Media Acts And Its Impact On Society - 1190 Words

In our society today, media acts as an integral factor in creating and undoing social bonds, as well as communicating topics which enable social transformation. It is generally considered that political and economic subjects are rational and thus are treated as ‘men’s issues’, in comparison to social and cultural themes expressed as sensitive and accordingly correlated with femininity (Stevenson 1995). Although this is open to much criticism in terms of gender inequality, it is undoubtable that gender equality is progressing. Women have enrolled into conventionally male-dominated work places, reflecting the general consensus that women achieve better at school. Also, men have proceeded into ‘normally’ female-dominated areas such as†¦show more content†¦Over the course of the 40 years it was found that in both newspapers was an â€Å"evident gender bias, which has gradually overcome as new media genres have developed† (Stanley, 2012). I n the non-elite paper women are hardly pictured, and in the elite magazine women show up ‘just as often as men’ (Stanley, 2012). The audience of both papers consists of approximately 50% women and 50% men (Stanley, 2012). However, mirroring the diversity between elite and non-elite newspapers, â€Å"the typical reader of the New York Times has more formal education than is the case for the Daily News† (Daily News, 2012) (News York Times, 2012). Stanley states that the article addresses a myriad of key questions. Firstly, the progress of women’s appearance in newspapers today is explored in comparison to fifty years ago. Secondly, the location of where women are presented within the newspaper is of concern. The article then explores whether these locations are of similarity within elite and non-elite newspapers or whether they are different. An array of theoretical perspectives are provided, which are later used to justify and criticise findings. The first is an approach that the content within media is a parallel of realism; an increased number of women in society results in photography being progressively occupied by women. This is then followed by a supposition that the constitution of cultural presence in the media is influenced by cultural categories of editors

Human Rights For The Disabled - 1304 Words

Background The topic of human rights for the disabled came after centuries of discrimination and mistreatment by people who thought nothing of them. During the 1800s, people with disabilities were used in circuses or in sideshows for entertainment or were put in an asylum for their whole life. They were thought to be abnormal and pitiful. The Disability Rights Movement began in the United States after World War One, because disabled veterans demanded care from the government. The problem has developed into a global effort to protect and aid these people, along with others struggling with their human rights. Contributions by the UN have sparked initiatives, conventions and resolutions to be set in place. Undeveloped regions are most affected by lack of disabled rights, because of an absence of a strong government with strong laws and rights. The top ten worst countries for human rights are Nigeria, Yemen, Myanmar, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Syria. These areas also suffer from so many other issues, which makes them a target for human rights issues. War, famine, genetics, diseases, complications during pregnancy,and disasters cause disabilities.People with disabilities live with â€Å"less legal protection, higher rates of poverty, lower educational achievements, poorer health outcomes and less political and cultural participation.† Because of the social barriers that are put up, people with disabilities were, and still are,Show MoreRelatedWomen s And Disability Issues Within A Broad Socio Cultural And Geographic Context Essay891 Words   |  4 Pagesview of disabled women and issues such as legal rights, housing, employment, mental illness, social assistance, and health care (Academia.edu. 2015). In 2010, she also co-edited a book on disabled people’s perspectives on society and space (Ashgate. 2015). She also appears to be branching out with similar topics and how they are seen in the southern hemisphe res. In her chapter on legal peripheries, Chouinard examines the social location in the context of legal rights as experienced by disabled peopleRead MoreUnderstanding the Disabled Essay1225 Words   |  5 Pagesmind of an able-bodied individual upon seeing a disabled person will undoubtedly pertain to their disability. This is for the most part because that is the first thing that a person would notice, as it could be perceived from a distance. However, due to the way that disability is portrayed in the media, and in our minds, your analysis of a disabled person rarely proceeds beyond that initial observation. This is the underlying problem behind why disabled people feel so under appreciated and discriminatedRead MoreThe Importance Of Inclusive Education729 Words   |  3 Pagessure that every adult and child receives basic good quality education and is based on the perspectives of human rights and also on held beliefs education is vital for national development and individual well -being. Nonetheless, various countries have not given sufficient attention to education for all marginalized groups particularly the children with disabilities or special needs. The disabled children have remained comparatively obscure in the efforts to attain universal primary education accessRead MoreRussi Children With Disabilities Face Violence, Neglect1548 Words   |  7 PagesDisabilities Face Violence, Neglect.† hrw. Human Rights Watch, 15 Sept. 2014. Web. 8 Jan. 2016. The article titled, â€Å"Russia: Children with Disabilities Face Violence, Neglect† (8. Jan. 2014) from the Human Rights Watch website asserts that the rights of disabled children are suppressed as they are often admitted to the terrible living conditions of an orphanage or institution, despite Russia’s recent governmental effort to address such rights. The Human Rights Watch article proves this claim by describingRead MoreDisabled a Poem by Wilfred Owen and Refugee Blues by W.H. Auden1219 Words   |  5 Pagesexpress their opinions on the sensitive topic of war, having experienced the direct impact of it first hand which is indisputably evident in their poems ‘Disabled’ and ‘Refugee Blues’ respectively. Both the poems focus on the intense depiction of the unglamorous consequences tied with war. ‘Disabled’ as per the title is about a young soldier disabled both physically and emotionally during combat. The poem is written in cl ose focus third person and zooms in on the soldier’s unwillingness to continueRead MoreUnderstanding the Proper Way to Treat the Disabled707 Words   |  3 PagesUnfortunately many communities still have ignorant views toward the disabled, which leads to discrimination and injustice toward the disabled community. The impaired community is made up of people