Philosophies Relationship to Death Essay - 971 Words

Philosophies Relationship to Death Apology and Phaedo Knowledge of Death versus Belief in a Soul In Plato’s Apology, Socrates says that he knows nothing of death while in Phaedo he discusses many of his beliefs on death and its philosophical ramifications. From this simple perspective it may seem as though he is contradicting himself although he, after further investigation, is not. Philosophically, the idea of death and an afterlife can be looked at from multiple non-contradictory viewpoints. Socrates talks of his lack of knowledge of death in order to define, more so, his philosophy on life. While in Phaedo, he talks explicitly about his philosophy on death. The two discussions of death are equally important in†¦show more content†¦On the other hand, death does not constitute a certain evil and death may not interfere with the will of God, his teaching and discussing and thinking. So, as simple logic can explain, living would require that evil does exist whether it’s incarceration or any other punishment, while death may be, in fact the greatest good, rather than the preconceived notion of many that it is the greatest evil. Socrates, thus, chose the possibility of good rather than the inevitability of evil. By discussing death in such a manner Socrates is also able to offer his opinion on the decisions made during life. If we are not able to know whether death is an evil at all, when compared to other options in life, it may be the better. We do know, for example, that disgrace is an evil so, when faced with the option, Socrates would choose death. Socrates discussed this in terms of following the orders of a righteous leader in a military situation, but made his reasoning more personal when he used it in describing his desire to follow the orders, or will, of God. It is therefore, if we want to live righteously, that we should not fear death as the many earthly evils should be feared instead. In Phaedo Socrates, during his last ours of life answers many questions on his belief of the ramifications of death. He discusses not whether death is an evil, nor does he say that he knows death, but instead whether death exists for the soul at all and in what form. Socrates argues that deathShow MoreRelatedEssay about Confucianism1154 Words   |  5 Pages Confucianism Confucianism is an East Asian philosophy built up by a Chinese philosopher, Confucius (Kung Fu-tzu), in the 6th - 5th century BCE. It’s a philosophy based on human morals and relationships. To really understand Confucianism, how it originated and what parts of history contributed towards its development, you have to look into: who is Confucius, the history of Confucianism and what happened to Confucianism after the death of Confucius? Who is Confucius? Confucius was of noble descentRead MoreStudent Teacher1669 Words   |  7 PagesThe relationship that a teacher and student share is of trust, respect and devotion. Teachers influence their students by shaping their rational and moral virtues and hence, play an important role in molding the society as a whole. The education system of ancient India and Greece shared some common characteristics. In both cultures, teachers and their disciples conglomerated at specific places earmarked for educational purposes. This is where students gained both spiritual and material educationRead MoreAppropriate Supporter for Political Authority Antigone 1097 Words   |  5 Pages Classical plays such as [Apology] this is not a play. It is a Platonic dialogue. and Antigone are sometimes associated with English or philosophy. However, a closer look reveals two different political stand points against the government or the people. Revealed in the play Antigone, the female character is [exposed as a reb ellion] awkward against the government; but in the play Apology, a male philosopher is seen as a martyr for his belief in a true justice system. Although both characters haveRead MoreTwo Different Philosophical Views in Grendel and Beowulf Essay1244 Words   |  5 Pagesview on life was to always stay brave and honest while protecting the weak. Through fighting these forces of evil, they found their meaning for existence while Grendel never did. One last philosophical view of life for the Danes was a resignation to death, especially in the case of Beowulf. In Beowulf’s final battle against the dragon he fought even though he had grown older and knew there was a good chance for him to die. His willingness to die for his people gave him not only recognition as a trueRead MoreNew Theistic Natural Existentialism Essay1264 Words   |  6 PagesPhilosophy is an activity of thought and a study of wisdom. While not everyone may understand or comprehend philosophy, they do have thei r own philosophical perspective or view of the world. A â€Å"worldview† is a â€Å"commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart, that can be expressed as a story or in a set of presuppositions that we hold about the basic constitution of reality, and that provides the foundation on which we live and move and have our own being† (Sire, 20). Worldviews consist of a primeRead MorePhilosophy 101 Essay826 Words   |  4 Pages Philosophy is defined by Webster as Love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline or Investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods. This essay is a general look at those who pursued that intellectual means, those who investigated, even those who reasoned Reason. Because volumes could be written and this is a rather quick, unworthy paper: apologizes. Hegels philosophyRead MoreThe Philosophy Of The World1406 Words   |  6 Pagesare common and are known as the philosophies of life. The most difficult thing to communicate about philosophy is how ethical ideas are rooted in ideas of how the world works. What we believe to be ethical or not comes from simply our understanding of how the world works. A philosophy of Epicureanism focuses on the pleasures of life. I will argue that the idea that â€Å"pleasure is the starting point and goal of living blessedly.† (128) Epicureanism is a philosophy that advocates hedonism, which classifiesRead MoreA Personal Philosophy Of A Worldview1002 Words   |  5 PagesA worldview is a personal philosophy of how one perceives the world. An individual’s worldview is deeply embedded in their subconscious and, unless reflected upon, is difficult to intellectualize (Sire, n.d.). This philosophy is developed from early childhood and undergoes continual transformation as one matures. Worldviews are a matter of spiritual orientation, rather than a matter of the mind alone (Sire, n.d.). It is important to understand one’s worldview, because it is the source from whichRead More Comparison of Platos The Last Days of Socrates and Hesses Siddhartha1699 Words   |  7 Pagessources that reveal information about religious or philosophical ideas in the cultures that they focus on. While vast differences exist between the Greek and Indian values that shape their philosophies, they make similar assumptions as they attempt to make sense of the world. Understanding the dichotomous relationship of the soul and the body is integral to grasping the similarities and differences between the classical Greek and Indian paths because the way in which these concepts are understood definesRead MoreAncient Chinese Philosophies : Comparisons Between Lao And Confucius1476 Words   |  6 PagesAncient Chinese Philosophies: Comparisons between Lao Su and Confucius Daoism and Confucianism are two of China’s oldest religions. Both of these men’s teachings largely affect China’s belief system today, and both still widely practiced and still have temples all over the world. Confucianism helped shape China’s education system that still stands today, and Daoism has been helping people understand â€Å"the way† of life since the Han Dynasty. They are both very similar to each other, but at the same

Capetian Kings of France Free Essays

string(122) " of the royal demesne was the essential aim of the king and his advisor and Suger’s account seems to support this view\." What factors promoted the authority of the Capetian Kings of France in the Twelfth century? France in the eleventh century had been a fragmented land, divided into federal principalities, or mini-states ruled by princes or dukes. Though they recognized the King of France’s authority they did not expect him to exercise it in their individual territories. Feudalism increased the power of these mini-states in the twelfth century, and was the tool used by the Capetian Kings of France to advance their influence and wealth. We will write a custom essay sample on Capetian Kings of France or any similar topic only for you Order Now Why and how the Capetian dynasty sought to establish and then successfully utilize this particular system will be the main focus of my essay. Feudal law was the customs and relations between lord and vassal in regards to the most valuable medieval commodity; land. Under the ‘oath of fealty’ the lord protected the vassal and gave him land to hold in return for produce, labour services, or military services. The feudal lord could acquire a substantial sum of money if his vassal’s son wished to retain his deceased father’s fiefdom. The potential heir would pay a ‘relief’ to the lord to secure his succession. Other advantages in the feudal arrangement were in cases of the land reverting entirely back to the lord if its vassal died without any successors. The benefits of a feudal society were significant in terms of power and profit for a feudal lord. Therefore, a King who was also feudal lord of his kingdom would hold a strong position of authority. King Louis VI (the fat) sought to establish himself as a feudal monarch, perhaps to regain some of the distinction that had been enjoyed by his predecessor, Charlemagne. Louis VI’s reign was from 1108 – 1137 AD, during which time he sought to consolidate his power as a feudal lord in his demesne. The Capetian King would then have established a base from which to further expand his royal authority in the Kingdom of France. Louis VI felt that he should protect the lands of his vassals well and not appear to be seizing them for himself. It appears that he hoped this would establish a mutual confidence between lord and vassal and would be a great incentive for other subjects