rappucchini's daughter v frankenstein

I have highlighted the major parts...read the stories, they are wonderful.
A little factoid on frankenstein, it was written as part of a contest between Lord Byron, Persey Shelly and Mary Shelly. They all decided to see who can come up with the best horror story and in the morning Mary Shelly won when she showed them Frankenstein.

In a world of science, we constantly find ourselves being helplessly spun in the midst of a spiraling chiasm of scientific experiments and research. Sometimes one may chance to come across a newspaper or view a program on television that documents some new wonders of science and we are often left dumfounded and amazed by the miracles of science. However there are instances when we are horrified by some of the schemes that man employs science for. Some of the scientific experiments boarder on the bizarre and evoke emotions of disgust and fear from the onlooker. It is this fear of science and the evils of knowledge and curiosity that has been the fuel for many writers as they craftily spun horror stories that evaded the heart of the reader with a dreadful terror as they created monsters born from the curious tendrils of science. Two stories that reflect the horrors of scientific experimentation are Hawthorne’s Rappaccini’s Daughter and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. There are certain similarities between Hawthorne’s Rappaccini’s Daughter and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein that begs sympathy from the reader as we are introduced to the utmost human suffering as the themes of isolation and withdrawal from society is illustrated in these stories.
There are major controversies that act on these scientific experimentations as man wonders whether science is taking away religion and weaving its own cult around the hearts of men. There has always been a dark cloud associated with the study of medicine. In both these stories we see a victim of science, a person who has been created by a doctor as a fearful being. In these stories, society views the individual as a creature rather than a person. Rappachini’s Daughter is a dark romance that tells the sorrowful yet uncanny story of a tragic love affair star-crossed by science rather than fate. The story is set in southern Italy where a young man Giovanni meets the daughter of a mysterious doctor and falls in love with her. However their love affair takes a disastrous turn after Giovanni realizes that Beatrice is cursed with a poison that evades her body and is issued from her breath. The movie Frankenstein introduces us to a doctor who finds the notes of his teacher and decides to experiment despite a warning. Doctor Frankenstein uses various limbs and appendages from different corpses and creates a living being. After creating this creature Frankenstein becomes fearful of his creation and abandons it. The creature after realizing the error of his master seeks revenge on his creator and becomes the monster that society saw him as.
In both Rappaccini’s Daughter and Frankenstein there is a heart rendering portrayal of the theme of isolation that draws sympathy from the reader or viewer. The theme of isolation is apparent from the very beginning in Rappaccini‘s Daughter as Beatrice is introduced. She is isolated from society not only by her father but by her beauty. The setting is important here as she is amongst beautiful, rare and exotic plants and the reader becomes aware that she is the human counterpart of those exotic plants. Beatrice is described as thus, “… here was another flower, the human sister of those vegetable ones, as beautiful as they, more beautiful than the richest of them , but still to be touched with only a glove, nor to be approached without a mask”.
The reader is acquainted with Beatrice in the garden at all times and we never see her out of her sanctuary. She withdraws to the garden because it houses the only inhabitants who can endure her poison, her vegetative sisters. Beatrice loves the plants and she treats them with the tenderness of a mother to a babe. The setting of the garden here is important because it lends to the theme of isolation not only by representing a garden of Eden but it is also contains beautiful, exotic and poisonous species like her so it represents a place of belonging for her.
Setting plays an integral role in the movie Frankenstein as it represents the turmoil of emotions that rages through the creature and shows the seclusion and isolation that he feels. The movie Frankenstein opens with a tempest. This storm not only foreshadows the impending horror in the movie but also gives us a glimpse at the raging sea of emotions that was unleashed in the monster. Unlike Beatrice the monster is not calm and sweet tempered. His outward hideousness is a mirror into the rage that he feels towards his creator. The monster knows that he is horrendous and not acceptable to society and men, so he chooses to live in the shadows and hide from men. In the movie, the theme of isolation is embodied by a forest and ice sea. First the monster takes to the forest and stays there hiding from men learning about himself while hoping to find a companion. However, as he learns that he was created and not born, he seeks Doctor Frankenstein but he opts to stay in the snow while waiting for him. The white of the snow may represent his isolation and the coldness symbolizes the lack of warmth from human companionship.
The theme of friendship and a hunger for love is illustrated in both stories. Beatrice knows only her father until Giovanni comes along. Although she is shy at first, she eventually becomes familiar with him and falls in love. Beatrice’s love is pure and true, probably because she desires friendship and companionship so immensely. Rappaccini knows of his daughter’s need for a companion and tries to create one for her by using Giovanni. Giovanni himself is a handsome youth and Rappaccini probably sees in him the potential mate for his daughter since they are both beautiful and Giovanni is studying medicine just like him.
The first word that the creature utters in the movie is friend; he is desperate for a companion. He shows a compassion and desire to be accepted when he helps a family in the forest harvest potatoes. The family is unaware of his form and fondly takes to referring to him the spirit of the forest. We see him happy in the instances where he is given a present from the children and accepted by a blind old man. He is accepted when one cannot distinguish his form. Human nature plays out as man distinguishes his form, as the men try to destroy or kill whatever frightens them. Doctor Frankenstein creates and Adam but does not bless his creation with a companion. The monster wants a wife and searches for Frankenstein in order to obtain one. He says that he is filled with an incomprehensible love and rage. He wishes for a friend and mate because he says that if he cannot satisfy his love then he will indulge his hatred. However Frankenstein does create an Eve and when she discovers that she is a monster as well she kills herself, leaving both Frankenstein and the monster without a wife to love.