who now live with a physical impairment, or a mental disability. Respect the disabled, they have rights that belong to them just as anyone; have courtesy, living with a disability does not mean being less capable, with the hardships that has faced the disabled community, they definitely deserve the same courtesy asRead MoreThe Development Of The Welfare State And Social Policies1563 Words   |  7 Pageshistorical literature, mental impairment has none (Borsay, 2005). The last 100 years have been dominant constructions of education based on human life and evaluation, preparing the working class for employment. Within soc iological terms the education system is the most important way in which society reproduces (Oliver Barton, 1997). The concept of educating disabled children in the UK, was a medically classified facility that expanded segregation practices from the past special school systems. The focusRead MoreChildren With Intellectual And Physical Disabilities1421 Words   |  6 Pagesintellectual and physical disabilities. These people don’t have any control over how they are born, but we as a nation have the authority over how they are taken care of. From reading the fictional book â€Å"Flowers for Algernon,† the nonfiction articles â€Å"Disabled Couple Forced to Live Apart,† and â€Å"Social Sensitivity.† Many people with disabilities are not allowed jobs and/or education. The percentage of unemployment for people with disabilities is 12.1. There are numerous laws prohibiting people from discriminatingRead MoreAbortion and Disability946 Words   |  4 Pagesvalues. (Total for Question 1 = 50 marks) There are several issues that arise when it comes to the development in medical ethics whilst also maintaining religious principles and ethical values. The development of medical knowledge has allowed for humans to practice different ways in helping society. But these new discoveries have found to clash with religious principles and ethical values. This can be related to the topic of abortion as it goes against monotheistic religious teachings. In the 21stRead MoreDiscrimination Against People With Disabilities1729 Words   |  7 Pagescommunity. The legal system needs to cater for all people, and particularly has a responsibility to protect the disabled, as they have different needs and cannot always protect themselves. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights determined by the United Nations provides basic human rights for all people under international law. The United Nations has also put forth the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 1975. However the convention is not compulsory for nations of the UN but is

Financial Review of Billabong Pty Ltd free essay sample

Billabong Financial Review Review of Billabong Financial information for 2005-2008 Note: tables are shown in $’000s (excluding $ values expressed with decimal places) Note: revenue is expressed and revenue from the sale of goods. Question 1 – Revenue and Revenue Margin 2005200620072008 Total Revenue $ (From the sale of goods)$840,701$1,018,227$1,222,911$1,347,618 % Change from previous year24. 60%21. 12%20. 10%10. 20% % Change from base year (2004)24. 60%50. 91%81. 24%99. 73% Change in $$165,972$177,526$204,684$124,707 It is important to note the $ value increases as it is not the biggest % increase. Showing strong growth until 2007, the 2008 smaller growth can be attributed to the GFC or that business expansion has slowed. This can be noticed in the Financial reports list of businesses owned by billabong increasing, from; â€Å"Billabong†, â€Å"Von Zipper†, â€Å"Element† and â€Å"Honolua Surf Co† in 2004 to the addition of; â€Å"Kustom†, â€Å"Palmers†, â€Å"Nixon†, â€Å"XCEL†, â€Å"Tigerlily†, â€Å"Sector 9† and Dakine up to 2008, this gives Billabong International a larger stake at market share, with their brands dominating surf shop shelves. Also with the addition of Billabong owned store fronts becoming more and more common, apposed to being a wholesale provider, the businesses expansion into new countries around the world and the growth of the brand within these countries has allowed Billabong to add to their ever-expanding global brand and an increasing revenue of 1422% over the past ten years, with now average growth of around 19% pa, a growth at perhaps a more manageable level, this shows a steep growth period that is and has for a few years been slowing down suggesting it may have reached its maximum profit potential. With all this in mind, we can see a company with a strong growth period that is now consolidating its position as one of the leading brands in this industry. Question 2 – Gross Profit margin Net Profit Margin GPM = GP (Revenue from sale of goods – Cost of Sales) / Sales * 100 20072008 Total Revenue (from sale of goods) $1,222,911$1,347,618 Minus Cost Of Sales$570,979$608,040 Equals GP $$651,932$739,578 GPM (GP$/Total Revenue*100)53. 31%54. 88% Gross profit margin shows us the percentage difference between sales and the cost of those sales. The result of the margin can help determine what the level of profitability is for the goods being produced. These results show a business that is more than doubling their money invested on the production of goods. Also, the figures show an increase in gross profit margin suggesting the business is becoming more efficient at production or sale of goods produced. These are both strong percentages that show the money invested into the production of goods is money well spent. NPM = NP (before tax interest) / Sales * 100 2005200620072008 Net Profit (Before tax Interest)$189,555$222,014$241,300$270,548 Over Total Revenue$840,701$1,018,227$1,222,911$1,347,618 Equals Net Profit Margin22. 55%21. 80%19. 73%20. 08% Net profit margin shows the margin of profit after expenses (however before tax interest). These percentages are reducing due to increased expenses, notably from increases in selling, general and administrative expenses and from cost of goods sold. Also expenses in depreciation are increasing; however this would be expected from a business at the tail end of a sharp growth period. The net profit margin is reducing to 2007 but showing some regain in 2008, perhaps the GFC and its effect on the cost, efficiency and ability of stimulating sales has had some impact on the 2007 decline but the business is still showing a strong financial position with reasonably steady profit margins. Question 3 – Return on Assets Return on Shareholder Equity ROA =NP (before tax Interest) / Average Total Assets * 100 2005200620072008 Net Profit (before Tax Interest)$189,555$222,014$241,300$270,548 Over Average Total Assets$919,559$1,097,835$1,324,155$1,508,016 ROA20. 61%20. 22%18. 22%17. 