in the kingdom to become his vassals voluntarily. Ceaseless vigilance† was required by the king to assert his royal power and prevent its loss if it was not exercised. Louis VI therefore spent a great deal of his reign travelling from one end of his demesne to the other, quashing petty disputes with vassals and granting permission for festivals and markets. All this was in pursuit of respect for his feudal authority, which he painstakingly achieved. Consequently, the respect of other nobles in the kingdom for Louis increased and with his authority. Evidence of the King’s increased power can be seen in the invasion of France by Emperor Henry V in 1124. Nobles from all over the territory obeyed Louis VI’s summons to stand against the Emperor e. g. those from Soissons, St Denise, the Count of Flanders, the Count of Anjou, and the Duke of Aquitaine. Louis’s grandson, Philip II ‘Augustus’ would continue this practice of exercising royal control over his demesne. Philip invested a great deal in drawing up thorough and precise agreements with vassals old and new. By the time Philip II ‘Augustus’ was in power, the territory under Capetian control had grown significantly. This was due in part to the labours first carried out by Louis VI in first consolidating the royal demesne before enlarging it. Both kings knew the value in treating their subjects justly, as dishonesty or greed was sure to provoke a feudal rebellion and destroy any possibility of a feudal monarch. The relationship between the crown and the church also played a part in promoting Capetian authority. The church lent support to the king in return for protection. The idea of a feudal monarch in Latin Christendom appealed to the clergy who favoured order and obedience which would allow ‘Christian life’ to flourish. The church even supported the claim that the king possessed a healing touch which he passes on to his son. This claim gave rise to the notion that the position of king was ordained by God and should be accepted as his will. This made way for another advance in solidifying royal power by helping to make the crown hereditary. The king’s son was permitted to be crowned during his father’s lifetime in order to preserve the healing touch. The church gave the monarch a higher degree of moral credibility and in return the church gained more prestige. One therefore increased the standing of the other in medieval France. Louis VI’s chief minister and ecclesiastical advisor was Abbot Suger of St Denise. He held his prestigious office from 1122 to his death in 1155, during which time he recorded a history of his king, The Life of Louis the Fat. As a result of this great power he held in France, he was very much involved in French politics and â€Å"virtually ran the Kingdom while King Louis VI was away on crusade. This aspect of Suger’s career would explain his proximity and involvement in the monarch’s progress in gaining a more prominent role in European affairs, and as a result of this proximity, why he was in a position to chronicle Louis’s life. He seems to play a significant role in promoting Capetian authority in how he portrays Louis as a most pious and worthy king to serve under. He sta tes in the introduction of his biography that â€Å"with my pen I describe his devotion to the church’s worship of God† and implores his contemporaries and readers not to forget Louis VI’s â€Å"marvellous zeal for the good of the kingdom. Perhaps Suger may be slightly guilty of exaggerating Louis’s piety in an effort to promote his image as a moral leader and help consolidate his power. The enlargement of the royal demesne was the essential aim of the king and his advisor and Suger’s account seems to support this view. You read "Capetian Kings of France" in category "Essay examples" Suger may have also wanted to record the events in the life of Louis VI that involved the French Church in order to emphasise the strong bond between the crown and the clergy. The King was forced to move against Thomas de Marle who was claiming land unlawfully. True to form, Louis acts quickly to prevent loss of royal authority by handling the matter personally. Suger reports that the clergy move with him [the King] to excommunicate de Marle and strip him of all honours for his crimes. This is described by The Abbot as â€Å"yielding to the prayers of the great council†, to whom Louis VI â€Å"was always very strongly attached. † The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Denis was also known as the Royal Abbey of France as many Kings had been educated and buried there. The old abbey church of St. Denis was partially dilapidated by the early twelfth century, having been built in the late eighth century by Charlemagne, and required renovation as an important symbol of French Capetian royal power. Suger was overseer of the rebuilding of the abbey. Though Suger’s involvement in its reconstruction was of more religious significance, the project was nevertheless just as much a political and architectural an event. The new building marked the beginning of Gothic architecture which would spread with the expansion of the House of Capet’s royal demesne as they came closer to becoming a feudal