Tuesday, December 31, 2019
The Effects Of Autism On Children With Early Signs Of Autism
For years there has been many speculations conveying that some vaccines, particularly Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) causes signs of autism. Many compelling concerns have been formulated from parents of children who received vaccines and associated noticeable changes in their children with early signs of autism. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the behaviour and cognition of children (Quinn, 2014). Autism impairs communication, interest and repetitive patterns of behaviour in a childââ¬â¢s socialization aspect of life (Quinn, 2014). Evidently, autism has shown a prevalent increase amongst children in question with environmental causes (Doja Roberts, 2006). Hypotheses speculate the MMR vaccine, gastrointestinal infections, Thimerosal, mercury and exposure to the live virus all correlate to early signs of autism after given the vaccine. However, vaccinations are a preventive measure against severe viruses as related to SC/BIOL2900 course content. It is a harml ess agent that triggers the immunity and stimulates the bodyââ¬â¢s defence mechanism against harmful viruses (Taylor, et al., 1999). This essay will present different perspectives of vaccinations and autism following the concluded reasons I believe that vaccinations do not cause autism and illustrate better implications that can be provided to parents with concerns of this non-warranted causation. One hypothesis expresses concerns of early signs of autism in the association with the MMRShow MoreRelatedChildren With Autism Spectrum Disorder1502 Words à |à 7 Pagessurvive in life. For many children and adults, they live with a disorder that dictates these behaviors and language skills to be very different from the average American. These skills they are challenged with, make it very difficult to live independently. The disorder these individuals live with is called Autism Spectrum Disorder. With early diagnosis, intervention, and proper treatment, some children with Autism Spe ctrum Disorder possibly can lead independent lives. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)Read MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder And Autism Essay1474 Words à |à 6 Pagesfunctions, and effects or the diseases. One of the most widely known abnormal disorders is Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism is a complicated disorder because it represents a wide range of developmental disorders categorized by criteria such as: impaired social interactions, verbal and nonverbal communication breakdowns, and repetitive behaviors. Since Autism Spectrum Disorder is on a spectrum, as the name suggests, there are individuals with mild to little symptoms classified by Autism Spectrum DisorderRead MoreThe Effects Of Autism Throughout Early Childhood, Education, And Later Life1328 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Effects of Autism throughout Early Childhood, Education, Relationships, and Later Life There are many disorders that affect how the brain works. Some of these disorders can stem from birth, while others appear later, almost at random throughout someoneââ¬â¢s life. Autism seems to be a disorder that develops from birth, although most children are not officially diagnosed until they are about two or three years old. Why is this? One can infer that it very well may be that most children tend to beginRead MoreWhat Do We Know About Autism Spectrum Disorder?1390 Words à |à 6 PagesAbout Autism Spectrum Disorder? Actress Holly Robinson Peete once stated, ââ¬Å"I m not a doctor or scientist. I m just a mom. But I do think there s a genetic predisposition, and there are environmental triggers. I feel like that combination, in my child s case, is what resulted in autism.â⬠Holly Robinson could have not said it in a better way. What is the cause of autism? Is autism solely caused by genetics or a combination of genetics and environmental influences? What does make up autism spectrumRead MoreAutism Between Autism And Autism756 Words à |à 4 PagesMany people believe that autism is its own disorder that children are diagnosed with. However, autism is actually a term used for a wide range of disorders. Autism s clinical name is Autism Spectrum Disorder. The term spectrum is used because of the range of symptoms, intensity, and behaviors autism effects. There are also many different types of autism. There is classic autism which is associated with being non-verbal and anti-social. Another form of autism is Asperger Syndrome which is associatedRead MoreGenetic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders1556 Words à |à 7 PagesAutism is a cognitive disorder that occurs in the first three years of life and affects many children and adults today. It is a c ommon behaviorally defined syndrome characterized by impairments in socialization, abnormalities of verbal and nonverbal communication, and restricted, stereotyped interests and behaviors. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was recently edited to more clearly define the 3 main branches of the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These branchesRead MoreAutism Is A Psychological Disorder Essay817 Words à |à 4 Pageslong ,2008 p.284) ââ¬Å"autism is a neurological disorder that effect a person ability to communicate, to understand language, to play and to relate to others. A diagnose of autism is given when a person exhibits 6 or more of 12 symptoms listed across three major areas social interaction, communication, and behavior.â⬠These symptoms can start as early as childhood. The Prevalence is 2% of the population and is it is more common in boys than girls. Also, there is no known cause for autism but has to haveRead MoreVaccines And Its Effect On Health Care1163 Words à |à 5 Pages This ground- breaking discovery has a tremendous effect on health care by putting an end to diseases that might otherwise be untreatable. Diseases such as typhoid, whooping cough, and polio which threaten many countries worldwide are now preventable after the discovery of the vaccine. Although the development of vaccines has led to the prevention of deadly illnesses, there has been may controversy based on whether these vaccines has side effects that outweigh the benefits. More specifically, manyRead MoreAutism Essay1317 Words à |à 6 PagesMr. Van Boening English 12 Block 8 6 October 2014 Autism Spectrum Disorder Autistic children experience the world a lot more differently than others. For example, children with autism are not capable of using words, and have a hard time communicating in general by any means. Specific sounds, like loud crashes and yelling, would bother an autistic child that wouldnââ¬â¢t normally bother a child that wasnââ¬â¢t autistic. We need to learn more about autism so we can handle it, as it is the fastest growingRead MoreA Variable Developmental Disorder1533 Words à |à 7 PagesAutism Introduction Alexis Wineman the first woman with ASD to participate in the Miss America competition. While Alexis was in middle school she was diagnosed with PDD-NOS which is a form of ASD. She felt different at an early age, and only struggled more as she got older. As she got older she had to overcome the challenges that came with having ASD, such as: communication problems, speech impediments, sensitivity to loud sounds, and other sensory-related issues. Bullying was also a problem because
Monday, December 23, 2019
The Constitution Essay - 1030 Words
The preamble introduces the constitution. It states that the government comes from the people. Its general purposes are in order to form a more perfect union we have to ââ¬Å"Establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.â⬠(Remy, United States Government, McGraw Hill companies, Ohio, 2002) Its purpose is to make a good government and good laws, have peace in our homes, national security, healthy communities, and freedom to ourselves, families and friends. The legislative branch is known as the congress. They write the bills and it goes to congress to get to the president. (Palese web team, Legislative branch,â⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦The president can go to congress and veto their congressional legislation. The president also goes to the courts and nominates judges. These three branches control and order the government. To choose one branch out of the three is challenging because they are all linked; they work with each other in a rotation. The legislative branch, responsible for making laws, considers what is good for the nation as a whole. The legislative sets rules within the branch, they create policy. They enact war, raise and lower taxes and budgets; therefore the legislative branch is the most powerful branch. The congress intended the legislative branch to have the most power out of all the other branches which is why it is emphasized in the constitution the importance of the lawmaking power. (Remy, United States Government, McGraw Hill companies, Ohio, 2002) The three branches can affect us differently, depending on certain circumstances we are in. It is very complex. Being said the legislative branch has the most power Iââ¬â¢m going to add that it also has a great Influence on everyoneââ¬â¢s lives. It holds all the cards in our government. It writes our laws, decides how to tax our money, declare our wars, dec ide how our federal money is spent, the Congress has a lot of authority over the other two branches so without a doubt it is the most powerful branch of the government. However our part is to just learn how to accept it and live with it. Each aspect it consists of affectsShow MoreRelatedThe Constitution Of The Texas Constitution948 Words à |à 4 Pagesbetter, in the case of the Texas Constitution having the second longest state Constitution and the fourth most amended Constitution in the United States, makes it a difficult and complicated document. The Texas Constitution has been rewritten a total of six times since becoming independent from Mexico. The most recent being the Constitution of 1876, which is excessively detailed and exact due to the framers fear of a strong state government. The framers of the constitution placed strategically in theRead MoreThe Constitution Of Indian Constitution Essay1280 Words à |à 6 Pagesââ¬Å"Constitution is not a mere lawyers document, it is a vehicle of Life, and its spirit is always the spirit of Age.