Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

Hamlet, the sovereign of Denmark is a play by William Shakespeare set in the Kingdom of Denmark. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are companions to the hero in the play. Hamlet is a child to the previous King and a nephew to the present King Claudius (Hamlet.2.2.84) These two characters appear to be basic all through and fill in as witnesses of Claudius. Lord Claudius needed to comprehend the changed conduct of his nephew was in anguish in the wake of figuring out how his dad, King Hamlet died.Advertising We will compose a custom paper test on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the play, they fit in as direct government operatives of the King in view of their youth fellowship with Hamlet. Indeed, he alludes to them as his two schoolfellows. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern show sycophancy, as they seem to battle to pick up Claudius’ certainty by acting like Hamlets beloved companions consequently are better positioned to get data fro m him. They acknowledge to work with Claudius on this issue notwithstanding them knowing his aims. He presents them as great old buddies. This is supplemented by their demonstration of obliviousness when they go with Hamlet to England after he slaughtered Polonius. On this excursion, they convey a letter whose content they don't know. This is the thing that prompts their demise. Their sycophancy reverse discharges as Hamlet dismisses their companionship when he reveals to them that they are spies (Hamlet.3.2.176) Furthermore, he figures out how to get the letter from them and revises it turning around the first substance. Privateers execute them in the wake of being deserted by (Hamlet 5.2.353) Hamlet even comments that their demise is a direct result of their connivance. They are likewise utilized in the plot to sustain defilement in the courts by tolerating to be paid as operators to work with Claudia. References Shakespeare, W. (1993) Hamlet, the ruler of Denmark. London: Sterlin g mark Publishers. This article on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern was composed and put together by client Lawson Cameron to help you with your own examinations. You are allowed to utilize it for research and reference purposes so as to compose your own paper; notwithstanding, you should refer to it in like manner. You can give your paper here.

Macbeth †explain in an essay format how I would direct Act2, Scene1 Essay

I am presently going to clarify in an article design how I would coordinate Act2, Scene1 and what I would change from how the play has been initially appeared. In the event that I was coordinating Act 2 Scene 1, I would need Macbeth to appear to the crowd as though he is breaking under the weight and for him to seem crazy, miserable and unreliable. Macbeth acts not the same as when we initially observed him with Banquo, as now he is going to carry out a wrongdoing of conspiracy and murder his cherished King. This is altogether different from when we originally considered him to be he cherished his King and he would bite the dust for him yet now it is backward. This is significant that the crowd comprehend he is totally different and not a similar individual because of his ravenousness for power. It is basic that he is depicted along these lines so the crowd can see he is more vulnerable and more regrettable of particularly as his significant other, Lady Macbeth has been constraining him in to finishing his assignment of killing King Duncan. On the off chance that it was not for his significant other, at that point I don't feel that Macbeth would have proceeded with it. This change in Macbeth’s character will ideally have an effect on the crowd so they can perceive how the three witches and his better half have influenced him and his perspective. Macbeth is understanding that he is more fragile than he suspected and that he is committing an error, he doesn’t need to submit the homicide however his significant other pushes and weights him into murdering his King. This shows the crowd that as of now Lady Macbeth is more grounded than Macbeth and in a superior perspective. He begins to envision things and this is an indication of him being crazy, and intellectually precarious. â€Å"Is this a blade which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me Grasp thee.† p. 43 This discourse is significant in the comprehension of Macbeth’s job in this scene. So I would need Macbeth to be sitting toward the finish of a table and to †¦ state this so that the crowd can see him turning intellectually crazy. I would need him saying the sentence gradually and adversely, accentuating â€Å"toward† as though he is shocked about it, likewise holding a knife infront of him taking a gander at it all over with eyes that look obscured feeling the sharp edge. Likewise I would need a low-calculated shot indicating him overcastting the camera to give that additional pinch of frenzy during the primary line. At that point I would likewise have a nearby of him holding the knife to get his face and blade in a similar camera went for the last two lines. To add to the strain of this discourse there would be music playing out of sight that would be farley overwhelming to give the impression of malevolence and what is going to occur. This will make the crowd handle his character and comprehend what he is experiencing as of now in the play. After this discourse I would have had Macbeth strolling up the steps with the knife looking surprised and crazy and afterward I would have him raise it over his head as he arrived at the highest point of the steps. After he comes out of the room I would make them look down at his hands prepared to slow down and disintegrate at his knees. When he arrives at his room I would have him breakdown onto the bed and lay there feeling remorseful. Likewise when he sees his hands I would have him begin to cry tears to show that he is a weakling and unreliable.

Advising Folders!

