The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon

The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon The book The Pillow of Sei Shonagon can be regarded as a comprehensive description of the life at Japanese court at the period of Heian society. Sei Shonagon provides her insightful accounts of the life at the court. The writing is very personal and it makes the book even more valuable as it does not only reveal certain customs and traditions, but unveils the way people thought. Remarkably, the book also helps understand peculiarities of the Heian society and gender roles in it.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the first place, it is necessary to note that the Heian period is characterized by certain empowerment of women as they could take some roles in a social life of the state. Thus, women could obtain education which was really good and comprehensive. Earlier, education was considered to be a male task. In Heian Japan, women had a speci fic role as they were leading personalities in literature. They wrote a variety of literary works which were admired by women as well as men. Women could also copy books, and this was also rather a privilege (Shonagon 1991, 148). Apart from working on literary masterpieces, women at the court did not have a privileged position. Clearly, people of that period cherished education and mental as well as physical abilities. Sei Shonagon stresses that people who excel in studies, literature or art of war are exceptional. Therefore, such virtues as excellence in art of war, literature and politics were seen as primary. It is also necessary to note that men were still regarded as superior creatures. Men were regarded as rulers and those who lead, while women were seen as subordinate creatures and had to play certain roles. These were roles of wives, mothers, mistresses and, of course, writers. Thus, being a court lady, Sei Shonagon, was quite close to her Majesty Empress. Sei Shonagon enjoy ed all privileges of an aristocrat of that period. Of course, she had to follow the conventions which existed at the court at that period. It is necessary to note that there were a lot of rules and traditions which had to be respected. It is necessary to note that the court at that time was characterized by peculiarities of any medieval court. There were various intrigues, love affairs, coalitions, etc. Notably, the author pays a lot of attention to love affairs and eroticism in her book. Thus, she depicts a number of dates and night meetings. She also describes complicated traditions and customs associated with love affairs. Men and women had to write love letters, which had to have certain structure or rather form. These writings had to be deliberate and thoughtful.Advertising Looking for critical writing on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The author also describes how hypocritical the life at the court was as people often pretended to be better than they were in reality. Admittedly, it was a norm to have an exemplary family where the husband and the wife love each other. However, in reality the situation was different and many couples hid their feelings. Sei Shonagon notes that there are hardly couples who â€Å"always treat each other with scrupulous care and respect† (Shonagon 1991, 146). Therefore, the Heian court life was not different from the life at any other court (or even at any other society where people tend to create certain images top fit the society). It is also necessary to point out that even though family values were regarded as prior to anything, adultery was also a norm. Sei Shonagon mentions a man â€Å"with two mistresses who is obliged to see them being bitter and jealous towards each other† (Shonagon 1991, 171). The author also writes about waiting for a lover in the middle of the night. This may not refer to adultery, but it is not an exemplary ma rital relationship. Therefore, extramarital affairs were seen as something illicit but possible. Another characteristic feature of the court was the aristocracy’s attitude towards representatives of other societal layers. This can be easily explained as one of the major virtues of an individual was education and only aristocrats could afford being educated. Wisdom and courtesy were seen as certain priorities. Admittedly, peasants did not have time or money to obtain education. Aristocrats did not take this into account and saw peasants as inferior creatures. To sum up, it is possible to note that Sei Shonagon reveals major peculiarities of the life at the court. The writer describes a variety of traditions and conventions which existed at the court. Clearly, the Heian court can be regarded as a conventional court of the Middle Ages as those who lived there were hypocrites. However, the court was also somewhat exceptional as women had quite a special place. Women were able to obtain education. Women were even regarded as major figures in literature at that period. However, it is also true that this was a partial empowerment as women were still seen as inferior in many other respects. Major roles assigned to women (apart from roles of writers) were roles of wives, mistresses and mothers. References Shonagon, Sei. The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon. Translated by Ivan Morris. New York: Columbia University Press, 1991.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Research project Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Research project - Case Study Example Manufacture and consumption of hard liquor poses a number of threats to the environment. Irresponsible disposing of wastewater can threaten the heath of immediate communities. Equally, this water when directed to water bodies can lead to the death of aquatic life and further contaminate such water making it unhealthy for domestic use (Grant & O’Connor 24). Additionally, emission of gases to the air can lead to formation of acid rain and consequently wilting of plants. Gases emitted during the manufacture of hard liquor can also contribute to global warming. When manufacture of hard liquor uses nonrenewable sources of energy, this can lead to environmental pollution because of waste materials from these sources. For instance, use of coal as a source of energy produces several solid wastes collectively referred to coal combustion waste. It is, therefore, important that companies manufacturing hard liquor adopt sustainable development policies such as use of renewable energy sour ces. Similar to other industries, the alcohol industry has both legal and social responsibilities. Among the legal responsibilities of this industry is environmental conservation. Under this responsibility, the alcohol industry is expected to address issues related with packaging, recycling, shipping, and water usage (Banco 1). Apart from environmental conservation, the industry is expected to address the issue of workers compensation, health, and general wellbeing. More critical to this industry probably is its social responsibilities. The industry’s social responsibilities stem mainly from the effects of unregulated alcohol consumption on the society. Consequently, the industry is expected to demonstrate its efforts toward addressing concerns such as drunk driving, domestic violence, alcoholism, and vandalism (Banco 1). Due to increased pressure by governments and the public, more companies in the alcohol industry are realizing