An evident similarity between these two stories is the introduction of the literary “mad scientist.” Hawthorne is noted for his use of a crazy doctors and villainous alchemists in his literature. (Stoher) Both Rappaccini’s Daughter and Frankenstein relate the story of a doctor who toyed with the limits of science in a search for more knowledge. Although Doctor Rappaccini, makes an appearance only twice in the story, he is an integral character since it is his eccentric nature and insatiable thirst for scientific knowledge that creates the very axis of the story, Beatrice and the Garden. A similarity that manifests here is an allusion to the doctors as being God or Creator. Rapaccini created an Eve and then set forth to make her a companion as well. He also created a Garden of Eden and allowed his Eve (Beatrice) to be nourished by it. Rappaccini made his daughter almost invincible and tried to isolate her from society, an even though she as his earthly child she lived amongst the children of his intellect the plants. Maybe one can see that Hawthorne sees a scientist as trying to play the role of God, but we see the fatal mistake here because his creation is destroyed.
Frankenstein embarked upon creating life because he could not deal with death. He said “No one need ever die, I will stop this…” at his mother’s grave. He wanted to cheat death by creating life. A memorable yet eerie scene in the movie is Frankenstein standing atop his experiment screaming Live! Live! as he tried to breath an electrical life to the monster. Frankenstein tried to play God because he wanted to create life instead of fulfilling his duty as a doctor and preserving it. Man can create a monster but he cannot control it. It is here when we can clearly see that science should have its boundaries and man should not use his brother as a test subject.
When science crosses it boundaries and man tries to play God, a sea of pain and regret follows. The scientist, Frankenstein finds the notes which his teacher had abandoned and uses them against his wishes of his teacher in order to create a monster. Immediately after Frankenstein had created the monster he was taken aback with fear as he realizes the consequences of what had he done. In both stories the doctors tried to isolate their creations although one was out of fatherly love and the other fear. In Frankenstein Shelley introduces the reader to the monster right away because he was made for the parts of corpuses. Frankenstein had hoped that since the monster was a ‘newborn’ it would be stricken by a cholera epidemic and die and so he abandoned it. He had resolved to destroy his notes and all evidence of his experiment right after seeing what he had created. He had called the creature vile, malformed and hideous to behold.
The danger of scientific experimentation is clearly shown in pieces of the movies where Frankenstein gathers the raw materials for his experiment. He is comparable to a butcher as he raids graveyards to subjects a pregnant woman to torture in order to obtain the raw materials. He refers to human limbs and amniotic fluid as raw materials in his journal, this is frightening because it shows a lack of human compassion and remorse as man goes through any means to answer the call of science.
Doctor Rappaccini can be seen an even more inhuman scientist because he uses his own daughter as a test subject in his experiment. He isolates her and then tries to right his wrong by experimenting on another innocent person. Doctor Baglioni is even more devious than Rappaccini because he does not even notice the innocent and beauty of Beatrice but instead uses Giovanni as a means to destroy Rappaccini’s creation, while feeding his envy.
Human suffering is depicted in these stories as we see their withdrawal from society. In both stories neither character fights for their life, they calmly accept death which shows that a life of isolation and scorn may lead one to welcome death and maybe wish for it instead of having to trudge through a painful and merciless life. Both characters Beatrice and the monster consider themselves monsters and they are very powerful. In the movie Frankenstein the monster knows of his powers and strength and men fear him because of his appearance. The monster sobs after he is chased out of the house of his only friend and he lets out heart wrenching sobs. He knows that he is a monster and withdraws from society. Both characters portray innocence in them by their longing for love and acceptance, but due to their isolation they simply withdraw from man.
From these stories we learn of our own nature and the cruelty of our fears. Because of fear theses two individuals were isolated from society. We think of the creature as a monster because on may think that it lacks a soul, an entity which can only be given by God, however there are instances in the movie where on may think that it is the doctor who lacks a soul and not the monster. At the end of the movie though the creature shows that he has better understanding than the doctor because he allows his isolation as he realizes that he probably will never be accepted in society, he prefers death with his father (Frankenstein) rather than living a life of isolation and scorn. Here we see a theme of self loathing which is a major factor in human nature, when we feel abandoned and people scorn or fear us we feel as if we are useless and it would be a blessing to society if we were dead.
Beatrice’s death clearly depicts human nature as we see man attempting to perfect what is beautiful and trying to alter Nature or God’s creation to suit his own needs. In this story all three male characters try to change Beatrice and in doing so they all play a role in here demise. (Tharpe) However, when Giovanni scorns Beatrice, we see that she is the only innocent character and that her love is pure, she does not hesitate to drink the potion for love even though it kills her. Beatrice welcomes death rather than being afraid of it, since she realizes that her existence may only cause more grief. However we can look at her death as her liberation from the cage of isolation that she was raised in. Death assumes the role of a liberator for Beatrice since she is now free and cannot be an experiment for the people who governed her life.
From Rappaccini’s Daughter and Frankenstein there are many lessons to be learned. Mary Shelly had said on Frankenstein, “I busied myself to write a story which would speak to the mysterious fears of our nature…” This is true since we learn of human suffering from two unlikely characters. Both Beatrice and the monster are victims of the horrors of science and although these are fictional characters we can imagine the catastrophes that may be unleashed when man tries to assume the role of a creator. We learn of the pain of isolation and the longing for companionship. In Beatrice we see a love that is pure and true and the monster shows an almost childish longing for acceptance. These two experiments of science show more human compassion and feeling than their fathers who sacrificed them for science. We see the lengths man would go to obtain knowledge and his transformation into a monster as he rejects all humanity and becomes a slave to science. These tales portray human nature beautifully and we may learn to accept man with his flaws and to see the cruelty in society’s rejection of that which is different or ugly.

