Good and Evil and Beowulf Essay Example for Free

Good and Evil and Beowulf Essay Beowulf is the most famous epic of the Anglo-Saxon period. This is a story of an epic hero who fights against the most sinister monsters known to man. Beowulf and Grendel are the main characters of this tale; they are the perfect example of good versus evil, light versus dark, and hero versus villain. Beowulf is the story all epic hero stories have followed; the Beowulf with his hero qualities goes head to head with Grendel. Heroes and villains share a lot of qualities but a number of key characteristics set them apart. Heroes as well as villains above all are abnormal; they share their own specific goals and are often very intelligent and capable of achieving what they want or need to achieve. Both types of these individuals are often warrior like and of unique or even divine like powers and weapons. Despite sharing these characteristics they are not similar in their desires. Heroes fight on the side of right, they fight for the good of man and they fight for the safety of society. Villains fight for evil; they do not care about innocent people being injured by their actions and only seek self satisfaction. Villains recklessly murder anyone who gets in their way and the only ones who can stop them are heroes like Beowulf. Beowulf is a shining example of an epic hero who fights against the evils of the Geats. Beowulf is a warrior who praises god and aims to kill the monsters that plague his people. Bravest and the best of the Geats, Beowulf is a superhuman warrior who is out to kill the likes of Grendel for fame and glory. Grendel is the most sinister monster known to the Geats, he strikes fear into their hearts because of what he has done to innocent people. Grendel is an ugly and despicable monster who has hands forged in hell (ll. 64). Grendel is the enemy of mankind and specifically Beowulf, he is the shadow of death and lusts for evil (ll. 74). The conflict between Grendel and Beowulf is not one that is just a battle of fame or pleasure but one of righteousness and wrong. Beowulf must defeat Grendel for all of the evil he has committed and to honor those who have died defending themselves from this creature born in the depths of hell.

