Defending Prospero in Shakespeares The Tempest Essay -- Tempest essay

Defending Prospero in The Tempest      Ã‚   In William Shakespeare's The Tempest, the character of Prospero brings about a great deal of debate. Modern literary critics are quick to use him as a poster child for English colonial practice in the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Many see him as person who desires complete control of everything around him from the fish-like monster Caliban to his spirit servant Ariel, even his own daughter Miranda. Others believe that Prospero's sole motive is revenge on his brother Antonio and those associated with the established power in Naples and Milan. Taken out of context, these are reasonable conclusions. However, in the development of the play, it is quite clear that these critics are incorrect. Shakespeare does not use Prospero as the symbol of European expansion westward and although Prospero is quite powerful, he is not a power hungry egomaniac. Instead, Prospero is the very figure of a noble father. He loves his daughter so much that he sacrifices everything to give her th e best opportunities for a good life. He is the slave of duty, working for the good of his people. His desire for revenge is also clearly not a motivation as he finds the strength to forgive his brother at the play's conclusion. Therefore it seems that Shakespeare's character is not being used to show the dark side of humanity, but rather the nobility of humanity and the model of a seventeenth century father.    When it comes to Miranda, Prospero can never do enough for her. Prospero's second lines states, "I have done nothing but in care of thee, of thee, my dear one, thee, my daughter" (Prospero, I, ii, 19-20). Although this line can be interpreted many ways, even as an outright lie, the assumption has to b... ...ritical Study. " 336-82. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1991.    Curry, Walter C. "The Characters of Shakespeare's The Tempest," Early Early Modern Literary Studies. Vers. 5.1. May 1999.    Dzelzainis, Martin. "Shakespeare and Political Thought." A Companion to Shakespeare. Ed.   David Scott Kastan. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers Ltd., 1999. 100-116.    Gervinus, G.G. "A review of The Tempest." Shakespeare Commentaries. (1877):787-800. Rpt.   Scott. 304-307.    Sacks, David Harris. "Political Culture." A Companion to Shakespeare. Ed. David Scott   Kastan. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers Ltd., 1999. 100-116.    Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. Ed. Rex Gibson. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1995.    Snider, Denton J. "A review of The Tempest." The Shakespearian Drama a Commentary: The Comedies. (1890). Rpt. Scott. 320-324.   

Civilizations Influence on Asia and Europe Essay

Civilizations Influence on Asia and Europe The break of the European civilization in existence in the 17th century was based upon the change on religious views and motivation for advancement within the culture. The people of Europe looked to other countries where the gain of independence was soon to be sought and perused that dream during these times. With laws of government that became unjustly to the lower class and harsh treatment to the poor and women are only some of the few things that had an influence on the culture during this time. Asia had a development of a new government and social strengths. With the expansion of commercial trade Asia had became a hot commodity making it a resource for all countries that looked to them for trade. Even today we rely on Asia when it comes to trade and development within our economy from transportation to entertainment. The cultural difference of the two was that one was more resourceful than the other. Comparing the two, both were able to expand their trade system and still had a cultural ethic of discrimination towards the lower class and mistreatment towards the women in their cultures. In Europe, reformation was one of the influential factors toward the people of the country. It was one of the most important divisions of the religion we now know as Christianity. Within this movement the Catholic Church was divided into two areas. One is being Protestant, which is one of the four principal traditions within the Christian religion. Its originator, Martin Luther, was the first to lead the Reformation in the year 1517 after the disappointment he carried with the Catholic Church. His purpose for this dramatic change against the Catholic Church was to create doubt amongst the followers of the Catholic Church and to intimidate them into changing their ways. One of where they