â⬠-B. R. Ambedkar. Constitution is believed to be supreme law of a country. The word ââ¬ËConstitutionââ¬â¢ is a French origin which is generally used for regulation and orders. Constitution means body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organisation is governed. Every country has its own constitution, which describes about duties, rules andRead MoreTheu.s. Constitution Vs. The Constitution1399 Words à |à 6 PagesThe U.S Constitution was written by James Madison and was ratified on July 21, 1788. Ever since people had trouble determining how it should be interpreted. When judges interpret the constitution, they are interpreting new facts to an established law that has been given meaning and has a historical background. Many people argue that it should be read how it was written who are known as Originalists. Then there are people who believe that the Constitution evolves as society does and they are knownRead MoreConstitution6527 Words à |à 27 PagesFacts This writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, raising a question of public importance involving the interpretation of Articles 74 (pari materia to Article 163) and 156 of the Constitution, has been referred to this six-judge Constitution Bench. On August 7th, 2014, President Pranab Mukherjee issued a Presidential order removing Mizoram Governor Kamla Beniwal with barely four months left of her tenure. Ms. Beniwal, who had crossed swords with PM Narendra Modi as Gujarat governorRead MoreThe Constitution Of Nepal 20151034 Words à |à 5 Pagesfeeling today. The people waited for 65 years for a constitution written by their elected representatives. Such a charter -- Constitution of Nepal 2015 -- has been finally promulgated today, on 20 September. Most people seem happy but some are clearly agitated. The country had waited for this day since 1950. At the time of removing Rana oligarchy, King Tribhuvan had promised to call elections for a constituent assembly to draft a new constitution. But that did not transpire. Kings gifted the statuteRead MoreRule of Law in the Constitution1448 Words à |à 6 PagesIntroduction A ââ¬Ëfree societyââ¬â¢ is a system of interaction between humans wherein every person can participate in a civilised manner and without discrimination. In Australia, the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 (Imp) is the primary source by which society operates as an essentially free society. This paper seeks to establish that the functioning of such a society is dependent upon the existence of a legal framework supporting the rule of law, which is ultimately, an ideology. Read MoreThe Constitution And The American Constitution1141 Words à |à 5 Pagestheir mistakes and promptly followed up by making quite possibly the most successful constitution ever in 1776. To ensure that American citizens would enjoy their new freedom, our founders kept in mind what John Locke had said in his An Essay Concerning Human Understanding ââ¬Å"life, liberty, and property,â⬠by coining ââ¬Å"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happinessâ⬠into the final draft of the constitution. The constitution is important because it ââ¬Å"exists to protect the rights of all citizens, and has noRead MoreThe Constitution And Human Rights1171 Words à |à 5 Pagesinspiring the US Constitution, Bill Of Rights (1791) and Human Rights (1948) declaration by United Nations. A constitution can be defined as a set of rules which regulate the government system within the state. It establishes the institutions and bodies of the system which provides the powers, duties and functions to be exercised and also interaction among each other. It also establishes the relationship between the government and the individual. The main classifications of constitution are based onRead MoreThe Constitution Of The Italian Republic847 Words à |à 4 Pagesfeatures of The Constitution of the Italian Republic Outline Main features of Italian Constitution, highlighting aspects of laws governing regions and implementation of democracy Historical background â⬠¢ Constitutional institutions in Italy have over 150 years of history â⬠¢ Through those 1,5 centuries the country have seen frequent changes in regimes such as constitutional monarchy to totalitarian fascist dictatorship and to constitutional democracy after 1946 â⬠¢ First constitution, statuto AlbertinoRead MoreThe American Constitution And The Constitution1197 Words à |à 5 PagesLet take a look at some of the compromises and challenges the Founding Fathers had to overcome when they set out to rewrite the American Constitution. The government built upon the Articles of Confederation was failing and change was needed. The American Constitution would not have been adopted without compromise over very difficult topics such as slavery, size and structure of government, taxation, elections, and governing responsibilities. The Federal and States balance of authority and division
