Saturday, May 23, 2020
The Effects Of Incarceration On The Brain Essay - 1493 Words
It is common knowledge that the American prison system has grown exponentially in the last few decades. The prison population within the last forty years has risen by two million inmates. Multiple factors such as overcrowding and cost cutting have also decreased the quality of life within prisons by an order of magnitude. With this rising statistic, it becomes increasingly urgent to understand the effect of incarceration on our prisoners and whether the reformation process is actually doing more harm than good. Advances in Psychology offer us a greater lens to study the tangible effects of incarceration on the brain and whether there are long-term side effects that could persist well after release. It is crucial to understand these negatives as the repercussions of ignorance could result in a severe rise in recidivism as well as permanent damage to the psyche of those sentenced to incarceration. While dedicated research on the subject of psychological damage as a result of imprisonment is surprisingly sparse there are a few articles that touch on the subject. Prison is a ripe case study for many Psychology scholars due to its inherently insular nature and varied subcultures. Researchers have noticed frightening trends among inmates such as increased aggression, impairment of executive functions, and increased development of psychosomatic disorders. The purpose of this paper is to correlate the research from multiple sources over a period of time that have observed theShow MoreRelatedDrug Addiction Treatment Vs. Incarceration966 Words à |à 4 PagesTreatment vs. Incarceration: Gaining Insight Regarding the Facts Drug addiction is most often defined as a chronic progressive relapsing cycle in which an individual experiences excessive compulsions in using a mood altering substance despite the consequences associated with the drug. Drug addiction is also considered a disease that affects the brain; which results in a chemical imbalance caused by the abuse of illegal substances. The effects of drug usage can cause long term brain damage and canRead MoreAntisocial Personality Disorder ( Aspd ) Exhibit918 Words à |à 4 Pagesis clear that society is adroit in isolating the undesired behaviors of individuals with ASPD; however, society also has a responsibility to protect the rights of those diagnosed with a bonafide illness. If ASPD is the cause of an individualââ¬â¢s incarceration, then their successful reintegration into society relies on treating the underlying diagnosis, and in order to do that, it is important to understand the neurobiological foundations of ASPD. Individuals with APSD exhibit neuroanatomical differencesRead MoreLegalizing Marijuana For Recreational Use926 Words à |à 4 Pageswant to use marijuana. Advocates of legalizing the recreational use of marijuana would agree, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana could yield substantial tax revenue, save the government money by decreasing the number of arrests and incarcerations, and quite possibly create a safer driving environment. By legalizing the recreation use of marijuana, the state of Texas would have to regulate it, control it, and tax it. By doing so, a substantial amount of money could be made off of the taxationRead MoreCritique Of Systematic Control Perspective Essay1378 Words à |à 6 Pageslegalistic view of crime, crime is an act prohibited by law and for which a state-initiated punishment is authorised. The net effect of this view is that crime and the punishment for it are defined by relatively few people compared to the whole population. Although, government and its laws are reasonably created by and for people, it does not always have a mirroring effect of what the society thinks what crime is. Hence, the legalistic approach should not be the only one taken into consideration inRead MoreDrug Enforcement And Its Effects On The United States1253 Words à |à 6 Pages America has been fighting an uphill battle on the war on drugs since the days of Nixon. Americaââ¬â¢s incarceration rates grew during the late 1980s and early 1990s as state and local governments passed ââ¬Å"tough-on-crimeâ⬠legislations. The effort the country has made has not solved the problems they have been trying to cure. If anything the war on drugs fueled the market for drugs and fails to help the victims of drug abuse. The over criminalization of drug users has led to overcrowded prisons whichRead MoreArgumentative Essay Addiction1629 Words à |à 7 PagesAbuse describes addiction as a chronic, often relapsing brain disease, causing compulsive drug seeking despite harmful consequences to the addicted individual and to those around him or her. A disease can be defined as a disorder of structure or function, especially one that produces specific signs or symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury. The definition of disease and the effects of addiction correlate immensely in that addiction meetsRead MoreDrug History And Policy Change s1558 Words à |à 7 Pagesjailâ⬠to ââ¬Å"addiction is a disease.