believed that in order for them to get into heaven they must pay their tithe and offerings to the church. The Protestants believed that the bible is the final source of authority for all of God’s followers, not the church. Some of its denominations are still around in today’s society, which we know them as Lutheran, Methodist, and Baptist. ‘ He thought that the people should not be able to buy their way out of punishment for their sins. ‘ Europe was also going through the phase of mistreatment towards its commoners and lower class citizens. The Aristocrats, seen themselves as people with more worth than those of a common status and seek to treat the lower class with the most disrespect . Women were also seen as an unequal acquaintances and not even allowed to be spoken to as a man. Land â€Å"lords† were the worst when it came to habitual security towards the lower working class because they raised the taxes and abused their laborers believing that physically hurting them would motivate them to work harder. The education system in Europe around this time was also limited to where women were not given the same knowledge as the men. With this unfair treatment the commoners, who were a high status than the serfs, felt that they had no power or say in anything than the aristocrats, even though they were not physically treated like peasants were. With emotional distress like this, it was very common for the commoners, peasants and serfs to fall into many cases of depression and overwhelming distress. With the attitudes of such unequal treatment is what gave the Europeans a motivation to want to branch out into the world and discover new opportunities for trade and even democracy. 7th century Asia consisted of similar attitudes as the Europeans did towards their government and lower class. In Asia the treatment of women was very common and maliciously intended. India and China share almost a similar beginning in their civilization and dynasties. It is believed that civilization in China originated around yellow river in 2700 BCE and all began with dynasties beginning with Shang dynasty which was founded in 1800-1500 BCE. Much of the Chinese philosophies revolve around Confucianism which emphasized on conformity by moral excellence and respect for the elderly and superiors in the society. They believed there would be good governance if people adopted confusion teachings. They worked more towards harmonizing with nature. China’s foundation was solidly founded on Confucian foundation despite the inception of Buddhism. In India, the treatment towards the women was the same. If a woman was to not be able to bare a child for her husband that was something to frown upon. The Indians sold more to the Romans than they bought from them making a lot of wealth from them which lead to the mitigation and collapse of the Mauryan Empire. The Kushans who invaded were later assimilated to the Indian and further adopting the Indian language and intermarried with the royal families of India. Various dynasties fell among them the Maghadha who were conquered by the Andhara. China’s Luoyang’s royal palace was burned, Imperial tombs were looted. The Jin emperor was carried off and forced to become a cupbearer, until Liu Chong had him executed. Among the southerner’s they refused to cooperate with the government at Jiakang. But Jin Yuandi was patient. His regime avoided interfering with the privileges of the south’s elite family, and eventually Jin Yuandi’s regime persuaded the elite to cooperate with it. Across the Silk Road, the Buddhist’s of Northern China remained connected to Central Asia and India, and Buddhism was a conduct for Hellenistic culture from Central Asia. From Buddhism, many Chinese gathered that China was not the only civilized country in the world. They learned respect for India and felt compelled to re-examine the theory that the Chinese emperor was the Son of Heaven and enthroned at the center of the world. In translating Buddhism to Chinese, Taoist words were used. And through mistranslation, Chinese Buddhism acquired a belief that was foreign to Buddhism elsewhere. Buddhism became the favored religion among the chieftains, and more popular among the masses in the north. Buddhism spread through all classes of Chinese, influencing art, thought and daily customs. Tea, which was mostly used by Buddhists, became China’s national drink, and Buddhist’s introduced the Chinese to the wearing of cotton. Buddhism’s great temples influenced Chinese architecture–a counter to Confucianism’s condemnation of complex buildings as an extravagance. In the place of the contempt for which Confucians had held the writing of stories and