The Canterbury Tales Essay

The Canterbury Tales Essay The Canterbury Tales Essay Interconnections between Characters in the Canterbury Tales There are numerous inter-connections between tales in The Canterbury Tales. There are also interconnections between characters across tales in the book. This could be attributed to the fact that there are themes that the author seeks to address in the book. These themes run throughout the book and are brought out by different characters within the book. Thus, whereas it may seem that there are interconnections between tales and characters within the book, it is part of a wider plot by Chaucer to bring out certain themes within the book. This paper explores some of the inter-connections between tales and characters within the book. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is one of the most complicated and extraordinary pieces of fictional art of its time. The story revolves around thirty pilgrims journeying to Becket’s Canterbury shrine. On their way, the pilgrims hold a contest of narrating tales with moral lessons for the rest of the pilgrims to draw. The person whose tale is judged to be the best is going to win a prize. The rest of the group will also benefit from the free entertainment provided. Thus The Canterbury Tales are not tales intended purely for entertainment purposes, there is a moral lesson to every story. The youthful wife in Miller’s tale is very similar to the Wife of Bath in many aspects even as much as they appear to be very different in the in the beginning. The two women bring out the beliefs that are viewed as anti feminine in both tales in the time that Canterbury Tales were written by Chaucer although this is brought out in different ways. In Miller’s Tale, Alison the young wife has lots of passion for other men apart from her own husband. The Wife of Bath on the other hand has no shame whatsoever in displaying her multiple marriages. The Wife of Bath and Alison seem very different in the public view, they are completely similar inside. The Miller’s Tale gives a hint in the beginning that things are not as they seem, Alison is described as a weasel in the beginning, in this it is implied that Alison can sleep with anyone other than her husband and it would not bother her in any way. Alison’s character is brought out as one who does not mind about her infidelity acts in the start of the tale but in the end she does not commit adultery with Nicholas but with only one man. Alison does not agree to every man who shows in her, Absolon for instance who is absolutely infatuated by Alison is totally dismissed and she further treats him very badly to dismiss him completely. This is brought out to show the reader that she is not who she is portrayed to be in the beginning of the tale. The wife of Bath is not portrayed as an upstanding woman in the public eyes. She lets the public know that she has 5 husbands’ previously when she speaks to her audience and that she is looking forward to getting a sixth one soon. This is taken very negatively by the audience and is taken as something that is not accepted in their society. She goes ahead and tells the audience that the main reason why she marries is to get money. The Wife of Bath further tells the audience that she never value her husbands love as long as they were married since all she always wanted was his money and was content with the money. She proudly states the fact that she is proud of the fact that her husband used to feed from her own palms. The wife of Bath tells her audience out rightly that she is not alone in what she does that all women do the same thing only that they do not come out and say as she had and they do not show it to the public. In her opinion, she told the audience that women are able to lie twice more than men as long as what they know what they are defending is good for them. She also told them that women are capable of victimizing their husband’s and taking advantage of them to a great extent especially those women who are ugly. She also explained that women usually control most of the factors in their marriage hence their ability to control their husband’s money. She told them that women mostly marry for money and if not for money they marry for sex since money and sex are the main attraction for women to get into marriage and without them they walk out. If money lacks in the marriage even sex will not be possible hence money being the most important thing in every marriage she explai ned. The Wife of Bath explained that all women act like she does and they ought to act so or they will act that way in the near future no matter what. Alison in the tale hid her evil motives in the illusion of being whole while the Wife of Bath made all her life to be known to everyone. The Wife of Bath seemed to encourage all women to act as she does. Alison and The Wife of Bath are different when it comes to the public but in private they are totally similar in all ways. The Tale of the wife of Bath and the Miller’s Tale seem to be in agreement concerning anti-feminist beliefs that prevailed in the mid ages. Both women in these two tales have disregard for their husbands. Alison, the woman in the Miller’s Tale, does not have respect for her husband. She commits adultery without caring about how her actions could affect their relationship. The Wife of bath on the other hand sees her numerous husbands as sources of money. The wife of Bath does not marry for anything else but money. Her disregard for men is also not just limited to drawing money for them, she also cheats on her husband. The Miller’s tale and the tale of the wife of Bath portray women as stubborn, deceitful and conniving. Women are also portrayed as promiscuous. They cannot get enough from their husbands and have to seek sexual gratification from other men which is hardly enough. The reasons discussed above show close similarities between the wife of Bath’s tale and the Miller’s tale. Despite the fact that the experiences that bring out the similarities are markedly different, the effects of these experiences bring out common themes among the tales. One of the underlying themes brought out by the two tales is the roles that men and women played in society in the middle ages. There is also a connection between the Miller’s tale, the tale of the wife of Bath and the Knight’s tale. The connection among these three tales is the role of women in society. The Knight’s Tale is one of courtliness and good moral behavior. However, under the surface there is a strong theme of evil women. The main character in the Knight’s Tale, Emily, captures and manipulates the hearts of unsuspecting young men. Once they are under her control, she manipulates them in a similar manner to the manipulation done by the women in the Miller’s tale and the tale of the wife of Bath. The Wife of Bath’s tale and the Pardoner’s tale are not only the two most entertaining and morals lade tales within the book. Both stories as mentioned bring out the theme of morality in. Morality in the Wife of Bath’s tale is expressed through the goodness of the lowly or downtrodden in society. Towards the end of the tale, there is a clash between the protagonist and the antagonist of the story. It is only when the knight and the old woman come face to face that we clearly get the message of the wife of Bath. She teaches that gentleness does not come with one’s class but rather is a virtue that one consciously chooses to pursue. The wife goes further to say that class is earned and not something that one is born with. Despite the questionable character of the wife, she has some moral lesson to impart which she does quite well. The wife comes out as an intelligent woman when talking about the sensibilities of her time. According to her, there are many reasons why it is better to be poor than to be rich. She gives an example of the Christian faith where God, who is the most powerful, lived a life of poverty while on earth. The Pardoner’s Tale is also not short of moral lessons. The moral stance of this tale is that money is the root of all evil. The greed for money leads to a lot of ills among them two homicides. The Pardoner’s Tale is also quite entertaining. Irony is used in the tale to bring out humor. Upon stumbling on gold, the three men who find it are told by their leader that the treasure belongs to the trio referring to them as chaps. The irony is that the word chaps in the story is not used to mean that they are friends but rather the term refers to jaw bones. Unknown to the group, their leader is already planning to kill them and keep the wealth all to himself. The pardoner also gives the story of three men who were looking for a man named death. In their search, the three men fin gold. One would not associate gold with death or anything sinister. Gold is instead associated with wealth, and a good life. However, the three men ironically meet their death as a result of the discovery of the gold. The three men meet the death that they have been searching from the beginning through the discovery of the gold. The two tales have tragedies in common. Amid the tragedies, Chaucer manages to paint a picture of hope. For instance in the tale of the Wife’s Bath, the Knight gets away scot free with rape. This to a great extent is an injustice in the eyes of the reader. is online essay writing service which is committed to provide students with high-quality custom written essays, research papers and dissertations.

7 Stress Management Techniques for Nurses

7 Stress Management Techniques for Nurses Stress is an ever-present buzzword in pretty much every industry, but it takes on especially sharp significance for those in the medical and nursing professions. Daryn Eller at Scrubs Mag has compiled some strategies for nurses to help them manage stress without feeling overwhelmed. The consequences for losing the ability to manage stress are severe: burning out and leaving the industry, substance abuse, chronic illness, neglecting self care, or even  making fatal errors. Be proactive about advocating for yourself, beginning with these basic approaches:1. Take ControlStart by observing your daily routine objectively. What gives you energy, and what saps it? Can you structure your day or your approach to tasks to emphasize the ones that build you up, or at least balance them more effectively with the draining moments? Talk to your supervisor and your colleagues and see if you have a counterpart you might be able to trade with- this step helps rebuild your  sense of agency, which a lleviates that helpless, scrambling feeling.  2. Keep PerspectiveStress in the field of nursing is unavoidable- even if you try to stay detached, there are people’s lives at stake! So don’t bottle up your emotions at work- breathe and talk and even write through them. This strategy may even be more useful for your life outside of work; when you remember what the stakes at work are, interpersonal conflict or household issues seem lighter by comparison.  3. Lighten UpWhether you burst into song like Julie Andrews or make inappropriate jokes to alleviate the tension, it’s important to let levity in when you can. Learn from your mistakes, and then let them roll off your shoulders. Carrying around guilt or shame will not make your job easier.  4. Don’t be a Hero (when it comes to overtime)While the opportunity to double your usual wages might be appealing, it’s crucial to remember that nursing is exhausting physically and emotionally. There are le gal maximums for a reason. Don’t feel like you always have to be the one stepping up for extra shifts, and remember to compartmentalize and sign off at the end of the day or night.  5. Take BreaksMany nurses don’t take breaks- unless they’re smokers, which seems totally counterintuitive. Whether you treat yourself to a 15 minute non-smoking smoke break or just pause to close your eyes for a long slow breath between patient rooms, make sure you find moments to refresh yourself during the day. If you can manage even short workouts before or after work, even better.  6. Live in the MomentAmbition can take us to exciting places, and nostalgia is always a bittersweet mental journey. But during your daily life, make sure you know right when and where you are. Don’t be racing to the next thing or brooding on the last one- let go of past and future stress and work with what’s facing you right there in that moment.  7. Be Ready to Make ChangesIf you g et to a point where you have to constantly reach for these coping strategies and more, it may be a sign you’re in the wrong specialty, the wrong hospital, or the wrong doctor’s office. Be strategic about planning a move. Think about the kinds of places you’d really want to work, and don’t just restrict yourself to reading job postings or want ads. For other nurses, involving their families in their work- or even just bringing them to the hospital to get a sense of what their daily experience is- can help build a more supportive family dynamic.  The consistent thread in these tips is to know yourself, know what you need, and be empowered to advocate for yourself in large and small moments  when you feel like you’re overstressed. It will only help your work to have a revitalized version of you at work every day.

PhD research proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

PhD research proposal - Essay Example common in most communications resulting to children whose parents use English as a second language communicating to them while young in both English and their primary language. This case is common among most Arabic children in Britain who are able to communicate in both Arabic and English languages effectively. After a thorough search at the literature, especially the one discussing issues related to interaction between first and second languages, it has been observed that most of these studies point to the effect of the first language on a second language, in terms of; phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax and many other aspects of linguistics, but there have been much fewer studies done on the effect of a second language on the first one with respect to phonology in bilingual children. This provides a perfect opportunity to analyse the impact of a second language on the phonological skills of the first language in bilingual children. On an anecdotal level, I have seen that some Arabic-English bilingual children’s mother tongue, which is Arabic, is affected phonologically by English which they learn at school. Children gradually lose the right pronunciation of unshared sounds in their first language, as a result, of the interaction between the two languages they master. This study proposes two hypotheses: 1- The phonological characteristics of children’s second language will affect their pronunciation of unshared sounds in their first language, in the same way; the first language influences a second language. Numerous studies have examined the issue of phonological interaction in children, especially in cases where children are taught to communicate in more than one language (Goldstein, 2004). Some of these studies are listed in the reference section of this proposal. This study will examine previous studies on this topic and hence develop a gap analysis that will culminate to the development of a problem statement. Currently, this study is fully aware

Health and safety management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Health and safety management - Essay Example The employer is in charge of planning, monitoring, implementing programs and systems needed to ensure OHS on its grounds. Joy suggests (2004) that occupational health and safety risks arise from the normal functions, operations and activities and during unexpected incidents and circumstances such as accidents. The employer is in charge of ensuring the correct national and international recognized OHS codes, standards and guidelines are maintained to the fullest. The full effectiveness of OHS systems attracts the inclusion, and significance participation of every employee in implementing and maintaining of procedures and processes. There are a quiet a number of companies that have already implemented the rules that governs the safety of each employee on the ground. An example of such company is Barrick, a mining company. This is a high risk job that requires full safety gears when doing it through out the day at all time. The company reputes itself of being the best in mining industry and the one that protects its employee the best and safest way possible. It is committed to perform each job in a safe and healthy manner, and are strict about work related injuries or illnesses. The rule is that everyone is in charge of their own safety at work. It ensures this by: Governance. It provides Health functions, protection and governance as part of an incorporated framework that includes; environment, community relations and security. It has established a committee which includes representatives from different handy groups. It manages programs and monitors performance, and elevates issues to the next level as required. The board committee provides oversight that focuses on vital trends and issues that improves the company performance. The corporate responsibility committee ensures integration and global alignment, assesses main sustainability risks and offers leadership on policy and tactical issues. On the other hand, the regional committee conducts incidents reviews, implements programs, develops yearly improvements plans and implements activities to meet corporate strategies. As joy described (2004) the site committee is responsible in managing stewardship of programs and sites, manages site – specific issues and raises issues that require regional and corporate attention. Barrick applies a few elements that ensure a smooth running of safety and health management system. 1. Leadership and personal experience Leaders must live and lead by example, acting as role models to junior workers and other staff members. Barrick recognizes only its leaders must take action in promoting and creating a safe work place. This is achieved through evident felt leadership. Safety and health accountability includes; training and appraisal of workers, management and supervisors. Leadership and personal experience is practiced through: Management and leader participation Executive member plays a role in issuing and promoting communications that relates to sa fety and health to each worker. They also carry out safety and health tours of their places of liability and implement a program that recognizes each individual safety performance and safety leadership. The Barrick leaders also hold discussions about safety and health as a way of being role model and providing mentorship through personal behavior. Site, general and project managers openly practices safety and health headship for themselves and their supervisors by enacting personal observance with all safety and health related values.

In what ways did popular culture Essay Example for Free

In what ways did popular culture Essay The entertainment profiteers encouraged a fai ade of classlessness which would undermine working class solidarity 3. This was not good for socialism; for a socialist state to emerge, the workers themselves need to take control. Socialism rests on the premise that the proletariat should be aware and proud of their background, and certainly not aspire to join the middle classes, the ones who are expected to be overthrown. Its interesting that the recommended alternatives to commercial entertainment, put foreword by socialists in the late 19th century, were often related to the natural countryside. For example, the Clarion (The weekly socialist paper founded in 1891 by Robert and Montague Blatchford and influenced by the ideas of William Morris) soon became a movement with its own hiking, climbing and cycling clubs. This leisurely, back to nature approach was intended to promote a healthy life and portray its followers as energetic campaigners, who could turn their backs on the urban squalor. According to David Prynn, such groups expressed a revulsion against the ugliness and anonymity of urbanised, industrial society, and a deep reverence for nature4. Nowhere were the negative effects of capitalism more visible than in the industrial towns and Engels describes this in detail in The Condition Of The Working Class In England. British socialists were likely to have been influenced by this key Marxist text. However, despite the popularity of the Clarion clubs, the easy availability and convenience of commercial entertainment must have played a part in preventing more from joining. Why would somebody, after a hard weeks work, want to travel out of the town when the pub, theatre or football ground was just round the corner? And the energetic nature of socialist pastimes (such as choir singing, cycling, hiking) did not really lend itself to the physically demanding shifts in the factories, mines and mills. Music Music hall entertainment was another realm of commercial recreation considered by socialist thinking as unhealthy passive entertainment. The gulf between performer on the stage and paying spectator in the audience discouraged the working class from making their own music. To socialists, the commercial revolution had eradicated a viable popular musical culture5. Music halls were seen as a threat to local performers and travelling showmen. Music played an important part in socialist circles, as it was recognised as arguably the most popular form of entertainment. Alternatives to Music hall shows were group choirs (For example, the nationwide Clarion Vocal Union) and sing-along political compositions, which not only emphasised community spirit by encouraging participation, but also were seen as essential for propaganda value, the lyrics instilling in people the ideas of the socialist cause. Music hall attendance, and the nature of the entertainment there, was therefore viewed as counter-productive to the cause. The music hall acts themselves would tend to reaffirm bourgeoisie values by reflecting everyday life and the songs could hardly be considered as inflammatory. According to John Kenrick: With women and children in the audience, the material was never more than mildly risqui. The songs were mostly sentimental and/or comic takes on everyday life, as well as spoofs of the rich and famous. 6 Furthermore, the diversity and variation of music hall acts was not good for creating a common musical heritage7, which was seen as important in cementing working-class unity. Folk songs were added to the socialist repertoire, considered to be timeless songs of the people. Conclusion The rising popularity of British socialism and its accompanying clubs and associations demonstrates that the working classes were not entirely diverted away from socialism, as this essay question suggests. Socialism (which, after all, was a new idealism in the late 19th century, and was born in the midst of the fastest growing industrial nation in the world and found itself having to compete with that nations capitalist values) never went away and continued to grow in strength through the next century. However, forces existed, of which commercial entertainment was one, which prevented socialism from being as popular as it might have been. As sport and leisure became new fields of investment for entrepreneurs, capitalism became an even bigger part of life for the masses. The money they made from wages was put back into the system via paid-for entertainment. The other reasons that Socialists were unable to win over more of the masses could be linked to the types of leisure activities they put foreword. These activities were physically demanding, as I have already explained, but also they were arguably the type of leisure enjoyed by the middle classes. The unintended result of this was that movements like Blatchfords tended to attract more middle class socialists, and had less appeal to the working classes. Socialists advocated leisure time spent in the countryside; but to travel out of the city every weekend could also have been regarded as the privilege of the middle class. Perhaps socialists needed to start their campaigns from within the towns where the workers lived, not from outside them. Word count = 1560 Bibliography Waters, C: British Socialists and the Politics of Popular Culture Manchester University press, 1990 Prynn, D: The Clarion Clubs, Rambling and the Holiday Associations in Britain since the 1890s Journal of Contemporary History 11,1976 Benson, J: The Working Class in England 1875 1914 Croom Helm, 1985 Marx and Engels : The Manifesto of the Communist Party Progress, 1952 Engels, F : The Condition Of The Working Class In England Oxford University Press, 1993 John Kenrick: The British Music Hall http://www. musicals101. com/musichall. htm James Sotheran SOCHI2036 IN WHAT WAYS DID POPULAR CULTURE AND PEOPLES PASTIMES DIVERT THE WORKING CLASS AWAY FROM SOCIALISM? Module Leader: Ray Physick 1 Waters, C: British Socialists and the Politics of Popular Culture Manchester University press, 1990, (P. 23) 2 Same as 1 (P. 44-50) 3 Same as 1 (P. 40) 4 Prynn, D: The Clarion Clubs, Rambling and the Holiday Associations in Britain since the 1890s Journal of Contemporary History 11,1976 (P. 65) 5 Same as 1 (P. 103) 6 John Kenrick: The British Music Hall http://www. musicals101. com/musichall. htm 7 Same as 1 (P. 105).

Scarlet Letter Diary Entries Essay -- The Scarlet Letter Diary Hester

Scarlet Letter Diary Entries Entry 1 I have arrived at my new home. The boat trip was very rough, even to the extent of making me lose track of time. That unclean, floating mass of death was merciful enough to let me be. Too many children have suffered and died on the way to America. I miss Roger a little bit, and hope he comes soon. I'm very lonely and I don't know what I'll do to keep myself busy. Roger was nice enough to give me money to live off of until he comes to be with me. There are a lot of handsome men around here. A single woman could have a lot of fun, and never be by herself. Entry 2 Well, it's been a few weeks since I came ashore on this new land, but I think I'm getting used to the people and their customs. I have a house that's very comfortable and cozy. It's small, but just the right size for Roger and I. The church here is very nice. The minister is young and full of life, and kind of cute too. They welcomed me in with open arms, and I've been invited to attend every Sunday. They all make me feel so at home, I was immediately attached to the people here. I have sewn a new dress for myself for special occasions only. I've worn it to church once and got dozens of compliments on it. I've even got some offers from some of the 'better off' folk, to make dresses for them, but I declined. I'm fine just enjoying life right now. Everything is perfect, except Roger isn't here. It's funny; I don't miss him that much anymore. I keep wondering when he'll a...

Understanding BIOS/POST Essay

The next few pages will consist of two tasks that involve solving problems with the BIOS (basic input/output system) and how to secure the computer for viruses. Task one asks about a series of beeps provided by two different BIOS; the AMI and the Phoenix. Through the beeps we must figure out what error the BIOS are giving us. Task two is all about the fire walls and ways to protect your computer and the different firewalls that protect the entire computer or just that specific piece. The POST or power on self-test is performed by the BIOS on start up. Keywords: BIOS, POST Understanding BIOS/POST The most crucial component on a motherboard is the BIOS. The BIOS is what makes a computer a functioning and operational piece of equipment instead of a bunch of molded plastic. It preforms basic start-up functions along with running the POST to make sure the key components of the computer are performing properly. When it comes to the firewall on the computer, it protects the operating system from foreign elements that could harm it. In task one, we analyzed of the beeps to find the problem on the BIOS. According to www.bioscentral.com, 6 short beeps on the AMI BIOS, translate to gate A20 failure. The keyboard controller IC has failed, which is not allowing Gate A20 to switch the processor to protected mode. In order to fix the problem replace the keyboard controller. When it comes to the Phoenix BIOS; the error code message translates â€Å"first 64KB logic failure. Description is the first RAM control logic has failed. Task two as determined by http://home.mcafee.com/advicecenter/ â€Å"For the sake of simplicity, think of hardware firewalls as specialized network boxes that contain customized hardware and software. When properly configured, hardware firewalls provide a protective barrier that hides an organization’s internal PCs from the outside world. They can also shield one company department (say, finance) from another (say, human resources). In many cases, hardware firewalls are great solutions for organizations that want a single security umbrella that protects multiple systems. For this very reason, most FORTUNE  500 networks have hardware firewalls in place. So what’s the downside? Since they are specialized devices, hardware firewalls tend to be expensive, complicated, difficult to upgrade, and tricky to configure. In other words, they are best reserved for IT managers who are specially trained to install, configure, and monitor such devices. Low-end hardware firewalls, now found in network switches and routers for the home, also have their limitations. If you take a personal laptop on the road, for instance, your system is no longer protected by the home-based firewall .† In contrast to their hardware cousins, software firewalls are more ideal for individual users or small businesses that have dial-up or broadband Internet connections. Instead of using a custom (and often expensive) piece of hardware, a software firewall installs on an individual’s PC, notebook, or workgroup server. Even if an organization has hardware firewalls in place, it’s wise for individuals to use software firewalls on their own systems. The main reason: software firewalls are especially convenient for mobile workers who need digital security when working outside of the corporate network. That’s because the entire security solution is, in essence, a single application running on one’s computer. Another major benefit, software firewalls are easily upgraded. Users simply download patches, fixes, updates, and enhancements from the firewall provider’s web site, or the provider sends these improvements via the Internet.† http://home.mcafee.co m/advicecenter/?id=ad_ost_hvsf&ctst=1 References http://home.mcafee.com/advicecenter/?id=ad_ost_hvsf&ctst=1. www.bioscentral.com