The Importance of Being Earnest Review

'The Importance of Being Earnest' Review ​​The Importance of Being Earnest is Oscar Wildes most well-known and best-loved play, as well as being an enormous success in his lifetime. For many people, it is the apogee of Wildes work. Like Wilde, the play is the very embodiment of fin de sieclà © British dandyism. However, this seemingly frivolous play has a much darker side. Its critique of Victorian societythough delivered in a velvet gloveis every inch an iron fist. The play is a satire both of the hypocrisies of the society in which Wilde lived, and the damaging effect that these hypocrisies can have on the souls of those live under their rule. Wilde was to become one of those souls shortly after the first performance of the play when he initiated a libel trial that was to lead to his imprisonment for being a homosexual.​ Overview ofThe Importance of Being Earnest The play is based around two young men, one of whom is an upright young man called Jack who lives in the country. However, in order to escape the drudgery of his highly conservative lifestyle, he has created an alter-ego, Ernest, who has all kinds of reprobate fun in London. Jack says he often has to visit his poor brother Ernest, which gives him his opportunity to escape his boring life and have fun with his good friend, Algernon. However, Algernon comes to suspect that Jack is leading a double life when he finds a personal message in one of Jack’s cigarette cases. Jack makes a clean breast of his life, including the fact that he has a young and attractive ward by the name of Cecily Cardew back on his estate in Gloucestershire. This piques Algernons interest and, uninvited, he turns up on the estate pretending to be Jack’s brotherthe reprobate Ernestin order to woo Cecily. In the meantime, Jacks fiancà ©e, (and Algernons cousin) Gwendolen has also arrived, and Jack admits to her that he is, in fact, not called Ernest, but is called Jack. Algernon, despite his better judgment, also confesses to Cecily that his name is not Ernest either. This causes a good deal of trouble in our heroes love lives, as both women have a rather strange attachment to the name Ernest, and cannot consider marrying anyone who does not go by that name. There is another impediment to the marriages. Gwendolens mother, Lady Bracknell, will not countenance her daughter marrying someone of Jacks social status (he was an orphan who was found by his adoptive parents in a handbag at Kings Cross Station). As Jack is Cecilys guardian, he will not allow her to marry Algernon unless his aunt, Lady Bracknell changes her mind. This seemingly irresolvable conundrum becomes brilliantly solved when, on inspection of the handbag, Lady Bracknell reveals that Algernons brother had become lost in just such a handbag and that Jack must, in actuality, be that lost child. What’s more, the child had been christened Ernest. The play ends with a prospect of two very happy marriages. The Importance of Being Earnest combines a labyrinthine plot, the seemingly irresolvable narrative of a farce, and some of the most comic and wittiest lines ever written. It is, as can probably be surmised from its extraordinary to-ings and fro-ings and its incredibly unlikely resolution, is not to be taken as a serious drama. Indeed, the characters and the setting lack any real depth; they are, first and foremost, vessels for Wilde’s witticisms lampooning the shallow and roots-obsessed society in which he lived.   However, this is not to the plays detriment – the audience is treated to some of the most sparkling verbal wit ever seen. Whether luxuriating in paradox or simply in the ridiculousness created by the plot that Wilde has set in motion, the play is at its best when it is portraying supposedly serious things in an extremely trivial matter.   However, this seeming piece of fluff is enormously influential and is actually a destructive critique of the social mores of the times. The emphasis that is put in the play on surfacesnames, where and how people were brought up, the way that they dressbelies a yearning for something which is more substantial. Wilde can be credited, by producing a piece of polished decadence, with contributing to the destruction of a class-based, surface-obsessed society. Wildes play seems to say, look beneath the surface, try and find the real people stifled beneath social norms. Brilliant, inventive, witty andwhen performedabsolutely hilarious, Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest, is a landmark in the history of Western theater, and probably that writer’s greatest achievement.