â⬠Even the way that addicts/alcoholics are treated has changed to treatment centers with specialist versus throwing them in the hospital to detox and hoping for a change. Policies that are shifting the penalty from incarceration to treatment reflect these changes and help the individual suffering from the disease to get back on their feet. The war on drugs rings on, but changes are being made. War on Drugs As I said early, President Nixon issued the ââ¬Å"War on Drugs.â⬠HeRead MoreThe Is Our Legal System Effective And Just?1691 Words à |à 7 Pagesadults, as their brains are not equivalent to those of adults in terms of cognitive development. During the recent decades, findings about the development of the brains of adolescents have shed new light to some important facts that were not accounted for previously to these findings. For one, researchers found out that the teenage brain does not fully stop developing until an age of about twenty-five. However, the more startling finds pertained to what was actually happening in the brain during thisRead MorePrison Overcrowding : The United States1535 Words à |à 7 Pagesdrug charge. This is not justice. This calls for too resolve the problem with prison overcrowding. To understand prison overcrowding, it is important to know the cause of prison overcrowding, the history over the past thirty years, criminological effect, and soluti ons for the problem. Prison overcrowding has become a huge problem un the United States. One of the major problems is that mandatory minimum sentences has resulted in prisons becoming overcrowded. Arizona has one of the largest populationRead MoreThe Importance Of Probation And An Offender From Detention Based Upon Good Behavior1603 Words à |à 7 Pagesprobation, an analysis of crime should be assessed as well. Criminal activity and the reasoning behind people committing crimes is correlated with functions and processes of the brain. The Amygdala assists in affecting fear, aggression and social interaction. The Amygdala is located within the temporal lobes of the brain and is considered part of the limbic system. The right Amygdala induces negative emotions, such as fear and sadness, where the left Amygdala induces either pleasant or unpleasant
Monday, May 18, 2020
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Poetry Is No I Don t Mean Putting A Couple Words Together...
What is poetry? No I donââ¬â¢t mean putting a couple words together that rhyme. Rhyme scheme is only a component of what poetry is. I got this question asked before beginning the unit of poetry. I said-- ââ¬Å"When I think about poetry I think of the flow of a river out into the ocean. The sounds and sight of this reminds me of poetry. The sounds that the river makes are relaxing and calm as they empty into a vast body of water. Itââ¬â¢s like the mind of a poet emptying onto a piece of paper or a keyboard. The sight of the river flowing also reminds me of poetry. Some poems seem so calm as they empty into the ocean, so serene. That is what poetry is to me. The flow of thoughts that create a piece of art that is called a poem. Just as the flow of a calm river that creates another piece of art, called an ocean.â⬠After having my own chance to write my own poem, and also having to recite another poetââ¬â¢s poem, my perspective changed a bit on the whole concept of poetry. Now if someone were to ask me what poetry is and what it meant I would say poetry is a way to express ones self. Writing a poem is another way of showing whom you are and how you feel to people who donââ¬â¢t know you, or people who donââ¬â¢t know you well enough. Itââ¬â¢s also a way to relax and release some stress. Just like athletes go to the gym when they need to relieve some stress, writers grab their notebook and a pencil. Poetry is like picking out what clothes you want to wear in the morning. You can either decide to be yourself
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
The Epic of Gilgamesh, King of Uruk - 2127 Words
