Early Ages Essay Example for Free

Early Ages Essay The Middle Ages is a catchall phrase often used by historians alluding to the thousands of years between the fall of the Roman Empire and the period of discovery and reawakening. The term Middle Ages was coined during the period that followed it, which was the Renaissance (Roseinwein, 2008). Since people from the Renaissance period thought of themselves as â€Å"advanced and civilized,† they deemed the time between them and the earlier world as the â€Å"Middle Age† (2008). The term derived from the Latin medium, which means middle and aevium, referring to age (2008). The Early Middle Ages, which occurred from 5th – 8th centuries, was dominated by Christianity which eventually became the rationale for uniting Europe culturally and linguistically (Herrin, 2002, p. 609). It was also a period marked by distinctions of social classes- the noble, the peasants and the clergy, with peasants populating more (Kamien, 1998, p. 62). This was the reason by medieval society was often described as a period with lack of food supply, poor agriculture, and poor economic conditions (p. 612). As aforementioned, the Early Middle Ages brought forth the importance of religion, specifically that of the Roman Catholic Church. It was during this time when the Holy Roman Empire was established. . One outstanding work from this period and perhaps had the earliest record was medieval music, particularly the Gregorian chant. The Gregorian chant was the official music of the Roman Catholic Church (Kamien, 1998, p. 65). Although the Gregorian chant was named in honor of Pope Gregory I, it was said that the pope was in fact not its creator (p. 65). Historians accounted the existence of Gregorian account or what they believed was its evolution to psalm singing in Jewish synagogues in the first centuries after Christ (p. 65). However the case may be, Pope Gregory could still be held responsible for the popularity of the Gregorian chant. The Gregorian chant is actually a body of unaccompanied vocal music. It was meant to set the mood for certain religious services (Kamien, 1998, p. 65). Set in Latin, Gregorian chants swept the music of the Early Middle Ages. Gregorian chant is like no other music for has no meter nor regular rhythms (p. 65). However, it is this distinct characteristic that makes the Gregorian chant a somewhat free-flowing disposition. Listening to a Gregorian melody invokes serenity, as if disengaging the listener from any anxieties. It is considered monophonic since it is music for one line and is sung in unison. It is said that there are only few names of Gregorian chant composers. This is because composers did not think of themselves as composers but as conduits of the voice of God. One of the most known contributors of the Gregorian chant was Hildegard (p. 68). A nun, Hildegard composed O Successores (You Successors), a chant intended to give praise to the â€Å"holy confessors who are successors of Christ† (p. 68). In the period that followed the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the predominant sound continued to be unaccompanied vocal music. However, the dawn of the Baroque period saw the musical style embracing the use of musical instruments like the harpsichord, violin and viola (Kamien, 1998, p. 104). Likewise, the melody has become wider instead of the narrow range that accompanied the Gregorian chant. While the Renaissance period still had Mass music, the Baroque period ushered in opera, sonata and concertos (pp. 100-115). Church music, especially the Lutheran service, was called a church cantata (p. 129). Whereas the Middle Ages was limited to the culture of the Church, the succeeding periods created new attitudes- that of showing that people have the capacity to create and shape their world instead of merely serving as conduits. The Gregorian chants, which was passed on by oral traditions, ebbed away slowly until a 1994 release of ‘Chant† by the Benedictine monks of Santo Domingo de Silos. This made Gregorian chant popular again due its similarity with New Age Music- smooth, uniform and non confrontational. The Early Middle Ages may have focused on sublime spirituality but the beauty of it has emanated throughout the centuries. Listen to a church hymn and feel how it has evolved from a simple, monophonic music to the finely crafted yet polyphonic texture of today. References Herrin, J. E. (2002). Early Middle Ages. In The new encyclopedia Britannica (Vol. 16, pp. 609-612) USA: Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. Kamien, R. (1998). Music an appreciation 3rd ed. USA: McGraw-Hill. Rosenwein, B. (2008). Middle Ages. Retrieved February 5, 2009, from Microsoft Encarta Web site: http://encarta. msn. com/text_761578474___0/Middle_Ages. html