novels, Buddhism gave this kind of writing new prestige. Across the Silk Road, the Buddhist’s of Northern China remained connected to Central Asia and India, and Buddhism was a conduct for Hellenistic culture from Central Asia. From Buddhism, many Chinese gathered that China was not the only civilized country in the world. They learned respect for India and felt compelled to re-examine the theory that the Chinese emperor was the Son of Heaven and enthroned at the center of the world. In translating Buddhism to Chinese, Taoist words were used. And through mistranslation, Chinese Buddhism acquired a belief that was foreign to Buddhism elsewhere belief in a soul that an imperishable part of one’s humanity. Perishable part of one’s humanity. But conflicts existed between Buddhism and Taoism. The Taoists were devoted to nature while Buddhist’s believed in withdrawal from nature. India advanced with time by giving its citizens freedom to apply their skills in mathematics, art and architecture among other things making them rich and dominant. Hindu religion got a boost from the royalties which saw it regaining ground from Buddhism which had taken root. As this was in the beginning of the development of the countries in Asia, the 17th century changes came from the factors of older culture related ethics and influential social standards. Women in Asia had similar characteristic treatment traits that made them inferior to the men. Women were seeked as pleasure principals and pro-creators, with the idea that they were not to enjoy any aspect of their lives. When the rise of Buddhism and Confucianism began the high standard they carried for living had decreased. In china, the women were seen as less than a man but about a little more than a slave. The ability to have a voice or make a self-made decision was not an option for the Chinese women. Even as children, females were sold in the city for services toward the men, most likely ended up in brothels. The men even controlled their way of managing the lifestyle for their children and house hold. In the country of India, the caste system is what made advancements towards its culture. With this in place many of its people believed that you were born into what ever you became or were at that time. Even if you were seen as intelligent or found a lump sum of money, your destiny is what determines your lifestyle and future (which is ridiculous). The women in this culture was also given mal-treatment and seen as nothing more than a pro-creator and had to be obedient. The Indians believed that the women in their country should be humble and never arrogant or rude. If a wife was to disobey her husband’s instruction, she was sought to be punished physically. The Japanese culture, women were not even allowed to sit, bathe, or stand in the same place as men were. Intimacy was ordered and not a choice for most Japanese women, along with friendship, by their parents. The rules the women had to obey in their culture were that of obedience. The irony of these countries in the Continent of Asia is that the dominant religious views speak on how people should respect each other and all men are created equal. With such transformation and discrimination amongst the classes the Europeans and Asians civilizations were the same in many ways. They both discriminated against the women, which we still had problems with over seas and had a great deal of maltreatment towards people of the lower class. In Europe, the taxes were high on the poor and so was the malicious intent the upper class consciously placed on the poor. In Asia, the same methods were taken into action as the Indians had the caste system. As the government had a fear into the countries, villages developed their own systems to follow. Even as these influences took over the changes made in both cultures was detrimental and beneficial. With the expansion of trade to both countries gave more opportunities for power and wealth. When the Asian became a source for the other world countries, they began to gain more than lose. Since the Europeans looked in the third world countries for spices and silks, all of what was needed; there was still not as much power on their behalf as the Asians. Even today, after the fact that the Europeans had came to America to begin a democracy based economy, the need to network with third world countries still exist. Reference:’ Dennis Sherman, A. Tom Grunfeld, Gerald Markowirz, David Rosner, and Linda Heywood. , (2006) World Civilizations: Sources, Images, and Interpretations (4th Ed. Vol. 1). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

The Use Of Glyphosate And Its Effects On The Environment...