In The Epic of Gilgamesh, women step out of their gender-specific roles where they are not only portrayed as the maternal figure but also the transmitter of civilization, the agent of knowledge and the intercessor. At the same time, they are depicted as the agent of destruction too. As such, although the females get a smaller portion of the narrative as compared to the men, they are indeed significant as they through their roles, they are able to guide and help the male figures in their heroic quest. During the Mesopotamian time, prostitutes were seen as a threat to the family unit and the community as they are the destroyers of peace and stability in the society. However, this notion is reversed in the epic where the prostitute, Shamhat, is depicted as a wise woman who civilises Enkidu. In the epic, Shamhat act as the transmitter of civilisation. In order to civilise him, Shamhat has to tame his animalistic side. Hence, she has sexual intercourse with Enkidu. After the intercourse, when Enkidu saw the animals, ââ¬Å"the wild beasts of the steppe shunnedâ⬠(9) him since he has transformed into a human. As such, the sexual intercourse is not just for erotic pleasure. It allows Enkidu to transcend from a barbaric individual to a masculine man where he ââ¬Å"gained reason and expanded his understandingâ⬠(9). His ability to reason can be seen when a man came to complain to him about the tyranny of Gilgamesh, Enkidu immediately set off to fight Gilgamesh since he has th e knowledge thatShow MoreRelatedThe Epic Of Gilgamesh, By King Of Uruk1813 Words à |à 8 PagesEpics are long poems, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation. There are numerous epics known to us today, and the epic of Gilgamesh is one of them. This epic is one of the oldest epic ever written in the world. This epic was written on eleven different clay tablets. It used to be told only orally many years before it was written down. So many versions and languages of this epic has been disseminatedRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh : King Of Uruk1332 Words à |à 6 PagesIn the verse narrative The Epic of Gilgamesh the principal character Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, is described as an entity that is two-thirds god and one-third man. Gilgamesh is a hero/protagonist who exhibits many more human features than divine features. This makes him a flawed hero because all humans are flawed. He is even described in human terms. ââ¬Å"A perfect physical specimen, gifted athlete and sex machineâ⬠[Davis p.154]. His primary flaws are pride and arrogance with his pursuit for immortalityRead MoreAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 932 Words à |à 4 Pages Repetition serves several different narrative functions in the Epic of Gilagmesh. It connects three parts of the epic together using the city of Uruk and, most importantly, the rampart that encircles the city. Repetition also gives subtle hints of shifting perspectives. At the beginning of the epic the reader is invited to marvel at the city of Uruk from the height of the wall. The walls of the city act as a framing device, enclosing various aspects of civilization: social, politics and religionRead MoreGilgamesh The Epic Of Gilgamesh877 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Epic of Gilgamesh the lines that are repeated at the beginning and end of the epic show that only immortality a human can gain lies in creating things that last beyond a personââ¬â¢s lifetime. While at the beginning of the epic Gilgamesh is seeking eternal life, when he concludes his journey he realizes that he has created an enduring legend through the foundation of his city, Uruk. Through this legend, Gilgamesh can li ve on in the memory of his people, long after he has passed away. The epic is ableRead MoreGilgameshs True Identity Essay1145 Words à |à 5 PagesIdentity Gilgamesh, who was made perfect physically, with all of the wisdom and secrets of the gods, shows he is not perfectly made on the inside as he struggles to find his true purpose and identity in the Epic of Gilgamesh. He, who proves good at heart in the conclusion of the epic, does not know why he was created and is frustrated at his mortal third in his early life. Made to bring strength and prosperity to the mortals of Uruk as an honorable king, Gilgamesh must firstRead MoreThe Hero s Journey From The Epic Of Gilgamesh942 Words à |à 4 Pages Gilgamesh was a powerful king of Uruk an ancient city in Sumer now known as Iraq. Created by the gods, Gilgamesh was 2/3 god and 1/3 man he thought of himself as undefeatable, and carried himself immorally, taking advantage of his people. Being tired of this the people of Uruk began sobbing, and the goddess Aruru heard their cries and created Gilgamesh s equal Enkidu. Together they would go on to venture into battles, one of which leads to the death of Enkidu that brings Gilgamesh to his veryRead MoreLeadership And The Tao Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh1665 Words à |à 7 PagesÃÅ¡ta-napà shti is the greatest example of Leadership and the Tao in the Epic of Gilgà ¡mesh. This essay will demonstrate what good leadership is versus bad. This essay will compare the leadership styles of ÃÅ¡ta-napà shti who saved humanity from the great flood, Gi lgà ¡mesh, king of the city of ÃÅ¡ruk. This essay will also define leadership, the way of the Tao. Lastly this Essay will show how ÃÅ¡ta-napà shti s leadership compared to other leaders in the epic and summarize all the key points of the Essay. ââ¬Å"The Immortalâ⬠Read MoreEpic of Gilgamesh1581 Words à |à 7 PagesIntroduction The epic poem dubbed the Epic of Gilgamesh is perhaps the earliest surviving literature on the face of the planet. The poem came from Mesopotamia in its original cuneiform script comprising 12 tablets. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a chronicle detailing the classic adventures of Gilgamesh, a historic king of Uruk. Over the years, historians have eliminated the 12th tablet for alleged inconsistencies. The poem depicts a wide range of themes such as the inevitability of death, whichRead MoreReview Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 1097 Words à |à 5 PagesN.K. Sandars, The Epic of Gilgamesh, is one of the most well-known stories in literature. Gilgamesh ruled the city of Uruk and one of the most advanced cities during the third millennium B.C. He orders his people to build the strongest walls by protecting them from dangerous attacks. In the Epic, he is described as physically strong, beautiful, and wise ruler of Mesopotamia. Yet, in the beginning, Gilgamesh was uncontrollable of his powers . His people canââ¬â¢t take it anymore and so they prayed to theRead More The Epic of Gilgamesh and Sumerian Culture Essay792 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Epic of Gilgamesh and Sumerian Culture The Epic of Gilgamesh is generally regarded as the greatest literature about tales of a great king. The Epic of Gilgamesh served to show us a lot of things. The time period of BCE is very blurry, and this story attempts to describe many different things in not only Sumerian beliefs, but also Sumerians culture as a whole. Like many stories from BCE the truth itself is questionable, even though a lot of the information is fact. The factual information
Spheres in Scarlet Letter Free Essays
It was once said that ââ¬Å"the only living societies are those which are animated by inequality and injustice. â⬠A man named Paul Claudel wrote this in his work, Conversations dans le Loir-et-Cher, and he criticizes the ability to have a functional society. Societies are meant to organize the values of people into a system with uniform laws and expectations; however, societies can never fully achieve this. We will write a custom essay sample on Spheres in Scarlet Letter or any similar topic only for you Order Now Claudel only sees societies with dysfunctional characteristics like inequality and injustice. There are always exceptions to the social order because all people are individuals with different life experiences that help define who they are. Nathaniel Hawthorne also criticizes the Utopian ideals that societies often hold in his novel, The Scarlet Letter. The main character, Hester goes astray from the rules of her Puritan town and must wear a scarlet letter on her chest to declare her sin. The scarlet letter isolates Hester from the pressures to conform to society, giving her the opportunity to find her individualistic moral perspective in life and she shares this revelation with Dimmesdale. Hawthorne conveys this concept of individualism through the motif of spheres. Initially, Hawthorne conveys Hesterââ¬â¢s isolation from society which is brought on by the scarlet letter, by putting her in her own sphere. The most noticeable feature of Hester as she exits the prison is the elaborate scarlet letter that is embroidered on her chest. Immediately, Hawthorne mentions that the letter ââ¬Å"[takes Hester] out of the ordinary relations with humanity and [encloses] her in a sphere by herselfâ⬠(46). The language here shows the isolation brought on by the letter because Hester no longer has the same relations with humanity, which in this case signifies the uniform Puritan society. Her interactions with others are altered now that she is by herself. The letter puts Hester in a different world, away from that of society and causes her to be alone. Even people that do not understand the reason for Hesterââ¬â¢s isolation participate in it. The children of the town only understand that Hester is ââ¬Å"shut out from the sphere of human charities,â⬠but they do not know why and yet when they see ââ¬Å"the scarlet letter on her breast, [they] scamper off with a strange contagious fearâ⬠(72). This furthers the idea that Hester is completely ostracized from society because even those that are naive of the letterââ¬â¢s meaning will not accept her. Hawthorne illustrates the isolation Hester experiences, as a result of wearing the scarlet letter, with the symbol of the sphere. Along