King Lear Paper Essay Example for Free

King Lear Paper Essay Shakespeare’s play King Lear documents the life a man who experiences a dramatic shift in worldview. The main character, King Lear, begins the play as a self-centered, proud, and materialistic man who cares less about his family than his reputation. By the end of the story, Lear is a humbled man who cares for his family more than his previously precious power. Lear’s strife broke him down until he was finally able to let go of his old perceptions and adopt a better outlook on life. Shakespeare chronicles Lear’s change from selfish to caring throughout the course of the story, and shows how the hardest of times can actually bring out the best in a person. Lear’s old worldview places more importance on superficial, material things than on sincere and important values. At the beginning of the play, Lear was very concerned with maintaining his vast wealth, status, and power. When Lear was dividing up his kingdom among his three daughters, he gave the most land to the daughters who flattered him the most. Lear welcomed the flattery because it made him feel like a strong and powerful king. When Lear’s eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan, flattered him the most, Lear split the kingdom between them because they made him feel powerful. Lear completely disregarded and actually disowned his youngest daughter Cordelia because she refused to falsely over-flatter the king. Cordelia was just being honest in her modest praises of the king, but Lear wanted to hear more about how great of a ruler he was. So, when Cordelia didn’t make Lear feel big enough, he undermined even his so-called â€Å"strong† family values and disowned his favorite child. At this point in the play, Lear didn’t have a strong grasp on the important things in life, like genuine relationships or truthfulness and loyalty. King Lear tells Cordelia’s prospective husband to â€Å"†¦leave her, sir; for, by the power that made me, I tell you all her wealth† (1.1.207) Lear means that Cordelia is not worth anything anymore because she has inherited no land in the kingdom. This goes to show how much importance Lear places on material possessions, because he calls his daughter worthless when she owns no land. King Lear’s humbled worldview at the end of the play is miles different than from the materialistic worldview he abided by before. Throughout the course of play, Lear’s troubles taught him to value people more than physical things. Lear ended up losing all of his land, money and power- the three things that were most important to him at the start of the story. Lear was left with nothing that made him the man his old ideals told him to be, so he had to shift his values to fit his new predicament. This shocking change forced Lear to humble himself and focus on the lasting things in life, namely relationships. As the play unfolded, Lear felt more and more remorse for disowning Cordelia, because he realized how important family really was. Lear said of his regret, â€Å"I am a very foolish fond old man† (4.7.24). He came to realize his prior choice to place more importance on false flattery than strong family ties was a sad mistake. In an attempt to right his past wrongs, Lear changed his philosophy to one that cared more about maintaining strong relationships than an impressive reputation. This new philosophy was one that cared more about Cordelia than Goneril, Regan, and their ensemble, because Cordelia was a genuine and honest girl. The new philosophy explains why King Lear spent so much time at the end of his life apologizing to Cordelia and trying to spend time with her. Lear knew that Cordelia was the most virtuous woman in his life, so he sought to deepen his relationship with her. This new philosophy made Lear a loyal, honest, and humbled man- very different than the Lear in the beginning of the play. Lear’s new philosophy benefitted him by making him a more moral person, and it benefittied those around him because everyone got to interact with a much more pleasant Lear. Shakespeare intentionally wrote King Lear’s change from the old philosophy to the new philosophy to teach the reader a lesson about human nature. Lear was extremely proud at the beginning of the play, and the burning fire of his hubris was fueled by the gasoline of his wealth, power, and status in the kingdom. Not until Lear was robbed of all of his physical possessions and meaningless status did he start to care about more important things. Lear hit rock bottom as he wandered through the woods without love, land, money, power, or trust. Only when his material belongings failed him did Lear think to look for solace in wholesome ideals such as love, family closeness, and honesty. These things made up the new philosophy that Shakespeare revealed in King Lear by the end of the play. The adoption of this new worldview somewhat redeemed the King’s unforgivable actions taken at the beginning of the play, and made him a more lovable and virtuous man. Shakespeare obviously favored the new Lear over the old, selfish Lear; this is a comment on human nature in general. Proud and superficial people have to experience hard times in order to experience the cathartic cleansing that allows them to refocus their priorities in life. Lear went through just such an experience, and he became a better man because of it. King Lear is a character that many readers of Shakespeare can relate too. Lear had his priorities in life very confused. At first, he valued things that weren’t important, such as land, money, and power. When Lear was robbed of these things, he realized just how unreliable it is to place so much importance on physical items that can easily be taken away. What really matters in life are relationships, honesty, love, and morals. Lear learned this after he lost everything. He realized that he could be happy even without anything physical to comfort him, because many times the most important things in life can’t be seen. This new philosophy of Lear’s carried his through the hard times he experienced in the play and allowed him to die happier than he would’ve had he still followed the old philosophy. Lear’s shift in perspectives is an example that Shakespeare encourages everyone to follow in order to live the most genuine and satisfying life possible.

