Comparison Of Roman Emperor Constantine And The Frankish...

In early European history, power seemed to be everything. However, power was obtained through how much land one acquired. It was held to those who were politically clever and used certain strategies in order to gain territory and ultimately power. One of the strategies in which both the Roman Emperor Constantine and the Frankish Merovingian King Clovis used was the driving force of religion. Through faith, one can move mountains; this is exactly was these men did. They used people’s faith to aid them in obtaining authority over land. Throughout this essay I will recollect the Christian religion’s history in order to draw a correlation between the church and the state; moreover, how the forth mentioned men utilized their conversions to Christianity as means of manipulation to gain power and territory. In the dawn of Christianity, many were threatened by the conception of having a single omnipotent and omni-benevolent god to confide in. Nonetheless there were those who fo und the Jesus Christ’s message rather compelling. The notion that people may be redeemed and granted eternal life in heaven simply by their faith in Jesus Christ, appealed to many living within the walls of the Roman Empire. At this point in time polytheism was nothing out of the norm. In fact, this belief was most predominant in the Roman Empire. Worshippers of gods like Jupiter, Juno, Apollo, amongst countless others, conducted public sacrifices and performed rituals to please the gods. However, when

Rape and Sexual Harassment The Intersectional Experiences...

Rape and sexual harassment are both two common forms of sexual violence prevalent in the United States. Although both events can happen to men, women are more prone to face these occurrences. According to the National Violence Against Women Survey, â€Å"78% of the victims of rape and sexual assault are women and 22% are men† (â€Å"Domestic Violence Statistics†). In 2011, companies experienced sexual harassment charges at 11% in relation to all charges brought forth to businesses, and 16% of these charges were filed by men (Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment). These women are eternally tainted by these occurrences, as Jean Amà ©ry wrote, â€Å"whoever was tortured, stays tortured† (Brison 5). Our American society rarely considers the effect on†¦show more content†¦Cho explains this by saying, that although women are stigmatized for being that sex, when they are denounced for being both a woman and a certain race, it can become a wholly differen t experience for an individual (351). American culture has developed stereotypes in relation to both African American women as well as Asian Pacific American women. For instance, Ammons suggests that historical caricatures of Black women include the Mammy, Aunt Jemima, and Jezebel; modern stereotypes include Sapphire, the matriarch, and the welfare queen (264). Consequently, as these labels suggest, in most instances Black women are typecast as fiery, strong, and not in need of any help. Therefore, if something does happen to them where they are a victim of sexual violence, they may not be seen as an actual victim and rather as someone who can take care of themselves (Ammons). Asian Pacific Americans, however, are seen in another manner. As Cho suggests, â€Å"model minority traits of passivity and submissiveness are intensified and gendered through the stock portrayal of obedient and servile Asian Pacific women in popular culture† (351). Consequently, it can be suggested th at an act of sexual violence committed against an Asian Pacific American woman may not be seen as such, because she is supposed to be obedient to men. This is perpetuated in the stereotypes mentioned by Wu of the China doll, geisha girl and dragon lady (11). Wu explainsShow MoreRelatedWhat s The First Thing You Think Of When You Hear The Word1392 Words   |  6 Pagesbecause sexism and inequality no longer exist? When it comes to feminism, I ve heard it all-- every misconception, misinterpretation, and myth imaginable. Now why do I call the statements listed above misconceptions, misinterpretations, and myths? Because they are. Now you may not believe me at the moment, but by the end of this essay you will. Let’s start off with the dictionary definition of feminism: the belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. Intersectional feminismRead MoreThe American Of The United States Essay1731 Words   |  7 Pagesstandards, and wage fairness. An Analysis Through an Intersectional Lens The case study of immigrant Central American women in the United States obtaining jobs in domestic work offers a unique analysis of the intersections of one’s identity. The major elements of their identity that are habitually disempowered by American society is their: gender, class, race, and citizenship status. Not only do these women’s feel the effects of being a female and a minority, they also are further marginalized by their class