94% Return on assets shows how well the business assets are being employed, to what level they are utilised and to what impact any new assets may be having to overall net profit. These figures show a reducing percentage that may indicate the business is investing in higher risk assets that may not yet be presenting their full return potential or as a safe option within the economic climate are investing in lower risk assets with lower marginal return, alternatively it could represent a business that is not efficiently managing its new assets as it is not making the same return on their assets that they previously were. It could, also, be showing the current economic climate were return on assets are requiring more investment and higher cost to gain similar $ yield. ROE = NP (after taxation preference dividend) / Average Shareholder Equity during period 2005200620072008 Net Profit (after Tax preference dividend if any)$125,232$145,659$167,607$176,269 Over Average Shareholder Equity$607,938$674,729$735,903$777,393 ROE20. 60%21. 59%22. 78%22. 67% Return on Equity or the Return on Shareholders’ Funds shows a ratio that compares profit to the owners with a stake within the business. This ratio shows, that if there were no retained profits they may be able to make the percentage mentioned return on their funds invested in dividends, for example $100 invested in 2005 would see a return of $20. 60, these ratios can help investors decide whether they should invest compared to other investment opportunities. The difference between ROA and ROE is the ROA shows what level of return the business is getting on their funds invested into assets and how efficiently their managers are running these assets, whereas the ROE shows what level of return the investors are getting on heir funds invested into the company. Question 4 – Cash flow statements 2005200620072008 Operating activities$122,317$107,675$91,209$153,207 % Change from previous year83. 62%-11. 97%-15. 29%67. 97% % Change from base year (2004)83. 62%61. 64%36. 92%129. 99% Investing activities($37,453)($145,179)($73,462)($146,867) % Change from previous year54. 01%-287. 63%49. 40%-99. 92% % Change from base ye ar (2004)54. 01%-496. 98%-202. 08%-503. 92% Financing activities($86,883)$51,799$34,314$18,626 % Change from previous year-378. 35%159. 62%-33. 76%-45. 72% % Change from base year (2004)-378. 5%385. 19%288. 92%202. 55% Net cash Cash Equivalents$51,022$67,855$113,212$125,852 % Change from previous year-9. 93%24. 81%40. 06%10. 04% % Change from base year (2004)-9. 93%20. 98%101. 85%124. 39% The above table shows the cash flow within 4 main segments of the business operations and the changes within these levels from year to year. Noticeable changes included: -Operating activities ?Decreases in 2007 from higher income taxes ?Lower marginal increase in receipts from customers ?2005 shows lower (than trend in other years) payments to suppliers and employees ? 006 shows steep increase in payments to suppliers and employees ? 2007 2008 show significantly higher borrowing costs, this can be attributed to the significant increases in borrowings in these years. -Investing activities ?2005 sh ows the business made no purchases of subsidiaries or any net cash acquired. ?2007 shows reduced expense to subsidiaries and net cash acquired ? payments for intangible assets has reduced each year, excluding 2007 ? 2007 seems to be a weaker performance year for this business and this may be a reason to why investment in new subsidiaries reduced in this year. Financing activities ?2005 significantly smaller borrowings (of $87m as apposed to $338m in 2008) – main factor to negative figure. ?Higher repayments in 2005 than 2006. ?The business reduced their borrowings significantly in 2005 compared to later years, this may be an indicator to the business growth and expansion plans. ?The business has steadily increased the dividends paid to shareholders from each year. ?2005 seems to be a consolidation year with the business borrowing less and paying back more. 2007 2008 the business held significantly higher borrowings thus payments had to be higher however not compared to the s ize of their borrowings, EG borrowings of $113m at the end of 2005 with $114m repaid (over 50% repayment) compared to 2008 with $471. 4m borrowings with $197m repayment (closer to 30% repayment)). -Net cash cash equivalents ?Net cash held has increase significantly from 2006 to 2007 ? Net cash has increased to a high amount, perhaps this is required for the businesses day to day activities, however if not, it may be under utilising its cash resources. The business made profit from exchange rate in 2006 but in all other years has seen a loss from the effects of exchange rate, this could be due to the strength or weakness of the Australian dollar (or other currencies held by the global business) and the increased transfer from weak currencies to stronger currencies, EG the Australian dollar has remained relatively strong during the GFC whereas other currencies have seen a harsher effect on the value of their currency and as Billabong is an Australian business one could say that more cash would be transferred in to Australian dollars than would be transferred out. What this tells us about Billabong is there may have been some downfalls in 2007, however the organisation has remained stable and is investing for future growth, and although their growth might have slowed from years prior to 2005 they are still a growing and expanding organisation. Question 5 – Short Term Liquidity Current Ratio = Current Assets / Current liabilities 2005200620072008 Current Assets$340,255$474,008$573,518$667,523 Over Current Liabilities$136,645$180,748$172,273$217,102 Current Ratio2. 9 times2. 62 times3. 33 times3. 07 times The current ratio shows the comparison between the ‘liquid’ assets and current liabilities to find how many times the business can cover the short-term commitments of their current liabilities. The Pearson text (pg 298) states that an ‘ideal’ cover ratio is around 2 times, with this in mind we can see the business is in a stable position to cover their short-term commitments and is increasing its ability to do s o (Atrill, Mclaney, Harvey Jenner, 2009). Also it indicates the business is making wise growth decisions at a minimal cost and is investing their funds well, as the current assets are growing at an increasing rate than that of the current liabilities. Quick Ratio = Current Assets (excluding inventory and prepayments) / Current liabilities 2005200620072008 Current Assets (excluding Inv prepayments)$224,682$301,099$387,872$440,098 Over Current Liabilities$136,645$180,748$172,273$217,102 Quick Ratio1. 64 times1. 67 times2. 25 times2. 03 times The quick ratio (also known as the Acid test ratio) is a more accurate way of determining the liquidity of the business as inventory may not be as easily liquidated if needed. The ratios show that Billabong has covered their liabilities and for potential lenders (or trade payables) demonstrates that if the business was unable to make repayments it would not be hard for them to liquefy some assets to meet these payments without detrimental effects on business assets. Question 6 – Liabilities over assets Interest Cover Ratio 005200620072008 Total Liabilities (TL)$300,604$545,609$630,895$830,358 Total Assets (TA)$937,938$1,257,732$1,390,578$1,625,461 TL / TA32. 