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Afghan Women and The Pillow Book
“Even the poorest families in Afghanistan have matches and cooking fuel. The combination usually sustains life. But it also can be the makings of a horrifying escape: from poverty, from forced marriages, from the abuse and despondency that can be the fate of Afghan women”, a hard realization of the life of Afghan women, written by Alissa J. Rubin of the New York Times. Rubin writes about the extremely stressful life of women in Afghanistan who Rubin says live as a form of “outcast” and “Women and girls are still stoned to death”.
Rubin visits a Hospital for burnt victims which is full of women who attempted to commit suicide and other who were being punish by their own family, one of the surgeons mentions ‘“We have two women here right now who were burned by their mothers-in-law and husbands”’. The stress and anguish the women suffer leads them to such desperation from feeling alone and captive in their society, something that can be seen as acceptable not only in life present day Afghan Women but in the women of “The Pillow Book”. In the book by Ban Zhao it gives the framework of what is expect from women of her family, stating that the women should put their family overall. In addition the husband is the one in control of her, Zhao says “[W]ives must be controlled and that the husband’s roles of conduct manifesting his authority must be established” (B,28) an oppressive role of the husband is allowed and expected. The Pillow Book also mentions the rules for proper behavior expect by a woman, which are, speech should be kept to minimum and her appearance is everything, two rules that belittle the women to less than a human.
The women of the article and the women of “The Pillow Book” are over 1000 years apart but there situations are very much alike, women who are expect to be less and treated even worse. This inequality leaves women feeling captive and alone also, has led women to commit suicide because of how there society treats them.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/08/world/asia/08burn.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&sq=For
Posted in Asian Literature
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The Prince
In The Prince, Machiavelli makes the statement that “men will judge their prince solely on appearance” and “thus it does not matter to the people that a prince may occasionally employ evil to achieve his goal” this position is very brash as he shows that appearance is greater then actions even if they are immoral. In today’s world no one has taken more away from this statement then the Republican Party, who have established themselves as the party for economic change. In the article “Economic Policy? More Listen to Conservatives” in the New York Times, emphasizes the new position of the Republican that led them to take the House of Representatives, even when it was under their control on government that led the economy near a second depression. Machiavelli would be proud of the Republican Party’s ability to rebrand themselves as something that is better then what they truly are, with policies such as “Pledge to America” and attacks on controversial Federal Reserve policy.
The Republican Party make policies such as the Pledge to America call for “a ban on tax increases, a tax deduction for small businesses and a reduction in government regulations. However, its proposals for paring the budget deficit — canceling unspent stimulus funds, ending government control of the mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, capping new discretionary spending and rooting out wasteful programs” but the article shows the party has no way of doing it or how it would help the economy through the Pledge. The GOP gives of an image that they can repair the economy in a way that all can benefit, meanwhile having no real clue of how it’s going to work. The Machiavellian ideal of appearance gives the people nothing more then a façade just as the Republican do with it policies.
Posted in Uncategorized
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Tails of Themselves
David Grossman, who recently has lost his son has written new novel. “In the End of the Land” Grossman’s book revolves around Ora, a mother from Israel, who has her son taken away because of duty his in war. Ora’s despair brings her to make conclusions of this unfair world of hers.Within the story, many critics have noticed that the story of Ora is the tale of Grossman, himself. “[H]is younger son, Uri, was killed in combat in the final hours of the 2006 Lebanon War” (Bronner) and it rendered him in form of lifelessness. Grossman’s writing was form of returning home, creating the stability that he lost when his son passed.
Similarly there is Shaharazad telling King Shahrayar these exciting mirrored image stories every night that, are intended for him to change what he does to the women he has. She wants him not to hold every woman responsible for his distrust, back to how he was before. Grossman and King Shahrayar both going through strange phases in their lives needed to hear their own told back to them, so that could have a chance to understand what they were going through.
Posted in The Thousand and One Nights
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The Throne of Blood Review
Charles Isherwood review of The Throne of Blood was a failure to identify the play as an independent from the film. Throughout the entire review he bashes the play for not being able to produce the same results as the original movie by Akira Kurosawa. His opinion lacked to mention how innovative they were for being pioneers to bring a Japanese Samurai movie to the theater.
