What were the challenges for George Washington?

George Washington faced many challenges. Some occurred while leading the colonial army in the Revolutionary War. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington was constantly faced with a lack of supplies and a lack of soldiers. Most of his soldiers had little formal military training. Those who did enlist signed up for a one-year term of service. Many soldiers deserted when faced with harsh conditions and rough winters. Fortunately, Washington overcame these challenges.

As President after...

George Washington faced many challenges. Some occurred while leading the colonial army in the Revolutionary War. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington was constantly faced with a lack of supplies and a lack of soldiers. Most of his soldiers had little formal military training. Those who did enlist signed up for a one-year term of service. Many soldiers deserted when faced with harsh conditions and rough winters. Fortunately, Washington overcame these challenges.

As President after the Constitution was ratified, George Washington also faced challenges. There were people who felt the new government had too much power. People were nervous about Alexander Hamilton’s plan to deal with our debt. Fortunately, a compromise was reached that allowed the federal government to combine the federal debt and the state debt and begin the prices off repaying our debts to others.

George Washington had problems with other countries. Great Britain and Spain were trying to push us around. Great Britain and Spain were encouraging the Native Americans to attack us. They also were interfering with our trade. Many people wanted President Washington to go to war with these countries. President Washington knew that would be a mistake. Instead, treaties were negotiated to try to resolve the issues that existed. Treaties were successfully negotiated reducing the tension for a period of time.

George Washington faced many challenges as a colonial military leader and as President of the United States.

To The Doctor Who Treated The Raped Baby And Who Felt Such Despair Analysis

Finuala Dowling's poem, "To the Doctor who Treated the Raped Baby and Who Felt Such Despair," features contrasting settings.  The one, constant setting is an African hospital emergency room where a doctor struggles physically and emotionally with saving an infant who was raped.  This setting represents the grim reality that some people in the world are the epitome of evil and victimize the most innocent of all humanity.  

The other setting rotates from various...

Finuala Dowling's poem, "To the Doctor who Treated the Raped Baby and Who Felt Such Despair," features contrasting settings.  The one, constant setting is an African hospital emergency room where a doctor struggles physically and emotionally with saving an infant who was raped.  This setting represents the grim reality that some people in the world are the epitome of evil and victimize the most innocent of all humanity.  

The other setting rotates from various locations, but they are all safe and peaceful places where babies and children are being raised surrounded by love and protection.  For example, "when the bleeding baby was admitted to your care faraway a Karoo shepherd crooned a ramkietjie lullaby in the veld" shows the reader that far away from the operating room, another baby was being cared for and sung to.  As the baby is being "stitched," in a safe bed in a safe home, another baby is being read "another chapter of a favourite story."

The effect of these contrasting settings is to support the overall idea that humanity is generally kind and compassionate and that one horrible crime against a child is not indicative of the whole world.  To the doctor, people seem evil at this point, but hopefully he will later realize that most people are good.

What was the name of President Theodore Roosevelt's plan to protect working-class citizens by breaking up bad trusts?

President Theodore Roosevelt was very concerned that all people should be treated fairly. When businesses acted in their self-interest and put the public’s interests in danger, he wasn’t afraid to act. This idea of treating everybody fairly was known as the Square Deal.

President Roosevelt used the Sherman Antitrust Act to deal with businesses that were only focused on their own self-interest. When the creation of the Northern Securities Company nearly led to an economic...

President Theodore Roosevelt was very concerned that all people should be treated fairly. When businesses acted in their self-interest and put the public’s interests in danger, he wasn’t afraid to act. This idea of treating everybody fairly was known as the Square Deal.

President Roosevelt used the Sherman Antitrust Act to deal with businesses that were only focused on their own self-interest. When the creation of the Northern Securities Company nearly led to an economic crisis, President Roosevelt filed suit against the company. The Supreme Court ruled the company had to dissolve. In 1902 when the owners of the coal mines refused to make any compromises to the workers as a way to resolve the coal strike, President Roosevelt threatened to have the government run the mines. He was concerned the public wouldn’t have enough coal to heat their homes as the strike dragged on and as winter approached. Eventually, arbitration was used to end the strike.

President Roosevelt took other actions to be sure businesses were acting fairly. The Bureau of Corporations was established to monitor businesses. The Hepburn Act gave the Interstate Commerce Commission the power to set railroad rates. The Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act were laws passed to protect consumers. Meat would have to be inspected before it could be sold. It was illegal to falsely label food and medicines.

President Roosevelt believed all people should be treated fairly. His Square Deal programs and policies reflected that belief.

What differences can be inferred between the narrator and Doodle in "The Scarlet Ibis"?

James Hurst's short story "The Scarlet Ibis" is about two brothers growing up in coastal North Carolina in the first part of the 20th century. The story is told from the first person point of view of the older brother, who is never named. His younger brother is Doodle, a name the narrator gave him when he was still a toddler.

The most obvious difference between the two boys is that the narrator is able-bodied....

James Hurst's short story "The Scarlet Ibis" is about two brothers growing up in coastal North Carolina in the first part of the 20th century. The story is told from the first person point of view of the older brother, who is never named. His younger brother is Doodle, a name the narrator gave him when he was still a toddler.

The most obvious difference between the two boys is that the narrator is able-bodied. He is a healthy young boy who lives to run, swim, and box. Doodle was born with major physical issues. For a while when he was a baby, almost everyone thought he would soon die. This difference drives a wedge between the two as the narrator is frustrated and embarrassed by having a disabled brother.

Another difference is that Doodle seems to appreciate the simple beauty of the world more than his brother. He also has a very keen imagination. He loves to sit by "Old Woman Swamp" and either make "honeysuckle wreaths" or tell fantasy stories. When the narrator first takes Doodle to the swamp, Doodle is overcome by the beauty of nature and cries. He says,

“It’s so pretty,” he said. “So pretty, pretty, pretty.”

Doodle weaves vivid stories about imaginary characters. The characters in Doodle's stories all fly wherever they want to go and one character has a pet peacock. These dreams represent Doodle's vision for overcoming his disabilities. Likewise, he is fascinated by the scarlet ibis that is blown off course and lands in one of the family's trees. Doodle admires the bird's fragile beauty, and when it dies, he insists on burying it.

The narrator, on the other hand, is obsessed with the physical aspects of life. From the very beginning he wants a brother who will be an athletic companion in tests of endurance and strength:

I thought myself pretty smart at many things, like holding my breath, running, jumping, or climbing the vines in Old Woman Swamp, and I wanted more than anything else someone to race to Horsehead Landing, someone to box with, and someone to perch with in the top fork of the great pine behind the barn, where across the fields and swamps you could see the sea. I wanted a brother. 

Because of this, he pushes Doodle to be the playmate he always wanted. He initially teaches him to walk, but that isn't enough and he devises a rigorous training schedule for Doodle. Doodle, however, cannot live up to his brother's expectations and, when he fails, the narrator abandons him in a rainstorm.

In the end, the reader may assume that the narrator feels great remorse for the way he treated Doodle and that he was unable to realize the fragile elegance of the boy.

How do the roles of Frankenstein and the monster reverse in the final chapters of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein?

After the creature murders Elizabeth on her wedding night, he feels that his task is done. He has destroyed everyone that Victor loves, and this is more satisfying as a means of revenge than killing Victor himself. He escapes, his task seemingly complete. Victor, now alone in the world, has nothing else holding him back but to track down his creature and destroy him. The roles have reversed in that it is now Victor chasing...

After the creature murders Elizabeth on her wedding night, he feels that his task is done. He has destroyed everyone that Victor loves, and this is more satisfying as a means of revenge than killing Victor himself. He escapes, his task seemingly complete. Victor, now alone in the world, has nothing else holding him back but to track down his creature and destroy him. The roles have reversed in that it is now Victor chasing the creature, rather than the creature chasing Victor. All over Europe, the two of them roam, the creature constantly ahead of his pursuer. Having reached the Arctic, Victor is found by Robert Walton, and he takes a brief respite on Walton’s ship before planning to continue his pursuit. After he tells Walton his story, his health weakens. His chase has destroyed him. When Victor dies, the creature comes on the ship and grieves for his creator. Death is not something he envisioned for Victor. Now that Victor is dead, the creature goes off, planning to destroy himself on a funeral pyre.

What is fascism? |

Fascism is generally understood to be an extremist, authoritarian, and far-right political system. While fascist regimes have varied greatly in their symbolism, ideology, and international orientation, a number of common characteristics can be delineated.

Broadly speaking, fascism is authoritarian in that it is anti-democratic, or disdainful of the notion of political equality and participation. Thus, fascist states have tended to consolidate power in the hands of one charismatic leader, and, to a lesser extent, his...

Fascism is generally understood to be an extremist, authoritarian, and far-right political system. While fascist regimes have varied greatly in their symbolism, ideology, and international orientation, a number of common characteristics can be delineated.

Broadly speaking, fascism is authoritarian in that it is anti-democratic, or disdainful of the notion of political equality and participation. Thus, fascist states have tended to consolidate power in the hands of one charismatic leader, and, to a lesser extent, his party. Pertinent examples include Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany, Benito Mussolini in Italy, and Francisco Franco in Spain. Fascist regimes are also authoritarian in that they seek to regulate economic structures and alter social relations. Indeed, fascist regimes often seek to restore a long-lost national identity, or a debased national pride. They exalt tradition, national and/or ethnic folklore, and nationalistic ideals. It is critical to note that they cast such projects as restorations of, or a return to, a mythical, idealized past. In Germany, Adolf Hitler deployed notions of a pure, idyllic, and heroic German past, as well as a wounded German pride (that is, after its defeat in World War I), to galvanize popular support. 

