pursuit on June 19.   Leaving some men, led by the injured Major General Benedict Arnold, to re-occupy Philadelphia, Washington led the army across the Delaware into New Jersey. Nine days later, the Continental Army intercepted the British at the Battle of Monmouth. Fighting through extreme heat, the armys training showed as it battled the British to a draw. At its next major encounter, the Battle of Yorktown, it would be victorious. General George Washingtons headquarters at Valley Forge. Photograph  © 2008 Patricia A. Hickman

Writing Assignment #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Writing Assignment #2 - Essay Example While carrying out pricing seven major steps are followed. They are development of marketing approach, making marketing mix decisions, estimation of the demand curve, cost calculation, understanding environmental factors, pricing objectives being set and determination of pricing. Pricing strategy matters because if the prices are wrong business will fail. Companies carry out different price strategies depending on what the market will bear and make a reasonable profit. Examples price skimming this is sometimes used when a new product is being introduced particularly when it is a new technology. The objective of price skimming is to set a high price that helps to recover the costs of production and advertising (Suttle & Media). Penetration pricing this is used to set low prices early to attract lots of customers. A company will make an effort to produce high quality products and offer the best customer service inorder to retain their customers. This method is used to increase market share or the percentage of total sales it holds in the market. Return on investment pricing strategy, the company might spend lots of time analyzing costs that will be used to make the product and projecting sales figures. Geographical pricing strategy, the company sets higher prices in certain markets (Suttle & Media). In conclusion oligopoly is a market structure that is majorly a small number of moderately large firms that dominate an industry. Which affects promotion, it plays a major role in pricing. Pricing affects the customer in positively and at times

The LInux Operating System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The LInux Operating System - Research Paper Example Thus, one can download the software and edit and make changes as per one’s requirements. This adds to the flexibility and adaptability of the operating system to user requirements. Linux is often called a derivative of UNIX, the other operating system that is character based and one that is widely used in research laboratories around the world. Linux operates in many flavors and some of the popular distributions of Linux are Fedora Core, Debian and SuSE Linux. According to many software sites, â€Å"Although there are a large number of Linux implementations, you will find a lot of similarities in the different distributions, if only because every Linux machine is a box with building blocks that you may put together following your own needs and views. Installing the system is only the beginning of a long term relationship† (Linuxtopia, 2008). Thus, one can install Linux and build on top of it or use it in any way possible according to one’s needs. Linux is an operating system, a software program that controls your computer. Linux traces its evolution to a mainframe operating system called Multics (Multiplexed Information and Computing Service). UNIX was developed by two Bell Labs software engineers who during their spare time used to play a game called Space Travel. Sometimes they used to find themselves without the operating system by which they could play their favorite game. Thus, the two software engineers, Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie developed the game to play on an otherwise unused PDP-7 computer. This was the origin of UNIX that was a precursor to Linux. Once the UNIX operating system began to be widely used and freely available, AT&T decided to license it and this led to its claiming a huge license fee for UNIX and it secured the intellectual property rights for UNIX. Once UNIX was no longer a freeware, a MIT scientist called Richard Stallman began what is known as the GNU (Or Not Unix) operating system and started to make it available under the