The Ministers Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne - 619 Words

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s (1804-1864) â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† (1836), shows that a person’s harmless intentions can cause so much chaos to others. This short story is a parable with secrets, dark areas, and symbols. This story is mainly about Mr. Hooper who is the Reverend of the little town Milford. Reverend Hooper shows up to church one day with a mysterious black veil over his face, making quite a problem. Even forgetting the Omniscient can detect them, Hooper says preaching a sermon on secret sin and the things people hide in their heart. Once church is over the townspeople instantly begin gossiping about the reverend. Some of the people say that he has gone mad, but many others believe he is trying to cover up his own secret sin. Hooper continued being himself; the black veil did not change his personality. He would greet the children and townspeople, but they would always give him weird looks and avoid him. Hooper shows up in 2 more big ceremon ies throughout the story. First was at a funeral when everyone there continues to talk badly about him. After the funeral he attends a wedding, which makes the event go from happy to dark. Hooper makes a toast to the couple that was just married. When giving the toast he catches a glimpse of himself in his wine glass and he is terrified of his own reflection. He then spills the wine over himself and leaves the building. His wife, Elizabeth, tries to figure out the mystery of why her husband is wearing the veil. But HooperShow MoreRelatedThe Ministers Black Veil By Nathaniel Hawthorne1846 Words   |  8 Pagesmaterial is â€Å" The Ministers Black Veil†, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In the text Mr. Hooper is a preacher who is engaged to Elizabeth and has recently started hiding his face behind a black veil. The townspeople begin to think he’s gone mad. He is very loving and caring, but known as living his life without much worries and being a sinful man. While weari ng the veil, he preaches and then is buried in it. Before he dies the only person who is not afraid to question Mr. Hooper about the veil is his fiancà ©Read More`` The Minister s Black Veil `` By Nathaniel Hawthorne2223 Words   |  9 Pagesthemselves in a variety of ways. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil†, this idea of the constant struggle between good and evil is brought to the surface primarily through the characters of Rev. Hooper, Elizabeth, Hooper’s fiancà ©, Goodman Grey, Rev. Clark, and the townspeople. The story opens with the sexton tolling the bell, summoning the townspeople to the church for their weekly sermon. Astonished at the sight of Reverend Hooper’s black veil, whispers and fear sweep through theRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s The Minister s Black Veil1557 Words   |  7 Pagesstories always either have a moral or a symbol of something. In the small story of The Minister’s Black Veil by Nathani el Hawthorne he uses symbols, characteristics, he uses mystery. Nathaniel was born in 1804 in Salem Massachusetts and died in 1864 in Plymouth New Hampshire. Nathaniel was a very hardworking man he put a â€Å"w† in his name because he wanted to distance himself from his ancestors. Nathaniel would move a lot from Concord to Salem from Salem to some other city then to England, after England†¦Read MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s The Minister s Black Veil876 Words   |  4 PagesIn Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† mystery plays a huge role when it comes to plot, and character development. At the end of this story the minister who is wearing the veil rhetorically asks, â€Å"What but the mystery which it obscurely typifies has made this piece of crape so awful?† (Hawthorne 1044). Hawthorne has built up this character so carefully and intensely to this point, to quite directly state that this veil on his face represents mystery. Th e minister also begs the questionRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s The Minister s Black Veil1975 Words   |  8 Pagesrealistic plot lines, morbid language, and many emotional torments. Nathaniel Hawthorne is well known for his contributions to this nineteenth century style. His works â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and â€Å"The Ministers Black Veil† offer insight to the evil and dark sides of life that are lurking inside every human being and society. This evil is often formatted into the theme of sin, with much variation to each work. Whether Hawthorne describes selfishness, obsession, or even passion, the concealing ofRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter And The Ministers Black Veil1146 Words   |  5 PagesPamela Hernandez Honors American literature West 15 October 2015 Nathaniel Hawthorne Utilization of Symbolism Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of both stories The Scarlet Letter and â€Å"The Ministers Black Veil† utilizes symbols to show the lasting impact it leaves on the