Slavery in Oroonoko - 1742 Words

ENL 4230 Dr. Oliver Oroonoko- The Ultimate Slave Narrative: Women and Their Masters Aphra Behn presents us with an extensive parody in her novel Oroonoko: a complete slave narrative, depicting the enslavement of both man and woman. She uses historical fact as well as semi-anthropologically accurate setting to reveal the truth in her words. Historically speaking, women were slaves for centuries before the white man enslaved the black man. Women were bartered and sold into marriage, abuses and forced to work under the watchful eyes of her husband. Aphra Behn demonstrates this though Imoinda’s character development, or lack thereof. The fact that this is considered a â€Å"historically† accurate text validates the reality of the issue†¦show more content†¦However, once the slave market opened up and expanded, slaves became the major commodities: being a white slave owner developed into the very definition of wealth and prestige, of class and sophistication. Slave women became fetishes for white slave owners. Hegemony is defined as the dominance and influence of one social class over others. As Raymond Williams puts it, â€Å"hegemony is a concept which at once includes and goes beyond two powerful earlier concepts: that of ‘culture’ as a ‘whole social process’, in which men define and shape their [and those which they control, i.e. women] whole lives; and that of ‘ideology’, in any of its Marxist senses, in which a system of meanings and values is the expression or projection of a particular class [white-European wealthy male] interest† (108). Subsequently, the needs of this hegemony, this ideology-plus, defines the commodities of the time. A commodity is a product of value and use, separate from a service. In other words, the individual ho provides the service, is technically, a commodity. The predominant social class being that of the wealthy white European male, this hegemony, is then capable deciding what is acceptable in society and what is not. In a capitalist’s society, Imoinda’s place became that of a commodity. In a consumerist’s society, Imoinda’s place became that of a fetish, every man capableShow MoreRelatedThe Narrator Of Oroonoko : Pro Slavery Or Anti Slavery1412 Words   |  6 PagesThe Narrator of Oroonoko: Pro-Slavery or Anti-Slavery Aphra Behn’s Oroonoko: the Royal Slave is portrayed and written as a personal account of the life of Oroonoko. Oroonoko’s life story is told according the narrator’s eye-witnessed account or by Oroonoko’s own testimony to the narrator, â€Å"I was myself an eyewitness to the great part of what you will find here set down, and what I should not be witness of, I receive from the mouth of the chief actor in this history, the hero himself, who gave usRead MoreSlavery and Racism1509 Words   |  7 PagesO’Donnell Development of Western Civilization Dr. Carlson November 17, 2011 Slavery and Racism: Are They One in the Same? Aphra Behn was an extremely significant and influential English writer in the 1600s. One of her more famous works, Oroonoko, discusses the issues of slavery and racism in the Americas. Many people believe that slavery and racism go hand in hand. In fact, these two ideologies are awfully different. Slavery is the act of forcing humans to be treated property whereas racism is theRead MoreOroonoko1235 Words   |  5 Pagesof chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death Patrick Henry. Throughout the years, man insisted on inflecting injustice and oppression on the vulnerable and weak. The desire of man to dominate and control is continuous. In this novel the author illustrates a side of the injustice inflected on the world. Oroonoko is a short novel written by English author Aphra Behn. Aphra Behn s novel Oroonoko is one of theRead MoreEssay on Aphra Behns Oroonoko – Slaughter of the Human Spirit1155 Words   |  5 PagesOroonoko – Slaughter of the Human Spirit   Aphra Behn introduces her characters in Oroonoko as beautiful people who possess a pure, innocent love.   Behn does this in an effort to make her readers feel and question.   Her poetic description of their emotions magnify the horror of the final scene.   Behns romantic love story is brought to a tragic end through brutality and death.   Why did she choose such an ending?   Her decision to have Oroonoko take the life of his wife and unborn child leavesRead MoreAphra Behn s Work Oroonoko Essay1461 Words   |  6 PagesAphra Behn’s work Oroonoko was ahead of its time in its discussion of slavery and colonization. Oroonoko revealed the negative side of the slave trading industry which was something almost unheard of in the 17th century when slave trading was a booming business and a part of everyday life. In the work it can be validated that Behn’s reason behind writing this novel in this time period was that she did not want this man’s life to be forgo tten or be lost in vain. Furthermore, it is believe that BehnRead MoreEssay about Oroonoko, by Aphra Behn1336 Words   |  6 PagesAphra Behn’s novel, Oroonoko, gives a very different perspective on a slave narrative. Her characters embody various characteristics not usually given to those genders and races. Imoinda’s character represents both the modern feminist, as well as the subservient and mental characteristics of the typical eighteenth-century English woman. Oroonoko becomes an embodiment of what is normally a white man’s characteristic; he is the noble, princely, and sympathetic character that is not usually attributedRead MoreNovel and Black Africans1298 