Colonialism And Patriarchy Wide Sargasso Sea - 1886 Words

Colonialism and Patriarchy: Wide Sargasso Sea Wide Sargasso Sea is a prequel, background story to a character called â€Å"Bertha Mason† in Jane Eyre. The Wide Sargasso Sea text is set in the aftermath following the Emancipation of slavery in 1834 in Britain and colonizes, specifically the text is based on the Windward Islands of the Sargasso Sea. The narrative follows the heroine Antoinette, a white creole girl born on the West Indies Jamaica island to creole parents. Her mother, Annette, was born on Martinique, a French colonized West Indies island, and her father, Alexander Cosway, was slave and sugar plantation owner of several generations prior to slaves’ freedom. Wide Sargasso Sea portrays Colonialism and Patriarchy through ignoring†¦show more content†¦Prior to Emancipation, â€Å"the estate was going downhill for years before,† and when getting ready for their marriage Annette bought â€Å"yards of muslin† purchased through selling â€Å"her last ring† (Rhys 16-17). This is the scene in which Antoinette, as a little girl in Jamaica, and her mother are trying to survive the downfall as their land can no longer give them the means to support themselves. Colonialism and Patriarchy are at the forefront of the novel Wide Sargasso Sea, both having similar ideology of cultural hierarchy and supremacy. For the empire, the native people are subjugated, subdued, and used. A woman, in this patriarchy, is chattel, an infant, with no inalienable rights than their guardian allows or deems worthy to bestow upon them. Wide Sargasso Sea had shown Mr. Mason ignore a woman’s wisdom when he dismissed his wife’s intuition about leaving the house of Calibri. Not allowing women to have an opinion and denouncing their desires and tastes as frivolous is apparent as Mr. Mason deflects any power to himself alone, removing his wife’s voice. â€Å"[Mr. Mason] would laugh even louder than he did when my mother told him that she wished to leave Coulibri† (Rhys 19). This was Antoinette s perception of her step-father, indicated that her fear also doesn’t matter, just as the fear her mother stated to Mr. Mason doesn’t matter to him. In this quote, it was referring to a fear of what she would find in theShow MoreRelatedWide Sargasso Sea By Nadine Gordimer Essay971 Words   |  4 PagesWide Sargasso Sea author is Jean Rhys. July’s People’s author is Nadine Gordimer. The stories in these two novels are happened in different places. In Wide Sargasso Sea, the story took place in Indies. In July’s People, the story took place in South Arica. These two stories are different and take place in different coun tries, but they both reflect the issue of gender discrimination. We all know that both of Indies and South African run the systems of patriarchal society. This common point makes theseRead MoreBeing the Meat in the Sandwich: Implications of the double colonisation of empire and patriarchy by the female characters in Wide Sargasso Sea2201 Words   |  9 Pagestext [where a colonialist discourse is developed directly or indirectly], and unveils [its colonialist] assumptions, subverting the text for post-colonial purposes’. (Tiffin, 1987) Such a revolutionary literary project is evidently realised in Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, a prequel that ‘writes back the centre’ of Charlotte Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Jane Eyre (1847). Rhys is categorical about her conscious authorial intention: ‘I immediately thought Id write a story as it (the story of Bertha/Antoinette) might reallyRead MoreRace and Caribbean Culture1709 Words   |  7 Pagesexamples of social inequalit y, often appear in controversial and important works of literature. In the Caribbean Sea, people have had to deal with centuries of racial prejudices and sociological inequity, since the first explorers arrived on the island and demanded that those with darker skins become the slaves of those with light skin. Three particular works of literature, Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, The Kingdom of This World by Alejo Carpenter, and The Farming of Bones by author Edwidge Danticat

Governments Role in an Interconnected Global Financial...

Recent events have merely confirmed what economists have known for some time, namely, that the interconnectedness of global economic activity renders macro-management by single governments redundant. Their function is now to regulate markets to ensure economically efficient solutions. This essay will argue that the 2008 financial crisis has brought to the forefront of global political consideration what some economists have known for some time. This is that 1) The global financial system is inherently flawed and cyclical recessions are a product of its nature 2) The interconnectedness of the global financial system means macro-management cannot fully buffer an economy against these cyclical recessions 3) Policy has†¦show more content†¦Kumar (1996) compares trends/fluctuations in key macro-economic variables in India pre and post 1991, both before and after initiation of new Indian economic policy in 91. These reforms included, amongst other things, the opening up of the Indian economy for international trade (prior to this India was a socialist state not involved in these markets) plus investment and heavy de-regulation processes. These particular changes to this policy allow for great insight into the impact of de-regulated, international capital trade on previously effective macro-management. He observes that this new economic policy increased economic instability which facilitates speculative activity, particularly resulting from financial sector liberalisation and the opening up of the economy. He adds that the observed increased volatility in economic fluctuations is a result from state intervention under these new economic policies that have reduced policy effectiveness. To quote: The NEP not only lay greater stress on market forces but on opening up of the economy to foreign capital. This imposes constraints on policies since government cannot control the external environment which is governed by international finance capital- a force far more powerful than the Indian state hence able to dictate to it. He argues that since the interest ofShow MoreRelatedExamining Comparable Element in Public Management 1554 Words   |  6 Pagesas a tool to analyze the weakness and strength of the government’s structure in order to c over their loophole across regional and global survey research (Wilson, 2011). The terms of â€Å"Comparative† also play an important role guiding what government should do in order to succeed in their structures, it also helps government to analyze the gaps of their national and social settings. Moreover, public management is currently becoming government’s main focus on achieving their goals in creating an effectiveRead MoreGovernments Importance in National Competitveness Essay1784 Words   |  8 Pageswhich a country is capable of generating more wealth than its competitors in world markets’. It is known that in order for economies to develop and increase social welfare within its country; national competitiveness must exist to achieve this. Economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure are all factors of national competitiveness. Throughout this essay I will discuss the government’s importance and assessing diff erent ways in which it can influence national competitivenessRead MoreEssay on The Great Big World and China4481 Words   |  18 Pagesthe shift of the government’s priorities away from lofty ideological principles and toward sustained economic growth. This shift can be seen during the reforms of the late 1970s, where the Communist Party promoted ‘twin pillars’ of economic growth and nationalism. (Economy, 9) The groundwork for a global China starts to emerge when, as a result of loosening of economic trading restrictions, the country and government begins to see the economic benefits of joining an interconnected economy. The economicRead MoreThe Conflict Between the Ukraine and Russia Essay1614 Words   |  7 Pagessince its post-Soviet independence began as a protest against the government dropping plans to forge closer trade ties with the European Union. The conflict between Russia and the Ukraine stems from more than twenty years of weak governance, the go vernment’s inability to promote a coherent executive branch policy, an economy dominated by oligarchs and rife with corruption, heavy reliance on Russia, and distinct differences between Ukraines population from both Eastern and Western regions in termsRead More International Capital Mobility Essay examples2849 Words   |  12 Pagesworld economy is a fact of life. At some point in the 1990s the process achieved critical mass and people started to sit up and take notice. Many were apprehensive. Today, almost all of us are aware that our lives are being shaped by an interconnected world economy of cross-border flows of trade, finance and technology. In our hearts, we know that there is no going back.† -Maria Livanos Cattaui, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce. As evidenced by theRead MoreEssay on SWOT Analysis of Commonwealth Bank of Australia3124 Words   |  13 PagesAustralian financial services industry. It is a brand that has evolved over its 102 years of operation with a strong brand history. Commonwealth Bank brand is highly regarded and trusted within the Australian financial services industry. Other well known brands under the Commonwealth Bank Group includes Colonial First State, CommInsure, ASB (New Zealand), Sovereign, FirstChoice, CommSec, and Bankwest. Strength – Scale Commonwealth Bank has a strong presence in Australian financial services industryRead MoreBitcoin And Its Impact On The Economy1836 Words   |  8 Pagesfour years. (Mullan, 2014) Although Satoshi Nakamoto has withdrawn, the community continues to flourish exponentially, with many developers improving the software. The context in which Bitcoin emerged was when the world is experiencing financial unrest and global banking crisis. Appearing to be a quick remedy for the bad economic situation plague rooted from banks, BItcoin quickly took on as an alternative way of payment. In comparison, it seemed to be a more sterile way to purge the economy in comparisonRead MoreStrategies to Achieve Competitive Advantage: Comparison of Nissan and Hyundai in Car Industry2982 Words   |  12 PagesGovernment should also play an active role in providing institutions and supportive industrial policies to enhance the economy. Last but not least, a good adaptive strategy is required in order to compete in the ever-changing economy. The interactions of these three factors together with the presence of innovation in the evolutionary learning process could then yield Nissan and Hyundai with distinctive competitive advantage over a long period of time. Role of multinational corporations and theRead MoreIdentify the Mission, Values and Key Objectives of an Organization of Your Choice and Assess the Influence of Stakeholders4521 Words   |  19 Pages Defend Human Rights, Against Animal Testing, Activate Self-Esteem, Protect Our Planet. OUR CHARITABLE FOUNDATION We also have our own charity, The Body Shop Foundation. Launched in 1990 (registered charity no. 802757) we give financial support to pioneering, frontline organisations that otherwise have little hope of conventional funding. The Foundations focus is to assist those working to achieve progress in the areas of human and civil rights, environmental and animal protectionRead MoreChile And The Us Banking Industry9279 Words   |  38 Pages The present working paper is referred to the analysis of some â€Å"financial benefits† that banking institutions would be receiving as Too Big to Fail (TBTF) banks. The request is whether those institutions are constantly subsided from governments or it is merely a hypothetical idea. For those purposes, it is analyzed the Chilean banking industry to disclose the implicit subsidy in the South American country. In order to answer the posited questions, first it is cited some similarities between Chile

Disability Services in College Free Essays

Before the advent of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American Disabilities Act Title II in 1990, a young adult with either a mental or physical disability had a hard road ahead of them if they chose to continue their education after high school. Colleges typically were not set up for disabled students and could not accommodate special needs. When the special needs student lagged behind because of a specific disability, it was generally considered a shoulder-shrugging â€Å"oh well† sort of thing. We will write a custom essay sample on Disability Services in College or any similar topic only for you Order Now Considering that nearly one out of every five people in the United States suffer from some type of disability that impairs his ability to accomplish the daily activities of life, it is somewhat of a sad statement on our society that these Acts were not implemented much earlier in our history. (Treloar 1999 p. 1). In any case, these Acts helped those students who perhaps had tried to hide their disabilities from fear of prejudice or rejection. Few college professors prior to 1973 had any exposure or experience with disabled students, and many of the disabled students were left feeling misunderstood and unable to complete their education. The first step in trying to make the college experience as positive for a disabled student as for a â€Å"normal† student was to attempt to change the public’s perception of the disabled. Typically media images of the disabled evoked sympathy, pity, or even horror from the public. This perception had to be changed in order to show that the disabled students were, at their core, just students trying to get an education. The focus had to be shifted from their disability to how to make their learning experience a positive one.  (Treloar 1999 p. 1). Federally funded colleges â€Å"cannot discriminate against or exclude a qualified person from programs or activities solely on the basis of his or her disability. A qualified student meets the technical and academic qualifications for participation in an educational program or activity. † (Treloar 1999 p. 2). Colleges are expected to make reasonable accommodations so that these otherwise qualified students have the same opportunity to participate as other students. Accommodations may include accessible locations, extended time for test-taking, substitution of nonessential courses for degree requirements, adaptive equipment or technology such as tape-recording classes, or other services such as the use of note takers or readers. (Treloar 1999 p. 3). Though the changes have likely seemed slow in coming to those they affect, the reality is that each year more strides are made to help those with disabilities receive the same college degree as their disability-free counterparts. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a national law that protects qualified individuals from discrimination based on their disability. The critical word in that sentence is â€Å"qualified. † Individuals with disabilities are defined as persons with mental or physical impairments which substantially limits one or more major life activities. Major life activities include caring for oneself, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, working, performing manual tasks and learning.(United 2006 p. 2). This law applies to any employers or organizations that receive financial assistance from any Federal department or agency, including the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nearly all public and most private colleges are recipients of funds from the Federal Government, therefore fall under the ADA. Section 504 prohibits organizations from â€Å"excluding or denying individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to receive program benefits and services. † (United 2006 p. 2). Therefore, if an individual is hindered in one or more of the above major life activities by a disability, they cannot be excluded from any federally funded organization or employer. The American Disabilities Act prohibits the denial of services or benefits on â€Å"specified discriminatory grounds. Just as a government office cannot refuse to issue food stamps or other benefits to an individual on the basis of his or her race, it cannot refuse to provide benefits solely because an individual has a disability. † (ADA 2005 p. 2). An example of this would be that a city could not refuse to admit an individual to a city council meeting that is open to the public merely because the individual is deaf. As related to college students, they cannot be denied participation in any class or activity which they are otherwise qualified for, and must be granted the considerations necessary to complete their education. For instance, a visually impaired student would need to be placed at the front of the class, and all possible accommodations made so that he was able to see what was necessary to complete the class.