The 1990’s ushered in more than Gameboys and a Nebraska – Florida State college football rivalry. It was also a mad-scientists’ delight with the introduction of Dolly, a cloned sheep, and genetic engineering of food. Hoping to create a powerful agricultural tool, chemical companies set out to rearrange the building blocks of life and came back with genetically modified (GM) crop varieties that resist herbicide applications and produce insecticide during the growing process. Whether you are for, against, or indifferent to GM ingredients in your food, consumers should be informed on the questionable practices behind growing GM crops and they have a right to know what they are eating through food labeling. GM crops have been touted by their makers to actually reduce the amount of herbicides that are needed to spray on crop fields to control weeds. This is great news for the environment and humans alike, right? This claim, however, appears to not be the truth. As resistant weeds have emerged on the battle field, the use of glyphosate, a main ingredient in the most widely used herbicide, continues to climb yearly as outlined by the USDA. Currently over 100 million pounds of glyphosate is being used on crop fields throughout the United States and that is just one of the many approved herbicides. Farmers are battling â€Å"super weeds† with more glyphosate and even applying a secondary herbicide to regain control on their fields. As this battle rages on, bee colonies are collapsing,Show MoreRelatedAdvantages and Disadvantages of GMO Products1084 Words   |  4 Pagesthe argument between researcher and scientists. The nutrients the products provide to consumers in third world count ries are undeniable but the side effects are also devastating. A lot cases with consumers getting sick after digesting products that is made from GMOs. Although GMOs have negative side effects on both human health and the environments but with their wide adaptation and increasing potentials plus a correct method of labeling they could be the key to future farming as the world populationRead MorePesticides And Herbicides1100 Words   |  5 PagesHerbicides are also known as weed killers, and they kill plants that they come in touch with. They control undesirable plants, selective herbicides control a specific weed plant, and not only that they have also been used in war and combat. Effects on the environment of pesticides and herbicides, is that pesticides can contaminate soil, water, turf, and other regulations. Pesticides can be toxic to a host of organisms as well as fishes, birds, insects, and non-target plants. Herbicides can also changeRead More The Effects of Coca Eradication in Colombia Essay4174 Words   |  17 PagesThe Effects of Coca Eradication in Colombia A farmer wipes his brow under the hot sun. He started on his crops early in the morning, most likely before sunrise and will most likely work until the sun goes down. He is working for his family, to support them, to provide food and shelter for his wife and two sons, even for other families. Yet the pressures of working to support a family are only a fraction of the strain put upon this farmer. The life of this farmer and others like him in ColombiaRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms ( Gmos )2430 Words   |  10 Pagesbe a potential hazard to the environment, animals, and humans alike. In addition, many people are concerned about the consumption of crops that are chemically changed in place of crops that are naturally grown with little scientific intervention. The implementation of GMOs brings forth a pivotal environmental issue because GMOs can pose as a future solution to agricultural production and world hunger but also have the potential to cause harm to humans and the environment. To begin with, GMOs are a

Top 15 Scholarships for International Students in the US

The United States is the prime destination for getting top notch education and professional training. Many international students aspire to get accepted in a professional and popular university within the US for further education and development. As attractive as the education possibilities are in the US, they are equally expensive, especially for international students. However, many US universities offer a wide range of scholarships to international students. These scholarships range from offering tuition waivers to free accommodation to allotting stipends for scholarship holders. Following is a list of the 15 best scholarship programs offered by colleges/universities in the US as well as by the US government and institutions: 1.  Foreign Fullbright Student Program: This is a holistic grant that covers not only tuition fees and textbook expenses but also covers airfare, a living stipend and health insurance. This grant is offered to students aspiring to complete their Master’s, PHD and non-degree post-graduate studies. 2.  Humphrey Fellowship Program: The fellowship program is designed to provide professional enrichment to a select few from designated countries of the world. The grant covers all related expenses for a year. 3.  