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Two Vastly Difrent Words Two Vastley Diffrent Meanings Free Essays
Two vastly different words with Two vastly different meanings Ignorance and Stupidity are words that are commonly used out of context and either word is often mistakenly used in the others rightful place. Ignorance is commonly mistaken for stupidity in society. Just as commonly, stupidity can be denied and termed as ignorance. We will write a custom essay sample on Two Vastly Difrent Words Two Vastley Diffrent Meanings or any similar topic only for you Order Now To say that these words are one in the same is ignorance in and of its self, that is if one is uninformed of the true definitions of either word. When one has been informed of the correct definition and still uses the term out of context well, that is an example of stupidity. For many reasons these two words have two vastly different meanings which can be easily contrasted with some thought. Ignorance can be defined as having no knowledge or information in ones mind of a specific subject. Ignorance is the result of a lack of education, one can not be expected to have the correct response when exposed to something they are uneducated on. For example, a male student walks into his college math class half an hour late. He sits down and is then handed a quiz on calculus and instructed to finish the quiz in fifteen minutes. He hasnââ¬â¢t read any of the chapter on calculus assigned last week and he has missed the lecture on calculus that his teacher gave at the beginning of the class. This is the first he has heard of calculus and he has had no prior experience in the subject. Therefore the student was ignorant on the subject. He failed the quiz because of his ignorance. The student may have retained the information given on calculus well and aced the test had he obtained that information. Ignorance is also a term used to describe being unaware of something. Such as, when a good friend of mine bill ate crab legs for the first time he was ignorant to the fact that he was allergic to shellfish. His throat itched then swelled and he was quickly rushed to the E. R that night. Know he is no longer ignorant to that fact. Other words to describe ignorance are uninformed, unlearned, uneducated and unwitting . Stupidity can be defined as a lack of intelligence. When one lacks intelligence they lack the ability to think and learn. They also lack the ability to apply information that they have been given. Stupidity can also be described as a lack of perception, not using the senses or lacking common sense. When one does not think logically or chooses not to make practical judgments based on the experience they already posses that is stupidity. Stupidity is expressed in irrational or thoughtless behavior. Such as the story given earlier of the male college student who didnââ¬â¢t study he showed an example of ignorance by having no knowledge of the subject he was being quizzed on. He also showed an example of stupidity. He would not have been ignorant had he studied. He was not ignorant to the fact that he had a chapter to read or of the time he was to be in class he just stupidly chose not to read the chapter just as he stupidly chose to be late for class. Because of this thoughtless, stupid behavior he was left ignorant. Other words to describe stupidity are foolish, senseless, witless and idiotic. Ignorance is a term used to describe ones unknowing, as to say he is ignorant of a subject not because he is stupid but because he lacks knowledge of that subject. It is a term that should never be used to insult and just as well should never be taken that way. There is no one person who possess no ignorance at all, we all have things we are ignorant of. Benjamin Franklin once said ââ¬Å" being ignorant is not so much a shame as being unwilling to learnâ⬠. One can attempt to dispel there ignorance by seeking out and the proper Knowledge and education. Once they obtain the proper information and knowledge then they are no longer ignorant of the subject. Stupidity is a term used as an insult and can usually be correctly perceived as one. When a person uses the term stupid to describe another they are usually placing the blame of thoughtlessness or another negative trait such as foolishness on that other person. Fools rush in where fools been beforeâ⬠Unknown. While ignorance can be dispelled as quickly as one can learn, stupidity seems to be a pattern or bad habit that even the most educated people tend to exhibit. It can take a lot longer for some to get rid of there stupidity then for others to gain knowledge and rid of there ignorance. These terms have been defined enough to show why they are two vastly different words wi th two vastly different meanings and are expected to be used wisely. How to cite Two Vastly Difrent Words Two Vastley Diffrent Meanings, Papers
