Wednesday, November 27, 2019
How does Shakespeare prepare his audience for the events which occur later in the play Essay Example
How does Shakespeare prepare his audience for the events which occur later in the play? Essay Over the past four hundred years, the famous play, Romeo and Juliet, has inspired many readers across the world. The classic play, written by famous playwright William Shakespeare has captured and will continue to capture peoples minds. The main question that rises is why this play has been performed on stage for so long. The story consists of two star-crossed lovers who fall in love at first sight. For generations people saw this play as a reflection of their own life and experiences. Shakespeare parts in the play to prepare the audience for later events and this may have proved why it has been such a success. I think that Shakespeare created a play like this to show people that ancient grudges can become very dangerous and that they can lead to tragedy, as they did in this. Showing the audience that violence and feud never work out well. He also may have used the final outcome to present a moral meaning and to show his audience that good overcomes evil. We will write a custom essay sample on How does Shakespeare prepare his audience for the events which occur later in the play? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on How does Shakespeare prepare his audience for the events which occur later in the play? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on How does Shakespeare prepare his audience for the events which occur later in the play? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We are told the outline of the story at the very start in the prologue and shown that the inevitable will happen and that the two lovers in the play will kill themselves, a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life. This shows that the destiny or fate of the two lovers has already been decided. The prologue for a modern day audience would spoil the whole play but back in the days of Shakespeare the audiences were far more ruthless and some would even throw rotten food at the actors. So, by making this prologue it would increase the suspense and the audience would know that they were in for a good play. Shakespeare uses the prologue to outline the main events but also to introduce major themes of the play. Throughout we are exposed to a variety of different themes. At the beginning of the play in scene 1 we are immediately immersed into a theme of hatred and conflict between the two sides. The audience is shown the extent of the feud right at the beginning, I will cut off their heads, Shakespeare would used the violet conflict at the beginning in the hope of building suspense and showing the possible dangers. We know that this theme will have an important role in the play, as indicated in the prologue; From forth the fatal loins of these two foes. By using these themes of feud and violence it is easy for us to link it to death and danger and I think that Shakespeare is preparing the audience for the worst through the use of these. The theme appears in many scenes as we progress through the novel and we learn the risk which is associated with the relationship between the two lovers. Shakespeare may also have included the use of these throughout to create a large contrast and allow love to seem stronger Another major theme presented throughout the play and probably the most important is love. The first time we are presented with the theme of love is in scene 3 were Paris posses the love of Juliet but this isnt true love rather just the love of her name. Romeos love for Rosaline is simply superficial, childish infatuation, and I think that these two incidents provide a build up for the real dangerous love to come. This theme of love is presented in a superior, overwhelming form, and Shakespeare may have been trying to show the audience that this love is not ordinary, preparing them for strange or unexpected events to follow. Fate also plays an important role in Romeo and Juliet, the audience is exposed to this in the prologue at the start, a pair of star-crossed lovers, indicating that they are cursed and something bad will result. I think that Shakespeare used this constant sense of fate in the play as a moral meaning to show the audience that some things are meant to happen. I also think that use of fate in the novel prepares the audience for the final outcome and it does not make it seem so bad. Shakespeare uses a contrast of lighting in the play and uses this to symbolise different feelings and moods. They also highlight the conflicts in the play, more light and light, more dark and dark our woes. When there is a continued use of darkness it adds to the feeling of sorrow and danger. Shakespeare may have used this contrast in the hope of showing a completely different perspective, he also may have used the idea of darkness to prepare the audience for danger. The idea of brightness and colour is often used alongside the theme of love and by using this it is giving the audience a false sense of hope and using trickery. These key themes show important indications of events which are to happen latter in the play. In act 1 we are presented with numerous indications of hatred and consequences which will arise further on. Shakespeare opens the play with an immediate impact on the audience showing the hostility between the two sides, as I hate hell, all Montagues and thee, These compelling pieces of resentment give the audience a sense of how hard it will be for Romeo and Juliet to have a relationship that will run smoothly. Shakespeare may have used these opening lines in the hope of giving the audience a glimpse of future conflict and violence. This idea of conflict and feud is backed up through the use of, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace, expressing even more danger while showing that this feud may end up in death, adding to the overall suspense Shakespeare is building. This idea of future grief is strengthened further, Black and portentous must this humour prove, which is indicating to the audience that the relationship between the two families will have consequences in the future. Shakespeare presents more future indications with the use of scene 4. At the start Romeo shows the importance of love using a question to present the idea that love can bound you and not let go, it also shows how it can torment your feelings, is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous and it pricks like a thorn. It may also have been used to inform the audience of the capability of love and the potential danger it can carry. Being but heavy I will bear the light, another important phrase showing that even if he is sad he will still carry on, however, with reference to the prologue we know that this is not the case, a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life. Probably the most important sentence referring to the future in scene 4 is Romeos line; But tis not wit to go, a prolepsis a direct hint towards the future which is relevant to the present. Further through the book we realise how important and defining this quote is and it is as if Romeo has some strang e sense which is warning him of the consequences which will follow. Shakespeare may have used this quote to show the audience that it was no coincidence that Romeo and Juliet met and it was planned from the beginning. Towards the end of the scene Romeo speaks eight lines which have great relevance to the future and contain a variety of metaphors, Romeo speaks these lines with a hidden meaning, Shakespeare may have wanted to use these lines to prepare the audience further for death or tragedy which will occur later in the play shall bitterly begin his fearful date, Romeo is most likely to be referring to the day he dies, he also shares the idea that somehow the duration of their life or relationship is cut short , expire the term, But despite these premonitions Romeo goes ahead and enters the Capulets house giving us