paper on mental illness

Hinduism describes the body in an interesting way, an old adage says that the body is a chariot, the mind the driver, the horses the senses; the reins are the organs and the passenger the soul. The mind as the driver, the mind is capable of fathomless activities, and it basically controls who we are and what we do. The mind houses memories and controls our thoughts, it allows us to feel and experience emotions, it is the center of our being and it governs us.

Some people recognize the power of the mind and try to take advantage of others, by using the intellect for evil and unorthodox purposes, like manipulation and trickery. However our capacity to avoid these evils all lies in the strength of the mind, which builds our will power. The mind is what allows us to live normal lives because it develops defenses against tragedies and allows us to function. There are times however when the mind’s intense powers are disrupted and we develop mental disorders that affect our capability to reason and live our lives.

Psychological disorders are not a novel concept and have plagued mankind throughout history; they have been mostly believed to be possession by demonic spirits and were treated very brutally and with low tolerance. Psychological disorders are very serious in nature like any physical disease because they interfere with a person’s, ability to reason, their personality and their ability to experience and portray emotions and cope with everyday life and function in general.

In society today, when a person’s ability to function mentally is warped, they are said to suffer from psychological disorders. Conversely this was not the case in times of yore because most psychological disorders were treated as demonic possessions and the belief arose that the victims of these possessions were being punished for their misdeeds which led the victims having to endure horrifying rituals and rites as holy men, or some form of witch doctor tried to rid the person of the evil spirit.

The low tolerance of psychological disorders arose from the fact that most people did not understand them and chose to believe superstition because they were so fanatical about their religion that they did not allow a scientific justification to enter their mind. This led to the supernatural or demonological model of psychological disorders (Bernstein 441).