monarch. The family’s connection to Charlemagne also increased the perception of their glory and power. Their glorified ascendancy was highlighted by the restoration of the Cathedral the great emperor had first commissioned. The church aided the promoting of royal authority throughout the twelfth century as more vassals and land came under Capetian control. After establishing him-self as a respected feudal lord within the kingdom, Louis VI’s court became the place other lords turned to settle their disputes. This was an automatic assertion of Louis’s power in the kingdom. The nobles’ â€Å"submission to [Louis’s court’s] judgement necessitated the recognition of the King as one’s feudal lord. † Advantageous marriage was also a method employed to acquire territory for the crown and increase its power. Though it was not always a successful method, it is evidence that alliances with the Capetian house were not undesirable by rulers of the other mini-states. It also suggests that the consolidation of power into a feudal monarchy was not widely resisted. In 1137 Louis VI married his son, Louis VII to the daughter of the Duke of Aquitaine and thus acquired the extensive territory in western France through marital bonds. However, Aquitaine was lost to Henry II of England when Louis VII’s marriage fell apart. Philip II was slightly more successful than his father in regards to political marriage. He wished to marry the daughter of Canute VI of Denmark, Isabella of Hainault, in 1193, in the hopes that the alliance would give him the man power he needed to remove the English from the Kingdom of France. He was unsuccessful in this endeavour. He soon wished to have the marriage annulled but it was not permitted by Pope Innocent III. Philip obtained the district of Artois through this marriage. This acquisition marked the beginning of the northern expansion of the royal territory. Philip II soon found himself in a position to continue expanding north by claiming various districts of inheritance. These included Amiens in 1185 and St Quentin in the beginning of the thirteenth century. The continual expansion of the royal demesne to the north was not just to acquire land but to acquire particular land in the district of Flanders. Flanders would be a significant gain to a potential feudal monarch as it was one of the wealthiest parts of northern Europe. Its cities would dispense a considerable amount of money into the pockets of its feudal lord. The growing willingness of French nobles to submit to the Capetian kings throughout the twelfth century indicates that the idea of a feudal monarchy was neither unpopular nor unwanted. Louis VI’s demesne was seen as a prime example of order and a strong body, capable of wielding power over the rest of France and other European empires. Louis VI proved his worthiness to govern France as both king and feudal overlord. Philip II ‘Augustus’ built on his grandfather’s reputation and had accumulated a considerable amount of land and prestige for the crown by the beginning of the thirteenth century. The church also aided Capetian propaganda by emphasising the dynasty’s most prestigious member, Charlemagne. The restoration of the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Denis was symbolic of the Capetian celebrity that would have been well known in France. Suger and Louis VI the fat sought to utilize the connection for the advancement of Capetian power. This suggests that the monarch and the clergy were quite intertwined in the political events of France in the twelfth century, each shaping the power and the role of the other in the Kingdom’s progression of authority in Europe. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Marc Bloch, Fuedal Society, Volume 1,. (English translation, 1962) p. 60 [ 2 ]. R. H. C Davis, A History of Medieval Europe from Constantine to Saint Louis, (London, 1957) p. 327 [ 3 ]. Ibid. [ 4 ]. Ibid. P 329 [ 5 ]. Fordham University (http://www. fordham. edu/halsall/sbook1m. sp) [accessed 29 October 2011] [ 6 ]. Davis, A History of Medieval Europe, p. 325 [ 7 ]. Jean Dunbabin, France in the Making (London, 1983) p. 256 [ 8 ]. Davis, A History of Medieval Europe, p 325 [ 9 ]. Paul Halsall, Medieval Sourcebook:  Abbot Suger: On What Was Done In His Administration (New York, 1996) p. 2 [ 10 ]. Halsall, Medieval Sourcebook:à ‚  Abbot Suger (New York, 1996) p. 2 [ 11 ]. Abbot Suger, The Life of Louis the Fat, (translated Paul Halsall) (New York, 1999) p. 1 [ 12 ]. Ibid. [ 13 ]. Suger, The Life of Louis the Fat, (trans. Paul Halsall) (New York, 1999) [ 14 ]. Halsall, Medieval Sourcebook:  Abbot Suger, p. 2 [ 15 ]. Davis, A History of Medieval Europe, p. 341 [ 16 ]. Ibid. p. 333 [ 17 ]. Davis, A History of Medieval Europe, p 339 [ 18 ]. C. N. L Brooke, Europe in the central Middle Ages, 962-1154, (Essex, 1987) p. 266 [ 19 ]. Davis, A History of Medieval Europe, p 339 [ 20 ]. Fordham University (http://www. fordham. edu/halsall/sbook1m. asp) [accessed 29 October 2011] [ 21 ]. R. W Sothern, The Making of the Middle Ages, (London, 1953; latest edn London 1993) p. 151 How to cite Capetian Kings of France, Essay examples

Star Wars A New Hope Essay Example For Students

