Ideal Society 2

No changes have been made to my society due to the fact that I found nobody in another's society who I felt was worth trading for. That is not to say that everyone else's choices were poor. Rather, it means that my society was perfect for me and their societies were perfect for them. Quite honestly, if there was someone I felt was more deserving of a spot in my society than someone who was already in there, they would have been a part of my society in the first place. My society works out because each member has their own set of beliefs and dreams, which all seem to revolve around the possibility of objective happiness. Each member is also powerful in some way, whether it be from their influential words or their ability to warp reality. This allows the members to eliminate all threats to their happiness. One possible flaw in my society is that there could be a power struggle should a member be denied the happiness that they are owed, or if one member's happiness conflicts with the happiness of another. This is only a possible flaw because each member of the society has their own idea of how their happiness can be achieved, but do not see fit to use others in their plans of achieving such happiness. Rather, they all know and rely on their own strengths to chase after their dreams. Each member can work with others, but it content being by his/herself. This means that no member of the society will seek to influence others, and will only share their opinions on a subject when asked to do so. Jareth, being a master of dreams, can easily make the dreams of each member of the society come true without conflicting with the dreams of other members. There is peace in such a society, making it stable.

Ideal Society

The members of my ideal society are Jareth, George Carlin, Sekhmet, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, and Ramona Flowers. Jareth, from the movie Labyrinth , was chosen to be the leader because he is the Goblin King of the Labyrinth, and has a great deal of experience in ruling having done it for thousands of years. He has the power to make dreams a reality and warp dimensions, and is thus able to create the perfect society for the five members to live in. He is a dreamer who deals in the dreams of others, making him able to constantly improve the society. George Carlin was chosen because he is a phenomenal comedian and social critic. He inspired many people to become comedians, including Chris Rock, Lewis Black, and Sam Kinison, which shows his ability to spread and appreciation of comedy to others. He never takes anything at face value, which ensures that he will be quick to point out any flaws in the society so that they may be fixed. Sekhmet was chosen because she is the Egyptian Goddess of warfare, the hunt, the wilds, protection, sexuality, the desert sun, magicians, physicians, etc. She is known as the Protector of Pharaohs and can both cause and relieve the greatest of agonies, making her the perfect warrior and healer. She is also motherly towards those she protects and strives to ensure their happiness. Frank-N-Furter from The Rocky Horror Picture Show was chosen because of his extensive knowledge in the field of science. He is able to create human life within just seven days, and has a great deal of knowledge of multiple galaxies. He also has access to the technology of multiple planets, which will aid the advancement of the society. Ramona Flowers the Scott Pilgrim book series was chosen because of her ability to travel through subspace, making her able to move from one place to another quickly and even enter the dreams of others. She is also able to store items and subspace, and thus protect items from theft. This makes her the ideal banker and laborer for the society. My society values dreams, advancement, and good times. Each member of my society contributes to making the society a paradise, whether it be by protecting the society from outside harm or improving it from within.

Essential Question # 5

The Code of Courtly Love

1) Two people must first be acquaintances, then friends, before finally attempting a romantic relationship. It is improper to force yourself on another person, and no one should enter a relationship expecting it to be romantic. If it is to be, the romantic relationship will come naturally.

2) The initiator of the relationship should be the male. However, the female is allowed to attempt to initiate the relationship should she feel it necessary(No rushing things, though).

3) The two people must tell their friends and family of their significant other within a week of recognizing their romantic relationship. This revelation must take place in person.

4) The two people must introduce their friends and family to their significant other within a month of recognizing their romantic relationship.

5) When the two people feel mutually ready, they should plan a date in an area that interests them both. This allows them both to behave comfortably and naturally. The initiator of said date does not matter.

6) While on a date that requires money, the person who initiated the date should be expected to pay. However, the male should be expected to at least offer to pay for the date regardless of whether or not he offered. The couple splitting the cost is also acceptable.(In the case of a homosexual or lesbian couple, the buyer can be decided amongst themselves).

7) Once a couple feels comfortable enough with each other, one of them can plan a date with the other in a surprise location that they feel their significant other would enjoy. The initiator of these dates must pay close attention to the reaction of their significant other once they arrive at their destination in order to be sure that their date is enjoying themselves, and be prepared to leave should their significant other become uncomfortable. The initiator of these dates does not matter.

8) Either of the two people in a romantic relationship are allowed to initiate the first kiss. Should the other not be ready, the initiator is required to stop immediately out of respect. The one who refused should explain their reasons for not feeling ready and forgive the other for trying to kiss them. Try to make such an awkward situation as comfortable as possible, for it could save the relationship.

9) Both individuals in a romantic relationship should readily compliment the other on their appealing qualities, and avoid using malicious insults.

10) Once the two people are comfortable with each other, they should plan a formal date in which friends or family is present. The initiator of this date should be whoever has such an opportunity available.

Essential Question # 4

Simplify and analyze Hrothgar's parting words to Beowulf from line 1708-1767.