Other features of fascist regimes include an exaltation of masculinity, militarism, and youth. There may be a narrative emphasis on purging or cleansing the nation of internal and external enemies who, more often than not, are said to consist of oppressed minority groups. These groups are accused of conspiring with globalist or foreign forces—remember, fascism draws heavily upon nationalism—to injure the "true" nationals, and to deprive them of what is "rightfully" theirs. In Nazi Germany, the Jewish community was cast as such an enemy. 

As with any political ideology, fascism is colored by the specific context of the nation in which it takes root. In fascist Italy, Mussolini and his party used Catholic imagery and (idealized) history to amass support. Mussolini claimed that he and he alone could protect the Italian people, their culture, and their Catholic religion from the scourge of leftism. In Germany, Hitler drew upon centuries of European anti-Semitism to demonize the Jewish people.

However, it must be noted that there are some important disagreements among scholars as to the definition of fascism. Some do not believe that fascism is necessarily a far-right phenomenon, but is better classified as a form of collectivism. One proponent of this view is Friedrich von Hayek, who argues that fascism is more closely related to communism or authoritarian leftism than conventional "right wing" politics. Indeed, von Hayek claims that, at its core, fascism is based on centralized planning, and a disdain for individual liberty. He even goes so far as to claim that the roots of the Nazi ideology lie in socialism (The Road to Serfdom, 200). Thus, fascism is best thought of as opposed to classical liberalism, or systems in which individual liberty and limited government prevail.

Other prominent scholars who propose alternate definitions of fascism include John Lukacs and George Orwell. I would strongly recommend that you read such critiques, along with detailed accounts of fascism in various countries.

In Okay for Now, what characters do some of the birds represent?

In the book, a picture of a bird begins every chapter. One of the pictures shows an Arctic Tern, and this fascinates Doug because it depicts a swiftly falling bird, "heading down into the water, about to crash, his neck yanked back because he knows he's going to smack into it." Above all, Doug notices the "terrified eye" of the bird. In thinking of the eye, Doug suddenly remembers Lucas, his older brother, who is a soldier in Vietnam.

In the story, the falling Arctic tern represents Lucas, who is injured during his service in Vietnam. When he returns home, Lucas has to deal with the aftermath of war; as a wounded warrior, his injuries are both physical and mental.

Chapter Two begins with a picture of the Red-Throated Divers. In the picture, a mother bird is flanked by two junior birds, while a baby bird nestles under her wings. Neither the junior birds nor the mother bird is looking at each other; the gazes of both parties are turned in opposite directions. Meanwhile, the baby bird, sitting securely under his mother's wings, is looking with interest towards the junior birds. Doug thinks that the baby bird looks like "maybe it wanted to swim where the other two birds were" but may be afraid to try.

As for the mother bird, Doug observes that her "neck was turned all around about as far as it could possibly go, and she was looking far away, at something a long way out from the picture. She was looking at a place she wanted to go but couldn't, because she didn't know how to get away." The picture appears to represent Doug, his mother, and his two brothers, Christopher and Lucas. We get some indication how this may be the case during a family interaction.

At dinner one night, Christopher and Doug's father both laugh at Doug because he only gets paid every other Saturday. Doug tells us that, while the two are laughing at him, his mother "turned and looked out the window, at something far away." Both Christopher and Lucas are beyond her seeming influence, but she enjoys a close relationship with Doug; the baby bird in the picture perfectly represents Doug.

Chapter Four begins with a picture of the Black-Backed Gull. Doug tells us that, in the picture, the bird appears to be dying. A large wing takes up much of the picture. The bird is bleeding, and there is "thick red blood all over the dark feathers." Doug continues to describe the bird for us:

His beak was wide open and his tongue was stretched out into a point. He was screeching while his blood ran. His head was pulled far back, like he was taking one last look at the sky that he would never fly in again. And his round eye told you he knew that everything was ruined forever.

He tells us that he would gladly have given Joe Pepitone's jacket to save this bird. Prior to seeing this picture, Doug describes the moment Christopher fails to recognize Joe Pepitone's jacket on him, as he torments Doug about his bird drawings. Later, when the police question Christopher about his possible culpability in the Tools 'n' More Hardware store robbery, Christopher is devastated. After the police officers leave, Christopher tries to tell his mother that he wasn't the one who broke into the store, but his mother doesn't believe him either.

When Doug goes into his bedroom that night, he tells us that he knows Christopher had been crying.

The covers were drawn up over his head. You know, when someone has been crying, something gets left in the air. It's not something you can see, or smell, or feel. Or draw. But it's there. It's like the screech of the Black-Backed Gull, crying out into the empty white space around him. You can't hear it when you look at the picture. But that doesn't mean it isn't there.

From the text, it would appear that the Black-Backed Gull represents Christopher. Caught in the shadows of his older brother and his abusive father, Christopher is inwardly dying, and yet no one seems to be able to help him. Like the Black-Backed Gull, he seems to be plunging downward into ruin.

Where can I find a summary for The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson?

The author of The Ghost Map, Steven Johnson, is a popular speaker as well as a writer. He's the host of the PBS television series How We Got to Now, in which he examines simple phenomena that have shaped the course of the 21st century.

I mention this because the best summaries you can find on The Ghost Map come from the author himself.

Here's a link to a 2006 TED (A T...

The author of The Ghost Map, Steven Johnson, is a popular speaker as well as a writer. He's the host of the PBS television series How We Got to Now, in which he examines simple phenomena that have shaped the course of the 21st century.

I mention this because the best summaries you can find on The Ghost Map come from the author himself.

Here's a link to a 2006 TED (A Technology, Entertainment, and Design conference) presentation given by the author about the book: Steven Johnson: A Guided Tour of The Ghost Map. The video is roughly 11 minutes.

Also, a more thorough examination of the material from the book can be found in this recording of a talk Johnson gave at Google in 2007: The Ghost Map - Talks at Google. This video is nearly an hour in length.

Johnson also discusses the story from the book in the television program How We Got to Now, though the show can only be accessed online through Netflix.

What is the speaker trying to do in the poem "To the Doctor who Treated the Raped Baby and who Felt Such Despair"?

In Finuala Dowling's poem, "To the Doctor who Treated the Raped Baby and Who Felt Such Despair," the speaker attempts to reassure the doctor who is given the horrible task of treating an infant rape victim.  Of course the doctor is in a state of shock and agony at the evil he is having to fix, even to the point where he asks "Where is God?"

However, the speaker gives the doctor, and the reader,...

In Finuala Dowling's poem, "To the Doctor who Treated the Raped Baby and Who Felt Such Despair," the speaker attempts to reassure the doctor who is given the horrible task of treating an infant rape victim.  Of course the doctor is in a state of shock and agony at the evil he is having to fix, even to the point where he asks "Where is God?"

However, the speaker gives the doctor, and the reader, the calming knowledge that for every one evil example of man's inhumanity, other people in the world are putting themselves last in order to care for and nurture others.

For example, "when the bleeding baby was admitted to your care faraway a Karoo shepherd crooned a ramkietjie lullaby in the veld" shows the reader that far away from the operating room, another baby was being cared for and sung to.  As the baby is being "stitched," in a safe bed in a safe home, another baby is being read "another chapter of a favourite story."

The poem is an appeal to the doctor not to give up hope.  Additionally, it supports the overall idea that humanity is generally kind and compassionate and that one horrible crime against a child is not indicative of the whole world.  

What is in the briefcase that the man gives to Winston, and why is this item of special importance?

In Part Two, Chapter Eight, O'Brien arranges to give Winston a briefcase:

At some time during the day, in the street, a man will touch you on the arm and say “I think you have dropped your brief-case.” The one he gives you will contain a copy of Goldstein’s book. You will return it within fourteen days.

As arranged, Winston receives the briefcase the day before Hate Week begins but is so busy that he...

In Part Two, Chapter Eight, O'Brien arranges to give Winston a briefcase:

At some time during the day, in the street, a man will touch you on the arm and say “I think you have dropped your brief-case.” The one he gives you will contain a copy of Goldstein’s book. You will return it within fourteen days.

As arranged, Winston receives the briefcase the day before Hate Week begins but is so busy that he is unable to open it immediately and look at its contents.

The significance of this briefcase cannot be overstated. Inside, it contains a copy of "the book," penned by Goldstein, an enemy of the party. This book contains the truth about the party's hold on the people of Oceania and explains how they use war as a means of manipulating and controlling the people. 

Receiving the briefcase, then, is symbolic of Winston's open state of rebellion. He has outed himself to O'Brien and voiced his anti-party sentiments. Receiving the briefcase is representative of his commitment to the resistance movement and his desire to overthrow Big Brother and create a new society.

In an ironic twist, however, it is later revealed that this was all a ruse. O'Brien is, in fact, a senior member of the Thought Police who has used the briefcase to detect Winston's thoughtcrime. So, while the briefcase came to symbolise Winston's freedom from the party's control, it now becomes the symbol of his downfall. In Part Two, Chapter Ten, the briefcase and the book lead directly to his arrest and his torture at the hands of O'Brien. 

Which phrase represents the speaker's feeling toward daffodils in stanza 3 of "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud."