The Many Faces Of Kindness Today English Language Essay

The Many Faces Of Kindness Today English Language Essay Kindness is an act of compassion, humanity, love, concern and sympathy. Kindness is worship, kindness is religion. Kindness is a behaviour that spreads joy, joy that has no borders, joy that is universal. And its relevance in modern day and every day cant be discounted. Acts of simple kindness make us the humans we are. Kindness of varying degree separates us from any other species. Its kindness and love that people seek and that people give. DEFINING KINDNESS: Kindness is the language which the dumb can speak, the deaf can hear the blind can see.   ~Mark Twain kindness_01.jpgKindness is the act or the state of being kind and marked by charitable behaviour, mild disposition, pleasantness, tenderness and concern for others  [1]  . It is a recognized value in many cultures and religions. Kindness In philosophy According to book two of Aristotles Rhetoric it is one of the emotions (see list of emotions), which is defined as being helpfulness towards someone in need, not in return for anything, nor for the advantage of the helper himself, but for that of the person helped  [2]  . Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche argued that kindness and love are the most curative herbs and agents in human intercourse Kindness is considered to be one of the Knightly Virtues. Kindness In religion It is considered to be one of the seven virtues, specifically the one of the Seven Contrary Virtues (direct opposites of the seven deadly sins) that is the direct opposite to envy  [3]  . The Talmud claims that deeds of kindness are equal in weight to all the commandments. Paul of Tarsus defines love as being patient and kind (I Corinthians). In Buddhism, one of the Ten Perfections (Paramitas) is MettÄ , which is usually translated into English as loving-kindness. Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama wrote my religion is kindness and authored a book entitled Kindness, Clarity, and Insight  [4]  . Confucius urges his followers to recompense kindness with kindness. Kindness In psychology In a study of 37 cultures around the world, sixteen thousand subjects were asked about their most desired traits in a mate. For both sexes, the first preference was kindness (the second was intelligence)  [5]  . CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: I expect to pass through life but once.   If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.   ~William Penn compassion.jpg History of Kindness: Every civilization -the Aryan, the Greek, the ancient Chinese laid utmost emphasis on kindness and many a holy books have kindness as their central theme. For instance, we find the usage of kindness in the Holy Bible through the following verse. One of the reasons for salvation and eternal life is to display the kindness of God in the ages to come. Ephesians 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Titus 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared Components of Kindness: Kindness is a very broad term. Anything the first person does, to make the second person feel good can be categorized as kindness. However, in our study we would consider the mathematical formula for kindness and the accompanying components in it given by Chuck Wall, Kindnessusa.org. Mathematical Formula for Kindness  [6]  :   A mathematical formula was created to explain the components (K= à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¾/à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ CH(R+D)/i=1). Kindness means that compassion (C), humility (H), dignity (D), and respect (R) equal the sum of everything together set in motion by just one person for all time. The four virtues are explained in the following manner. Compassion is empathy and caring about the feelings of others. Humility is to be humble, not boastful or arrogant. Respect is to treat others with courtesy and honour. Dignity is being worthy to be honoured or esteemed. Put simply, kindness is the conscious act of engaging others in a positive way without asking whether those individuals deserve to be treated kindly. All living beings thrive on kindness. A single, sincere compliment can turn a persons entire world around. Holding a door or thanking someone who has held a door for you can inspire others to practice politeness and make already kind individuals feel good about their efforts. Smiling at people you meet-even those who make you feel like frowning-can turn a dreary encounter into a delightful one, for both of you. Every kind act has a positive influence on the individual who has performed said act as well as on the recipient, regardless of whether the act is acknowledged. Kindness brings about more kindness and slowly but surely takes a positive toll on humanity. Kindness to an Individual and in a Group: Genuine and unassuming kindness is one trait that people never fail to undervalue. As someone said, kindness is like snow it beautifies everything it covers. Kindness is the elixir to happy life. Hence, a positive impact of kindness is to be seen; whether its to an individual or once one is kind to others in a group. Kindness is all pervasive, it instils warmth in everyone to whom its meted out to, and its difficult for anyone to stay indifferent. REVIEW OF LITERATURE: Of neighbourhoods, kindness is the most beautiful. How can the man be considered wise who when he had the choice does not settle in kindness. ~ Confucius We would try to review different literature forms, for instance from contemporary art form (books and movies) to different mythological sources for finding reference of kindness there. Lets start with contemporary works, a book on kindness. A Short Course in Kindness by Margot Silk Forrest: This wonderful little book is full of stories that inspires and motivates, that are thought provoking and gives perfectly plausible ideas to make world a kinder place. Margot Silk Forrest in her book says Kindness is the wise use of the heart. A purely heartfelt action wont necessary be a kind one it could be misguided or uninformed. It takes wisdom and heart to notice when someone needs our help and to see what kind of help they need. Kindness wont necessarily be kindness if it is not put to use. Action is required. Thinking kind thoughts is all well and good. It will calm and purify your mind stream. But at some point, we have to get up and act on our kind intentions  [7]  . Its this message of moving from kind thoughts to real actions that makes this book different and a fun read. Kindness in Sacred Scriptures: Without a single exception, all sacred scriptures talk about kindness to fellow beings and to the greater environment in varying extent. For instance, Colossians 3:12 from the New Living Translation Bible says: Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Citing from the Holy Quran, it talks about Prophet Muhammad being the embodiment of mercy and he showed compassion and kindness to all those around him family, orphans, friends, strangers and even enemies.   