Sports marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sports marketing - Essay Example Badminton finds little support from the American populace given that tennis is the most popular racquet sport. As a racquet sport, tennis has drawn all the interest from other racquet sports, thus, making it popular among the other variables. Badminton has never produced stars in the American society, as in other sports such as tennis and American football. Therefore, it has not gained public interest due to this. The fact that America has few stars in the sport obstructs or hinders it from gaining publicity. The presence of stars in a certain sport assists in offering motivation to the young generation and making other people like the sport. The few athletes in the sport gain little or no media attention, thus, reducing the occurrence of potential participants. The financial income of the badminton players profoundly limits or discourages many people within the populace from joining in the sport. The payments are extremely low as compared to other sports. Therefore, this has led to the public undermining the sport especially if one takes it as the career. Several strategies can serve towards making a sport popular. The strategies utilized in marketing a given sport depend significantly on the extent to which the sport is popular among the people. It can also be reliant upon the resources allocated towards that sport, promotion and advertising approaches to be utilized. The first phase towards marketing a sport is advertising it and educating the masses about the interesting aspects and pleasures derived from participating. Creating awareness among the rest of the population can substantially improve the public’s appeal to a certain sport. The management concerned with badminton ought to develop ways of educating people concerning the sport (Stephens 1). Education can be carried out both at the personal and societal levels. The management can recruit ambassadors to market the sport by educating the masses. Awareness can be created through the

American government shutdown Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American government shutdown - Essay Example In the event that the gap of funding stays for a long time, the law requires that some government officials be laid off so as to address the emergency activities and services. During the government fund strain, the projects which are funded by law other than things like the social security are bound to be affected. All the activities that rely on the annual appropriation funds get affected with the decline of the congress to approve the funding of such annual appropriation (United States, 1999). The shutdown may not affect all the segments of the government. However, sometimes it may affect all the government operations depending on what the congress has turned down. For instance, during the time of Carter and Ford’s administration, there were gaps of funding that caused six partial shutdowns that affected only the departments of education, welfare, and labor. This was effective for around 18 days and what was causing the controversy was the federation abortion funding. During the administration of Reagan, there was some nominal shutdown. This was so especially when funding measures were under discussion to take care of government plans and priorities. During the administration of Bush, there was also a shutdown which lasted for a weekend and was resolved later on a Monday morning. During the Clinton administration, there was a shutdown that lasted for between 5 to 21 days due to the United States’ budget deficit. This was the most severe shutdown in the history of America. The massive congressional gain of the conservative was the reason and the cause of this historic shutdown. In 2013, there was yet another government shutdown which was created by a minor conflict of interest. This was caused by the dispute between the proponents and opponents of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which is famously known as the Obamacare. The republicans did this purposefully in the house of senate as well as in the house of representatives to delay the