On the other hand just as man had been intelligent enough to divulge the secrets of the world and physics, some doctors were dedicated to uncovering the secrets of the mind, layer by layer. These pioneers in the field of psychological science embarked on the challenging goal of understanding the mind and its connection to the brain and body. These great men studied the behaviors that were seen as evil and with their research they were able to derive theories that allowed us to peek into the minds labyrinth of mysteries and develop an understanding of its power and the embrace that it has on us.

From their research the medical, psychological, socio-structural and diathesis-stress model of psychological disorders were created (Bernstein 441-444). These models replaced the demonological model in most of the western world and signaled relief to the torment that those mentally troubled had faced before. However some religions held on to the demonological model and the East still practice their mystical methods of ridding the mind of spirits, while in Africa witch doctors still perform strange and sometimes horrifying rituals to annihilate spirits.

A very complex process is involved in diagnosing a psychological disorder. In 1952 the American Psychiatric association published the first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Bernstein 444). This manual officially known as the North American Diagnostic Classification System presented psychologists with the necessary information to study different approaches such as psychodynamic, cognitive- behavioral and phenomenological, in order to classify and treat mental disorders (Kaikobad).

The mind rules our behavior, personality and the way we handle situations in general. Our intellect builds defense mechanisms to help us cope with stress and situations that we deem impossible to handle. Sometimes though we are unable to cope with the tragedies and problems that life hurls at us and we develop mood disorders.

Mood disorders affect our ability to interact with people and enjoy life. Unfortunately many people suffer from these kinds of mental disorders. A very devastating mood disorder is depression, it is a disorder caused when a person is unable to cope with a stressor and they sink into mental hole so deep that they are unable to express emotion and perform daily tasks. People often refer to that despairing blackness of depression that causes self-loathing and a dragging towards suicide. Depression can last up to a few months and it is very grave in nature because the pathway to recovery from this disorder is not always smooth and it is termed the second most chronic illness in the world (Trouble in mind: Depression).

Dr. Kaikobad says that most people experience suicidal thoughts when their depression appears to lessen. These thoughts are very irrational and occur because the pathway to recovery is very tricky and some people see death as an answer to their problems, suicide a simulated deviant answer to their problems, created by a mind incapable of using logic.

Depression may be masked in individuals who are young or old. In most young people depression is often mistaken for a phase in becoming mature and in the old it is cloaked by age and other dementias. Symptoms of depression include a general feeling of sadness, a person has not been their self lately, they feel very alone, have a decreased libido; they do not look forward to anything and they feel useless, according to Dr. Keefe. Hydrotherapy and electroshock therapy were two drastic and dangerous means of treating depression.

However researchers have developed some less barbarous ways to treat this condition some of which include, barbiturates MADI’s, and SSRI’s (an example of which is Prozac). Research has also showed that St. John’s Wort can alleviate mild forms of depression (Trouble in mind: Depression).

The mind of a child is a very impressionable object and it can be shaped and fashioned to match that of a parent. This is why many mental disorders are hereditary or caused by early childhood trauma. Family dynamics plays an immense role in the state of mental health that an individual experiences. According to Barry in her book Mental Health and Mental Illness, studies of all types have found that birth order strongly influences a the way in which a person communicates in a family (111). Barry also stated that family rules and boundaries also play a prominent part in behavior and personality development.

Freud stated that the personality consisted of the id, ego and super ego. The id operates on a pleasure principle and the ego on a morality principle, at birth a child’s personality is driven by the id however as a child grows older the super ego develops more and the child begins to make judgments of right and wrong. Most of what a child will perceive as right or wrong will stem from the modeling they associate with their siblings or the behaviors that are punished by the parents. However most parents while realizing their duty to mould and shape the child into a personality acceptable to society, fail at their task and instead through the use of horrendous abuse, or devastating apathy, destroy the child’s mind.

Pundit Hardeo stated that children are the windows to their home and they will copy the behavior of their parents. He also a child can be perceived as a plant; during the first five years of his life a father should fertilize his personality with love, from the age of six to fifteen discipline him so that he does not go bend and lack in values and from the age of sixteen treat him as a friend.

