Friday, January 31, 2020
The Time Essay Example for Free
The Time Essay What is the most horrible of institutions that ever entered human lives? Anyone, by the perceived notion of institutions might start listing education, family, marriage, state, religion etc. But, if we think once, all these institutions have something in common. They are all time framed, time – bound, and submit us to conformity, which is again fitting itself into the framework of larger time that is life time. So, I would say, it is time that is the major institution that changed the face of our lives. Not only ours, but of course of the whole human society, be it in any part of the world. If you are someone like Plato, you would say, there is no such thing like time that is making life hard for us. Instead, it is the idea of time that is responsible for all the commotion. Well, I do agree with such people and say, â€Å"The Clock is the culprit†, and enquire how this dire consequence happened to us. Unfortunately, to track how this at all happened, we should still rely on time, gazing back at the past, so that our arguments would make some sense. By this, we could say that, time is eternal to our lives. It neither has a beginning nor ending. The entire creation moves on according to a time pattern. Time is one of those many necessary evils that happened to us. Tracing back to history, we don’t have any evidence to suggest when the word ‘time’ derived or established semantically, but the word ‘clock’ is derived from the Latin word ‘clocca’ which means ‘bell’ or French word ‘cloche’, which again means the same. We were introduced to clocks only in the 14th century. It is in this period that people were familiarized with devices like sun dial, clepsydra or water clocks etc. Mechanical, tower and quartz clocks, with gears, wheels and weights attached to them were invented somewhere around the medieval period (5th – 15th century) in Europe. Be it towards human development or mechanization, this invention is of course a giant leap in the history of mankind. But, these clocks had the facility of ticking only once in an hour, that is there were no minutes and seconds hands at that time. As a solution to this problem and avoid the accuracy and precision constraint of his experiments, Galileo, a physicist, observed the chandeliers in the church and tried to devise a similar device, but he failed to do so. Later, with the aid of Galileo’s works and further research to his credit, Huygens, a Dutch astronomer, devised the first successful pendulum clock. But, theseclocks too had a problem. They used to tick several times a second, making life even more miserable. Later, William Clement, an English clock maker devised pendulum clocks whose least measure was a second. These clocks were well appreciated and came to be known as â€Å"the grandfather’s clocks†in the history. The aftermath of this was known to be the period of scientific development where the pendulums were replaced by atomic vibrations. The clocks which we use today with seconds, minutes and hours hands are called the atomic clocks and were invented by Dr. L. Essen. Until 1840’s, the clocks we used consisted of external batteries. Meanwhile, people undertook research to avoid this problem of batteries losing life as they were exposed to harsh weather conditions which show their impact on this life – boosting device, battery. It was much later in 1906 that we started using internal batteries. The first portable time piece (such as time turner, wrist watch etc. ) ever was devised by a German, Peter Hele, the pioneer of human plethora and obviously the first one who deserves death penalty because without him, we would have left time at home and walked freely into the outer world, and would have lived peacefully. Coming to philosophy, renowned philosophers argue that time is a mental construct but nobody ever says how to get rid of it. Moreover, they propose alternative theories on time. Though these don’t solve the problem, they give us a ground to work on it, as it is believed that sticking with a problem for a longer time (time again! ) will give us possible scope to analyze it and would hopefully lead us to the solution. They provide us a pretty good set of facts such as time is one – dimensional, unidirectional, irreversible and hence precious, it is not cyclic but linear (as Stephen Hawking said), etc. There are also competing theories in philosophy which tries to present different perspectives, viewpoints regarding time. The Presentists argue that only the present is the only real thing. The Growing – block theorists argue that both present and past are real, but not future, that is I’m eating an ice cream and dinosaurs had once existed are real, but not certainly my death. Who knows? I might be that one mortal being on earth who doesn’t meet death. The Block – universe theorists or the Eternalists argue that the past, present and future are subjective and are mere mental constructs, just like time. But, as it is denying the tenet of time, and as it is deemed to be tense less, eternalism was considered illogical. We even have this distinctversion called there are different types of time namely, Public time (the time which runs on clocks), Biological time (the circadian rhythms which are regulated by sunlight and darkness), and the Psychological or the Phenomenological time (this is nothing different from public time and moreover, it is only how we use the public time). This psychological time is once again known to be a mental construct, subjective, and immeasurable. For example, psychological time passes when we are happy and drags when we are sad. The psychological time cannot be measured with any devise whereas the public time is a basic time that can be measured by the clock, which is devised for the very purpose. Psychological time helps us to understand human thought processes whereas the public time does not understand or analyze anything. It is merely a platform for the consequences that the psychological time should think of. Talking about the flow of time, there are two opposing theories namely the Myth – Flow theory and the Theory of Objective Reality. The former strengthens the rampant argument that the notion of time is a myth and it is our mental construct whereas the latter contradictorily tells us that time is mind – independent reality, which it clarifies by saying that though we die, time is eternal and it always exists in this universe, thus justifying its objective reality. It is certainly due to this concept of time flow that cognitive psychologists were also interested in the time. They were interested in knowing our experience of time flow and our ability to place events as per chronology. Neuroscientists, at a point of time, were also interested in time and suggested that your brain waits about 80 milliseconds for all the relevant input to come in before you experience a â€Å"now†. Neuroscientists and psychologists have investigated whether they can speed up our minds relative to physical time. If so, we might become mentally more productive, and get more high quality decision making done per fixed amount of physical time, and learn more per minute. Several avenues have been explored: using cocaine, amphetamines and other drugs, undergoing extreme experiences such as jumping backwards off a tall tower with bungee cords attached to one’s ankles, and trying different forms of meditation. So far, none of these avenues have led to success productivity-wise. Time is no doubt the central theme of modern life. Every single day, from dawn to dusk, we plan our day, or at least think of our day as per a time schedule. We