(ADA 2005 p. 3). Both of these Acts made substantial strides in many areas for those with disabilities, education being only one of them. Despite these strides, however, there are still areas in colleges that need significant improvement in order to fully meet the needs of the disabled students. In 1996 approximately six percent of students enrolled in postsecondary education had disabilities, with the majority of these reporting sensory loss (visual or hearing) or orthopedic conditions.  (Palmer 2000 p. 1). Despite the obvious nature of these disabilities, the actual number one reported problem from the students with disabilities is that there are â€Å"significant deficits in the knowledge of disability rights in a majority of universities and university personnel†¦and that the college students with disabilities need assistance in dealing with complex social interactions such as the request and negotiate demands in the accommodation situation† (Palmer 2000 p. 2). In other words, the problem is not lack of accommodations necessarily, but more that the students with disabilities lack the skills required to state their needs and negotiate the help they require. Another area in which students with disabilities need particular help lies in career guidance services. â€Å"The collegians with disabilities are in greater need of career guidance services than their nondisabled peers. Students with disabilities face attitudinal barriers including lowered expectations, delayed vocational development and unsatisfactory career development support services.† (Benshoff 1990 p. 2). It becomes clear that the Acts passed in the last three decades have been crucial in providing physical, concrete help for students with disabilities, yet the attitudes toward the disabled still exist, even though they may be cloaked in outward helpfulness. The disabled students feel they are severely lacking in career counseling as well as that they face barriers erected from others’ attitudes toward their disabilities. Learning disabilities are much less mentioned than physical disabilities, yet recent years have shown a significant growth in students with learning issues. In 1998 over 35% of all freshman college students stated they had a learning disability, up from 24% in 1991. This creates a challenge to professors and colleges alike, because many professors prefer that â€Å"all students meet the same set of requirements within the same time period and are ill-prepared either to adapt their instruction to address the individual needs of students or to identify appropriate, fair and reasonable accommodations. † (Thomas 2000 p. 1). This remains an ongoing problem, and one with no easily identifiable answers. Many students, both â€Å"regular† and disabled, take web-based college classes which fit in with their busy lives and schedules better, in many cases, than the traditional classroom. While physical barriers are â€Å"obvious accessibility concerns confronting students with disabilities,† web page developers must be aware that online barriers can also cause accessibility problems for disabled users. (Flowers 2000 p. 2). Web page developers need to be very aware of those users with disabilities and follow the standards set that allow more accessibility to students with disabilities. There are many new technologies which allow students to access information such as Braille output systems for the visually impaired, modified keyboards, screen enlargements and voice output utilities. Web developers can provide alternative ways to access information presented with â€Å"images, sounds, applets and scripts. † (Flowers 2000 p.3). Though we are a nation of internet users, the disabled student has special issues regarding the web that must be addressed. When all is said and done, it must be remembered that â€Å"positive classroom experiences in college are critical to successful inclusion of students with disabilities in the campus community. Faculty relationships are known to have a pivotal effect on whether at risk students, like students with disabilities, are embraced in the college environment. † (Smith 2004 p. 1). Instructors need to be able to develop a safe atmosphere where all students can express their own life experiences and look at the differences between one another. In this type of an atmosphere all students can talk about the issues they find most relevant in their personal lives, leading to an atmosphere much more conducive to learning. Students with disabilities sometimes have difficulty absorbing the lectures by their professors, but if they feel like they are in an environment where they can safely express their concerns, the satisfaction level tends to go up significantly. In a study done at Baylor University, three of the issues disabled students felt to be most important to their success were: counseling which included an in-depth assessment of the student’s requirements and needs, caring people who offered a solid support system, and extra time on their tests. Study skills, time management and a solid sense of security in their environment were other issues these students felt were of great importance to their success. (Smith 2004 p.4). There are many groups who seek to help students with disabilities, such as the National Association of Blind Students, College and Career Programs for Deaf Students, and CHADD, a leading non-profit organization for both children and adult students with ADHD. One group, known as AHEAD or Association on Higher Education And Disability, is a group committed to â€Å"full participation of persons with disabilities