One of his arguments is the lack of use of space on stage, most of the time having as Isherwood says “a … dark and bare stage” and “dominated by a stone wall stretching across the back”, a statement that can be supported. Indeed, the most interesting scene in The Throne of Blood include large stage props such as the forest scene with the spirit, and including more frills it would have made a better piece.
The play was a new experience for me, and story line was easy to comprehend. In all the play was beautifully put together, giving the viewer and detailed story of a man who comes to power and a prophecy that can’t be escaped.
Posted in Uncategorized
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Flaws in Gods and the Great Cities
Within Genesis and The Epic of Gilgemesh the role that the cities play in both ties these two stories together. In Epic of Gilgemesh there is Urik a great city built with all the amenities in the world and protected by the great wall made of trees from the forest of Humbaba and in Genesis there is the Shinar city built with a large tower to reach the heavens.
Tied to the comparison of the cities is the flaws in the gods of both tales. In the Epic of Gilgemesh there are numerous gods that have many human characteristics taking away from there godly figure and making them seen more of a higher class human. In Gilgemesh there is the God Ishtar who in fear of Gilgemesh and Enkidu sends the Bull of Heaven to kill them “Father give me the Bull of Heaven so he can kill Gilgemesh in his dwelling. If you do not give me the Bull.. I will knock down the Gates of the Netherworld.” here you can as see that Ishtar comes off a little bit childish and bratty to his more authoritative father. Near the end of Genesis there is something that God says that brings him down to a human plato. When God sees the city with the large tower God’s responds with fear of the capabilities human possess as seen in Chapter 11 “the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the human creatures had built. And the Lord said, “As one people with one language for all, if this is what have begun to do, nothing they plot will elude them” God continues and separates the city and cuts there ability to communicate with each other.
Even though there is large similarities between both tale’s storyline, the way both are written has much to compare. The most common comparison is the amount of repetition each story had. The repetition is used to emphasize, in the case of Gilgemesh he uses it when describing his adventures and past experiences and in Genesis it is used to link hertiage.
Posted in Genesis - Gilgamesh
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Stem cells and Job
In the recent years there have been many scientific movement that have evolved the way we live today. One that has been show great results but mostly banned is the research of using stem cells. Stem cells can benefit areas as in diabetes and Parkinsons. In the New York Times article “Stem Cells in Court, Scientists Fear for Careers” shows stem cell researchers have all the abilities to practice the trades taken away during the Bush Administration and regains them very briefly as soon as President Obama is put into office. Recently the Federal District Court has ruled differently from President Obama and has made it difficult to tell the future of stem cell research. Similar to the tale of Job, an honest man who has so much and thanks God for all of his success, but through no fault of his own is stripped of all his goods. The main similarities between Job and the Stem Cell researchers is the lack of fault, they are both subject to the rule of higher powers.
Another comparison is the people suffering from the lose of others. When God chooses to take everything from Job, not only does Job suffer but his family also is put through misery as can be seen in Chapter 2 when Job’s wife is tired of what is going on and tells Job to “curse God and die” (P.127). Compared to the Times article the future researches that are coming into the field were threatened that they would have no career when they get out of college. Their lives would not have the same purpose in helping other find cures for people. The New York Times reports “Junior scientists like Dr. Spence, poised to start their own laboratories, are caught in limbo. Senior scientists like Dr. Wells are torn between pursuing research they believe in and protecting students from staking their job prospects on projects they may never be able to complete.” a clear example careers and lives are at stake.
Posted in Uncategorized
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Unsure
The day before the inauguration of President Obama, another man was put into office, but not the Presidential Office, the office at Mercury Radio Arts on 6th Ave is where the Glenn Beck aired his first show on Fox News. In less then 6 months Glenn Beck had 2.6 million views making it the #1 watched news show. With this new power Beck has become the face of the Fox News, the Tea Party, Mercury Radio and voice of so many people. Similar to Beck stand alone characteristics, there is Gilgemesh the great King of Urik a man of great pride and excellence. Two men of such large stature that able to be heard and known for there large power.