get up inthe morning and enter into the inevitable business of time keeping and this burden becomes even more when we attach meaning to a whole jargon of words like once upon a time, past, present, future, yesterday, today, tomorrow, day after tomorrow, the next hour, within ten minutes, one second etc. I think it is because of fear of this time and the time constraint that we are taking our life so seriously, the whole world became so competitive in the pursuit of virtue and racing towards an unknown fortune, whose existence is still a matter of potential questionnaire. Human beings are so subjective that we cannot conduct a Meta – subjective analysis of their subjectivity. But, millions and billions of members of the human race are curbed off their creativity and were forced to fit into an artificial pitcher called the time – box, where, since centuries, people were supposed to do what they were expected to and that to within a fixed time – frame, and a lot of value is attached to time. At least once in life, let us take up this unique or peculiar experiment of putting this time outside human lives. Can we live at least a day without looking at our watch, mobile, or desktop without knowing what the time is? Can we lead our life succumbing just to gut feeling and nothing else? Time is said to be a free – force which does not wait for anyone. Then, why the hell do we bother about time, when it does not wait for us? Can’t we be little egoistic concentrating on self – emphasis rather than time – emphasis? This might sound a kind of utopian and something that never happens in this 21st century. If at all we still feel like attempting this, we must follow Rousseau, who just went off into the woods to lead his life calm and quiet, away from the hue and cry of the main – frame of society which is suffering from OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) of time ticking lives. Despite the cons it has, time has pros too. As Ovid says, â€Å"Time is the best medicine. †It is known to heal the wounds which reason cannot. Time is a wise counselor which gives us a healing touch. It reminds us to act and of course act wisely. It is the sole controller of our emotion and experience. To conclude, time is all in the mind and so it is up to us, our mindset and attitude as of how to get on with it, and we must thank the Temporal Logic (time based logic that is responsible for the functioning of any language) for which we attribute our whole understanding of this issue, and of course the rather creepy World.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Cancer Ward The Old Doctor Essay -- essays research papers
Cancer Ward: â€Å"The Old Doctor†               In this chapter Ludmila goes to visit her former mentor Dr. Oreshchenkov. He lives in a nice home and it is filled with things of the past and who he is. Ludmila has realized that she has cancer. However, she is not willing to except her own intuition and goes to Oreshchenkov to be sure and even to be told that â€Å"it’s nothing serious†. While she is there she has a small sense of release and calm. Later the two of them get in to a discussion over the need for the â€Å"family- doctor†. These scenes have deeper meaning than just the literal sense. This chapter can be interpreted by using Dante’s â€Å"Four Levels of Interpretation†. The first level of interpretation is the literal. This level focuses on what literally happened in the story. The second level of interpretation is the allegorical. This level is concerned with the meaning hidden beneath the words in the literal sense. It tells of the nature of man and what we do in certain situations. The third level is the moral level. It is the message behind the story. This level teaches us a lesson that we should use in our lives. The fourth and final level is the anagogical level. This is the level that is the sense beyond. It is not only literally true but shows a truth of greater glory and truth of the spirit. Dante used the example:           â€Å"...in the departure of the people of Israel from Egypt,           Judea was made holy and free. [7] For even though           the literal truth of this passage is clear, what it means      spiritually is no less true, that in the departure of the           soul from sin, it is made holy and free.†[8] The doctor lives in a better-than-average home in a nice neighborhood. It is full of things from his past and is well maintained. He has an old Grand piano and there are many books on the shelves. Some of these books were recently acquired by Oreshchenkov from a fellow doctor. This doctor had just retired and became a bee-keeper. He did not enjoy being a doctor and now he was free of it. He could now do what he really wanted and was... ...hich occupied them, which they believe was central to their lives, and by which they were known to others. The meaning of existence was to preserve unspoiled, undisturbed and undistorted the image of eternity with which each person is born.†                              (P 432) The doctor sees the people of his past, not as their accomplishments, but who they really are. He sees that they are so preoccupied with the things they are doing that they think that that is all they are and that is how other people saw them. They become objects of their work and activity and loose who they are. The doctor sees that the purpose of life is to remain true to yourself. Don’t allow yourself to distort what you really are. See yourself as a person. If you do that you will continually keep your soul pure. If you live your life a human being your soul will remain unspoiled and will last for eternity. To live a human being you must be and treat everyone as a beloved creation of God for your entire life. That is â€Å"the truest of all tests†for a man.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Ezra Pound Essay
The Young Genius: Ezra Pound’s influenced poetry on Benito Mussolini and the Fascist movement, time of his stay in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and the concept of Imagism. â€Å"If a nation’s literature declines, the nation atrophies and decays.†(Ezra Pound Quotes) Ezra Pound was not a man of many words, but he certainly did have a knack for turning simple words into something beautiful. Pounds’ poetry was influenced by his fascination with Benito Mussolini and the Fascist movement, the time of his stay in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and the concept of Imagism. It is safe to say that Ezra Pound did not live a boring life growing up. He was born on October 30, 1885 in Hailey, Idaho. However, he was brought up in Wyncote, Philadelphia. At the small age of 12, Pound’s father, Hoomer Loomis Pound, sent him to military school. His father’s occupation was an assistant assayer at the U.S. Mint. Pound was the only child from his father, Hoomer Loomis Pound, and his mother, Mary Parker Wadsworth Weston. The family was your average, middle-class family. His mother, was more of a traditional woman. â€Å"A family that has respect for tradition,†were the words that often came out of her mouth. (Ezra (Weston Loomis) Pound Biography) In the year 1905, Pound received a bachelor degree of philosophy from Hamilton College and a master’s degree from University of Pennsylvania in 1906. After he graduated in 1907, his first teaching gig was teaching Spanish and French at a small Presbyterian college in Indiana. He was shortly fired from that occupation, due to the accused charges of seducing a young woman. Pound was never found guilty. One of the main influences in Ezra Pound’s poetry was Benito Mussolini and the Fascism beliefs. The whole interest and fascination began around 1924, when Pound left England and went to Italy with his second wife Olga Rudge. He left England because he believed they were responsible for the usury and international capitalism for the war. â€Å"Mussolini seemed to have clever ideas about economics than Major Douglass did.