in post secondary education. † (Smith 2004 p. 5). AHEAD values such things as diversity, personal growth and creativity in those with disabilities, while promoting leadership in this same group. AHEAD seeks to stay abreast of current issues regarding disabilities, education and accessibility for those with disabilities. Since 1977 AHEAD has excelled in delivering quality training to those with disabilities and actively addresses disability issues on campuses. There are many challenges and issues facing disabled college students. Thanks to the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act, the actual physical challenges have lessened immensely for students and great strides have been made in accommodating physical disabilities in most all areas of classrooms, dorms, library, parking and cafeteria. More work needs to be done, however on the mental disability issue, as there tends to be more negativity and stigma attached to mental disabilities than physical, and colleges still have a ways to go to accommodate these students. How to cite Disability Services in College, Papers

Science and Technology free essay sample

Science and Technology essay – Advantages and disadvantages of technological advances Technology has been progressing at an astonishingly rapid rhythm, and it has been changing our lives in a scaring way. In the future, our lives might change even more, with several benefits and dangers of technological advances. Everything evolves around 3 concepts: technology, science and future. So now arises the question: will this technology advance make society better or worse off? On the one hand, several benefits will make society better off. For example, advances in cosmetic surgery will lead to people being highly satisfied with their personal appearance and happiness among society will be increased. For example, people that feel ugly and can’t find a couple will now be able do it with facial metamorphosis, and they won’t be depressed anymore. In conclusion, society’s welfare and happiness will be increased by cosmetic surgery. Another example is genetically modified food. We will write a custom essay sample on Science and Technology or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The ability to modify the food’s gens will allow crops to grow faster. This will lead to higher amounts of food being produced at lower prices. As a consequence, world’s hunger rates will be dramatically reduced, with higher nutrition rates taking place. In conclusion, genetically modified food will affect positively human hunger and nutrition rates. Lastly, human lives will also be benefited by another important technological advancement: animal clonation. Species extinction will be reduced or even stopped, as well as hunger rates to the increase in supply of food. To sum up, animal clonation will solve some of the key issues which are actually part of the world’s daily agenda. Overall, human life will be changed in a very positive way by advancements such as the mentioned before and some actual key issues won’t exist anymore. However, technology might also bring severe dangers to human life, being society’s welfare not maximized and in a very extreme case, humans might be extinct. An example of this situation is life expectancy increased to 120/130 years old. Besides this might be seen as a positive fact because we will be able to have a higher quality and longer life, increasing the life expectancy to that range of years will make more profound an actual worldwide issue: overpopulation. If humans start living until 120/130 years old and the birth rates remain constant, then overpopulation will take place, global warming will increase at a higher rate and human life will be seriously threated. In conclusion, increase life expectancy might be a danger to human life if it’s not applied properly. Another example, which is less â€Å"catastrophic† than the previous one mentioned is online education. If we look at a â€Å"hardware and internet connection timeline†, we will be able to notice that internet connection has been doubling its speed every 5 years, and hardware per capita (ie: the amount of computer/s owned by each person all over the world† has been increasing at a constant rate of 25%. This is a good fact, which also implies that online education will take place in the short term future. But isn’t this good? Research have shown that if online education would take place, students would suffer the syndrome of social isolation, which means that mental disorders would be suffered by students as a consequence of a lack of social interaction, as well as decreased happiness and welfare in society due to the unsocial students. In conclusion, besides it might increase individual productivity as students can adopt their own working patterns and practices, it represents a big problem to society. To finish off, another example is technological advancements in internet resulting in a loss of privacy. This is because there will be higher software’s available to spy other people and get into their private life, as well as the fact that the increased availability of internet in society would make all of us more interrelated. As an example, software’s will be available to steal our Facebook account or any other social network password, or if any photo is uploaded to Facebook then people might be able to see it without the publisher of the photo even knowing. In conclusion, it might be considered as a minor issue in society, but as internet and globalization has been having a remarkable growth, this danger will be more noticeable in the long term and will definitely need to be treated. In conclusion, technological advancements are always seen as a good thing but however, they might represent a real danger to society, even threatening human life to extinction. This is not because of the nature of the technological advancements, but because of its over use or misuse by society, and all the dangers these advancements generate could be easily reduced or removed with government intervention and a market that would automatically stop or reduce its consumption because it brings dangers among its consumers.