In his parting words to Beowulf, Hrothgar warns Beowulf to learn the nature of nobility and give thanks to God. Hrothgar tells Beowulf that noble man will go through life without being harmed until he falls victim to the devil's temptations. Once a man gives in to sin, they are filled with a feeling of greed and wanting; "What had long contented him now seems insufficient; he becomes embittered, begins to hoard his treasures, never parts with gold rings in ceremonial splendor; he soon forgets his destiny and disregards the honors given him of God, the Ruler of Glory"(1732-1737). It is fitting that Hrothgar is the one to give Beowulf this advice, as it was he himself who had originally taken up a life of greed and fallen into the "Devil's" clutches. This is a lesson that Beowulf has, or should have, already learned by now after his encounter with Grendel's mother. Hrothgar's speech may merely serve as a way that the author can convey the reason why Beowulf had difficulty in defeating Grendel's mother to the reader. Hrothgar's speech also serves as an explanation that those who turn away from God are filled with greed out of a need for compensation, as a life without God is empty. Hrothgar then tells Beowulf to always swallow pride, as the glories he will achieve in life will not be as worthwhile as his reward in heaven. Hrothgar reminds Beowulf that all men eventually die, and advises him to focus less on his own glory and more giving glory to God.

Essential Question # 3

How is Wealhtheow portrayed? What does she do? What can we expect from Anglo Saxon women?

Wealhtheow is portrayed as a hostess to the men in Heorot during feasts. She offers a cup Hrothgar, her husband, begging him to enjoy the feast, and then procedes to offer the cup to every man in Heorot. It acts as if it is her responsibility to make the feast enjoyable, and would feel shamed if any man found her to be less than satisfactory. She is described as mindful of ceremonial, which shows that she is entirely submissive to the customs of her kingdom. This would not be an odd trait, if not for the fact that as queen, Heorot is literally her kingdom. She should be the one making the customs, not acting them out. Despite being a queen, Wealhtheow behaves like a servant. Rather than living up to her title as queen, which means a woman sovereign, she lives up to her name, which means foreign slave. While she is serving the men of Heorot, she is described as "excellent in mind", showing that the standards of her time were not only that women had to serve men, but also that they had to enjoy doing so. Some might interpret her behavior as merely polite and considerate. However, she is clearly nothing more than a servant. Even though she is the one bearing the cup, not once does it touch her lips. She gives every man what their share, and chooses not to take what is left over(if there was anything). She looks like a queen and dresses like a queen, but she does not act like a queen. If this is the role of a queen in an Anglo Saxon society, one can only imagine the servitude that is expected of regular women, who were not even permitted to enter Heorot. The role we can expect an Anglo Saxon woman to play is that of a servent of no more worth to a dog. Actually, that's not technically true. After all, even dogs receive the scraps of the master's table.

Essential Question # 2

"What are the social obligations of a hero?"

At a glance, it may seem like heroes are held to a certain set of obligations. Even the heroes themselves feel trapped by their heroic duties at times. However, while all heroes may feel obligated to behave a certain way, they are not truly held to any standard. A true hero has no obligations, but rather inclinations. A hero is born when someone performs a heroic act because they as a human being want to, not when they are forced to. Intent is the foundation of the morality of an action, after all. While heroes do not truly have any obligations, they all seem to follow a pattern of social behavior. This is due to the fact that those who take on the role of a hero all have a heroic mindset. Those who choose to follow their heroic mindset follow the "true hero" formula. A true hero feels the need to protect those around them even at the risk of their own life. A true hero does not kill without need to. A true hero is unselfish and kind to those in need. A true hero is an icon to the people they protect, is justly proud for their work, but holds no narcissism. A true hero not only protects people, but inspires people to protect those around them. A true hero serves as a protector, an inspiration, and above all else, a friend to those around them.

Ess? Part B

Is Shakespeare progressive or misogynistic in his portrayal of Lady Macbeth?


Lady Macbeth is often considered the to be the most disturbing female character that Shakespeare ever created. It is for this fact that many believe Shakespeare's portrayal of Lady Macbeth to be misogynistic, or contain a hatred of women. However, if one were to examine the character of Lady Macbeth more carefully, they would find that her gender had little to nothing to do with her reprehensible personality. Lady Macbeth's largest crime was bringing about the assassination of King Duncan, which she had been planning even before the start of the play. While this is indeed a wicked and sinful act, it did not come easy to her by any means. Even in the early stages of her plan, Lady Macbeth felt conflicted. She knew that she did not have it in her to commit regicide, and thus goads her husband into doing the deed for her. She blames her sentimentality on the fact that she is a woman, and believes that if she were a man she would be able to kill King Duncan herself. Lady Macbeth was not acting in any way natural to women, but rather in a way that she believed to be natural for a man. This shows that Lady Macbeth's character is not misogynistic, but is rather progressive. Mind you, her decisions may have been founded on evil and selfishness, but she is progressive none the less. She demonstrated her intelligence through her careful planning and ability to manipulate her husband. This is unlike the portrayal of most women during that time, who were all thought to be unintelligent and inferior to a man. Lady Macbeth was trying to be like a man through her actions. It is understandable that Lady Macbeth would want to elevate her position, as women were treated as second-class citizens during her time. The fact that she chose to elevate her position through means of actions that she attributed to man shows that not only did she want to be treated like a man, but she wanted to feel like a man. Lady Macbeth knew ho much better life was for men during her time, and thus wanted to experience ever aspect of it. Unfortunately, she was ignorant to the fact that murder does not come easy to a man, either, as demonstrated by Macbeth's reluctance to kill King Duncan. Those her claim that the character of Lady Macbeth was a misogynistic allegory ignore the fact that Lady Macbeth felt deep remorse for her actions later in the play, even going so far as to kill herself rather than live with her guilt. Is she had been a true misogynistic portrayal of women, she would have been delighted with the chaos she caused, like most man villains that Shakespeare created. Her character should not be thought of as a critique of women, but rather as a critique of people who strive for something that they know nothing about.