†(74. Wilhelm, James J.) Pound was so fixated on Mussolini that he eventually met him in Rome at January 30, 1933 in the Palazzo Venezie. (Ezra Pound – Pound, Politics, Poetry) Furthermore, Pound created a name for him in the Fascist world and eventually made a regular address on the Italian State Radio, approved by the Italian government, because he was such an advocate for Benito Mussolini and his fascist views. Because of his incredible favor towards Mussolini, people back in the United States viewed him as a traitor and were saying he was fraternizing with the enemy. â€Å"If a man isn’t willing to take some risk for his opinions, either his opinions are no good or he’s no good.†(Treason, Fascism, and Anti-Semitism) People thought that Pound went insane and he was arrested for treason and was sent to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital of Mental Health. I believe, that this is an expressive poem about his feelings living in England or the United States. He was so happy in Italy and was living such a â€Å"colorful†life that every other way of life just appeared â€Å"dull†to him. â€Å"And the days are not full enough†And the days are not full enough And the nights are not full enough And life slips by like a field mouse Not shaking the grass. (Pound, Ezra) Ezra Pound In this poem, Ezra Pound used diction, tone, and euphony. Diction shined through in the chosen phrase, â€Å"not full enough†. Although he only used that twice in the poem, that phrase had a very powerful effect on the readers’ mood of the poem. He gave the poem a dull and melancholy vibe for the poem. Although the Pound’s attitude is not directly stated in this poem, the depressing tone is as noticeable as a white elephant in the room. Last but not least is the use of elegy. Despite the part of elegy relating to death, elegy is used in this poem because it is a very solemn themed poem. In my opinion, this â€Å"man†Pound is talking about is intended to be viewed as England or the United States. This â€Å"ideal†man that he speaks of, who has order about him, meant to be viewed as Italy/Benito Mussolini. â€Å"Canto 13†If a man have not order within him He cannot spread order about him; And if a man have not order within him His family will not act with due order; And if the prince have not order within him He cannot put order in his dominions. (Lines 46-51) In the previous excerpt of Canto 13, the three literacy terms refrain; anaphora and a hint of didactic poetry are involved. The word and phrase order appear in every line of the excerpt. It is repeated to not only get the meaning across, but to make a significant indent in the readers’ mind while reading the poem. The hint of didactic poetry is shown in this poem, I believe, because Pound is telling the reader without order you cannot do a few things such as spread order about him, family will not act, and one cannot put order in his dominions. In a way, that is teaching the pros of â€Å"order.†From this poem I can infer that Ezra Pound is stating that whether or not he is ruled by an imperialistic power: everyday is going to be the same, for everybody. The last line â€Å"Imperial power is? And to us what is it?†means that no matter government is enforced, their everyday life is not going to change. â€Å"Cantos XLIX: For The Seven Lakes†Sun up; work Sundown; to rest Dig well and drink of the water Dig field; eat of the grain Imperial power is? And to us what is it? The fourth; the dimension of stillness. And the power over wild beasts. (Lines 42-48) In this excerpt of a free versed poem, the mood is shown to be this sort of â€Å"depressed†or â€Å"given up on life†type of attitude. Also used in this poem are diction and caesura. Caesura is a natural pause in the middle of a line, sometimes coinciding with punctuation (Quizlet). The short and curt choice of words really gives off the frustrated aura of the poem. And caesura shines through with the use of the semi-colons after every first verse in the line of that stanza. The second influence of Ezra Pound’s poetry and writings had to do with his stay in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. When Pound was arrested and put in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital he was deemed mentally insane after being convicted of treason. While Pound was in the hospital, he wrote most of his poetry. For example, the series of 120 sections of Cantos were written mostly in the hospital. Furthermore, after being analyzed, his poems and writing were said to be from a â€Å"sane persons mind.†( Not being a very talkative man out of the hospital, his lack of social skills really showed through while in the hospital; he was not a very warm and fuzzy man. While still in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Pound was awarded the Bollingen Award by the Library of Congress for his Pisan Cantos (1948). About 10 years later in 1958, his fellow writers and fans released him due to the campaign. I really liked this excerpt of the poem â€Å"Before Sleep†because I feel that it really described how Ezra Pound was feeling in his room at the hospital. He must have had a good amount of time to think and analyze everything going on around him. â€Å"Before Sleep†The lateral vibrations caress me, They leap and caress me, They work pathetically in my favour, They seek my financial good. (Lines 1-4) Obviously from the title of the poem, we can infer that the theme of the poem is about the period of time before one falls asleep. However, any knowledgeable reader can infer that without the title. The imagery used in this poem is absolutely marvelous. When I read the excerpt, I really envision the vibrations becoming one and interacting with the body. That is also an excellent use of personification. Vibrations obviously cannot â€Å"caress†and â€Å"leap†across ones body. In my opinion, Ezra Pound is explaining through the character Kung that being cooped up in the hospital is doing him no good, that he is not himself. â€Å"Without ones’ freedom (character) one cannot get far in life (play on that instrument or execute the music)†(Poems by Ezra Pound) â€Å"Canto 13†And Kung said, â€Å"Without character you will â€Å"Be unable to play on that instrument â€Å"Or to execute the music fit for the Odes. â€Å"The blossoms of the apricot â€Å"Blow from the east to the west, â€Å"And I have tried to keep them from falling.†(Lines 80-85) This excerpt from â€Å"Canto 13†has two hidden literacy terms incorporated in its writing. The terms symbolism and didactic poetry are noticeable and relate to each other. Symbolism is used to symbolize the word â€Å"character†with ones freedom and the phrase â€Å"unable to play on that instrument†is used to symbolize the ability to use and control that freedom. This is where didactic poetry comes into play, having freedom and being able to control it is teaching. The third influence that had a major part in Ezra Pounds’ poetry is Imagism. It is safe to say that Ezra Pounds’ most noted contribution to poetry was the founding and involvement of Imagism. Imagism: a literary movement launched by British and American poets early in the 20th century that advocated the use of free verse, common speech patterns, and clear concrete images as a reaction to Victorian sentimentalism. (Imagism: Definition from Answers.com) â€Å"We believe that the individuality of a poet may often be better expressed in free verse than in conventional forms. In poetry, a new cadence means a new idea.†(Imagists’ Quotes). That quote is derived from Ezra Pound and his fellow poets who had a large effect on the Imagism period. One of the other poets was Amy Lowell. In 1912, Pound founded the Imagist School with T.E. Hulme and F.S. Flint and Helda Doolittle. This poem is one of my favorites because it is so direct and honest. Not only is it honest but also it is so forward and really makes me gain more respect for Ezra Pound. This poem is influenced by Imagism because one of the main topics in Imagism is to advocate the use of free verse and this poem is the epitome of free verse.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Analysis Of Oedipus Rex - 1024 Words