Words   |  6 PagesWrite a critical analysis of Aphra Behn novella Oroonoko, paying special attention to the representation of black Africans. What makes Oroonoko a positive character? Is he superior or inferior to the whites in the novella? Oroonoko a Royal slave or a monstrous Negro â€Å" I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their characterRead MoreAphra Behn s Oroonoko As A Tale Of An African Prince And Victorious General Essay1545 Words   |  7 PagesAphra Behn’s Oroonoko is a tale of an African prince and victorious general, Oroonoko, who loses his heart to the lovely Imoinda. First published in the year 1688 when African slavery through the barbaric trans-Atlantic slave business became established as an economic, transcontinental system. This tale draws on the popular literary themes of aristocratic romance, social censure and travel narrative. It indicates a few ways in which the British were starting to view cultural and racial differencesRead MoreRacism and Slavery in Oronooko1158 Words   |  5 Pagesinterpreted and read the wrong way. The novella, Oroonoko written by Aphra Behn, is a great example of this. Oroonoko is the story of the Royal Slave. It is written in the perspective of a white colonial woman in the eighteenth century. I found the novella to have a lot of subtle racial undertones despite the fact that during that time it was seen as an anti-slavery novel.(1) There have been debates on whether this novella is pro-slavery or anti-slavery? While reading, I decided that it was neitherRead MoreComparison of Journal of the Plague Year and Oroonoko Essay1147 Words   |  5 Pageshave been treated like animals and thought of as property, not human beings. Even Oroonoko, a handsome, statuesque prince is turned into a slave because of his race, and is degraded and mistreated. To racist slave owners, the horrible treatment of Africans was acceptable because they were a different species, and no amount of education or beauty could save them. Behn shows how unjust and brutal slavery is in Oroonoko. The treatment of slaves is comparable to the treatment of th e poor, as both have

The Greatest Pieces Of English Literature - 972 Words

William Shakespeare has written some of the greatest pieces of English literature but some doubt he is the one responsible for it. There are some scholars who believe the conspiracy that Shakespeare did not write the work attributed to him and the true author is someone else, due to the anti-stratfordians who propose theories of who could be the real author, this once small talk has turn into a well- known conspiracy theory, although little to none evidence is all we have on a man named William Shakespeare, the possibility of determining the truth behind this is more likely impossible to find out, his work is a great piece of English literature that will stay as â€Å"his† work until further and stronger evidence says otherwise. The fact of the matter is, William Shakespeare is the true author, as far as we know. There is actually little known of the man we call Shakespeare. What is known about Shakespeare comes from registered records, court records and marriage certificates. William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. William was the third child of John and Mary Shakespeare. At the age of eighteen William married Anne Hathaway on November 28th 1582 and had children. He had a daughter in 1583, Susanna, and then had twins in 1585, Hammet and Judith. He and his family moved to London, while there Shakespeare gained success as an actor, poet, and playwright. His work was performed at the Globe Theatre in the courts of Queen Elizabeth I andShow MoreRelatedEssay on To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee694 Words   |  3 Pagesor by improving an individuals English comprehension and composition skills. For example authors such as Harper Lee; the novelist of â€Å"To Kill A Mockingbird,† have depicted through her book the unjust and inhumane treatment of African Americans in America’s South. It is hard to believe that at one time these world renowned authors and poets were once the prodigies of English lite rature teachers. And in this research paper we will examine the role English literature teacher play in the worlds pastRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s English Literature Essay1667 Words   |  7 Pageshis poems, plays and masterful piece of writings in the English language. He has been referred to as the England s national poet and the Bard of Avon. He produced over thirty eight plays, hundred fifty four sonnets, five poems, and more verses. Shakespeare s plays consist of mainly tragedies, comedies and histories which are regarded as one of the best in those genres. The plays, the poems, and the sonnets have had a significance influence in English literature. There has been various writersRead MoreReflective Essay on English Literature Module1184 Words   |  5 Pagesjourney as an English: Literature major has almost come to a close so quickly. My path has been a smooth and enjoyable one, and it is with great sadness that I begin to gather up the ends of my literary education. I know that I will continue to grow and develop as a critical reader/thinker throughout my lifetime, but I will sorrowfully miss the educational structure that has shaped my literary understanding for the last three years. I consider my greatest strengths as a literature major to beRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello And The English Language1649 