Amherst College Scholarships: The college currently runs a need-based financial aid program for international students. The student’s financial need is assessed and a grant is offered accordingly. The award may include employment options as well as scholarships. 4.  Berea College Scholarships: All students admitted are offered a 4-year tuition scholarship. This is conjunction with any other grants or awards received by the student and can completely cover the cost of tuition. Grants for room, board and fees might also be provided by the college for students who require them. 5. Colombia College Scholarships: Almost 20 grants and scholarships are offered to outstanding international students in the form of one-time cash grants and 25-100% tuition reduction. 6.  Dartmouth College Scholarships: The college offers need-based financial aid to all students including international and transfer students. No academic, merit or athletic scholarships are offered but all undergraduates have access to the need-based scholarship option. 7.  East Tennessee State University: International Students Academic Scholarship program is offered by the University that covers 50% of the total in and out of state tuition and maintenance fees. The grant is offered to both undergraduate and graduate students studying at ETSU. 8.  Iowa State University Scholarships: The University offers International Student Ambassador Scholarships to international students that display exceptional leadership skills. The renewable awards range from $4000-$7000. 9.  Michigan University: The University offers a number of scholarships and grants to deserving undergraduate and post graduate international students. 10.  New York University Wagner Scholarships: NYU Wagner offers merit-based scholarships to all its postgraduate applicants. It also offers special grants for African-American women. 11.  Oregon University Scholarships: The university offers a number of scholarships and grants to both its undergraduate and graduate students. All scholarships are merit-based and range from half to full tuition waiver. 12.  Wesleyan University Scholarships: The university offers limited scholarships to international students. They have a Freeman Asian Scholars program that awards grants to 11 Asian students yearly. 13.  York University Scholarships: Scholarships are offered to both graduate and post-graduate students. They range from partial to full tuition waiver. 14.  Arkansas University Scholarships: The university offers about 10 scholarships and grants for international students. 15.  Colby-Sawyer College Scholarships: Many need-based and merit-based scholarships are offered to international students. The undergraduate grants offered are worth $50,000-75,000. There are many other local educational and government institutions in different countries around the globe that offer scholarships to citizens to study in the US. Some popular scholarships include Japan World Bank Scholarships, AAUW International Fellowships and Agha Khan Foundation International Scholarship Program.

Lab Investigation Cell Purple Dye Solution - 1042 Words

The purpose of this lab investigation is to make 1 L of Pirate Purple dye solution. The claim states that the use of the concentration and absorbance of the Blue 1 dye and Red 3 dye will lead to the concentrations of the red and blue dye to yield 1 L of Pirate Purple dye. In order to understand molarity or concentration, familiarity with the terms of solute, solvent, and solution are very important. A Solute is a substance that is being dissolved by a solvent. A solvent is a substance that is dissolving the solute. Solution is a solute of a homogenous mixture that is dissolved in a solvent. With that being said, molarity is the moles of a solute divided by the liters of a solution (mol/L). In accordance to concentration, absorbance is used†¦show more content†¦After the serial dilutions of the red and blue dyes were taken, the molarity and absorbance for both dyes were calculated. Using the MiVi = MfVf equation, the concentrations for each value of the red and blue dye were separately calculated. Calculating absorbances calls for setting the correct wavelengths of light for each dye. In this case, the 470 nm wavelength for red dye and the 635 nm wavelength for blue dye was needed to find the maximum absorbances. The absorbance was found by blanking the colorimeter and entering the concentrations. After both values of the absorbances and concentrations were found, the values were then graphed in order to obtain the equation of the relationship between absorbance and concentration. The concentrations and absorbances of the red and blue dyes were used to find the concentration of the purple dyes. From the graph of the blue dye, the linear equation for absorbance was y = mx + b. From that formula came the equation y = 7.915 x 104 (x) + 0.02489, where y represents absorbance, m is slope, x is concentration/molarity, and b is the constant/y-intercept. The same set up was performed for the red dye, but the equation produced was y = 1.045 x 104 (x) +.001298. T he equations found when graphing absorbance vs. concentration were used to find the concentration of the purple dyes. The absorbance for purple dye 3 on the red wavelength of 470 nm equaled 0.149 and 0.818 for the blue wavelength of 635 