Quran says Prophet even emphasized kind treatment of environment and animals, with respect and mercy.   He taught his followers that because animals were part of Gods creation they must be treated with dignity and due care. Following is our reference for the same, a citation from Quran 21:07. And We have sent you O Muhammad not but as a mercy for all of humankind, jinn, and all that exists. Similarly, we understand kindness we realize the very purpose of life is to be happy. We desire contentment and thats from the very core of our being. His Holiness Dalai Lama says the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warm hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.  [8]  Even according to the sacred texts of Hinduism, kindness and hospitality are considered key values. Its a cardinal virtue and finds mention in Vedas the Hindu holy scriptures. Kindness is one of the four virtues in Buddhism that if practiced has the power to cause the practitioner to be re-born into a Brahma Realm. According to the Buddhist scripts, these virtues are highly regarded as powerful antidotes to negative mental states (non-virtues) such as avarice, anger and pride.  [9]   Kindness in Modern Art (movies): Lage Raho Munna Bhai: A study on any behaviour can never be complete without taking into consideration the popular impact. Many movies with Kindness as their theme have been made. We would do a small case study on the hindi movie Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006) as it had kindness and non-violence has its theme and comment on the results of a survey, presented in the following pages. EMPERICAL STUDY: To study the behaviour of kindness and how people view it, we have adopted the method of survey. A questionnaire comprising 14 questions was circulated among the students of XLRI, with 80 students taking the survey and responding.  [10]  The survey questionnaire was designed so as to reflect different aspects of the Kindness behaviour and how people react to and practise it, against an individual or in a group. The questionnaire also tried to take opinions on first what they think is kindness and also, the concept of being kind to be oneself, as against being to an individual or kindness in a group. Also, a case in the form of hindi movie Lage Raho Munnabhai was given and the survey included 3 questions on the same. We would take the survey results in the next section as we analyze them. FINDINGS OF STUDY AND GENERALIZATION: Let us analyze the findings from the results of the survey. We would do so by taking blocks of questions of varying size. How important do you think kindness to others is in your day to day life? https://www.google.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=0000e0chl=Not%20Important%20%5B2%5D%7CImportant%20%5B41%5D%7CVery%20Important%20%5B37%5Dchd=e%3ABmgydl Response Choices No. of Responses Percentage (%) Not Important 2 3 Important 41 51 Very Important 37 46 Total Responses 80 100% The first question of the survey, tried to assess how important individuals think kindness to others is. Results are along the expected line, with 97% respondents attributing varying degree of importance to kindness. This goes on to show that people lay great emphasis on kindness and value it quite a lot. Do you think people who love you, do so because you are kind and compassionate towards them? https://www.google.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=ff9900chl=Yes%20%5B30%5D%7CNo%20%5B17%5D%7CMay%20be%20%5B33%5Dchd=e%3AX.NmaZ Response Choices No. of Responses Percentage (%) Yes 30 38 No 17 21 May be 33 41 Total Responses 80 100% Does kindness promotes peace and friendship? https://www.google.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=d00000chl=Yes%20%5B69%5D%7CNo%20%5B3%5D%7CMay%20be%20%5B8%5Dchd=e%3A3LCZGZ Response Choices No. of Responses Percentage (%) Yes 69 86 No 3 4 May be 8 10 Total Responses 80 100% Do you think your kindness towards people who dont really like you, would bring about a change in their attitude towards you (for instance, from hostility to friendliness)? https://www.google.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=dcca02chl=Yes%20%5B38%5D%7CNo%20%5B9%5D%7CMay%20be%20%5B33%5Dchd=e%3AeZHMaZ Response Choices No. of Responses Percentage (%) Yes 38 48 No 9 11 May be 33 41 Total Responses 80 100% Do you make a conscious effort to be kind to others? https://www.google.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=00d000chl=Yes%20%5B37%5D%7CNo%20%5B12%5D%7CSometimes%20%5B31%5Dchd=e%3AdlJmYy Response Choices No. of Responses Percentage (%) Yes 37 46 No 12 15 Sometimes 31 39 Total Responses 80 100% How do you feel about yourself after a random act of kindness? https://www.google.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=9601acchl=Good%20%5B67%5D%7CBad%20%5B0%5D%7CIndifferent%20%5B13%5Dchd=e%3A1lAAKZ Response Choices No. of Responses Percentage (%) Yes 67 84 No 0 0 Sometimes 13 16 Total Responses 80 100% In todays competitive world, do you think kindness as an organizational behaviour makes sense? https://www.google.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=0000e0chl=Yes%20%5B53%5D%7CNo%20%5B7%5D%7CMay%20be%20%5B20%5Dchd=e%3AqYFmP. Response Choices No. of Responses Percentage (%) Yes 53 66 No 7 9 May be 20 25 Total Responses 80 100% Is there any correlation in the performance (and growth) in an organization of an employee because of the kindness he/she shows towards his/her colleagues? Response Choices No. of Responses Percentage (%) High Positive Corelation 12 15 Mild Positive Corelation 52 65 Zero Corelation 11 14 Mild Negative Corelation 3 4 High Negative Corelation 2 3 Total Responses 80 100% Do you think you are kind to yourself and do activities that are not in conflict with what your heart says? https://www.google.com/chart?cht=pchs=345150chco=d00000chl=Yes%20%5B39%5D%7CNo%20%5B41%5Dchd=e%3AfMgy Response Choices No. of Responses Percentage (%) Yes 39 49 No 41 51 Total Responses 80 100%