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Hamlet Essay Appearance Vs Reality Example For Students
Hamlet Essay Appearance Vs Reality THe unraveling of Hamlet Hamlet (c. 1600) is perhaps the most famous of all the tragedies created by William Shakespeare. The main character ââ¬â Hamlet may be the most complex and controversial character any playwright has ever placed onstage. Hamletââ¬â¢s erratic behavior poses a question: is he being rational in his acts and sacrificing himself for the ââ¬Å"greater goodâ⬠or is he simply mad? How and why does Hamlet move from one state of mind to the other? What significance does this have for the play? Throughout the play Hamlet goes through several different stages of life, constantly being in a tortured mental state, caught between love, grief, and vengeance. His different states of mind are the result of his controversial personality and his ability to objectively analyze any situation. Over the centuries there have been a multitude of different explanations for Hamlets behavior. One of the views is that Hamlet is simply a victim of circumstances; the other pres ents him as a beautiful but ineffectual soul who lacked the willpower to avenge his father. Hamlet can also be viewed as something close to a manic-depressive whose melancholy moods, as his failure to take revenge continues, deepened into self-contempt. His disturbing gift of laughing at his own grief as well as at the shortcomings of the world in general also contributes to the complexity of his character. His laughter strengthens the plot, by becoming one of the qualities of his mind that enable him to avoid his mission and postpone his revenge. The reader can see that Shakespeare meant to create Hamlet to be such a complicated character. Hamlet is a person of exceptional intelligence and sensitivity, raised to occupy a high station in life and then suddenly confronted with a violent and terrifying situation in which he must take drastic action. He admits that he is not ready for this task: ââ¬Å"The time is out of joint. O cursed spite, / That ever I was born to set it right!â⠬ (1.5.188-89). At this point Hamletââ¬â¢s mind is torn apart by the controversy of vengeance. Its hardly surprising to find him veering between extremes of behavior, hesitating, demanding proof, and looking for the most appropriate way to carry out his task. The Ghost appears before Hamlet at a very disturbing time in his life his fatherââ¬â¢s tragic death and his motherââ¬â¢s quick remarriage are more than Hamletââ¬â¢s mind can bear. The reader can easily find justification for this point of view, especially in Hamlets own soliloquies. Early in the play Hamlet manifests his anger: Let me not think onââ¬â¢t; frailty, thy name is womanââ¬â A little month, or ere those shoes were old With which she followed my poor fatherââ¬â¢s body Like Niobe, all tears, why, sheââ¬â O god, a beast that wants discourse of reason Would have mourned longerââ¬âmarried with my uncle, My fatherââ¬â¢s brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules. Within a mon th, Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her galled eyes, She married. O, most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor it cannot come to good. (1.2.146-58) Linked to the theme of revenge is the great question of Hamlets inner meditations: Is there a point to life at all? Do humans suffer in this harsh world for a purpose, or simply because they are afraid to find out what may lie beyond it? Is there a higher power, and how does one seek its guidance? Hamlets anguish is caused by his effort to link even the most trivial event to the order of the universe. His inability to coop with reality because of his philosophical beliefs causes Hamletââ¬â¢s state of mind to constantly change. His dilemma is in his unsuccessful attempts to create a tangible bond between his passion, which would spur him to immediate vengeance, and reason, which is God-given, and which would soothe Hamletââ¬â¢s action with sensible judgmen t. Hamlet is trapped between two worlds: the ideal world that he created in his head and the existing reality. Worst of all however, is that he realizes that the weakness of his mind prevents him from acting: ââ¬Å"Why, then ââ¬Ëtis none to you, for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it soâ⬠(2.2. 