nm. For purple dye 1Show MoreRelatedOsmosis10180 Words   |  41 PagesAdvanced Placement Biology  ® AP Biology Lab 1 281 EDVO-Kit # Storage: Principles Practice of Diffusion Osmosis Store entire experiment at room temperature. EXPERIMENT OBJECTIVE The objective of this experiment is to develop an understanding of the molecular basis of diffusion and osmosis and its physiological importance. Students will analyze how solute size and concentration affect diffusion across semi-permeable membranes and how these processes affect water potential. StudentsRead MoreEight Accidental Discoveries: Science Analysis Essay1778 Words   |  8 Pagesremaining solution would dye material the color purple which he called mauve and the dye itself he called mauveine. (The Museum of Science and Industry, 2006). It gained huge popularity because Queen Victoria loved the color and it led to the invention of new colors and the dye industry (The Museum of Science and Industry, 2006). Later synthetic dyes were used on food, hair, and also to brighten clothes (The Museum of Science and Industry, 2006). The significance in science was the use of dye to stainRead MoreIndustrial Attachment Report at Cmr-Kemri9715 Words   |  39 PagesImmunology. CMR hosts the Nairobi centre for the Nagasaki University Institute of Tropical Medicine (NUITM) and the Microbiology unit of the Institute of Tropical Infectious Disease (INTROMID). It has a Mycology lab that carries research on fungal and opportunistic infections and Parasitology lab. CMR also carries out medical examination of employees in the hospitality industry (HISP) from hotels, schools, Manufacturing industries .(HISP) is a KEMRI project based at the Centre for Microbiology Research

Business Law STUV Company

Question: Discuss about the Business Law for STUV Company. Answer: Part 1: Constitution of STUV Company Pvt. Ltd Meanings and Interpretations: In the given constitution of STUV Company, the following meaning and interpretation shall become applicable unless stated otherwise: Act shall mean the Corporation Act of 2001 ASIC shall mean the Australian Securities and Investment Commission Company shall means the STUV Company having CAN Number with 123456789 Constitution shall mean the constitution of the company Interpretation: The words that are used in this constitution, have been underlined and highlighted only for the purpose of expediency, and does not change the meaning of the words that are used as part of the constitution. Replaceable Rules: The replaceable rules of this company shall be applicable for all the rules excepting for the given list of preference shares. Issue of shares: The Directors of the company have the authority of issuing shares in the company. However, the directors may also issue shares or options over shares, as they may consider it proper. As per the Act, the shares or options can be issues having appropriate deferred or special rights or restrictions either in connection to dividends or in such other distributions such as powers relating to voting, payment of calls or any such power as the Director may think fit. Different Classes of shares: Preference Shares: The members who are entitled to hold the preference shares shall have to right to receive notice and attend no meetings unless specified under any other clause of the constitution. The right to payment of exchangeable share and any other right specified under any other clause. The members may hold a H, J, I, K, L, M classes of shares. Preference and Redeemable Shares: The preference and the redeemable shares is issued by the Company, and this includes preference shares and redeemable shares. The preference and redeemable class of shares are liable to be redeemed at the option of the company. The preference class of shares have a preferential dividend right giving the members the right to payment out of the profits of the company. The members having preference shares have the right that is associated with the winding up of the company. The redeemable class of shares gives the power to the company to redeem the share at any time in respect to the total number of shares available. The members of the company who holds the redeemable share has the right to redemption from the company. Part 2: Section 198A: According to section 198 of the Corporations Act, the directors of the company have the authority to manage the working and business within an organization and utilize the powers that are endowed to them by the Company. However, the director of the company may only make use of those powers that are authorized to them by the Act. Additionally, the directors of the company may also make use of the powers that are endowed to them as per the constitution of the company (Gilligan and Bird 2015). Thus, it may be said that the directors of the company have the power to act within the scope of powers that is given to them as part of the constitution as well as the Act. The reason why this section was included in the Act was to make the directors accountable for their actions. This section was to make the directors answerable for their actions and at the same time also protecting the interests of the minority and the majority shareholders. However, the