William Blake, the Jonah of London :: Blake Jonah London

William Blake, the Jonah of London missing works cited Through the streets and alleyways of Nineveh the prophet Jonah trudged. At every marketplace and city gate he joyously roared his tidings of evil, â€Å"forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!† Two and a half millennia after the great fish vomited Jonah back onto dry land, William Blake faithfully follows that path of bilge and seaweed, bile and gall, into the fraternity of prophets and oracles. Just as Jonah was reluctant to prophesy to the Ninevites for fear that his enemies would hear and repent, Blake has a vested interest in perpetuating the blindness of his readers. In fact, even as he works his metaphysics to impose his â€Å"phantasy† as the prophet who proclaims the liberation of the world, he shows a full awareness that true success can only lead to his demise as a poet. Thus, standing upon his apple-crate in the marketplace, he chokes back his voice a little and mumbles in ciphers, desperately praying that he would not be understood. Amidst angry fires and hungry clouds the poet arises in prophet’s robes, and with a roar to shake the worlds to their very foundations proclaims the revival of â€Å"Eternal Hell†! Like Christ upon the commencement of his ministry, he boldly steps forth and seizes the words of Isaiah to legitimize his mission. He points to Isaiah’s vision of Edom becoming â€Å"blazing pitch (Isaiah XXXIV, v9)† and cries, â€Å"now is the dominion of Edom (plate 3)†; now is the fulfillment of the prophecy, â€Å"then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped,† and Blake, the prophet of Hell, shall be the one to fulfill it (Isaiah XXXV, v5). By positioning his first proclamation in parallel with Isaiah 34 and 35, Blake invites, or rather, forces dialogue between Isaiah and himself, and claims for himself Isaiah’s prophetic authority. Later, he dines with both Isaiah and Ezekiel in a symbolic gesture of equality and solidarity and discusses with them as one prophet to another the challenges that one faces in such a line of work (plate 12). Blake again establishes the bond between prophets and the fires of Hell by telling of an angel who, having been converted by a devil, embraces the fire and, consumed by it, arises as the prophet Elijah (plate 24). Thus allegiance to Hell, Bake claims, makes one a prophet.

