The Clash Between Amish Culture and Modern American...

The Clash Between Amish Culture and Modern American Culture in the Film Witness Witness is a mix of genres; it has romance, action, is part murder/detective story, and is a thriller. The aim of the director, Peter Weir, is to show the clash of cultures between the Amish and the Modern American culture. Peter Weir the director likes to place characters into an unusual situation like in this film he has a Pennsylvanian cop, John Book, having to hide and live in an Amish community. Pennsylvania means brotherly love in Amish. The Amish are a Christian religious group with origins from Europe, in America they are known as The Plain People. The Amish travelled to America for freedom of worship.†¦show more content†¦They stress the importance of the community and helping each other. There is an emphasis on traditional skills and old trades being used. Childrens toys are made by hand from wood. In the barn raising scene we can see how men and boys of all ages take part in the work and the numbers compensate for the lack of modern equipment. Barns are built are built for the couple who are soon to be married in one day, it is also tradition to finish it on the day they start building it. This scene also emphasises on the community spirit by having everybody working, even though the women dont work on building the women do traditional female tasks such as preparing a feast for all of them where they will all eat together. The women also work on the embroidery. All of the womens work is highly valued and the women are very well respected in an Amish community. All of the tasks, such as milking the cows, are done by hand which is very time consuming so they have to get up at a very early time in the morning to start. North America in this film is shown as a violent, corrupt, ruthless, aggressive society, even the police officers are shown as corrupt because theyve made millions from drug trafficking. They all carry guns with them either on them or in their car boots and they dont think twice about using them. At timesShow MoreRelatedWitness by Peter Weir Notes12043 Words   |  49 PagesNOTES ON MODULE B, WITNESS BY PETER WEIR, 1985 Introduction: * Engage in a detailed analysis of a text * Understanding of how the ideas, forms and language of a text interact within the text and may affect those responding to it. * Students will need an understanding of film techniques and of the police drama genre. Important aspects to know: * Visual techniquesenhance understanding of characters * Editing techniquescreate suspense, establish characters, create atmosphere, positionRead MoreWitness: Old Amish Society1474 Words   |  6 Pages#65279; Witness In the 1985 film witness director peter weir explores the sharp cultural conflicts between the old Amish society of western Pennsylvania and the modern American world of crime and violence. The main character, Philadelphia police detective John Book (played by Harrison Ford), is forced into hiding by a group of corrupt fellow officers looking for a little Amish boy (played by Lukas Haas). The boy witnesses a brutal killing and identifies the policemanRead MoreEssay about Peter Weirs Witness1454 Words   |  6 PagesPeter Weirs Witness In the 1985 film witness director Peter Weir explores the sharp cultural conflicts between the old Amish society of western Pennsylvania and the modern American world of crime and violence. The main character, Philadelphia police detective John Book (played by Harrison Ford), is forced into hiding by a group of corrupt fellow officers looking for a little Amish boy (played by Lukas Haas). The boy witnesses a brutal killing and identifies the policeman who did it from a photographRead MoreWitness Analysis3405 Words   |  14 Pages2010 HSC English Standard – Module B ‘Witness’ By Aiman Ahamad ------------------------------------------------- John Book and Rachel Lapp could never have a successful permanent relationship. Do you agree? Relationships may be permanent or temporary. Different relationship will experience obstacles but may receive considerable rewards. There are many factors that can affect the relationship between people like clash of cultures, their inability to conform to alternate societies and the fundamental

Sequence Analysis of the Third Man Free Essays

10/7/12 The Third Man Sequence Analysis In Carol Reed’s The Third Man, the sequence in which the police and their bait, Holly, anxiously wait for the arrival of their target, Harry, is full of suspense and displayed through over 25 shots in less than 3 minutes. The sequence captures the anxiousness and suspense experienced by all the characters through its quick cuts of empty streets, destroyed buildings, and dark shadows. The score of this sequence heavily influences the mood and different thematic elements of the scene. We will write a custom essay sample on Sequence Analysis of the Third Man or any similar topic only for you Order Now Through this nearly silent (almost no dialogue) segment, Reed brings the viewers into the scene through the perspectives of different characters surveying the empty, quiet and dark city of Vienna for the man they are trying to capture, Harry Lime. The first shot of this sequence is a fade-in of the cafe in which Holly is settling down while waiting for Harry. The signature zither music picks up again to indicate the suspense of patiently waiting to