Within Fox News, Glenn Beck gets a large amount of criticism for the messages he spreads on the network, recently his lost 200 thousand viewers within a couple of months, people at the network have largely disagreed with his ideals. Numerous companies have made note to Fox News not to air their advertisements during his time slot because of his discredited broadcast. The New York Times says
“While Beck’s personal ventures and exposure have soared this year, his television ratings have declined sharply — perhaps another factor in the network’s impatience. His show now averages two million viewers, down from a high of 2.8 million in 2009, according to the Nielsen Ratings. And as of Sept. 21, 296 advertisers have asked that their commercials not be shown on Beck’s show (up from 26 in August 2009). Fox also has a difficult time selling ads on “The O’Reilly Factor” and “Fox and Friends” when Beck appears on those shows as a guest. Beck’s show is known in the TV sales world as “empty calories,” meaning he draws great ratings but is toxic for ad sales. If nothing else, I sensed that people around Fox News have grown weary after months of “It’s all about Glenn.
Beck is losing support from all sides for his self interest, similar to the lose of support that Gilgemesh gets when his men complain of him to the gods. Through the journey of Glenn Beck’s career there is a recent point where it seem that his actions have caught up with him, and seems unsure has become of him, his show and its consequences. Gilgemesh faces a crossroad just like Beck where Gilgemesh travels to because this is the first he encounters the idea that he isn’t the immortal King of Urik but a human and is responsible for his own actions, in The Epic of Gilgemesh you can see this where it says “Enkidu, my friend, whom I love deeply, who went through every hard ship with me, the father of mankind has overtaken him… I began to fear death, and so roam the wilderness”.
Unlike Gilgemesh, Beck did not chose to change and continues his program in the same way.
Posted in Gilgamesh
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Enkidu and Lady Gaga
The “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” law is up for review this week in the Congress and this year Congress is being challenged to reform the law. The difference between this reform and others has been the great support it has had from a very special celebrity, Lady Gaga. Ms. Gaga known for her hit songs, such as Alejadro and Disco Stick, also her crazy outfits worn in music videos and red carpet affairs, has focused lots of time and fame towards this reformation of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”. The famous pop star at a recent music videos awards show was accompanied by former military personnel who were discharged from there divisions because of being openly gay, the move was made to establish that Gaga was going to challenge and petition against the law. Ms. Gaga was in Maine, September 10th The New York Times reports “the pop music sensation whose was [there] to make an impassioned speech to the crowd of college students, parents with small children, teenagers and service members calling for the repeal of the military’s don’t ask, don’t tell policy.”. Maine, a state where both senators were undecided and crucial in order to pass reform on the law.
In the Epic of Gilgemesh, there is the great King Gilgemesh largely in power but his people complain to the gods about him in great amount saying “Gilgemsh does not leave a son to his father… does not leave a girl to her bethrothed!” In response the gods create Enkidu. Enkidu is as strong as Gilgemsh but are vastly different. This is the first similarity between Enkidu and Lady Gaga, is there rival to take on their opposition even when their opponents are much more established and come from different back rounds.
Much like Enkidu, Lady Gaga is a figure that is created and largely celebrated. Both are supported by the people, Lady Gaga with her fans also those who appose don’t ask don’t tell and Enkidu with all the people who see Gilgemesh as a threat.
People are denouncing the ability of government to react on this law and Lady Gaga comes into the mix in oder to draw attention to this law, this is very similar to when the people of Urik complain to the gods about their King Gilgmesh. Gilgemesh is not treating his people right and the gods create Endiku as a response to his malice. Another similarity between the two is their positions as a new entities and how the are instantly accepted by the people, Lady Gaga, a celebrity that has a numerous amount of fans gains support for her cause effortlessly just as Enkidu is portrayed in the Epic by the people upon his arrival to the city. The change both entities are trying to bring are similar even though they go by it in completely different ways both Gaga and Enkidu are change, in Gaga” case trying to change, is the established rule that seem to be without any restrains.
Posted in Gilgamesh
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