Abortion: A Complex Issue Essay -- Informative Essays

Abortion is defined as: "the termination of pregnancy and expulsion of an embryo or of a fetus that is incapable of survival." However, if only the debate over the abortion issue was as simple as the definition provided above. Much like every aspect of human life, a statement is neither right nor wrong, but simply left open for interpretation. There is no black and white in life, only gray areas. Some issues tend to provide us more gray areas than others. Abortion is a prime example of that. Those who refute abortion claim that it is the murder of a helpless baby who has not yet had the chance to live and function as a human being. However, the debate opposite it is just as fervent: it is a woman's right to choose what happens to her body, and if she decides that she is not capable of bringing a child into this world, than she shouldn't be forced to out of nature. Where do we draw the line between humane and inhumane, necessitated death and murder? When does a woman's right over her internal reproductive organs become that of the government's? Is abortion wrong or is it right? Are rape, incest,and potential fatality to the mother exceptions when abortion is "okay"? Are there truly any at all? So many questions are raised by such a fervent debate, that we must look at both sides of the issue to better understand it in a general, but yet thorough approach. As expected, there are many people that are opposed to abortion. These people are better referred to as "pro-life advocates", or essentially, they advocate the life of the baby over the woman's right to choose. Groups such as Human Life International (HLI), The Christian Coalition, ... ...d Parenthood (Online) Facts on File (Online) World News Digest "Key Issue: Abortion" United States Conservative Party (Online) Works Cited Human Life International (Online) Encarta Encyclopedia (Online) "Social and Ethical Issues" Planned Parenthood (Online) Facts on File (Online) World News Digest "Key Issue: Abortion" United States Conservative Party (Online)

Night of the tempest

It was approaching midnight on a warm winter night, rare in medieval England, with the moon halfway on its journey towards fullness.   Rarer still was the tempest, an approaching storm that brought howling winds, crackling light bolts and ear piercing thunder to the winter night sky.   Isadore had never seen a thunder storm in the winter.   She had only heard tell of it once, the year before her birth 23 years ago.   Each bolt of lightning combined with the moonlight that peeked through the winter clouds to reveal strange shadows lurking everywhere in the darkness around every corner, behind each tree, jumping suddenly from under each large rock. Isadore was approaching her uncle’s home, a large, frightening and imposing structure in appearance with high arches, several towers and a ghastly allure.   She wanted nothing more than to be snug, warm and comfortable under the covers of a nice, soft bed.   Despite its outward appearance, Isadore had heard that inside, the house was actually quite warm, inviting and comfortable.   It was not the dà ©cor, but the atmosphere inside and surrounding the outside of the house that brought bewilderment and fear. Once a house of horrors, the air of past events within its walls had never gone away but hung ominously in the air like an omen of future misgivings.   They lingered inside like the fearsome shadows she now perceived outside.   During its 120 years of existence, the house had been the scene of grotesque tortures, hideous punishments and cruel, mysterious deaths.   Now, as Isadore approached the house, a chill in her soul, she had to wonder, â€Å"Was this rare, strange winter thunderstorm the foreboding of impending disaster and doom?† As Isadore approached the gated house in her coach, she could not help but wonder what the storm might signal, if anything.   Each bolt of lightning highlighted the cathedral arches and high towers of the house, and as her coach drew nearer to the gloomy exterior of the house, the tempest grew stronger, the winds howled more intensely and the air grew thicker with an atmosphere of horror and fear.   Could the inside atmosphere be any more frightening than the cold, exterior atmosphere of the winter night. Despite the strange warmth of the winter night, the sense surrounding the abode was still cold, as if the cold exited the doors of the house and poured out into the surrounding countryside.   Even in the distance, Isadore could see that the â€Å"approaching† storm was no where in the distance.   It hung over the house like a cloud of evil.   Indeed, the storm seemed to be forming there, and continued to grow in intensity over the house as Isadore's coach drew closer to the gates. Upon its arrival at the front gate, the coachman announced, â€Å"We have arrived My Lady.†Ã‚   He got down, opened the door and assisted her out of her coach.   She had no sooner stepped onto the ground when a bolt of lightning came from out of nowhere, struck a barren winter tree some few paces away and brought it tumbling towards the ground.   Now startled and quite concerned, the incident sent a chill throughout Isadore's soul, but not as much of a chill as what she saw next.   A few moments after the tree struck the ground, the door of the abode opened and there, standing in the opening was†¦a man; a frightening, hideous being. As this man stood in the archway, Isadore stared in horror.   He spoke and fortunately, his voice was as pleasant as his appearance was hideous.   It was almost mesmerizing.   Then, as the wind howled with increasing vociferousness, he approached the gate to open it.   Once he was near her, he asked for and received Isadore's bags and assisted her through the gates and into the manor. Much to her relief, the inside decor was a appealing as she had heard, but the atmosphere was anything but.   It was as if the atmosphere had stories to tell, strange and wonderful, yet frightening and macabre. When the door closed behind her, it slammed hard enough that its knocker actually sounded as if someone was at the door.   The man, merely a servant, asked Isadore to wait in the parlor while he fetched the master.   â€Å"I will take your bags to your room, My Lady, if that meets with your approval, and fetch the master.† â€Å"Thank you, that suits me fine.†Ã‚   Then he left.   Only an instant after he left, Isadore thought she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye.   When she looked up, she saw the hem of a dress disappearing through the crack of a closing door.   Perhaps that is what it was, for as she stood there watching, the crack remained and the door never closed. Less than five minutes later, her uncle, the master, arrived, a young, handsome man perhaps in his early 30s, and greeted Isadore warmly.   After a few moments of introductions and pleasantries, Isadore asked about the woman in the dress. Looking puzzled, the Master remarked, â€Å"The woman in the dress?   I don't understand.   We are quite alone, just you, me and the servant you saw.   Otherwise, the house is empty†¦except perhaps†¦.†Ã‚   He stopped there and said nothing more, so Isadore asked, â€Å"Except perhaps what?† â€Å"Oh, nothing.   I†¦I guess I was about to say except perhaps the howling wind outside.   It's no concern.   My servant will take you to your chamber.† â€Å"Dear sir, I wonder†¦I don't mean anything by this, but would you mind accompanying me yourself?   Your servant sends chills up my spine.   I'm sure he is a nice enough person.   His voice is absolutely mesmerizing, but otherwise, he is quite frightening.† The master laughed and said, â€Å"Oh yes, I guess I understand.   I've heard that comment before.   Just give me a moment or two and I will accommodate you.   Tomorrow others like you will arrive and there will be more servants as well.   If you see anything in the meantime it’s†¦it’s just your imagination playing tricks on you.† Isadore thought to herself, â€Å"What a strange comment.   Why would he make such a comment?   I was already frightened enough while outside.   Was there something to fear within as well?†   