complete a set-up that will allow the police to arrest a criminal. It then cuts to inside the cafe where Holly anxiously sits and begins to look outside the window examining the ominous, empty streets of Vienna. This shot is a prime example of the unique askew camera placement used throughout the entire film. In this shot, like several others, the frame is angled quite awkwardly. This technique embodies the creation of a dark, odd and intense world in which noir films took place. The next shot takes us outside with a long pan from left to right. This shot puts us in the perspective of Holly as he slowly scopes out an empty street. This zoomed in pan accurately conveys Holly’s anxiety of Harry’s arrival, as he attentively searches the street for any signs of Harry. This cuts back to Holly who is moving closer to the window in order to get a better look down the streets. Then a quick cut puts us back to Holly’s perspective of the street and yet again we see a vacant, dark street. However this shot is still and focuses on the Vienna statuary. The next cut is of a policeman hiding among these statues. The juxtaposition of these two shots is a prime example of Carol Reed’s montage and genius editing choices. Holly closely looks at this landmark, which happens to be the police’s hideout. This allows the viewer to see the elaborate plan the police have created and be placed right in the middle of it. We are unable to see the police from the viewpoint of the meetings location but once zoomed in we can see them hidden in the depths off the shadows created by these large statues and columns. The shot of the policeman hidden along the statue cuts quickly to a shot of a still, dark street. The perspective then switches to that of the policeman. The next cut shows another policeman, this time zoomed in on his face. This shot has much more light on the policeman’s face. It is a close up shot from a lower viewpoint. This allows us to understand the different placements and hiding spots of these police officers that are waiting to capture their target. This then cuts again to this policeman’s view of the street. This rapid crosscutting of straight shots juxtaposed with angled shots of the policemen and their vantage points, alongside the portentous strumming of the zither creates a very ominous and suspenseful setting and mood. It places the viewer inside the set-up as if we too are silently and anxiously surveying the war-torn streets of Vienna for Harry Lime. This cuts to a shot that display’s Reed’s undeniable element of lighting. A police officer is placed in the center of the frame in profile. As he exhales, the low-key lighting picks up the fog created by his warm breath. This cuts again to the policeman’s vantage point down a dim alley. This cuts to another shot of a policeman with unique lighting. The lighting only allows the viewer to see the policeman’s nose and below. His eyes and forehead are hidden by the shadow of his hat, until he moves his eyes. The lighting allows us to see the whites of his eyes as they move from right to left across the frame. Only seeing his eyes as they move force us to follow his eyes and look into his vantage point that is seen in the next shot of another empty road. This cuts to a close up of another policeman’s face, where again the lighting picks up and reflects off of the fog. This quickly cuts to another empty street view, which then quickly cuts back to Holly. This shot of Holly is still angled awkwardly, only now we see Holly impatiently playing with his cup. The shot is important because it again shows us Holly’s fickle feelings towards the situation he is in. Throughout the film he has had difficulty deciding on whether or not to help the police bring in his friend Harry. This shot of Holly shows the internal debate he is experiencing in the mere three seconds it is seen. We then cut back to the first police officer in the statuary. His shadow is beautifully cast on the column next to him and our eyes are drawn to it. We see his shadow move as he notices something. This cuts to his vantage point of a street that is finally no longer empty. A giant shadow is emerging alongside a building. The menacing shadow stands two stories high. This creates a strong feeling of suspicion and fear, yielding an expectation by viewers and the police that the shadow will be Harry. The sight of a humongous shadow approaching sufficiently increases the suspense of the sequence. This cuts back to the policeman in what proves to be one of the most significant and well-filmed shots of the movie. It cuts to the same police officer who makes the first sound of the sequence; a simple â€Å"pssst†. This is to signal that Lime is approaching to someone below. The camera pans down below the officer, and zooms into a dark corner of the statuary covered by shadows. The lighting of this shot is incredible. As the shot zooms in to its closest point, the lighting reveals the hiding Calloway and Paine as they merge from the shadowy depths of the statuary. Not only is this shot brilliantly lit, but it also displays the film’s mise-en-scene of corruption. The two unscrupulous officers are standing underneath what was once beautiful religious statuary. Post-war Vienna is nothing like what it was and is now a depressing, crumbling, and corrupt city. Before the war, these officers would have been standing in beautiful religious architecture. Their emergence