Advising Folders! So, Online Freshman Advising Folders became available on Monday, which means excited little prefrosh like yours truly got to find out several exciting little tidbits about our freshman year. First, we found out our advising assignments. There are three advising options at MIT. First theres traditional advising, where you are assigned an advisor and you meet with them every once in awhile to make sure things are going OK. Then theres seminar advising, where your advisor leads a small group of students in a kind of mini-class on some random, fun topic. (You get a few credits, too!) Then theres Residence Based Advising (RBA), but thats just weird and I dont know anything about it, except that its residence based. I was lucky enough to be assigned to my first choice advising seminar, MAS.A17 (Designing Technologies for Kids). Basically I get to play with toys. I anticipate some fun blog entries about that. So stay tuned. =P We excited prefrosh also received the results of the HASS-D lottery. I was lucky enough to be assigned my first choice class here too- 21F.716 (Introduction to Contemporary Hispanic Literature). Let me just say that I really have no problem with this concept where everyone refers to classes by their numbers, Ive even got some of them figured out already. But 21F.716 is way too much for me. How do you even say that out loud? Isnt it just much easier to call it Spanish Lit or something? Really now. Anyway, I made a stop at Barnes and Noble yesterday and picked up a new Spanish-English dictionary and now Im fully ready to take some Spanish at MIT. Im not sure if Ill have to meet with the professor to prove my proficiency at Spanish, so well see how that goes. Maybe my AP Spanish score will count. And speaking of AP scoresthose are also posted in the Advising Folder. I had totally forgotten that I get 9 units of general elective credit for my score on the Spanish Language AP, so that was a pleasant sort-of surprise. I also get credit for 8.01 (Physics I) because of my AP Physics C scores. So all in all, I was very happy to see my advising folder! (The folder also contains FEE results so that everything is organized in one handy folder, but since I already bored you with that topic, Ill leave it out of this entry.) The last piece of information in my folder was the results of the Math Diagnostic. (The folder also contains IB scores, GCE A-level scores, Math transfer credit, and Mission 2009/Terrascope Acceptance, but none of these apply to me, so youll have to look elsewhere for information about them.) I did alright on the test overall, but with a noted weakness in logarithms and exponentials. The text reads: Your Diagnostic score, while generally acceptable, showed at least one area of weakness in Pre-Calculus. You might consider enrolling in 8.01L, (which is a longer version of 8.01 designed for students with little or no exposure to physics with calculus in high school.) So if youve been paying attention so far, youll notice that I was advised to consider taking the longer version of a class that I tested out of! Hmmm. Math causes me so many problems. Its a shame, really. In other news, I leave for MIT on Saturday! Thats the day after tomorrow! Thats insane! I have packed exactly one box, so you can imagine that I have quite a lot of work to do over the next 36 hours. That means that the next time I update this blog, I will be doing so from MIT campus. Then Ill actually have things to write about, which will also be exciting (and easier). Im a little sad about leaving- this excessively lame town has been my home my entire life, so I do feel slightly attached to it. But dont worry, Im definitely more happy than sad about starting college. Im getting a little tired of every single person I run into at Bed, Bath and Beyond asking me if Im excited about school. No offense to all the adults out there, but that one definitely ranks at the top of the list of Lamest and Most Annoying Questions Ever. Just a heads up. Have a nice day. =)

Why The Colonies Declared Independence - 998 Words

Why the Colonies Declared Independence For many years the colonists tried unsuccessfully to reach a peaceful and diplomatic solution. They wanted to work out their differences with the British ruling authority. The time finally came when the colonists realized independence was their only option. There were many obstacles and detours along the road to American independence, and along the way many supporters were hesitant to the idea of complete independence. In spite of Great Britain’s effort to maintain control of these colonies, a nation was formed. A widely held opinion amongst many colonists was to receive a better deal from Great Britain. The sons of liberty were one of the most passionate groups opposing all the new taxation and regulation that England was handing down. They were constantly passing around petitions and organizing boycotts. They also were not afraid to use violence if necessary. One event that increased the tension between Great Britain and the colonists was the Stamp act of 1766. The British government did show some form of goodwill by repealing the act, but later passed more measures that the colonies felt were just more backdoor policies aimed at more taxation and government intrusion. (Organizing Colonial Resistance (Overview), 2014) Samuel Adams, a colonial activist, began ramping up communication and forming committees. His goal was to encourage unity and cooperation among the various colonies. The main focus of the committees was to helpShow MoreRelatedUnited States Declaration of Independence Analysis Essay1075 Words   |  5 PagesMy document is going to analyze the â€Å"United States Declaration of Independence† which was published on July 4th, 1776. It was written by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Second Continental Congress, states the reasons the British colonies of North America sought independence in July of 