253-54). Another point worth mentioning is the effect that the concept of revenge has on Hamlet. This powerful demand is countered in Hamlets mind by three questions: Is revenge a good or an evil act? Is Claudius truly guilty and so to be punished? Is it Hamlets responsibility to punish him? The fact that Hamlet is a thinking as well as a feeling person, conscious of the good and bad points in every step he takes, makes the act of revenge particularly painful for him. Revenge is not Christian, and Hamlet is a Christian prince; it is not rational, and Hamlet is a philosopher; it is not gentle, and Hamlet is a gentleman. Hamlet does not approach his task in an un questioning, mechanical way. He has doubts about it, as any of us might if asked to do the same thing. It releases violent emotions in him, the intensity of which shocks and unbalances him. Both Marcellus and Horatio fear that the Ghost may be an evil spirit intending to damn or destroy Hamlet. Hamlet himself seems to toy with this idea at times; however, he accepts the ghosts story, at first cautiously and then unquestioningly after the Play Scene: I know my course. The spirit that I have seen May be a devil, and the devil hath power Tââ¬â¢ assume a pleasing shape, yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me. Iââ¬â¢ll have grounds More relative than this. (2.2. 610-16) Yet again Hamlet is reminded of his own conflicting impulses and of his inability to feel sufficient desire for revenge or sufficient grief over his fathers death. Although Hamletââ¬â¢s mind is still possessed by doubts, he suppresses th em and makes a first definite decision to act. It becomes clear that Hamlet constantly battles the fear that the idea of revenge is inspired by his own deranged mind, and therefore by carrying it out he would be committing a sin. By the end of the play however, there is no question that the ghost was speaking the truth. Whether its advice was good and heaven-sent, however, is unclear, considering the death and destruction to which its desire for revenge has led. It is also important to point out yet another controversy of Hamletââ¬â¢s character the cruel and barbaric aspects of his behavior his mental badgering of Ophelia, his reason for refusing to kill Claudius at prayer, and most of all the coldhearted and possibly unjust way he has dealt with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. All those scenes suggest that Hamlet is himself a crude and unpleasant character, and his poetic speeches merely sugarcoat the bitter pill. On the other hand, the emotional violence of his scene with Opheli a is often explained by suggesting that Hamlet knows their meeting is being watched by the King and Polonius. The murder of Polonius, though perhaps an excessive punishment for his eavesdropping, is the inevitable outgrowth of his spying on behalf of the King. However, Hamlet does not think that murdering Polonius is enough of a punishment ââ¬â he also hides his body. When the King questions Hamlet about the whereabouts of Poloniusââ¬â¢s body, Hamlet replies: ââ¬Å"In heaven. Send thither to see. If your messenger find him not there, seek him Iââ¬â¢ thââ¬â¢ other place yourself. But if indeed you find him not within this month, you shall nose as you go up the stairs into the lobbyâ⬠(4.3. 33-7). Naturally Hamlet realizes that by denying Polonius the proper Christian burial, he denies him the possibility of going to heaven. Remembering Hamletââ¬â¢s deliberations about revenge and his fear that the Ghost was sent by the devil, the reader might wonder ââ¬â wha t is happening to Hamlet? Hamletââ¬â¢s state of mind changes yet again ââ¬â he becomes ruthless. At that point it is clear that Hamlet is ready to kill Claudius, since he does not hesitate even for a moment when he kills Polonius. His sacrilegious playing with Poloniusââ¬â¢ corpse serves as evidence that he accepted himself as the true avenger of his fathersââ¬â¢ death. Similarly, Hamlets execution of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is warranted by their willingness to serve Claudius. Hamlet justifies his actions, saying essentially that his friends got caught in the middle, between him and Claudius; that their ââ¬Å"own insinuationâ⬠(5.2. 59) has brought about their defeat. In the end of the play Hamlet says: ââ¬Å"There is special providence in fall of a sparrow. If it be now, ââ¬Ëtis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come. The readiness is all. Since no man of aught he leaves knows, what isââ¬â¢t to leave beti mes? Let beâ⬠(5.2. 220-5). Hamlet expresses his belief in fate ââ¬â whatever is meant to be will come sooner or later. Perhaps he feels that he is destined to die, or he might feel confident enough to win. With the full acceptance of the idea of revenge came the acceptance of fate. Hamletââ¬â¢s philosophical nature wins. Hamletââ¬â¢s different states of mind are essential to the play. Through those changes Shakespeare shows the reader the birth, growth and demise of Hamletââ¬â¢s character. From the beginning Hamlet faces several questions he must decide whether to avenge his father or not, and if so, how. Those are not easy questions. By showing Hamletââ¬â¢s uncertainty and inability to make a decision throughout the play Shakespeare makes him so human that the reader starts to wonder whether Hamlet did actually exist. Also