from the murky shadows represents the post-war ruin and corruption of the once beautiful city of Vienna. This then cuts back to the approaching giant shadow, as it closes in on the intersection, signifying the end of anticipation. The next shot is of a policeman leaning in to catch a view of to whom this shadow belongs. This quickly cuts to a short shot of Holly also leaning in to try and get a glimpse. The shot reinforces the suspense and anxiety, and moral dilemma Holly is experiencing while waiting to set up his friend. As the shadow makes the final steps before being revealed, the zither tone changes from the usual haunting strumming to a comical, upbeat, high-pitched progression. It is then revealed that this shadow is a simple balloon salesman. The sudden change in music completely rids all previous tension as the balloon vender makes his way around the corner. This shot symbolizes Reed’s fantastic visual language. All of the shots leading up to this leave the viewer with nothing but certainty that this approaching shadow will be Lime. We have chased him down before through his shadows so there is no reason to believe that the camera is playing a hoax on us. The viewer undoubtedly trusts the visual storytelling, due to Reed’s fantastic imagery and shots. Carol Reed’s rapid crosscuts are a unique tactic that delays the plot of the film, solely to shift all focus to the increase in tension. The quick, oddly angled shots bring the viewer into the elaborate set-up, following each police officer and Holly, along with their respective vantage points of the streets of Vienna as if we too are searching for Lime. This sequence proves to be powerful and suspenseful, as well as a direct reflection of Carol Reed’s brilliance. He is able to intensify the suspense of the film significantly through his elaborate camera work, montage, lighting, mise en scene and sound. This short sequence proves to be a noteworthy piece in the cinematic world, and embodies the genre of film noir in just two minutes. 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Big Five Personality Traits Essay Example For Students

Big Five Personality Traits Essay Big Five Personality Traits Essay The world of psychology attracts the attention of many people across the globe. One of the most interesting topics is the issue of personality traits. As you are well aware, these personal traits always define an individual’s behavior in different situations. Hence, we can conclude that a person’s personal traits tend to influence an individual’s performance in modern society. According to Lewis Goldberg, a prominent American psychologist who studied the area personality psychology, the primary factors of personality involve agreeableness, extroversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience, and finally, neuroticism. A prolific American scientist developed this particular theory and called it ‘Big Personality Traits’. It is important to mention that each of these personality traits can make a significant contribution to an individual’s performance. In this case, the word-combination ‘a significant contribution to an individualâ€℠¢s performance’ refers to the improvement of people’s social skills. Generally speaking, a given model introduced by Goldberg helps an individual define themselves and answer the question ‘Who are you?’. First Factor—Agreeableness The notion of ‘agreeableness’ refers to one of the most important personality traits of an individual that involves many behavioral characteristics such as kindness, sympathy, warmth, amiability, generosity, cooperation, and consideration. In psychology, this trait has great importance since it is a key factor of Big Five Personality theory. Many psychologists claim that a person who has a strong attitude for being agreeable is a people-oriented individual. Besides, this trait is closely associated with the elements of trust and altruism. Those who have a high level of agreeableness tend to have amazing social skills, and as a result, they do not have any troubles with different group interactions as well as collaboration with other people. In turn, many people with low level of agreeableness have another experience. In most cases, they face certain challenges while interacting with other people (even with their peers). In addition, a person with a low level of agreeable ness tends to have poor social skills, distrust other people, and stand aside from socializing. Some people, who have neither a high level of agreeableness nor a low level of agreeableness, may fall between these two alternatives. Every person can develop this particular trait in a gradual manner until their adulthood. In accordance with the numerous studies of the world psychologists, this factor – agreeableness – is usually low during the period of childhood and as well as teen period. However, they also claim that some kids and teenagers have a higher level of agreeableness than their peers who face great difficulties when they experience numerous stresses in their personal environment. Second Factor—Extroversion Another important factor introduced by Goldberg is known as ‘extroversion’, and it is no need to define this notion so as every alternative person can understand its meaning. When we hear the notion of ‘extroversion’, the opposite concept is known as ‘introversion’ comes to our minds. These two concepts are the key psychological dimensions