Star Wars : A New Hope Essay The dramatic war-like classic of a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, it is Star Wars. The reason most people go to see it is because of the THX digitally mastered sound, the new visual effects, the superb acting, but most of all the all important theme, without which, Star Wars would not be half the film that it is. But now, it has launched Lucasfilm Ltd. into a new era and taken all the world with it. When Star Wars was first made in 1977, nobody expected it to become a big movie. George Lucas had only a small crew, a moderate number of actors without much of a reputation, the London Symphony Orchestra, and a bunch of college students to help out with the effects. But once the people started watching it and the word spread, it developed into a multimillion dollar investiture. Reason: the plot. Up to that time, the most realistic sci-fi movies ranged from B rated Ed Wood movies to the classic Take me to your leader films. Nothing was ever made that even compared to Star Wars. Even the Star Trek series seemed untechnological. When the movie starts out, it takes a whole new concept to bear : a small space cruiser being chased by one thats half the size of our planet. And then the small ship is raided by cruel looking soldiers in space suits lead by a half man half robot. The imperials, as the cruel army is called, are looking for the plans to their already built battle station, called the Death Star. Two robots escape in a pod with the plans. Now the protagonist is introduced, Luke Skywalker. A farmer on the same desert world that the robots landed on, he leads a boring life, even though he does turn out as the major protagonist at the end of the movie. When his uncle buys the robots and the one with the plans wanders off, Luke chases after it and winds up with the one who the little droid, Artoo, sought. Obi Wan Kenobi, as the man is called, tells Luke that his father was a man of great power and proceeds to explain the force, the all powerful entity that controls all people. To people of the 70s, this wa s a totally new idea. The thought of something which controls everything and everyone and can, at the same time can be utilized and controlled by those that it controls, hit many people hard on the head. But, it WAS the 70s and that wasnt TOO ridiculous. The story progresses and Luke finds his uncles and aunts charred remains following an imperial attack and agrees to go with Kenobi. They locate a pilot to take them to the destination planet, but find that it has been completely destroyed by the imperials. They then go to the Death Star (accidentally) and are almost captured, but then save Princess Leia, who was the woman who was carrying the Death Star plans until her ship was attacked. Before the crew can get off the Death Star, however, Obi Wan Kenobi is slain by the half robot, half man, Darth Vader in a fight. When the sextet of the two robots, the Princess, Luke, the pilot (Han Solo), and his wookie assistant (Chewbacca) arrive at the h!eadquarters of the resistance against th e imperials, otherwise known as the Rebel Aliance, Artoo displays the plans for the Death Star and an attack is planned. The Death Stars commanders know where the rebel base is and head for it to destroy that planet. However, the attack on the Death Star is made and Luke uses the force to launch two torpedoes from his fighter space craft into the Death Stars main reactor, and destroys it. In this film, Episode IV, Luke is but a 17 year old young man and does not know the ways of life. When he starts out, he is but a boy who is doomed to stay on his desert planet for another year to help his uncle farm. But he hates it. Like his father, Anakin Skywalker, he has great ambitions, even though he is still a little bit selfish. Overall hes a nice young man, but still needs to learn the lessons of life, and by joining the alliance he learns discipline and self control, not by the way we would do it, but by way of war. Even though this movie is mostly meant for pure entertainment, a conclusive aspect towards war can be drawn from it. When Luke finds his uncles and aunts charred skeletons, his life is completely changed. He develops a dislike towards the Galactic Empire and a need to revenge his aunts, uncles, and fathers deaths. Highly motivated, he goes all out to completely save the rebellion against the imperials. This way, he is truly made a man. Overall, Star Wars is a great movie. Its perfect for almost any viewer and is highly thought of as one of the best movies and best trilogies ever. And even though movies have only been around for about 90 years, the Star Wars trilogy will be forever remembered as one of the best there ever was. Quotes and Major ThemesHelp me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, youre my only hope. -Princess Leia, pleading to Kenobi on a recorded message to help her fight the EmpireThere will be no one to stop us this time. -Darth Vader, after invading an Allianceship. Owen, hes too much like his father. Lukes aunt talking to his uncle about him. Your devotions to that sorcery of yours has not given you clairovoyance enough to locate that rebel