Victorian society Essay Example for Free

Victorian society Essay The Importance of Being Earnest, subtitled, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a comedy of manners whereby Oscar Wilde rebukes the Victorian aristocracy for their social issues that seemingly prioritise the most trivial of things such as style and appearance above those of true significance such as. Wilde further achieves this by incorporating elements such as farce and melodrama in order to highlight their senseless main concerns. Wilde portrays the act of â€Å"Being Earnest† as being in opposing to its definition as having features of dishonesty and false morality, with one of the main characters Algernon stating that â€Å"The truth is rarely pure and never simple†. Wilde’s first satirical attack in the play is marriage. Algernon is shown to perceive marriage to be a business deal as opposed to the projected illusion of it as described in the play as being based on mutual feelings of love (evidence – Ceclily or Gwendolen). This is evidenced by Algernon’s sharply comical and paradoxical epigrams in response to his best friend Jack Worthing’s admittance of wanting to propose to Algernon’s own ward Gwendolen he states: â€Å"I thought you had come up for pleasure? I call that business. † Wilde is seemingly satirising concept of marriage presenting it to be a legal contract between consenting families of similar social class and fortunes; Baxley comments â€Å"Wilde shows us how the upper class does not marry for love or happiness but for convenience and social standing†. )Algernon views marriage in an unorthodox way, unlike the expectations of modern day now. He views it as a disease, one that to be bearable needs an escape: â€Å"Nothing will induce me to part with Bunbury, and if you ever get married†¦ you will be very glad to know Bunbury. A man who marries without knowing Bunbury has a very tedious time of it. † ‘Bunbury’ (who is he) is a direct metaphor for Algernon’s deceit and escape from social expectation. He is a fictitious person; one that Algernon suggests is needed in general life but indeed emphasises that this is the case most particularly when one is married. Algernon disregards Jack’s confidence that once he finds love he will no longer needs a ‘Bunbury’[a]. On one level the exchange merely is a continuation of the long running marriage gag of the Victorian notion of â€Å"marriage bliss† in an era where the English aristocracy was dominant and superior, and far removed even from the British middle class. This would in turn amplify the humorous situation through Wilde’s blatant social criticism-through the ‘Bunbury’ double entendre to the middle class audience in particular. Nevertheless, it also brings to light a darker subtext, one were Algernon insinuates that all husbands in Victorian society have and need a ‘Bunbury’ thus satirising the moral values by highlighting the fact that aristocratic meaning as long as they kept within the appearance of propriety, they could lead a double life and avoid responsibility but still keep upmost respect from society. Consequently, Oscar Wilde satirises duty and respectability simultaneously with the notion of marriage in Victorian society by demeaning their importance. Wilde could be said to be suggesting that their ‘duty’ is a pun (with reference to the title of the play) and in fact the aristocracy duty is more so simply a title that entails a need for pity as opposed to awe. Perhaps this is purposely done as such a suggestion to a Victorian audience would have been deemed an outrageous concept even to the extent of offence but is accepted due to the comedic light-heartedness and infantile manner in which it is presented; through Algernon’s unrealistic approach to life and love. His ignorance and foolishness, contributes to the satirical nature of the play but yet in keeping with the comedy genre due to the melodramatic and foolish aspects of his character for example: â€Å"She will place me next Mary Farquhar, who always flirts with her husband across the dinner-table. That is not very pleasant The amount of women in London who flirt with their own husbands is perfectly scandalous. It looks so bad. It is simply washing one’s clean linen in public†. This statement highlights the fact that Algernon recoils at the very thing that society values. His offence that the women he will be seated with flirt only with their husband and no one else evidences this. The importance of marriage instead is subverted and can be seen as simply a stipulation and social expectation that comes with the responsibilities of being in the upper class a view, which is seen as trivial and unimportant as the characters mainly view marriage as a social tool.

Biological Terrorism Essay -- Terror Terrorists Science Essays

Biological Terrorism I. CATASTROPHIC TERRORISM The date is April 24, 2005. The time is approximately 8:30 am. Somewhere on the New York City subway system a briefcase sits, apparently forgotten. Inside the briefcase, an electronic oscillator flips over, marking the passage of thirtieth minute since its owner abdicated. In the busy subway station no one notices the small hissing noise that is produced as an odorless, tasteless aerosol is slowly released into the air. Within minutes, the pathogen contained in the gas has spread throughout the station, and New York has unwittingly played host to the first recorded incidence of bioterrorism. The first symptoms appear nearly a week later. At first, victims believe they are suffering from the flu, but symptoms quickly progress from fever, rigors and headache to severe chest pain, irregular heartbeat and pustular eruptions. In the absence of treatment, nearly all those infected die within two weeks of the onset of symptoms. 1 Could this really happen? In the above case, glanders (Burkholderia mallei), a pathogen which normally strikes horses and mules, is released by a terroristic individual or group. Glanders was specifically chosen because of its virulence, high mortality rate, stability in aerosol, and ease of cultivation. When symptomatic individuals first arrive, accurate diagnosis will be unlikely; glanders is extremely rare in humans, and it is unlikely that medical personnel will have experience with the disease. Further complicating diagnosis, the pathogen does not appear in blood cultures until the victim is near death. Once diagnosed, medical personnel must take precautions to prevent person-to-person transmissio... ...st accessed 20 November 2000 Clinton, William J. Executive Order 12938: Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, 14 November, 1994 COL Eitzen and others, eds. Medical Management of Biological Casualties Handbook, Third Edition, Maryland:U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1998. Available from: http://jeffrense.com/political/weapons/biowardoc.htm, April 1999. Last accessed 4 December 2000 Hoffman, Bruce, Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction: An Analysis of Trends and Motivations, California:RAND, 1999 Schelling, Thomas C. Arms and Influence. Virginia: BookCrafters, Inc. 1966 Segaller, Stephen, Invisible Armies, London:Michael Joseph Ltd.:1986 Fyodor Kondrashov, Research Scientist for the National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, interview by author, 5 December 2000

Motivational Leadership Essay

Effective leadership has a tremendous impact on the success of an organization. Darling & Heller (2011) infers that â€Å"with regard to individuals in leadership roles, their thoughts and feelings, fundamentally based on attitudes, thereby also control the levels of organizational success and every other aspect of an organizational leader’s arena of endeavor† (p. 9). Achieving optimal organizational performance is very much so dependent on the effectiveness of that organization’s leaders. Five topics interrelated to leadership effectiveness will be addressed in this paper. (1) Feedback works for leadership and tell why you think it could be beneficial. (2) Present an overview of the Contingency Theory of Leadership effectiveness to include Situational Leadership II. (3) Share some ways that you as a leader could lead your company in being socially responsible and creating an ethical organization. (4) Provide a brief analysis of empowerment; be certain to include the relationship between delegation and empowerment. (5) Discuss how leaders can foster teamwork within a group. All of these topics and/or concepts are essential aspects to achieving high levels of quality, roductivity and satisfaction within an organization. The concept of 360-degree Feedback is to formally evaluate an organization’s leaders through feedback from individuals that work closely with those leaders (e. g. subordinates, colleagues, direct supervisors, other superiors, suppliers and/or customers). According to Dubrin (2010), 360-degree Feedback is also referred to as multisource or multirater feedback, and is systematically derived from a full sampling of parties who directly interact with the leader (p. 110). One particular method for organizations to easure leadership effectiveness through the 360-degree Feedback concept is to set up a system utilizing the internet or the organization’s intranet. That system should be based on the attributes that organization deems to be the most significant and valuable. The 360-degree Feedback is of great benefit to leaders in providing them insight into the effectiveness of their behaviors and styles. The feedback mainly serves for developmental purposes (behaviors, attitudes, and styles), and not for the purposes of evaluating the leader’s performances. The 360-degree Feedback not only benefits the ndividual leaders, but it also is a vital component to the organization, as a whole. Organizations benefit from 360-degree feedback instrument in the following ways: (a) individual performance improvement, (b) impact on business goals, and (c) impact on organizational culture (Rehbine-Zentis, 2007, p. 160). The Contingency Theory of Leadership is the assumption that a leader’s ability to lead is contingently based on various situational factors, internally and externally. The following are various factors that could greatly influence a leader’s effectiveness within heir organization: the capabilities of the workforce, the culture within the organization, and the competiveness of market. Leaders who are have been highly effective within one organization, may not deliver that same effectiveness within a different organization. An important perspective on implementing contingency leadership is that the leader must be flexible enough to avoid adhering to old ideas that no longer fit the current circumstances or situation (Dubrin, 2010, p. 133). I can definitely see the validity of the theory in reference to my own experiences in previous leadership positions. It is absolutely about he ability to successfully and effectively adapt to different organizational environments. Like the Contingency Theory of Leadership, the Situational Leadership II style is a contingency leadership approach that is solely based on the theory that there is no one particular best style of leadership that fits all situations. This leadership style focuses mainly on the capabilities or behaviors of individuals and/or groups that one leads. Blanchard (1997) asserts, â€Å"Situational Leadership II advocates that the best leaders provide the amount and kind of direction and support which best fits the developmental evel of the employee† (p. 38). As a leader, I can encourage my organization to focus on ethical business practices and social responsibility, beyond profit pursuit, based upon our strategic organizational goals, mission and vision statements. I would initially ensure that the organization’s environment was a positive, engaging culture conducive to intellectual development. Individuals within an organization invest about one-third of their time at work, a pleasant work environment increases the chances that their life will be enriched (Dubrin, 2010, p. 181). There would be a significance placed on competing fairly and onestly, not causing harm to others (internally/externally), and communicating truthfully. I would ensure that my organization is offering goods and services that are valuable and essential to consumers. We would be consistent in providing quality employment to individuals which would benefit them in providing for their families, in the forms of, paying them salaries/wages, offering quality health insurance and/or child care services, matching retirement plan contributions, etc. We would also benefit society in maintaining ethical practices in our financial obligations through paying taxes which elps fund education, support government, build highways, as well as provide funds to enhance our local, state and national public safety/defense systems. According to Forsyth (1997), â€Å"genuine changes to business practices have to be made in order to protect the environment† (p. 272). I would ensure that, as an organization, we were utilizing the most up-to-date technology and economic solutions to reduce or alleviate any environmental issues that we faced. My organization would take every possible precaution to not generate unnecessary waste and pollution through the improper onsumption of resources, as well as from the possible emission of toxic air pollutants caused by our manufacturing processes. The concept of empowerment involves a power transfer from higher levels of employees to lower levels of employees within an organization (Khalid & Sarwar, 2011). Leaders that utilize positive empowering practices with their employees are more likely to increase their organization’s productivity. When employees are given the opportunity to share in the responsibilities of their leaders and/or managers, they feel more powerful and valued. Empowerment is also advantageous to an organization, in respect to owering labor costs through the sharing of those managerial responsibilities with its lower-level employees. According to Dubrin (2010), leaders can promote empowerment within their organization through fostering initiatives and employee responsibility, linking work activities to the organization’s strategic goals, providing ample information to their employees, and by allowing group member or individual employees to choose their preferred method for meeting a goal (p. 205-206). One contributing factor to empowerment is the act of delegation which is more of a formal ssignment of tasks and responsibilities. Delegation, as well as, empowerment can be a very motivational tool which offers individuals the benefit of skill development. The bottom line is that both concepts represent the core principle of accountability. Teamwork is vital to an organization’s success. Being that teams consist of individuals with different backgrounds, beliefs, ideas and points of view, it is imperative that we always be respectful and embrace the rewards that diversity brings within the team. As leaders, we can foster teamwork within a group through providing team embers with clear descriptions of the team’s goals, mission and tasks, commanding performance commitment and excellence, providing direction and feedback, alleviating micromanagement practices, forming virtual teams utilizing e-leadership, and encouraging power sharing which ensures that each team member is being heard, taken seriously and treated respectfully (Dubrin, 2010). More importantly, encouraging teamwork and utilizing teams are essential in increasing an organization’s productivity and achieving cohesiveness throughout the organization. A leader’s ability to build ffective teams committed to organizational goals tops the list of priorities in todays dynamic business landscape (â€Å"Work at fostering teamwork on the job,† 2011). Teams can produce higher-quality solutions, as well as foster creativity and positive energy. Effective teams are capable of being more adept at solving difficult, complex problems than that of the organization’s â€Å"top-performing† individuals. Creating teams can also cause an increase in commitment, lower stress levels, diminish internal-competiveness, and promote flexibility in responding to the organization’s needs, in relation to, â€Å"business† changing.