that define the way people interact with one another as well as the manner people cooperate with the society where they live. It is impossible to mistake the concept of ‘extroversion’ for ‘introversion’ because they denote completely opposite things. The extroverts differ from the introverts in their ways of getting energy, processing their thoughts, connecting people, and introducing themselves to society. In simple words, an extrovert is always in the center of attention so as he/she experiences great content and full satisfaction being surrounded by different people. To the contrar y, the introverted people have only a few friends or individuals they can trust, and these personal connections are extremely meaningful for them. Contrary to the extroverts, such people tend to get personal energy by controlling their thoughts and actions. .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0 , .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0 .postImageUrl , .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0 , .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0:hover , .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0:visited , .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0:active { border:0!important; } .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0:active , .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0 .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub8f1d50c360edb633f203b44b46d22b0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Imports in Agriculture EssayBelow you can find an example of how this particular factor can influence an individual’s social behavior. For instance, whereas those who are high in extroversion use their opportunities for social interaction and search for the new ones, the introverted people are often called ‘people of few words’ because of their introspectiveness, quietness, reserve, modesty, and thoughtfulness. Third Factor–Conscientiousness The concept of ‘conscientiousness’ should be explained in details because of its complicated and at the same time profound meaning. The majority of psychologists define the psychological notion of ‘conscientiousness’ as a person’s trait related to the ability to control their bursts and dashes in the ways accepted in society. What is more, such individuals, who score high in ‘conscientiousness’ are able to ‘wrangle’ their behavior in an effort to achieve the determined goals. According to the modern scientists working in the field of personality psychology, these ‘eager beavers’ stand out for their abilities to delay their personal delights, work in compliance with the established rules and procedures, and organize their working process effectively. Among the most common traits associated with consciousness, one can find the following characteristic features – persistency, ambitiousness, self-discipline, p redictability, consistency, reliability, and vigorousness. This trait is closely associated with the leadership skills of an individual, and that is why those who score high in consciousness tend to achieve great results in their careers. Fourth Factor–Openness to Experience Many psychologists provide different definitions of the fourth dimension of Big Five Traits theory, which is known as ‘openness to experience’. Even though there is a great number of psychological explanations of this particular concept, all of them are united by the same idea. This idea implies a very interesting hypothesis that people’s openness to experience greatly increases their chances to position themselves as true leaders and get the leadership role within their company. A vivid example of how the openness to experience contribute to an individual’s career success is related to one’s inner strength and inner strength. In contrast to the other personality traits, the openness to experience can hardly be changed over time. However, some people attempt to take significant efforts in an effort to cultivate this particular trait A given dimension involves various traits such as adventurousness, emotional sensitivity, aesthetic interest, imaginative thinking, and stores of learning as well. Fifth Factor–Neuroticism During this particular test, psychologists evaluate the neurotic patterns of a person to understand whether he/she feels comfortable in their own skin. The factor of neuroticism has more negative nature since it involves ‘bad’ character traits such as moodiness, pessimism, anxiety, jealousy, lack of confidence, self-criticism, and many others. This trait should be distinguished from other personality traits because of its strong relation to their  emotional stability of a person. The element of emotional stability is important not only for people’s private life but also for their career opportunities. Right or Not? The issue of ‘rightness’ of Big Five Traits theory is frequently discussed in the society. Even though many psychologists continue using this theoretical framework up to the present day, it is difficult to say whether this theory is the right one or not. The concept of human personality is a complex and unique phenomenon that still attracts significant attention of the world’s researchers. Indeed, an individual’s personality is shaped by 200 different traits. That is why scientists cannot agree that Big Five theory is the right model. However, they claim that Goldberg has developed the main infrastructure of human personality.