In the play â€Å"Oedipus Rex†by Sophocles, the story revolves around the central theme of prophecy, and forces the reader to seriously consider the extent to which the protagonist’s doom is dependent upon his own free will or is predetermined by fate. In the story, Oedipus was not a victim of only his actions or only his fate, but his actions and fatal flaws did affect the path that he took to his demise, through his pride/ignorance/temper, his unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and his cowardice. In the beginning of the story, Oedipus demonstrates arguably his most prominent fatal flawsâ€â€his short temper, pride, and ignoranceâ€â€in his interaction with Teiresias, the great, blind seer. Oedipus sends his brother-in-law Creon to Delphi to find†¦show more content†¦Revealing that Laius was killed at a three-way crossroads, Jocasta begs Oedipus â€Å"...do not hunt this outâ€â€I beg you, if you have any care for your own life. What I am suffering is enough... O be persuaded by me, I entreat you; do not do this... O Oedipus, god help you! God keep you from the knowledge of who you are!†(1060-1068) Despite Jocasta’s pleas, Oedipus responds â€Å"I will not be persuaded to let be the chance of finding out the whole thing clearly.†He is adamant about finding the truth behind what he has done, not realizing that when he does, it will certainly bring about his prophesied doom. His hunger for information is what drives him to uncover the horrible truth about his past. One can attempt to place all the blame on Oedipus’ decision to search for more information, but it is in human nature to be curious and hungry for information, especially when, like Oedipus, one does not know anything. In addition, Oedipus is stubborn and suspicious. He refuses to honor his wife’s wishes to let it be, and he pays the ultimate price for it. Finally, the reader discovers that Oedipus is not as brave as people thought. Indeed, cowardice is another one of Oedipus’ fatal flawsâ€â€when he discovers the truth of his past from the herdsman, he can’t handle it. He cries out, â€Å"O, O,Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Oedipus Rex 1705 Words  | 7 PagesIn the play Oedipus Rex, Oedipus unknowingly murders his father and marries his mother. When Oedipus discovers this he is disgusted with himself and decides to go into exile. The Misanthrope is a play about the self-exile of the main character Alceste. Challenged in court, he refuses to take back the criticism of a sonnet written by a powerful nobleman. Alceste and Oedipus are both convicted by their knowledge of the truth. Although, the United States grants asylum to more refuges than any otherRead MoreAn Analysis Of The Of Oedipus And Oedipus Rex Essay1229 Words  | 5 PagesCreon Rex Ambition is a unique trait that allows the human race to either accomplish great things or fall into a web of greed and malice. Throughout the framework of history, humans have willingly paid a price to obtain power, glory, and wealth. The price for this achievement could include the loss of friends, family, monetary goods, and social status. The story of Oedipus Rex is no exception. A man, seemingly through no fault or causation of his own, rises to power then suffers a great fall atRead MoreOedipus Rex Analysis904 Words  | 4 PagesOedipus Rex is one of the many plays that exemplifies Aristotle’s principle of tragedy, where the plot revolves around the hero’s progression towards his own demise. In this story, the titular character was subject to a horrendous fate where he murders his own biological father-King Laius- and marries his own mother, which he eventually unearths this truth when it became his duty as the new king to find the murderer of the previous R uler. Throughout the play, we begin to see that Oedipus intendsRead MoreAnalysis Of Oedipus Rex 2527 Words  | 11 PagesAri Victor Honors English 28 July, 2015 Summer Reading Oedipus Rex 1. The people of Thebes are suffering from a god attacking their city. 2. The Priest asks Oedipus to save Thebes and the people living there. 3. The Thebans plead Oedipus for his help because 1) they think that Oedipus has help from the gods, and 2) they know that he already saved their town before, so he can save it again. 4. Oedipus has already taken the step of sending Creon to Apollo’s temple to ask how to save the city. 5. TheRead MoreAnalysis : Oedipus Rex 2007 Words  | 9 Pagessupposedly perfect, it only makes sense as to why a man gifted a beaten gold mask has flawlessly proportioned features. Individuals seemingly must have worshipped and blindly obeyed his every whim like the Chorus in Sophocles’, Oedipus Rex, followed their false god, Oedipus. That theory can even furthermore be confirmed, considering this artwork comes after the life of this man occurred, his death not sufficient in ceasing the infatuation many held. Beaten gold, a material that continues to possessRead MoreAnalysis Of Oedipus Rex Bliss 944 Words  | 4 PagesMr. Myles May 3, 2010 Oedipus Rex - Bliss in Ignorance One of the most memorable and meaningful Socratic quotes applies well when in context of Sophocles Theban Trilogy. The unexamined life is not worth living, proclaims Socrates. He could have meant many things by this statement, and in relation to the play, the meaning is found to be even more complex. Indeed, the situation of Oedipus, king of Thebes, the truth of this statement is in question. Would Oedipus have been better offRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Oedipus Rex943 Words  | 4 Pagessolved as the people of Thebes suffer. In Sophocles’ Greek tragedy, Oedipus Rex, Thebes is being punished by the gods for a crime committed far in the past. The city of Thebes is cursed with a plague until the murderer of Laius is discovered and banished from the land. As Creon and Oedipus work to save Thebes, their different qualities show who is a better fit to be king. Oedipus saved Thebes once from the sphinx; however, Oedipus’ qualities of being arrogant, intense , and stubborn cause him to foilRead MoreOedipus Rex Character Analysis994 Words  | 4 PagesGuilty Woman Within the drama Oedipus Rex, Iocastà ª becomes a central figure of the controversy surrounding the arising destruction of Thebes. The kingdom of Thebes has become the victim of a sickness causing the death of crops, animals and people. The King Oedipus has sent his brother-in-law to the Oracle of Delphi to discover the problem that is plaguing the kingdom. The Oracle reveals that in order for the plague to end, the murder of the previous king must be found and killed. In the hunt ofRead MoreLiterary Analysis : The Kite Runner And Oedipus Rex1292 Words  | 6 PagesThe Kite Runner Oedipus Rex: Literary Analysis Essay Although The Kite Runner and Oedipus Rex differ from the style in which they were written and by the authors who wrote them what they do share are common themes. Both the play and the book share two major subject matters. Guilt is one theme that is seen constantly between Amir dealing with it in The Kite Runner written by Khaled Hosseini and Oedipus and Jocasta’s struggle with it in Oedipus Rex written by Sophocles. Another theme found in bothRead More Analysis of Oedipus Rex Essay890 Words  | 4 Pages Oedipus did not have a fair start in life. His father, Laius, heard prophecy that Oedipus would one day kill his father and sleep with his mother. In order to prevent this, Laius gave Oedipus to a shepherd to be killed. Fortunately, through a string of events, Oedipuss life was saved, and he even went on to become the honored king of Thebes. Despite this feat, Oedipus still managed to make several decisions that ultimately fulfilled the original prophecy told to Laius , and inevitably sealed