the impression that Romeo is not in full control of his life and he may be making rash decisions, Shakespeare most likely used this to show the audience that careless judgements may occur in the future. There is also the impression that Romeo is being guided by God, But he who steerage of my course. Scene 5 is when the lovers first meet and it is used to show the audience how quickly the love between the two is rapidly building. In lines 41-50 the audience is presented with Romeo in a dreamy and obsessed mood as Romeo throws many complements to Juliet which are cheesy. Shakespeare may have used this sense of obsession gives a slight hint towards any impulsive, rash or emotional behaviour to follow. Shakespeare may be using these lines to build a false sense of security and persuading the audience that the final outcome will be a happy one. However he uses a strong contrast to rule out this, To strike him dead I hold not a sin, he also may have used this quote in the hope of showing that this relationship will be kept in secret. We are also given another quote which is preparing the audience for negative outcomes in the future, Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting, indicating that the presence of Romeo will lead to consequences. When Romeo sees Juliet he is overwhelmed by her beauty, She doth teach the torches to burn bright, telling us that Juliets beauty is much brighter than that of the torches so she is very beautiful. Meaning that she is so much brighter that she teaches the torches how, since torches cant really be taught, it shows the exaggeration of Romeos feelings. Shakespeare probably used this to give the audience a sense of how attached Romeo is becoming. It is important for Romeo to say this, as the audience usually could not see Juliets beauty directly in Shakespeares theatre a young boy would have played Juliet. But the metaphor also tells us that it is night, as Romeo can see the torches he compares her to. As the play is performed in daylight, it allows the audience to imagine this, letting the play be more memorable. Romeo opens the next part of scene 5 with a sonnet. The sonnet uses a wide range of imagery with deep hidden meanings. Romeo describes his lips as two blushing pilgrims, a pilgrim is the word used to describe a person that visits a holy place to worship. So in this sonnet, Romeo is the pilgrim who is devoted to Juliet, which Shakespeare is using to show the audience that he will worship her and do anything for her. By saying that his lips are two blushing pilgrims, Romeo is using a religious metaphor to show their feelings for each other. Shakespeare is also using hints indicating that he should love her like an idol Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too? This is giving the audience a sense of how devastating it would be for Romeo if anything happened to Juliet. The overall feeling about this sonnet shows this obsessive love between the two however it may also contain a hidden meaning, since it refers to biblical times. Shakespeare is most likely to have used this sonnet to prep are the audience for later events like death. Shakespeare prepares us for future events by flooding the scene with anger alongside the lovers impulsive love. Romeo recognises that Juliet is from the Capulet house and he realises how difficult it will be for him, Is she a Capulet? O dear account! My life is my foes debt, Shakespeare is using this to show the audience that this situation will arise to serious consequences and even death. Shakespeare also reveals that Romeos name is Juliets enemy and that this trivial thing could have a serious ending, my only love sprung from my only hate, he is building the audiences sense of dread even further. He builds this sense further, my grave is like to be my wedding-bed, showing that they will only be happy in death. Throughout the play Shakespeare adds in the use of Oxymorons to put together opposite meanings. The oxymoron of sweet sorrow illustrates perfectly Juliets passion and devotion towards Romeo, Parting is such sweet sorrow, Shakespeare may be showing the audience that they will do anything for each other in the hope that the audience realises this will lead to bad events. In act 2 scene 2 Shakespeare shows the audience how viciously the love between the two is growing, O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? He could be using this to give the audience the impression that everything will be alright because of their chemistry, but it could also be hinting that this obsession could lead to a disaster. Throughout this scene Shakespeare uses quotes to trick the audience into a false sense of security, which is allowing them to be more optimistic, It is the east, and Juliet is the sun, showing that Juliets beauty lightens the world. Shakespeare also uses this scene to show the audience the reason why the tragedy is going to take place, he explains that it is only Romeos name which is putting him in so much danger, Whats in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, he is using this to tell the audience that we should not base our opinions or actions on something so irrelevant like a name. In the play, Shakespeare makes the Friar out to seem wise and trusted and this sense of trust allows the audience to believe what he says. He gives him many important lines which give reference to the future. In scene 3 Shakespeare uses the Friar to foreshadow their eventual deaths and the strife between the rival families, these violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die, like fire and powder. The theme of feud and death reappears in act 3 scene 1. In this scene the events which have been predicted earlier are set in motion, Shakespeare uses the scene to show that audience that the prologue has become true, building a sense of dread and suspense. When Mercutio has been injured Shakespeare uses the phrase, a plague on both your houses, however he shows the significance of this by repeating it three times. He used this to prepare the audience to show that something bad will happen to both households as a result of this bitterness. After Mercutio has left the scene Tybalt is beaten by Romeo, immediately after Romeo does this he cries out, O I am fortunes fool! this has made Mercutio earlier phrase true and Shakespeare shows the audience that this will not be a happy ending this is backed up by an ending sentence, This days black fate on more days doth depend: This but begins the woe others must end. Shakespeare uses these later scenes to back up the prologue in the hope of showing the audience how desperate the tragedy was and by giving a glimpse of how sad it would have been, so he is allowing the audience to fill the actors shoes. This allows the play to be more significant and it lets it seem more realistic, O woe! O woeful, woeful, woeful day! Great meaning is added to the play in the closing scenes. Shakespeare uses these last few scenes not only to make true the earlier predictions but to present a moral meaning to the audience. He uses poison to represent death it also gives a heightened sense of fear. Shakespeare shows that fate did not play a part in the play and that Romeo made his decisions out of free will Then I defy you, stars! He says this when Juliet is dead and he says that he will go against fate by joining Juliet in death, which is adding to the increased sorrow and grief. The play is rounded off showing the audience that peace has resulted between the two families as a result of Romeo and Juliets death. For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo. Even though the final outcome of this play may be a depressing and sad one, it fits with the earlier predictions earlier in the play. The way Shakespeare has prepared us through earlier hints it does not seem as sad and it allows the audience to accept the outcome better. The end also presents us with the thought that ancient grudges do not solve anything but instead make matters worse. I think that the use of these hints and indications of future events allowed the play to be a lot more than a tragedy. They increased the suspense and led to more drama. The play of Romeo and Juliet showed the brilliance of Shakespeare and there is no wonder why he is one of the most famous playwrights of all time.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Krakatoa Volcano Eruption of 1883