Looking for Alibrandi and Being Sixteen Essay Essay

The theme of change is explored throughout the novel Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta, Penguin Books 1992, where she confronts the readers about the variety of changes happening in Josephine Alibrandi’s life. Similarly Being Sixteen by Michael Khan also explores the changing of the persona as she grows up and changes her perspective. Change may be caused by many influences, such as family, culture, society and the environment; these influences are shown in both texts, therefore, change can be unexpected and unwanted but it must be understood that change is a natural part of life. The novel Looking for Alibrandi effectively explores the theme of change, it is seen through the novel that Josephine Alibrandi, the main character and narrator, significantly changes as an individual, friend and family member as her perspective on life changes throughout the year. First person narration gives the responders an insight into Josie’s mind and reveals how her feelings change towards Jacob Coote and the changes that occur in her life. As she is â€Å"beginning to realize that things don’t turn out the way you want them to† the readers feel empathy and suspense as she narrates her inspirational story. Another technique Marchetta uses to create suspense and also add tension to the storyline is by adding ellipsis which leads up to what Josie reveals to the readers. As Josephine is almost peer pressured into becoming intimate with her short term boyfriend, she stops and says â€Å"until †¦ maybe until I’m engaged†. The use of ellipsis illustrates the tension between Jacob and Josie, but reveals that Josie does not change even though Jacob is pressuring her, this adds to the character of Josie and proves to the audience that she is strong and will stand up for herself. Therefore Marchetta portrays that change may be hard to avoid, although the right change is needed to become the person we desire to be. Josephine is strong enough to state her thoughts and not be easily influenced by others; this inspires readers to be like her. Similarly, the poem â€Å"Being Sixteen† also explores the theme of change and growing up into a strong individual, the persona experiences the negative effects that change may have on an individual’s sense of identity. The repetition of â€Å"never been easy Sixteening† emphasises to the readers how hard the life of a sixteen year old is while living in a cruel world but also implies that it has been hard for all generations, not just the current. This shows that we as people  change, but some things like peer pressure on teenagers may never change and this must be confronted and subsequently dealt with. This message is also seen in Looking for Alibrandi where Josie’s mother and grandmother experienced the same pain such as people judging and peer pressuring them which is what Josie is enduring. The persona in â€Å"Being Sixteen† is â€Å"trying to connect† and is â€Å"searching for meaning† although not achieving it. The use of active verbs places the poem in the present and causes the reader to evaluate their life and how it may relate to these phrases. The enjambment throughout the poem escalates the pace and shows the lack of control that the persona has of her life; it also confuses the reader which relates to how confused the persona feels. By adding the enjambment, it illustrates the struggles of achieving the desired change that the lonely sixteen year old wants in this scary world. Michael Khan suggests that change is hard to achieve, and that perseverance and hard work can show positive changes in self-identity. Thus, Khan clearly conveys the negative implications and struggles associated with change. Marchetta uses various literary techniques in Looking for Alibrandi to appeal to the audience and engage them in understanding the positive and negative changes involved with being a teenager, these changes shown in the novel may be relatable to the audience or may be helpful for later throughout the reader’s life. It can guide younger readers and help them make informed choices. The colloquial language used throughout the novel sets the scene, mood and atmosphere of the book. Jacob says â€Å"Mate, I’m not going to see a pansy movie† this language is used so the readers are able to further relate to the language used, instead of using formal language which does not suit the high school world which Josie is in. Sarcasm is used in Looking for Alibrandi to convey in an interesting way the relationships that she has with the other characters. When Josie was having a conversation with her father she replies, â€Å"What a ridiculous question. I suppose you’re going to ask me if I like pasta next?† The use of sarcasm by Josie, clearly demonstrates the humour in the novel this sets the foundation for the father-daughter relationship to develop and change over the course of the novel. At the end of the novel Josie admits to having â€Å"Italian blood flowing rapidly through† her veins, this use of metaphor symbolises that she now accepts herself, the life that she has and the family and friends that are a part of it. Josie understands that the change  that occurred in her life led to a positive outcome and she now is grateful for who she is and what she has become. Through the changing perspectives of the characters in both Being Sixteen and Looking for Alibrandi it can be seen that change can bring upon experience, understanding and growth. Both texts similarly identify the concept change with similar literary and structural techniques as well as differing ones. Josie and the persona in Being Sixteen accept and understand that change must occur for them to develop as people and that there were struggles while the change occurs, but they must overcome these obstacles to become the best people they can. Overall, the central concept of change is successfull y conveyed by Marchetta and Khan in Looking for Alibrandi and Being Sixteen through various literary and structural techniques.