Advertisement Analysis American Beauty Free Essays

Ever since civilization began, trends have socialized groups on how to dress, think, and act; it becomes an absolute necessity to support whatever is in vogue or risk ostracization. Modern businesses create advertising in American media by following these cultural trends. Whether it is through periodicals, radio, or the all powerful television these companies use effective methods to psychologically convince their intended audience to buy either a product or service. We will write a custom essay sample on Advertisement Analysis: American Beauty or any similar topic only for you Order Now These advertisements perfectly reflect how Americans perceive sex, social status, and gender roles. A prime example of this concept is a television commercial by Old Spice soliciting scented body wash to women with boyfriends or husbands. The sales pitch begins with an attractive black male in a bathroom egotistically claiming superiority over every woman’s significant other adding that men make a mistake in their body wash which is actually buying anything other than Old Spice. The setting spontaneously changes to a yacht at sea where the actor woos his female audience with show tickets and diamonds. The actor then confidently promises that if their men smell like Old Spice as well then anything is possible. As a final note, he randomly confesses that he is on a horse as a catchy jingle plays in the background. This commercial is extremely effective in selling to women by creating a stereotypical romantic man to serve as a salesman. The advertisement conveys the notion that women will only be satisfied if their men are not only very attractive but can provide a lifestyle of infinite luxury using humor, subconscious promises of success, and the Old Spice man himself. Humor is the most explicit tool this advertisement uses in appealing to the audience being over the top to produce positive emotions within each viewer. The most apparent example is how cocky the Old Spice man is in his presentation of the product. It is amusing how he arrogantly degrades other men for their use of â€Å"lady scented body wash† and how they unfortunately cannot be him. The Old Spice man’s presentation is so egotistical yet suave one cannot help but be amused. Spontaneous scene changes from a bathroom to a yacht to on a horse are also ridiculously hilarious because they are random. The positive emotions evoked by humor are pivotal in order to sell a product. After watching the funny commercial positive feelings resurface whenever someone sees the same product inside a store; the odds that they will buy Old Spice body wash over another brand become very high. This concept brings to light that in American culture people enjoy humor. Humor can provide variations to a monotonous lifestyle as well as make people happy. Most people do not actively seek to be depressed so if humor can lead to amusement then people will actively seek for positive reinforcement. The writers of the Old Spice commercial understand the importance of humor and incorporate it with selling their personal hygiene product so that people will psychologically associate the two together. The association of an emotional response with a tangible object is not uncommon with advertisements because it is an effective way to sell on a subconscious level. By incorporating images of materialistic wealth such as a yacht, diamonds, and horseback riding on a beach Old Spice appeals to the American desire to possess limitless wealth. On the advertisement, the Old Spice man falsely claims that â€Å"anything is possible if your man smells like Old Spice† as he possesses excellent physique and is surrounded by various forms of materialistic wealth. To women the advertisement subconsciously implies that if they buy Old Spice body wash it is possible for their men to own a yacht, diamonds, and horseback ride on a tropical beach. The commercial wants to invoke feelings of desire and associate them with their product so that people will buy it. For middle class Americans, the demographic group whom the advertisement primarily targets, it is very possible to achieve a comfortable standard of wealth being able to eventually retire and live a lifestyle the way they please. Most people do not actively seek to become destitute therefore advertisements wisely do not portray the Old Spice man as homeless in a gutter using body wash to smell clean. The association of their product with negative imagery would result in poor product sales because feelings evoked by imagery like humor attach to a product in the minds of viewers. Understanding human psychology is pivotal in soliciting a product. The advertisement’s most powerful tool in attracting attention toward Old Spice body wash is sexual appeal because within American culture sex is a sensitive topic often considered taboo in conservative social circles. The Old Spice man exudes enough confidence to be considered arrogant, has irresistible charm, and has a sexy body in the eyes of women; he is the archetype of a romantic lover. The Old Spice man is deliberately placed in the advertisement to distract women from making a completely rational decision in buying the personal hygiene product. The real message the commercial makes is to specifically buy Old Spice body wash but the product is not even introduced until a full ten seconds after the advertisement begins with the attractive man commanding women to â€Å"look at your man, now back to me† three times. What women really observe is a romantic fantasy with the man their man can smell like on a boat showered with luxury gifts. The advertisement reflects the cultural belief that women lust for an attractive and wealthy man; it also plays on the racial stereotype that men of African descent are sexually well endowed being that the Old Spice man is black. For men specifically Old Spice implies that it will make them more desirable in the eyes of women smelling no longer like a lady but a man. This concept demonstrates how powerful sex appeal is in the advertisement epitomized by the Old Spice man himself. Old Spice wants to make their product sexually desirable so it will sell. Without the element of sex many products would not sell as well as they presently do because there is no explicit desire attached. People like sex. More specifically, people long to become sexually attractive and if a product can make a promise to do so people will buy it. It is well understood that companies make advertisements to sell their product to make a profit. In order to stand out among the competition advertisements play on the psychology of targeted viewers by making references to humor, misleading information, and sex. In American culture sex is the most powerful because of how sex is socially perceived as indecent or lewd while being very much ingrained within society. It is to retailer’s advantage that a product carries an additional label beyond its intended use because of how people like to think they are getting more with what they pay for. It can be very easy for consumers to fall for ploys by advertisements; they are Venus fly traps set to catch their next prey. How to cite Advertisement Analysis: American Beauty, Papers

