Geoffrey Chaucer’s the Wife of Bath Essay Example for Free

Geoffrey Chaucer’s the Wife of Bath Essay â€Å"The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale explore many aspects of patriarchy – and sometimes reveal surprising attitudes within the tale and prologue.† Discuss. Geoffrey Chaucer’s the Wife of Bath is a text which is interwoven with references to Patriarchy and unanticipated attitudes towards the social backdrop in which it was created. Written in a period where males dominated the hierarchy, Chaucer through the Wife portrays the reversal of traditional roles, and a sense of rebellion and feministic instincts which at the time appeared extraordinary: â€Å"His poetic sensibility, combined with an immense understanding about men and women, enabled him to survey the life about him with such imaginative insight and power. † (Bennet 74) Throughout the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer speaks with remarkable authority on a huge range of subjects. This is perhaps made possible by the assortment of characters from all areas of society which travel on the pilgrimage. Alisoun’s character is perhaps best encapsulated in the manner of her entrance to the Tales. Clothed in the finest garments, her â€Å"hosen weven of fyn scarlet need†, well-travelled and â€Å"carteyn so wroth†, the Wife: â€Å"Strides into the Canterbury Tales on a large horse, spurs jangling, and ready to assert herself in a company made up almost entirely of men†¦ She is a medieval housewife who is not just going to star in a story, she is going to tell it.† (Reading the Wife’s Prologue and Tale) A far cry from the meek and submissive maidens so often portrayed in classic literature and fables prior to this; the Wife is independent, liberated and outspoken. The Wifes’ relationship to the men in her life is often one of total domination and manipulation. She enjoys â€Å"maistyre† over her male counterparts: Unne the mught they the statut holde In which that they were bounden un to me Ye woot wel what I mean of this, pardee! As help me God, I laughe whan I thynke How piteously a- nyght I made hem swynke. The Wife governs many aspects of her husbands’ lives, and rules with special sovereignty in the bedroom. Her sexual powers are and obvious source of seduction and control over her lovers. Very much a humanistic text, the Canterbury Tales constantly remind the reader of the complexity of the human character. One example of this could be the Knight, the embodiment of â€Å"chivalrye, Trouthe and honour, freedom and curteisye† in the hierarchy of society at the time. At first he appears to fit the specification perfectly. The however subtle passing motion which slightly removes the Knight from this brave and righteous tradition is left with us when he is described as â€Å"meke as a mayde†. Chaucer understood the depth of personality in each individual, and that a stereotype is never applicable. His characters almost always only very nearly fit the stereotype, and leave us scope to remain unconvinced about the rest. This refusal to comply with what many would describe as the one dimensional and traditional Fairytale characters allows for the issues of patriarchy to be discusses liberally. Interestingly, even at points of text which reflect a relaxed and conversational tone, the Wife constantly feels the requirement to reemphasise and argue her point with references to astrology and biblical references. These biblical references however are often contorted to suit the Wife’s requirement in the argument. For example the term from Genesis 1:22,28 â€Å"Go forth and multiply† is used as an excuse for the remarriage of the wife. This control and knowledge of the Church’s text represent a disregard to Patriarchal structures at many levels. The male governed Church, with its male oriented texts and belief systems for the Wife especially represent the oppression of men. For Alisoun the structures of literature, religion and authority are connected in that they represent male dominance. The Wife of Bath however cannot be totally classified as a pro feminist character. At many levels her dishonest, manipulative nature reinforces the common negative conceptions of anti- feminism at the time. Hansen (cited in Beidler) claims that this anti-feminist discourse mentioned above is less of a product of archness towards patriarchal literature. â€Å"Instead she is trapped in a ‘prison house’ of anti-feminist discourse. She is unable to see that her tactics simply reinforce all the stereotypical Medival ideas about women as cruel, emotional, and sexually voracious. Chaucer therefore is seen as reinforcing antifeminist views rather than undermining them.† Alisoun provides a vessal through which thousands of years of antifeminist literature are regurgitated with a revised purpose and tone of archness. One example of this method comes in Alisoun’s first words to the group, a repeat of earlier rhetoric (Awkroyd): Expeience, though no autoritee, Were in this world, is right ynogh for me To speak of woe that is in marriage. Peter Awkroyd (2005) believes that Chaucer â€Å"uses much of the antifeminist literature of the period but, by placing it in the Wife’s capacious mouth, he lends it a new and ironic lease of life.† The Wife’s five marriages on the outset portray a sense of calculated systematic marrying for the advancement of wealth and power. However, it could be argued that Alison was more than simply a ruthless professional. There are arguments that the fourth, and especially the fifth husband Jenkin, captured her love and stood in more than equal stead with their spouse: â€Å"That al myn herte I yaf unto his hold/ He was, I trowe, a twenty winter oold, and I was fourty.† Although the true love described by Chaucer at first appears conformal to the description of traditional literature, as often the case in the Tales, there is a cause for disease. In this case the context in which the romance begins, the burial ceremony of husband number four, Alisoun covets the younger page boy and her future husband. In Jankin, Alisoun finds a man to which she is willing to submit. Cruel, abusive, manipulative this husband domineers the relationship, physically, emotionally and sexually. At this stage the once immovable opposition to patriarchy admits that he partner â€Å"so well koude he me glose†. Furthermore the Wife admits that it is this form of denial and subornation in a relationship which causes women to crave what they cannot have: â€Å"wait what†¦crave† The dictatorship of Jenkin is further developed by Minnis, who claims Jenkin: â€Å"read aloud to her (translating from his anthology of antifeminist texts – It could be said then that she has learned at home, from her husband – how acquiescent and submissive can one get?† (Minnis 249) The Wife of Bath’s Tale and Prologue, as a text which attempts to examine Patriarchy, the attitudes portrayed are purposely less definable. Often categorised as either a feminist or anti- feminist text, The Wife of Bath is a complex mixture between the two. Chaucer, as always does not provide specific or obvious attitudes to these hierarchies and relationships. Instead, like his characters he provides us with an insightful cross- section of the Patriarchal society in which he existed. Reference List Awkroyd, Peter. ‘The Tales of Canterbury.’ Chaucer. London: Vintage, 2005. 150 – 53. Beidler, Peter G. Geoffrey Chaucer: The Wife of Bath. New York: Bedford Books, 1996. Bennet, H.S. ‘Chaucer.’ Oxford History of English Literature: Chaucer and the Fifteenth Century. Ed. F.P Wilson and Bonamy Dobrà ©e. London: Oxford, 1947. 74 – 75. Minnis, Alastair. ‘Chapter 4 Gender as Fallibility.’ Fallible Authors: Chaucer’s Pardonerand Wife of Bath. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008. 249. ‘Reading the Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale.’ York Notes Advanced: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale. London: Longman, 1998. 3 – 10.