1776. The declaration opens with a preamble describing the documents necessity, in explaining why the colonies have overthrown their ruler, and chosen to take their place as a separate nation, and to be independentRead MoreThomas Jefferson s The Declaration Of Independence984 Words   |  4 PagesBy the 1770’s the thirteen colonies had become un-happy with their motherland of Britain. The colonists believed they were being taxed unjustly. Soon the bigger issues like political differences became obvious the thirteen colonies decided to declare themselves separate from Britain. The Continental Congress created a committee to write a draft stating the colonies had the â€Å"right to be independent states†(Shi and Mayer 2016, 104). The group designated Thomas Jefferson to be the main author. InRead MoreThe Three Revolutions: What Were They Fighting For?998 Words   |  4 Pagespaper, it will be shown who, what, where, why and how the three revolutions evolved, and how they effected the world. The American Revolution lasted from 1775-1783 and slated thirteen British colonies in North America against Great Britain. The empire experienced economic difficulties after the Seven Years’ War, which involved conflicts with both the French and Indians. The empire ensured themselves control of international markets with the colonies benefiting financially (Bentley, et alRead MoreLetter Of The Declaration Of Independence1035 Words   |  5 Pagesblack slaves like us who has not given freedom, and we suffered from severe labor except bedtime thus far. By the way, as you probably know, finally in 1776, some members of the 13 Colonies met in Philadelphia and declared independence from England and Thomas Jefferson was the chief proponent of the Declaration of Independence. 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This allowed patriots leaders from all colonies to have a sense of communication. â€Å"First, a right to life; Secondly, to liberty; Thirdly, to property; together with the right to support and defend them in the best manner they can.† (Adams-pg.417)This outlined the colonistâ€℠¢s right as men and as Christians. Adams tactics and efforts drove colonies to the border of The Revolutionary War and The Virginia House of Burgesses and other assembliesRead MoreThe Causes Of Mercantilism879 Words   |  4 Pagespull away from their rule because of the unjust actions taking place. Fromt the year 1763 and on, the colonies began to pull away from the mother country because of restrictions and taxes being imposed on them so they came together and worked to declare their independence. The British and they colonists relationship started off mutual, because the mother country didn’t really care about the colonies because they were making money and really didn’t have any reason to bother them. Right after the FrenchRead MoreThe Pursuit Of Happiness By Thomas Paine And Declaration Of Independence975 Words   |  4 PagesSense by Thomas Paine and Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson plays major contribution in American Revolution which made common men realize true color of selfish and unfair monarchy system of Britain. A revolution occurs when a king or government is misusing their power and mistreating their people. American Revolution was a little different in which the king of England did not mistreat the colonist at first. King George III loved the colonies as much as he loved England. After the FrenchRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence By Thomas Jefferson1670 Words   |  7 PagesPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania where five men were appointed to be a part of a comity to write the Declaration of Independence and become liberated from the British government. The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in American history. It tells the major ideas that the Founders had about government. Eventually, after several rough drafts of the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson, a final draft was written and finally approved by the Second Continental Congress.Read MoreAnalysis Of Thomas Paines Common Sense909 Words   |  4 Pagessection three of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, there are some counterpoints that can be presented against the idea of declaring independence from Britain and revolution. Many of the colonists are unhappy with how the British government was treating them and they had valid reasons to be unhappy, but the declaring independence from Britain would not be beneficial to the colonies and its people. In section three of Common Sense, Paine says â€Å"I challenge the warmest of advocate for reconciliation to show

Inequalities Sociology and Consumer Society - 774 Words

A consumer society is best defined as the process in which goods and services are bought and used to satisfy people’s perceived needs (J.Obelkevich. 1994). The image of this consumer society can be described as one of individualism and freedom but it can also be marked by social divisions, inequalities and exclusions. This essay examines the relationships there are between consumerism, the social divisions this engenders and ultimately the choices, if any, this offers to people. It shows how our choices can be defined by the type of people we are, the way that we are perceived by others and our ability to consume. Consumption is now seen as the major aspect for many in our society and a dominant force in shaping all our identities.