The Titanic Essays - RMS Titanic, Canada, Edwardian Era,

The Titanic On April 14,1912 a great ship called the Titanic sank on its maiden voyage. That night there were many warnings of icebergs from other ships. There seems to be a conflict on whether or not the warnings reached the bridge. We may never know the answer to this question. The greatest tragedy of all may be that there were not enough lifeboats for everyone on board. According to Walter Lord, author of The Night Lives On, the Titanic could have been saved in the very beginning of the crisis when the iceberg was first reported to the bridge. If First Officer Murdoch had steamed right at the iceberg instead of trying to avoid it, he might have saved the ship. The author feels there would have been a loud crash and anyone within the first one hundred feet would have been killed, but the ship would have remained afloat(82). This view was entirely speculation and we will never really know if this would have happened. In contrast, Geoffrey Marcus, author of The Maiden Voyage, suggests that the b ridge did not receive warning of the ice from the very beginning. One of the messages received was from the Masaba warning the Titanic of a mass of ice lying straight ahead. According to Marcus, the message never reached the bridge, but instead was shoved under a paper-weight (126). At 10:30 p.m. that evening, a ship going the opposite direction of the Titanic was sighted. This ship, the Rappahannock, had emerged from an ice field and had sustained damage to its rudder. The vessel signaled the Titanic about the ice and the Titanic replied that the message was received (Marcus 127). At 11 p.m. another ice report was received. This one was from the Californian. This liner had passed through the same ice field that the Rappahannock had reported to the Titanic. Like all the other warnings, this warning never reached the bridge though it was known to both of the Titanic's wireless operators (Marcus 128). By the time the bridge realized the ship was about to hit an iceberg, it was too lat e. Quartermaster Hitchens tried to turn the wheel hard to the starboard. Twenty seconds later, he had an order for full speed astern but the iceberg was too close. The starboard side hit the iceberg, bringing a block of ice onto the deck (Pellegrino 21). After the collision occurred, there was only one thing open for Captain Smith to do. It was almost midnight and he gave the order to take to the lifeboats (Lord, Lives On 82). This decision brought Captain Smith face-to-face with the fact that there were 2,201 people on board and enough lifeboats for only 1,178 people (Lord, Lives On 83). The Captain was going to have to make a choice as to who would be the first allowed on the lifeboats. Around 12:30 a.m. the bridge informed the crew that only women and children would be loaded on the lifeboats (Eaton,Haas,152). By 1:30 a.m., there was panic among some of the passengers. One example was on the port side of the boat. A group of passengers threatened to jump into a boat full of passengers. To scare them, one of the officers fired three shots on the ship's side. The warning proved to be successful. Nobody was injured and the passengers calmed down (Eaton and Haas 154). At the last moments with only forty seven available spaces on the last lifeboat, the crew instructed everyone to form a circle around the boat. Women and children were the only people permitted to pass through the circle. A little while after the last lifeboat left, the stern lifted clear out of the water with more than 1500 people still on board (Eaton and Haas 157-161). The climatic moment came at 2:20 a.m. The Titanic stood perpendicular to the water. As people in the lifeboats looked on, they noticed the ship stayed perpendicular for a minute and then disappeared to the bottom of the ocean (Lord, Lives on 137). Captain Rostron of the ship Carpathia determined the distance to the Titanic and quickly calculated the course to answer the Titanic's distress call (Eaton and Haas 177). Once the Carpathia

Conformity Essay essays

Conformity Essay essays Use some psychological studies of conformity to discuss reasons for conforming. According to Leon Mann, conformity means yielding to group pressures. Everyone is a member of one group or another and everyone expects members of these groups to behave in certain ways. If you are a member of an identifiable group you are expected to behave appropriately to it. If you dont confirm and behave appropriately you are likely to be rejected by the group. Like stereotypes, conforming and expecting others to conform maintains cognitive balance. There are several kinds of conformity. Many studies of conformity took place in the 1950s which led Kelman to distinguish between compliance, internalisation and identification. Compliance is the type of conformity where the subject goes along with the group view, but privately disagrees with it. Internalisation is where the subject comes to accept, and eventually believes in the group view. Identification is where the subject accepts and believes the group view, because he or she wants to become Leon Mann identifies normative conformity which occurs when direct group pressure forces the individual to yield under the threat of rejection or the promise of reward. This can occur only if someone wants to be a member of the group or the groups attitudes or behaviour are important to the individual in some way. Apart from normative conformity there is informational conformity which occurs where the situation is vague or ambiguous and because the person is uncertain he or she turns to others for evidence of the appropriate response. Thirdly, Mann identifies ingratiational conformity which occurs where a person tries to do whatever he or she thinks the others will approve in order to gain acceptance (if you make yourself appear to be similar to someone else, they might come to like you). The first major research into conformity was conducted ...