individual and in the community around them. In The Scarlet Letter and â€Å"The Ministers Black Veil† both main characters Hester Prynne and Reverend Mr. Hopper both have symbols in which both are of great significance. Hester’s symbolRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Minister s Black Veil 954 Words   |  4 Pagesthe works of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ralph Waldo Emerson, as both authors profess that a person who has realized their ideal self has grown to possess an education and is willing to sacrifice worldly pleasures for the sake of progress. The first similar major theme in the works of these men is the need for education to reach a higher form of self. Though each man has a different definition for education, the core theme is the same. Nathaniel Hawthorne, in â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil,† provides anRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Minister s Black Veil 2532 Words   |  11 Pages If any single quality dominates the fiction of Nathaniel Hawthorne, it is a consistent fascination with the idea of human sin. This is explored and expressed in a wide variety of ways by him; a novel like The Scarlet Letter treats sin as more of a failing demanding understanding, while The House of the Seven Gables is a more complex treatment of sin, guilt, and redemption. So too do Hawthorne s short stories vary in how they address sin, but it remains clear that it is the core element of themRead MoreEmotional Guilt in Nathaniel Hawthorne ´s The Minister ´s Black Veil1418 Words   |  6 PagesNathaniel Hawthornes The Minister’s Black Veil is a story of guilt, humility, sin, hypocrisy, love, compounded emotional stability and trials of life. It is a work of gothic literary art that describes the complexity of emotions and the psychological give and take that takes place when processing and dealing with any human emotion. The gothic writing style Hawthorne uses in The Ministers Black Veil makes it easy for him to focus on one main emotion: guilt. Hawthorne is no stranger to guilt, a hugeRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown And The Minister s Black Veil Essay1175 Words   |  5 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts on July 4, 1804 (Belasco). Hawthorne’s ancestry relates all the way back to the witch trials that took place in Salem during 1692 and 1693; his ancestor John Hathorne, was one of the three judges during the trials (Nathaniel Hawthorne). After Hawthorne graduated from Bowdoin College in 1825, he moved back to Salem and lived with his mother while he worked on his writing for the next twelve years (Belasco). During this time, he changed his last

Essay on Media Portrayal of Mental Illness in America

Media Portrayal of Mental Illness in America The media in American society has a major influential impact on the minds and beliefs of millions of people. Whether through the news, television shows, or film, the media acts as a huge database for knowledge and instruction. It is both an auditory and visual database that can press images and ideas into peoples minds. Even if the individual has no prior exposure or knowledge to something, the media can project into peoples minds and leave a lasting impression. Though obviously people are aware of what they are listening to or watching, thoughts and assumptions can drift into their minds without even realizing it. These thoughts that drift in are extremely influential. The massive impact†¦show more content†¦The mentally ill were cared for at home by their families until the state recognized that it was a problem that was not going to go away. In response, the state built asylums. These asylums were horrendous; people were chained in basements and treated with cruelty. Thou gh it was the asylums that were to blame for the inhumane treatment of the patients, it was perceived that the mentally ill were untamed crazy beasts that needed to be isolated and dealt with accordingly. In the opinion of the average citizen, the mentally ill only had themselves to blame (Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health, 1999). Unfortunately, that view has haunted society and left a lasting impression on the minds of Americans. In the era of moral treatment, that view was repetitively attempted to be altered. Asylums became mental hospitals in hope of driving away the stigma yet nothing really changed. They still were built for the untreatable chronic patients and due to the extensive stay and seemingly failed treatments of many of the patients, the rest of the society believed that once you went away, you were gone for good. Then the era of mental hygiene began late in the nineteenth century. This combined new concepts of public health, scientific medicine, and so cial awareness. Yet despite these advancements, another change had to be made. The era was called community mental health andShow MoreRelatedMedia Portrayal of Mental Illness in America4048 Words   |  17 PagesMedia Portrayal of Mental Illness in America The media in American society has a major influential impact on the