The following lines represent the speaker's feelings toward the daffodils, with an emphasis on the word "gay;"

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company

 The poet is saying that, as he watches the multitudes of bright golden daffodils seemingly dancing in the spring breeze as the waves of the lake sparkle behind them, he cannot help but feel "gay," which, at the time the poem was written, meant happy or...

The following lines represent the speaker's feelings toward the daffodils, with an emphasis on the word "gay;"

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company

 The poet is saying that, as he watches the multitudes of bright golden daffodils seemingly dancing in the spring breeze as the waves of the lake sparkle behind them, he cannot help but feel "gay," which, at the time the poem was written, meant happy or lighthearted. Seeing the waving daffodils makes him feel joyful. He says it would be impossible for a sensitive person, ie, "a poet," to feel any other way when in such "jocund," meaning laughing or jolly, company, as the flowers provide. He is having the kind of moment of joy and bliss we all sometimes experience when we suddenly are struck by the incredible beauty of a simple scene, such as the sight of daffodils blowing in the wind. 

What lesson does Scout teach Uncle Jack and about children and what further lesson does Atticus add in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Jack learns to listen to children before punishing them and explain things clearly.

When Jack spanks Scout for fighting with her cousin Frances, she tells him that he doesn’t understand children much and then proceeds to explain to him why it was unfair for him to punish her.  She complains that he did not stop to listen to her side of the story before he started to hit her.

“… When Jem an‘ I fuss Atticus doesn’t ever just listen to Jem’s side of it, he hears mine too, an’ in the second place you told me never to use words like that except in ex-extreme provocation, and Francis provocated me enough to knock his block off—” (Ch. 9)

She tells him what Francis said about her father, which was a racially charged insult regarding his defense of Tom Robinson.  When Jack heard what happened, he regretted having punished her and wished he had punished Francis instead.  Scout asks him to just drop the matter.

Later, Atticus tells Jack that he was right to punish Scout, but he had the wrong reason.  She did deserve to be punished, but not for swearing or fighting Francis when he told her not to.  She would outgrow swearing, but not stubbornness.  

Atticus tells Jack that he needs to speak frankly to children when he tells Atticus that Scout asked him what a whore-lady was and he gave an indirect answer.

“Jack! When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness’ sake. But don’t make a production of it. Children are children, but they can spot an evasion quicker than adults, and evasion simply muddles ‘em. (Ch. 9)

Atticus’s point is that children should be listened to, and adults should not be evasive in explanations to children because rather than teaching them it just confuses them.  Jack has no children, so he doesn’t really understand children.  As Scout’s uncle, he feels that he should play a role in her life, but he doesn’t really have experience to know how to deal with her.

What is a thesis statement for an essay about the book "One Good Turn"?

Writing a thesis statement is a valuable skill that you will use over and over for the duration of your academic career. While I can't tell you the thesis statement for an essay I haven't read, I can tell you how to come up with a thesis statement, and then you can write a thesis statement for an essay about the book "One Good Turn" and any other essay that comes your way.

A thesis statement includes the statement you intend to prove in your essay (which is actually called the 'thesis'). It then usually includes the main points you will be exploring to prove your thesis.

So before you can write a thesis statement, you have to figure out what your thesis, or main idea, is. To do this, you should begin by asking a question. Since your essay is about the book "One Good Turn," you need to begin by jotting down all the questions you had while reading the book. For example, you might ask yourself, "What is the meaning of the wordplay in the title?" After you've jotted down a few questions, you must select one to answer in your essay.

Then you need to try to figure out the answer to your question. You should be able to find the answer as you read the book, but you might need to do further research to find the answer. Since my example is for a literary essay, there is probably a complex answer with several strands, and you will have to find it by inferencing, or reading between the lines. For the above question, you might decide the answer is, "The wordplay in One Good Turn refers to tools that need to be turned." If you decide to write a research essay, you will have to come up with a question that CANNOT be answered by reading the book, and requires further research. You might ask, "Who invented the auger?" You will need to look beyond the pages of Rybcynski's book to find more information about the origin of the auger.

As you read, research, and inference, write down all the ways you can find to answer your question. These are going to be your main points in your essay. For example, you might notice that the book is based on an essay about screwdrivers, finds the origin of the word "screwdriver," and has several illustrations of early screwdrivers. These are your main points that you will use to explain the wordplay in the title, "One Good Turn." For each main point, you're going to need to write a full paragraph to explain how it supports your thesis, with reference to the book.

So your thesis, for the example above, would read something like: "In the book, One Good Turn, the wordplay in the title refers to the turn of a screwdriver and the turns in the historical development of the screwdriver, which is evidenced by Rybczynski's earlier essay on screwdrivers also entitled "One Good Turn," his explanation of the origins of the word screwdriver, and many illustrations of early screwdrivers."

If you need to write a research essay, your main points will have to come from your research.

I hope this helps! Good luck with your thesis statement, and your essay!

Who was the Thane of Cawdor before Macbeth?

The Thane of Cawdor is not named in Macbeth. But, in Act I, Scene 2, the Thane of Cawdor is labeled a Scottish traitor by the Thane of Ross when he returns to camp. Further, Ross reports that the Norwegians, who have been in "terrible numbers," fought with the king's troops. In fact, the king of Norway himself did battle with the Scots. His soldiers were aided by the Thane of Cawdor, called "the disloyal...

The Thane of Cawdor is not named in Macbeth. But, in Act I, Scene 2, the Thane of Cawdor is labeled a Scottish traitor by the Thane of Ross when he returns to camp. Further, Ross reports that the Norwegians, who have been in "terrible numbers," fought with the king's troops. In fact, the king of Norway himself did battle with the Scots. His soldiers were aided by the Thane of Cawdor, called "the disloyal traitor" by Ross. It has been a "dismal conflict," one that threatens Scotland, in which they all engaged. But, after the mighty Macbeth reached the battlefield, the Scots defeated Norway.

Hearing this report, Scotland's king, Duncan, tells Ross that he wants Macbeth awarded the title Thane of Cawdor because of his bravery and skill. Furthermore, King Duncan orders that the traitorous Thane of Cawdor be put to death and his title awarded to Macbeth for his bravery. "What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won" (1.2.68).

What was the first major action Roosevelt took as president?

When Franklin D. Roosevelt became president, our country was in the middle of the Great Depression. Our financial system was collapsing, requiring immediate action from the president.

President Roosevelt went directly to the White House from his inauguration. The first major action he took was shutting down the nation’s banks. While they were closed, the Emergency Banking Relief Act passed. This law allowed the federal government to inspect all of the nation’s banks and to...

When Franklin D. Roosevelt became president, our country was in the middle of the Great Depression. Our financial system was collapsing, requiring immediate action from the president.

President Roosevelt went directly to the White House from his inauguration. The first major action he took was shutting down the nation’s banks. While they were closed, the Emergency Banking Relief Act passed. This law allowed the federal government to inspect all of the nation’s banks and to allow only the strongest banks financially to reopen. It was essential to restore confidence in our nation’s banking system. This confidence had been eroded by the many bank failures when the Great Depression occurred. President Roosevelt talked to the American people before the banks reopened. Using the Fireside Chat, President Roosevelt told the American people the banking system was fine and that Americans should have confidence in it. The American people believed President Roosevelt as they deposited more money in the banks than they withdrew after the banks reopened.

Restoring confidence in the banking system was a major goal of President Roosevelt’s first action as president, which was closing all banks in the country.

"Although revenge forms a very destructive bond between the monster and Victor, it ultimately becomes their shared link to humanity and gives them...

In one way, this claim is true because, now that both Victor and his creature are totally alone in this world but for each other, they are all that the other has to connect them to anyone else.  In a way, the creature has acquired, in Victor, what he wanted all along: a companion.  Though Victor is hardly the loving companion for which the creature initially hoped, it is true that the creature is no...

In one way, this claim is true because, now that both Victor and his creature are totally alone in this world but for each other, they are all that the other has to connect them to anyone else.  In a way, the creature has acquired, in Victor, what he wanted all along: a companion.  Though Victor is hardly the loving companion for which the creature initially hoped, it is true that the creature is no longer alone now that Victor pursues him.  In fact, the creature even leaves him directions and food when he feels that Victor is losing the trail or growing too weak to continue.  He does not want to lose Victor because his creator is all that he has left.  Likewise, the creature has rendered Victor alone now that he's murdered his best friend, wife, brother, and caused the death of his father.  It seems likely that Victor, in an effort not to have to contend with his own responsibility for their deaths, decides instead to exhaust himself in pursuing his creature.

On the other hand, it seems like a stretch to classify their relationship as a "link to humanity."  As the creature has pointed out, the quality that makes us human is our capability to do both extreme good and extreme evil.  Neither the creature nor Victor is at all in touch with the "good" side of humanity at this point.  Each seeks only to exact revenge on the other, Victor by killing his creature and his creature by torturing Victor in forcing him to feel as alone as the creature has felt.  Revenge is not a sound foundation for life, and it cannot sustain either of them for long (as we see by the novel's end). 

What warning does Banquo give Macbeth?

In Act I, Scene 3, after Macbeth and Banquo have heard the Witches' prophecies, Macbeth asks Banquo:

Do you not hope your children shall be kings,When those that gave the Thane of Cawdor to mePromised no less to them?

What Macbeth means here is that the Witches promised that he would become king and also promised that Banquo's heirs would be kings. In response, Banquo gives Macbeth the following warning:

But ’tis strange;...