Words   |  7 Pagesinfluential and greatest writers up to this day in poetry and the English language. Known, for his many acclaimed works such as his famous plays, â€Å"Othello,† â€Å"King Lear,† and â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† etc. More than four hundred years have passed and William Shakespeare’s work still alive as if it was during the early ages of Shakespeare work. Shakespeare influenced ranges from literature, theater, films and even the English language. Especially, now days in the education system without Shakespeare, English and theRead MoreThe English Church Exposed in Canterbury Tales Essay1113 Words   |  5 PagesThe 14th Century is a time in which the power of the English Church started to vanish because of multiple reasons. And Geoffrey Chaucer’s greatest work, the Canterbury Tales, can be a good evidence of the profligacy and immorality of the England Church at that time. In this magnificent piece of English literature, Chaucer expresses both his disappointment and admiration for the England Church through many different Church pilgrims form high social class to common people. By his description aboutRead MoreEssay about Growing as a Reader1145 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout this year, I have read many different works of early English literature. From reading these works and following the rules of Vladimir Nabokov, I have grown tremendously as a reader since the beginning of this year. From reading Alice in Wonderland to now, I have grown to appreciate literature much more. I have developed a better sense of the English language through the use of a dictionary and the difficult sentence structure of works such as the Canterbury Tales, Beowulf, Le MorteRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s An Enigma Throughout History1555 Words   |  7 Pagesconnecting one source of information to a nother to provide sufficient history on William Shakespeare. Many of William Shakespeare’s plays and poems have influenced other writers with their works, but despite being such a huge influence to English poetry and literature, â€Å"Shakespeare’s personal life, artistic importance, and his role in the creations that bear his name have been put under intense scrutiny† (â€Å"William Shakespeare – Biography†). A debate has risen throughout the centuries that ShakespeareRead More Reflection on My Portfolio Essay1110 Words   |  5 PagesReflection on My Portfolio Literature has fascinated me from an early age. I was always an extremely active child, yet all I needed to settle down was a good book. The worlds created from the page within my mind were wondrous and amazing. However, I never imagined that I would become an English Literature major in college. Like many others before me, I wasn’t sure what you could do with an English major but teach or write, neither of which I planned on doing. A business or management majorRead MoreGeoffrey Chaucer s Impact On Literature1231 Words   |  5 PagesGeoffrey Chaucer’s Impact on Literature: English poet Geoffrey Chaucer is acclaimed to be one of the best and most influential poets in history. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote several famous literary works in what is called middle English. Geoffrey Chaucer was born in 1340 in London, England. Over the course of Chaucer’s life, he entered and exited several different social classes. He began to write his most known pieces when he became a public servant to Countess Elizabeth of Ulster in 1357. He diedRead MoreMy Academic Interest On Gender And Kinship Studies963 Words   |  4 PagesNaying Ren Statement of Purpose My academic interest in gender and kinship studies was triggered by my encounter with one of the greatest minds in our history. I was fascinated by Simone de Beauvoir in her The Second Sex, both by her insightful existential analysis of women’s situation and the interdisciplinary approach which she takes. She approaches gender from manifold perspectives including the biological, the psychoanalytic, the historical, the literary and the anthropological, leading to a

Multicultural Perspectives In Music Education - Free Solution

Question: Write an essay on how (a) The effect music on brain (b) The effects of music in our society /lives (c) Function of music society (d) Music and its relevance to society. Answer: Music is a cultural activity or an art form having a medium of sound and silence. Music has some common elements and those are melody, rhythm, pitch, texture and dynamics. It is related to the emotions and spirituality of human being. The influence of music on humans can be both positive and negative. The effect of music can be both instant and long term. The brain is the control center of the human body and the music affects the brain in different ways (Bunt et al). Music Psychology is the study that deals with the experience of music and musical behavior. The cognitive neuroscience of music involves the scientific study of the mechanisms of brain that are involved in the cognitive processes related to the music. Researchers have found that Baroquo and Mozarts music with a pattern of sixty beats per minute, enhances the activity of the right and left hemisphere of the brain (Kotarba et al). It has been seen that the learning of the music activates the left hemisphere and the right h emisphere is activated by the music (Anderson et al.). Activities such as singing or playing an instrument engage both the left and right hemispheres of the brain and results an enhancement of