English Literature Commentary Essay Example for Free

English Literature Commentary Essay The Crystal Cabinet is an outstanding example of Blakes use of an alternative reality to evoke readers to contemplate the boundaries of their society in light of knowledge about another world where these boundaries do not exist. Through the poem which was written just after the French Revolution, Blake offers the extreme of human experiences; as the central metaphor of the poem symbolizes a deep human truth which can be adopted with his poem, London. The poems simple goal is to tell a story and share a wisdom. The poem contains seven stanzas, several stanzas containing a different world and a different boundary; within each stanza one is able to find a rhyme scheme which closely follows a broken dactylic tetrameter. The Crystal Cabinets seven stanzas forms a superstructure upon which the story elements can be intertwined, and imagination can be overlaid as deeper themes of Blakes philosophy can be also be embedded. The first stanza is the main and central metaphor which one should focus on as it unfolds line by line before connecting with the second stanza to further evoke readers on the different dimensions and boundaries. The first two lines in the first stanza seemingly represents a form of innocence, a new born into a new world that deserved a celebration which is where and why Blake uses the term merrily. However, one notices the semi-colon after the merrily as it drifts further away from the supposed celebration, as the narrators Maiden puts the persona into a cabinet and lockd me up with a golden key; the poems happiness and joy thus comes to a dramatic halt. The broken dactylic meter in the first stanza seems to be contradicting, as merrily representing a form of happiness and freedom, is partnered with key which in terms symbolizes a place where freedom is lacked and limited, where one is locked. The cabinet in which the narrator/Blake finds himself in is formd of gold, and pearl and crystal shining bright, a contrast to the large and dull world of nineteenth century London. The second stanza, from lines 5-9, Blake is using the cabinet for which the narrator is locked in to emphasize an escape to a different world as opposed to a world for which he lives in, a dull and fearful nineteenth century world, in London. The second stanza contains two broken rhymes/dactylic meters as Blake rhymes gold and world, and bright and night together. Inside the cabinet is where we find another London with its tower Blake uses to represent a temporarily forgotten evil of which the real city contained and the imaginary one within the cabinet was freed from. The cabinet that is described through the second stanza is a cabinet full of dreams and light, of beauty and no fright. A world that is surrounded by gold, a night that has a crystal shining bright light; this as opposed to a world where the narrator/persona is captured dancing merrily and locked up into a world of limits. The images inside this crystal cabinet translucent, lovely, shining clear; all of the people and places are presented in their perfect forms. Here, Blake comes to an agreement with Platos philosophy that a world of ideal forms only exists beyond our perception. His poem presents an encounter with the world, as the fourth stanza seems to be Blake pleading in hope that his readers will one day realize the possibility and potential which one can escape from their repressed society. O, what a pleasant trembling fear! is not necessarily speaking of fear itself, but the fear that this translucent, lovely and shining clear world of his will dissipate and once again, be ruined by repression in contrast to the French Revolution and its impact on England and the people of England. Here, Blake uses another broken dactylic meter of clear and fear; the clear representing/symbolizing a form of clarity, purity, innocence, and happiness and the fear that represents the loss of that clarity. Thus, allowing one to see the desperate desire that the narrator must have towards a peaceful world, a peaceful life that is not full of danger and fearfulness. Through this poem which catapults the reader into a realm of the personas imagination, Blake description and different realm throughout the fifth stanza is a world containing love, for which was given and returned. This particular stanza differs from the first four as it is filled with joy, happiness and love, without having a halt. O, the happiness and joy for which fulfilled my soul as though a flame being burnt, no composition, no question, I seek the love as I kiss the lovely Maid and found that the love I seek was returned. Notice the Maid in the third line of this stanza, is capitalized, which in terms represents something more than just a maid we understand in modern day, for this Maid is not one who cleans up after our mess, but a context used metaphorically to describe a woman in particular, a woman whom the persona is trapped with respects and cares about, perhaps a lover. Linking to Blake as the poet of this poem, must represent a time in his human experience of a lover which made him burn like a flame and smile threefold smiles. Another point for which one notices while reading this poem is the broken rhyme of burnd and returnd; the burnd here represents a fire (danger), a wrath, however symbolizing much more than just a fire object itself, as it symbolizes a warmth, the warmth of love, which in contrast was returnd. Here in this new world of The Crystal Cabinet, the persona trapped is happy and is in a world where his desires are fulfilled, as is the desire of his lover, his Maid. When the persona suddenly breaks the crystal cabinet in the fifth stanza, after having tried to seize the inmost form, the world was fierce and shattered; and the reader is convinced that both imagination and reason are incompatible to one another. Here, the poem suggests that our lives have been so dominated by the doctrines of society that if we do try to find any reason in anything beyond the confines of the familiar lives for which weve been put in, we will not succeed, but will fail. In terms of Blake during his time, this particular part of the poem suggests that people during this time, their lives, are so dominated by not only the doctrines of society, but the doctrines of the Church, that if they do find reasoning and truth beyond those lines that have been drawn for them, they will die, and that truth does not prevail because of the imposed laws and rules. Therefore, the realm of the imagination that is transcended can not be quantified by either science or mathematics, nor can it be philosophized according to the laws of the State or the Churchs teachings, limiting the human minds, locking each human up with a golden key, only allowing the locked up humans to use their alternative reality minds to go into other realms of the world. The last stanza, striking to the reader as to the narrator, basically states that although one has been locked up into a crystal cabinet with a golden key, having experienced different realms of the world and having loved and loved back, one opens their eyes (seize the inmost form but burst the Crystal Cabinet) they break through the cabinet and once again, is back into the reality of fear and danger, back to the fearful nineteenth century world of London. As babies crying because their births are of no happy events as it only represents a continuation of this woe (linking to London as well as last line of The Crystal Cabinet), and weeping Woman pale reclind, representing the plague from the Sexually Transmitted Diseases woman get from their husbands; there is no happiness, no other dimension that is capable of allowing one to escape reality forever, as the persona is born into a world filld with woes the passing wind. In conclusion, this crystal cabinet symbolizes a unique opportunity to unfold meaning and explore further into those minds of the nineteenth century. Using the metaphorical visionary/images to help set a stage for a greater understanding of the environment, situation and journey for which is also a realization of the philosophy of William Blake. This poem is independent, yet linked through the narrative, using color scheme and the re-use of objects and words from other narrative elements, these different realms of worlds and spaces produces a unique, harmonic, and fearful resonance to viewers. It is when the four-fold vision is sought as the Crystal Cabinet breaks, in the seventh and final stanza, summing up everything the poem means and has stood for, is returned back to the original place and location for which they had entered, in the town squares of London. Here, the readers experience has thus triggered a new perception of London, as this perception is the perception seen through the eyes of William Blake himself.