constitution of the company may be amend ed to make changes in the powers of the directors. Ideally, directors of the company are given wide powers and they often tend to misuse the powers authorized to them. To solve the issue pertaining to misuse of powers by the directors, the section relating to powers of the directors was established (Sartori 2016). Section 191: Section 191 of the Corporations Act, 2001 deals with the duties of the directors, to notify the other directors of the company in case of any matter that is of personal interest relating to the affairs of the company. This is the fiduciary duty of the director and the director has the liability of disclosing this material fact to the other directors of the company. However, the same section in question also lays the situations wherein the director may not make the disclosure. Firstly, a director may not make disclosure if the same interest in issue arises out of the common interest of the company or relates to the remuneration of the director (Sartori 2016). Additionally, the director may not make the disclosure if the interest in question is related to a proposed contract. Thus, in the above-mentioned instances the director is not liable to make disclosure. The reason why this section was included in the Act was to make the directors accountable for the actions in relation to the in terests of the company. Thus, section 191 of the Act was included to make the directors accountable for their fiduciary actions (Gilligan and Bird 2015). Section 250R (2) (3): Section 250R of the Corporation Act, 2001 deals with the business of the annual general meeting (AGM), as per subsection 1 of section 250R of the Act, the main business of the AGM includes consideration of the annual report and election of the directors of the company. Additionally, it also authorizes the members of the meeting to appoint the auditor and at the same time fixes the remuneration of the auditor. As per sub section 2 of section 250R of the Act, a business of the AGM of a listed company has the authority to make a remuneration report and the report should be put to vote. However, the role regarding the remuneration is only advisory and shall not be considered as final and binding. Thus, the reason why this section was included in the Act was to limit the powers of the Board of members and at the same time also authorize the Board to settle the grievance of the Board members (Peng 2016). References: Gilligan, G. and Bird, H., 2015. Financial Services Misconduct and the Corporations Act 2001.CIFR Paper, (073). Griffin, R.W. and Pustay, M.W., 2012.International business. Pearson Higher Ed. Peng, M.W., 2016.Global business. Cengage learning. Sartori, J., 2016. Termination payments under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)-Some issues.COMPANY AND SECURITIES LAW JOURNAL,34(3), pp.221-2

To Hell and Back free essay sample

Hell and Back On the surface, Edgar Allen Poe’s â€Å"The Pit and the Pendulum† relates the story of a man tortured by the Spanish Inquisition. The man, remains nameless throughout the story, is condemned to death for an unknown crime and loses consciousness. He awakens in complete darkness and is frightened that he has been locked in a tomb but shortly realizes that he is probably in a dungeon. After exploring the enclosement, the prisoner collapses and falls asleep. He wakes up to an offering of bread and water and resumes exploring the cave. The man then trips over a fragment of his robe and lands with his face dangling over a large pit. He falls asleep yet again, wakes up to more bread and water, which has been drugged, and falls asleep again. When he wakes up again, the narrator finds himself strapped to a wooden board with the image of father time and a pendulum attached. We will write a custom essay sample on To Hell and Back or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He also notices the rats that are coming out of the being allured toward the meat, which his captors left him. He lays the meat across the rope that binds him and the rats chew through it just as the pendulum inches toward his heart. Once released from the board, the walls of the prison become heated and being to collapse toward him until the only option he has is to jump into the pit. At the last second, a mysterious person latches onto him and prevents the fall. Literally, the narrator is merely a victim of the persecution against Catholics and Protestants. On the symbolic level however, â€Å"The Pit and the Pendulum† represents the story of a man who dies, loses his soul to hell, and finds himself recued at the end by God. Symbolically, the narrator undergoes death through the darkness of the tomb and the image of Time on the ceiling with the pendulum. Firstly, when the narrator awakens in the tomb he sees â€Å"the blackness of eternal night [of the tomb encompassing him as he struggles] for breath† (299). Darkness itself usually is a metaphor for death and as the prisoner is in complete darkness, symbolically, it is as if he is in complete death. The darkness of the tomb also represents the emptiness of the narrator in his current state, as if he is transitioning between heaven and hell after symbolic death. Another