05%43. 38%45. 37%51. 08% The trend in this gearing ratio suggests the business in increasing its total liabilities faster than its assets and in the long term presents a bad trend towards over borrowing (almost half of 2008’s total liabilities are made up of borrowings). Perhaps the assets are not presenting their value in relation to the liabilities they may have produced while attaining them. However this percentage is still manageable as long as the trend does not continue for too long. Interest Cover Ratio = Profit / Interest expense 2005200620072008 Net Profit (Before interest and tax)$189,555$222,014$241,300$270,548 Over Interest expense$5,896$9,069$19,486$24,986 Equals Interest Cover Ratio32. 15 times24. 48 times12. 38 times10. 83 times This ratio is used by lenders to see the businesses ability to repay loans interest. Although reducing, an interest cover ratio of 10 times is still a strong ratio. However, if this trend continues at its current rate the business may have too much debt for their net profit to cover the interest expense, the business may find it difficult to make further borrowings and may prevent the business from reaping benefits from future investment opportunities. Question 7 Dividend Yield Price/Earnings Ratio 2005200620072008 Market Value Per share at close 30th June$13. 63$15. 35$17. 95$10. 80 Dividends Declared $64,897$84,858$97,435$112,014 Earnings Per share (cents)60. 970. 580. 785. 1 Number of Ordinary Shares on issue205,271,283205,984,631205,859,969205,753,609 Total value of Shares on issue$2,797,847,587. 29$3,161,864,085. 85$3,695,186,443. 55$2,222,138,977. 20 There is a drop in share issue in 2007, perhaps, due to high market value of shares thus investors would opt to sell shares and make high yield from value their shares in compared to the yield they earn from dividends. The 2007 drop can potentially be accredited to the market anticipating the 2008 drop in share value and selling shares at their high value rather than losing their invested capital when the share prices drop. However this alternatively could be a primary attributing factor to the 2008 drop in share value thus affecting the share price further, as there was reduced market confidence, which can be seen by the businesses originator, Mr. G. S. Merchant, selling off close to a third of his share capital invested in Billabong in 2006, potentially as a precursor to future reduced confidence in the performance of Billabong shares, although this may have just been a way for Mr. Merchant to cash out some of his shares in order to invest into other projects, it is a detractor to overall investor confidence. Dividend Yield Ratio = (Dividends per share / (1-t)) / Market Value per share *100 2005200620072008 Dividends paid per share (cents)31. 6241. 2047. 3354. 44 Tax Rate30% Market Value Per share at close 30th June$13. 63$15. 35$17. 95$10. 80 Dividend Yield Ratio3. 31%3. 83%3. 77%7. 20% The dividend yield ratio is a measurement tool for the investor on the return via dividends from the capital invested. The business strategy of increasing dividend paid may be seen as a strategy to maintain shareholders and stimulate current and potential shareholder confidence during decreasing share value and unstable global financial climate of 2008. Although the yield ratio of 2008 is significantly higher investors need to determine whether the reduced share price is worth the dividend yield and perhaps 2008 shows a period where purchase of shares for the long term would yield higher benefit rather than sale of shares and in hindsight suggest that purchase of shares or hold of current shares in 2007 to 2008 would result in negative change to an investors share portfolio. Price Earnings Ratio = Market value per share / Earnings per share 2005200620072008 Market Value$13. 63$15. 35$17. 95$10. 80 Earnings per share (cents)60. 970. 580. 785. 1 Price Earnings Ratio22. 38 times21. 77 times22. 4 times12. 69 times The Price Earnings Ratio is a practical guide to investor market optimism within the prospective outlook of the business. This Ratio shows how many times the dividend (at the current rate) would need to be paid until the initial outlay of purchasing the shares (at current price) would be covered by the dividends received. The Ratio is reasonably stable from 2005 to 2007, however it shows a sharp decline in 2008, this decline shows a dilapidated share and market confidence because of the dramatic decline in share price and outlines the overall deteriorating market conditions as a result of the global financial climate. This helpful tool allows potential investors the ability to judge the performance of this business in comparison to other investment opportunities and thus define which investment will yield the highest benefit to their investment portfolio. Question 8 – Share Recommendation (Yahoo. com. au, 2009) The above chart shows the 5 year share price of Billabong international and assists in determining the share trends and market confidence. Over past 5 yrsCurrent HighLow Share Price$10. 86$18. 81$6. 09 The first consideration an investor needs to make if they are considering investment is to find a company they have loyalty to, or can justify financially supporting. Secondly they must determine whether the capital invested would yield more than other investment opportunities or more than interest return of investing in a bank. Then they must decided using share analysis if the market is stable or whether the businesses share price is stable or growing enough to allow them to realise continued profit from their investment. Within share analysis there are two primary techniques to determine investment viability, which are Fundamental analysis and Technical analysis. Fundamental analysis is the method of analysing the stock through the use of key ratios, comparing these ratios to industry averages and by understanding the fundamentals of the business holistically. Whereas Technical analysis is a method that defines the investment viability by assessing the stock price, stock history, market confidence and other technical indicators. A brief review of these analysis techniques shows the following: Fundamental analysis: Continued financial growth †¢Proven business stability within unstable financial climate †¢Strong and sustainable financial ratios that suggest a growing and stable business †¢Increasing dividend yield ratio suggests growing profits to be made from long term investments through this dividend yield oDecreased share issue assists with compounding this ratio †¢The growing r evenue suggests that continued increases in dividend yield are maintainable with the growth of the business †¢The return on Equity ratio is relatively stable and perhaps on the incline. This suggests that if overall market confidence was to return to levels prior to the GFC the share price would most likely increase towards its previous heights †¢Return on Assets ratio may suggests the business may not be wisely investing their funds, however it is more likely a sign of the current financial climate and the fact that this ratio has not dropped as harshly as other businesses suggests the business has strategies in place to lessen external effects on profitability of its assets †¢Net profit margin and gross profit margin are relatively stable with some incline to gross profit margin, which demonstrates this business is selling its goods efficiently and thus the business should have a continued ability to distribute dividends and assist in growth of its share value through the growth and development of the business value and market confidence in the business Technical analysis: †¢5 year share price history shows low share price in 2008 thus long term sha re investment, in 2008, would potentially yield high profits on the share value †¢Mid-late February 2009 shows steep price drops to $6. 