Krakatoa Volcano Eruption of 1883 The eruption of the volcano at Krakatoa in the western Pacific Ocean in August 1883 was a major disaster by any measure. The entire island of Krakatoa was simply blown apart, and the resulting tsunami killed tens of thousands of people on other islands in the vicinity. The volcanic dust thrown into the atmosphere affected the weather around the world, and people as far away as Britain and the United States eventually began to see bizarre red sunsets caused by particles in the atmosphere. It would take years for scientists to connect the spooky red sunsets with the eruption at Krakatoa, as the phenomenon of dust being thrown into the upper atmosphere was not understood. But if the scientific effects of Krakatoa remained murky, the volcanic eruption in a remote part of the world had a nearly immediate impact on heavily populated regions. The events at Krakatoa were also significant because it was one of the first times that detailed descriptions of a colossal news event traveled around the world quickly, carried by undersea telegraph wires. Readers of daily newspapers in Europe and North America were able to follow current reports of the disaster and its enormous implications. In the early 1880s Americans had grown used to receiving news from Europe by undersea cables. And it wasnt unusual to see happenings in London or Dublin or Paris described within days in newspapers in the American West. But the news from Krakatoa seemed much more exotic, and was coming from a region which most Americans could barely contemplate. The idea that events on a volcanic island in the western Pacific could be read about within days at the breakfast table was a revelation. And so the remote volcano became an event that seemed to make the world grow smaller. The Volcano at Krakatoa The great volcano on the island of Krakatoa (sometimes spelled as Krakatau or Krakatowa) loomed over the Sunda Strait, between the islands of Java and Sumatra in present day Indonesia. Before the 1883 eruption, the volcanic mountain reached a height of approximately 2,600 feet above sea level. The slopes of the mountain were covered with green vegetation, and it was a notable landmark to sailors passing through the straits. In the years preceding the massive eruption several earthquakes occurred in the area. And in June 1883 small volcanic eruptions began to rumble across the island. Throughout the summer the volcanic activity increased, and tides at islands in the area began to be affected. The activity kept accelerating, and finally, on August 27, 1883, four massive eruptions came from the volcano. The final colossal explosion destroyed two-thirds of the island of Krakatoa, essentially blasting it into dust. Powerful tsunamis were triggered by the force. The scale of the volcanic eruption was enormous. Not only was the island of Krakatoa shattered, other small islands were created. And the map of the Sunda Strait was changed forever. Local Effects of the Krakatoa Eruption Sailors on ships in nearby sea lanes reported astounding events associated with the volcanic eruption. The sound was loud enough to break the eardrums of some crewmen on ships many miles away. And pumice, or chunks of solidified lava, rained from the sky, pelting the ocean and the decks of ships. The tsunamis set off by the volcanic eruption rose as high as 120 feet, and slammed into the coastlines of the inhabited islands of Java and Sumatra. Entire settlements were wiped away, and it is estimated that 36,000 people died. Distant Effects of the Krakatoa Eruption The sound of the massive volcanic eruption traveled enormous distances across the ocean. At the British outpost on Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean more than 2,000 miles from Krakatoa, the sound was clearly heard. People in Australia also reported hearing the explosion. It is possible that Krakatoa created one of the loudest sounds ever generated on earth, rivaled only by the volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815. Pieces of pumice were light enough to float, and weeks after the eruption large pieces began drifting in with the tides along the coast of Madagascar, an island off the east coast of Africa. Some of the large pieces of volcanic rock had animal and human skeletons embedded in them. They were grisly relics of Krakatoa. The Krakatoa Eruption Became a Worldwide Media Event Something that made Krakatoa different from other major events in the 19th century was the introduction of the transoceanic telegraph cables. The news of Lincolnââ¬â¢s assassination less than 20 years earlier had taken nearly two weeks to reach Europe, as it had to be carried by ship. But when Krakatoa erupted, a telegraph station at Batavia (present day Jakarta, Indonesia) was able to send the news to Singapore. Dispatches were relayed quickly, and within hoursà newspaper readers in London, Paris, Boston, and New York were beginning to beà informed of the colossal events in the distant Sunda Straits. The New York Times ran a small item on the front page of August 28, 1883 - carrying a dateline from the day before - relaying the first reports tapped out on the telegraph key in Batavia: ââ¬Å"Terrific detonations were heard yesterday evening from the volcanic island of Krakatoa. They were audible at Soerkrata, on the island of Java. The ashes from the volcano fell as far as Cheribon, and the flashes proceeding from it were visible in Batavia.â⬠The initial New York Times item also noted that stones were falling from the sky, and that communication with the town of Anjier ââ¬Å"is stopped and it is feared there has been a calamity there.â⬠(Two days later the New York Times would report that the European settlement of Anjiers had been ââ¬Å"swept awayâ⬠by a tidal wave.) The public became fascinated with the news reports about the volcanic eruption. Part of that was due to the novelty of being able to receive such distant news so quickly. But it was also because the event was so enormous and so rare. The Eruption at Krakatoa Became a Worldwide Event Following the eruption of the volcano, the area near Krakatoa was enveloped in a strange darkness, as dust and particles blasted into the atmosphere blocked sunlight. And as winds in the upper atmosphere carried the dust great distances, people on the other side of the world began to notice the effect. According to a report in the Atlantic Monthly magazine published in 1884, some sea captains had reported seeing sunrises that were green, with the sun remaining green throughout the day. And sunsets around the world turned a vivid red in the months following the Krakatoa eruption. The vividness of the sunsets continued for nearly three years. American newspaper articles in late 1883 and early 1884 speculated on the cause of the widespread phenomenon of blood red sunsets. But scientists today know that dust from Krakatoa blown into the high atmosphere was the cause. The Krakatoa eruption, massive as it was, was actually not the largest volcanic eruption of the 19th century. That distinction would belong to the eruption of Mount Tambora in April 1815. The Mount Tambora eruption, as it happened before the invention of the telegraph, was not as widely known. But it actually had a more devastating impact as it contributed to bizarre and deadly weather the following year, which became known as The Year Without a Summer.