brains capability to process more information. The Center for New Discoveries has found that the potential of learning can be increased at least five times by the sixty beats per minute music. In the ancient time the Greeks used to sing their drama because it helped them to memorize more easily (Bunt et al). A renowned psychologist Dr. Lozanov designed his own way to teach foreign language to his students which involved some pieces of classical music. He found that the average rate of retention of the students was 92%. Some certain kind of music has been proven to relax the mind and body by releasing the neurons. Now a days music therapy is being done for the treatment of various mental illnesses. Music influences heart rate and blood pressure and that is why it is being used for stress manage ment (Ruud and Even). There are many ethnographic researches that describe music as a community based participative activity which involves the participation of both commercial and non-commercial people who shares a common set of values (Ruud and Even). Music is an expression of different cultures of different societies. The people of different societies have their own unique type of music and musical instruments. From the very beginning of the civilization music has served as a purpose for bringing people together (Kotarba et al). Music is a part of various religious ceremonies throughout the world. Previously a particular society used to play their own unique music in the regional language which is known as folk. However, with the civilization, a generalization of music and musical instruments has taken place (Anderson et al.). With the modernization of technology the instruments have become more advanced and complex and the people are getting familiar with the music of other societies and countries by means of media and technologies (Kotarba et al). In recent days, many musics are being composed that includes the musics from different cultures which are giving birth to an entirely new musical combination and are involving the participation of people from different culture and society. The societal aspects are related so deeply with music that it is not easy to understand that if the music affects the society or the society is reflected through the kind of music it plays (McRobbie and Angela). A music society is a group of people that promotes teaching and learning of music, musical expression and creativity (McRobbie and Angela). Music society, not only deals with the music, it also influences some other factors related to its members and the society. It helps to develop the awareness about the functions of music in the society and beyond (Kotarba et al). The learners and listeners get exposed in the context that is created by a musical composition and also understand the philosophy of the music. The music society helps people to realize the genre of music that represents a particular historical time or event, an aspect of human life, the nature or the culture of any particular community. Apart from all these the music society has a major role in the entertainment and recreation of the people of a society (Anderson et al.). The humankind is incomplete without music and art. Music has always helped the people to find the meaning of their emotions. Music has its magical healing power which can relax the brain and body of human being and helps to get relief from the tension and stress. It is able to draw and emotionally uplift the mind of thousands of people from different parts of the world (McRobbie and Angela). Music can be one of the best ways to express ones feelings, joy, love, anger, passion and other emotion to the others. The perfect way to express the word of love to the beloved person is music. The music is one of the most important part of any celebration or religious function of any society. It gives rise to the aesthetic sense and spirituality of the people. Music has served various purposes of human life like, praying, expressing love and respect to God, encouragement in hard work and expressing different emotions (Bunt et al). If someone has the knowledge of music, he or she can participate in different cultural activities in the workplace which can be helpful to build a good relationship with the employees and a participative image to the seniors (McRobbie and Angela). If someone does a course on music it is always considered as an extracurricular activity while recruiting that person for any job. Apart from that, music has been proven to improve the performance and willingness of employees in any organization specially where the job is stressful. There are also opportunities to do higher studies on music and choosing it as a career (Anderson et al.). References: Anderson, William M., and Patricia Shehan Campbell, eds.Multicultural perspectives in music education. Vol. 3. RL Education, 2011. Bunt, Leslie, and Brynjulf Stige.Music therapy: An art beyond words. Routledge, 2014. Bunt, Leslie, and Sarah Hoskyns.The handbook of music therapy. Routledge, 2013. Erkkil, Jaakko, et al. "Individual music therapy for depression: randomised controlled trial."The British journal of psychiatry199.2 (2011): 132-139. Kotarba, Joe, et al.Understanding society through popular music. Routledge, 2013. McRobbie, Angela.In the culture society: Art, fashion and popular music. Routledge, 2013. Ruud, Even.Music therapy: A perspective from the humanities. Barcelona Publishers, 2010. Small, Christopher.Music, society, education. Wesleyan University Press, 2011.