In Act I, Scene 3, after Macbeth and Banquo have heard the Witches' prophecies, Macbeth asks Banquo:

Do you not hope your children shall be kings,
When those that gave the Thane of Cawdor to me
Promised no less to them?

What Macbeth means here is that the Witches promised that he would become king and also promised that Banquo's heirs would be kings. In response, Banquo gives Macbeth the following warning:

But ’tis strange;
And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence—

This suggests that the Witches, who are instruments of darkness, agents of the Devil, are not there to do either Macbeth or Banquo any good but to do them harm. Banquo's premonition turns out to be true because both men are destroyed by the play's end. Macbeth and Banquo quickly become suspicious of each other. Macbeth strikes first. He recruits men to murder both Banquo and his son Fleance--although Fleance manages to escape and keeps the prospect of Banquo's heirs becoming kings still alive. Macbeth murders King Duncan and manages to supplant him as king of Scotland. But the thanes and the common people hate him because they know he is a murderer and a usurper. He has to rule by escalating force and fear, leading to domestic chaos and desertions. The English king sends an army headed by Duncan's son and legitimate heir along with Macduff, the Thane of Fife. Macbeth trusts the "instruments of darkness" until the end, when he is slain by Macduff in hand-to-hand combat and his head is displayed on a pike.

So Shakespeare, through Banquo, is suggesting that the Three Witches stop Macbeth and Banquo on the heath in order to plant false notions in both their heads and cause their destruction with real truths that have fatal consequences. Macbeth tries to make the prophecies come true in a proactive manner, but Banquo keeps his head and does nothing. He reasons that if Fate intends for certain things to happen to him and his heirs, then those things will happen without his trying to interfere with Fate. Otherwise he will be content with whatever happens.

Which events finally trigged King Leopold's handover of the Congo?

King Leopold II of Belgium was the owner and ruler of the Congo, then known as the Congo Free State. During the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885, representatives from Europe and the United States handed over the colony to Leopold, who pretended to be a great humanitarian. In reality, however, he ruled over the Congo as a dictator, using his private army to brutally force the Congolese people to extract ivory and rubber. Scholars believe that...

King Leopold II of Belgium was the owner and ruler of the Congo, then known as the Congo Free State. During the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885, representatives from Europe and the United States handed over the colony to Leopold, who pretended to be a great humanitarian. In reality, however, he ruled over the Congo as a dictator, using his private army to brutally force the Congolese people to extract ivory and rubber. Scholars believe that as much as half of the native population died during Leopold's savage reign.

Rumors of his brutality circulated for years, but they were largely ignored. In 1902, Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, based on Conrad's experiences as a steamboat captain in the Congo years before, was published (it had appeared as a three-part serial in a magazine in 1899), exposing the atrocities that Leopold and his army were committing in the Congo. The British government finally appointed Roger Casement to investigate what was going on in the Congo, and his report, the Casement Report, documented Leopold's abuses. A shipping clerk named E.D. Morel then founded the Congo Reform Association. In his position, he had seen ships leaving from Belgium only with guns and other weapons and returning with valuable rubber and ivory. From these records, Morel guessed at Leopold's atrocities. Morel's actions, supported by Mark Twain and others, was an example of an average person taking steps to reform abuses. In 1908, King Leopold was forced to give up the Congo to the Belgian Parliament, and it became the Belgian Congo.

What does Brutus think of the letter in Julius Caesar?

Brutus gets a letter asking him to strike Caesar and it apparently convinces him to go through with the assasination.

Cassius approaches Brutus at the feast of Lupercal and tells him that Julius Caesar is too ambitious and powerful. A group of men have gotten together to assassinate Caesar. This is obviously a very dangerous move. They need Brutus to join their conspiracy in order to lend it legitimacy.

CASCA

O, he sits high in all the people's hearts:
And that which would appear offence in us,
His countenance, like richest alchemy,
Will change to virtue and to worthiness. (Act 1, Scene 3)

About a month later, the day before the attack, Brutus ponders Caesar’s fate in a soliloquy. He determines that while Caesar has not done anything wrong now, he should act before the man gets so powerful that they can’t stop him.

After Brutus has this little talk with himself, his servant Lucius brings him a letter. Lucius explains that he found it in the windowsill.

The taper burneth in your closet, sir.
Searching the window for a flint, I found
This paper, thus seal'd up; and, I am sure,
It did not lie there when I went to bed. (Act 2, Scene 1)

Mysterious! Apparently the conspirators are still courting Brutus. They want to make sure he does not change his mind. They decided to leave letters for Brutus urging him to join, written in several different handwritings so that Brutus will think that there is a huge popular movement to get him to kill Caesar.

Cassius tells Cinna to leave the paper where Brutus will find it. He knows how impressionable and conceited Brutus is, and is engaging in a multi-legged campaign to convince Brutus to lend his name to their cause.

Brutus takes the letter seriously.

Am I entreated
To speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise:
If the redress will follow, thou receivest
Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus! (Act 2, Scene 1)

It clearly works. The letter, which says, “Speak, strike, redress!” is a little confusing to Brutus at first, but he determines that it means that the people are against Caesar and he should take action against him as soon as possible.  Of course, it is the day before the Ides of March, so opportunities to back out are not plentiful.

Cassius is very clever in manipulating Brutus. Brutus is full of ego and considers himself honorable. He really is convinced that he is doing what is best for Rome. Although he is conflicted because he is killing someone who is like a father to him, ultimately his distorted sense of duty wins out. Brutus really does think he is doing the right thing.

In Julius Caesar, why is Portia upset with her husband?

Portia is upset with Brutus because he has not been telling her what he is involved in.

Portia was a strong woman, and not the most mentally stable.  She was aware that Brutus was up to something, and was unhappy with him because he would not tell her what it was.  He was trying to protect her, but she thought he was shutting her out.

Portia complains that Brutus does not tell her what is...

Portia is upset with Brutus because he has not been telling her what he is involved in.

Portia was a strong woman, and not the most mentally stable.  She was aware that Brutus was up to something, and was unhappy with him because he would not tell her what it was.  He was trying to protect her, but she thought he was shutting her out.

Portia complains that Brutus does not tell her what is going on with him even when she asks him.

You suddenly arose, and walk'd about,
Musing and sighing, with your arms across,
And when I ask'd you what the matter was,
You stared upon me with ungentle looks;
I urged you further; then you scratch'd your head,
And too impatiently stamp'd with your foot (Act 2, Scene 1)

Portia asks Brutus if he is sick, since he is up late at night walking about. She can see that he is restless.  She accuses him of not confiding in her because he sees her as a “harlot” and not a wife.

It does not take a genius to be suspicious.  Brutus has a lot of strange visitors, including many of the most influential senators in Rome. They visit him in the middle of the night!  That obviously means that Brutus is involved in something.  She might even assume that he is the leader, since they meet at his house.

Portia does not stay out of it.  She has him followed.

Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well,
For he went sickly forth: and take good note
What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him. (Act 2, Scene 4)

Portia runs into the Soothsayer Artemidorus, who is trying to warn Caesar about the conspiracy.  He does not give her specifics, but it is enough for her.  She is aware that Brutus is involved in a conspiracy to assassinate Caesar, and she is terribly worried about him.

Portia does her best to convince Brutus that she can be trusted and is loyal.  She goes so far, in fact, as to stab herself in the thigh. Brutus promises he will tell her later.  As far as he is concerned, she is a woman and assassination conspiracies are men’s work.  He is probably also a little worried about her stability.  He has a reason to be.  When he is off at war he gets word that she killed herself by swallowing coals rather than betray him.

How does Anne Frank criticize the attitude of the grown-ups in her diary?

Anne is constantly criticizing the grown-ups, which include her parents, the Van Daans, and Mr. Dussel.  She feels that they are too involved in her life, overly critical, and clueless.  Grown-ups have an opinion about everything, but never listen to hers.

Anne often feels that the grown-ups shouldn’t tell her what to do because they are acting immature themselves.  She comments on Mr. and Mrs. Van Daan’s quarrels, saying “I think it's odd that grown-ups...

Anne is constantly criticizing the grown-ups, which include her parents, the Van Daans, and Mr. Dussel.  She feels that they are too involved in her life, overly critical, and clueless.  Grown-ups have an opinion about everything, but never listen to hers.

Anne often feels that the grown-ups shouldn’t tell her what to do because they are acting immature themselves.  She comments on Mr. and Mrs. Van Daan’s quarrels, saying “I think it's odd that grown-ups quarrel so easily and so often and about such petty matters” (Monday, September 28,1942).  Being in such close quarters with another family and in such trying circumstances obviously weighs on the Van Daans, who often fight with each other or with Anne. 

Anne is particularly annoyed with the comments about the growing relationship she has with Peter.  

The grown-ups are such idiots! As if Peter, Margot, Bep and I didn't all have the same feelings. The only thing that helps is a mother's love, or that of a very, very close friend. But these two mothers don't understand the first thing about us! (Thursday, March 2, 1944) 

She feels like the grown-ups continually give her unneeded and unwanted advice, and make comments and jokes about the time she spends with Peter.  Peter tells her they are just jealous of what he and Anne have.  Their relationship is definitely under close scrutiny. 

In fact, everything about Anne is under close scrutiny.  