minds and beliefs of millions of people. Whether through the news, television shows, or film, the media acts as a huge database for knowledge and instruction. It is both an auditory and visual database that can press images and ideas into peoples minds. Even if the individual has no prior exposure or knowledge to something, the media can project into peoples minds and leave a lastingRead MoreThe Media And Federal Government1619 Words   |  7 Pages Mental and Social Disorder One in every seventeen people in America suffers from a mental disorder. These disorders inhibit the afflicted person from functioning properly and coping normally with daily life. Many afflicted with a psychological disorder do not exhibit obvious symptoms, as medical advancements have made it possible for these disorders to be suppressed or even nonexistent. Today, however, harsh stigmas exist that unfairly categorize those with a mental illness as violent, unfriendlyRead MoreMental Illness And Its Stigma1363 Words   |  6 PagesMental Illness and Its Stigma â€Å"One in five adults in America experience mental illness,† (Mental Health, n.d., para 1). Many people define mental illness as a characteristic that makes one irrational or delusional and derives a belief that those who have mental disorders are not suffering from a real disease, resulting in a negative view of those who suffer. There are three ways to defy this stigma that everyone, from media producers to the sufferers themselves, must participate in to break downRead MoreKiller Of Sheep And Harmony Korine s Gummo1423 Words   |  6 PagesMany popular mainstream movies have the story of the â€Å"underdog,† someone who overcomes all odds to be successful. People love to see the underdog succeed and achieve their dream. However, this is not a very realistic portrayal, as million of people across America live in small, dead end towns that are almost impossible to escape. In independent cinemas, the representation of people in small towns is more realistic because they lack a plot, use non actors and actual towns, and use objective shotsRead MoreReducing Mental Health Stigmas1195 Words   |  5 PagesReducing Mental Health Stigmas According to the National Alliance of Mental Health, 1 in 5 adults in the United States of America experience mental illness in a given year (NAMI, 2017). Out of those adults, not all will seek out mental health services. If there are services in the community being offered, why are the services not utilized more often by these individuals? There may be many barriers that preventRead More Mental and Social Disorder Essay1888 Words   |  8 Pagesseventeen people in America suffers from a mental disorder. These disorders inhibit the afflicted person from functioning properly and coping normally with daily life. Many afflicted with a psychological disorder do not exhibit obvious symptoms, as medical advancements have made it possible for these disorders to be suppressed or even nonexistent. Today, however, harsh stigmas exist that unfairly categorize those with a mental illness as violent, unfriendly, and abnormal. The media and federal governmentRead MoreGender Demographic Group Of The Media1382 Words   |  6 PagesEssay People in America tend to view media as an all-knowing, reliable source of information that affects their very lives. It’s no wonder that any form of demographic portrayal put in the media is automatically consumed by thousands of people every single day. This makes the mass media an important component in the society’s perception of many demographic groups. One of the most common demographic group thrown into the media is the LGBTQ. This organization was brought to America in 1988, howeverRead MoreDepression, Anxiety, Disordered Thinking1499 Words   |  6 Pagesthinking; These grave, frightening topics have become all common in today’s world as the knowledge, reveal and frequency of cases of mental illness continue to rise {8}. The prevalence of mental illness has become more common than in any era before, but despite the increase of awareness the mark of shame has not ceased to exist {1}. In today’s society the number of mental illness cases has in creased and will continue to increase However, stigma – the mark of shame – prevails and hampers the ability for theRead MoreHow the Media has Influenced Peoples Thoughts on homosexuality1410 Words   |  6 PagesEscaping the vast amounts of theories, viewpoints, and well written slants of the media is almost impossible for the common American citizens. America’s perceptions of the entire demographic has the capability of significant influence due broadcasts of various sorts. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community, or commonly referred to as LBGT, has been a core group fear, scrutiny, and confusion within the reports of varied mediums of exposure since as early as the 1950s. The highly convincingRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Illness Essay1657 Words   |  7 Pagesor older, live with mental illness. This number represents 18.1% of all U.S. adults (National Institute of Mental Health, 2014). Stigma toward those who are seen as different have exis ted for as long as civilization itself, with the stigma for mental illness being one of the most prominent and long lasting that society has had to face throughout its ages (Arboleda-Florez Stuart, 2012). Increased understanding and awareness for those individuals suffering from mental illness is necessary for us