One Life Aquatic :: essays research papers

One Life Aquatic Steve Zissou is a world known, and partially renowned oceanographic explorer. He has been depicted through his documentary films as a larger than life character, yet it seems that each unsuccessful film shows more and more of his humanity. The film introduces us to Steve Zissou when he is at an all time low in his career, having just lost his best friend and crewmate Esteban. Steve is now searching for something more amazing than anything he has ever done, just to reaffirm his place in life. In the film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (Wes Anderson, 2004), parallelism can be found between two very similar scenes. By contrasting the second film premiere to the first, the transformation of Steve Zissou can be seen through his departure down the red carpet. The crew of the Belafonte starts their stroll down the red carpet; red knit caps shaping their heads, clad in their finest suits. Classical music fills the air, ringing the delicate atmosphere. The ragtag team exits their film premiere; their half cocked smiles tell us more than an interview ever could. A heckler from the crowd shouts toward the most somber of them all, Steve Zissou; a middle-aged oceanographer carrying a â€Å"crayon seahorse† he just received from a crewmate’s nephew, named Werner. Steve stands unassuming for a second, and then rushes the man, only to be punched in the face seconds later. He suddenly realizes the bag containing the seahorse has been punctured by the fight. He grabs a passerby’s wine glass and pours the seahorse in. The scene finalizes as Steve Zissou flees the film premiere. He makes his way through the crowd as the only visible part of him is the raised wine glass. While exiting his film premiere, Steve is looking for reassurance of his film’s credibility. The only comfort offered comes in the form of a â€Å"crayon seahorse† from Werner, a crewmate’s pre-pubescent nephew. As Steve leaves he is surrounded by his friends and colleagues; and though their proximity is close, their demeanor shows some distance in their relationships. After the ensuing fight, Steve exits by himself, blending into the crowd except for the raised wine glass containing the seahorse. The raised wine glass represents an obvious conflict of disposition in Steve Zissou. Though the film has shown him to be imperfect in many ways, he attempts to adapt to the persona of a very confident and brash person, much like a person who raises his wine glass to propose a toast. One Life Aquatic :: essays research papers One Life Aquatic Steve Zissou is a world known, and partially renowned oceanographic explorer. He has been depicted through his documentary films as a larger than life character, yet it seems that each unsuccessful film shows more and more of his humanity. The film introduces us to Steve Zissou when he is at an all time low in his career, having just lost his best friend and crewmate Esteban. Steve is now searching for something more amazing than anything he has ever done, just to reaffirm his place in life. In the film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (Wes Anderson, 2004), parallelism can be found between two very similar scenes. By contrasting the second film premiere to the first, the transformation of Steve Zissou can be seen through his departure down the red carpet. The crew of the Belafonte starts their stroll down the red carpet; red knit caps shaping their heads, clad in their finest suits. Classical music fills the air, ringing the delicate atmosphere. The ragtag team exits their film premiere; their half cocked smiles tell us more than an interview ever could. A heckler from the crowd shouts toward the most somber of them all, Steve Zissou; a middle-aged oceanographer carrying a â€Å"crayon seahorse† he just received from a crewmate’s nephew, named Werner. Steve stands unassuming for a second, and then rushes the man, only to be punched in the face seconds later. He suddenly realizes the bag containing the seahorse has been punctured by the fight. He grabs a passerby’s wine glass and pours the seahorse in. The scene finalizes as Steve Zissou flees the film premiere. He makes his way through the crowd as the only visible part of him is the raised wine glass. While exiting his film premiere, Steve is looking for reassurance of his film’s credibility. The only comfort offered comes in the form of a â€Å"crayon seahorse† from Werner, a crewmate’s pre-pubescent nephew. As Steve leaves he is surrounded by his friends and colleagues; and though their proximity is close, their demeanor shows some distance in their relationships. After the ensuing fight, Steve exits by himself, blending into the crowd except for the raised wine glass containing the seahorse. The raised wine glass represents an obvious conflict of disposition in Steve Zissou. Though the film has shown him to be imperfect in many ways, he attempts to adapt to the persona of a very confident and brash person, much like a person who raises his wine glass to propose a toast.