example of the narrator’s symbolic death is when he examines the ceiling, after being strapped to a wooden board, and on â€Å"it was the painted figure of Time as he is commonly represented†¦in a lue of a scyth he held what, at a casual glance, [the narrator supposes] to be the pictured image of a huge pendulum† 304-305). The image of Time depicts the actual time the narrator has left as its pendulum inches closer and closer to his body. Time, which has the image of the time left in the narrator’s life, is also relatable to the Grimm Reaper, a universal symbol of death, because the machine is possibly the very instrument that is prepared to take the prisoner’s life. In conclusion, the narrator’s symbolic death is symbolized by the darkness of the tomb and the image of time. Besides representing the story of a man who dies, symbolically the narrator also encounters the near-loss of his soul to hell. The large circular pit, which the narrator’s head leaned over, has a â€Å"clammy vapor, and the peculiar small of decayed fungus† (302). The description of the foul state of the pit shows the underlying layer of hell, which the pit symbolizes. Hell is usually described as a dark, wretched place, and the pit is this exact place. The pit is a representation of hell because of the impossibility to get out; once a person is in hell, it is inescapable to leave. Furthermore, while exploring the cave, the narrator â€Å"[steps on his robe] and fell violently on [his] face†¦at the very brink of a circular pit† (301-302). Because the pit symbolizes hell and the prisoner almost falls into the pit, undoubtedly, the narrator, symbolically, almost loses his soul to hell. Likewise in order for one to lose their soul to hell, they either must be a horrible person, done horrible things, or played a game with the devil. In correspondence to the narrator, his scare into hell represents the bad judgments may have been made through out his life. Overall, the story symbolizes the near-loss of a soul to hell. Thirdly, the narrator symbolically almost loses his soul to hell because of the rats chewing away at his life. While lying on the wooden board, the narrator sees that â€Å"[the rats] had issued from the well which lay just within view to [his] right†¦ with ravenous eyes, [the rats were] allured by the scent of meat† (305). Symbolizing horror, death, and decay, the rats help present the idea of the narrator’s loss to hell. The rats ultimately symbolize an evil being; they are coming from the pit, which is like hell, and they have â€Å"ravenous eyes† which are ready to devour- together, it is as if they compose the devil ready to make a deal. With this in mind, the rats continue to symbolically show the loss of the narrators soul as â€Å"they writhed upon [his] throat; their cold lips sought [the man’s]; [he] was half stifled by their thronging pressure; disgust, for which the world has no name, swelled [his] bosom, and chilled, with a heavy clamminess, [his] heart† (309). The rats literally devouring the narrator’s skin represent them releasing the narrator’s soul. The situation is like purgatory where he is given a second chance at life as a foul situation turns to the narrator’s benefit. In brief, the rats, which are chewing away at the rope, also symbolize the narrator’s near loss of soul to hell because of their appearance and actions caused by the narrator. Finally, symbolically General LaSalle rescues the narrator, as he represents God, from hell and delivers him to heaven. Specifically, after realizing that his only option is the jump into the pit as the heated iron walls are inching in toward the narrator and the pit, â€Å"there was a discordant hum of human voices [and] there was a loud blast as of many trumpets† (312). During judgment day the last trumpet will sound, concurrently in the story, the narrator hears trumpets implying that judgment day has occurred. This allusion to the Bible reveals the symbolism to the entire story through the comparison between judgment day in the bible and the narrator’s symbolic judgment day. Another example of how the narrator is symbolically is rescued by God is when â€Å"an outstretched arm [catches the narrator’s] as [he falls]† (312). After hearing the sounds of judgment day, it is obvious that his savior has deemed the narrator to be worthy of heaven because he saves him from the pit which symbolizes hell. The savior, which turns out to be General LaSalle, symbolizes God because he the ultimate savior of the narrator from his literal death and symbolic plunge into hell. Therefore, General LaSalle, who symbolizes God, rescues the narrator from hell symbolically. Conclusively, Edgar Allen Poe’s â€Å"The Pit and the Pendulum† represents the story of a man who dies, nearly loses his soul to hell, and in the end, is rescued by God. However, on literally, the story is about a man who is a victim of the Inquisition. Through the narrator’s symbolic death, he encounters literal darkness and a figure similar to the Grimm Reaper, and when losing his soul to hell symbolically, he almost falls into a pit and is being eaten alive by rats literally. Finally, while rescued by God symbolically, General LaSalle saves him after taking over Toledo.