Faithing :: Essays Papers

Faithing Faith is an odd sort of virtue. In these days of televangelism, tracts, and the "Christian right," one would be tempted to identify faith with a set of beliefs, a conglomerate of successive religious propositions that one has accepted; a branch of one’s "mental furniture," so to speak. However, to limit one’s definition of faith to this narrow band is to do faith itself a disservice. In the history of literature and philosophy alike, there are those who have conceived of faith rather differently. Among these are Myles Connolly and Sà ¸ ren Kierkegaard in their respective works Mr. Blue and Judge for Yourself! What these men seek to effect is not so much a redefinition of faith as a refinement and expansion it. Principles, yes, they say; but furthermore, actions flowing out of those principles. This type of faith is thus characterized not only by beliefs, but also the natural actions that come from those beliefs. In this way, faith becomes something that envelopes a per son’s whole being; it is transmuted into a complete orientation for one’s life. This type of faith, extolled by Kierkegaard, is embodied in the character of J. Blue in Myles Connolly’s book Mr. Blue. Blue was a rather singular person to say the least. At the very beginning of the book, the narrator says the following of Blue: I have not the slightest doubt he would have been †¦ immensely happy in a poorhouse. He had no money. When by accident he happened upon some he gave it away. He worked here and there for his meals and a place to sleep. He roamed eastern United States and really did get abroad. The while he lived gloriously, and, withal, religiously. He impressed one as a sort of gay, young, and gallant monk without an Order. Or perhaps his Order was life, and the world his monastery. (15) Such a person was Blue. He had little interest in possessions, he was much more entranced by a bright splash of color, a marching band, or a sunset viewed off the top of a skyscraper. But above all, his profession, if he could be said to have one, was people. Blue was in love with people, his eyes sparkled for them, his mind was on fire for them, his heart bled for them. Blue’s idea of the ultimate life project was to establish what he called the "Spies of God," an unorganized group of people that simply went around loving other people, people in need, poor people.