Business Of Financial Modeling Fundamental -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Business Of Financial Modeling Fundamental? Answer: Introducation Decision - making is a part of our daily lives. For any human - being, its a daily activity and there is no exception to that. For a business entity, decision making is a habit and a process as well. A 'decision' is referred to as the course of action chosen among a set of alternative actions so as to achieve the organizational goals. Decision making is an ongoing process and indispensable component for management of organizational activities (Berman, Knight and Case, n.d.). Corporate decision making takes place at various levels of the entity and can either be top-down or bottom-up. The top down decisions are made by the top management and the decisions are passed on down the corporate ladder for the implementation purpose. On the other hand, the bottom up decisions are taken by the middle line managers based on the conditions circumstances existing in the internal environment of the firm. What is always noticed is that the top level decisions are related to policies, strategies, focus directions while bottom level decisions are related to day-to-day operations. The middle management is often referred to as the 'sandwich' layer because they are responsible for implementing the decisions made and have to accordingly decide the process of running their teams as well as communicate it to the lower level workers. The point to he stated over here is that in any process of corporate decisions, the critical role is being played by the actual implementors since even the best profitable plan can lead a firm nowhere if there is no commitment from the middle management (Bruner, Eades and Schill, 2017). Hence, alot of organizations organize off site meetings at resorts or hotels and briefs the management about the decisions taken and the impact of such decisions on the organization. Corporate decision making is successful as long as there is a glue to keep the organization together in the form of encouraged leaders or an organizational culture that values stability and coherence. Once any of these conditions are lost, the firm falls in its own trap and this leads to loss of competitiveness of the company (TULSIAN, 2016). Capital Budgeting Capital budgeting is the process by which the business analyzes the large amount of investments expenses that are large enough to affect an organization's future. Usually, these investments include projects such as building a new plant or purchase of heavy machinery. In this case, a project's cash inflows outflows are being assessed so as to determine whether the returns that are being generated meet the required benchmark or not. This is also known as 'Investment Appraisal'. For a business, it is advantageous to take up all the opportunities projects but due to the limitation of capital at that point of time, capital budgeting techniques are being used so as to analyze the maximum returns from all the avaliable projects at that point of time and thereby, choosing the best course of finance. Various tools of capital budgeting involves NPV, IRR, discounted payback period, etc (Clarke and Clarke, 1990). Example on NPV and IRR Year A B 0 -80000 -80000 1 20000 - 2 24000 - 3 20000 - 4 27000 65000 5 30000 75000 Required rate of Return 12% NPV of Project A Year Cash Flow Present Value of Cash Flows 0 -80000 -80,000 1 20000 17,857 2 24000 19,133 3 20000 14,236 4 27000 17,159 5 30000 17,023 NPV 5,407 NPV of Project B Year Cash Flow Present Value of Cash Flows 0 -80000 -80000 1 - - 2 - - 3 - - 4 65000 41,309 5 75000 42,557 NPV 3,866 Calculation of Internal Rate of Return of each project For Project A: For Calculation of IRR, Inflow=Outflow Let be IRR 14.50% then PV of Inflows Year Cash Flow Present Value of Cash Flows 1 20000 17,467 2 24000 18,306 3 20000 13,323 4 27000 15,709 5 30000 15,244 Therefore, at 14.50% Pv of Inflows = PV of Outflows (80,000). Hence IRR is 14.50% For Project B: For Calculation of IRR, Inflow=Outflow Let be IRR 13.15% then PV of Inflows Year Cash Flow Present Value of Cash Flows 1 - - 2 - - 3 - - 4 65000 39,655 5 75000 40,438 Therefore, at 13.15% Pv of Inflows = PV of Outflows (80,000). Hence IRR is 13.15% Various capital budgeting techniques includes : Sensitivity analysis- Sensitivity analysis is the tool which helps to determine the effect of change of independent factor on the dependent factors given different situations and assumptions. It is used keeping in mind certain limitations which are dependent on the input factors. One of the most common examples of sensitivity analysis is effect of changes in market interest rates on securities. The technique of