Oscar Wilde Essays (636 words) - Oscar Wilde, Anglo-Irish People

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (1854-1900) was an Anglo-Irish dramatist, novelist, essayist, short-story writer, critic, and poet. He was part of the Decadence, a loosely affiliated coterie of writers and artists of the 1890s whose lives and works manifested a highly stylized, decorative manner, a fascination with morbidity and perversity, and an adherence to the doctrine "art for art's sake." After having a hard childhood, where he was dressed as a girl until the age of nine, he viewed life more critically than others. He often focused in on the upper class, and wrote of their absurdity, superficiality, and snobbery. Yet mainly, he wrote of what he felt at the time and what is around him. In The Importance of Being Earnest and A Woman of No Importance, it is evident that the environment, lifestyle, and events in the life of Oscar Wilde has influenced him in writing such one-sided critical satires, in which he reserved none of his strong opinions. When it came to satires, Wilde was the master of such literary art. "Wilde has accomplished such satire from the hallowed edifice of romantic literature certain standard characters, themes, and plot situations in order to build out of them a comedy that fuses contemporary social satire with a straight-faced taking-off of the usages of the popular fiction and drama of his time" (Poupard 418). In the beginning he tried to be a serious writer, but failed miserably. It was believed that as an entertainer he was more morally clearsighted (Bryfonski 504). Although he was full of strong idealism and human sympathy, his dissatisfaction with the society of the 1880's and 90's caused him to make highly personal and melodramatic attacks on issues which he possibly have never looked close enough to understand. Because of this, he was thought of as only presenting one side of life (498). He presented the upper English class with clear hostility, and stressed their corruption, shallowness, snobbery, and lack of genuine moral scruples (502). Wilde had a colorful and scandalous social life, and was even jailed for a while. He believed that people should be self-expressive vs. self-repressive, and therefore never held anything back. "What is termed sin is an essential element of progress . . . without it, the world would stagnate or grow old or become colorless" (Bloom 101). Wilde found criticism and self-consciousness necessary as sin. He believed that criticism plays a vital role in the creative process, and that criticism is an independent branch of literature with its own procedures (91). "Wilde was one of the first to see that the exaltation of the artist required a concomitant exaltation of the critic. If art was to have a special train, the critic must keep some seats reserved on it" (90). Wilde stated that: "If we are all insincere, masked, and lying, then the artist is prototype rather than exception. If all the sheep are black, then the artist cannot be blamed for not being white" (Bloom 102). Wilde believed that art should be made for the sake of art, and that art is permanent, and near immortality. "Only the artist can give to the beauty he sees a form that moves it towards its own ideal and preserves it from erosions of change" (Bryfonski 505). Wilde felt that since man and nature are in constant change, art was more ordered than life, more beautiful. The world of art is "more real than reality itself" (506). Yet Wilde had a word of warning: "All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril" (Schmidgall 149). What Wilde was trying to express is that art is so real, that if one dares to go beneath the surface, one may find things that he/she does not want to find. Wilde loved children, and loved the youth. Wilde proposed to speak for the young, with even excessive eagerness at times. Both The Importance of Being Earnest and A Woman of No Importance mainly evolves around the youthful characters.