Apathy on the part of a parent may be the most important reason for antisocial personality disorder. If someone asks a child about their role model the child may respond that their parents are their role models. This is the extent of the effect that parents can have on their children, children may watch their parents and model their behavior or adapt the vices and mindset of their parents. Take for example parents who are racist, even though we live in a country that proclaims liberty for all we are still plagued by numerous hate crimes. Now where is the most logical place to believe that the children are getting their myopic mindset? When a parent fails in their duty to correct a child and show them that their actions are not acceptable, the child sees this as a reinforcer and the behavior increases according to Thorndike’s law of cause and effect. Dr. Kaikobad affirms that the parents of these children show traits of the disorder and it is usually marked in childhood by cruelty to animals.

In his book Bad Boys, Bad Men, Black confirms that the behaviors that bloom into full-fledged anti social personality begin before the age of fifteen (81). Black also affirms that it is normal to break the rules occasionally as many of us push the boundaries of social expectations but eventually we realize that the rules and laws are there to help us. However some people never learn and from childhood on they rebel against every type of regulation and despite all sanctions they remain in the rut of bad behavior and this resistance to authority dominates their lives.

The DSM IV requires that conduct disorder be a requirement in diagnosing antisocial personality disorder (81). Anti social personality show an aversion to authority and most children commit petty stealing to portray this aversion but as they grow older, these petty crimes give birth to more severe crimes, which land them in jail. Black states that anti social boys may join gangs, because gangs provided a means of defying authority and the law. In a case presented in his book Black affirmed that the root of an anti social boy’s problem was his parents whom made him feel rejected, overlooked in favor of his siblings. The boy Doug when placed back in the house with his parents tried to commit suicide, which led to doctors to reinforce their earlier belief that he wanted to get away from his parents (80).

Extreme childhood trauma had been shown to be a cause of dissociative personality disorder. Dissociative personality disorder is a phenomenal condition in which there appears to be distinct personalities or people living in the same body, and some personalities may be of a different sex than the host body. These very different personalities are born when a person suffers extreme trauma and they take over whenever a person cannot cope with the world. The personalities are so distinct that you may actually think that you are talking to a different person when speaking to one.

The book Sybil portrays the true story of a woman who had sixteen different personalities existing within her. Her doctor discovered, after extensive psychoanalysis that Sybil’s mother, a schizophrenic had put her through demoralizing torment since she was a baby. Sybil developed the selves as a way of escaping the torments of the world whenever stressors arouse that she could not deal with. Now this may seem like a terrific way to escape the tragedies of life but things are not always what they seem. The real Sybil was a depleted personality, while the other personalities protected her from life’s miseries they also stole from her emotions. Dissociative identity disorder takes years to right, and it is done so through hypnosis and integration in which Freud’s psychoanalysis is used (Schreiber).

Dissociative fugue is another disturbing dissociative disorder. This disorder lasts from a period of a few hours to a few months in which a person suffers extreme amnesia and travels to a place far away from home and maybe gets a new job and in extreme cases a new family (Kaikobad). It can be brought on by extreme stress or a trauma.

These dissociative disorders are very traumatic to an individual and their family because can you imagine losing time and not knowing what you did, or having to endure the long and trying process of integration in order to become one again. Picture the scenario of the person with the dissociative fugue who is happily married and living comfortably on e minute and the next they don’t know who they are and so they decide to build a new home and family, only to wake up one day and wonder who was the person next to them. This would be very distressing for the person and the members of both their new and old family.

Many people refer to psychological disorders as insanity, however this is not a term found in the DSM IV. Insanity is a legal term but not a psychiatric diagnosis. Dissociative disorders are often used as a facade in criminal cases as men and women try to build a pretense of multiple personalities to assume responsibility for the crimes that they themselves while in their own personality but a very psychotic state of mind committed.

This was so in the case of a man who had conjured up a split personality “Stephen” in order to escape the punishment for his crimes, which included murder and rape. There are many rules in diagnosing multiple personality and a major one states that a person does not remember what he did as another personality, this is a major factor in dissociative personality being a very dangerous problem.

When a person unties their bondage to reality, this is a very heartrending case. However this may be necessary in the case of people suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. This disorder includes vivid recollections, flashbacks and reliving a traumatic incident. Patients suffer from insomnia, psychic numbness, agitation caused by overwhelming assault on the mind or body. The early Greeks documented this disorder and during the civil war the terms soldiers heart and irritable heart were born. Victims mostly include veterans of wars who had to let go of their morals and kill or be killed, although people who suffered sexual assault, a natural disaster or witnessed a violent crime are prone to this disorder.