Free Essays on Johnny Rotten

The True Tale of Johhny Rotten Together they were legendary, revolutionary. They were among the first of their generation to publically vocalize a resistance to England’s head figure with lyrics like: â€Å"God bless the Queen and her fascist regime,† thus sparking a widespread underground rise of anarachy in England and on to the United States. They were among the first to utilize a raw and rebellious form of rock, later coined â€Å"punk rock.† They were the Sex Pistols. Together they were invincible. Each member feeling shunned by society, channeled their anger and hostility through a music that pushed societal boundries and most defintely questioned authority. While the Pistols were known for their cocky attitudes and and self-righteous behavior, each member (all four orginally named John) had their own personalities. John Lydon, who went by the moniker â€Å"Johnny Rotten,† was actually shy and introvertive. John Simon Richie, â€Å"Sid Vicious,† was quite the opposite. Never really knowing who he was (or never really bothering to discover) Simon Ritchie decided to take on the role of Sid, and the Sex Pistols’s bad-boy rebellious image became his identity. When the Pistols formed, Sid took the vocals and inevitably volunteered (without consent of the other members) to front the band. His outgoing, in-your-face approach to press and public, as well as his trashy attention-seeking girlfriend â€Å"Nancy,† put Sid in the spotlight and on the cover of nearly every fan-zine or tabloid about the Sex Pistols. It appeared as though Johhny Rotten was Sid’s sidekick, but behind the scenes, Lydon began resenting the fact that Sid took all the credit for the Pistols. Each member had their own creative rebellion to contribute to the dynamic of the band, but no other member got the recognition they deserved. This is Lydon’s story. This is his time to uncover the multifaced truth about that lies behind a slanted facade that everyone t... Free Essays on Johnny Rotten Free Essays on Johnny Rotten The True Tale of Johhny Rotten Together they were legendary, revolutionary. They were among the first of their generation to publically vocalize a resistance to England’s head figure with lyrics like: â€Å"God bless the Queen and her fascist regime,† thus sparking a widespread underground rise of anarachy in England and on to the United States. They were among the first to utilize a raw and rebellious form of rock, later coined â€Å"punk rock.† They were the Sex Pistols. Together they were invincible. Each member feeling shunned by society, channeled their anger and hostility through a music that pushed societal boundries and most defintely questioned authority. While the Pistols were known for their cocky attitudes and and self-righteous behavior, each member (all four orginally named John) had their own personalities. John Lydon, who went by the moniker â€Å"Johnny Rotten,† was actually shy and introvertive. John Simon Richie, â€Å"Sid Vicious,† was quite the opposite. Never really knowing who he was (or never really bothering to discover) Simon Ritchie decided to take on the role of Sid, and the Sex Pistols’s bad-boy rebellious image became his identity. When the Pistols formed, Sid took the vocals and inevitably volunteered (without consent of the other members) to front the band. His outgoing, in-your-face approach to press and public, as well as his trashy attention-seeking girlfriend â€Å"Nancy,† put Sid in the spotlight and on the cover of nearly every fan-zine or tabloid about the Sex Pistols. It appeared as though Johhny Rotten was Sid’s sidekick, but behind the scenes, Lydon began resenting the fact that Sid took all the credit for the Pistols. Each member had their own creative rebellion to contribute to the dynamic of the band, but no other member got the recognition they deserved. This is Lydon’s story. This is his time to uncover the multifaced truth about that lies behind a slanted facade that everyone t...

Sleep and sleep disturbance factors among critically ill patients Research Paper - 1

Sleep and sleep disturbance factors among critically ill patients - Research Paper Example The process of adaptation was labeled general since it is argued to be produced by agents with general effect. Adaptive involves stimulation that helps in the maintenance of state of inurement. At alarm stage, generalized stimulation of the nervous system is believed to be automatic stimulation in the initial stages of the alarm reaction. An occurrence of nonspecific breakdown takes place at this stage. Nevertheless, a counter shock phase is recorded if the stressor continues (Nevid, 2009). This stage is characterized by increased heart beat rate, blood pressure, and alertness among others. On the other hand, resistance stage occurs when there is a reduction in the alarm reaction. This is where developmental adaptation takes place. Even with the stress is noted, at this stage, there is an immense attempt to maintain proper functioning of the body (Hesson & Olpin, 2013). In the last stage, exhaustion stage, if the organism is unable to get back into its normal status, the stage of exhaustion takes place. At this point, the initial characteristics of the alarm stage occur while there little effort to counter the stressor. It is apparent that sleep disturbances are connected to some stressors. Critically ill patients are susceptive to external factors that interacts the patient during the sleep (Berry, et al, 2005). For instance, environmental factors such as noise and light could be termed as sleep disturbance. It is apparent that noise is a stressor that causes sleep disturbance not only to sick persons, but also to health people. In fact, when there is noise around, one is not able to maintain the sleep as the nervous system is disturbed. This alarms the patient and forces him to be awake for as long as the stressor persists (Berry, et al, 2005). For some people, it is possible for them to resist the stressor and continue sleeping. This is mostly noted to people