[After] years of being adored, it was hard for me to adjust to the harsh reality of grown-ups and rebukes. But Father and Mother are largely to blame for my having to put up with so much. At home they wanted me to enjoy life, which was fine, but here they shouldn't have encouraged me to agree with them and only shown me "their" side of all the quarrels and gossip. (Saturday, March 25, 1944) 

She feels like all of the adults think that they should be able to tell her what to do.  She battles constantly with her mother at first, but gradually that eases off as she gets older and they start to think of her as more grown-up.  She also faces criticism from Dussel, which annoys her because he doesn’t have any children.

Anne and Peter feel that the grown-ups should understand that the war affects them more, as "ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality." The adults have had their chance.  Anne and Peter are growing up in hiding, and they may not survive.

Anne blames the grown-ups of the world for causing the war in the first place.  She says that she feels that people are "really good at heart," but she also is irritated that she may not get to achieve all she wants (Saturday, July 15, 1944).

What are some tragic elements of the play Antony and Cleopatra?

The elements of tragedy include a tragic hero, pathos, and suffering.

The tragic hero in the play is Mark Antony. A tragic hero has a flaw, known as a tragic flaw, that leads to his destruction. Antony’s tragic flaw is his obsession with Cleopatra. Antony was supposed to be a hero of Rome, and one of the triumvirate. Instead of being a leader, he abandons his people (and his wife) to be with Cleopatra in Egypt.

Enobarbus explains the pull that Cleopatra has on Antony.  When Macaenas says that Antony has to leave Cleopatra to marry Octavius Caesar’s sister Octavia, Enobarbus says he never will.

MECAENAS

Now Antony must leave her utterly.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Never; he will not:
Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety: other women cloy
The appetites they feed: but she makes hungry
Where most she satisfies … (Act 2, Scene 2)

Antony’s first wife leads to his destruction when she acts against Caesar. Enobarbus knows that Antony will self-destruct because he will not be able to be faithful to Octavia. In pairing Antony with his sister, Caesar seals his fate. He knows that Antony will betray Octavia, and therefore him. He will then have an excuse to destroy Antony.

Does Antony love Cleopatra? He certainly does. However, his love is closer to obsession. To him, Cleopatra is like a drug. He follows her into oblivion, losing everything that he ever had. Antony feels that he can defeat Octavius, but it is a fool’s errand. Octavius has advantages of manpower and brainpower, and there is no way Antony can ever win against him.

A tragedy always uses pathos to pull at the heartstrings of the audience. There are many sad and moving speeches in this play. In fact, it has more speeches than most Shakespeare plays.

Antony and Cleopatra are at constant battle, in an almost childlike variety of arguments. You can tell how boisterous and volatile their love affair is.

Fie, wrangling queen! 
Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh, 
To weep; whose every passion fully strives 
To make itself, in thee, fair and admired! 
No messenger, but thine; and all alone 
To-night we'll wander through the streets and note 
The qualities of people. Come, my queen; 
Last night you did desire it: speak not to us. (Act 1, Scene 1)

Other significant examples of pathos include Enobarbus’s description of Cleopatra’s yacht, Antony’s death, and Cleopatra’s interview with Caesar. Finally, there is Cleopatra’s speech as she is dying. This leads us to the final element, suffering.

Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have
Immortal longings in me: now no more
The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip:
Yare, yare, good Iras; quick. Methinks I hear
Antony call; I see him rouse himself
To praise my noble act; I hear him mock
The luck of Caesar … (Act 5, Scene 2)

Cleopatra is forced to kill herself, and describes how she is going to meet Antony, who already killed himself. Her reference to Caesar’s luck shows that the only way she can defeat him was by killing herself. She refuses to live and allow him to march her through Rome in triumph.

Cleopatra’s tale is really the saddest. She has an affair with Antony to secure her position on the throne. This is still the case even if she loves him. She has to keep Rome happy.  Then she finds herself caught in the war between Octavius and Antony. She tries to negotiate with him to save her son, and her children with Antony. She is unsuccessful.  Caesarean is killed by Antony, and her children with Antony go to Octavius.

This play is a love story and a tragedy. It is not just a tragedy because both of the named principal characters die. It is a tragedy because they are in an impossible, no-win situation. Antony and Cleopatra are in love, and each is the other's weakness. Antony, a once-great man, meets his doom in a spectacular way. He believes that he is capable of so much more than he can actually handle.

In "Charles," what/how can readers infer about how Laurie’s mom felt about Laurie growing up?

Laurie’s mom is sad and a little overwhelmed that her oldest son is growing up.

The first thing that Laurie’s mom notices is that Laurie has renounced his little boy clothes and started wearing more grown-up attire.  Her son wants to be more grown-up and independent now that he has started kindergarten.

I watched him go off the first morning with the older girl next door, seeing clearly that an era of my life was...

Laurie’s mom is sad and a little overwhelmed that her oldest son is growing up.

The first thing that Laurie’s mom notices is that Laurie has renounced his little boy clothes and started wearing more grown-up attire.  Her son wants to be more grown-up and independent now that he has started kindergarten.

I watched him go off the first morning with the older girl next door, seeing clearly that an era of my life was ended, my sweet-voiced nursery-school tot replaced by a longtrousered, swaggering character who forgot to stop at the corner and wave good-bye to me.

Laurie’s mom has her hands full.  In addition to her boisterous son, she also has a baby to take care of.  It is difficult for her to stay on top of both children.  When the baby needs attention, she often focuses on him at the expense of Laurie.  This causes Laurie to act out in a desire to get any kind of attention.

He came home the same way, the front door slamming open, his cap on the floor, and the voice suddenly become raucous shouting, “Isn’t anybody here?”

Laurie’s desire to make waves leads him to act up at home and at school.  He also invents an imaginary classmate he calls Charles, whose exploits he can describe without getting in trouble.  When Laurie tells his parents about “Charles,” they are interested but only absently.  They are more interested in their everyday lives and have no idea that Charles is their son.

His kindergarten teacher tells her that the adjustment was tough, but Laurie is getting better. By the time Laurie’s mom realizes that her son is the Charles he has been describing, Laurie is finally straightening out.  The teacher tells her that there is no Charles, and this is how she finds out that Laurie invented him.  

What happens to Snowball during the meeting about the windmill? What events in Soviet history does this scene suggest?

In Chapter Five of Animal Farm, the debates about the windmill reach their climax as Snowball makes his case to the rest of the animals. In his rousing speech, Snowball emphasises the potential benefits of the windmill:

He painted a picture of Animal Farm as it might be when sordid labour was lifted from the animals' backs.

This rosy image succeeds in convincing the animals that Snowball should build the windmill. But, sensing a threat...

In Chapter Five of Animal Farm, the debates about the windmill reach their climax as Snowball makes his case to the rest of the animals. In his rousing speech, Snowball emphasises the potential benefits of the windmill:

He painted a picture of Animal Farm as it might be when sordid labour was lifted from the animals' backs.

This rosy image succeeds in convincing the animals that Snowball should build the windmill. But, sensing a threat to his dominance, Napoleon reacts with unprecedented brutality and cruelty: he utters a "high-pitched whimper" which alerts his pack of dogs. They immediately enter the barn and run directly at the defenceless Snowball, who is saved only by his quick reflexes. Snowball runs as fast he can across the pasture and out of the farm, with the dogs close on his tail. Luckily, Snowball is able to slip through a hole in the fence, but is never again seen on Animal Farm. 

To put this scene into historical context, it is reminiscent of Leon Trotsky's exile from the Soviet Union in 1928. Like Snowball, Trotsky criticised some of Stalin's policies, especially those relating to the economy and to the suppression of democracy, and was first thrown out of the party, then out of Moscow and out of the country completely. In this scene, therefore, Orwell uses Napoleon to represent Stalin's unexpected actions against Trotsky. 

You can find out more about this moment in history in the reference link provided.

What are some passages that show how Atticus is kind in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

Examples of Atticus's kindness can be seen all throughout To Kill a Mockingbird. Anytime he puts his own perspective aside by going out of his way to see things from others' point of view, Atticus is being kind, because to be kind is to be considerate.Atticus first preaches his philosophy about seeing things from others' perspectives when Scout feels miserable after her first day of school. Scout got into trouble that...

Examples of Atticus's kindness can be seen all throughout To Kill a Mockingbird. Anytime he puts his own perspective aside by going out of his way to see things from others' point of view, Atticus is being kind, because to be kind is to be considerate.

Atticus first preaches his philosophy about seeing things from others' perspectives when Scout feels miserable after her first day of school. Scout got into trouble that day for making her teacher, Miss Caroline, see her as a smart aleck by already knowing how to read and by trying to explain to her the ways of the Cunningham family. While Atticus sympathizes with Scout, he explains that Scout would have responded to Miss Caroline differently that day had she put herself in Miss Caroline's shoes and not expected her to know "all of Maycomb's ways" (Ch. 3). Atticus explains his philosophy to Scout in the following passage:

"First of all, ... if you learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view— ... —until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." (Ch. 3)

Beyond showing kindness by being able to sympathize with Scout while also seeing things from Miss Caroline's perspective, Atticus further shows kindness to Scout by working out a compromise with her. Scout hates the idea of going back to school because Miss Caroline has told Scout to stop reading with her father. Atticus promises that if Scout "concede[s] the necessity of going to school, then [they'll] go on reading every night, just as [they] always have" (Ch. 3). Atticus's ability to see just how much Scout hates the idea of giving up reading with her father and to work out a compromise with her is another example of Atticus being able to acting kindly.

Author Shirley Jackson does not include the year in which "The Lottery" takes place, or the name of the village. Why are these details omitted?