9 †¢Improving market sentiment due to stabilising financial climate †¢Market has not shown full recovery and some financial skeptics suggest the worst is yet to come, thus this uncertainty should be considered when deciding to invest †¢Share price demonstrates ‘bullish’ trend, that is a trend towards upward share price †¢Short term stock stability suggests better return through long term investment, potential trend towards future increasing share price whereas short term prices may only increase marginally. †¢The above chart suggests a potential bottom and end to previous bearish trends (that is, trends towards lower share value) †¢The end of bearish trends and a move towards more bullish trends shows a growing share price that could potentially produce high long term yield to invested capital With the above in mind my personal share recommendation would be in support of purchasing shares. However recommend this as a long-term investment, that is to invest funds; reap benefits from the growing dividends paid and when the share price has regained its strength to sell and yield further return from the probable trend towards increased share value. References: Atrill, McLaney, Harvey Jenner (2009) – â€Å"Accounting – An introduction†- 4th edition Pearson Education, Australia Yahoo. com. au (viewed 04/09/09) Billabong financial chart over 5 years http://au. finance. yahoo. com/q/bc? s=BBG. AXt=5yl=onz=mq=lc= Note: Figures and information have primarily been sourced from Billabongbiz. com and the financial statements within the website.

The Winters Tale Essay Example For Students

The Winters Tale Essay In The Winters Tale there is arguments for both sides of this statement. The play starts off with Leontes watching his wife, Hermione, and his best friend Polixenes talking to each other, he seems to think they are flirting and becomes jealous. He even worries that he is not the real father of his son Mamiillius. He says Why thats my bawcock. What! Hast smutched thy nose? Leontes sees Hermione some how as his possession. At the time when this play was being written women did not have very many rights. This is shown by a quote which explains how suspected witches were treated, this treatment was inhumane and shows the lack of womens rights Having taken the suspected Witch, she is placed in the middle of a room upon a stool, or table, cross-legged, or in some other uneasy posture, to which if she submits not, she is then bound with cords; there she is watched and kept without meat or sleep for the space of 24 hours. . . A little hole is likewise made in the door for the imps to come in at; they that watch are taught to be ever and anon sweeping the room, and if they see any spiders or flies, to kill them, then they may be sure they are her imps. (John Gaule, 1646) Leontes thinks that Hermione shouldnt be talking to Polixines without his permission. We will write a custom essay on The Winters Tale specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The fact that Leontes is challenging the honesty and fidelity of Hermione could be very damaging; if this had happened to a woman at the time of Shakespeare it would have been devastating to her. In an essay written by Michael Hattaway entitled Drama In Society it says The virtue of a women depended on her chastity and fidelity This means that if the sort of accusations Leontes is making were made then her life might as well be over. At this time many writers thought that women were inferior to men Sean McEvoy (2000) says Many writers of the time asserted womens inferiority to men. Some drew on the medieval tradition that blamed mankinds fall on eve Leonties thinks that Hermione is being tempted by Polixines, the way Eve was tempted. Another quote from Sean McEvoy showing the inferiority of women or at least how it was perceived by that society is Others thought a women was an incomplete man. The way in which Leontes brings Hermione to trial shows that he thinks of her as a possession. Male adultery at this time was acceptable but for the women to be the adulterer was very uncommon, and they were seen as being dangerous. At this time women did not get very much education, at least not in the formal sense, they were taught to sew and cook. This would have meant that it would be difficult for Hermione to defend herself when she was put in front of the court, as she would not be experienced in that type of environment This is apparent when, according to Sean McEvoy She never once responds to her husbands mad behaviour with a counter charge of gratuitous cruelty. When first accused she blames the configuration of the planets. The main reason that Hermione is not afraid of Leontes putting her on trial is the fact that she has lost the main source of joy in her life, her love. The fact that Hermione is so calm on stage convinces everyone, except Leontes that she is innocent. This would have made the audience turn against Leontes and make him look stupid. According to Sean McEvoy Indeed in the case of Hermione, chastity is closely connected with saying little, with suffering everything but doing nothing. The fact that Hermione is quiet during the trial makes her seem good and pure. At this time Military and legal powers were completely at the hands of men. Although Hermione doesnt do this according to John Webster who comments about the The White Devil (1612) O Womens poor revenge which dwells but in the tongue He is saying that the only way in which women could defend themselves was talking, this was because men were bigger and stronger. .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5 , .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5 .postImageUrl , .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5 , .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5:hover , .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5:visited , .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5:active { border:0!important; } .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5:active , .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5 .