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Piero Gobetti On Liberal Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Piero Gobetti On Liberal Revolution - Essay Example In the book, Gobetti identifies two Italy. One of the Italy comprises of the enlightened and focus on modernity but it is small while the other comprises of the premodern is dominant and is characterized by traditionalism. Gobetti associates liberalism with other revolutionally movement. This essay focuses on my understanding of Gobettiââ¬â¢s ideologies in the book On Liberal Revolution. Gobetti live in the period after First World War when Italian liberalism had been abandoned and substituted by the great desire for power. The political figures were ready to hold to power at all costs. Gobetti criticizes this kind of life and advocates for revival of true liberalism. Gobetti addressed fascist political culture. This is because there had been quite a number of liberal governments but they had not put much effort in establishing liberalism. This had led to failure of liberal economics and culture. He felt that Italy had failed in its efforts of establishing a middle class that bene fited the nation as it had happened in Great Britain and France. He felt that the middle class had played a great role in establishing successful liberal societies. However, the middle class in Italy was ineffective. Gobetti valued class liberalism since he believed that it was capable of to bring radical change (Gobetti, Urbinati, & McCuaig, 2000). Gobetti was opposed to the decline of liberalism in Italy and his book is an agonistic reformulation of liberalism. In Gobettiââ¬â¢s opinion, conflict and not consensus is the foundation of social and political regeneration. He considered liberalism to entail continuous ethnic struggle against transcendental beliefs (Gobetti, Urbinati, & McCuaig, 2000). Gobetti insisted that liberalism was adaptable to different classes. Gobetti opposed fascism and claimed it was an accretion of all the iniquities facing the Italian society. Throughout the book, Gobetti defends the right of people to operate without the interruption of the state. He t hus directs his revolution liberalism to the political scenery in Italy. He opposes the negative and positive conceptions of liberty. He argues that political liberty is closely linked to political liberty. He advocate for liberalism, which allowed the entire society to make their decisions without arbitrary interference from the state (Gobetti, Urbinati, & McCuaig, 2000). However, he feels that the political environment in Italy was inappropriate for liberalism. Gobetti advocates for political education on historical them accept the spirit of liberalism. Gobettiââ¬â¢s ideas are greatly influenced by the struggles of workers in Turin and Gramsciââ¬â¢s vision of a factory based democracy. The liberal Revolution was greatly influenced by his disapproval of fascism. Gobetti adopts Moscaââ¬â¢s idea of the political system characterized by struggles by elites to attain offices of power. Gobetti uses this idea to explain disagreements over ideas between the different social force s in relation to the different forms of power (Gobetti, Urbinati, & McCuaig, 2000). He believed that the workers would lead successful liberalism. This was based on the significance he associated with the struggles of the workers. In Gobetti's opinion, Fascism was indicative of the historical failure of Italyââ¬â¢s political life. He believed that there had to be transformation in the economic as well as moral culture of the society for effective liberalism to
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 105
Summary - Essay Example There are different structuring considerations for different types of businesses. Canadian businesses need registration from the concerned provincial and federal governments for getting the tax account numbers. An allocation formula is used to allocate each corporationââ¬â¢s income to the provinces of permanent establishment. Capital Taxes have been mostly waived, whereas interest expenses are financed and deducted according to the set principles. Canada follows the guidelines set by OECD for the arm-lengthââ¬â¢s principle for transfer pricing. Earnings of a Canadian subsidiary are distributed through dividends, and the cash is repatriated. Canada applies withholding tax upon the non-residentsââ¬â¢ services in Canada. Canada treats leasehold improvements as capital expenditures for the purposes of tax. Tax planning opportunities are there for companies having significant real estate amount in Canada. Canadian income tax laws apply on non-resident businessmen in Canada under domestic law, though sales made over the Internet are exempt from the income tax
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Tort Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Tort Law - Case Study Example ââ¬ËACE sportsââ¬â¢, as the organisation, was responsible for building the brand new backboard and rim in the school playground where the accident took place. It can be ascertained as one of the potentially liable entities in this scenario as depicted a significant extent of negligence in preparing the backboard and especially rim. The rim had small loose metal prices which can be a result of a lack of focus on product quality by the company. It should have given top priority towards ensuring and building a safe and a secure sporting arena. Also, the topmost priority should have been given to the fact that all those athletes (mainly school students) who were involved in this activity were needed to be assured of proper first aid facilities in the arena itself. Moreover, the surgeon and the nurse had made contributions in Bobbyââ¬â¢s surgery but they could have assisted Booby in a better manner. Based on the provided instance, it seemed that the surgery was completed in such a hurry that it got declared that by mistake Bobbyââ¬â¢s left wrist got amputated instead of his right. Consequently, it is found that in order to address the scenario an additional corrective surgery took place which resulted in Bobby losing his both wrists. This scenario refers to severe negligence from the part of doctors as in such a critical medical exigency the concerned authorities depicted a lack of focus towards their work which became fatal for an innocent individual Bobby. Also, the nurse who assisted Bobby seemed to perform those activities that did not make much of a sense. The nurse told Bobby to put pressure on his wounds that do not seem appropriate at all. Moreover, there was huge gap that seemed to exist from the part of City General hospital as it did not seem to comply with basic medical standards. The hospital did not provide medical services to Bobby as he was running out of finance and during the time of emergency, Bobbyââ¬â¢s mother did not receive any kind of response from the insurance agencies as well (Smith, 2009). Occurrences of these events ended up in Bobby getting refused in terms of receiving proper treatment at the City General hospital and he had to be shifted to a local country facility for undergoing treatment in an urgent basis (Lafferty, 2008; Statsky, 2011). Elements of Negligence There are essentially four elements of negligence that seem to reflect from the part of the healthcare professionals: Duty: The first and foremost aspect in a healthcare unit is to perform oneââ¬â¢s duty in an orderly and appropriate manner. If anyone is found to be not complying with the medical standards in performing his/her basic duties then it can result in negligence (Okrent, 2009; Statsky, 2011). Breach: These aspects are considered to take place when one does not seem to obey the medical or industrial standards and comply with the basic rules (Statsky, 2011). Causation: It is an act which generally reflects inappropriate behavi or from the part of the medial care unit that results in causing harm to the patients who undergo treatment (Statsky, 2011). Damage: Damage is a very serious element of negligence which brings about harm to a patient in the matters associated with health and safety (Statsky, 2011). All the elements of negligence apply to ACE Sports, the nurse, the surgeon and City General as all of them were found to be involved in activities that greatly
Friday, November 15, 2019
Can the EU Serve as an Integration Model for ASEAN?