The Fall of the Ming Dynasty in China

The Fall of the Ming Dynasty in China By the beginning of 1644, all of China was in chaos. The severely weakened Ming Dynasty was desperately trying to hold on to power, while a rebel leader called Li Zicheng declared his own new dynasty after capturing the capital city of Beijing. In these dire circumstances, a Ming general decided to issue an invitation for the ethnic Manchus of north-eastern China to come to the countrys aid, and retake the capital city.  This would prove to be a fatal mistake for the Ming. The Ming general Wu Sangui probably should have known better than to ask the Manchus for help. They had been fighting one another for the previous 20 years; at the Battle of Ningyuan in 1626, the Manchu leader Nurhaci had received his fatal injury fighting against the Ming. In the years that followed, the Manchus repeated raided Ming China, capturing key northern cities, and defeating the crucial Ming ally Joseon Korea in 1627 and again in 1636. In both 1642 and 1643, Manchu bannermen drove deep into China, seizing territory and loot. Chaos Meanwhile, in other parts of China, a cycle of catastrophic floods on the Yellow River, followed by wide-spread famine, convinced ordinary Chinese people that their rulers had lost the Mandate of Heaven. China needed a new dynasty. Beginning in the 1630s in the northern Shaanxi province, a minor Ming official called Li Zicheng gathered followers from the disenchanted peasantry. In February of 1644, Li captured the old capital of Xian and declared himself the first emperor of the Shun Dynasty.  His armies marched east, capturing Taiyuan and heading toward Beijing. Meanwhile, further south, another rebellion led by the army deserter Zhang Xianzhong unleashed a reign of terror that included capturing and killing several Ming imperial princes and thousands of civilians. He set himself up as the first emperor of the Xi Dynasty based in Sichuan Province in southwest China later in 1644. Beijing Falls With growing alarm, the Chongzhen Emperor of Ming watched the rebel troops under Li Zicheng advance toward Beijing. His most effective general, Wu Sangui, was far away, north of the Great Wall. The emperor sent for Wu, and also issued a general summons on April 5 for any available military commander in the Ming Empire to come to Beijings rescue. It was no use- on April 24, Lis army broke through the city walls and captured Beijing.  The Chongzhen Emperor hanged himself from a tree behind the Forbidden City. Wu Sangui and his Ming army were on their way to Beijing, marching through the Shanhai Pass at the eastern end of the Great Wall of China.  Wu received word that he was too late, and the capital had already fallen. He retreated to Shanhai.  Li Zicheng sent his armies to confront Wu, who handily defeated them in two battles. Frustrated, Li marched out in person at the head of a 60,000-strong force to take on Wu. It was at this point that Wu appealed to the closest large army nearby- the Qing leader Dorgon and his Manchus. Curtains for the Ming Dorgon had no interest in restoring the Ming Dynasty, his old rivals. He agreed to attack Lis army, but only if Wu and the Ming army would serve under him instead. On May 27, Wu agreed. Dorgon sent him and his troops to attack Lis rebel army repeatedly; once both sides in this Han Chinese civil battle were worn out, Dorgon sent his riders around the flank of Wus army. The Manchu set upon the rebels, quickly overcoming them and sending them flying back toward Beijing. Li Zicheng himself returned to the Forbidden City and grabbed all the valuables he could carry. His troops looted the capital for a couple of days and then scampered west on June 4, 1644, ahead of the advancing Manchus. Li would only survive until September of the following year, when he was killed after a series of battles with Qing imperial troops. Ming pretenders to the throne continued to try to rally Chinese support for restoration for several decades after the fall of Beijing, but none gained much support. The Manchu leaders quickly reorganized the Chinese government, adopting some aspects of Han Chinese rule such as the civil service exam system, while also imposing Manchu customs such as the queue hairstyle on their Han Chinese subjects. In the end, the Manchus Qing Dynasty would rule China right up to the end of the imperial era, in 1911. Causes of Ming Collapse One major cause of the Ming collapse was a succession of relatively weak and disconnected emperors. Early in the Ming period, the emperors were active administrators and military leaders. By the end of the Ming era, however, the emperors had retreated into the Forbidden City, never venturing out at the head of their armies, and seldom even meeting in person with their ministers. A second reason for the collapse of the Ming was the huge expense in money and men of defending China from its northern and western neighbors. This has been a constant in Chinese history, but the Ming were particularly concerned because they had only just won China back from Mongol rule under the Yuan Dynasty.  