Shirley Jackson leaves out the name of the town and the year "The Lottery" took place for a couple of reasons. First, the town could be any town, and the year could be any year. The act of leaving out the name and year gives the reader the idea that the events of "The Lottery" could happen anywhere. The narrator is very detached from the story, telling it as though what is happening is completely...

Shirley Jackson leaves out the name of the town and the year "The Lottery" took place for a couple of reasons. First, the town could be any town, and the year could be any year. The act of leaving out the name and year gives the reader the idea that the events of "The Lottery" could happen anywhere. The narrator is very detached from the story, telling it as though what is happening is completely normal, and in the beginning readers are led to believe everything is completely normal. It's as if a town picnic is about to begin--a time for visiting neighbors and having some fun. It makes it seem realistic. As a matter of fact, I remember reading somewhere that when this story was first published in the newspaper, the newspaper received many inquiries about where this town was and who was getting away with stoning people!

Jackson is also commenting on society and its "traditions," and the fact that many towns, states, and countries have traditions that may have lost their meaning. The idea that people do something because they've always done it and not because it serves any real meaningful purpose anymore is highlighted. "The Lottery" occurs during mid-summer, and historically, the time surrounding the summer solstice was often when ritual sacrifice was performed to assure good crops in the coming year. This town has continued this sacrifice even though other towns are starting to give it up. The townspeople accept it as a necessary--and even perhaps-- a good part of their lives.

What are the best options for watching Act I of Neil Simon's play The Odd Couple?

Neil Simon's darkly humorous play The Odd Coupledebuted on Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre in March, 1965. It is the story of two opposites, Felix and Oscar, who, for some reason, have become best friends. Act I of the play is set in Oscar's large (eight-room) and very disorderly apartment (it is described as slovenly in the stage directions). Oscar is hosting a poker game with Murray, Vinnie, Roy and Speed. Felix is absent...

Neil Simon's darkly humorous play The Odd Couple debuted on Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre in March, 1965. It is the story of two opposites, Felix and Oscar, who, for some reason, have become best friends. Act I of the play is set in Oscar's large (eight-room) and very disorderly apartment (it is described as slovenly in the stage directions). Oscar is hosting a poker game with Murray, Vinnie, Roy and Speed. Felix is absent and we later learn he is distraught after splitting with his wife and has even contemplated suicide.

Depending on where you are, there is probably very little chance of seeing the production live on stage, but you might check your local live theatre listings. It is a favorite and often staged. Another option is to go to Youtube and search. By far the best version of Act I on Youtube is the one starring Nathan Lane as Oscar and Matthew Broderick as Felix. Brad Garrett, Ray Romano's brother on Everybody Loves Raymond, is quite funny as Murray the Cop. 

Another good option is the 1968 movie with Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon. It should be available on movie sites. Since it is a movie, the dialogue is not always exact and things are left out, but much of the banter between the poker players in Act I is left intact. There's the funny exchange where Oscar is handing out sandwiches and remarks that the green sandwiches are either "very new cheese or very old meat."

One suggestion would be to watch both the Youtube video with Nathan Lane and the movie as well. Have a copy of the original text of the play and follow along. Also read the excellent summaries and critical essays on this site.

What are examples of puns in Fahrenheit 451?

Interesting question! In the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury several literary devices are utilized including puns. Throughout the book, several puns are implemented to incite the readers’ deeper reflection.

Before providing examples of puns, it is important to understand what a pun is. A pun is a literary device utilized to illustrate how one word can represent two different meanings or how two words that sound very similar can represent two different meanings. This...

Interesting question! In the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury several literary devices are utilized including puns. Throughout the book, several puns are implemented to incite the readers’ deeper reflection.

Before providing examples of puns, it is important to understand what a pun is. A pun is a literary device utilized to illustrate how one word can represent two different meanings or how two words that sound very similar can represent two different meanings. This is usually done to create irony or humor.

Throughout the book, several different puns are implemented. For example, Montag is considered a “firefighter.” In today’s language, this word represents the idea of someone stopping a fire to prevent destruction and harm. However, in the book, the term represents someone who fights with fire to destroy books.  Subsequently, another pun is made by Granger’s grandfather. He states, “I hate a Roman named Status Quo.” Here, the Roman's name is also a word that means "the existing state of affairs." Thus, an unusual pun is created, which encourages the readers' minds to think about the concept more deeply.

Therefore, in the book, Bradbury utilizes puns to draw the readers' attention to important concepts. Although puns can be a bit tricky, these literary devices are often useful in creating irony or humor.

What are the themes throughout the play The Lion and the Jewel?

Wole Soyinka examines several themes throughout the play The Lion and the Jewel. He explores the themes of modernity versus tradition. Lakunle favors Western civilization and wishes that his village of Ilujinle would embrace modernity. In contrast, Baroka represents traditional Yoruba culture and thwarts continued efforts to modernize his village. Soyinka also examines the concepts of masculinity and femininitythroughout the play. Sidi, the village jewel, is desired only for her beauty. In...

Wole Soyinka examines several themes throughout the play The Lion and the Jewel. He explores the themes of modernity versus tradition. Lakunle favors Western civilization and wishes that his village of Ilujinle would embrace modernity. In contrast, Baroka represents traditional Yoruba culture and thwarts continued efforts to modernize his village. Soyinka also examines the concepts of masculinity and femininity throughout the play. Sidi, the village jewel, is desired only for her beauty. In traditional Yoruba culture, women are essentially possessions and are bought with the payment of the bride-price. In traditional Yoruba culture, strength, vitality, and sexual prowess are revered, and Baroka is ridiculed for his assumed impotence. Once Baroka is said to be impotent, he loses respect throughout the village. Soyinka also explores the theme of power. Once Sidi becomes famous from her published images in a foreign magazine, she becomes conceited and wishes to be revered above the Bale. The Bale also cherishes power and fears becoming old and irrelevant.

What does the following text mean: That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the...

This passage is from the Declaration of Independence which was written by Thomas Jefferson.  It was signed on July 4, 1776.  I am not sure what your question was, so I will dissect the different parts and give an explanation for each section.  The Declaration of Independence was the means by which the colonists communicated the rationale for dissolving their relationship with England.  

...That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed... 

This excerpt communicates the colonists belief in popular sovereignty and the idea that governments are formed by people to serve the needs and interests of the people.  In other words, since the citizens create the government, the government is created in their interest.  

...That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it...

This concept from the Enlightenment period is the idea that people have the right and responsibility to replace a government that is tyrannical and oppressive.  The Declaration of Independence also lists the various grievances the colonists held against England.  These grievances form the justification for separation.

and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness

This portion is rather obvious in that if you destroy one system of government, it is necessary to replace it with another form.  This also speaks to the idea of a government that is responsive to the needs of the people.  

How do Tom Simpson and Piney Woods bring out the best in other characters?

Tom and Piney bring out the best in three of the outcasts, because Piney and Tom are innocent and completely clueless.  Tom believes that Oakhurst is a good man, because Oakhurst gave back to Tom all of the money that he lost while betting against Oakhurst.  Tom also doesn't know that Mother Shipton and Duchess are prostitutes.  In fact, he thinks that Oakhurst and Duchess are married.  

Basically, Tom and Piney initially think the...

Tom and Piney bring out the best in three of the outcasts, because Piney and Tom are innocent and completely clueless.  Tom believes that Oakhurst is a good man, because Oakhurst gave back to Tom all of the money that he lost while betting against Oakhurst.  Tom also doesn't know that Mother Shipton and Duchess are prostitutes.  In fact, he thinks that Oakhurst and Duchess are married.  

Basically, Tom and Piney initially think the best of each of the outcasts, and Tom and Piney treat them as such.  It has probably been a long time since anybody looked at Duchess and Mother Shipton without disdain or as a sexual object.  Because Tom and Piney are seeing the best in the group, the group does not want to disappoint those initial impressions; therefore, the three outcasts have the very best brought out of them, because they like being seen like that again. 

What is the purpose of fate and free will in The Alchemist?

In Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, the word fate isn't used, but the theme most closely linked to it is Personal Legend. The premise behind achieving one's Personal Legend is that everyone has one, but not everyone chooses to do what it takes to fulfill it. In order for someone to fulfill his or her Personal Legend (destiny or fate) he or she must choose to work for it. The book's protagonist, a young boy by the name of Santiago, represents each of us as he is confronted with the knowledge that he has a Personal Legend to fulfill. He must use his free will and choose to follow omens that will help him along his way to discovering his treasure (or fate). 

This way of thinking if completely different than how the Greeks or Shakespeare thought of Fate. For example, tragic heroes such as Oedipus, Romeo, Hamlet, or Macbeth cannot run away from or change their destinies because the stars have sealed their Fates. These characters, in reality, do not have the ability to use their free will, or free choice, because Fate desires to destroy them. Conversely, Coelho uses fate more like the end result of good choices and dedicated commitment to following omens, the language of the world, and the soul of the world--which is God. It's as if Coelho shows his protagonist that his fate, or the end result which is the epitome of his own absolute happiness, is found only after using his free will to choose the right course while discovering his Personal Legend. 

In the introduction of The Alchemist, Coelho explains it as follows:

"When we first begin fighting for our dream, we have no experience and make many mistakes. The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times. 

So, why is it so important to live our personal calling if we are only going to suffer more than other people?