with the negative aspects of isolation, Hester realizes that being in her own sphere takes away many societal pressures to conform to a set of beliefs. When Hester starts to come back in contact with society, she still feels as if she does not belong. Hester feels that all contact she has with others demonstrates that she is ââ¬Å"as much alone as if she inhabit[s] another sphereâ⬠(74). Even though she is physically in contact with others, Hester is still alone. She no longer has to conform to the beliefs of her Puritan town because she ââ¬Å"communicate[s] with the common natureâ⬠in different ways than ââ¬Å"the rest of human kindâ⬠(74). Because she is isolated, Hester ââ¬Å"[stands] apart from [societyââ¬â¢s] moral interests, yet close beside them,â⬠meaning she can take a step back to look at the views of the majority, but she has the option to make her own choices (74). Even though she feels separated from society, Hester can still feel the influence of its beliefs. This idea is also illustrated with the location of Hesterââ¬â¢s cottage. The cottage is on the outskirts of the town, yet still within its limits and this parallels the influence that society has on Hester. The remoteness of the cottage ââ¬Å"put it out of the sphere of social activity,â⬠yet Hester still had to go into town to sustain herself with supplies. Therefore, just as the cottage keeps Hester at a distance from the town, the letter takes her away from many pressures to conform to the values of society. Hester sees that the accepted beliefs and morals of society are not the only options as a result of being isolated from the sphere of their influence, due to the scarlet letter she wears. Hesterââ¬â¢s isolation and realization that she does not have to follow society, give her a new perspective on the beliefs of individuals and she shares this with Dimmesdale. Hawthorne conveys this through their temporary coexistence in the same sphere. Through her isolation, Hester realizes that individuals can have their own belief systems away from those of society and uses this to find peace with her sin. Dimmesdale however, never experiences public shame or isolation and struggles to find peace with his sin. He does not see leaving the town as an option like Hester does because he feels that ââ¬Å"Providence hath placedâ⬠him in a specific ââ¬Å"sphereâ⬠where he needs to live out his ââ¬Å"earthly existenceâ⬠and he has no choice in the matter (180). Dimmesdale does not see that there are other options besides those of society, but Hester exposes him to this idea. While they are in the forest together, she gives him a new perspective to consider; that the ways of society do not always work for everyone. At the time when both Hester and Dimmesdale can see things from this perspective, ââ¬Å"they [feel] themselves, [â⬠¦] inhabitants of the same sphereâ⬠(173). They are in the sphere together because even though they may not possess the same moral values in the end, at this time they both understand that they have options apart from societal beliefs. Even though they both have the same perspective they have to pursue their separate spheres in distinct ways. As Dimmesdale walks home ââ¬Å"his inner man [gives] him [â⬠¦] evidences of a revolution in the sphere of thought and feeling,â⬠indicating the changes already taking place from what Hester instilled in him (198). The revolution in Dimmesdaleââ¬â¢s thoughts and feelings takes place because Hester enlightens him to the idea of individual belief systems. He sees things in a whole new way with many more possibilities now that he can choose for himself what he wants to believe. He clearly undergoes a ââ¬Å"total change of dynasty and moral codeâ⬠due to the ideas Hester exposes to him in the forest. Both Hester and Dimmesdale see new possibilities in individual beliefs due to Hesterââ¬â¢s isolation and realization that societyââ¬â¢s beliefs are not perfect. Although both Hester and Dimmesdale learn that individuals can have their own belief systems through Hesterââ¬â¢s isolation and relief from the pressures of society, they must ultimately find their own individual spheres. After being exposed to a new perspective by Hester, Dimmesdale has time to think and realizes that he is not the same as her. Dimmesdale knows that they can not reside in the same sphere and Hester, too, realizes this at the procession. As Dimmesdale walks by, Hester understands that he is ââ¬Å"remote from her own sphere, and utterly beyond her reachâ⬠(218). Hester hoped that her influence over Dimmesdale when she enlightened him would continue on in his decisions and they would reside in a sphere together, but this was not the case. Just as Hester needed to find her place apart from the influence of others, Dimmesdale did as well. In order to find peace, Dimmesdale