base -An anonymous moff (high general) addressing Darth VaderI find your lack of faith disturbing. -Darth Vader addressing that same moff while choking him with telekinetics. Arts And Crafts Essay IntroductionNarrator : Now the England begin a long voyage towards the heart of France, Agincourt. King Henry, with only a small force of 2,000 confronts the gates of Harfleur, one Of the main French forts standing in the Englishs path, and lays siege to it, and Nearly destroys it before demanding and immediate surrender. Act III, Scene II Before the Gates of HarfleurK. Hen. How yet resolves the governor of this town? This is the latest parley we will Admit : therefore, to our best medrcy give yourselves; or like to men proud of Destruction, defy us pur worst: for I am a soldier, if I begin the battery once again, I will not lieve the half achieved Harfleur, till in her ashes she lie buried. The Gates of mercy shall all be shut up. What ist to me when you yourselves are caise If your pure maidens fall into the hand of hot and forcing violations?Exe. Therefore, you men of Harfleur, take pity of your town and people whiles yet the Soldiers are in command; whiles yet the cool and temperate wind of grace Oerblows the filthy and contagious clouds of heady murder, spoil and villainy. K. Hen. What say you? Will you yield, and this avoid? Or guilty in defence, and thus Destroyd?Gov. Our expectation hath this day an end: the Dauphin, whom of succor we entreated, Returns us that his powers are not yet ready to raise so great a siege. Therefore, Great king, we yield our town and lives to thy mercy. Enter our gates; dispose of Us and ours, for we are no longer defensable. K. Hen. Open your gates. -Come uncle Exeter, go you and enter Harfleur, there remain And fortify it strongly against the French. Use mercy to them all. For us, dear Uncle, we will retire to Calais. To-night in harfleur will we be your guest; Tomorrow for the march are we adresst. Narrator. The English army presses through Harfleur on to Agincourt. On the way, Henry Has one of his best friends hung for stealing from a Church and spies on his own Encampment to see how his troops morale is doing. After, reaching Agincourt, Henry gives a long but extremely effective inspirational speech and the English Engage the French, who have 10 times the men, in a short but extremely bloody And destructive battle, known now as the Battle of Agincourt. After the fighting, Henry awaits the results. Act IV, Scene IIIK. Hen. All things are ready if our minds be so. Exe. Perish the man whose mind is backward now!K. Hen Thou dost not wish any more help from England , uncle?Exe. Gods will! My liege, would you and I alone, without more help fight this royal battle!Enter MontjoyMont. Once more I come to know of thee, King Harry, if for thy ransome thou wilt now Compound, before thy most assured overthrow: for certainly thou art so near the Gulf thou needs must be englutted. Besides, in mercy, the constable desires thee Thou wilt mind thy followers of repentance; that their souls may make a peaceful And a sweet retire from off these fields, where, wretches, their poor bodies must Lie and fester. K. Hen. Who hat sent thee now?Mont. The constable of FranceK. Hen. I pray thee, bear my former answer back and turn them out of service. If they do this, as if God plese, they shall, my ransom then will soon be levied. Herald save thou thy labour. Come thou no more for ransom, gentle herald. But tell me this, is the day ours?Mont. The day is yours. K. Hen. God be praisedMontjoy Exits Exe. The list of casualties, my lord. Of the French lords and barons, knights and squires, full fifteen hundred, besides common men. K. Hen. This note doth tell me of ten thousand French That in the field lie slain: of PPrinces in this number, and nobles bearing banners, there lie dead one hundred And twenty-six: added to these, of knights and esquires, and gallant gentlemen, Eight thousand and four hundred; of the which five hundred were but yesterday Dubbd knights: so that, in these ten thousand they have lost, there are but sixteen Hundred mercenaries; the rest are princes, barons, lords, knights, squires, and Gentlemen of blood and quality. Here was a royal fellowship of death! Where is The number of our English dead?Exe. Hands Henry another paper Of all men, But five and twenty. O God, thy arm was here; and not to us, but to thy arm Alone, ascribe us all! When without strategem, but in plain shock and even play Of battle was ever known so great and little loss on one part and on the other? Take it, God, for it is none but thine!Exe. Tis wonderful!K. Hen. Come, go we to the village: and be it death proclaim ed through our host to boast Of this of this, or take that praise from God which is his to give only. Montjoy returnsMont. Is it not lawful and please your majesty, to tell how many are killed?K. Hen. Yes, herald; but with this acknowledgement, that God fought for us. Mont. Yes, my conscience, he did us great goodK. Hen. Do we all holy rites: let there be sung Non nobis and Te Deum; the dead with Charity enclosd in clay: well then to Calais; and then to england then; where Neer from France arrivd more happy men.