Because, once we have overcome our defeats--and we always do--we are filled by a greater sense of euphoria and confidence. In the silence of our hearts, we know that we are proving ourselves worthy of the miracle of life" (vii).

The above passage shows that each of us needs to choose to get up again and again when searching and fulfilling our Personal Legend, or Fate. We can find the ultimate happiness or treasure that we seek because it is our fate to find it, but we must also do our part and choose to find it--even if it means falling down seven times and getting back up eight times. 

How can I respond to this essay prompt? "Imagine you are character in a work of literature. Discuss how you relate to the character, what traits...

Break it down before you get started. Making an outline is always helpful. The first thing you have to do is choose your character. Think about the things you have read--is there a character that you strongly related to? Has there been a character that you have "rooted for" as you were reading? Has there been a character that has reminded you of yourself?

Once you have chosen your character, you need to choose two...

Break it down before you get started. Making an outline is always helpful. The first thing you have to do is choose your character. Think about the things you have read--is there a character that you strongly related to? Has there been a character that you have "rooted for" as you were reading? Has there been a character that has reminded you of yourself?

Once you have chosen your character, you need to choose two instances from the work illustrating choices the character has made or a specific action. One will be a decision that you agree with--explain why you agree with this decision. One will be a decision you disagree with--explain what you would have done differently.

Your thesis paragraph (the first paragraph of your paper) should indicate a few things. It should identify the character you are discussing and the work the character is from. It should also introduce the ideas you will be talking about in your paper in terms of the moments of the work you have chosen to look at. The body of your paper should explore these moments in detail.

It sounds like a personal opinion paper, so you can probably use the word "I"--but I would check with the instructor on that before you start writing.

Good luck and have fun! This sounds like it could be a fun assignment.

How did the Silk Road increase the spread and exchange of ideas?

The Silk Road is a term used to describe a series of trade routes that were connected throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe.  The routes were primarily in Asia.  

Harsh climates and conflicts between people groups had made many regions along what became the Silk Road difficult for travel.  A western route was developed first, followed by an eastern route.  Eventually all the routes were connected.  The Chinese were major traders along the routes, and...

The Silk Road is a term used to describe a series of trade routes that were connected throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe.  The routes were primarily in Asia.  

Harsh climates and conflicts between people groups had made many regions along what became the Silk Road difficult for travel.  A western route was developed first, followed by an eastern route.  Eventually all the routes were connected.  The Chinese were major traders along the routes, and they extended the Great Wall to offer protection for their merchants.  The Silk Road earned its name from the Chinese merchants who traded silk along the route.

Imported goods that had not been seen before in most regions were traded and made accessible because of the Silk Road.  In addition, ideas spread across the regions where the Silk Road route was located.

The religion of Buddhism spread to new regions of Asia due to the accessibility of the Silk Road.  It also spread to parts of Japan, which still practice Buddhism today.  Christianity also spread along the Silk Road.  The Nestorians, which were a sect of Christianity, were "outlawed in Europe... [and they] were driven eastwards."

Changan was the capital city of the Tang Dynasty, and it was also an important stop along the Silk Road.  Changan became "one of the largest and most cosmopolitan cities of the time" because of its location along the Silk Road.  

What is Max thinking as Gwen takes Kevin home?

In chapter four of Philbrick's Freak the Mighty, Max introduces Kevin to his room. Max calls it the "down under" because it is in the basement of his grandparents' house. Freak absolutely loves the fact that Max gets such a unique and private room—it's almost as if Max lives on his own. The boys are getting to know each other and Kevin decides to teach Max about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table as an explanation for why he calls his mother Fair Gwen of Air. Near the end of the chapter, the boys hear Gwen calling for Kevin and they emerge from the basement to see her in the backyard staring at Kevin's wagon. Max describes the scene with Gwen as follows:

"She catches sight of me coming up out of the down under and it's like somebody shot her. Like she's scared out of her mind. . . the Fair Gwen grabs Freak and puts him in the wagon and I swear, she almost runs home, like if she doesn't get away quick something really bad is going to happen. . . It's pretty simple, really. She's scared of me" (20).

This incident does not help Max feel good about himself at all. He goes back to his room and goes to a happy place in his head. The look on Gwen's face comes back to him, though, and he thinks the following:

"Gwen ran off with that look on her face, like: What was he doing with my poor little boy, stealing him away in the wagon?" (21).

Sadly, Max responds by lying on the floor under his bed to deal with the emotional pain of the situation. Fortunately, Gwen gets home, figures out the situation, calls Gram to apologize for her behavior, and invites Max over for dinner.

Does a parallel circuit in household electricity decrease electricity bills, as the total voltage needed is less, so therefore, the total energy...

Wiring in parallel would do absolutely nothing to affect your electricity consumption, and could actually be quite dangerous due to the wild swings in resistance that would occur as appliances are plugged and unplugged. Make sure your circuit breakers are in good shape!

The reason it wouldn't affect electricity consumption is quite simple: Appliances need a certain amount of energy to operate, so they consume that much energy. A 40-watt light bulb draws... 40 watts, regardless of how it is wired. Most appliances actually require a certain voltage anyway, so they have transformers built into their AC adapters that step the voltage down to what they use.

The reason it would be dangerous is a bit harder to see; it comes from the fact that resistance in series adds linearly (normal addition), but resistance in parallel adds harmonically (reciprocal of the sum of the reciprocal).

That is, if you have appliances with resistances R1, R2, and R3, and you wire them in series, you simply get:
`R = R_1 + R_2 + R_3`

But if you wire them in parallel, you get instead:
`R = 1/(1/R_1 + 1/R_2 + 1/R_3)`

The latter is much more unstable to adding or removing items. For example, suppose I have a 50-ohm refrigerator, a 10-ohm television, and a 1-ohm smartphone.

In series, when all three are plugged in the total resistance is 61 ohms.
`50 + 10 + 1 = 61`

When I unplug my smartphone, the total resistance is 60 ohms.
`50 + 10 = 60`

But in parallel, all three plugged in have a resistance of only 0.89 ohms:
`1/(1/50 + 1/10 + 1/1) = 0.89`

If I unplug my smartphone, suddenly the resistance shoots up to 8.3 ohms:
`1/(1/50 + 1/10) = 8.3`

The removal of the smartphone decreases series resistance by less than 2%; but it increases parallel resistance by 900%.

In the story "Once upon a Time," what stylistic device does Gordimer use that creates the emotional background of children stories?

In "Once upon a Time," Nadine Gordimer uses allusions to the bedtime story as a stylistic device that evokes the emotional background present in many children's stories. The frame story begins with the narrator having been asked to write a children's story and refusing. She then tells herself "a bedtime story" to help herself fall asleep. 

Elements of bedtime stories that Gordimer weaves into the tale she tells include the witch, the dragon's teeth, and...

In "Once upon a Time," Nadine Gordimer uses allusions to the bedtime story as a stylistic device that evokes the emotional background present in many children's stories. The frame story begins with the narrator having been asked to write a children's story and refusing. She then tells herself "a bedtime story" to help herself fall asleep. 

Elements of bedtime stories that Gordimer weaves into the tale she tells include the witch, the dragon's teeth, and the phrase "happily ever after." In the story the narrator tells, the "living happily ever after" comes first rather than at the end. This may put the reader on alert right away. We know that once the characters are living happily ever after, there are no more troubles and nothing more to tell about them. If a story begins with them living happily ever after, we suspect that state will not endure.

When the dragon appears near the end of the story—actually a fence topper designed by "DRAGON'S TEETH"—it is actually willingly brought to the family's home despite the woman's misgivings about it. She shudders at the sight of it at a neighboring home, and she "hope[s] the cat will take heed." Knowing the treachery of dragons in most bedtime stories, readers feel dread. In the final paragraph, Gordimer overtly alludes to a specific bedtime story, "Sleeping Beauty," as the little boy attempts to play-act the hero and is destroyed by the Dragon's Teeth.

By choosing the stylistic device of the bedtime story but turning it on its head, Gordimer gives readers much to think about that will shake them out of the complacency of thinking they can live happily ever after in a world where they ignore the suffering of others.

What is the summary of "Do Not Ask My Love" by Faiz Ahmed Faiz?

This poem does two things: it puts our own losses and sorrows in perspective when held against the great evils that exist in the world, and it asks that we do not dwell on what has been tried failed, but rather look to the future and to fixing those existing ills—those things over which we may as yet have some control. The poem is spoken to an old lover, and the first seven lines concern the relationship between this person and the speaker; the lovers lived, at that time, in a world populated only by each other. “Beyond your eyes,” the speaker wondered, “what could the world hold?” At that time, “the world’s grief was far.”

But with the dissolving of their relationship the reality and vastness of the world crept back into the speaker’s life, and his or her own trials suddenly seem trivial in comparison to all else that the world contains. “The world knows sorrows other than those of love, / Pleasures beyond those of romance.” Life is not one person’s relationship, but a vast global empire of emotion, of beauty and terror and everything in between. And after enumerating a handful of the terrible things that are going on in the world today—slavery, war, subjugation—the speaker asks two questions. “My gaze returns to these: what can I do? / Your beauty still haunts me: what can I do?”

With this juxtaposition, the speaker affirms that there are ways he or she can be useful in the fight against evil in the world; there are no ways he or she can be useful in pining for a lost lover. The latter of these things is hopeless; the former is not—it is  instead a good fight, and an honorable one. And so, at the end of the poem, the speaker repeats that the world is greater than the sum of one couple’s lost love; that there is real, damaging suffering occurring all around us, and so the speaker asks of his own past lover, “Do not demand that love which can be no more.” There are greater ills which demand our attention—things that can still be changed.