People sometimes have to let go of their conscious minds or principles as in the case of soldiers killing one another during the trauma and let their will for survival take over. However as we know nothing comes without a price and these soldiers may suffer greatly afterward as they relive their horrifying experiences and feel devastating grief or guilt and feel inert desires to harm someone as they relive or have nightmares about their experience. Homer said, “…It is not possible to fight beyond your strength even if you strive…” Veterans had to abandon their morality and fight for survival and when they are placed in a society where there is no real threat or danger they may not realize it because of their vivid recollections. In a case of this disorder a seventy one year old man drove his car into a ditch because he thought that an airplane above was going to bomb him. This is very distressing for the individual and their family because they may be a threat to themselves and their family because they themselves feel threatened. In a case of this disorder a seventy one year old man drove his car into a ditch because he thought that an airplane above was going to bomb him.

Victims of post- traumatic stress disorder are generally unable to talk to anyone about the way that they are feeling and they may turn to wine or alcohol as a means of escape. They experience difficulty in carrying out everyday tasks as the fear and helplessness can come on at any time and their families feel helpless as well because they do not know how to help them. Eighty percent of victims suffer from other major types of psychiatric illness like panic disorders (Trouble in mind: post traumatic stress disorder).

Schizophrenia is another disorder that causes a person to abandon reality. Health center.com affirms that schizophrenia is a mental illness that causes a person to lose touch with reality. Research states an excess of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain or seratonin may play a part in the disease.

Contrary to popular belief schizophrenia does not mean that a person has split personalities, in fact they have only one personality but they may suffer from hallucinations and delusions amongst other symptoms. Schizophrenics usually come from a schizophrenogenic household and have a low tolerance for stress. A genetic diathesis is a factor in the disease and a dysfunctional family in which emotionally everything has the same weight and there is no individual sense of identity for family members. There is also double bind communication which means that two diametrically opposed messages are given at the same time, this causes confusion in a child and they develop personality traits that are maladaptive and longstanding.

About one percent of the world develops schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a severe condition because it occurs when there is a global breakdown of all levels of functioning (Kaikobad). Individuals with the disease can harm themselves because their association is loose and they may develop a state termed waxy mobility where they can stay I a position for hours at a time, which can cause severe damage to their nerves and muscles. Schizophrenia is also treated by the integration approach as well as medication and psychotherapy, which strongly advise that a person not be allowed back into their dysfunctional family.

Psychological disorders are not rare and are disturbing as any physical disease. These disorders interfere with a person’s ability to function emotionally, mentally and to enjoy life. Although they are recognized today most people still do not understand them and there is a general fear and ignorance of people with these disorders. When our minds are not our own anymore and it is ruled by narcissistic and Id principles then people should not fear what damage we can to them but what try to understand the horror that psychological disorders present to its victims and sanction the cause for treatment and understanding. It is not an easy task to be incapable of the basic mental functions that God had granted us so we should try to identify with those that are denied the privileges of normal life due to their mental incapacities. We have revolutionized our treatments towards some of the disorders that I have talked about hopefully we will be able to the same to our attitude to these disorders in the future.

critical analysis of oroonoko

Two major literary genres are the romance and novel. A romance is a narrative in which characters are idealized and the plot follows the adventures of an individual. On the other hand a novel contains individualized characters with probable plots and social themes. Aphra Behn’s Oroonoko is a story about an African prince who is enslaved and taken to Surinam to work on a plantation. This story has elements of both a romance and a novel. Oroonoko has the idealized characters and episodic plot of a romance, but addresses social themes associated with a novel.

A characteristic of a romance is the idealized characters. In Oroonoko the characters are idealized instead of individualized. The characters in this story can be divided into either good or evil. The hero and heroine are ideals in their society and embody goodness. Behn describes her hero and heroine, “…she (Imoinda) was female of the noble male (Oroonoko); the beautiful black Venus to our young Mars; and as charming in her person as he, and of delicate virtues.” Although Oroonoko is an African prince we can see him as the brave and noble knight of the romances. Likewise, Imoinda represents the beautiful and virtuous maiden in the romances who is pursued by many men but falls deeply in love with the hero.

Just as Oroonoko and Imoinda symbolize goodness, the villains represent all that is evil. Oroonoko’s grandfather is selfish and greedy. He is jealous of Oroonoko and sacrifices the happiness of his only heir to satisfy his lust for the honorable Imoinda. The governor is a greedy man and Behn describes his character as, “…not being fit to be mentioned with the worst of slaves.” He (the governor) lies to Oroonoko and refuses to grant him his freedom. He is unreasonable and cruel as we see the inhuman way in which he orders Oroonoko’s death.

