The Importance of Highly Valued Traits Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Highly Valued Traits Essay Ancient Anglo-Saxon society was based around four highly valued traits; Courage, Generosity, Loyalty, and Courtesy. It is of these four characteristics in which many epic tales were created, and thus passed down for many years through oral account. All of these attributes compile to form what we consider today as a heroic figure. The poem Beowulf denotes all of these traits through many of the heroic characters throughout the course of the poem. The attribute of courage is clearly evident throughout the entire poem. Everything Beowulf does is a direct link to courage. Beowulf is a perfect example of an Anglo-Saxon point of view on how much more important courage and honor are as compared to failure. In this quote, it is shown how determined he is to kill Grendel and gain valor. Of your people or die in battle, pressed/ In Grendels fierce grip. Let me live in greatness/ And courage, or here in this hall welcome/ My death! (632-638). Another prime example of Beowulfs courage is demonstrated shortly before he murders Grendel when he says, Grendel is no braver, no stronger/Than I am! I could kill him with my sword (677- 678). Grendel has killed countless soldiers in Herot for years, but Beowulf claims that not only can he kill him, but also he can do it without any weapons or armor. By doing this, Beowulf takes what seems like a very large risk in a battle and sacrifices it for glory. During the Anglo-Saxon Era, being a hero was very important, but being a hero who accomplishes both the notion of courageous fighting against an evil monster, and doing it with style makes him even more so. Shortly after murdering Grendel, Beowulf yet again demonstrates his courage when he makes the statement Against this monster: when he comes to me/I mean to stand, not run from his shooting (2524-2525). By saying this, it further promotes his right to be the epic hero. Another important characteristic in the poem is Loyalty. A prime example of Loyalty in the poem could be the Golden Torque that is given to Beowulf. The necklace that Wealhtheow gives Beowulf is a symbol of the relationship of loyalty between her people and Beowulf. Because tokens of appreciation and  the like were very vital in Anglo-Saxon time periods, this concept of this keepsake is essential when it is given to Beowulf. An example of Loyalty shown for Beowulf is another key factor in the poem. All of Beowulfs/Band jumped from their beds/Determined/To protect their prince if they could(794-797). This quote is showing how useless Beowulfs men are to him, but at the same time showing their loyalty. In the quote, the word if is used to describe how they would protect their price if they could. Although they are probably unable to do so, it is the loyalty that is imperative. During the Anglo-Saxon Era, the fact of loyalty to ones king or leader is more important than ones ability h imself. As long as a man was loyal to his leader and was willing to try his best and give his life up for him, that is greatest thing a man could give. Courtesy is another example of a necessary trait in the heart of an Anglo-Saxon hero. A hero could have all other traits and not be respected if he is not courteous to his men and to his foe. One example of when Beowulf is very courteous to his foe, is when he first goes to fight Grendel, and Beowulf takes off his armor and puts down his weapon. Not only does this make him a very noble foe, but also helps his ego. Not even the sharpest of swords could have cut/ It through, broken it off the monsters/ Arm and ended its life, as Beowulf/ Had done armed only with his bare hands (987-990). Lastly, one trait that should never be overlooked is Generosity. Although Beowulfs crossing of the sea to help Hrothgar could very easily be considered a generous act in its own, another character in the poem comes to mind when generosity is considered. Welthow, Beowulfs wife, is very generous when all the warriors sit down to a feast in the Mead hall before the battle between Beowulf and Grendel. Then Welthow went from warrior to warrior,/Pouring a portion from the jeweled cup/For each (620-622). Welthow, wanting nothing except for her husband to succeed in defeating this beast seems as if she is doing all she can in order to help. In order for someone to be considered a heroic figure in Anglo-Saxon times, one had to have four main qualities; Loyalty, Courage, Generosity, and  Courtesy. In the epic poem Beowulf, Beowulf illustrates that he is an ideal paradigm for the expression of an epic hero. By being courageous, loyal, generous, and courteous, Beowulf lays the ground not only for the future king of his people, Wiglaf, but also to many epic heroes to come.