†¦show more content†¦The transient represents the usual state of commodities as objects which are declining in value and which have finite life spans. Whereas the durable increase in value over time and have (ideally) infinite life spans (1979: 7). Thompson uses the example of a used car as a transient and Queen Anne tallboy as a durable. He further observes that their category membership determines the way we act towards them. Thompson argues that rubbish represents an important possible ‘in-between’ category in a ‘region of flexibility’ which is not subject to the same control mechanisms of the valuable and socially significant categories of transient and durable. Therefore it ‘is able to provide the path for the seemingly impossible transfer of an object from transience to durability’ (1979: 9) he further suggests t hat ‘a transient object gradually declining in value and in expected life-span may slide across into rubbish’ (1979: 9) where it has the chance of being re-discovered, brought to light or cherished onceShow MoreRelatedSociology1681 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"In the world we now live, divisions into class are meaningless. 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Developmentally the sociology of education has provided numerous theories, the f unctionalist perspective, the conflict perspective, Forms ofRead MoreThe Structural Functional Theory Of Social Class849 Words   |  4 PagesQuestion 1 â€Å"Unlike the structural functional theory, which views society as a peaceful unit, conflict theory interprets society as a struggle for power between groups engaging in conflict for limited resources. Karl Marx is the founder of conflict theory†. The social class most likely to implement or adopt the use of conflict theory are the capital class. As stated in class the social class has a minority called the â€Å"Bilderberg Group†; they hold incredible influence over government policies, RepresentRead MoreAmerica Seems to Be Moving towards a Two Class System Instead of the Traditional Three Class System1059 Words   |  5 Pagescasual restaurants and stores are suffering. This can be described as the byproduct of the lower and upper classes taking over our economy, as the middle class slowly diminishes right before our eyes. John G. Maxwell, head of the global retail and consumer practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers stated this, â€Å"As a retailer or restaurant cha in, if you’re not at the really high level or the low level, that’s a tough place to be. You don’t want to be stuck in the middle.† Middle class jobs are continuing toRead MoreMedicine And Social Control, Barbara And John Ehrenreich918 Words   |  4 PagesIn the 1960s, consumers demonstrated their concerns for obtaining more social services, especially within the health system. In the essay Medicine and Social Control, Barbara and John Ehrenreich draws attention to the sociology of health and medicine. Ehrenreich claims that more mental health services there are, the more social control are given to these agencies (1, Ehrenreich, CC 2015 p. 185). 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Murdocks definition is focuses on the Nuclear family stereotypically

Odyssey Illiad Devine Comedy Metamorphoses Aeneid Free Essays

The illiad book 1 Who is the king of the Achaens Who is the best warriar Where are they making war What was the reason for this war Who were the prices for achiles and Agamemnon (the girls) Who is chryses Why was there a plague? Who is archilles mom what is she the god of and what favor doeshe ask of her Odyssey book one and 2 Who is Poseidon why is he mad at odyssey Who is hermes What is the favor Athena ask poseidon Where is odyssey trapped and by whom? Wha does her name mean How does Penelope trick the suitors into marrying him Why does Athena dress up as mentes and who is telemechas How does Athena protect telemachas and what journey does Telemachus go on Whaat does the two eagles mean that zeus brings down Aeneid book1 Y is juno mad at aeneas (two reasons) what does juno do for revenge who is god of wind who is the queen f carthage how does venus protect aeneas from juno book 1 bok 2 book 4 of metamorphoses what des metamorphoses mean wha does cupid do to Apollo, who does he fall in love with and what does she transform into what does apoll do that represents he will be with her forever which character did juno sleep with and what was the character turn into and for what reason? What did mercury do to argus and what? What was his transformation and who turn him into ir Difference between magpies story and muses who won? Why were the perdies turned into mag pies. What were the mag pie stories about as well as the muses Who is Diana the goddess of The devine comedy What r the three real msdanes travel through As dante climbs the hill towards the light wha kind of animal blocks it? What are the other two animals he encounters? Who is the ghost that he encounters Why does the ghost tell dante to come with him Where is dantes homeland What is a canticle Whatsa stanza Why is it called a comedy( 3 reasons) Who translated dantes work and year Who does dantes compare himself to? Who is Beatrice Dantes way with words whatdoes he compare himself to? The thousand and one nights. Who is the king of india Who is the king of shamarkand What is the vizier What is the reason for th eking of india to keep killing woman How did the vizier protect his daughter from getting her . We will write a custom essay sample on Odyssey Illiad Devine Comedy Metamorphoses Aeneid or any similar topic only for you Order Now How to cite Odyssey Illiad Devine Comedy Metamorphoses Aeneid, Essay examples

The Role of Religion in Social Conflicts in Devil on the Cross and The Name of the Rose free essay sample