sensitivity analysis helps to measure the responsiveness of one factor based on change in other. It helps to analyse the effect of decision making on one or more inputs. This helps to understand the behaviour of the factors by changing the model (Taylor, 2008). Example on Sensitivity analysis: Given a situation, we have Mr. A, who is a sales manager of a store; he wants to comprehend the effect of increase in customer base on the operating revenue. Based on findings and research Mr. A came to a conclusion that the sales are directly related to volume and product pricing, creating a function between all these factors. The product price was $50 per unit, and the sales volume achieved last year by Mr. A was 10,000 units, earning himself total revenue of $500000. Doing a little more study, Mr. A found out that an increase in customer base by 10 percent would help him increase the revenue by 3 percent. This whole situation is a great example of sensitivity analysis, of how on independent variable would affect a dependent one in the given scenario. With the help of available information, Mr. A can now calculate the expected increase in revenue by estimating the increase in customer base (Galbraith, Downey and Kates, 2002). Sensitivity analysis and Capital Budgeting The technique of sensitivity analysis helps to analyse the affect of various variables on the outcome of the project. This help the investor understand the effect of change in cash flows, interest rates and other variables on the outcome of the project. Capital budgeting is the way which helps the investor understands the viability of a given project. Sensitivity analysis helps them understand the volatility of change in outcome whenever any input variable is changed. Sensitivity analysis helps us understand the effect of change in one estimate or one assumption on the entire outcome of the capital budgeting technique. Therefore, we can say that sensitivity analysis helps double check the results of capital budgeting given different situations and assumptions (Shim and Siegel, 2008). Scenario Analysis : This analysis is a process of analyzing decisions by considering all the possible outcomes and is designed in such a way so as to see the consequences of an action under different set of factors. It involves determining the 'expected value' of an investment assuming specific changes in the key factors such as interest rates, etc after a particular period of time. For example, the difference in the investment's NPV due to variations in inflation. This is basically a 'what-if' analysis and determines the changes in the value of the portfolio based on happening of different scenarios. Scenarios created should be feasible enough to provide an accurate picture of the possible outcomes (Hassani, 2016). Basically, an analyst is required to determine the level of risk present within an investment. The most common approach out of various approcahes is called standard deviation of monthly or daily security returns and then, computation of the expected value of the portfolio if each security shows returns that are above or below the average returns by being two or three standard deviations. An analyst is required to assess the reasonable certainty at a particular period of time concerning the changes in the value of a portfolio. Now,it is important to distinguish scenario analysis from sensitivity analysis as often, these two are considered to be more or less same (Holland and Torregrosa, 2008). However, there is a sharp difference between both of them. Considering an example, suppose an equity analyst wants to analyze the effect of earnings per share (EPS) on company's valuation by using price to earnings (P/E) multiple technique and therefore, is required to conduct both sensitivity scenario analysis. Here, while conducting sensitivity analysis, variable price EPS affecting the valuation will be determined and then, all the possible outcomes are being recorded. However, when conducting scenario analysis, different outcomes are to be formed based on an scenario. For example, an analyst has to determine a certain scenario such as marketing crash or changes in regulations of the industry. Based on that, he uses different variables to suit that scenario. Keeping all these factors at one place, the analyst would be acquainted with range of outcomes, given all extremes and a clear picture of different outputs based on different set of inputs characterized by real life scenarios (Khan and Jain, 2014). Break Even Analysis : This analysis involves the determination of a point where the company's net income would be zero, that is, there is no profit no loss. This point refers to as 'breakeven point'. By definition, the company determines a point where it is generating enough revenue so as ti cover all the expenses incurred during an accounting period (Saltelli, Chan and Scott, 2008). It is to be stated over here that breakeven analysis is different from payback period as payback period is used to find the period in which the initial investment is to be paid back, while breakeven analysis is concerned