Sunday, December 29, 2019
150 Million Years of Marsupial Evolution
You wouldnt know it from their relatively paltry numbers today, but marsupials (the kangaroos, koalas, wombats, etc. of Australia, as well as the opossums of the western hemisphere) have a rich evolutionary history. As far as paleontologists can tell, the distant ancestors of modern opossums diverged from the distant ancestors of modern placental mammals about 160 million years ago, during the late Jurassic period (when pretty much all mammals were the size of mice), and the first true marsupial appeared during the early Cretaceous, about 35 million years later. (Heres a gallery of prehistoric marsupial pictures and profiles and a list of recently extinct marsupials.) Before we go any further, its worthwhile to review what sets marsupials apart from the mainstream of mammalian evolution. The vast majority of mammals on earth today are placental: fetuses are nurtured in their mothers wombs, by means of a placenta, and theyre born in a relatively advanced state of development. Marsupials, by contrast, give birth to undeveloped, fetus-like young, which then must spend helpless months suckling milk in their mothers pouches. (Theres also a third, much smaller group of mammals, the egg-laying monotremes, typified by platypuses and echidnas.) The First Marsupials Because the mammals of the Mesozoic Era were so small--and because soft tissues dont preserve well in the fossil record--scientists cant directly examine the reproductive systems of animals from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. What they can do, though, is examine and compare these mammals teeth, and by that criterion, the earliest identified marsupial was Sinodelphys, from early Cretaceous Asia. The giveaway is that prehistoric marsupials possessed four pairs of molars in each of their upper and lower jaws, while placental mammals had no more than three. For tens of millions of years after Sinodelphys, the marsupial fossil record is frustratingly scattered and incomplete. We do know that early marsupials (or metatherians, as theyre sometimes called by paleontologists) spread from Asia to North and South America, and then from South America to Australia, by way of Antarctica (which was much more temperate at the end of the Mesozoic Era). By the time the evolutionary dust had cleared, by the end of the Eocene epoch, marsupials had disappeared from North America and Eurasia but prospered in South America and Australia. The Marsupials of South America For most of the Cenozoic Era, South America was a gigantic island continent, completely separated from North America until the emergence of the Central American isthmus about three million years ago. During these eons, South Americas marsupials--technically known as sparassodonts, and technically classified as a sister group to the true marsupials--evolved to fill every available mammalian ecological niche, in ways that uncannily mimicked the lifestyles of their placental cousins elsewhere in the world. Examples? Consider Borhyaena, a slouching, 200-pound predatory marsupial that looked and acted like an African hyena; Cladosictis, a small, sleek metatherian that resembled a slippery otter; Necrolestes, the grave robber, which behaved a bit like an anteater; and, last but not least, Thylacosmilus, the marsupial equivalent of the Saber-Tooth Tiger (and equipped with even bigger canines). Unfortunately, the opening of the Central American isthmus during the Pliocene epoch spelled the doom of these marsupials, as they were completely displaced by better-adapted placental mammals from up north. The Giant Marsupials of Australia In one respect, the marsupials of South America have long since disappeared--but in another, they continue to live on in Australia. Its likely that all of the kangaroos, wombats, and wallabies Down Under are descendants of a single marsupial species that inadvertently rafted over from Antarctica about 55 million years ago, during the early Eocene epoch. (One candidate is a distant ancestor of the Monito del Monte, or little bush monkey, a tiny, nocturnal, tree-dwelling marsupial that today lives in the bamboo forests of the southern Andes mountains.) From such unprepossessing origins, a mighty race grew. A few million years ago, Australia was home to such monstrous marsupials as Diprotodon, aka the Giant Wombat, which weighed upwards of two tons; Procoptodon, the Giant Short-Faced Kangaroo, which stood 10 feet tall and weighed twice as much as an NFL linebacker; Thylacoleo, the 200-pound marsupial lion; and the Tasmanian Tiger (genus Thylacinus), a fierce, wolf-like predator that only went extinct in the 20th century. Sadly, like most megafauna mammals worldwide, the giant marsupials of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand went extinct after the last Ice Age, survived by their much more petite descendants.
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Jane Eyre s The Rigid Class System - 1504 Words
The 19th century strict victorian hierarchy places a colossal importance on one’s social standing. Wealth and status prevail over one’s virtue, as an aristocrat is taught to associate poverty and the lower class with inferiority and ignorance. As she grows up a penniless orphan in a wealthy estate, Jane Eyre’s social mobility between classes allows her to endure prejudice as well as display it. Jane lives with her affluent cousins and aunt, and despite her own lack of wealth, Jane is taught that the poor are despicable and unworthy people. As Jane grows and matures throughout her lifetime, she must make her own judgements regarding caste. Throughout her novel, Charlotte Bronte of Jane Eyre criticizes the rigid class system and exposes†¦show more content†¦Jane’s lack of wealth results in her lack of human identity, and categorizes her in the most demeaning manner possible. Jane once again faces this same lack of respect later in life when he r employer, Mr Rochester, entertains a group of aristocratic guests who are prejudiced against her due to her position as a governess. Blanche Ingram, a wealthy friend of Rochester’s, makes it evident that she cares little for the governess position when she says, â€Å"Mary and I have had, I should think, a dozen at least in our day; haf of them detestable and the rest ridiculous, and all incubi–were they not, mamma†(209). Although Ingram depicts her staff as being loathsome, it becomes apparent that her judgment is flawed; she and her brother mistreated their governesses with detestable behavior. However, they did not view this as problematic given their higher social status. Essentially, Blanche Ingram reveals that in the victorian era, wealth triumphs over character. Although Jane herself endures prejudice because of her low position in the social hierarchy, she also displays intolerance for her own class as she has been taught that the poor are repreh ensible. Jane admits she would prefer to live with the Reeds despite the mistreatment she endures, than a kind but poor family. Jane’s perception of the lower class has been warped by the narrow-minded people she has grown up around. She imagines that life in poverty isShow MoreRelatedEssay on Jane Eyre - Challenging Victorian Beliefs1028 Words  | 5 PagesJane Eyre - Challenging Victorian Beliefs Charlotte Brontà « challenges the view that men are emotionally, socially and intellectually superior to women. Just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at Gods feet, equal - as we are! The 19th century was a period of oppression for women. The patriarchal system that dominated the Victorian period in Englands history, was one during which Charlotte Brontà « wrote and set the novel, Jane Eyre. Brontà « denounces the persecutionRead MoreThe Great Gatsby, And Huckleberry Finn?1759 Words  | 8 PagesTaylor Term Paper: How Does Class Effect the Moral Integrity of Character in The Great Gatsby, Jane Eyre, and Huckleberry Finn? Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby, and Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn all explore the effects of wealth and class on society. On closer inspection, a common strand seems to form between these three classic novels. The idea that wealth (and the social class that comes with it) determines a person is refuted via the use of deep characterizationRead MoreJane Eyre : A Critique Of Strict Social Class Hierarchy1991 Words  | 8 Pages ‘Jane Eyre’ highlights the ways in which the proletariat is oppressed by the bourgeoisie. As such, the novel could be regarded as a critique of the strict social class hierarchy in Victorian England, particularly in terms of the despicable mistreatment of Jane at the hands of her supposed â€Å"social superior†John Reed. Reed violently torments and oppresses Jane, reminds her constantly of being an ‘orphan’,a ‘dependent’ of the Reed family. Thus, Reed exemplifies the upper class oppressingRead MoreStatement of Purpose23848 Words  | 96 PagesPage 1 and used the statement of purpose for borderline decisions. However, of liberal arts faculty who responded, approximately half valued the essays as much as other parts of the application package. ï‚ · Determine the importance of the mentor system. The importance of the statement of purpose increases, as Robert M. Brown notes, at institutions with strong mentoring programs ―because it is the only place where an applicant can elaborate a research interest to the extent that faculty members can
Friday, December 13, 2019
The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter One Free Essays
Grace Eversleigh had been the companion to the dowager Duchess of Wyndham for five years, and in that time she had learned several things about her employer, the most pertinent of which was this: Under her grace’s stern, exacting, and haughty exterior did not beat a heart of gold. Which was not to say that the offending organ was black. Her grace the dowager Duchess of Wyndham could never be called completely evil. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter One or any similar topic only for you Order Now Nor was she cruel, spiteful, or even entirely mean-spirited. But Augusta Elizabeth Candida Debenham Cavendish had been born the daughter of a duke, she had married a duke, and then given birth to another. Her sister was now a member of a minor royal family in some central European country whose name Grace could never quite pronounce, and her brother owned most of East Anglia. As far as the dowager was concerned, the world was a stratified place, with a hierarchy as clear as it was rigid. Wyndhams, and especially Wyndhams who used to be Debenhams, sat firmly at the top. And as such, the dowager expected certain behavior and deference to be paid. She was rarely kind, she did not tolerate stupidity, and her compliments were never falsely given. (Some might say they were never given at all, but Grace had, precisely twice, borne witness to a curt but honest â€Å"well done†– not that anyone believed her when she mentioned it later.) But the dowager had saved Grace from an impossible situation, and for that she would always possess Grace’s gratitude, respect, and most of all, her loyalty. Still, there was no getting around the fact that the dowager was something less than cheerful, and so, as they rode home from the Lincolnshire Dance and Assembly, their elegant and well-sprung coach gliding effortlessly across the midnight-dark roads, Grace could not help but be relieved that her employer was fast asleep. It had been a lovely night, truly, and Grace knew she should not be so uncharitable. Upon arrival, the dowager had immediately retired to her seat of honor with her cronies, and Grace had not been required to attend to her. Instead, she had danced and laughed with all of her old friends, she had drunk three glasses of punch, she had poked fun at Thomas – always an entertaining endeavor; he was the current duke and certainly needed a bit less obsequiousness in his life. But most of all she had smiled. She had smiled so well and so often that her cheeks hurt. The pure and unexpected joy of the evening had left her body humming with energy, and she was now perfectly happy to grin into the darkness, listening to the soft snore of the dowager as they made their way home. Grace closed her eyes, even though she did not think herself sleepy. There was something hypnotic about the motion of the carriage. She was riding backwards – she always did – and the rhythmic clip-clop of the horses’ hooves was making her drowsy. It was strange. Her eyes were tired, even though the rest of her was not. But perhaps a nap would not be such a misplaced endeavor – as soon as they returned to Belgrave, she would be required to aid the dowager with – Crack! Grace sat up straight, glancing over at her employer, who, miraculously, had not awakened. What was that sound? Had someone – Crack! This time the carriage lurched, coming to a halt so swiftly that the dowager, who was facing front as usual, was jerked off her seat. Grace immediately dropped to her knees next to her employer, her arms instinctively coming around her. â€Å"What the devil?†the dowager snapped, but fell silent when she caught Grace’s expression. â€Å"Gunshots,†Grace whispered. The dowager’s lips pursed tightly, and then she yanked off her emerald necklace and thrust it at Grace. â€Å"Hide this,†she ordered. â€Å"Me?†Grace practically squeaked, but she shoved the jewels under a cushion all the same. And all she could think was that she would dearly like to smack a little sense into the esteemed Augusta Wyndham, because if she were killed because the dowager was too cheap to hand over her jewels – The door was wrenched open. â€Å"Stand and deliver!†Grace froze, still crouched on the floor next to the dowager. Slowly, she lifted her head to the doorway, but all she could see was the silvery end of a gun, round and menacing, and pointed at her forehead. â€Å"Ladies,†came the voice again, and this time it was a bit different, almost polite. The speaker then stepped forward out of the shadows, and with a graceful motion swept his arm in an arc to usher them out. â€Å"The pleasure of your company, if you will,†he murmured. Grace felt her eyes dart back and forth – an exercise in futility, to be sure, as there was clearly no avenue of escape. She turned to the dowager, expecting to find her spitting with fury, but instead she had gone white. It was then that Grace realized she was shaking. The dowager was shaking. Both of them were. The highwayman leaned in, one shoulder resting against the door frame. He smiled then – slow and lazy, and with the charm of a rogue. How Grace could see all of that when half of his face was covered with his mask, she did not know, but three things about him were abundantly clear: He was young. He was strong. And he was dangerously lethal. â€Å"Ma’am,†Grace said, giving the dowager a nudge. â€Å"I think we should do as he says.