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u91072bcf9d1d43ddc0bd4256949d13d5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Romeo and Juliet EssayThe Oracle says that Hermione is not guilty but Leontes insists that she is the point in the play when the women get the upper hand. The fact that Leontes is going against the Oracle makes him less credible. The Oracle is the divine power so Leontes should not be challenging it. When Hermione hears the news about the death of her son Mamillius she faints and is taken away by her friend and servant Paulina. This point in the play marks the entrance of the strongest female character of the play in Paulina. Paullina takes Hermione away and then comes back with the news that she is dead. When Paulina starts to shout at Leontes about the way in which he treated Hermione she is quickly accused of sexual infidelity because of her outburst. Leonties ridicules Antigonus Paulinas husband about her outburst and tells him to keep her quite, it is as if Leontes thinks that that Antigonus owns Paulina and can control her, as Leontes soon finds out it is not easy to control Paulina. After this incident in the play Paulina seems to be able to control Leontes in every thing he does, this would have been very unusual at the time when this play was written. Paulina seems to have a lot of control over Leontes she uses this power to manipulate him and make him do what she wants. Although what Leonties did was wrong the way in which Paulina is using Leontes guilt to manipulate him is not very moral, this explains why modern audiences may not have much sympathy for Paulina. At this time it was not unusual for people to remarry after the death of a partner, in fact it was very common, this was because of the low life expectancy. So the normal thing for Leontes to do would have been to remarry, but because of Paullinas constant reminder of Hermione he cannot do this. In Shakespeares time shaming rituals were directed at houses where women were in charge so it would not of went down too well if the people of the country knew that the king was being controlled by a women. According Michael Hataway Women tended not to be portrayed in dramas but were there in available indices of virtue, modesty sexual chastity and wifely constancy. However Paulina seems to go against this trend, she plays a big part in the play and in the end she is in control of the outcome. This would have been unusual according to Sir Thomas Elyot. In his book The book of the Governor it shows how powerful men were at this time. Paullina is acting out of the character of a typical woman, as quoted by Oregal (1996) The good nature of a women is to be mild, timorous tractable, benign, of sure remembrance and shame fast. However Paulina seems to completely contradict this quote, she is very strong and is in no way mild At this point in the play it seems that it is women in control, according to Michael Hattaway, Writers tried to put across their opinions in their plays. Perhaps Shakespeare was trying to say that women should have more rights. Perdita the daughter that Leontes rejected falls in love with the son of Polixonis, Florizel. According to Sean McEvoy. In Shakespeares romances it seems to be the role of the children to make good the errors of their parents and bring harmony were once there was discord. He also says For the future to be better than the past in Shakespeares plays daughters must fall in love with other mens sons- with or without their fathers permission. Women and their relationships with men are therefore central to these plays. The other play that he is describing is The Tempest where the romance of Miranda and Ferdinand reconcile the courts of Milan and Naples. .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9 , .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9 .postImageUrl , .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9 , .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9:hover , .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9:visited , .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9:active { border:0!important; } .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9:active , .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9 .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5ddaa7faf1eceb0407ae04b7e4c8a0b9:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: How does Juliet's Language change manifest the course of play? EssayAt the end of the play Paulina tells Leontes that a statue of Hermione has been made. When he goes to see it he kisses the statue. This makes the statue come alive. When Hermione disappeared after fainting Paullina was the only one who saw Hermione when she took her away. No one knows how the statue of Hermione came back to life, but it looks like Paulina had something to do with it. The first explanation is magic. If this were the case, in Shakespeares time she would have been charged with witchcraft. This interpretation of Paulinas behaviour is one that the audience in Shakespeares time would have been familiar with, but a modern audience would find it ridiculous. On the website http://www.suu.edu/ced/distance/hist4440/topic16.htm it says Across early modern Europe, somewhere between 100,000 to 200,000 people were tried for witchcraft, and of these slightly more than 50% were executed. The common punishment for Paulina would have been for her to be burnt at the stake. Another conclusion of how Hermione has remained unseen for so long is that she was not actually dead but in fact Paulina was hiding her. If this was the case it would not have been very moral and something that a woman would have been unlikely to do. However this is probably the view that a modern audience would take. In the end Leontes gets his wife back and also his daughter. Although he was very unhappy during the time Hermione was dead he will now be happy. However Paulina who seemed to be in control of Leontes now has nothing to manipulate him with. Her husband Antigionus is dead and she has not remarried either. This is were Leontes takes over again as the strongest character in the play. He pairs Paulina off with his servant Camillo. He doesnt even ask her. At the time when the play was written this would no have been socially acceptable, however it could happen and would not have surprised a Shakespearean audience that much. It would have been like a strange movie plot in todays terms, and could be believed but a modern audience would find it very hard to believe. In conclusion there is a lot of ideas in the play, which show the opinions of women at the time which this book was written. At the start the man is in charge, this is how it would have been in Shakespeares time. However in the middle a women seems in charge this would not have been the case in the 17th century, but in the end it is Leonties who is in control and ends up with the best outcome, I agree with the title that the winters tale confirms contemporary attitudes towards women in the 17th century.