with equalling of revenue and total costs with zero net income. This analysis analyzes the number of sales required to pay off the costs of doing that business. Now breakeven analysis involves two concepts where one is being viewed from accounting perspective and one from financial perspective (Saunders and Cornett, 2017). Financial breakeven analysis : An NPV breakeven occurs when the initial investments gets equal to the cash flows and NPV turns out to be zero. Thus, to determine a breakeven point, an analyst has to determine that level of sales where the NPV of the project comes out to be zero. Accounting breakeven analysis : Here, the breakeven happens when the total revenue equals total cost and there is neither loss nor income. This can be reached by computing the variable costs to sales ratio. For example, the ratio comes out to be 0.80, that means with every rupee of a sales of each unit, contribution is 0.20. Thus, the contribution margin ratio comes out as 0.20. And therefore, the breakeven point is calculated by (Palepu, Healy and Peek, 2016) : BEP = (Fixed Cost + depreciation) /Contribution Margin Ratio. Simulation Analysis : The term 'Simulation' refers to pretending of some action or more precisely, imitation. It makes use of statistical data so as to figure out the average outcome of a scenario based on complex multiple factors. The statistical distribution is being estimated for each input and simulation analysis is done to see the effect of changing inputs on the output. It is a dynamic analysis that considers the probabilities of changes or interactions among possible variables. This is used in various areas of business such as bond pricing (Phillips, 2014). It is designed in such a way to see the impact on the outcome on an average when there are possible changes in the inputs. Each potential factor is assigned a statistical or probability distribution that could change the results of an investment. For example, the default on bonds is being estimated to be 20%. Simulation analysis is useful for in depth understanding of the capital budgeting for enhancing the investment decisions. However, it is not able to handle uncertainties. Also, it aint a good remedy of all problems as significant inter relationships between different variables, if overlooked, would lead to misleading informations wrong results and decisions (Reilly and Brown, 2012). Conclusion This assignment has made me learn and know the importance of capital budgeting and its various techniques which are discussed here. Evaluation of risks, long term investments involves high considerable risk and are capital expenditures. This investments are huge in nature and therefore, once the decision is being made or amount is being invested, it is irreversible in nature. Therefore, capital budgeting is being used for proper planning. Choosing of Best course of action, capital budgeting helps a company to choose the best course of action that would yield the best possible returns (Fairhurst, 2015). Its main concern is to increase the shareholder's wealth and helps a company in achieving an edge in the market. Sustainability or Long Run of the business, capital budgeting believes in optimum results, that is, best maximum profits with minimum costs and best utilization of resources. Thus, it helps in avoiding under or over investments and thereby, helping in sustainability of an en tity in a long run perspective. References Berman, K., Knight, J. and Case, J. (n.d.).Financial intelligence for HR professionals. Bruner, R., Eades, K. and Schill, M. (2017).Case studies in finance. Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill Education. Clarke, R. and Clarke, R. (1990).Strategic financial management. Homewood, Ill.: R.D. Irwin. Fairhurst, D. (2015).Using Excel for Business Analysis A Guide to Financial Modelling Fundamenta. John Wiley Sons. Galbraith, J., Downey, D. and Kates, A. (2002).Designing dynamic organizations. New York: AMACOM. Hassani, B. (2016).Scenario analysis in risk management. Cham: Springer International Publishing. Holland, J. and Torregrosa, D. (2008).Capital budgeting. [Washington, D.C.]: Congress of the U.S., Congressional Budget Office. Khan, M. and Jain, P. (2014).Financial management. New Delhi: McGraw Hill Education. Palepu, K., Healy, P. and Peek, E. (2016).Business analysis and valuation. Andover, Hampshire, United Kingdom: Cengage Learning EMEA. Phillips, J. (2014).Capm / pmp. New York: McGraw Hill. Reilly, F. and Brown, K. (2012).Investment analysis portfolio management. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Saltelli, A., Chan, K. and Scott, E. (2008).Sensitivity analysis. Chichester: John Wiley Sons, Ltd. Saunders, A. and Cornett, M. (2017).Financial institutions management. New York: McGraw-Hill Education. Shim, J. and Siegel, J. (2008).Financial management. Hauppauge, N.Y.: Barron's Educational Series. Taylor, S. (2008).Modelling financial time series. New Jersey: World Scientific. TULSIAN, B. (2016).TULSIAN'S FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FOR CA-IPC (GROUP-I). [S.l.]: S CHAND CO LTD.