Amos and Hosea Essay

Amos was a Judean who believed he was commissioned by Yahweh to address his words to Israel, However Hosea was a native Israelite. With these two men was the custom of recording oracles which appear to have begun, for if the words of their prophetic predecessors were preserved in a written form, then they would have long since been lost to us all. Within a few years, prophets sharing similar concerns with Amos and Hosea began to be active in Judah and their words too, were preserved. II Kings 15 and Amos 1-9 Amos stood in judgment of moral and ethical evil but, unlike them, he did not limit himself to single issues or to individual situations, but dealt with the decline of Yahwism and human behavior in all levels of society. Cities he mentions), patterns of cause and effect (3:3 ff.), and Israelite cult practices. His vivid imagery, drawn from nature, suggests an intelligent observer capable of relating his insights and experiences in powerful terminology. Perhaps the very simplicity of his life caused him to be shocked at the extravagances of the rich and the terrible poverty and helplessness of those who were the prey of the powerful. The luxury of summer and winter palaces as opposed to the hovels of the poor, the greedy demand of the very rich contrasted with the cry for justice and equity of the underprivileged drove him to harsh pronouncements against powerful, smug, content men and women, priests and king. The thrust of Amos’ condemnation is against the division of life into compartments. He argues for unity. What a man does in the market place, in the Court of law or, in his dealings with others cannot be walled off from worship. Yahweh is a God of all people; therefore the dealings of man with man are directly related to the dealings of God with man. His is a cry for the recognition of man’s moral responsibility before God. â€Å"But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an Overflowing stream.† Amos 5:24 AMOS’ RELIGIOUS CONCEPTS Amos’ beliefs concerning Yahweh and divine-human relationships were similar. Yahweh the creator, the â€Å"God of hosts† Amos never speaks of Yahweh as â€Å"God of Israel†), or possessed power over nature and nations. Despite the unrealistic emphasis, Yahweh’s particular concern was Israel, the chosen or  elected people, Amos emphasized Yahweh’s action in history in bringing the Hebrews to nationhood and greatness, and pointed out that the continuance of power and security rested in Yahweh.

Vietnams Bank Risk Management - 33687 Words

Dam Dan Luy EVALUATION OF CREDIT RISK MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES IN A VIETNAMESE JOINTSTOCK COMMERCIAL BANK‟S TRANSACTION OFFICE Business Economics and Tourism 2010 1 FOREWORD At this moment, the financial sector still attracts a lot of controversy both at the regulator and the banker level. The regulators have been discussing on tighter banking rules. At the same time, the banks have also been strengthening their own health with stricter supervision, one of which is to reinforce credit risk management practices. I have long wanted to conduct a real research in finance, the field in which I am really interested and want to pursue my future career. This is a great opportunity for me to realize that wish. Beyond that it†¦show more content†¦Moreover, the State Bank of Vietnam‟s regulations, the bank‟s internal policies and annual reports as well as the transaction office‟s business results also provide significant findings for the research. The analysis of both primary and secondary data shows that this bank has been trying to adopt a close-to-standard credit risk management framework with numerous published documents governing the day-to-day credit activities. Some good points are a complete lending procedure or a standard internal credit rating system – SYMBOLS. However when it comes to actual operation, some aspects should be considered, e.g. the staff training quality or the priority treatment to high-value customers. Especially, the high non-performing loans at the transaction office and the non-complied loss provision must be reviewed and adjusted. These discoveries have led to several constructive improvement suggestions for the case bank. Besides, recommendations for new research directions have also been made. 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