Discuss the characteristics of the Spartan economy.

The Spartans enjoyed the luxuries of a very strong economy for many years. The Spartan economy was based on agriculture and domination of its neighbors. Spartans depended on the conquered peasants from the outskirts of their territory to grow enough food for the entire population.  These peasants were called helots and had no political rights.  The helots were tied to the land like serfs but were very important to Sparta.  They were able to produce...

The Spartans enjoyed the luxuries of a very strong economy for many years. The Spartan economy was based on agriculture and domination of its neighbors. Spartans depended on the conquered peasants from the outskirts of their territory to grow enough food for the entire population.  These peasants were called helots and had no political rights.  The helots were tied to the land like serfs but were very important to Sparta.  They were able to produce enough crops to sustain the entire population.  The Spartans were suspicious of foreign influence on their culture so they did not engage in trade.  The Spartans also had access to quarries, mines, and forest as natural resources.  Spartan males did not engage in the production of goods as they were required to serve as soldiers until they were sixty years old.  The Spartans used the perioikoi, the artisans of their conquered people, to manufacture the goods that were needed. It was also the perioikoi that engaged in trade with other city-states when necessary.  The perioikoi were also not afforded citizenship rights but were permitted to acquire wealth.

What has Macduff done to upset Macbeth?

In Act 3, Scene 4, after Banquo's Ghost exits, Macbeth asks his wife:

How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his personAt our great bidding?

Macduff has failed to attend this coronation banquet. Macbeth tells his wife:

I hear it by the way, but I will send.There's not a one of them but in his houseI keep a servant fee'd. I will tomorrow,And betimes I will, to the weird sisters.More shall they speak; for...

In Act 3, Scene 4, after Banquo's Ghost exits, Macbeth asks his wife:

How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his person
At our great bidding?

Macduff has failed to attend this coronation banquet. Macbeth tells his wife:

I hear it by the way, but I will send.
There's not a one of them but in his house
I keep a servant fee'd. I will tomorrow,
And betimes I will, to the weird sisters.
More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know,
By the worst means, the worst. 

Then in Act 3, Scene 6 we learn through the conversation between Lennox and another Lord that Macduff has fled to England. But Macbeth does not know that yet. He will be greatly upset when he finds out. Macduff was the one who discovered King Duncan's body while Macbeth was with him. Macduff knows that Macbeth is guilty of that murder, and that is why he refused to attend Macbeth's coronation banquet.

In the opening scene of Act 4, Macbeth has a meeting with the three Witches and the apparitions they raise at his behest. The First Apparition tells him:

Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, beware Macduff,
Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.

So Macduff has upset Macbeth by coldly refusing to attend his coronation banquet, also because he has been warned by the First Apparition to beware Macduff, and because he will subsequently find out that Macduff has fled to England and thereby is his enemy. Although the First Apparition warns Macbeth to beware Macduff, the Second Apparition tells him that none of woman born shall harm Macbeth, and the Third Apparition tells him that he can never be vanquished until

Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill
Shall come against him.

This encourages Macbeth to believe that Macduff can do nothing to harm him. But then Lennox informs him that Macduff has fled to England. Macbeth reflects that he should have attacked Macduff before he had a chance to get away. He took time out to visit the Three Witches when he should have dealt with Macduff first. 

Macduff's flight to England upsets Macbeth the most, partly because the Thane of Fife is deserting him and setting an example for others to follow, and also because Macbeth is mad at himself for letting Macduff get away. This anger and frustration are responsible for the dire reprisals he orders. His soldiers make a surprise attack on Macduff's castle and slaughter his entire family, along with everybody else inside. This will eventually result in the death duel between Macduff and Macbeth when the English army led by Malcolm and Macduff invade Scotland.

What are some important things Scout says in chapters 17 through 21 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

In Chapters 17 through 21 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout the adult narrator says far more in her narrative descriptions that is revealing. However, Scout the young character says a few things that reveal her young age and just how much she is still being influenced by society around her.

One thing she says that reveals just how young she still is concerns her response to Jem ordering her to leave the courtroom. Reverend Sykes had suggested to Jem he take Scout home since the witnesses' testimonies contain details that a young girl should not yet know about. Jem's response to the reverend's suggestion is to order Scout to go home. Scout shows her youthfulness when she replies, "You gotta make me first" (Ch. 17). She further displays her youthfulness by insisting she understands every word the witnesses are saying. Scout's youthfulness is an integral part of her characterization because it helps us see the things she still has to learn and we observe her progress as she matures.

As a result of her very young age, Scout is still being influenced by society, especially by other children at school, rather than thinking for herself. Scout reveals the ways in which society is still influencing her when she takes Dill outside of the courthouse because he has broken out into sobs during Tom Robinson's cross-examination by the prosecuting attorney Mr. Gilmer. Scout asks why Dill is crying, and Dill explains that the antagonistic way Mr. Gilmer was talking to Robinson made Dill "sick, plain sick" (Ch. 19). However, in reply, Scout makes the following surprisingly racist comment:

Well, Dill, after all he's just a Negro. (Ch. 19)

Scout's comment is especially surprising considering how her father is trying to teach her to avoid racial prejudices by learning to see things from others' perspectives. More importantly, her racist remark shows just how much she is being influenced by the society around her, such as by the other children at school, not just by her father, and her influence is due to the fact that she is still too young to be able to think with a mind of her own. Regardless of her surprisingly racist remark in the middle of the book, if we juxtapose her remark with comments she makes by the end of the book, we see just how much she has grown as a character throughout the book. By the end of the book, she is finally able to see things from others' perspectives.

Based on the stories in the Ramayana, what motivates the actions of gods?

The preservation of dharma motivates the actions of the gods in the Ramayana.

"Dharma" can be seen as acting in the way that is right. It provides structure to the universe. Without dharma, the universe becomes lawless and descends into chaos. Dharma is critical in the actions of the gods in the Ramayana. For example, Lord Vishnu takes the Rama avatar because he recognizes that dharma must be represented on earth. Rama believes that "truth...

The preservation of dharma motivates the actions of the gods in the Ramayana.

"Dharma" can be seen as acting in the way that is right. It provides structure to the universe. Without dharma, the universe becomes lawless and descends into chaos. Dharma is critical in the actions of the gods in the Ramayana. For example, Lord Vishnu takes the Rama avatar because he recognizes that dharma must be represented on earth. Rama believes that "truth is the highest form of dharma" and acts in accordance to this maxim. Rama does not swerve from his path. Specific examples are when he willingly accepts Kaikeyi's banishment, when he stands up for the rights of those who are silenced, and in the way he focuses on retrieving Sita from Ravana. In these instances, dharma motivates Lord Vishnu in the Rama avatar.

Devi Sita, Rama's wife, also embodies dharma. She is an avatar of the goddess Lakshmi. In this form, Sita represents the essence of dharma in her loyalty to Rama, adherence to the strict standards of an ideal wife, and in the way she fights injustice. Ravana is able to kidnap her because he assumes the form of a mendicant, and Sita knows that her dharma is to serve a visitor, even though it goes against the instruction that Lakshmana gave when he drew his line. Sita also embodies dharma in how she repels Ravana. Even though she is promised wealth, privilege, and luxury, she refuses because she knows her dharma as a wife. As an avatar of Sita, dharma motivates Lakshmi.  

How does Shakespeare present the idea of mortality in Act V, Scene I? How does this relate to Hamlet’s character in the rest of the play?

Throughout the drama of Hamlet, Prince Hamlet contemplates death in the fear of the unknown; however, in Act V, Hamlet's thoughts take a very serious turn as he realizes what an equalizer death is. This turn of thought prompts maturity and action.

In the early acts, Hamlet is obsessed with the meaning of life and the question of death. He wonders what happens after death, and his anxiety about the afterlife prevents him from...

Throughout the drama of Hamlet, Prince Hamlet contemplates death in the fear of the unknown; however, in Act V, Hamlet's thoughts take a very serious turn as he realizes what an equalizer death is. This turn of thought prompts maturity and action.

In the early acts, Hamlet is obsessed with the meaning of life and the question of death. He wonders what happens after death, and his anxiety about the afterlife prevents him from acting on the ghost's appeal and from committing suicide to end his dilemmas--"To be or not to be." This preoccupation precipitates Hamlet's meditations on the uncertainty and absurdity of life, as well as his hesitation in killing Claudius lest he become a martyr as he prays, and thereby earn heaven.

But, in Act V as Hamlet beholds the skulls, particularly that of Yorick, this experience of realizing that Death is the great equalizer finally removes Hamlet from his youth. For, after this experience, Hamlet abandons his "antic disposition," and he himself envisions a new man emerging as he declares, "This is I/ Hamlet the Dane" (5.1.226-227). Further, he warns Laertes, "Yet have I in me something dangerous (5.1.232). As renowned Shakespearean critic Harold Bloom writes, Hamlet is "beyond maturity at the close."

Indeed, in Act V, Hamlet has finally looked into the existential condition of man, and has gained the knowledge that he needs to finally act upon what he has deliberated for the previous four acts. Moreover, his famous "To be" soliloquy is the existential foundation for much of what he utter in Act V. Bloom calls it Hamlet's "death speech in advance, the prolepsis of his transcendence."

Additional Source:

Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead, 1998. Print.