Book Review On Tavriss The Mis Essay -- essays research papers

Carol Tavris’s The Mismeasure of Women offers the reader insight into the inequality and problems women face in society. I approached this book with the assumption that it would glorify women and belittle men. I figured that the author would blame all the problems women face on men. After completing the book I had a very different opinion. The author looked to society for the actual source of women’s inequality and never placed the blame on any one group of people. The book explains that although there are differences in the behavior of men and women in certain situations both types of behavior are equal and for the most part influenced by society. It is for that reason I recommend The Mismeasure of Women for both male and female readers. It offers a wealth of information and insight that would benefit society as a whole, as well as, the relationships between men and women. To help explain my recommendation and reasoning it is necessary to take a short look at what the book is saying. The book starts off by talking about the various reasons society feels women to be inferior to men. It seems to be built into our modern society to view men as the norm. Tavris explains early in the book about the experiments that were set up to study the male and female brain. The scientist’s were trying to prove that the male brain is superior to the female brain. The results were usually not what the scientist expected and were often never published. It was found in the study of the brain and almost all other areas where men and women are thought to differ that the male and female are alike in more ways that they are different. Tavris’s The Mismeasure of Women shows that point very clearly, “Thus, one must not overlook perhaps the most obvious conclusion, which is that basic patterns of male and female brain asymmetry seem to be more similar than they are different'; (Tavris 55). The book points out that many of the stereotypes about women’s behavior are untrue. One of the most important examples of this is the notion of PMS and other so-called women’s disorders. Tavris points out that many of the normal body workings of women are now looked at as disorders needing treatment. The author feels that this further makes the male the norm of society because society fails to turn male behavior and body functi... ... feminine behaviors are influenced and created by society can also be backed up from sociology lectures I have attended. Overall the books arguments are consistent with many other arguments on the same general subject. I spent a great deal of time looking for any point or idea the author left out that could be of vital importance for this book. I came up with nothing. The book presents all the information needed to effectively portray and defend the arguments. I found no area of the book that needed added support and/or thought. I found the areas dealing with women in the military and the workplace to be very well supported. I have known women in the military and they were very pro-war contrary to belief. Carol Tavris’s The Mismeasure of Women offers the reader insight in to the true cause of so-called women’s problems. It provides both men and women with the information to improve relationships between lovers, co-workers, friends and family members of the opposite sex. It increases the awareness of societies influence of the behaviors of men and women without putting the entire blame on any one group of people. In general I recommend this book for all people.

Embracing Depression Essay -- Personal Narrative, essay about myself

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." -- Oscar Wilde Perhaps I feel compelled to write on the subject of depression because it is a selfish disease. It seeps into every crevice of one's life; it refuses to be ignored, to be relegated to some obscure corner of the mind. Perhaps I'm writing about it because of what I have learned about my relationship with the disease. Perhaps the time has come when I'm ready to stop cursing the depression and start embracing it. What I'm about to say is terribly unfashionable, and I hope that you will forgive any offense that it may cause. In all truthfulness, I'm glad that I have lived with depression as a companion. This statement does not imply that I have relished the grief and guilt the disease has borne. It does not mean that I have enjoyed the fits of despair, the self-imposed isolation, or the shared sorrow of my frie... ...effe, Ray Charles, Francis Ford Coppola, John Kenneth Galbraith, Soren Kierkegaard - I can't help but wonder if their accomplishments were not just in spite of, but partially because of, their illness. Oscar Wilde once wrote, "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." I have reached a point in my life where I can concur with that sentiment. At last, I have realized that lying in the mud enhances the times when I've set my heart with the stars.

Filipinos Before the Spanish Era

Long before the Spaniards came, the Philippines was already inhabited by natives. And among the natives of the Island were the Negritos. Characteristically, the Negritoes were short and dark skinned people. They had curly hair, small nose and were thick-lipped. These natives were barely clothed as clothing for them consists of the bahag and a jacket-like upper for men. They wore neither shoes nor slippers but go about barefooted. Their women adorn themselves with ornaments while their men usually tattoo themselves.The natives of the Island lived in small huts more popularly known as bahay kubo. These small huts were usually made of bamboo and the roofs made of nipa, resources that are readily available and abundant in the Philippines. For their livelihood, the natives depended on fishing since the Philippines is mostly coastal. However, the natives also went hunting for food. This is because the Philippines is known for being rich in natural resources. Thus, food was never a problem for the natives as the island is abundantly endowed.Like any tribe or group of people, the natives were very communal and thus lived in small communities known as the balangay. Each balangay was headed by a leader called the datu or raj. The Datu or the Raj was usually a brave and respected leader who is expected to protect his community from outside attack. It is also the leader’s responsibility to maintain peace and order within the community. Thus, the Datu or the Raj resolves whenever conflicts arise between and among his constituents.This system is the earliest known form of government which has now been carried over to the present day Barangays. Even before the Spaniards came and who claimed to have civilized the inhabitants of the island, the natives were already literate and civilized people. Manifestations of their civilization and literacy can be seen from the rules that govern the balangay. And there have been many other indications especially in their communities that these natives were literate people.