Women In Literature Essay Example For Students

Women In Literature Essay The changing role of women in literature from the late 8th century B. C. to the4th century A. D. is evident in that women become even more subservient in laterworks. This is portrayed in the works The Odyssey by Homer and Sakuntala byKalidasa. Women are treated more like slaves in Sakuntala, while they are seenmore like equals in The Odyssey. However, in Sakuntala, women are given moreresponsibilities, suggesting that people of the time viewed women capable ofdoing more things and perhaps more intelligent, instead of being seen asornamental, as in The Odyssey. The Odyssey was written in a time when men playedthe dominant role. In ancient Greece, women occupied a subservient position. We will write a custom essay on Women In Literature specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Society was organized and directed by men, and all of the most importantpositions in society were held by men. Women were valued, but they participatedin the affairs of the world only when they had the permission or open approvalof the men who directed their lives. The literature of this time illustratesthese social conventions. No reader of The Odyssey can help having vividmemories of the poems outstanding female characters. There are many women inThe Odyssey and all of them contribute in meaningful ways to the development ofthe action. In addition, the poet treats them seriously and with respect, as ifthere were no difference between his attitude toward them and his feelingstoward the men. Among the memorable women in the poem are included: Nausica, theinnocent young girl; Arete, the wise queen and mother; Kirke and Kalypso, themysterious temptresses; Penelope, the model of devotion and fidelity; Helen, therespectable middle-class matron; and others, like Eurykleia and Melantho, wh ohave much smaller roles, but equally well defined personalities. Finally, thereis Athena, the goddess, who more than any other of these women, is intelligent,sophisticated, and independent, just like the way modern society has come to seewomen. The influential feminine roles in The Odyssey also have important effectsupon the whole poem. It is in The Odyssey that such ideas as love, familyloyalty, and devotion, and other such important ethical attitudes, areillustrated. It is the presence of these unconscious moral lessons that makesThe Odyssey so unique to its genre. In a way, The Odyssey is not just the taleof the wanderings of Odysseus. The poet has made it, also, into a sort ofcatalogue of women, in which he examines women of all kinds and fromall walks of life. These feminine portraits are almost always objective andfair; Homer never made judgments, and each of these women has a certain appeal. It is interesting, however, that the woman who is most worthy of respect andaffection is not a mortal. Homer seems to comment that no human being coulddevelop herself in this way. His admiration for Athena is made even more evidentby the fact that she, and not Penelope or another woman, is the heroine of thepoem and the sole companion and confidante of Odysseus. It is only in our modernworld that women have been given the opportunity to fully utilize their talentand ability, in order to become equal and contributing members of society, likeAthena seems to be. In Sakuntala women are portrayed to play more of asubservient role than they were in The Odyssey. Even though the women in TheOdyssey are looked upon merely as someone to cook and clean and bear thechildren, they play major roles in the poem. In Sakuntala the women play nomajor roles in the poem, at least not anything like the women played in TheOdyssey. Sakuntala herself plays a very demeaning role being forced to do allthe cho res, the gathering of food, and the manual labor around the house. Thisis much different than in The Odyssey where the man was the one who did most ofthe chores, brought home the food, and most of the manual labor about the house. .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737 , .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737 .postImageUrl , .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737 , .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737:hover , .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737:visited , .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737:active { border:0!important; } .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737:active , .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737 .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf6e40db3ecc9ee842b0376060d254737:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Myth Origins EssayIn ancient Greek times, women were seen as more delicate and placed figurativepedestals. They were expected to take care of the house, but this only includedmaking sure everything ran smoothly, and delegating chores and responsibilities. They were not actually expected to do the manual labor themselves. Some of theimportant women in Sakuntala include: Sakuntala, the lover of nature and theprospective heroine of the play; Anasuya and Priyamvada, aides of Sakuntala andwomen you help in her chores; and Mother Gautami the first hand maiden of fatherKanva and caregiver of Sakuntala. Even though they are seen as more subservientand have to perform more of the meaningless tasks they are still valued andloved. This is seen through the love that Dusyanta feels for Sakuntala and alsoin the despair he shows when he realizes he has turned her away. The changingrole of women in literature can be seen by reading and comparing Homers TheOdyssey and Kalidasas Sakuntala. The women in both works are highly valued themen close to them but not as much in society. Women can actually be seen asregressing instead of progressing in that they are made to seem more subservientin the later work. BibliographyHomer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. 1961, New York: Vintage-Random,1990. Kalidasa. Sakuntala. Trans. Barbara Stoler Miller.