Kagemusha(Shadow Warrior) by Akira Kurosawa Essay Example

Kagemusha(Shadow Warrior) by Akira Kurosawa Essay Research Paper Shadow Warrior by Akira Kurosawa The film â€Å"Shadow Warrior† also known as â€Å"Kagemusha† was made by Kurosawa in the year of 1980. The film recounted the actual historical event about the death of a great samurai Shingen Takeda who was known as the head of Takeda family. The film started in the year of 1573 while all samurai families competed with each other and the final goal was to unite Japan as a whole. The period was also known as Sengoku period. The story began in Shingen’s place while his younger brother, Nobukado found a thief who looked almost exactly like his brother. The safety for the head of family was top priority during Sengoku period. Therefore, the using of substitute in order to confuse enemies was a common technique used in the battle field. The substitute is called Kagemusha in Japanese. The amazing part of the story is not the using of Kagemusha but the ability of the thief to pretend the real Shingen even he has been dead for more than 2 years. Shingen’s brother and his subordinates also played big roles in hiding the news of Shingen’s death. They tricked the alliance of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu with Kagemusha for more than 2 years. We will write a custom essay sample on Kagemusha(Shadow Warrior) by Akira Kurosawa specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Kagemusha(Shadow Warrior) by Akira Kurosawa specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Kagemusha(Shadow Warrior) by Akira Kurosawa specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Oda Nobunaga was considered one of the smartest Lord and Tokugawa Ieyasu was the person who finally united Japan as a whole later in this period. They once suspected right after Shingen’s death but still could not find hard evidence to prove the Shingen was a Kagemusha. The ending of the movie was rather tragic and sad. While the Kagemusha fell of the Shingen’s horse, the secret was revealed. The Kagemusha was able to hide this secret from his wives and grandson and even became really closed to his grandson who was supposed to be Singen’s inheritor for the Takeda Family. Sadly, he could not hide this secret from a horse which only recognized his real master. The rumor about Kagemusha quickly spread out within the family. Later on, Shingen’s subordinates decided to hold a funeral for Shingen. Kagemusha was not a rumor anymore but a truth. Quickly, Shingen’s son Katsuyori Takeda inherited Takeda family’s army and attacked alliance of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Shingen knew his son’s personality would lead Takeda Family into pieces so he named his grandson as his inheritor and his son as the guardian of the inheritor. However, Katsuyori was disappointed about Shingen’s ecision and want to show his ability badly. The first attack he held against alliance of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu was saved by the Kagemusha but not the second time when he became the leader of Takeda Family. As an excepted ending, Takeda Family was defeated and the Kagemusha who simply influenced by Shingen’s will to protect the fa mily was shot on the battle field and died with sorrow and sadness. Kurosawa was a really successful director for war and action movies. He used pretty artistic approach to film a sequence of actions or a scene on the battle field. For example, he would use different camera angels to film the same sequence of action over and over with different character’s outfit or different usages of colors. This technique he used was to deliver different messages to the audience and to emphasize the quantity, or the quality, or the importance of this particular sequence. â€Å"Invoking imagery associated with the military codes of the samurai, he creates brilliant pictures of 16th-century warring feudal factions competing for predominance in a country in which the arts of war were highly developed. Few movies about medieval warfare have ever been so filled with magnificence in color and design as Kurosawas two history films of the 1980s. †(Manheim) Kagemusha was a historical movie, thus the use of different signs has historical background and meaning. â€Å"Wind†, â€Å"Woods†, â€Å"Fire†, â€Å"Mountain† mean different kind of army from Takeda Family. Since Takeda Family was known for their cavalry both â€Å"Wind† and â€Å"Fire† are cavalry teams which mean their cavalry teams are fast as wind and deadly as fire. Wood† represents infantry which is steady as woods. Finally, â€Å"Mountain† is Shingen himself who is always stable and can not be moved by others. These four signs are exclusive for Shingen himself or the head of family. During last battle fought by Shingen’s son and alliance of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu, Kurosawa emphasized on these four sign heavily and tried to parallel different armies ’ action with the meaning of the signs. So we could actually feel the speed of the wind while Takeda Family’s cavalry was moving. The rows on rows of cavalry bewitching the world with noble horsemanship, the brilliant ensigns in their primary colors representing the different noble houses, the incomparable swiftness of the warriors in their movements and their swordplay, the peremptory long-distance shouts, the precision of the gunfire, the instantaneous obedience of the foot soldiers to their commanders: all bespeak the beauty, glory, and efficiency of an elegant warfare, even in defeat. â€Å"(Manheim)The heavy emphasis on the signs also showed us steps one by one how Takeda Family was defeated. Because the strong connection between these signs with the Takeda Family, while the Kagemusha found the flag with those 4 signs in the water we immediately understand Takeda Family was defeated totally with nothing left. One other great scene was when most of Takeda family’s army was defeated by enemy’s gunmen, the wound soldiers and horses lying on the ground struggled to die. â€Å"In Kagemusha he adds the very effective shots of dying horses to be a more absolute statement of wars absurdity than any death of the warrior could effect. (Manheim) The way he filmed the horses in silent slow motion was just terrific. It was a real pain to watch this part of the movie. The movement of the horses dying was so real and made u think if they actually wounded those horses during the making of the film or not. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find any information regarding the condition of those horses but I hope they were doing fine after filming. In Kagemusha, we could f ind many different aspects of humanity and values. As I thoroughly watch the movie, many questions came into my mind. What’s the importance of selflessness? How could Kagemusha adapt his values and believes as Shingen’s? Those are pretty critical questions but Kurosawa seemed to reveals his answers in the film. â€Å"In his autobiography, Kurosawa remarks, â€Å"The Japanese see self-assertion as immoral and self-sacrifice as the sensible course to take in life†Ã¢â‚¬ (P203 Malpezzi) It was the power of traditional Japanese’s value and Bushido spirit to create a successful Kagemusha. In the beginning of the movie we could clearly identify the character of the thief who was selfish and rude. After the death of Shingen, we quickly discovered the sympathy inside the thief’s heart. He had a choice to just be himself instead of Shingen’s Kagemusha but he still chose to because he simply didn’t want enemies’ spies to find out the death of Shingen which might lead to the destruction of Takeda Family. Shingen’s brother, Nobukado had guide the Kagemusha fairly well through out those 2 years of period. He taught the thief every behavior of Shingen and he did praise the thief’s reaction if he did a good job on response emergency situations. The film makes us question: Is this heroic gesture still part of the act? Where does it come from, this apparent greatness of soul that finally requires in a counterfeit role an authentic death? Kurosawa implies that it issues from the depths of human nature itself. But if so, as the film makes clear, it hardly arises naturally. † (Cowan) Despite the traditional Japanese values, through intensive training and the influence of the environment, the thief was willing to give up his own values and become Shingen’s Kagemusha. Nobukado himself can understand what a Kagemusha feels as he is usually Shingen’s pervious Kagemusha. â€Å"For Nobukado the needs of society transcend those of the individual. Clearly he achieved oneness with the role he played, identity with his brotherhood; he assets, â€Å"The shadow of a man can never desert that man. † (P203 Malpezzi) Nobukado was basically nothing after his brother’s death. He has been his brother’s Kagemusha for so long that he has lost his own identity. Sadly, exactly same thing happened to the thief. People of Takeda Family discarded him like trash after his cover was blown and even soldiers threw rocks at him. And he still fought for Takeda family to the end without regret. The film showed us the power of tradition, culture and environment also makes people wonder what their own self identities are. I personally had a great pleasure watching this film since I do have the knowledge of Japanese history and I am very interested in watching Asian historical movies. The version I watched was with Chinese subtitle which took me a while to translate character’s name into English. My heart was pounding several times while watching this movie and those scenes were just beautifully done including Kurosawa showed a vast number of cavalry, the Kagemusha was kicked out of the family with soldiers throwing rocks on him and of course the ending scene. There aren’t many movies I could watch till all the credits of the films are played and the DVD is actually in the stop position. This film is something that would make you think about what’s important in your life and how do you identify yourself in different situation. It really took me a while to digest this beautiful work. I highly recommend anyone who hasn’t watch it yet to go ahead do so. But I do suggest that the more knowledge of Japanese culture and history you acquire the more joy you would get out of this film. Work Cited 1. Cowan, Louise The Necessity of the Classics.. Intercollegiate Review, Fall2001, Vol. 37 Issue 1, p3, 9p, 1bw 2. Malpezzi, Frances M. ; Clements, William M. The Double and the Theme of Selflessness in Kagemusha.. Literature Film Quarterly, 1989, Vol. 17 Issue 3, p202, 5p 3. Manheim, Michael The Function of Battle Imagery in Kurosawas Histories and the Henry V Films; Literature Film Quarterly, 1994; 22 (2): 129-35. (journal article)

Income Inequality in America essays

Income Inequality in America essays In every society there will be those who are better off than others. There are people who are poor and people who are rich. That is the natural way things are. The American way of life for a long time was to have a society where the majority of the people are not poor or extremely rich, but rather in a middle class. After the end of World War II America enjoyed a time of prosperity where everyones income rose. Unfortunately that trend didnt last forever and in the 1970s the middle class began to dissolve. From the time after World War II until 1973 the graph of annual growth rates of household income looked like a picket fence, meaning that the poorest fifth of the population income grew at about the same rate as the wealthiest fifth and everyone in between. From 1973 to 1993 that graph begins to look more like a staircase with the farthest left stairs being underground. The poorest fifth of the population actually began to make less money while the wealthiest still enjoyed considera ble growth of income. This trend is leading America into an age of huge income gaps between the very rich and the poor. The best way to demonstrate the new trend in income distribution is to look at the salaries of CEOs compared to that of the average worker and how they changed in the last thirty years. In 1970 the average annual salary in America was $32,522. By 1999 this number grew to $35,864, which is a small increase. In that same span of time the average annual compensation of the top one hundred CEOs went from $1.3 million to $37.5 million. In 1970 the CEO was making thirty-nine times the wage of the average worker. In 1999 that CEO was making more than one thousand times the pay of the average worker. This huge increase in the pay of the top one hundred CEOs shows what is going on in America during the last thirty years While the average workers salaries are growing at a very small pace the richest people&ap...

GLOBAL ECONOMY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

GLOBAL ECONOMY - Essay Example The four tigers stipulated trade rules for all the member state while the ASEAN 4 implemented a system they called the ASEAN way. The system embraces freedom of domestic legislation while adhering to the ASEAN community (Hirst 2002). The four Tigers first had a strong foreign funding especially from the USA that gave South Korea and Taiwan a strong support. It was due to its geopolitical interests in the region while the ASEAN four countries mostly depended on financial policies; government funding and remittance’s from their economies to further develop their economy. They differed in the source of funding. ASEAN 4 countries mostly relied in export of lower categories of value added goods that have slower growth like apparel clothing, organic chemicals, but have slowly grown into electronics, telecommunication equipment and machinery especially Malaysia and Philippines. It is in contrast to 4 Tiger nations that have a broader range of export categories with most reliance on electronic and machinery. Export policies of the two regions differ from each