No discussion of postmodernism in literature can avoid beginning and ending without examining the truth and understanding of the role of God. In the philosophical and psychological contributions of Sigmund Freud, his views on social conflict, and individual suffering resulted in his theories on the state of mental health and its effect on individuals in the face of culture and religion. Through practicing such theories of psychoanalysis and the unconscious, he pursued and cured fears in many of his patients. Yet, ironically in his statement above, it became evident from his philosophical work, Civilization and its Discontents, that he concluded many social sanctions around devotion to religion as well as the social rules and social structures were somewhat protective against changing away from suffering and conflict. His observation inferred that faith and devotion were intended to deflect the truth of irrationality and uncertainty in the world, and Christianity provided comfort. It required a leap of faith, as demonstrated by a steady acceptance of pre-arranged patterns in Christian knowledge; eventually it lead people to have an inability to question what they were told from the disseminators of the truth of the words of God. We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of Religion in Social Conflicts in Devil on the Cross and The Name of the Rose or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Freud’s writings reflected that no matter how much negative social conditions like war, poverty, and crime became tragic and severe, for 2000 years Christianity readily supplied people with a rationale for their suffering and their discontent. Many writers within the postmodern movement applied Freud’s concepts to create an awareness of the false truths behind Christianity, believing that it did not have the answer to the unmet desires and needs of individuals to alleviate social conflict, and suffering. The Name of the Rose and Devil on the Cross illustrate the consequences of the unfulfilled desires and the damage that results from the characters and the readers have blind acceptance of truth in what we read and we have been culturally conditioned to recognize as true. Instead we take comfort in anything that reassures us by preventing us from challenging our way of thinking. As Freud wrote in Civilization and its Discontents: â€Å"One feels inclined to say that the intention that man should be happy is not included in the Plan of Creation. † (Part ll). Even the abbot claimed according to Catholic Church that Jesus never smiled, and it was heresy to speculate that he ever laughed. (Eco 258). All of Freud’s work with patients to overturn their anxiety in the world was intended to help the patient overcome suffering and interpersonal conflict and lead to happiness. This clearly contrasted with the universal truth of an absolute morality from the word of God, and Christian religious concepts like the Beatitudes that taught the notion that suffering lead to reward after death. These truths passed off for 2000 years became questionable and irrational in the minds of more educated thinkers among men. Accordingly, another major writer, Nietzsche, developed a catch phrase for the shift away from the hegemony of Christianity by saying, â€Å"God is dead.† (Nietzsche, The Gay Science, Section 125). This concept also detracted from the notion of faith being rational in the face of an irrational world where bad things happen to good people and conversely, good things happen to bad people. The underlying principles of Nietzsche and Freud’s philosophies led to a proliferation in agnostics and atheism along with impacting new writers to search for different and new perspectives on the truth of our purpose in this world and our personal role in improving the human condition. Nietzsche continued his elaboration on this possibility: â€Å"God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. Yet hisshadow still looms. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it? † A new definition of morality emerged from the former belief in God as the ultimate truth of his absolute moral authority in human behaviour. Formerly, the dominance of Christian Doctrine would not comfortably allow factions of The Catholic Church such as Benedictines/ Jesuits and Franciscans/ followers of Saint Francis to disagree, nor could these different views be accepted and equally true without the accusation of heretic toward one or the other. Because the absolute control of moral values belonged to the agent of Christianity, the Pope in Rome. In stating that God is dead, Nietzsche the absolute system of morality maintained through holding the granting of miracle, mystery and sole authority to the Catholic Church was renounced, along with the Inquisition’s summary execution or torture of heretics. Those who acted outside the church’s strict moral codes were no longer judged as evil, mistaken, or ignorant. Eco envisions a world where man is no longer afraid of expressing ideas that run contrary to the Catholic Church as described by Adso, the narrator in The Name of the Rose: â€Å"This evil that heresy inflicts on the Christian people, obsfucating and inciting all to become inquisitors to their personal benefit. For what I saw at the abbey then (and now recount) caused me to think that often inquisitors create heretics. † (50) This philosophy expressed by Adso has been based increasingly since the 13th century on theories of relative morality has begun in writers like Eco, to shift its position in order to reflect a post-modernist scepticism and irony which has proved fatal to theism, but definitely fatal to mono-theism. Christian existentialism in the Post Modern sense of the author tried to place an emphasis on the indescribability of faith, individual passion, and the subjectivity of knowledge in The Name of the Rose. William, the protagonist in The Name of the Rose concurred with Nietzsche’s point. He said: â€Å"When men stop believing in God, it isn’t that then they believe in nothing: they believe in everything. † (327). Eco addressed the issue of knowledge in the creation of religious meaning throughout this book. Knowledge was one of the most powerful tools of the Middle Ages and the greatest compendium of knowledge throughout this time period was undoubtedly the Catholic Church. The Abbey librarians’ motives for the capture and imprisonment of this exhaustive collection of written works was not entirely for their own enrichment, but predominantly for self-preservation of their elite status in Medieval society. If the general public were to get hold