As it turned out, they were right to worry about invasions from the north, although this time it was the Manchus who took power. A final, huge cause was the shifting climate and disruptions to the monsoon cycle of rains. Heavy rains brought devastating floods, particularly of the Yellow River, which swamped farmers land and drowned livestock and people alike. With crops and stock destroyed, the people went hungry, a sure-fire prescription for peasant uprisings. Indeed, the fall of the Ming Dynasty was the sixth time in Chinese history that a long-standing empire was brought down by peasant rebellion following famine.

The father and son motif in Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel Essay

The father and son motif in Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel - Essay Example Ironically, the way in which this motif permeates the poem gives rise to nearly all of the stages of the story. This essay will argue that the father-son motif in Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel demonstrates the implicit vulnerability of all patriarchal relationships; more particularly, this essay will explain how Dryden employs the father-son motif in order to highlight the danger of a patriarch loving uncritically, the danger of a patriarch offering mercy and restraint to enemies, and the painful burdens that patriarchal figures must endure if they are to survive in such a role. The poem begins almost as an apology; it is apologetic because patriarchs and fathers are forgiven in advance for the miseries to be encountered in the current age. This reference to simpler times is introduced in the first few lines, when Dryden offers that, "In pious times, ere priestcraft did begin, Before polygamy was made a sin; When man on many multiplied his kind, Ere one to one was cursedly confined; When nature prompted, and no law denied, Promiscuous use of concubine and bride;" (1-6). The implication is that there was a time when fatherhood implied no predominant obligation; indeed, this reference to pious times views the father-son relationship without the imposition of certain conditions or risks. Having a generalized duty to many people, being promiscuous and without the curse of being confined, the father may pursue his life freely. The patriarch, in short, may interact with others when nature prompts, he may choose and discard his relationships arbitrarily, and he wi ll not be judged a legitimate or illegitimate father by others. The pious times, in effect, were without negative consequences. These pious times, on the other hand, are at an end. The father-son motif, particularly with the birth of Absalom, demonstrates the most immediate vulnerability of patriarchy. Patriarchal consequences arise and vest most forebodingly with the birth of Absalom. The indifference notable in pious times is notably absent; quite the contrary, King David, was borne a son described as "So beautiful, so brave,Whether inspired by some diviner lust, His father got him with a greater gust; Or that his conscious destiny made way, By manly beauty, to imperial sway" (18-22). The "imperial sway" language is particularly significant; it is significant because King David is creating a special place in his heart and in his monarchy for Absalom. There is no longer any indifference; more interesting, the son has been elevated to a position higher than that enjoyed by either King David's other children or by King David's subjects. It is easy to ascribe the villainy to come to Achitophel, and yet the first sign of a faction is created by the father himself. To be more precise, rather than maintaining a strictly patriarchal relation to all men, King David instead elevated the s on whom would later become his enemy and the cause of much sadness. Thus, if Achitophel might be blamed for taking advantage of this father-son relationship, then King David must accept responsibility for having given so much favor to Absalom in the