Essay on Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour - 911 Words

Women should be powerful, beautiful and intelligence. Nevertheless, women in the eighteenth century were portrayed as servants did not have any say in anything just like the story of an hour by Kate Chopin, where even in a good marriage you could not do the things you wanted to do. What if their husbands died what would come of them? How would they feel? And the irony of gaining freedom but losing everything? In the eighteenth century, Women were portrayed as powerless beneath the men because, men were powerful everything was given to them once they became men and wife. According to Hicks, Jennifer â€Å"Divorce was quite rare in the 1800s and if one was to occur, men were automatically given legal control of all property and children†,†¦show more content†¦Literature: A World of Writing â€Å"When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: free, free, free! The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body† this could only mean that she was free from being powerless or maybe she was unhappy with her life and when her husband died she felt a big weight lifted off her shoulders Kathleen, Wilson Said â€Å"Once Mrs. Mallard accepts the feeling , even though she knows that her husband had really loved her, she is ecstatic that she will never have to bend her will to his again. Now that her husband is dead, she will be free to assert herself in ways she never before dreamed while he was alive† Mrs. Mallard then goes on to welcoming this new feeling she would never have to clean up after him never going to worry about if he’s okay or not, never going to only think about him. She then says â€Å"There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon aShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis of Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour1150 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour is a perfect example of literature that glorifies the commonplace event: the story depicts a gigantic event in the life of its protagonist by using a minimalist economy of means. The opening sentence of The Story of an Hour carefully sets up the conclusion of the story. Chopin is working with such limited space here that it resembles more the crafting of a poem than a fictional narrative. We are told that Mrs Mallard was afflicted with heart trouble so greatRead MoreEssay on Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour537 Words   |  3 Pages In Kate Chopins short story quot;The Story of an Hour,quot; there is much hatred. The first hatred detected is in the way that Louise reacts to the news of the death of her husband, Mr. Mallard. Before Louises reaction is revealed, Chopin turns to how the widow feels by describing the world according to her outlook of it after the bad news. Louise is said to quot;not hear the story as many women have heard the same.quot; Rather, she accepts it and goes to her room to be alone. Now the personRead MoreSymbolism In Kate Chopins The Story Of An Hour1013 Words   |  5 PagesWhile most of Kate Chopin’s short stories were well received, â€Å"The Story of an Hour† was originally rejected by publishers until 1894 when Vogue decided to publish the short story. However after her death most of Chopin’s work was forgotten, that was until the 1950s when her work again was recognized as insightful and moving, setting into motion a Kate Chopin revival which was both successful and remarkable (Biography). â€Å"The Story of an Hour† focuses on the liberation and new found freedom of a newlyRead MoreKate Chopins The Story of an Hour Essay560 Words   |  3 Pages In Kate Chopin’s short story, â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, the author shows us the response of a young woman to her husband’s presumed death. Before the news, the widow, Mrs. Mallard, felt trapped in a situation she found to be inescapable. Her marriage made her feel as though her will wasn’t really her own, that she wasn’t really free. However, when the news of her husband’s death reaches her, she finally begins to feel that she has a chance to be fre e. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; During her mingledRead MoreKate Chopins The Story of an Hour Essay803 Words   |  4 PagesIn Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† allows one to explore many ironic instances throughout the story, the main one in which a woman unpredictably feels free after her husband’s assumed death. Chopin uses Mrs. Mallard’s bizarre story to illustrate the struggles of reaching personal freedom and trying to be true to yourself to reach self-assertion while being a part of something else, like a marriage. In â€Å"The Story of an Hour† the main character, Mrs. Mallard, celebrates the death of her husbandRead MoreCriticism In Kate Chopins The Story Of An Hour830 Words   |  4 Pagesintroduction to any other writer with this kind of writing style to verify my assertion of Kate Chopin’s work, nonetheless Chopin does a brilliant job of exhibiting her Creole background in her work coherently. Although many may argue that modern feminism has taken a new meaning compared to its’ early beginnings. Chopin exhibited a hint of feminism through characters like Clarisse and Mrs. Mallard. In The Story of An Hour, Chopin crafted Mrs. Mallards Character as woman who seem to yearn for freedom to theRead MoreKate CHopins Story of an Hour Essay1271 Words   |  6 Pages In Kate Chopins Story of an Hour the author portrays patriarchal oppression in the institution of marriage by telling the story of one fateful hour in the life of a married woman. Analyzing the work through feminist criticism, one can see the implications of masculine discourse. Mrs. Mallards medical diagnosis is an example of the male-dominated society in which she lives. They are able to tell her that she indeed has a heart condition, but are unable to treat her effectivelyRead MoreEssay on Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour655 Words   |  3 PagesKate Chopins The Story of an Hour In â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin, the author depicts how someone can be trapped in an unproductive and unsatisfying reality because of other’s thoughtlessness, exploitation, and domination. When combined with the contemporary society’s belief, presumably the later half of the 19th century, a further understanding of Chopin’s thoughts and feelings can be realized. Mrs. Louise Mallard, the victim and messenger of this story, is the image of such aRead More Irony in Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour Essays1295 Words   |  6 PagesIrony in Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour A very dull and boring story can be made into a great story simply by adding in something that is unexpected to happen. When the unexpected is used in literature it is known as irony. An author uses irony to shock the reader by adding a twist to the story. The author of â€Å"The Story of an Hour† is Kate Chopin. Her use of irony in the story is incredibly done more than once. Irony is thinking or believing some event will happen but in return the unexpectedRead MoreThe Story of a Widow in Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour Essay840 Words   |  4 Pagespersistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature.† Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† is the story of a woman’s reaction to the news of her husband’s passing. Mrs. Louise Mallard is a young woman most would conclude to be saddened by the passing of her husband. Yet it is in that very moment we find her true feelings. Kate Chopin was born Katherine O’Flaherty on February 8, 1850 in St. Louis Missouri. She was the only child born to her