of such a wealth of philosophical and scientific works that were withheld in the Abbey library, then they would almost certainly begin to formulate their own religious truths. This â€Å"pearls before swine† perspective that the Church held so tightly to at that time was intended to protect the Church and insure its survival. It was compelled to keep knowledge from the masses, and this activity drives William, the protagonist, through attempting to finding a pattern of the symbolic nature of the murders, something that Umberto Eco has incorporated thoroughly in his novel, The Name of the Rose. Postmodernism allusions like those to the power of deductive, rational thinking of Sherlock Holmes in the character of William, and an array of murders in the library help to explain the sorry state of learning when William has been unable to correctly solve the murders., because of his unavailability of knowledge for those outside of the monasteries in the Middle Ages. The labyrinth library was one of the most important aspects to the portrayal of knowledge in Eco’s first novel. This detailed labyrinth was designed and intended to be a metaphorical reference to the Church’s desire to keep knowledge away from the illiterate poor and secular Monarchs and Kings. The restrictions on truth and knowledge fu elled the conflict between religious factions in the Chapter entitled â€Å"Prime† (335). Adso records a meeting between the Franciscan and the Benedictine Orders who have become enemies through divergent interpretations of the Gospels and the true meaning of Christ’s poverty. The central 1000 year old argument is about Christ’s poverty, against the history of vast wealth of the Vatican accumulated through accounts of miracles, relics of mysteries, and spiritual authority on the Bible. On the other hand, the Gospels have lead the Franciscans on an opposite path to forsake all material wealth and follow Christ, the poorest of the poor, and the apostolic tradition of poverty. â€Å"to set an example of a perfect life, (Christ’s) teaching the apostles had never owned anything in common and this truth was a matter of Catholic faith and doctrine †(p. 338). This obvious truth was abandoned and replaced by the Benedictines and the Jesuits through the construction of prestigious cathedrals, the use of jewelled icons, and rich alignments with Kings and landowners. The Church stopped using this vast wealth for charity, and it became absorbed in the protection of this world of riches. Even though Christ is often quoted as teaching that it was more difficult for the rich man to get into heaven, like a camel passing through the eye of a needle (Matthew 19:24), the forces of wealth ended the specific quotes from the Gospels, when the argument turned ugly, they declared to the Franciscans that â€Å"The Roman Pontiff, in everything concerning faith and morals can revoke the decisions of his predecessors and can even make contrary assertions.. †(p. 342). The chapter ends with a physical battle, but Eco’s point is made that the concept of truth is not absolute but relative, in this case to the goals and aspirations of the Catholic Empire to maintain and advance this acquisition of material wealth. In the end the question regarding the truth of Christ’s poverty becomes reframed to another question just because Christ and his followers were poor, does it necessarily have to follow that the Church has to be poor? Furthermore, this hypocrisy on the part of the Pope has increased the gap between the suffering poor and the billions of dollars in equity owned by the Catholic Church making it so extreme wealthy. It has been a source of suffering, and as the chapter illustrates a source of war, and those who disagreed with the Catholic Church were defeated and punished by the Inquisition as the enemy of Christianity. Once accused, the Church would seize all the lands and possessions of the heretics or infidels. The Pope was once asked, how did he know that the people he had killed were actually heretics? He replied that he had them killed anyway, and he said that he left it up to God to sort them out (153). Overall, the billions of poor people in the Catholic Empire had no recourse to social justice. When convenient the Church dispensed very little of its vast fortune in the form of â€Å"charity† but felt no sense of â€Å"obligation† to donate to the masses which would equalize the poverty gap between the social hierarchies. One begins to see the connection between capitalism and Catholicism, and forced poverty connected to communism. Devil on the Cross, is a contrasting narrative style, but it remains comparatively similar in theme and concerns about the circumstances on social justice and Christianity. Both writers use symbolism, philosophical arguments, allegories and metaphors to describe a history of conflict and suffering from Christianity and post Colonialism. The writer uses this work to denounce the prevailing evils that ruins Africans and Kenyans in particular. Ngugi uses the Devil on the Cross to provide a thorough examination of life in post-colonial Kenya. He uses allegories, philosophical arguments and metaphors to criticize the neo-colonial imperialist and capitalist society that emerged in post-independence Kenya. The exploitation of the people by both the foreign companies and the corrupt local elite is explored in this novel. The writer uses the heart-rending story of a young Kenyan, woman Wariinga who left her home in the rural area and journeyed to Nairobi to seek a better life. She ended up being exploited by a capitalist society driven by greed and corruption. â€Å"Devil on the Cross tells a story that exposes the social and political contradictions of both capitalism and neo-colonialism. These contradictions exposes the issues of elitism, class struggle and social collectivism that arose in post-colonial Kenya. Ngugi uses the allegory of the cross to describe the evil of colonialism that remained