Harlem Renaissance Poets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Harlem Renaissance Poets - Essay Example The author’s role and importance will be described, and the elements of double consciousness in their poems will be identified. Subsequently, the primary themes in the poetry of the time will be described and finally, I will present my own poem that expresses the identified themes of the Harlem renaissance. Poetry had a significant place in this movement because of its brevity of expression. There were many scholars of the time who stand out as representatives of the movements. Langston Hughes, a poet and scholar, was an outspoken critic of the racial polarization between the White and Black races in America. He also criticized some Black writers who he saw as adopting Eurocentric values while still championing for social equality. His poems explored the Black experience with a sensibility that captured its struggles, resilience, beauty, and complexity. Although he was later criticized for being a racial chauvinist, Hughes introduced a new literary aesthetic that celebrated African-American forms of literary expression (Shaduri, 2010). Hughes’ emphasis on racial consciousness and Black cultural nationalism would later influence many writers. Hughes’s recognition of the dualism of his experience as both encompassing the African and American is aptly captured in his seminal poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers. In The poem, the persona declares his involvement with the rivers Euphrates, Congo, Nile, and Mississippi. As a result of the persona’s diverse experiences and imbrications in the cultures of the African and American continents, the persona reminds the reader that: â€Å"my soul has grown deep like the rivers.† While there is a psychological, cultural, and artistic dilemma invoked by the involvement of both cultures and histories with each other, Hughes’s refrain suggests transcendence over them, implying complexity and richness of the African-American experience. Countee Cullen also engaged and questioned the complexity of the

Deposit Mobilisation in Banks

Deposit Mobilisation in Banks Deposit mobilisation is one of the crucial functions of a conventional financialinstitutions or banks to satisfy one of the requirements of a banking business, i.e.sourcing of funds or borrowing money from customers.Continuous and adequate deposit mobilisation would ensure the bank shall be able tosustain its business of lending and investing, thus incurring profit for future growth.Nevertheless, different types of deposits have different and distinct characteristics andfeatures which in consequence impose different risks and costs to the banks. Therefore, inmany cases, deposit mobilisation strategy relies heavily to the banks asset and liabilitymanagement policy.In a relationship between bank and depositors, the rights and duties for both parties varyaccording to the nature of deposit mobilisation. The ability of the bank to fulfil their duties is an important measure of the banks acceptance by the public, or by far as acomparison yardstick with other banks. Deposit mobilisation of a bank and its importance a. Introduction Banks mobilise deposits as their primary source of funds. Having optimaldeposits level, banks shall be able to lend the funds to generate interest onlending. In addition to lending, the deposits fund can be placed in certaininvestments avenues which suits the banks or the deposits objectives.Deposit mobilisation is a continuous function for a bank to ensure the sumtotal of deposits at any time adequate to maintain the current level of lending and investments especially to compensate the withdrawals madeby depositors. Usually, the deposits level is kept slightly or certainpercentages above the lending and investments level to ensure the bank has adequate cash reserves to meet expected withdrawals and alsorecurring withdrawals. The cash reserves are called Liquidity Reserves.Deposits bring costs to the banks, either on the maintenance of thedeposits and its transactions or on the interest payout onto the depositsupon deposit maturity.b. How Bank Mobilises Deposits Bank receives deposits from individuals, organisations and businesses,initially by opening an account with the bank itself. Based on the types of deposits, minimum initial deposits are set together with the rules andregulations governing the accounts.Subsequent deposits can be made into the accounts, except for timedeposits where the amount is fixed until deposit maturity.Depositors maintain deposits with specific banks due to many factors, butin particular trust and confidence with the banks are the major factors.Once these are established, the banks continuously attract depositors anddeposits by providing convenience banking, quality services, excellentbrand association and higher interest payout.However, there are instances where depositors put their money into thebanks mainly for security purposes, i.e. the banks to protect their moneyfrom loss and theft and also warrant the deposits from investment loss. Assuch in Malaysia the government provides guarantee upon deposits placedwi th commercial banks. 59 http://htmlimg1.scribdassets.com/4mk9wp2tcwe8wo/images/59-b2561607ca.pnghttp://htmlimg1.scribdassets.com/4mk9wp2tcwe8wo/images/59-b2561607ca.png Banks are competing against each other to attract deposits and newdepositors. Normally interest payout rates, locations and services are themain attractions to the mass market. However, some banks are going intothe niche markets and thus providing specific attractions to the targetedmarket segment. One example is the pensioners group, where specificproducts are developed with special features which suit their lifestyles.Sometimes banks do promotions with door-gifts, lucky draw, establishsavings clubs, staff get customers programme and else to ensure thedepositors base and deposits keep growing and to instil loyalty to thedepositors.Some deposits products have also grown from a single purpose deposits tocombined purpose products to meet higher expectations from customers.For example, attachment of insurance scheme, combination with debitcard, etc.c. The importance of deposits Deposits are the primary source of funds for a bank, which facilitates theuses of funds (loans and investments). The higher the deposits amount, thebigger the lending and investments portfolio can be maintained by thebanks to sustain its expansion and future growth.The banks must have adequate deposits to meet the lending volumerequired by the public and at the same time maintain extra cash for withdrawals by depositors. The cash reserve is a component of liquidityreserves which measure the ability of the bank to meet its expectedwithdrawals and recurring withdrawals. The withdrawals made from thereserves are oddly-offset against new deposits which the banks shouldcontinuously mobilise. The inability to get sufficient deposits could resultin negative fund situation.The level of deposits growth also indicates the banks performance inrelation to customers satisfaction on interest payout and servicesrendered.d. Deposits as key liquidity indicator Deposits are made mainly in cash, the most liquid asset for banks. Oncewithdrawal requests are made by depositors, banks must immediatelyprovide cash for that particular purpose. As compared to other liquiditycomponents such as short term investments which take time to beconverted into cash, it is rather wise for a bank to simply get moredeposits beyond the withdrawal amount. 60 http://htmlimg4.scribdassets.com/4mk9wp2tcwe8wo/images/60-3465843250.png However, the percentage of the cash reserves must be kept at optimumlevel. Idle cash does not create profit, but in fact, brings additional costs interms of storage and insurance. Therefore, by maintaining cash reserves atoptimal level enables bank to generate maximum profits from lending andinvestment activities.The costs for cash reserves are mainly on the storage and insurance. Thestorage of cash reserves involves the requirement for adequate vaultrooms, cash in-transit security and cash handling at branches. Theinsurance costs are to cover the amount of cash available anytime atbranches or in-transit from loss, fire and theft. It generally covers themaximum cash amount allowed at branches or in-transit