†â€Å"I do love a sensible woman,†he said, and smiled again. Just a quirk this time – one devastating little lift at the corner of his mouth. But his gun remained high, and his charm did little to assuage Grace’s fear. And then he extended his other arm. He extended his arm. As if they were embarking at a house party. As if he were a country gentleman, about to inquire about the weather. â€Å"May I be of assistance?†he murmured. Grace shook her head frantically. She could not touch him. She did not know why, precisely, but she knew in her bones that it would be utter disaster to put her hand in his. â€Å"Very well,†he said with a small sigh. â€Å"Ladies today are so very capable. It breaks my heart, really.†He leaned in, almost as if sharing a secret. â€Å"No one likes to feel superfluous.†Grace just stared at him. â€Å"Rendered mute by my grace and charm,†he said, stepping back to allow them to exit. â€Å"It happens all the time. Really, I shouldn’t be allowed near the ladies. I have such a vexing effect on you.†He was mad. That was the only explanation. Grace didn’t care how pretty his manners were, he had to be mad. And he had a gun. â€Å"Although,†he mused, his weapon rock steady even as his words seemed to meander through the air, â€Å"some would surely say that a mute woman is the least vexing of all.†Thomas would, Grace thought. The Duke of Wyndham – who had years ago insisted that she use his given name at Belgrave after a farcical chorus of your grace, Miss Grace, your grace – had no patience for chitchat of any sort. â€Å"Ma’am,†she whispered urgently, tugging on the dowager’s arm. The dowager did not say a word, nor did she nod, but she took Grace’s hand and allowed herself to be helped down from the carriage. â€Å"Ah, now that is much better,†the highwayman said, grinning widely now. â€Å"What good fortune is mine to have stumbled upon two ladies so divine. Here I thought I’d be greeted by a crusty old gentleman.†Grace stepped to the side, keeping her eyes trained on his face. He did not look like a criminal, or rather, her idea of a criminal. His accent screamed education and breeding, and if he was not recently washed, well, she could not smell it. â€Å"Or perhaps one of those dreadful young toads, stuffed into a waistcoat two sizes too small,†he mused, rubbing his free hand thoughtfully against his chin. â€Å"You know the sort, don’t you?†he asked Grace. â€Å"Red face, drinks too much, thinks too little.†And to her great surprise, Grace found herself nodding. â€Å"I thought you would,†he replied. â€Å"They’re rather thick on the ground, sadly.†Grace blinked and just stood there, watching his mouth. It was the only bit of him she could watch, with his mask covering the upper portion of his face. But his lips were so full of movement, so perfectly formed and expressive, that she almost felt she could see him. It was odd. And mesmerizing. And more than a little unsettling. â€Å"Ah, well,†he said, with the same deceptive sigh of ennui Grace had seen Thomas utilize when he wished to change the subject. â€Å"I’m sure you ladies realize that this isn’t a social call.†His eyes flicked toward Grace, and he let loose a devilish smile. â€Å"Not entirely.†Grace’s lips parted. His eyes – what she could see of them through the mask – grew heavy-lidded and seductive. â€Å"I do enjoy mixing business and pleasure,†he murmured. â€Å"It’s not often an option, what with all those portly young gentlemen traveling the roads.†She knew she should gasp, or even spit forth a protest, but the highwayman’s voice was so smooth, like the fine brandy she was occasionally offered at Belgrave. There was a very slight lilt to it, too, attesting to a childhood spent far from Lincolnshire, and Grace felt herself sway, as if she could fall forward, lightly, softly, and land somewhere else. Far, far from here. Quick as a flash his hand was at her elbow, steadying her. â€Å"You’re not going to swoon, are you?†he asked, his fingers offering just the right amount of pressure to keep her on her feet. Without letting her go. Grace shook her head. â€Å"No,†she said softly. â€Å"You have my heartfelt thanks for that,†he replied. â€Å"It would be lovely to catch you, but I’d have to drop my gun, and we couldn’t have that, could we?†He turned to the dowager with a chuckle. â€Å"And don’t you go thinking about it. I would be more than happy to catch you as well, but I don’t believe either of you would wish to leave my associates in charge of the firearms.†It was only then that Grace realized there were three other men. Of course there had to be – he could not have orchestrated this by himself. But the rest of them had been so silent, choosing to remain in the shadows. And she had not been able to take her eyes off their leader. â€Å"Has our driver been harmed?†Grace asked, mortified that she was only now thinking of his welfare. Neither he nor the footman who had served as an outrider were anywhere in sight. â€Å"Nothing that a spot of love and tenderness won’t cure,†the highwayman assured her. â€Å"Is he married?†What was he talking about? â€Å"I – I don’t think so,†Grace replied. â€Å"Send him to the public house, then. There is a rather buxom maid there who – Ah, but what am I thinking? I am among ladies.†He chuckled. â€Å"Warm broth, then, and perhaps a cold compress. And then after that, a day off to find that spot of love and tenderness. The other fellow, by the way†– he flicked his head toward a nearby cluster of trees – â€Å"is over there. Perfectly unharmed, I assure you, although he might find his bindings tighter than he prefers.†Grace flushed, and she turned to the dowager, amazed that she wasn’t giving the highwayman a dressing down for such lewd talk. But the dowager was still as pale as sheets, and she was staring at the thief as if she’d seen a ghost. â€Å"Ma’am?†Grace said, instantly taking her hand. It was cold and clammy. And limp. Utterly limp. â€Å"Ma’am?†â€Å"What is your name?†the dowager whispered. â€Å"My name?†Grace repeated in horror. Had she suffered an apoplexy? Lost her memory? â€Å"Your name,†the dowager said with greater force, and it was clear this time that she was addressing the highwayman. But he only laughed. â€Å"I am delighted by the attentions of so lovely a lady, but surely you do not think I would reveal my name during what is almost certainly a hanging offense.†â€Å"I need your name,†the dowager said. â€Å"And I’m afraid that I need your valuables,†he replied. He motioned to the dowager’s hand with a respectful tilt of his head. â€Å"That ring, if you will.†â€Å"Please,†the dowager whispered, and Grace’s head snapped around to face her. The dowager rarely said thank you, and she never said please. â€Å"She needs to sit down,†Grace said to the highwayman, because surely the dowager was ill. Her health was excellent, but she was well past seventy and she’d had a shock. â€Å"I don’t need to sit down,†the dowager said sharply, shaking Grace off. She turned back to the highwayman, yanked off her ring, and held it out. He plucked it from her hand, rolling it about in his fingers before depositing it in his pocket. Grace held silent, watching the exchange, waiting for him to ask for more. But to her surprise, the dowager spoke first. â€Å"I have another reticule in the carriage,†she said – slowly, and with a strange and wholly uncharacteristic deference. â€Å"Please allow me to retrieve it.