the attainment of independence. It was the general thinking of the people that attainment of independence would bring better tidings to the people of Kenya as the Devil of colonialism was crucified but the devil’s acolytes brought him down, as the following passage reads: â€Å"And there and then the people crucified the Devil on the Cross, and they went away singing songs of victory. After three days, there came others dressed in suits and ties, who, keeping close to the wall of darkness, lifted the Devil down from the cross. And they knelt before him, and they prayed to him in loud voices, beseeching him to give them a portion of his robes of cunning. † (1) The writer shows that the independence for which Africans in general and Kenyans in particular fought and obtained, and which was meant to crucify the devil, that is displacing colonialism, imperialism and capitalism has not been effective, so far as the Devil has been revived after three days through neocolonialism being implemented by the new African political leaders. The great gap between the wealthy and the poor in Kenya caused the poor to seek solace in religion. The Christian religion handed to the poor caused them to endure great suffering; according to Marx, religion operated as an opium for the poor. In Nakuru’s words, â€Å"The kind of education bequeathed to us by the whites has clipped the wings of our abilities, leaving us limping like wounded birds† (63). In this quote he was referring to religious education that came from an oral tradition on the part of Europeans who knew they were dealing with people who did not have the literacy skills to read for themselves. An important part of religious knowledge is contained in the Beatitudes such as: â€Å"Blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall inherit the earth†¦. blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteous for they shall be filled, blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy, blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven† (Mathew: 5, 3-10). When raising the issue of religion functioning as an opiate to social groups that are suffering in poverty, these religious precepts are passed off as the truth however, this twisted trust in the word of God may not be truth. Another function of the opiate effect was contained in the reference to several proverbs from the Bible about avarice and conceit (63). â€Å"To possess much encourages conceit; to possess little, thought†. This kind of education, from the Christian religious authorities has hampered the ambitions and abilities of common people and forced the poor to endure suffering. The establishment of the Christian religion in Kenya forced their traditional religions to the background. The allegory of the Ogre illustrates the evil of Christian quotes to support capitalism as it supports Christian beliefs: â€Å"The peasant was the one who went to the fields to get food, who went to the valleys to get water, the one who went to the forest to get firewood and the one who did the cooking. The Ogre’s job was to eat and sleep on the back of the peasant. As the peasant became progressively thinner, the ogre was the one who flourished, to the extent of being inspired to sing hymns that exhorted the peasant to endure his lot on earth with fortitude, for he would later find his rest in Heaven† (62). In this allegory, the ogre symbolizes the church and its oppression against the poor, and at the same time the ogre symbolizes the capitalists who have come to Kenya to take the resources from the people without investing in their rights to these riches. Not only was this metaphor describing the destruction of Kenyan culture and self-worth, as it applies to women, the ogre is transformed into a white man from a foreign country. â€Å"†¦. a girl, an ebony beauty with an appealing gap between her teeth†¦ she was black, she was truly beautiful; and she had rejected the hands of all the young men in her country. But when (she) saw a young man from a foreign country one day, she immediately claimed that he was the one for whom she had been waiting. She followed him and do you know what? The young foreigner was a man eating ogre. He tore off (her) limbs one by one and he ate them (62). This story illustrates the conditions for women are clearly worse compared to men. The story begins by describing her as a natural beauty but this natural beauty was destroyed in the name foreign standards of beauty. For example women of color now try to bleach their skin or straighten her their hair to conform to Eurocentric standards of beauty. When the protagonist explained to the reader how she appeared to herself in the mirror and was convinced her appearance was the root cause of her problems: â€Å"What she hated most was her blackness so she would disfigure her body with skin lightening creams like Ambi and Snowfire, forgetting the saying: That which is born black can never be white†¦. Her hair was splitting, and it had browned to the color moleskin because it had been straightened with red hot iron combs† (11). Wariinga is reflective of this kind of thinking when she looks at herself in the mirror because of the Eurocentric standard of beauty prevalent in the society she lived in. The writer employs the use of realism to picture the evils of the Devil (capitalism and imperialism) and convince the masses to gather to crucify him and make sure his disciples do not remove him from the cross. The socialist Engels formulated what is generally recognised as the classical definition of realism in the book On Literature an Art. â€Å"Realism, to my mind,† he wrote, â€Å"implies, besides truth of detail, the truthful reproduction of typical characters under typical circumstances† (90). In this novel, the writer creates sympathetic but realistic characters according to social classes they belong to. Muturi, Wariinga, Wangari and Gatuira represent the peasants and workers, Gitutu-Wa-Gataaguru, Kihaahu and Mwireri