Five force model of PIXAR

Threat of new entrants: High Advanced technologies make it difficult for new competitors to enter the market because they have to develop those technologies before effectively competing. The requirement for advanced technologies positively affects PIXAR. The PIXAR has a high level technology development department, so the threat of new competitors is the technology. Threat of substitute products or services: Moderate I consider substitute products to be theater or other forms of entertainment. Internet is also a substitute form of entertainment as the concept of instant messaging was very popular at this time. Also, we can see the beginning of the popular social network Facebook gain traction as it was launched in 2004. Rivalry among existing competitors: High Since there are only a few key players with similar percentage of market share (ranges from 14%-19%), the competition between them is strong. To be more competitive, the growing trend is to consolidate and acquire other studios. For example, Vivendi acquired Universal in 2000, which was then acquired by GE in 2004 and Viacom acquired DreamWorks in 2006. Power of buyers: Moderate I assess this threat to be moderate as there are many potential consumers with limited financial impact on the industry. In addition, the industry is dominated by key players thus is able to limit the options for the buyers. On the contrary, even though there are only a few options, there are effectively zero switching costs for customers. Hence, watching a film by one company does not make it more costly or difficult to then watch a film from a competitor. Power of suppliers: Moderate I assess this threat to be moderate since with technology, hand-drawn animation is being replaced by computer technology. In addition, the needs for these computer animation skills start to be outsourced from North America to Asia Pacific where there are significant lower costs coupled with high quality computer animation production.