†â€Å"As much as I would like to indulge you,†he said smoothly, â€Å"I must decline. For all I know, you’ve two pistols hidden under the seat.†Grace swallowed, thinking of the jewels. â€Å"And,†he added, his manner growing almost flirtatious, â€Å"I can tell you are that most maddening sort of female.†He sighed with dramatic flair. â€Å"Capable. Oh, admit it.†He gave the dowager a subversive little smile. â€Å"You are an expert rider, a crack shot, and you can recite the complete works of Shakespeare backwards.†If anything, the dowager grew even more pale at his words. â€Å"Ah, to be twenty years older,†he said with a sigh. â€Å"I should not have let you slip away.†â€Å"Please,†the dowager begged. â€Å"There is something I must give to you.†â€Å"Now that’s a welcome change of pace,†he remarked. â€Å"People so seldom wish to hand things over. It does make one feel unloved.†Grace reached for the dowager. â€Å"Please let me help you,†she insisted. The dowager was not well. She could not be well. She was never humble, and did not beg, and – â€Å"Take her!†the dowager suddenly cried out, grabbing Grace’s arm and thrusting her at the highwayman. â€Å"You may hold her hostage, with a gun to the head if you desire. I promise you, I shall return, and I shall do it unarmed.†Grace swayed and stumbled, the shock of the moment rendering her almost insensible. She fell against the highwayman, and one of his arms came instantly around her. The embrace was strange, almost protective, and she knew that he was as stunned as she. They both watched as the dowager, without waiting for his acquiescence, climbed quickly into the carriage. Grace fought to breathe. Her back was pressed up against him, and his large hand rested against her abdomen, the tips of his fingers curling gently around her right hip. He was warm, and she felt hot, and dear heaven above, she had never – never – stood so close to a man. She could smell him, feel his breath, warm and soft against her neck. And then he did the most amazing thing. His lips came to her ear, and he whispered, â€Å"She should not have done that.†He sounded†¦ gentle. Almost sympathetic. And stern, as if he did not approve of the dowager’s treatment of her. â€Å"I am not used to holding a woman such,†he murmured in her ear. â€Å"I generally prefer a different sort of intimacy, don’t you?†She said nothing, afraid to speak, afraid that she would try to speak and discover she had no voice. â€Å"I won’t harm you,†he murmured, his lips touching her ear. Her eyes fell on his gun, still in his right hand. It looked angry and dangerous, and it was resting against her thigh. â€Å"We all have our armor,†he whispered, and he moved, shifted, really, and suddenly his free hand was at her chin. One finger lightly traced her lips, and then he leaned down and kissed her. Grace stared in shock as he pulled back, smiling gently down at her. â€Å"That was far too short,†he said. â€Å"Pity.†He stepped back, took her hand, and brushed another kiss on her knuckles. â€Å"Another time, perhaps,†he murmured. But he did not let go of her hand. Even as the dowager emerged from the carriage, he kept her fingers in his, his thumb rubbing lightly across her skin. She was being seduced. She could barely think – she could barely breathe – but this, she knew. In a few minutes they would part ways, and he would have done nothing more than kiss her, and she would be forever changed. The dowager stepped in front of them, and if she cared that the highwayman was caressing her companion, she did not speak of it. Instead, she held forth a small object. â€Å"Please,†she implored him. â€Å"Take this.†He released Grace’s hand, his fingers trailing reluctantly across her skin. As he reached out, Grace realized that the dowager was holding a miniature painting. It was of her long-dead second son. Grace knew that miniature. The dowager carried it with her everywhere. â€Å"Do you know this man?†the dowager whispered. The highwayman looked at the tiny painting and shook his head. â€Å"Look closer.†But he just shook his head again, trying to return it to the dowager. â€Å"Might be worth something,†one of his companions said. He shook his head and gazed intently at the dowager’s face. â€Å"It will never be as valuable to me as it is to you.†â€Å"No!†the dowager cried out, and she shoved the miniature toward him. â€Å"Look! I beg of you, look! His eyes. His chin. His mouth. They are yours.†Grace sucked in her breath. â€Å"I am sorry,†the highwayman said gently. â€Å"You are mistaken.†But she would not be dissuaded. â€Å"His voice is your voice,†she insisted. â€Å"Your tone, your humor. I know it. I know it as I know how to breathe. He was my son. My son.†â€Å"Ma’am,†Grace interceded, placing a motherly arm around her. The dowager would not normally have allowed such an intimacy, but there was nothing normal about the dowager this evening. â€Å"Ma’am, it is dark. He is wearing a mask. It cannot be he.†â€Å"Of course it’s not he,†she snapped, pushing Grace violently away. She rushed forward, and Grace nearly fell with terror as every man steadied his weapon. â€Å"Don’t hurt her!†she cried out, but her plea was unnecessary. The dowager had already grabbed the highwayman’s free hand and was clutching it as if he was her only means of salvation. â€Å"This is my son,†she said, her trembling fingers holding forth the miniature. â€Å"His name was John Cavendish, and he died twenty-nine years ago. He had brown hair, and blue eyes, and a birthmark on his shoulder.†She swallowed convulsively, and her voice fell to a whisper. â€Å"He adored music, and he could not eat strawberries. And he could†¦he could†¦Ã¢â‚¬ The dowager’s voice broke, but no one spoke. The air was thick and tense with silence, every eye on the old woman until she finally got out, her voice barely a whisper, â€Å"He could make anyone laugh.†And then, in an acknowledgment Grace could never have imagined, the dowager turned to her and added, â€Å"Even me.†The moment stood suspended in time, pure, silent, and heavy. No one spoke. Grace wasn’t even sure if anyone breathed. She looked at the highwayman, at his mouth, at that expressive, devilish mouth, and she knew that something was not right. His lips were parted, and more than that, they were still. For the first time, his mouth was without movement, and even in the silvery light of the moon she could tell that he’d gone white. â€Å"If this means anything to you,†the dowager continued with quiet determination, â€Å"you may find me at Belgrave Castle awaiting your call.†And then, as stooped and shaking as Grace had ever seen her, she turned, still clutching the miniature, and climbed back into the carriage. Grace held still, unsure of what to do. She no longer felt in danger – strange as that seemed, with three guns still trained on her and one – the highwayman’s, her highwayman’s – resting limply at his side. But they had turned over only one ring – surely not a productive haul for an experienced band of thieves, and she did not feel she could get back into the carriage without permission. She cleared her throat. â€Å"Sir?†she said, unsure of how to address him. â€Å"My name is not Cavendish,†he said softly, his voice reaching her ears alone. â€Å"But it once was.†Grace gasped. And then, with movements sharp and swift, he leaped atop his horse and barked, â€Å"We are done here.†And Grace was left to stare at his back as he rode away. How to cite The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter One, Essay examples
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)