Waiting For Godot Essays (671 words) - Theatre Of The Absurd

Waiting For Godot The Play about Nothing Waiting for Godot has been a subject of my thoughts for about two weeks now. While considering the work, its author, and the comments I have found about the play, I have come up with three hypotheses as to the meaning and overall theme. Either it is about Humanity waiting for a savior that does exist to return; or it could be about the hopelessness of Humanity waiting for a savior that doesnt exist, and therefore will never come; or, the easiest of possibilities, that Waiting really has no theme at all. This last theory is the one that I most readily accept, and the answer that Samuel Beckett, the author of the play, put forth when questioned about the meaning of his strange little piece. Many critics put the first theory forth as the true meaning of Waiting, and there are many aspects of it by which they can make their point. The most obvious is the title character, Godot, because the root word of the name is God. The many references to Christianity also create a close connection between the storyline and many important stories from the Bible. From the very beginning Vladimir and Estragon ponder their salvation, consider death, and draw a parallel between themselves and the two thieves that were crucified along with Jesus, according to the Gospels. Vladimir: One of the thieves was saved. Its a reasonable percentage. Gogo. Estragon: What? Vladimir: Suppose we repented. Estragon: Repented what? Vladimir: Ohwe wouldnt have to go into the details. Estragon: Our being born? (Beckett, p.8) The general attitude expressed throughout is the hopelessness, or possibly the meaningless-ness of life. Humanitys purpose is simply to wait out its existence until the Second Coming. Everything we do, say, feel, experience, etc., is just passing the time until our lives come to an end. Vladimir: That passed the time. Estragon: It would have passed in any case. Vladimir: Yes, but not so rapidly. (Beckett, p.31) Let us assume that Godot does symbolize God. He is someone who will come to make a great change in the Vladimir and Estragons lives, a great change for the better. But Godot, and whatever that change may be, does not come throughout the length of the play. They mistake Pozzo for Godot, and they mistake the messenger for Godot, because they do not know what Godot looks like or what manner of person he may be. Likewise, through our lives we mistake people and occurrences for Christ. And that helps us to pass the time until we die. The fact that Godot never comes also helps to prove the second theory about the meaning of Waiting. What if God and the afterlife do not exist? What then? We spend our entire lives waiting, biding our time in anticipation of our great reward. But when our lives end, thats it. All the preparation, all our good intentions, are useless and meaningless because there was no meaning in the first place. Beckett may have used the play to illustrate how pathetic Humanity seems as it strives toward a nonexistent goal. He also made great fun of all those philosophers that ponder on the meaning of our existence using the character of Lucky. When Lucky makes his lengthy oration of nonsense, it is illustrating what nonsense everything that all the great thinkers have said on the meaning of life. For if life has no meaning, then it is all gibberish, and Lucky makes just as much sense as Voltaire. The third and final theory about the meaning of Waiting for Godot is that it has no meaning. When questioned repeatedly on the matter, Beckett was quoted in the New York Times as saying, I know no more of this play than anyone who manages to read it attentively, and, I do not know who Godot is. I do not even know if he exists. Book Reports