Early Puritan Writers Essay

The Puritans who risked their lives, fortunes and futures to start a new life in what was then known as the new world, which is to say the American colonies, brought with them from their native land a desire to start a new life free from religious persecution and full of the faith in God that had brought them through many obstacles to a fresh start. In that search for a new life, Puritans likewise sought moral and spiritual guidance from their leadership. One of the most important ways that this guidance came to be was through the use of the written word. Perhaps no better writers existed during that time than John Smith, William Byrd and William Bradford. In this essay, the writings, beliefs and philosophies of these three men will be presented, universal themes in their works will be discussed, and a conclusion to the paper will bring all of the research into proper prospective. The Works and Philosophies of John Smith Many who study the writings of the early American writers consider John Smith to be not only a highly skilled writer, but likewise what can fairly be called a social, political, and religious commentator of his times. To begin, however, there is a point of clarification that is generally agreed upon, which is the fact that while John Smith was undoubtedly a devout Christian and a man of simple habits and pure living, he was not technically a Puritan by designation, but pure of heart and spirit nonetheless (Hammond, 2000). It would be more precise to categorize Smith as a devotee of the development of the New England colonies upon a foundation of obedience to God as well as the law of man. Before his life in America, Smith was a decorated hero of the English crown, but underwent a change of heart upon realizing that the English lords for whom he had fought so many battles only wanted to enslave the American colonists in a sense. Because of this, Smith soon became a champion of New England’s obedience not to England, but to the word of God. Some of Smith’s best known writings told the story of the struggles of the New England colonists, while still professing the critical role that God plays in the well being of all people, and the importance of piety and faith. Ultimately, this gave Smith a wide audience in the Puritan community and made him one of the most renowned Puritan writers, although he was not technically a member of the sect (Hammond, 2000). Standing in contrast to the piety, serious writing style, and religious obedience of John Smith stands William Byrd, whose writings used a combination of satire and cutting wit to show the difference between the religious and non- religious communities. Writings of William Byrd William Byrd took a drastically different path than Smith in terms of his writing and social commentary; through a blend of satire, humor and parody, Byrd professed that there is a marked difference between the secular and sacred elements of society, and that indeed people could live on either side in harmony. In his book â€Å"The History of the Dividing Line†, Byrd is writing of his explorations of the North American continent and the border between Virginia and North Carolina, but beyond the literal, there lies a great deal of content, philosophy and wisdom. Indirectly, Byrd metaphorically makes a distinction between a life that is defined by obedience to God and one that is guided more by a type of common sense to differentiate between right and wrong and the importance of the decisions and choices on makes in their life (Hammond, 2000). In this book, Byrd discusses the vast wilderness, which is to say the unknown territory that the early Americans must explore and learn how to inhabit if they are to enjoy everything that life has to offer. On a more philosophical level, however, this wilderness is shown as the unknown areas of evil that the human mind can create and explore if the will of the individual is to turn away from God and be disobedient. Also, on a philosophical level, Byrd draws a parallel between the pure and fresh land that the early American settlers have been given, as a sort of gift from God, and the other pure blessings that God provides. In either case, it is up to the individual to embrace and enjoy them, or squander and destroy them. Seemingly bridging the gap between the sacred of Smith and secular of Byrd is William Bradford, the leader of the Pilgrim settlers of the Plymouth Colony of New England, the second Governor of the colony, and generally recognized as the founder of the first Thanksgiving feast. William Bradford’s Body of Literature As was stated in the previous section of this paper, William Bradford can fairly be seen as the midway point between the secular and sacred writers, incorporating both in combination in his writings. His best known work, â€Å"History of Plymouth Plantation†, shows evidence of this belief system, which also projected into his leadership of the colony. Bradford firmly believed that it was the grace of God which brought the colonists to a new life in the Plymouth colony, and it was this same grace which helped them to survive their first brutal winter, when many of their citizens perished due to the harsh conditions. Also, however, Bradford believed that the efforts of the individual were essential to survival (Hammond, 2000), in a sort of thinking that goes by the old adage that God helps those who help themselves. Giving God due praise and worship for blessings, Bradford also put forth the philosophy that the work of humans was needed to nourish the body as God was needed to nourish the soul. Bradford has been acknowledged as the father of the concept of industry in America to produce needed goods and provide a livelihood for people. Perhaps Bradford developed a respect for those who were not particularly devoted to the church but were guided by a will to survive when these people, known at that time as â€Å"Strangers†, made the passage to New England along with the devout Pilgrims, demonstrating that what they lacked in piety they more than made up for in determination to succeed. This experience, it is fair to say, may have influenced Bradford to write in a style that acknowledges the importance of God, but also recognizes the value of the individual aside from their soul. Conclusion This paper has presented information about three early Puritan writers who used varying degrees of faith and philosophy, secular and sacred, to create historical writings that are still being discussed, and are highly respected, centuries after their creation. These works stand as an ultimate monument to the men, their times and belief systems. In retrospect, these early Puritan writers would surely be pleased with this outcome. References Hammond, J. A. (2000). The American Puritan Elegy: A Literary and Cultural Study. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.