needed to find his own moral code and sphere and when he did, he reached ââ¬Å"an epoch of life more brilliant and full of triumph than any previous one, or than any which could hereafter beâ⬠(227). This great success that comes from finding his own sphere shows how strongly Hawthorne believes in the individual and the pathway to get to individualism. Dimmesdale can not be any more at peace with his life than he is when he discovers his individualized moral system. Hawthorne also shows his support for individualism when he breaks the forth wall and speaks directly to the reader. He says the only thing to be learned from the ministerââ¬â¢s experience is to ââ¬Å"be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world if not your worst, yet some trait whereby your worst may be inferredâ⬠(236). With this, Hawthorne wants people to find peace within themselves and says they need to expose themselves fully to the world to do so. In the novel, Hester experiences public shame and shows it freely to the world whereas Dimmesdale keeps his sin hidden. That is why Hester is able to be at a better peace with herself and her sin whereas Dimmesdaleââ¬â¢s fate is to only be peaceful in death. There can be no set sphere for all of society because of different life experiences. Hester and Dimmesdale both find separate, individualized belief systems, apart from those of society, due to the public shame and isolation Hester experiences wearing the scarlet letter. Hawthorne uses the motif of spheres to convey the message that society can not meet the needs of all individuals. The spheres in the novel never function properly when they attempt to envelop the moral perspectives of more than one person. Society tries to only have one uniform set of beliefs for all, but this is unsuccessful because everyone has their own thoughts and feelings based upon experience. Just as Claudel said, the only way societies can exist is with flaws; Utopian and Puritan ideals are unattainable. Hawthorne values individualism and the differences between all people. How to cite Spheres in Scarlet Letter, Papers
Pro-Choice free essay sample
Pro-Choice Hillary Clinton once said, I have met thousands and thousands of pro-choice men and women. I have never met anyone who is pro-abortion. This means that even though pro-choice people donââ¬â¢t want to completely rid the world of abortion, they still donââ¬â¢t necessarily like it. Morally, abortion is wrong but at the same time the choice should still be available to those who choose not to be pregnant in their present moment in time. It is a right to be able to choose for yourself what you want to with your life, and thatââ¬â¢s what choosing to have an abortion is.The right to your choice should not be able to be taken away by strict enforcers of The Bible or morality. Before abortion can be completely stopped all factors must be considered because every person and their story is different; so knowing why every person would want an abortion is near impossible. We will write a custom essay sample on Pro-Choice or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Itââ¬â¢s easy to simply declare abortion wrong and move on without giving it any thought. For these reason the option of abortion should be left open because ultimately opinions come into play on what may be right and wrong. As people donââ¬â¢t want to consider, raising a child takes more than just love.A person must be set up financially to raise a child, but if theyââ¬â¢re not then that childââ¬â¢s quality of life wonââ¬â¢t be very good. A child needs to be stable in a home, care free to all that is around him, not worried about challenges of the family. When children are brought up in these unprepared homes their chances of becoming a statistic increases, as in getting caught with the wrong crowds and doing things they shouldnââ¬â¢t be. This will not always be the case but many times it is and when this done happen it has affects on a larger scale.Abortions and crime are suggested to be directly proportional. A BBC News article reported that ââ¬Å"each 10% rise in terminations led to a one percent drop in crime years later. â⬠Any correctional program set up will hurt the community. For every child that chooses the wrong path, more of the communityââ¬â¢s efforts and funds will be focused on making the community safer by controlling these children. Another factor to consider when debating over the topic of abortion is rape. There isnââ¬â¢t a large number of pregnancies due to rape. According to statistical reporting, there are no more than one or two pregnancies resultant from every 1,000 forcible rapes (Willke),â⬠but for those who do end up in this position, how fair is it to them? Without the option of abortion this select group of women will be