Soka University of America Admissions Info

Students interested in applying to Soka University of America can use the Common Application or the schools application, which can be found on Sokas website. Additional materials include SAT or ACT scores, high school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and two personal essays. Students with strong grades and test scores within or above the ranges posted below have a better chance of being admitted. Admissions Data (2016) Soka University Acceptance Rate: 38  percentGPA, SAT and ACT graph for SokaTest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 490 / 630SAT Math: 580 / 740SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanSAT score comparison for California collegesACT Composite: 26  / 30ACT English: 26  / 33ACT Math: 24 / 29What these ACT numbers meanACT score comparison for California colleges Soka University of America Description Soka University of America does not deliver your typical undergraduate experience. The small university is founded on Buddhist principles of peace and human rights, and all undergraduates work towards a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts. Students can concentrate in environmental studies, humanities, international studies, or social and behavior sciences. The curriculum has a strong international focus— students compare cultures of the East and West, study languages, and research world issues. Study abroad is included in tuition, and every student spends a semester exploring another culture. About half of Soka University students come from other countries. Academics are supported by a 9 to 1 student/faculty ratio and an average class size of 13. Dialogue and discussion are the centerpieces of a Soka education, and students can expect lots of close interaction with their peers and professors. SUAs attractive 103-acre campus is located in Aliso Viejo, a Southern California city perched on a mountainside one mile from Laguna Beach and the Pacific Ocean. The campus is surrounded by a 4,000-acre wilderness park. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 430  (417 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 38 percent male / 62 percent female100 percent full-time Costs (2016 -17) Tuition and Fees: $31,042Books: $1,592 (why so much?)Room and Board: $11,812Other Expenses: $1,146Total Cost: $45,592 Soka University of America Financial Aid (2015  - 16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 100 percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 100 percentLoans: 79  percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $32,114Loans: $7,720 Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 94  percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 85  percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 90  percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports:  Soccer, Swimming, Cross Country, Track and FieldWomens Sports:  Soccer, Swimming, Cross Country, Track and Field If You Like Soka University of America, You May Also Like These Schools UC - Irvine: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphPepperdine University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of La Verne: Profile  University of Redlands: Profile  University of San Diego: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphStanford University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphPitzer College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUC - Berkeley: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphCSU - Fullerton: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUC - Davis: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphChapman University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphLoyola Marymount University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics