The Difficult Justice of Melville and Kleist Essay Example for Free

The Difficult Justice of Melville and Kleist Essay According to many scholars, Billy Budd is the archetypal story of good vs. evil, the injustice of an imperfect world, and the impossible decisions good people are forced to make. On a first reading of the story, Captain Vere appears to be a symbol of merciless justice, cold efficiency, and the power of the State; a godlike figure with the power to take life when and where he sees fit. The captain, whose name is loosely translated as Truth, is caught in the middle between the two. He is fond of Billy, because of his friendly open nature. He dislikes Claggart because he instinctively feels that he is evil, â€Å"No sooner did the Commander observe who it was that deferentially stood awaiting his notice, than a peculiar expression came over him. It was not unlike that which uncontrollably will flit across the countenance of one at unawares encountering a person who, though known to him indeed, has hardly been long enough known for thorough knowledge, but something in whose aspect nevertheless now for the first provokes a vaguely repellent distaste†(Chapter 19, Melville). Vere appears to have an intuitive knowledge of what is right and just, which makes it all the more baffling why he chooses to disregard what he knows is right in favor of the expedient. Martin Greenberg, in â€Å"The Difficult Justice of Melville and Kleist,† cites two arguments for Vere’s decision to punish Billy: first, is the loss of free will that follows enlistment in the Navy; second, the fear of mutiny and chaos is extremely compelling to a high ranking official like a captain (4). Greenberg and Melville understand Vere’s predicament as a man of the military. Had he been soft, perhaps more lives would have been lost through mutiny, and the cohesion of the Royal Navy might have been destroyed. The story is set in 1797, following the American Revolt against the Crown. In such tumultuous times, any form of clemency—especially in the armed forces—would be seen as a weakness for the unscrupulous to exploit. The story of false accusations against an innocent has a long history in the literary, Biblical, and historical traditions. Quite often, the person in charge of making such life or death decisions is either unable or unwilling to do the right thing (i. e. Pontius Pilate). Pontius Pilate and Captain Vere have both sent innocent men to their deaths for fear of social unrest, or an end to the status quo. In the realm of ethics, their action would have been unconscionable, but in politics, leaders must abide by the Macchiavellian dictate to When Vere calls upon Billy to answer his accuser, he believed that he would be quickly exonerated because there is nothing in his nature that would give credence to such an outlandish allegation. Until Billy strikes Claggart dead in a fit of incoherent rage, In Martin Greenberg’s analysis of Billy Budd, he remarks on the Biblical imagery immanent in the descriptions of John Claggart and Billy Budd, The two of them are the great forces of light and dark in the miniature universe of the ship, â€Å"And that world provides, like the great world itself, a Satan, harsher than his harsh name of Claggart, as sinisterly handsome as Billy is angelically—modeled on Milton’s Satan, despairing like him, but ignoble†(5). One of the ironies in examining this supposed lack of free will, is that it is an ineffable part of the Christian doctrine; yet those that are obedient to this higher power often feel compelled to perform actions they never would have dreamt of doing. Melville makes frequent allusions to Abraham and Isaac, with respect to Abraham’s near sacrifice of his son on the mountainside. Greenberg remarks upon this likeness at length in his analysis, â€Å"The two are imagined as embracing like father and son, like Jacob and Isaac, in the privacy of the sailor’s confinement, where as if it were a sacred precinct, the storyteller doesn’t venture to enter. Each experiences a sacrificial exaltation: Billy, sacrificing his life at the behest of the father-god of his world, exclaims â€Å"God bless Captain Vere! † just before he drops from the yardarm; the Captain, as the one who condemns to death, makes even the harder sacrifice (according to the narrator at the behest of his father-god the King†(5). With the death of Claggart, Vere argued for Billy’s death in a military court. The officers present knew that he was innocent of mutiny and homicide. He did not have the mental capacity to engineer such a coup, nor was he aware of his own strength. All he wanted to do was stop the lies coming out of Claggart’s mouth, and he reacted physically since he was unable to do so verbally. Would it not be a crime to kill someone that is mentally handicapped and too strong for his own good? Would it not be better to set him ashore in England or the Americas, then restore order to the At the beginning of Chapter 23, when sentence was to be passed upon the approved, the narrator presented a rather sympathetic portrait of Captain Vere, â€Å"The austere devotee of military duty, letting himself melt back into what remains primeval in our formalized humanity, may in the end have caught Billy to his heart even as Abraham may have caught young Isaac on the brink of resolutely offering him up in obedience to the exacting behest† (Melville). Like Christ, Billy had done no wrong, and perhaps this very perfection makes him less sympathetic than Captain Vere to Melville. As fallible human beings, some have more power than they know how to wield, and some decisions come at the price of the soul. It is Greenberg’s contention that the supernatural powers of the one true God, a pantheon of gods, heaven, or angels are no match for earthly injustice. The crucifixion of Jesus, the execution of Billy, and the avenging of Claggart substantiates this cynical world view. Works Cited Greenberg, Martin. â€Å"The Difficult Justice of Melville Kleist. † The New Criterion. (March, 2005): 3-11 Melville, Herman. Billy Budd, Sailor. Retrieved 5 Apr. 2007 from http://xroads. virginia. edu/~HYPER/bb/BillyBudd. html

Henry David Thoreaus Walden and Aldo Leopolds A Sand County Almanac E

Henry David Thoreau's Walden and Aldo Leopold's A Sand County Almanac While discussing Henry David Thoreau's Walden and Aldo Leopold's A Sand County Almanac, we attempted to address an important challenge -- Is the close observation and description of nature merely an idle thing for people in today's world? It could be suggested that nature writing and the close enjoyment of natural environments is merely "recreational" and not intellectually, economically, or politically worthy of our efforts. Perhaps this activity has "spiritual value" or gives us a "sense of peace." But does it really have anything to do with the way we live in the world today? It seems to me that this question is central to the whole course of study and that we need to be able to answer it convincingly and in some detail. In my view, there can be no doubt to the correct answer. The close observation and description of nature is no idle thing. It is an act of world-making, or founding one's world view. Since behavior is determined by the ways in which one sees the world (reality), it is the groundwork of one's behavior. It is this act in which we find both Thoreau and Leopold engaged. Thoreau himself comments on its significance in the essay, "Where I Lived and What I lived For." By closely observing, but especially by describing (by using language) we establish our lives within the whole natural world. We express our desire and commitment to live within that world. Now, perhaps this sounds trivial and trite in today's world, but it is no trivial commitment for a citizen of today. Modern human life is set so firmly within a human-built world and dwells so thoroughly on human issues only that it is normal for us all to grow up and live out our lives... ... goal of that culture is to keep us outside of our human selves, located firmly within its agendas and serving its purposes. That culture does not want to acknowledge another world, a natural world. To do that would be allowing human liberation, for that would present people with a true picture of who they are and offer them a station that is not dominated by the established political/economic agenda of today. This is no idle thing; it is a powerful political issue, in fact. The established culture does not really want its citizens to live in any world but the specific one that it provides, that it has defined, and that it controls to its advantage. When we read Thoreau's Walden closely, we see this same cultural tension even one hundred and fifty years ago. Thoreau was well aware of the fact that his life at Walden Pond was a liberating counter-cultural experience.

W.H. Auden’s September 1,1939

W. H. Auden’s September 1, 1939 appears at first to be a poem preoccupied with war; its title, being a significant date of the Polish-Nazi invasion in World War II, is a preliminary indication of a war-time theme. On the surface, the poem appears to comment on the dishonesty and manipulation of government leading to war and expresses Auden’s political opinions about WWII and his skepticism of governmental authority.The ideas Auden presents of the ‘Collective Man’ and ‘the lie of Authority’ suggests that concerning the war, he believes that the people of the world should be more truthful to one another, and that governments are to blame for the deceptions and wars in the world. The actions of governments at the time and their use of wartime propaganda to manipulate the public’s perception could be a mirrored image of the way Auden believes he has been made to be judged by society.Richard R Bozorth claims that â€Å"Auden’s poems h ad private meanings[†¦]To read with this knowledge is to see that what is true of all writing is acutely so for lesbian and gay writers – that meaning is initiated and elaborated in social settings where truth is very much a matter of what is speakable. † When considering the homosexual nature of Auden’s social life, a new layer can be found within the poem.From the outset of the poem there is a theme of isolation; the speaker sits in ‘one of the dives/ On Fifty-Second Street’, suggesting a certain seclusion and loneliness. America was an impartial country in the Second World War and is described in the poem as the ‘neutral air’, reflecting its political neutrality during the war. The lonely bar Auden resides in suggests that like the country that inhabits him, Auden feels he is too separated and alienated within society, which may be due to his conflicting sexuality.The primary interpretation of Auden’s perception of WWII al lows him to express his feelings towards the intolerance of homosexuality in society as it could be suggested that Auden believes homosexuals are forced to be kept hidden from the public, the way the government deals with propaganda and censorship during the wartime. The use of light and dark duality throughout the poem could be a metaphor for Auden’s attitude towards homosexuality and how it is kept in the ‘dark’ of society.The ‘waves of anger and fear/ Circulate over the bright/ And darkened lands of the earth’ could refer to both the spreading of the war, causing anger and fear to civilians, and the anger felt by people who are unaccepted within society, left to exist within the darkened lands, unexposed to the light of acceptance. Auden insists ‘the lights must never go out’, in which ‘the lights’ could represent the acceptance and embracing of homosexuality and thus Auden seeks the light that will allow him to feel acce pted within the world.It appears Auden is communicating that humanity is not only condemned by war, but also condemned by a lack of acceptance of one another. The ‘conservative dark’ Auden refers to not only presents the darkness of government and its control, but also the darkness of those who cannot alter their opinions on those who are different. The idea that the poem is commenting on the inequality of homosexuals in society coincides with the primary interpretation of the poem because in both instances Auden is using the poem to speak out against injustices and seek truth and equality either in government or society.Auden’s poem is read primarily as a critique on the dishonesty of government because of the outbreak of war, however, Auden’s personal life and the language and references within the poem give evidence to a deeper meaning. By creating a poem with two levels of interpretation Auden is able to speak about two different subjects that he feels very strongly about both of which work together to urge for a more honest and tolerable world.

How to Speak English With an American

Speaking English is not only about using proper grammar. To use English effectively, you need to understand the culture in which it is spoken. Here are a number of important tips to remember when speaking English in the United States. American English Points to Remember Most Americans only speak English: While it is true that more and more Americans speak Spanish, most Americans only speak English. Dont expect them to understand your native language.Americans have difficulties understanding foreign accents: Many Americans are not used to foreign accents. This requires patience from both of you! Conversation Tips Speak about location: Americans love to talk about location. When speaking to a stranger, ask them where they are from and then make a connection with that place. For example: Oh, I have a friend who studied in Los Angeles. He says its a beautiful place to live. Most Americans will then willingly talk about their experiences living or visiting that particular city or area.Talk about work: Americans commonly ask What do you do?. Its not considered impolite (as in some countries) and is a popular topic of discussion between strangers.Talk about sports: Americans love sports! However, they love American sports. When speaking about football, most Americans understand American Football, not soccer.Be careful when expressing ideas about race, religion, or other sensitive topics: The United States is a multi-cultural society, and many Americans are trying very hard to be sensitive to other cultures and ideas. Talking about sensitive topics like religion or beliefs is often avoided in order to be sure not to offend someone of a different belief system.   Addressing People Use last names with people you do not know: Address people using their title (Mr, Ms, Dr) and their last names.Always use Ms when addressing women: It is important to use Ms when addressing a woman. Only use Mrs when the woman has asked you to do so!Many Americans prefer first names: Americans often prefer using first names, even when dealing with people in very different positions. Americans will generally say, Call me Tom. and then expect you to remain on a first name basis.Americans prefer informal: In general, Americans prefer informal greetings and using first names or nicknames when speaking with colleagues and acquaintances. Public Behavior Always shake hands: Americans shake hands when greeting each other. This is true for both men and women. Other forms of greeting such as kissing on the cheeks, etc., is generally not appreciated.Look your partner in the eye: Americans look each other in the eyes when they are speaking as a way of showing that they are sincere.Dont hold hands: Same-sex friends do not usually hold hands or put their arms around each other in public in the United States.Smoking is out!!: Smoking, even in public places, is strongly disapproved of by most Americans in the modern United States.