Anabolic Steroids Essay -- essays research papers

Anabolic Steroids Anabolic steroids are synthetic coumpounds formulated to be like the male sex hormone testosterone. Many athletes use anabolic steroids male and female alike, such as body builders , weightlifters, baseball players, football players, swimmers, and runners. They do so because they mistakenly believe that they will gain strength and size. In a male testosterone is released by the leydig cells in the testes. The testosterone has two main functions androgenic and anabolic. Androgenic is the development of male sex characteristics. Anabolic is the development of muscle tissue. To treat patients who suffer from a natural lack of testosterone pharmacoligists alter one form of testosterone slightly, increasing th length of time the drug is active. Testosterone was first isolated in 1935, soon forms of testosterone such as dianabol, durabolin, deca-durabolin, and winstrol were produced. One of the main effects of anabolic steroids is to increase the number of red blood cells and muscle tissue without producing much of the androgenic effects of testosterone. There are only four legal uses for steroids treatment for certain forms of cancer, pituatary dwarfism, and serious hormone disturbances. There are two forms of anabolic steroids those taken orally and those injected. The immediate effects of both are mood swings of many different kinds. In one study, physicians Ian Wilson, Arthur Prang, Jr., and Patricio Lara found that four out of five men suffering from dippresion when given a steroid suffered from dillusions. A research team from Great Britian Found that a patient given steroids became dizzy, dissoriented, and incoherent. Physicians William Layman and William Annitto have had a case of a young man who was diagnosed as schizophrenic took steriods to help with his wieghtlifting. After taking these drugs he suffered severe deppresion and anxiety and had trouble sleeping. Most people who use steroids do not have side affects this severe. Steroids make changes in the electroencephalogram (an image of brain ellectrical activity). Researchers believe that these changes are responsible for some of the behavior changes in users of steroids like increased hostility and... ... I read from the researchers that anabolic steroids show few if any effects at all and I read from athletes that there is a very large effect on muscle gain and endurance. I came across only one book though that addressed this issue between researchers and atheletes. The book sayed that The American College of Sports Medicine stated a report on the use and abuse of anabolic steroids. It stated that for many people any benefits of anabolic steroids are small and not worth the health risk. Yet almost all the athletes who use anabolic steroids feel that the steroids had a great effect and that they would not have been successful without them. The big gap between researchers and athletes has caused a big contraversy athletes say one thing and researchers say another. The researchers have found a reason that maybe is the cause that anabolic steroid users see efects that researchers say are not possible they call it the "placebo effect". The placebo effect works by the power of suggestion athletes believe that the steroids will improve there performance so they do. The placebo effect is real the performance is improved and the gains are not imagi