Can the EU Serve as an Integration Model for ASEAN? The age old saying of ââ¬Å"thereââ¬â¢s more than one way to skin a catâ⬠has served as a clichà ©d phrase to adequately illustrate and paint the canvas of the archetypal process, exemplar standard or the perfect specimen isnââ¬â¢t the only path to success. This expression has been applicable as life advice, in competitive sports, career choices, as well as habitual daily-life in achieving greatness, the idiom has also lent to International Relations. Cooperation at any level is considered an achievement in all respectful fields; the ability to set aside differences, identify commonality for a purpose and the overlapping determination in reaching that ambition. The success of cooperating in International Relations takes the form of nation states coming together in alliance on the basis of commonality towards an ambitious goal, furthering into nation states in regions linking arms in pursuit for a collective objective. This profound bond is the grouping of nation states i n a region exuding behaviors as a collective who understand differences, identify common interests and strive towards a unified goal. The examples of regionalization would be of the European Union, the EU, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN. While the two regional groupings have been known to be successful, the level of integration between the two differ quite considerably. The EUââ¬â¢s level of integration furthers ASEAN by many folds; the ability to integrate not only areas for free trade, but the unification of the market, currency, common passport, a customs union and a commonality in foreign policy as a region all through a common institution. The overwhelming success of the European Union dwarfs that of ASEAN where the Asian counterpart has only been able to achieve integration regionally through free trade and economic movement. The difference in level of integration begs the question of whether the EU model has the ability to befit that of ASEAN and p rovide guidelines and prove to be exemplar in regional integration. To begin whether the EU model is capable of providing as a structural guideline for ASEAN, we inspect the circumstances of the purpose each integration from its origins, and examine the validity of the two then systematically determine whether the EU model is capable of befitting that of ASEAN to achieve paralleling success in the East. The integration of the European Union is herald as the greatest union of nation states in a region, highest achievement in integration of a common currency, customs union, single market, common passport and foreign policy under a common institution. The ability for the members to share sovereignty and surrender to a collective long-term goal of a regional cooperation above domestic interests creates a supportive environment in channeling political will. The European Union marked the pioneer for regional integration which exhibited a collective ideology of a ââ¬Ëcommunity approachââ¬â¢ rather than the traditional balance of power mode accrediting Robert Schuman of France and Konrad Andenauer of Germany. The collective to channel political will led to the construction of a legally binding common institution which oversaw the integration project. This Western model empowered the consensus approach with a pronged initiative of solidarity and tolerance by not isolating any member regarding major domestic issues of a banking crisis resulting in an increase in public debt. Greece represents the first test to the European Unionââ¬â¢s Single currency resulting in a great increase in both public debt and deficit. The consensus approach meant that Union were hesitant in decision-makings as well as implementing policies until the vast majority of member states were pursued to collectively pursue and implement such policies. The process of proposals passed through the Working Party, then to the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) then finally a Council configuration secures that a proposal befits the interests of the entire Union. The willingness to provide significant financial transfer to help poorer members catch up with the collective norm meant that stronger members in the Union saw the importance of financial weaker nation states and placed collective will power above domestic interests but meant a lag and a pull back on financial capabilities for further advancements. Under the leadership of France and Germany meant that Paris and Berlin were the driving force behind the EU integration, and under this leadership can attribute to the success of the integration itself in the ability for the two countries to overlook historical differences between the two and step together for a success of a better tomorrow. The critical element that make regionalism successful in Europe in achieving the European Union was the ability to push aside differences; the capability in reconciling historical pasts. With historical reconciliation, especially between France and Germany with a turbulent historical past of the war of 1870, the First and Second World War. The reconciliation brought the cohesion that allowed for the development of relationship building and the necessary political will for cooperation and ultimately integration. The achievement through years of sustained political effort from leaders of both countries paved way that facilitated the mend of commonality towards sculpting a regional community. This is a reflection of the European Unionââ¬â¢s ability and ââ¬Ëcommunity approachââ¬â¢ and through a common institution of the European Econmic Community formed a Free Trade Area, instill a Customs Union that led to a Single Market and Single Currency. The regional cooperation of economics wasnââ¬â¢t the limit as foreign policy overlapped amongst the members which allowed for a common passport. These aspects and byproducts through political will in achieving an ambitious common goal forged an atmosphere of peace, prosperity and security in the European environment. With an ambitious idea seen through to the very end can prove to solidify and validate the EU model of integration especially in its historical record of responding to crisis. The validity of cooperation is tested in the face of turmoil and with such response by the European Union model, this integration has proved time and time again that in crisis it has responded astoundingly, as well establish mechanisms that eliminate repeating failures. Crisis that brought leveraged adversity namely the failed plan for a European Community in 1954 led to the creation of the European Economic Community, the EEC, the empty chair crisis of 1965 led to the de facto acceptance of the Qualified Majority Voting reflecting the consensus approach, QMV, and its eventual acceptance resulting in the 1986 Single European Act. A currency crisis of the 1980s birthed to the European Monetary System and ultimately the Euro, and finally the demise of communism in Europe led to the establishment of a common forei gn and security policy paving way for the widest enlargement EU members into the Unionââ¬â¢s integration. In retrospect, there were many requirements that had to be met for numerous nation states to come together in unison linked by interests. Requirements that places the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to the test in its own integration. The process of the European integration may have had the head start and set an example to other regions for the strive for regionalism but the European Union isnââ¬â¢t without flaws, flaws that once examined may unveil why the Western model is ill suited for ASEAN. The European Union has been the most developed model of regional integration, although historically through common institutions and the sharing of sovereignty for problem solving, recent crises havenââ¬â¢t been handled well. Shaken by an economic and financial crisis, and the lack of a timely and coherent response to the Eurozone crisis called into question the integrity of the union and increased doubts of the integration process altogether. The financial crisis revealed structural and institutional fault lines which led to a decline of the Western orientated world power into one that gave rise to Asia and its market power. Mechanisms in place that aimed to reverse or buffer the effects of the economic and financial crisis were economic adjustments or austerity measures but came off as threatening towards domestic affairs. The adjustments allowed for the fragility of political cohesion and stability; the Lisbon Treaty, also known as the Reform Treaty, that replaced the European Constitution. One of major changes of the Lisbon Treaty will be the new president of the European council with two and half year term which will replace the current presidency rotating between member states every six months. Although the Lisbon Treaty sought a reform that would restructure leadership, it paved way for a failure that would undermine the integrity of the shared collective that the European union herald greatly. The obstacle that the Lisbon Treaty faced was that Ireland placed the Lisbon Treaty on referendum, and the Irish public did not accept the Treaty and rejected its ratification. With this wave of doubt in the ratification, the Czech Senate voted for the Lisbon but lacked the signatory approval of the Czech president, without such proved his Euro-Skeptic attitudes towards it sand fueled a demonstration of the Czech public who shared disapproval of this Treaty. With this apparent failure convinced the interests to stray away from any further institutional changes, ââ¬Å"More Europe, no more.â⬠This example explores that a regional restricting that a shared collective no longer spreads the region evenly, the regionââ¬â¢s interest has slowly diminished and national interests have overtaken decisions made in this Union. Evident of this change of heart is Germanyââ¬â¢s shift in perception, as one of the strongest advocate and champ of integration, Germany leaned towards the skeptic camp as well as issuing public doubts of the Eurozone. The growing urgency rising from the problems of the European Union is that rapid integration without commensurate strengthening of political and economic institutions. The emerging gaps can allow for lessons to be learned by other regional groupings in terms of institutional capacity and necessary coordination in integration. The challenges that follows of the EU integration can be accredited to fiscal coordination, amidst a worsening of economic outlook the reform adjustments to cleanse the financial system with austerity measures led to fragility of economies of EU member states like Greece, Spain, Portugal and renewed speculation in the financial market.à The second challenge that the European Union faces is a long-standing identity crisis, the Eurozone with 16 members, European Union members allotting at 27 issues a high number heterogeneity.à The attachment of European capital to national sovereignty and its reluctance to give power to Brussels for decision making lends to a decrease in the willingness to share sovereignty. On a recent note, at the Copenhagen climate change conference in December 2009, the EU inability to collectively voice at the conference revealed the Unionââ¬â¢s weakness as an international actor. The conclusion of the conference ended with the EU agreeing to a deal that leaders of the region agreed that ââ¬Å"no deal would have been a better dealâ⬠, endorsing a deal with no legal bindings, and an informal setting of promises to curb emissions speaks volumes on EU being unable to assert itself at the most critical juncture on the world stage and stains the legacy of its integration and its ability to conform to differences and shared sovereignty in the region. If the deal wasnââ¬â¢t endorsed, it would have rallied a collective of voices who share the sentiment that such a deal would make no changes to the environment. The European Union in many of its successes poses numerous present-day challenges that undermine the achievements of this regional integration, its inability to respond to difficulties of a financial crisis and the burdening increase of doubt spreading throughout the region on the crumble of an aligned collective interest. The Asian counterpart to the European Union is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, also known as ASEAN. When foreign ministers from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore came together to sign the Bangkok Declaration on August 8th, 1976 it established this newly founded association, in hopes to manage and contain intra-regional conflicts. The Association grew to ten members with the additional Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. The goal extended to maintaining peace, and bringing stability in a community marred by war to ensure that each member is free to pursue domestic development in their respective nations. The success of ASEAN was the ability to house a community of nations whom were independent and sovereign with different historical pasts, multitudes in diversity of languages and beliefs and rarely any overlap of culture to peacefully co-exist. Aspects of diversifying historical pasts, and intra-regional conflicts didnââ¬â¢t hinder the forging of the association, the ten Southeast Asian nations were able to overcome suspicions of one another and set aside latent hostilities. ASEAN in its inception established a means of non-intervention and non-binding agreement, the inability to impose disciplines on any of its members. The approach to the ASEAN model is under the foundation of consultation and consensus which allows for a decision based on the majority before implementation. In attesting the ASEAN model, the process and approach to solving issues relies on the ââ¬ËASEAN Wayââ¬â¢ that reflects and respects cultural norms in Southeast Asia, ââ¬Å"A working process or style that is informal and personal. Policymakers constantly utilize compromise consensus, and consultation in the informal decision-making process. Quiet diplomacy allows ASEAN leaders to communicate without bringing the discussions into the public view.