Are We Now Becoming the Terrorists? Essay -- September 11 Terrorism Es

Are We Now Becoming the Terrorists?    Terrorism is a weapon of the weak. Shut out of the great conversations that shape our histories and unable to control the grand forces that shape our destinies, terrorists strike out in angry desperation to force those they have identified as their oppressors to pay attention to the plight of the alienated and to hear the terrorists' demands. The events of September 11 were just such a gesture. The horror we felt watching a jet flown deliberately into a tall building and watching people leap to their deaths to escape the flames and collapse of the ruined skyscrapers filled us with a strange awe and a feeling of helplessness. We felt forced to pay attention.   The first question on everyone's lips was: what can we do? What can we do to prevent this from happening again? What can we do to punish those responsible? How we answer these questions will decide whether we live in a civilization worth defending, or if we, too, are weak.       This unprecedented attack on American soil brings into focus the connections between our freedoms, our security, and the international system. Our choices over what to do are constrained by the ways these parts of our lives are connected. Our leaders and representatives, responding to the theories and analyses of their advisors and of the think tanks that dedicate themselves to studying such questions, have already begun to speak of September 11 as this generation's Pearl Harbor and the need to prepare for war, and of the trade-offs we will have to make for our security. Their first responses - and those of many of us - are to lash out at those who have wronged us.       However, to lash out now is a path fraught with n... ...saster relief and peacekeepers, but we are the single largest supplier of arms to the already intensely violent Middle East. And because Israel is our strategic ally in the region, we won't even allow discussion of whether its policies towards Palestinians are racist.       If we are to do anything, we must be ready to take a path more difficult than anyone has suggested so far. We must be ready to be thoughtful and sober, and to look for political solutions to the problems in the world that are now producing the threats to our security. Today, we feel like now is the time to act. Our pain, our helplessness, our frustration at discovering we are vulnerable makes us want to take control over our lives again. We are ready to retaliate against acts of angry desperation with anger and despair. But now is not the time to become terrorists ourselves.   

Women and Equality: Current Reality or Distant Future?

Given that women now hold jobs which conventionally have not been associated with their gender, some may think that the plight to attain equality in terms of opportunities has succeeded. People sometimes accept such notion unconditionally as if gender bias has been eliminated. However, such thoughts would definitely be ideal examples of a form of fallacy: hasty generalization. In reality, such notions could not be any farther from the truth. In pursuits as simple as sports for example, women still suffer from the bias; highlighting women basketball players as evidence, their paychecks are only a meager fraction if compared to their male counterparts (Person, 2009). Furthermore, the opportunities of women in athletic pursuits are still crippled due to the presence of stereotypes. Profitability remains to be a question in forming women sports leagues or teams as businessmen still believe that men's sports would garner the most beneficial public response and attention (Person, 2009). With such examples, it is irrefutable that equality is still yet to be reached. If modern-day America still cannot be referred to as an example of a society where in men and women have equal opportunities, when would such a time come? When the time comes that headlines about women holding jobs as a minority would no longer be existent then equal opportunity among genders might have been achieved. Some may claim that such a scenario would never materialize as women are not inclined toward certain tasks. In rebuttal, is it not true that such inclinations or tendencies manifest only due to biases, stereotypes, and gender roles? It is quite interesting to think that equality may only be possibly attained if such concerns are first eliminated. Naturally, obstacles such as gender marking and administrative representation, all present in sports as well (Person, 2009), should be effectively tackled. Nonetheless, when gender distribution among jobs no longer become an issue or when a meager number of women holding high profile responsibilities no longer make headlines as aforesaid, then equality of opportunity must have been realized.

The Character Of Bully In The Clay Marble By Minfong Ho

In the book ‘The Clay Marble’ written by Minfong Ho, several interesting characters are introduced. Although Chnay is a minor character in the story he has an important role to play. The complex nature of this character changes greatly from beginning to end, giving the reader much to think about as the story unfolds. In the beginning he is portrayed as a bully to the young children inside the Cambodian refugee camp, destroying the artwork they would make out of clay. Later in the story he becomes aligned with the main character, Dara, and helps her on her journey through the wilderness to find her family. Eventually throughout the story the author develops Chnay into a helpful child rather than a destructible one, helping the young girl†¦show more content†¦Though he tries hard to hide it, his innate goodness shows through his tough exterior. Chnay is also a dynamic character due to the transformation of his attitude and personality. In the beginning he is this mean and ferocious child, bullying other children who are minding their own business. The children fear Chnay because when he first appears, he has fire ants running up and down his arm, biting him. He tells them that it doesn’t harm him, which makes them even more fearful of him (p. 30). Later, however, when the bombs are being dropped and Dara is separated from her family, he has a change of heart. He gives Dara information about where her family could be. When she asks him if he would like to accompany her, he surprisingly agrees (p. 57). We see further evidence of Chnay’s character later when he meets up with Dara and offers her his last bits of food. The author writes, â€Å"Chnay glanced at me, then rummaged in his pockets. He brought out a handful of cold rice wrapped in a a strip of banana leaf. ‘Here, take it,’ he said, squatting beside me† (p. 56). Although he puts up a front of being cruel and heartless, he actually does have feelings and sympathy for others. It is evident from this event that despite his tough guy persona, he dose crave friendship and acceptance from others. Chnay’s character traits also include leadership ability and resourcefulness. Without his help and guidance in the search for her