Dead Poets Society Relationships Essay Essay

Due to their complex nature, human relationships present many challenges thus making them integral in the shaping of an individual’s experiences. These complexities are often caused by the power dynamic, where one parties assumes dominance over the other. Peter Weir’s 1989 film, Dead Poets Society explores the overpowering relationship between Neil and his father where Neil’s true self is stifled in his role as the compliant son. Similarly in Roger Dean Kiser’s short story Elvis Died at Florida Barber College (referred to as Elvis), the oppressive relationship between the orphan and his matron negatively affects his experiences, resulting in a suppression of individuality. Complexities also arise from the lack of power in relationships as shown through Neil and Mr Keating where the authoritative figure of the mentor is undermined by his student. However, this is not always the case as in 48 Shades of Brown by Nick Earl where a relationship between Dan and his Aunt allows for the discovery of independence and development of self. The complexity of power dynamics within relationships may suppress an individual’s identity in order to conform to the expectations of the other. In Dead Poets society, the relationship that Neil has with his father is atypical of a father-son relationship in the fact that the authority lies with the father. However, what differentiates this relationship from other father-son relationships is the extreme power dynamic between the two where Neil’s father is overly controlling to the point where he dictates his son’s life. The nature of the relationship is portrayed the beginning of the film when Neil’s father pins him up against a wall upon discovering Neil had chosen to undertake additional extracurricular activities. This action, accompanied with a high angle short of Neil’s father, communicates his extreme dominance in their relationship. Neil’s overt passion for performance is suppressed as he is subdued by the expectations of his father, forcing him to maintain a front as â€Å"the academic student†. This entrapment is expressed through the recurring theme of inside-outside where Neil constantly gazes out the windows of the pragmatic institute at the romantic natural world which seems far out of reach, embodying his longing to escape from his father. Thus it is Neil’s relationship with his father governs his decision making, hindering the development of his true identity. Similarly to DPS, Roger Dean Kiser explores the abuse of authority in relationship in his short story Elvis. The plot follows the first person point of view of an orphan boy who anticipates getting an Elvis haircut only to have his head shaved when his matron does not allow for it. The complex nature of the relationship between the orphan and his matron is conveyed in his first person narration where he addresses her as â€Å"the matron† rather than â€Å"my matron† thus creating a sense of disconnection between the two. The use of the word â€Å"the† also evokes a sense of sovereignty reflecting her overbearing dominance on the orphan boy. As a result, the Orphan’s attempt to create his own identity is denied when he does not receive his â€Å"Elvis haircut† but rather has it all his hair shaven off in the same manner that his sense of individuality is stripped from him. This harsh dictatorship on the matron’s part denies the growth of the orphan’s sense of self as his hopes of becoming like Elvis are metaphorically killed as reflected by the name of the short story. Hence, it can be seen in Dead Poets and Elvis that those complexities which arise from the exploitation of power in relationships can have a negative impact upon an individual, impeding the development of self-identity. Although the abuse of power in relationships may have negative impacts on an individual, a lack of authority in a relationship may have equally bad consequences. The relationship that Mr Keating has with the boys in particular Neil in Dead Poets juxtaposes that of Neil and his father; the power play distributed evenly between student and mentor. This can be seen through the eye-level shots in the film representing them as equals in the mentor-student relationships thus allowing Neil to be comfortable and himself around his mentor. The colloquial language which Neil employs around Mr Keating juxtaposes the formal and distant language and tone such as â€Å"yes sir† of which he expresses around his father. However, as Mr Keating brings himself down to the same level as Neil, his authority is undermined as seen when he tells the boys that â€Å"There’s a time for daring and there’s a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for† and when he advises Neil to express to his father how he feels. On both occasions, his advice is ignored resulting in Neil’s suicide and the demise of the Dead Poet’s Society emphasising consequence of the complexities which arose from the lack of a dominant role in his student-mentor relationship with Neil and the boys. On the contrary, the lack of authority in the relationship can also have positive effects on the experience of an individual as seen in  Nick Earl’s novel 48 Shades of Brown. The novel delves into the journey of protagonist Dan’s self-discovery as he moves away from his mother Madge in Geneva and in with his young aunt Jacq in Brisbane. The two prevalent relationships within this book are Dan’s relationship with his mother and his aunt; of which contrast greatly. Alike to Dead Poets Society, Madge possesses a controlling relationship with Dan however unlike Neil and his father; the terms of this power dynamic stems from Madge’s imposed perception of Dan’s fragility which has driven her to â€Å"coddle† him in order to shield him from the world. This has resulted in Dan lacking independence and identity as his decisions are often governed by his mother. The quote â€Å"There’s still the concern, though, that it’s all up to me now. As though, in the past, if I’d forgotten something really important my mother would have remembered and things would have been okay† convey Dan’s anxiety when suddenly removed from the confines of this relationship. Due to the close age gap, and the â€Å"coolness† of his aunt, the relationship between Dan and Jacq is more or less a friendship. The absence of a dominant figure which controls him allows, and instead aided by the support and encouragement from his Aunt; Dan becomes more independent and in the process develops a stronger sense-of-self. This is seen through the exchange of post cards between Dan and his mother which decreases as he becomes less dependent upon her. Thus the egalitarian relationship between Dan and his aunt has a positive impact on his experiences. Whether positive or negative, the complexities in relationships shape our experiences in the world. More often than not, these complexities present challenges to individuals however when overcome; one can then define themselves and take control over their life.