â⬠(Masilamni and Peterson) ASEAN did indeed progress but without flaws and missteps of their own, this Asian collective failed to resemble the progress of the EU with historical pasts unreconciled and still damaging relationships between Southeast Asian members. For example, the dispute of the Preah Vihear Temple located in Cambodia standing as a World Heritage site, struggled to resolve with Thailand. The historical site stands on Cambodian sovereignty but was under Thai occupation until Cambodiaââ¬â¢s independence in 1954. The UN has granted that Thailand remove military personnel as the site rightfully belongs to Cambodia, this territorial dispute has sparks major clashes between the border of the neighboring Southeast Asian countries. One settled by the United Nations through the International Court of Justice but stands as contention between Cambodia and Thailand. Reconciliation hasnââ¬â¢t been an agenda between the two over a 900-year-old Hindu temple. Although there are territorial disputes, and misalignment in political institutions, ASEAN is by far the most advanced of cooperatives amongst the efforts to regional groupings, taking the EU not by emulation but by examples. The ability for ASEAN to adapt progress of the integration model of the EU into ASEAN applicable means plays homage to the ââ¬ËASEAN wayââ¬â¢ of doing things that are sometimes unorthodox and against the grain. An example of using the EU as an exemplar inspiration and not by example is regularly sending delegates to Brussels to seek ideas from the EU experience. In this admiration of inspiration of the ASEAN of the progress of the EU, displays elements that differ from the Asian Association to that of the European Union and how the Western model isnââ¬â¢t necessary applicable to befit the Asian. ASEAN establishes a strictly inter-governmental body, with no interest in or indication of relinquishing means to share sovereignty between the nation members, and additionally, for ASEAN to emulate the EU model would require the ASEAN members to prerequisite a certain set of requirements to progress into integration based the EU model. Requirements that predetermine that integration breeds mutual political will and shared beliefs in the success of the long-term goal of the high level of integration is historical reconciliation for ASEAN members. Reconciliation did not take place as the nations differed on many aspects for exampleâ⬠¦ Without such reconciliation, the necessary political will and shared belief towards a long-standing goal of integration on the merits of shared sovereignty diminished which led to the operations and leader of ASEAN to be one of inter-governmental rather than through a common institution. Although ASEAN has made innumerable declarations to emulate the European Union integration model, their words of rhetoric reflected in their actions as unmatched with their words. The present ASEAN development process poses a challenge to the traditional Anglo-Saxon capitalist models as it contested the reformed rules-based system of global governance. The pressure that the EU and the EU places on ASEAN members regarding labor, social environment, and human rights if seen through as a success in pressure assimilation, actually presents itself as a disadvantaging stage in the development of the Asian model if implemented as the model itself is far beyond Western pressures to curb issues. The ideology of ASEAN itself embodied the ââ¬ËASEAN Wayââ¬â¢, a means of consultation and consensus, similar to that of the EU model but in the Eastern agenda, practiced non-interference with non-binding agreements to accompany decisions made and policies to follow. The problem with an open-ended agreement meant no enforcement to curb behaviors and the inability to impose disciplines, essentially heavy-hearted words with empty actions to fulfill promises. ASEANââ¬â¢s point of enlargement on taking new members in 1997 introduced members of Myanmar and Laos with the expectation to solve and contain regional problems with Myanmar at the time housed a closed economy with a military regime as leadership, economic crisis and cross-border pollution. The trifecta of expectations created the illusion of integration with the confidence between members but instead exhibited loose inter-governmental cooperation. Myanmarââ¬â¢s triple threat posed a threat to an initiating cooperative of its region members but ASEAN overlooked this threat and extended the membership regardless. ââ¬Å"The incorporation of countries like Myanmar with its military regime and closed economy represented a new extreme in ASEANââ¬â¢s diversity. This in itself would have tested the Associationââ¬â¢s claim to deeper integration as ASEAN has not found a way to reconcile its breadth with its attempts to achieve a greater depth of integrationâ⬠(Henderson 1999, 74-76). The ââ¬ËASEAN Wayââ¬â¢ became a means to avoid rather than solve issues and conflict, the complementing of informal operations and non-binding agreements imposed no tangible means of success and integration. The ASEAN Way in this examination doesnââ¬â¢t pose as a threat to the integration of its members but rather examined through a behavioral lens of informality in actions that isnââ¬â¢t present in the European Union attributes, the lack of formal operations and behaviors may ill-fit the EU model. The inceptions of the European Union juxtaposed with the later formation of ASEAN provides a historical overview on the ability in identifying commonalities and interests for the two groups of nations coming together as a collective. In their respective collectives, ASEAN and the EU share numerous elements that prove their successful integration, but having the EU being the ââ¬Ësuperiorââ¬â¢ model lends the thought of the possibility to befit the Western model with the Eastern. With the two models explained and deciphered, we resume the suitability in befitting the EU model within the fixtures of the ASEAN structure. The two are known and documented as both eliciting economic integration and community building to both foster and maintain security as well as further economic development. The best description of ASEANââ¬â¢s use of the existing EU model without imposition from the Union to befit guidelines would be ââ¬Å"admiration, not emulationâ⬠, this pronounces volumes on the actions ASEAN have already undertaken from both the successes and failures of the European Union. The admiration and not emulation can be attributed to skepticisms especially with Brexit and the consequences of the post-event in addition to EU-style regional integration increases doubt on the validity of not the EU model but its emulated nature on ASEANââ¬â¢s. ASEANââ¬â¢s inability and latent behavior to reconcile historical past illustrates the initial step of ASEANââ¬â¢s incapability in emulating the EU model. ASEAN has never been more unanimous on the need for greater integration, but the capacity to make the necessary domestic political and economic adjustments to implement the reforms that are necessary to achieve the goals and objectives of integration in uneven amongst the different ASEAN member states. The late former secretariat to ASEAN, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, elaborated that the EU served as an inspiration for ASEAN but never a model. An inspiration to guide ASEAN rather than an imposed steer of how-to suggests a road heading to demise. Models in their generality suggest emulation but downplays learning, without learning it inhibits growth, change and innovation, emulation doesnââ¬â¢t produce lessons learned and nor does it generate dynamic innovators but rather passive mimics. ASEAN can adopt many aspects and successes of the European Union but merely as an inspiring element and not a full-fledged guide as the two entities differ in mannerisms, operations and behaviors in their procedures that hinder such transfer of mimicking. The ASEAN Way of operations is the mannerisms that prohibits such transfer of guidelines and procedural operations housed by the European Union, the Qualified Majority Vote suggests a similarity in the consensus approach but the backroom conferences secluded from the public by ASEAN members suggests differently. Emulation creates subjective benchmarks which allows for no feasible alternatives to the dominant model, in the case ASEAN and EU, the imposition of EU onto ASEAN breeds a form of Eurocentrism. The imposition by the EU regardless of validity of model