Marijuana: Unregulated, Undocumented, and Uncontrollable Essay

Marijuana has been around for a long time and its use has become wide spread in America. So much so, that an underground culture and economy have formed around it like a protective shroud. For most people, a supply of marijuana is only a phone call away (ICSDP.) Yet it has been illegal to possess, use, grow, or distribute since the thirties. Despite the possibility of becoming addicted to marijuana, many use it recreationally, while others rely on the medicinal effects of marijuana to alleviate a variety of diseases. Thirteen states have enacted medical marijuana laws and programs despite federal prohibition policies against the use of marijuana. Twelve more states are in the process of following this trend and if they are successful in passing these impending measures, fifty-four percent of the United States will have broken federal laws regarding its use. The federal government maintains that marijuana is illegal, while the state governments assert that it is legal to use from a me dical standpoint. From a public standpoint, marijuana has a semi-legal status and the problems stemming from this legal ambiguity are many. The state and federal agencies that make our laws do not agree on the legal status of marijuana, and in the wake of the creation of the medical marijuana programs, many Americans wonder who will assume the responsibility for its supervision. If our government refuses to be accountable for the supervision of marijuana, how can they expect the American citizens to accept accountability for its use? We must work together as a nation to create and implement a strict, mandatory supervision system for the regulation of marijuana in order to prevent the exploitation of the marijuana laws. What is the truth about mariju... ...rnment's Compassionate IND program?† General Reference 9/9/2010. ProCon.org. Web. 6 Mar 2011. http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org. ProCon.org is a nonprofit public charity that has no government affiliations of any kind. Their purpose is to provide resources for critical thinking and to educate without bias. This article covers information regarding the creation of the Federal Medical Marijuana Program and I will use it to refute the opposition. 15 Legal Medical Marijuana States and D.C. Summary Chart. ProCon.org. Web. 6 Mar 2011. http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org. ProCon.org is a nonprofit public charity that has no government affiliations of any kind. Their purpose is to provide resources for critical thinking and to educate without bias. I will use information from this source to summarize the green state policies regarding the regulation of medical marijuana.

Rhetorical Analysis of the Confessions of Nat Turner Essay

In The Confessions of Nat Turner, Thomas R. Gray attempted to provide the public with a better understanding of â€Å"the origin and progress of this dreadful conspiracy, and the motives which influences its diabolical actors† (Gray, 3). Gray hoped to replace â€Å"a thousand idle, exaggerated and mischievous reports† with a single, authoritative account of the event. To do so, he had to establish that the confession was voluntary, that the transcript was accurate, and that Turner was telling the truth. As for the sincerity and truthfulness of the prisoner, Gray said he cross-examined Turner and found his statement corroborated by the confessions of other prisoners and other circumstances. While he claims that these confessions were recorded â€Å"with little or no variation†, Gray’s verbose introduction addressed to the public was intended to frame Turner and as a psychotic villain that was rightfully punished for his unlawful acts against society. In an effort to make Turner appear more sinister, Gray described Turner as being â€Å"a gloomy fanatic revolving in the recesses of his own dark, bewildered, and overwrought mind, schemes of indiscriminate massacre to the whites† (Gray, 3). Though he may not have been as vicious as Gray portrayed him to be, the description was meant to â€Å"to bring its object into a field of vision, to make that object ‘speak’ for itself convincingly and to give it form, character, and tone† (Browne, 319). This horrific image of Turner was intended to shape the minds of the public in such a way that their minds would be made up before even reaching turners actual confessions. Browne points out that â€Å"by assuring the reader of the text’s veracity†¦ and by designating the monstrous motives that drove him to such deeds, Gray prefigures not only the narrative to follow but establishes the readers’ preferred stance toward it†, which given the events is a negative one (Browne, 319). The authenticity of this document is something to be contested. As a lawyer working on Turner’s case and a supporter of slavery, Gray probably did not feel compelled to present Turner’s motives and description of the insurrection. Gray appears to portray Turner in a way intended both to ease the insurrection’s