Unlike a novel the plot of Oroonoko is not character driven. Instead it is episodic and controls the characters. We see an example of the plot controlling the characters when Oroonoko agrees dine on the ship and is consequently betrayed by the captian. Oroonoko is a warrior and should be insightful to the deceit that is about to befall him. However, he is tricked by the captain and becomes a slave. The lack of insight should not be a characteristic of a warrior; nevertheless Oronokoo is a victim of this, which shows that the characters are plot driven. We see that Oroonoko character is plot driven because his speeches are lectures.

In an episodic plot coincidence and reversals play imperative roles. This story relies heavily on the coincidental meeting of Oroonoko and Imoinda in their new world (Surinam). The meeting of the hero and heroine in a strange new world is greatly improbable, however Oroonoko is sold to the same plantation as Imoinda. A reversal of the plot occurs when Oroonoko, a prince is sold into slavery. This reversal of fortune is very similar to the tests that the knights in romances are faced with because it tests the strength and resilience of Oroonoko. He finds himself trapped in a strange world where the only person he can rely on is himself.

Perhaps the greatest resemblance of Oroonoko to a novel is the social themes that are exemplified in the story. A major theme in this story is Slavery, a problem that plagued Behn’s society. She points out the unfairness and cruelty of slavery by describing how it ruined the life of a noble character, Oroonoko. She makes the noble characters in her story the slaves and native Indians. This allows her to draw a contrast between her society and the society of the slaves and Indians. The contrast shows that the slaves and Indians were far nobler than the Europeans because they were not corrupted by greed.

Through her own character she illustrates the prejudice of her society to slaves and to the natives of Surinam. She states, “…we were possessed with extreme fear… that he (Oroonoko) would secure himself till night, and then that he would come down and cut all our throats.” This statement reveals that even though Oroonoko is Behn’s friend and has gained her respect she cannot lose her society’s prejudice of slaves as savages because she is afraid that he would kill her. She depicts her society’s prejudice against women because she is unable to assist Oroonoko in becoming free.

Oroonoko is a wonderful story that fits neither into the genre of romance nor novel. However, it exemplifies characteristics of both genres. The fact that it is neither lends it a uniqueness that couples with the exotic characters and setting of the story. The idealized characters and episodic plot contrast with the social themes addressed in the story. On the other hand, by creating such idealized characters Behn succeeds in portraying the abject wickedness of slavery and delivering a forceful them in Oroonoko.

confusion the beginning...

What is it to feel this fear, this growing insanity? Can we prevent this, like nipping a budding cold? Yes there are some who claim they can help but in the long run is there really anyone who can control the mind of another? No, you have to first grant the permission for this to occur and succumb to the thoughts of another. Sever the bond that secures the mind to the soul. Does the heart really care about the deeds of the mind and soul? What about the soul? A rather selfish entity. It is the essence of who we are, therefore, am I selfish? I do not know, it is so much easier to not care, to just leave it to the spontaneity of cause and effect, maybe then pain will not roam free like a malignant cancer growing and growing, taking over our being.

A thunderous cloud hovers over us all, how can others not feel this fear, the impending insanity that accompanies life? Maybe its a punishment but its also ecstatic pain, a lust for life, a wanting to feel need for the pain. Maybe then we'll know that we are human after all and it gives us a need to care to believe. Karma or destiny whichever nomination you choose, gift or curse, I do not know but, it offers the being something tangible, to know to care to feel love and to give it, a narcissistic heart, an apathetic being, only wanting the joy for itself, a hunger to be known, to be loved or hated, the need for your presence, being to be acknowledged. I am telling you we all are selfish and maybe already feeling the treacherous bite of insanity.

To feel this lust, wanting the experience of it. A wild passion, knowing that you are on the fringe of insanity. Close enough to know the love of life but with the wisdom to accept the pain. We should envy those who already have crossed the line, broken the bond, succumbed to the lust and lure of the unknown. The unleashed mind in all its fury, thoughts roaming in eternity, a vast wilderness, where can we seek refuge from our own insanity? In the heavens, shall we hide, cower like a bird in a cage, or roam free like our minds with the madness to escape. I'll stop now and begin...

