DBQ - Concept of Democracy essays

DBQ - Concept of Democracy essays The concept of democracy has evolved a lot throughout history. One period when there were many new ideas about a democracy is the Enlightenment period. Some important people who expressed these ideas are Thucydides, Aristotle, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In The Peloponnesian War, Thucydides states that, Our constitution is called a democracy because the power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people. He means that instead of having one absolute ruler, the government system is run by the people, having everyone equal before the law. He also describes, that it is no of someones family status or class that they are put in a position, but of that persons ability to hold the job. Another person contributing to the ever changing concept of democracy is Aristotle. In The Politics, he describes the election of officers by the people, which is something we still participate in to this day. He also states that a man should not hold an office twice and for a certain period of time, or at least not often. Also, he describes judges should be selected by the people, also holding that position for a brief period of time. Another man who had plenty of ideas of democracy was the Enlightenment thinker, John Locke. He believes all men were born with and should hold their natural rights, them being life, liberty, and pursuit of property, this is explained in The Second Treatise of Civil Government. These natural rights were slightly changed and put into our Declaration of Independence later. He believed that all men were equal and therefore should be treated equally. This, in many ways, states how a system of democracy is run and kept running. One more man contributing to the evolution of a democratic government is another Enlightenment thinker by the name of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality, he e...

The Odyssey Themes and Literary Devices

The Odyssey Themes and Literary Devices The Odyssey, Homers epic poem about the decades-long journey of Trojan War hero Odysseus, includes themes such as cunning vs. strength, coming of age, and order vs. disorder. These themes are conveyed with the use of a few key literary devices, including poems-within-a-poem and flashback narration. Cunning vs. Strength Unlike Achilles, the Iliad protagonist known for his physical strength and prowess in combat, Odysseus earns his victories through trickery and cunning. Odysseus’ cleverness is reinforced throughout the text by the use of epithets accompanying his name. These epithets and their translations include: Polymetis: of many counselsPolymekhanos: many-devicedPolytropos: of many waysPolyphron: many-minded The triumph of cunning over strength is a running theme in Odysseus’ journey. In Book XIV, he escapes the cyclops Polyphemus with his words rather than a traditional duel. In Book XIII, he disguises himself as a beggar in order to probe the faithfulness of the members of his court. When he listens to the bard Demodocus retell the end of the Trojan war and the building of the Trojan horse- his own invention in Book VIII- he weeps â€Å"like a woman,† realizing how dangerous his own cunning is. What’s more, Odysseus’ cunning is almost matched by the intelligence of his wife Penelope, who manages to remain loyal to Odysseus and stave off her suitors in his absence through trickery and cunning. Spiritual Growth and Coming of Age The first four books of The Odyssey, known as Telemacheia, follow Odysseus’ son Telemachus. Odysseus has been absent from Ithaca for two decades, and Telemachus sets out to uncover his father’s whereabouts. Telemachus is on the brink of manhood and has very little authority in his own household, as he is besieged by suitors seeking to marry his mother and rule over Ithaca. However, thanks to Athena, who teaches him how to behave among Greek leaders and takes him to visit Pylos and Sparta, Telemachus gains maturity and knowledge. Ultimately, he is able to serve as an ally to his father when it comes time to slay the suitors, a scene that demonstrates how much Telemachus has matured. Odysseus undergoes spiritual growth of his own, becoming less brash and more thoughtful over the course of his journey. At the start of his journey, Odysseus is brash, overconfident, and taunting, which results in numerous obstacles and delays. By the time he returns home, Odysseus has become more cautious and careful. Order vs. Disorder In The Odyssey, order and chaos are represented by the contrasting settings.   The island of Ithaca is orderly and â€Å"civilized†: inhabitants tend to animals and agriculture, engage in handiwork, and lead orderly lives. By contrast, in the worlds visited by Odysseus during his travels, plants grow freely and the inhabitants eat anything that they find. These worlds are depicted as obstacles to Odysseus journey, threatening prevent him from returning home, Consider the Lotus Eaters, who spend their days languorously eating lotus plants; the lotus plants cause a sleepy apathy that Odysseus and his crew have to escape. Another example is the cyclops Polyphemus. Polyphemus, who reaped the fruits of his island without labor, is depicted as one of Odysseus main antagonists. Poems Within a Poem The Odyssey features two bard-like characters, Phemius and Demodocus, whose roles offer insight into the ancient art of oral poetry and storytelling. Both Phemius and Demodocus tell their court audience stories tied to the heroic cycle. In Book I, Phemius sings of the ‘returns’ of other Trojan War heroes. In Book VIII, Demodocus sings about the disagreements of Odysseus and Achilles during the Trojan War, as well as the love affair of Ares and Aphrodite. The vocabulary used to describe the poetic practice suggests that it is a performative art intended for an audience of listeners and accompanied by a lyre. In addition, both bards took requests from their audience: â€Å"But come now, change thy theme,† Demodocus is asked in Book VIII. Such requests suggest that these poets had a wide repertory of tales to draw from. Flashback Narration The narration of The Odyssey begins with Telemachus’ journey. Then, the narrative moves back in time, as Odysseus recounts his journeys for the length of three entire books. Finally, the narrative moves forward in time to Odysseus return to Ithaca. The most notable flashback in the text is the multi-book tale recounted by Odysseus himself, but other sections feature flashbacks, as well. The poem utilizes flashbacks to describe events of the past in detail, including the end of the Trojan War and the return of other war heroes.

Writing Profiles. Jeffrey Dahmer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Writing Profiles. Jeffrey Dahmer - Essay Example His home was characterized with constant quarrels between the parents. When he began attending school, he was always withdrawn and the teachers reported that he showed very little interest in schoolwork and was becoming more isolated. His overall tolerance to frustration was also notably low (Giannetakis). The most common interests that he developed following the surgery included frequent walks to the woods and exploring the interiors of animals. However, he was not interested in killing the animals or inflicting pain on them. Instead, he used to collect dead ones and dismantle their bodies. This may have been the beginning of the killing behavior that he adopted during his adulthood. When he was not visiting the woods, he spent most time alone. This situation worsened as he got older because his socialization urges declined. The loneliness continued even in high school where he became a drunkard and avoided classes. According to his father’s guidelines, he enlisted in the Army but was discharged after serving for two years in the Army due to his drunkard behavior. Prior to his first kill in 1988, Dahmer was struggling with his own sadistic fantasies that most probably pushed him into killing his first victim; Hicks (Harris 10-11). Dahmer invited Hicks to his father’s ho me and after the two drunk and engaged in sexual activities Dahmer smashed Hicks’ head after he said that he wanted to leave. He then dismantled Hicks’ body and put the parts in garbage bags that he buried in his father’s compound. Several years later, he dug the remains up and crushed the bones disbursing them in the woods. His explanation for this behavior was that he did not want Hicks to leave. He committed his first murder when he was 18 years old (National Museum of Crime & Punishment). He then stayed for at least nine years before committing the next murder. His second victim was named Tuomi, a person he picked from a