represent the bourgeoisie and the circumstances they depicted in this novel are typical to their classes. For example, the talk among Wangari, Muturi, Gatuira and Wariinga is typical to people of the underprivileged class as they have no freedom of speech. The writer used Matatu to be the place where people whose freedom is not guaranteed can talk. The writer uses this novel to expose social ills by translating images into literary language and from that into sociological perspectives. This results in him presenting socially reflective texts, which are equivalent to element of realism. Throughout the book, the writer, in Devil on the Cross refers to capitalism as a negative acquisition, and this malaise is not peculiar to Kenya, as this passage indicates: â€Å"But it is not Nairobi alone that is afflicted in this way. The same is true of all other cities in every country that has recently slipped the nose of colonialism. These countries are finding it difficult to stave off poverty for the simple reason that they have taken it upon themselves to run their own economies from American experts. So they have been taught the principle and system of self-interest and have been told to forget the ancient songs that glorify the notion of collective good†. (15) The writer makes it understandable why capitalism has eaten deep into Kenya and the whole Africa by the depiction of the extent to which citizens have become money worshipers. For example the character Mwaura says, â€Å"Business is my temple and money is my God†¦Show me where money is and I’ll take you there. † (56). It is also because of money and capitalism that the Devil Feast is organized, where thieves have to prove their expertise in theft and robbery, sponsored by Satan King of the Hell. Corruption is another social evil that has brought conflict that has eaten deep into the fabric of the social and political life in Africa. Not just corruption, but moral corruption. As the writer explains, people are not given jobs because they are qualified or capable, but rather they get jobs because of what the can offer. Again the women suffer. They have nothing to offer but sex, either to get a job or to preserve the one they already have. This is the case with the character Kareendi made up by the protagonist Wariinga to tell her story. Kareendi was able to complete her studies despite having had a fatherless child. The narrative stressed that â€Å"the Modern Bar and Lodging had become the main employment bureau for girls, and women’s thighs are the tables on which contracts are signed†. The writer regrets not hindering and condemning such practices. Instead, Kenyans sang this song: â€Å"Sister Kareendi, the case of a fool takes a long time to settle. Sister Kareendi every court session opens with feasting. Sister Kareendi, no man licks an empty hand. Take care of me and I will take care of you. Modern problems are solved with the aid of thigh† (19). This extract shows the moral decay of the African society; how abominable practices were being perpetrated by people who were supposed to be custodians of the culture. It shows how post- colonial Africans in positions of power used their positions to pursue dishonest and immoral interests. This resulted in the masses being compelled to do despicable things like having women sell themselves to receive favours in order to survive. In response to the prevalent evil in the land, the writer calls to the oppressed people to fight against the oppression by the heirs of colonialists. He encourages the people, to unite in all senses and work as one se to effectively modify nature and make things work to meet their basic necessities â€Å"like their shelter to keep out rain, clothes to keep out of cold and sun, food to make the body grow, and many other needs. † (52) It is from this sense of unity, which humanity is born: â€Å"That humanity is in turn born from of many hands working together, for as Gikuyu once said, a single finger cannot kill a louse; a single log cannot make a fire last through the night; a single man, however strong cannot build a bridge across a river; and many hands can lift a weight, however heavy.( 52) The strength of unity the passage preaches is also stressed when the writer speaks about the miserable outcome of class struggles between the bourgeoisie and peasant life. â€Å"Famine has increased in our land, But it has been given other names, So that the people should not discover Where all the food has been hidden Two bourgeois ie women Ate the flesh of the children of the poor. They could not see the humanity of the children Because their hearts were empty. Many houses, and acres of land, And wounds of stolen money. These cannot bring peace to a person, Because they have been taken from the poor. Now look away from the rich, At the poor, and at the children They are all stagger-a-staggering on the highway Because their hearts are empty. † (50) The writer is warning post-colonial Kenya to take the devil of black capitalism off the cross and replace it with concern for the common good and allow Kenyans to benefit from the rich resources that belong to the people. Instead of the profits of the resources going to the pockets of a few who have teamed up with the former colonial masters, a heritage fund can be created for education and health. Overall, both books set in different times and locations precisely make a similar point. What is the role of religion and what vision of society do we hold dear? In the case of The Name of Rose, we have the maintenance of a rear view vision powered by the Catholic Church. On the other hand, The Devil on the Cross, we have known that the British imperialists left Kenya in 1963 and very little has changed in terms of independence and quality. It is this very question that the writer raises in this book and he has made a determination at great risk to bring socialism forward to create a more positive vision for Kenyan and African society.