R. Tolkien s The Hobbit - 1951 Words

Both J. R. R. Tolkien‘s The Hobbit and C.S. Lewis’s The Lion The Which and the Wardrobe are classic novels that are recognized as some of the best works of the 20th century. Tolkien was a famous writer from Bloemfontein, South Africa, born on January 3, 1892, while Lewis was born only a few years later in Belfast, Ireland on November 29, 1898 (Biography.com Editors). They have both had so many great affects on literature, and in particular the fantasy genre, because both The Hobbit, and The Lion The Which and the Wardrobe are of the fantasy genre, but surpass the typical fantasy stories that have become prevalent. Tolkien, a profound author, published The Hobbit on September 21, 1937 as a prequel to one of the most popular book series†¦show more content†¦The Lion, The Which, and the Wardrobe is a story of four children who are moved from their family in World War II and in their uncle’s mansion, come across an old wardrobe that leads to another world. There the children join sides in an already in an ongoing battle against good and evil. They end up uniting to fight against the evil White Witch, with the help of their benevolent leader and wise guide, Aslan the lion. This series to which this novel is included proves popularity through lots of success including it being in continuous publication since 1956, and has sold over one hundred million copies. It has even been written in 47 different languages and even in Braille. It is an inspiring story that actually took C.S. Lewis about ten years to completely write. (Joy Lanzendorfer) The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe is often considered to be a possible Christian allegory, even though Lewis has never mentioned anything considering that. The book also includes various forms of mythology. The two authors of these two series had an intriguing relationship. During the 1950s the two would meet about one every month to talk about writing and discuss their work. Ironically w ith The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe being one of the bestsellers of all time, Tolkien didn’t really enjoy his friend’s work. This was coincidentally during