forced to put their life on hold and give life to what they could possibly see as a burden or constant reminder of their traumatic experience. Given the chance each of these women wonââ¬â¢t get an abortion, but whose place i s it to tell them that they canââ¬â¢t make that decision? Havenââ¬â¢t they already been through enough?Systems such as foster care and adoption are available. There is no reason to abort children when foster care and adoption agencies are available to care for your child. They are set up to provide for children and give them what you may not be able to provide. Foster care and adoption saves lives, kids who probably would have been eternally silenced now have a chance at life and thatââ¬â¢s how The Bible say things should be. Why should any baby be killed when foster care and adoption agencies will take care of them? With more options than just killing the babies, abortion should not be a primary solution.Yes, foster care and adoption are available and will assist in some of the problem. Those individuals fortunate enough to prosper through these systems will be okay, but what happens to the kids who face problems through these systems such as sexual abuse, violence, and aging-out of foster care? ââ¬Å"Today more than one million children are in foster care in the united state, double the number of children in foster care in the mid-8 0s. (Nakyanzi)ââ¬
Friday, May 1, 2020
Mythology free essay sample
The Myths are full of the instances of the cruelty of the gods. Giving multiple examples, discuss the reasons for the godââ¬â¢s cruelty. Is it always justified? What does the cruelty of the gods say about the Greeks view of the universe? First off letââ¬â¢s talk about what a myth is; a story, something that was made up a very long time ago, with its purpose to entertain. And with entertainment value in mind man made up these tales, or myths. The tales included many different story lines, such as romance, different characters, wars, and problems. Many of the myths had tales of violence, but from the Greek Gods the tales were centered around. These gods were considered heroes in many cases, take a look at Hercules for example, he is described in the text (p. 569) as ââ¬Å"the greatest hero of Greece. â⬠But take a peek at his story, and you will see that he could be considered the most violent. We will write a custom essay sample on Mythology or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Hercules was the son to Zeus and a mortal wife, which Juno, Zeusââ¬â¢s Goddess wife (and sister), did not approve of and never let Hercules live down. It actually caused him to go crazy and murder his wife and 3 kids, before exiling himself from the gods and that family to seek forgiveness. He also seeks to become and immortal god when he comes across Hera and is told to do these twelve labors which were all more violent, and slightly immoral, then the next, slay this beast, kill that demon, and steal from this god, clean after that one. Though violent the acts of some gods throughout the myths, they do seem to hold still in their purpose to entertain, the stories are still being told. Think about it if in the story there wasnââ¬â¢t a bad guy, or a romance happening, the story needs a plot something exciting that leads up to a climax and so on, for the time period that myths were coming about and the area they derived from there is no surprise that there is violence. Only then this wasnââ¬â¢t considered a problem these myths were actually used to explain daily phenomenonââ¬â¢s and teach lessons as well. Violence was an everyday occurrence then whether it was hunting for dinner or their idea of sports violence was present so of course it was present in their tales. Not only was violence not the same as we think of it the main characters in the stories were gods, immortal beings, that could do no wrong, they were completely justified in their godly world of make believe. The fought with each other, they slayed beasts, destroyed things and animals, and this was their way of living it was a fight to get to the top type attitude. The men were macho, they went out and fought like warriors and hunted, while much like the myths the women were the objects of romance and fertility and such creatures. What does this type of attitude toward cruelty say about the Greeks? Of that time nothing, they were making up these stories off what they knew and lived, then also adding an exaggerated imagination to the mix and got myths. What does it say about their view of the universe? Well the Greeks thought they were superior to others, that they essentially were the gods themselves and had the power. They thought were immortal and better and more exquisite then other cultures of the time.
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