Vangogh Essays - Vincent Van Gogh, Van Goghs Family In His Art

Vangogh Essays - Vincent Van Gogh, Van Goghs Family In His Art Vangogh The rapid evolution of a style characterized by canvases filled with swirling, bright colors depicting people and nature is the essence of Vincent Van Gogh's extremely prolific but tragically short career. Vincent Willem van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853, in Holland, son of a Dutch Protestant pastor and eldest of six children. His favorite brother Theo was four years younger. When Vincent was twelve to sixteen years old, he went to a boarding school. That next year he was sent to The Hague to work for an uncle who was an art dealer, but van Gogh was unsuited for a business career. Actually, his early interests were in literature and religion. Very dissatisfied with the way people made money and imbued with a strong sense of mission, he worked for a while as a lay preacher among proverty-stricken miners. Van Gogh represented the religious society that trained him in a poor coal-mining district in Belgium. Vincent took his work so seriously that he went without food and other necessities so he could give more to the poor. The missionary society objected to Vincent's behavior and fired him in 1879. Heartsick, van Gogh struggled to keep going socially and fin! ancially, yet he was always rejected by other people, and felt lost and forsaken. Then, in 1880, at age 27, he became obsessed with art. The intensity he had for religion, he now focused on art. His early drawings were crude but strong and full of feeling: "It is a hard and a difficult struggle to learn to draw well... I have worked like a slave ...." His first paintings had been still lifes and scenes of peasants at work. "That which fills my head and heart must be expressed in drawings and in pictures...I'm in a rage of work." In 1881, he moved to Etten. He very much liked pictures of peasant life and labor. Jean-Francois Millet was the first to paint this as a main theme and his works influenced van Gogh. His first paintings here were crude but improving. Van Gogh's progress was interrupted by an intense love for his widowed cousin Kee Vos. On her decisive rejection of him he pursued her to Amsterdam, only to suffer more humiliation. Anton Mauve, a leading member of the Hague school was a cousin of van Gogh's mother. This opportunity to be taught by him encouraged van Gogh to settle in Den Hague with Theo's support. When van Gogh left Den Hague in September 1883 for the northern fenland of Drenth, he did so with mixed feelings. He spent hours wandering the countryside, making sketches of the landscape, but began to feel isolated and concerned about the future. He had rented a little attic in a house but found it melancholy, and was depressed with the quality of his equipment. "Everything is too miserable, too insufficient, too dilapidated." Physically and mentally unable to cope with these conditions any longer, he left for his parents' new home in Nuenen in December 1883. Van Gogh had a phase in which he loved to paint birds and bird's nests. This phase did not last long. It only lasted until his father's death six months later. "The Family Bible" which he painted just before leaving his house for good, six months after his father's death in 1885, must have meant a great deal to him. Van Gogh had broken with Christianity when he was fired from the missionary which proved to be the most painful experience of his life, and one from which he never quite recovered. At Nuenen, van Gogh gave active physical toil a remarkable reality. It's impact went far beyond what the realist Gustave Corbet had achieved and beyond even the quasi-religious images of Jean-Francois Millet. He made a number of studies of peasant hands and heads before embarking on what would be his most important work at Nuenen. The pinnacle of his work in Holland was The Potato Eaters, a scene painted in April 1885 that shows the working day to be over. It was the last and most ambitious painting of his pre-Impressionist period, 1880-1885. When van Gogh painted the The Potato Eaters, he had not yet discovered

Causes of Renaissance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Causes of Renaissance - Essay Example Apart from that, urbanization of cities and growth of commerce provided a suitable background for the rise of Renaissance. Before the twelve century, Italy was mostly rural with only several small urban centers. However, the established trade relationships with Byzantine and Muslims guaranteed the flow of money and goods that added to the development of commerce and, subsequently, to the wealth of the country as a whole. (Mantin 62-63)The following, in its turn, led to the growth of individual and self-governed cities-states with their own banking and political systems. Consequently, by the time the central and northern European cities were still ruled by monarchs, cities in Italy enjoyed high levels of autonomy that penetrated into various aspects of life. The atmosphere of prosperity and freedom was established and appeared to be quite conductive for the beginning of Renaissance. Furthermore, decentralization of power weakened the influence of church and its strict doctrines on people as well as contributed to the prosperity of people in Italy. The medieval society was totally subdued by the dominant rule of a church. It made impossible social development and did not allow any intellectual or economic advancement, viewing them as contradictory to Christian doctrines. The situation changed in the thirteen century when the power and prestige of the Pope were questioned. At that time, monarchs and common people started to challenge the overwhelming influence of the church with its constant proclamations of asceticism.