We can only feel happiness for a short time, the actual moment of joy or fleeting memories of pleasure from our past. They say that we must be content at all times, how can we feel the joys and pleasure that life offers if we cling to the bitter sweetness of pain and cruelty that we attach ourselves to and love more than the hedonistic things that we crave. Shall love flourish in this world where we only care about ourselves. Accepting one’s love is far less complicated than creating and sharing love with another. We are unable to trust. Love flourishes on trust so here we are presented with a cull de sac. I will tell my story now…

a paper on othello, my favourite play

There are forces within a society that conform people to an expected code of conduct and way of thinking which takes away from their individuality. Shakespeare’s play Othello is a tragedy about a Moor who is manipulated by another man into murdering his wife. Othello demonstrates the environment’s ability to model man’s behavior and cognitive processes. Iago was able to manipulate Othello because his society was governed by superstition, racism and sexism.

Superstition is a theme in Othello. A notable similarity between Othello and Barbantio is their acceptance of superstitions. Superstition is introduced in the play when Barbantio exclaims “I therefore vouch again that with some mixtures powerful o’er the blood, or with some dram conjured to this effect, he wrought upon her.” Barbantio is accusing Othello of using magic to seduce Desdemona because he is unable to accept their love. Othello was unwilling to completely believe Iago’s claims of Desdemona’s infidelity until he was given ocular proof. Iago provided the proof by planting in Cassio’s possession, a handkerchief that Othello had given to Desdemona as a wedding present.

The handkerchief represents superstition. Othello is superstitious because he believes that the handkerchief is magical and capable of bringing marital bliss to its bearer. He says “There’s magic in the web of it.” Othello thinks that he is cuckolded because Desdemona had given the handkerchief to Cassio. We can see that this handkerchief is probably not enough proof for one to believe that they are being cuckolded. However, Iago knew that Othello values the handkerchief because he believes it to be magical. Consequently he uses Othello’s superstitious nature against him.

The theme of racism is an integral part of this play. The Venetian society thinks that they are civilized and considers outsiders (for example the Turks) as uncivilized. Although Othello is valued as a general he is not accepted by the Venetian society. A staggering display of racism is demonstrated when Iago and Roderigo hurl insults at Barbantio because his daughter has married a Moor. Iago displays his abject racism as he shouts, “ Even now, now, very now an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” and “…you will have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse…” Iago stresses on Othello’s complexion pointing out that he is black in comparison to Desdemona and he compares Othello to an animal. Further racism is depicted when Barbantio refuses to accept the marriage of Othello and Desdemona. Barbantio welcomed Othello as a friend but refused him as an in-law. Barbantio’s behavior mirrors that of society.

Othello is aware that he is the outsider. Iago plays with Othello’s insecurity in being the outsider and uses it to manipulate Othello into believing that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair when he says “Not to affect many proposed matches of her own clime, complexion and degree.” Iago lures Othello into believing that Desdemona prefers Cassio because he is of her country, color (race) and knows about the social graces in their society.

A major theme in the play is sexism. Sexism is depicted many times in the plot. Iago is very sexist and thinks that all women are whores. We see an example of this sexism when Iago says to Emila and Desdemona, “…You are pictures out of doors, bells in your parlors, wildcats in your kitchens …players in your huswifery, and huswives in your beds.” Iago says that women are hypocrites who are brazen and only good for copulating because that is all they are capable of. This very sexist view of women is prevalent in the society and it is used to mould Othello’s view of women. Barbantio warns Othello that Desdemona is not faithful because she has abandoned her father and may do the same to him. Iago uses Desdemona’s love for Othello against him and tells further instills a doubt of Desdemona’s honesty when he tells Othello “ She did deceive her father, marrying you; And when she seemed to shake and fear your looks’ She loved them most.” The society’s degrading view of women seeped into Othello’s mind and distorted the image wife’s love to infidelity and hypocrisy.

In this play we see how in disturbing forces in society can debilitate one’s faith in love and expose their mind to evil. Superstition, racism and sexism are very dangerous forces in society because they influence the minds of people and narrow their point of views and tolerance for things that are different. The forces in the play still govern today’s’ society. We see instances where people allow superstition to rule over logic. People accept outsiders as their friends but refuse them as their family. In some places women are subdued because a stereotype is present. Maybe societies of today can learn from Othello and see that by accepting these dangerous forces of racism, sexism and superstition we are only lending to our downfall. Othello fell from grace because he allowed himself to be influenced by the dangerous forces within his society.