Shakespeare shows the reader that for a man with Hamlets ideals the world is out of joint with itself, in which he can only hope for perfe ction, but never achieve it. BibliographyTHe unraveling of Hamlet Hamlet (c. 1600) is perhaps the most famous of all the tragedies created by William Shakespeare. The main character ââ¬â Hamlet may be the most complex and controversial character any playwright has ever placed onstage. Hamletââ¬â¢s erratic behavior poses a question: is he being rational in his acts and sacrificing himself for the ââ¬Å"greater goodâ⬠or is he simply mad? How and why does Hamlet move from one state of mind to the other? What significance does this have for the play? Throughout the play Hamlet goes through several different stages of life, constantly being in a tortured mental state, caught between love, grief, and vengeance. His different states of mind are the result of his controversial personality and his ability to objectively analyze any situation. Over the centuries there have been a multitude of different explanations for Hamlets behavior. One of the views is that Hamlet is simply a victim of circumstances; the other presents him as a beautiful but ineffectual soul who lacked the willpower to avenge his father. Hamlet can also be viewed as something close to a manic-depressive whose melancholy moods, as his failure to take revenge continues, deepened into self-contempt. His disturbing gift of laughing at his own grief as well as at the shortcomings of the world in general also contributes to the complexity of his character. His laughter strengthens the plot, by becoming one of the qualities of his mind that enable him to avoid his mission and postpone his revenge. The reader can see that Shakespeare meant to create Hamlet to be such a complicated character. Hamlet is a person of exceptional intelligence and sensitivity, raised to occupy a high station in life and then suddenly confronted with a violent and terrifying situation in which he must take drastic action. He admits that he is not ready for this task: ââ¬Å"The time is out of joint. O cursed spite, / That ever I was born to set it right!â⬠(1.5.188-89). At this point Hamletââ¬â¢s mind is torn apart by the controversy of vengeance. Its hardly surprising to find him veering between extremes of behavior, hesitating, demanding proof, and looking for the most appropriate way to carry out his task. The Ghost appears before Hamlet at a very disturbing time in his life his fatherââ¬â¢s tragic death and his motherââ¬â¢s quick remarriage are more than Hamletââ¬â¢s mind can bear. The reader can easily find justification for this point of view, especially in Hamlets own soliloquies. Early in the play Hamlet manifests his anger: Let me not think onââ¬â¢t; frailty, thy name is womanââ¬â A little month, or ere those shoes were old With which she followed my poor fatherââ¬â¢s body Like Niobe, all tears, why, sheââ¬â O god, a beast that wants discourse of reason Would have mourned longerââ¬âmarried with my uncle, My fatherââ¬â¢s brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules. Within a month, Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her galled eyes, She married. O, most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor it cannot come to good. (1.2.146-58) Linked to the theme of revenge is the great question of Hamlets inner meditations: Is there a point to life at all? Do humans suffer in this harsh world for a purpose, or simply because they are afraid to find out what may lie beyond it? Is there a higher power, and how does one seek its guidance? Hamlets anguish is caused by his effort to link even the most trivial event to the order of the universe. His inability to coop with reality because of his philosophical beliefs causes Hamletââ¬â¢s state of mind to constantly change. His dilemma is in his unsuccessful attempts to create a tangible bond between his passion, which would spur him to immediate vengeance, and reason, which is God-given, and which would soothe Ha mletââ¬â¢s action with sensible judgment. Hamlet is trapped between two worlds: the ideal world that he created in his head and the existing reality. Worst of all however, is that he realizes that the weakness of his mind prevents him from acting: ââ¬Å"Why, then ââ¬Ëtis none to you, for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it soâ⬠(2.2. 