South Africa And South African Literature Essay - 1487 Words

After the end of World War II, new ideals began to encroach on South Africa. One of these new ideas was Apartheid, the idea that the races should be separate. This idea quickly became practiced in everyday life and became included in the laws governing South Africa. As one can imagine this ideal also invaded the literature written in South Africa and South African writers. In order to develop Apartheid, the creation of an â€Å"other† was necessary, which established a type of â€Å"us† versus â€Å"them† mentality. The understood â€Å"us† that was created included all whites and the understood â€Å"them† that was created included coloreds, Asians, blacks, and everyone that wasn’t white. The ideological construction of the â€Å"other† as viewed through the South African texts, Heart of Darkness and Cry, The Beloved Country, was formed through ideas of superiority, dissociation, and eventually through racism. However, both South Afri can texts also include examples of awareness of oppression from the point of view of the in-group. In Albert Memmi’s text, The Colonizer and the Colonized, he discusses the formation of racism within a colonial and colonized society. He begins with â€Å"Colonial racism is built from three major ideological components: one, the gulf between the culture of the colonialist and the colonized; two, the exploitation of these differences for the benefit of the colonialist; three, the use of these supposed differences as standards of absolute fact† (Memmi, 71). With this quote,Show MoreRelatedThe Culture Of South Africa1622 Words   |  7 Pages South Africa By: Hannah Devine December 5, 2014 Period 4 â€Æ' There are 196 countries in the world and South Africa is the 25th largest. Inhabited by around 53 million people, the country is represented as a whole by all of those people, exhibiting the five elements of culture in their everyday lives. 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However, it was not an easy road and Mandela needed patience, strength of character, focus, passion, understanding, perseverance, and most importantly, forgiveness, to achieve this. For more than forty years, black South Africans were subject to the harsh racial segregation of the Apartheid system; despite making up over 70% of South Africa’s population, they had little to no rights. Mandela had a vision for South Africa, of whichRead MoreFocus question: The effects of sin taxable products on the South Africa’s economy and their impact1600 Words   |  7 Pagesquestion: The effects of sin taxable products on the South Africa’s economy and their impact on South Africa’s Socio Economic Issues Aims †¢ The demand of products within South Africa †¢ The contribution Pretoria has on sin tax †¢ Effects of these products on the economy †¢ Amount of debt caused by luxuries such as sin taxable products †¢ Legislations against sin taxable products being sold illegally. †¢ Effects of sin taxable products on South Africa’s socio economic issues. †¢ Pros and Cons of raising