Perspective-taking Essay

John, 12 years old, sits anxiously on his desk, waiting for Ms Terror to hand him the result of his math test. With hands in fervent prayer, he closes his eyes as Ms Terror lays the test paper on his table. A big red â€Å"F† screams to him the moment he opened his eyes. He has expected that grade because instead of reviewing for the test, he spent the night playing internet games with Aaron. His dilemma – how can he get a good grade in next Friday’s exam when Aaron is inviting him to play again? According to Magnus Linklater (2007), peer groups are a child’s biggest influencers. This is undeniable as children believe their peers are the only ones who can understand them. But adults should not underestimate their problem solving abilities as they have a unique way of getting things done and answering their personal needs. Looking into Piaget’s cognitive development, we see that John has just entered the formal operational stage, wherein he develops â€Å"the ability to think about abstract concepts† and discovers â€Å"skills such as logical thought, deductive reasoning, and systematic planning† (Van Wagner, 2007). With logic, John chooses to study not only for his coming math test but also for all his other tests and sets aside internet games until weekend. He knows that doing so, he will get more than just a passing grade, and thus no more terror looks from Ms Terror as well as unsolicited talks with Mom and Dad. Moreover, thinking abstractly, instead of relying on past experiences, John considers the possible consequences of agreeing to Aaron’s invitation. He would be reprimanded by Ms Terror or worse, she would call the attention of his parents. In addition, John chooses not to rely on trial-and-error methods of doing things, as he did when he was younger or in earlier stages of Piaget’s cognitive development (Van Wagner, 2007). He now has the ability to solve his dilemma in a systematic manner, thus he quickly comes up with a plan for him not to get another dreaded â€Å"F. † He reads his lessons few days before the test so he can play games with Aaron in his free time or review his lesson the night before the test and just play on weekends, whichever way he is comfortable with. But John’s interaction with his peers, Aaron in particular, should not be discouraged, as Piaget pointed out that a child’s peer interaction is not just a major source of his or her cognitive development but his or her social development as well, specifically in â€Å"role-taking and empathy† (cited in Oden, 1987). John regards Aaron as his best friend, thus sustaining their friendship allows John to know his own self and his â€Å"range of social interaction skills. Furthermore, since the two boys have passed the stage wherein they share just â€Å"physical activities† like childhood games, and they are now capable of â€Å"sharing materials, being kind or helpful† (Oden, 1987), and perceiving their friendship as supporting individuality and mutuality, John either invites Aaron to review their lessons together before playing games or asks Aaron to postpone their leisure activity until the test is done so that each can review on his own and eventua lly perform better in the test. The theory of moral development by psychologist Kohlberg, who drew inspiration from Piaget’s cognitive development, can also help answer John’s dilemma. John takes into consideration the expectations of his family, as he tries to maintain, support, and justify that studying hard for the test is the right thing to do, in accordance to the conventional level of Kohlberg’s theory. Specifically, he resorts to being a â€Å"good boy† by reviewing for the test because he knows that doing so will please Ms Terror and Mom and Dad. John’s behavior is judged by his intention, which is both good and important since â€Å"he means well† (Kohlberg, 1971) for himself, for Ms Terror, for Mom and Dad, and even for society at large. John could solve his dilemma in various perspectives, which directly or indirectly take its root from Piaget’s cognitive theory. This only shows that students like John can solve their own dilemmas in their own respective ways. It is normal for them to falter and make mistakes because through these, they get to learn, grow, and develop. Now, John sits comfortably on his desk, excited to see his grade on the math test. â€Å"B† it reads.