impact and to aid in the conviction of turner for his actions. He argues that the revolt was an isolated event solely fueled by Turner’s religious extremism and not retaliation against the institution of slavery. Even though Turners situation was a unique one, slave owners at the time had to recognize the potentiality for violence iven â€Å"the peculiar mix of social, psychological, and racial tensions shaping life on the antebellum plantation thus required a certain logic with which threats to that way of life might be explained† (Browne, 316). In an effort to make the pamphlet even more persuasive, Gray makes another very interesting move. He claims that, â€Å"without being questioned at all, Turner commenced his narrative in the following words† (Gray, 5). By stating this, it is implied that Turner gave his accounts of that night freely and honestly and that Gray transcribed Turner’s story word for word. The text of the â€Å"confession† also suggests that neither of these statements is actually accurate. While nothing about the narrative suggests that Gray forced Turner into telling his story, Gray structures the narrative put an emphasis on Turner’s religious convictions and the revolt’s malicious violence, which portrayed Turner as being violently vengeful. Another interesting thing about the â€Å"confessions† is the speaking style Gray claims Turner’s confessed the events of the insurgence in. Though Turner was an educated slave, the voice portrayed in the text is of someone with a more superior education. The wording and overall structure used to describe the events may very well have been those of Gray, who held a law degree. The first line, supposedly spoken by Turner reads, â€Å"Sir you have asked me to give a history of the motives which induced me to undertake the late insurrection, as you call it† (Gray, 5). The obvious inconsistency between the voice supposedly speaking and the actual language used in this document lessens its authenticity. Even though the accounts in this confession may not be completely accurate, Gray’s transcriptions represent Turner as being firmly religious. Rather than simply describing the events of the insurrection as they happened, the narrative delved deeper into Turner’s character. The confessions begin with a description of events from Turner’s childhood that, according to Gray, led him to believe that he destined to fulfill a prophecy. Turner described himself as â€Å"uncommonly intelligent for a child† (Gray, 6). He claims to have learned to read with no assistance, and he says that religion â€Å"principally occupied my thoughts† (Gray, 5). He also says that he had a natural talent for planning and leadership, so that, even when he was a child, the other black children expected him to plan their â€Å"roguery† because of his â€Å"superior judgment† (Gray, 5). A series of divine occurrences in Turner’s childhood confirmed his belief that he was â€Å"intended for some great purpose† and that he would â€Å"surely be a prophet† (Gray, 5). He was influenced by those closest to him, including his father and mother â€Å"strengthened him† in the belief of his divine gift, along with his grandmother, â€Å"who was very religious† (Gray, 5). Turner was instructed to await the appearance of a sign in the heavens before communicating his â€Å"great work† to any others. According to Gray, an â€Å"eclipse of the sun in February† inspired Turner to confide in four fellow slaves: Henry, Hark, Nelson, and Sam. â€Å"It was intended by us to have begun the work of death on the 4th July last† (Gray, 7). Gray, who claimed to have had little influence on Turner’s narration, asked him at one point if he did not find himself â€Å"mistaken† now that the prophecy which he had been called upon to fulfill ended in tragedy. Turner reportedly answered, â€Å"Was not Christ crucified? † These â€Å"confessions† were intended to create a powerful, yet vicious, image of Turner and his reasons for initiating such a devastating. Gray’s description of his own apprehensions while transcribing Turners confession was intended to demonstrate the insurrection’s effect on slave owners at the time. Gray vividly describes Turner’s unrelenting nature as, â€Å"The calm, deliberate composure with which he spoke of his late deeds and intentions, the expression of his fiend-like face when excited by enthusiasm, still bearing the stains of the blood of helpless innocence about him; clothed with rags and covered with chains; yet daring to raise his manacled hands to heaven, with a spirit soaring above the attributes of man; I looked on him and my blood curdled in my veins† (Gray, 11). Gray’s chilling reaction to Turner’s confession suggests the type of panic this document created amongst white’s slaveholders throughout various parts of the United States. Given the evidence, Gray’s representation of Turner is far from accurate. Gray used Turner’s voice to serve his own agenda, which was to ease the impact if the insurrections and to reaffirm slave owners as to why slavery is justifiable.