253-54). Another point worth mentioning is the effect that the concept of revenge has on Hamlet. This powerful demand is countered in Hamlets mind by three questions: Is revenge a good or an evil act? Is Claudius truly guilty and so to be punished? Is it Hamlets responsibility to punish him? The fact that Hamlet is a thinking as well as a feeling person, conscious of the good and bad points in every step he takes, makes the act of revenge particularly painful for him. Revenge is not Christian, and Hamlet is a Christian prince; it is not rational, and Hamlet is a philosopher; it is not gentle, and Hamlet is a gentleman. Hamlet does not approach his task in an unquestioning, mechanical way. He has doubts about it, as any of us might if asked to do the same thing. It releases violent emotions in him, the intensity of which shocks and unbalances him. Both Marcellus and Horatio fear that the Ghost may be an evil spirit intending to damn or destroy Hamlet. Hamlet himself seems to toy with this idea at times; however, he accepts the ghosts story, at first cautiously and then unquestioningly after the Play Scene: I know my course. The spirit that I have seen May be a devil, and the devil hath power Tââ¬â¢ assume a pleasing shape, yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me. Iââ¬â¢ll have grounds More relative than this. (2.2. 610-16) Yet again Hamlet is reminded of his own conflicting impulses and of his inability to feel sufficient desire for revenge or sufficient grief over his fathers death. Although Hamletââ¬â¢s mind is s till possessed by doubts, he suppresses them and makes a first definite decision to act. It becomes clear that Hamlet constantly battles the fear that the idea of revenge is inspired by his own deranged mind, and therefore by carrying it out he would be committing a sin. By the end of the play however, there is no question that the ghost was speaking the truth. Whether its advice was good and heaven-sent, however, is unclear, considering the death and destruction to which its desire for revenge has led. It is also important to point out yet another controversy of Hamletââ¬â¢s character the cruel and barbaric aspects of his behavior his mental badgering of Ophelia, his reason for refusing to kill Claudius at prayer, and most of all the coldhearted and possibly unjust way he has dealt with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. All those scenes suggest that Hamlet is himself a crude and unpleasant character, and his poetic speeches merely sugarcoat the bitter pill. On the other hand, the e motional violence of his scene with Ophelia is often explained by suggesting that Hamlet knows their meeting is being watched by the King and Polonius. The murder of Polonius, though perhaps an excessive punishment for his eavesdropping, is the inevitable outgrowth of his spying on behalf of the King. However, Hamlet does not think that murdering Polonius is enough of a punishment ââ¬â he also hides his body. When the King questions Hamlet about the whereabouts of Poloniusââ¬â¢s body, Hamlet replies: ââ¬Å"In heaven. Send thither to see. If your messenger find him not there, seek him Iââ¬â¢ thââ¬â¢ other place yourself. But if indeed you find him not within this month, you shall nose as you go up the stairs into the lobbyâ⬠(4.3. 33-7). Naturally Hamlet realizes that by denying Polonius the proper Christian burial, he denies him the possibility of going to heaven. Remembering Hamletââ¬â¢s deliberations about revenge and his fear that the Ghost was sent by the d evil, the reader might wonder ââ¬â what is happening to Hamlet? Hamletââ¬â¢s state of mind changes yet again ââ¬â he becomes ruthless. At that point it is clear that Hamlet is ready to kill Claudius, since he does not hesitate even for a moment when he kills Polonius. His sacrilegious playing with Poloniusââ¬â¢ corpse serves as evidence that he accepted himself as the true avenger of his fathersââ¬â¢ death. Similarly, Hamlets execution of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is warranted by their willingness to serve Claudius. Hamlet justifies his actions, saying essentially that his friends got caught in the middle, between him and Claudius; that their ââ¬Å"own insinuationâ⬠(5.2. 59) has brought about their defeat. In the end of the play Hamlet says: ââ¬Å"There is special providence in fall of a sparrow. If it be now, ââ¬Ëtis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come. The readiness is all. Since no man of aught he le aves knows, what isââ¬â¢t to leave betimes? Let beâ⬠(5.2. 220-5). Hamlet expresses his belief in fate ââ¬â whatever is meant to be will come sooner or later. Perhaps he feels that he is destined to die, or he might feel confident enough to win. With the full acceptance of the idea of revenge came the acceptance of fate. Hamletââ¬â¢s philosophical nature wins. Hamletââ¬â¢s different states of mind are essential to the play. Through those changes Shakespeare shows the reader the birth, growth and demise of Hamletââ¬â¢s character. From the beginning Hamlet faces several questions he must decide whether to avenge his father or not, and if so, how. Those are not easy questions. By showing Hamletââ¬â¢s uncertainty and inability to make a decision throughout the play Shakespeare makes him so human that the reader starts to wonder whether Hamlet did actually exist. Also Shakespeare shows the reader that for a man with Hamlets ideals the world is out of joint with i tself, in which he can only hope for perfection, but never achieve it. Supernatural Issues Homemade Education Essay
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