strikes a force by the West onto Asia which romances dominance, although the European Union exhibits soft power with inclinations on intrinsic values, there are other means of assertion rather than projected imposition. The imposed force from the West, although in good intent to improve and expand markets in the East, presents itself as a dominant force by the West to ââ¬Ëhandleââ¬â¢ the East. This imposition and emulation of the EU model would have viewed as the West to overtake the East, and with the current rise of China, Asian nation states wish not to look beyond the Pacific for inspiration let alone a steer from elsewhere. The necessities that ASEAN must take in order to inspiringly succeed like the European Union and not simply emulate it would be to learn from the Unionââ¬â¢s failures and adapting it to ASEAN in a manner than preserves inter-governmental operations as well promote unifying political will in attaining a long-term goal of sustained integration. An investment that ASEAN can consider follow in the footsteps of the Union would be placing national governmentââ¬â¢s interests of achieving long term goal of regional integration by all member states above domestic priorities. The push for integration should be one that synchronizes the public as well as the government that It is in their vital national interest to integrate. These elements ââ¬Ëborrowââ¬â¢ the attributes that the European Union succeeds on and adapts it to the ASEAN model, this inspiration proves key points for ASEAN to improve in its own integration but suggests that the EU model needs improvement in order to be applied. The learning of the crisis in Europe that threatens the European Union fuels the need for ASEAN to take inspiration from the EU model rather than at total replicating. The merits of the European Union serve as inspiration for ASEAN integration and not as a total guideline for the Southeast Asian collective, the missteps and struggles of the EU model provides learning points for ASEAN to improve and implement, the successes of overcome historical differences between regional members provides reflection that differences in Southeast Asia are still prominent. The EU model holistically ill-fits the ASEAN model by the diversifying approach by the two collectives, the evolved formality of operations by each differ considerably and the approach to crisis cements that each deal with struggles in differently. The European Union still stands as the most successful regional collective to integrate upon a common goal, this Union presents itself as an exemplary model of both trials and tribulations of nations integrating, one that ASEAN views admirably and inspired. Success takes many forms and there is no single paved way to achieve it, the European Union represents one road to success and its success speaks volumes that outweigh their struggles that on the world stage provides lessons for inspired regions to integrate. As for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, it is adamant that ASEAN will make its own Way in achieving a high level of integration one that doesnââ¬â¢t mimic the EU model but mirrors in its success. Bibliography à The European Union as a Model for Regional Integration. Council on Foreign Relations. September 24, 2010. https://www.cfr.org/report/european-union-model-regional-integration.Should the EU be considered a model for ASEAN? East Asia Forum. August 05, 2017. Accessed January 02, 2018. http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2017/08/06/should-the-eu-be-considered-a-model-for-asean/.Hwee, Yeo Lay. THE INTER-REGIONAL DIMENSION OF EU-ASIA RELATIONS: EU-ASEAN AND THE ASIA-EUROPE MEETING (ASEM) PROCESS.à à Brill Online. January 01, 2007. Why did Copenhagen fail to deliver a climate deal? BBC News. December 22, 2009. Accessed January 05, 2018. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8426835.stm.Lisbon Treaty Possible Failure of the Lisbon Treaty, EnlargeEU Newsletter, Analytica Thinking Laboratory (October 2009)Greece marks failure of EU integration. Transnational Institute. November 10, 2014. Accessed January 05, 2018. https://www.tni.org/es/node/14497.Cameron, Fraser. The geopolitics of Asia ââ¬â What role for the European Union? SpringerLink. April 02, 2010. Accessed January 05, 2018. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/ip.2010.10.Holland, Martin, The EU Through the Eyes of Asia, The Volume II ââ¬Å"Assuming Superpower Status? Evolving Asian Perceptions of the EU as a Political and Economic Actorâ⬠(2009) Hill, Christopher and Smith, Michael. ââ¬Å"International Relations and the European Union: Themes and Issues. May 25th, 2017. Chapter 1The decision-making process in the Council. The decision-making process in the Council Consilium. October 05, 2017.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Analyzing Notes of a Native Son Essay -- James Baldwin
Analyzing ââ¬Å"Notes of a Native Sonâ⬠James Baldwin is a highly renowned African-American essay writer who is best known for his ability to interweave narrative and argument into concise well-written essays. He had his first book published at the early age of 19 and has published some astounding literature during the time of civil rights activism. He succeeded himself to rise out of his poverty to become an amazing writer through self-determination and courage. In his essay entitled, ââ¬Å"Notes of a Native Sonâ⬠, Baldwin does an excellent job making use of binaries and repetition of words and phrases as well as switching back and forth from narrative to analysis. He also cleverly connects his progressively raising maturity and understanding of the world to the unique style in which Baldwin writes throughout his work. We will now dissect this essay and see how Baldwin uses special writing techniques to make for a very powerful and meaningful composition. The essay starts strongly with Baldwin providing insightful narrative in order to set the stage of his writing. By the second page of his essay, Baldwin has already developed his first binary. He emphasizes the black/white relationship. He continually refers to the ââ¬Å"blacknessâ⬠of his father and how his father was a proud, beautiful and powerful black man in his day (Baldwin 64). He then tells of his discovery of how ââ¬Å"white peopleâ⬠helped to kill his father (65). Soon after, Baldwin addresses another binary, this one being life and death. His mother realizes that it was Jamesââ¬â¢ father who ââ¬Å"kept the family aliveâ⬠(66). All the while, Baldwinââ¬â¢s father is slowly dying. Another example of the life/death binary occurs when Baldwin acknowledges that his ââ¬Å"father had spent too much of his ener... ...ather really is as a person and is ready to express his inner feelings to his father. At the end of the essay, a strong message is conveyed. Baldwin learns that love, which is synonymous to his constant use of the word hatred, must prevail and that with love, acceptance and equal power can finally be attained (84). He also says that bitterness is pointless and that life and death are far more important and significant than the black/white power struggle. The end of the essay closes gracefully because Baldwin has now revealed the use of his writing techniques of ââ¬Å"Notes of the Native Sonâ⬠and he has also fully matured and is now able to see his father in a positive light for the very first time in his life. Works Cited Baldwin, James. ââ¬Å"Notes of a Native Son.â⬠1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 63-84.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)