Social Movements Essays - Social Movement, Social Movements

Social Movements Elspeth Wilson A Partial View of Political Process Social movements require a fairly complex and multi-dimensional paradigm in order to adequately explain the multiplicity of factors that contribute to their development and sustenance. Like both McAdam and Costain, I believe that the political process model is a much more appropriate theory for social movements than either the classical model (with its emphasis on psychology) or the resource mobilization model (with its ultra-capitalistic approach to all socio-political interactions). Indeed, unlike the classical and resource mobilization theories, the political process model incorporates a number of different factors, making it significantly more realistic and versatile. Both McAdam and Costain analyze a set of empirical evidence in order to judge the credibility of the political process model as a comprehensive paradigm for social movements. While I except the political process model as the most accurate theoretical description of social movements, I do not agree with Costains refo rmulation of political process. Indeed, I believe that Costain succumbs to a subtle regression into elitist theory. In Social Movements as Interest Groups, Costain begins by stating that traditional measures of interest group influence frequently fail to capture the impact social movements have on legislation (p. 285). From this opening, we can assume that she intends to reveal the actual impact of social movements on legislation through a non-traditional method of measurement. In this context, Costain searches for a theory that captures the influential dynamics of social movement success. Her answer is the political process theory, which suggests that the presence of leadership and resources (particularly those provided by external groups) is less important in determining movement success than the structure of political opportunity faced by the movement (p. 288). But what exactly constitutes this structure of political opportunity? Costain argues that movements only emerge when the federal government becomes more favorable and supportive towards the members and goals of the movement. Thus, according to Costain, the mild support of the government was instrumental in the psychological preparation of the movements members; a favorable government encouraged women to realize that there was a possible political solution to their discontent. In this way, at the base of every successful social movement, Costain establishes a prerequisite of an increasingly favorable government (that spurs the psychological state necessary for a large-scale social movement). Thus, the government indirectly influences the formation of the social movement, and the social movement then pressures its (oftentimes reluctant) supporter to pass legislative or protective action. In Costains model, the government is the key figure in both the formation and the success of the social movement. While the government clearly plays an important role in almost every stage of the formation and proliferation of a social movement, I do not think that it is nearly so crucial to the birth of social movements. Indeed, I find Costains emphasis on government a sort of regression to the earlier elitist theories concerning the resources necessary for the success of a social movement. The national government is essentially an elitist institution. Federalism (combined with the basic prerequisites of contemporary successful politicians) makes a certain degree of elitism a necessary reality of American representative democracy. Thus, Costains paramount emphasis of governmental influence on the formation of social movement is not entirely consistent with political process theory. Furthermore, I believe that there is sufficient evidence that governmental support does not always precede the formation of successful social movements. While both the civil rights movement and the womens movement might both seem to superficially conform to the governmental support clause of Costains political process paradigm, this is certainly not the case with all movements. For example, a movement that is particularly hostile towards the government (or seeks to negatively influence the actions of the government) would probably find the government to be fairly unreceptive to their views. This type of negativity would remove the step of governmental support from the equation because it would be exceedingly illogical for the government to support a group that was fundamentally against it. Thus, when analyzing a movement that takes a stand against the direct actions of the federal government, we would clearly not expect the emergence of the movement to be preceded by governmental support for its cause. The anti-war