About Addison Mizner and Floridas Resort Architecture

Addison Mizner (born: December 12, 1872, in Benicia, California) remains one of the most influential figures of southern Floridas early-20th-century building boom. His fanciful Mediterranean style of architecture launched a Florida Renaissance and inspired architects throughout North America. Yet Mizner is largely unknown today and was rarely taken seriously by other architects during his lifetime. As a child, Mizner traveled around the world with his large family. His father, who became the U.S. minister to Guatemala, settled the family in Central America for a time, where the young Mizner lived among Spanish-influenced buildings. To many, Mizners legacy is based on his early exploits with his younger brother, Wilson. Their adventures, including a stint looking for gold in Alaska, became the subject of Stephen Sondheims musical Road Show. Addison Mizner did not have formal training in architecture. He apprenticed with Willis Jefferson Polk in San Francisco and worked as an architect in the New York area after the Gold Rush, yet he could never master the task of drawing blueprints. When he was 46, Mizner moved to Palm Beach, Florida because of his ill health. He wanted to capture the diversity of Spanish architecture, and his Spanish Revival style homes won the attention of many of the wealthy elite in the Sunshine State. Criticizing modern architects for producing a characterless copybook effect, Mizner said that his ambition was to make a building look traditional and as though it had fought its way from a small unimportant structure to a great rambling house. When Mizner moved to Florida, Boca Raton was a tiny, unincorporated town. With an entrepreneurs spirit, the eager developer aspired to transform it into a luxurious resort community. In 1925, he and his brother Wilson started Mizner Development Corporation and purchased more than 1,500 acres, including two miles of beach. He mailed out out promotional material that boasted a 1,000-room hotel, golf courses, parks and a street wide enough to fit 20 lanes of traffic. Stockholders included such high-rollers as Paris Singer, Irving Berlin, Elizabeth Arden, W.K. Vanderbilt II, and T. Coleman du Pont. Film star Marie Dressler sold real estate for Mizner. Other developers followed Mizners example, and eventually, Boca Raton became all that he envisioned. It was a short-lived building boom, however, and within a decade he was bankrupt. In February of 1933, he died at age 61 of a heart attack n Palm Beach, Florida. His story remains relevant today as an example of the rise and fall of a once-successful American entrepreneur. Significant Architecture 1911: Additions to White Pine Camp/Coolidge Summer White House, Adirondack Mountains, New York State1912: Rock Hall, Colebrook, Connecticut1918: Everglades Club, Palm Beach, Florida1922: William Gray Warden Residence, 112 Seminole Ave., Palm Beach, Florida1923: Via Mizner, 337-339 Worth Ave., Palm Beach, Florida1923: Wanamaker Estate / Kennedy Winter White House, 1095 North Ocean Boulevard, Palm Beach, Florida1924: Riverside Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida1925: Via Parigi, Palm Beach, Florida1925: Administration Buildings, 2 Camino Real, Boca Raton.1925: Boynton Womans Club, 1010 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach1925: Boca Raton Resort and Club, Boca Raton, Florida1926: Fred C. Aiken House, 801 Hibiscus St., Boca Raton, Florida Sources Boca Raton Historical Society and MuseumDivision of Cultural Affairs, Florida Department of State [accessed January 7, 2016]Florida Memory, State Library Archives of Florida