Barbarians Essay Example For Students

Barbarians Essay BarbariansThe term Barbarian is Greek in origin. The Greeks originally levied it at any races who were not of a Greek origin; especially those who threatened Greek civilization and culture. Because most of these strangers regularly assaulted Greek cities, the term barbarian gradually evolved into a rude term: a person who was a sub-human, uncivilized, and regularly practiced the most vile and inhuman acts imaginable. It is obvious that a barbarian has not been considered as a member of society as well as a woman in Ancient Greece. In many Greek tragedies that we have read women either play a secondary role or absent at all. That is why it is so unusual to read a tragedy where woman is a main character and not only that a woman is a foreigner, a barbarian. Euripidess Medea was created in a period of Peloponesian War. Each war, regardless of the century it occurred, not only destroyed and killed but also caused the reappraisal of the values in the society. Literature, in Ancient Greece , used to be a main reflection of what the society thinks what values and rules it has and what impact the war had on peoples minds. Obviously, the Peloponesian War has brought a lot of stress and chaos into the society, so during this time some poets have foreseen the intellectual revolution. Euripides, however, was the first one who created the play where he opposed a barbarian to someone civilized; he has his Medea confront Jason. The civilized Jason is more barbaric in his emotional callousness than the barbarian Medea, but by the end of the play she exacts a barbaric penalty. The Nurse calls Medea a strange woman. She is anything but typical. Euripides admits from the outset that this is a bizarre tale of an exceptional human being. Lest she may sharpen a sword an thrust to the heart, Stealing into the palace where the bed is made, Or even kill the king and the new-wedded groom, And thus bring a greater misfortune on herself. Two great pains tear Medea: the betrayal of Jason an d her betrayal of her country and family (and consequent exile). The two are interwoven and double her sorrow. Guilt, loneliness, rejection, love, all war within her. Ah, I have suffered What should be wept for bitterly. I hate you, Children of a hateful mother. I curse you And your father. Let the whole house crash. Of course Medea is barbarian, she came from a different country, she is violent and everyone knows that she posses the unique and in somewhat supernatural power that can make people to do things her way. These characteristics correspond to the definition of barbarian in the Ancient Greece. On the other hand, we realize that the part of her power is her intellect, which is not barbarians own distinctive feature. People, including the king, are afraid of Medea. Kreon: I am afraid of you, why should I dissemble it? I believe their fear is based not only on the fact that she has a great passion and able to do something terrible, but also on the fact that people start to r ealize that a barbarian is a human who can think, who has emotions and feelings and, moreover, who can take control over them. Another factor that scares people is her being a.. woman. In Ancient Greece women had not had a political power; their voices have never been heard. Medeas voice is not only can be heard, but also her speeches are manipulative. She is able to use any rhetoric speech that appeals to the emotions of the people. Medea provokes a passion in them in response to her own. Kreon: You are a clever woman, versed in evil arts, And are angry at having lost your husbands love. Medea is smart, she is greatly aware of being a foreigner and the Corinthians seem to echo that awareness; she understands why she is not welcomed in the society, she realizes that she has to leave, but her emotional pain makes her to do unthinkable. Pain is often the source of anger and then violence. That progression is one of Euripides main themes. Great peoples tempers are terrible. The greatne ss of the temper is one measure of the greatness of the person who is angry. Medeas passion causes human tragedy. Medea also understands that her passion and anger is based on the betrayal. Jason did not keep his word, he has broken the oath and this was unacceptable for Medea. At the same time, she realizes that in the Greek society people are more materialistic and ideas of love and faithfulness are seem to be barbaric and silly. Jason: Change your ideas of what you want, and show more sense. Medeas primitive passion is pitted against the civilized demands of a Jason. He is empty inside, he has no emotions, no passion; the only thing that he has is the desire. The desire to stabilize his political position. He used Medea for his own good: she helped him to escape and to survive. Right now it is the time for Jason to move on with his life; he doesnt need Medea any more. Moreover, in some way he thinks he helped Medea and she should be thankful for that. Jason: In so far as you help ed me, you did well enough. But on this question of saving me, I can prove You have certainly got from me more than you gave. Jason, as he thinks, lives by the law instead of the sweet will of force. But what is the law? Who has it been written for? In Ancient Greece all the laws were written for the men, who used to have the political power. Jason is a perfect example of a representative of this society. He even admits, that women are the unnecessary creatures. They are needed only for producing children. Jason: It would be better far for men To have got their children in some other way, and women Not to have existed. Then life would have been good . Medea wants to make Jason suffer by making him listen, but for Jason her argument is invalid. I think Medea is trying to prove that the society, in which money and ones political position are two things that matter, will not have any future. There are some other things, such as love, dedication and ability to keep your word, that are n eeded in the society for its success. In this sense Medeas ideas are more civilized than Jasons emotionless and a blind desire for a power. As I mentioned earlier, these Medeas ideas are not valid in the Greek society, so she plays her barbaric game until the very end of the play. Lessons are learned and tables are turned. The oppressor cannot oppress forever. .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589 , .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589 .postImageUrl , .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589 , .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589:hover , .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589:visited , .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589:active { border:0!important; } .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589:active , .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589 .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u22f872efe944bf650794884a09911589:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: John Steinbeck's East of Eden - Religious Referenc Essay