Robert Browning’s My Last Duchess and The Bishop Orders His Tomb at Sai

Dramatic Monologue in Robert Browning’s My Last Duchess and The Bishop Orders His Tomb at Saint Praxed’s Church The general public knows Robert Browning as the writer of â€Å"The Pied Piper† a beloved children’s tale, and the hero of the film The Barrett’s of Wimpole Street. Most recognize him for little else. The literary world recognizes him as one of the most prolific poets of all time. However, his grave in Westminster Abbey stands among the great figures in English history. At his death at age seventy-seven, Robert Browning had produced volumes of poetry. He had risen to the heights of literary greatness. Robert Browning received little acknowledgement for his work until he was in his fifties. â€Å"He had been following a blind alley. Now he had reversed his direction, and by so doing, had come in sight of his true destination, the dramatic monologue. In the dedication to Strafford he had correctly analyzed the bent of his genius; it was to treat Action in Character, rather than Character in Action†(Johnson 4). Browning used the dramatic monologues as his artistic vehicle. In â€Å"My Last Duchess† and â€Å"The Bishop Orders His Tomb at Saint Praxed’s† he presented characters with varying degrees of sympathy or satire as he took incidents from the past and made them come alive through his skillful use of the dramatic monologue. He rose to his position from rather modest beginnings in the south London village of Camberwell. Browning was born in 1812, to middle-class parents, his father, Robert, Sr., was a clerk for the Bank of England, and had refined artistic literary tastes. His mother Sarah Anne Widedemann, a devout Christian, pursued interests in music and nature. Browning read at age five and composed his first poetry ... ...wn.edu/victorian/books/alienvision/browning/2.html. Karlin, Daniel. The Courtship of Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett. New York: Oxford University, 1985. Langbaum, Robert. â€Å"The Dramatic Monologue: Sympathy versus Judgment.† Modern Critical views Robert Browning. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1985. 23-44. Odden, Karen. â€Å"Robert Browning.† World Poets. Ed. Ron Padgett. Vol. 1. New York: Scribner’s, 2000. 163-173. Ryals, Clyde de L. â€Å"Browning’s Irony.† The Victorian Experience: The Poets Ed. Richard A. Levine. (1982): 23-46. Rpt. In Poetry Criticism. Ed. Robyn V. Young. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1991. 90-97. Wagner-Lawlor, Jennifer A. â€Å"The Pragmatics of Silence, and the Figuration of the Reader in Browning’s Dramatic Monologues.† Victorian Poetry. 22 Apr. 2001. http://vp.engl.wvu.edu/fall97/wagner.html.

How Do Artists Use Symbols in the Meaning of Their Work Essay

Artists use symbols in different ways in their works to define their true feelings and to illustrate ideas and experiences. The three artists I will use to demonstrate how symbols can be used to gain different meanings are, Joseph Cornell, Salvador Dali and Rosalie Gascoigne. Cornell uses symbols to represent his fantasies and dreams, Dali also uses surrealist symbols to represent his desires and dreams and Gascoigne uses symbols to represent the landscape where she lived and decay. Joseph Cornell is an American sculptor and filmmaker. He was born on the 24th of December 1903 and died on the 29th of December 1972. Bebe Marie was created in the early 1940’s. It is made from a papered and painted wooden box that contains a doll in a dress made of cloth and a flower made also of cloth. If you look closely you will notice the intricate detail on the doll that has been placed behind the cluster of twigs. Because there is a doll in this sculpture, it perhaps has something to do with childhood and the numerous dark twigs suggests that the childhood portrayed was not a very delightful or happy one. Cornell likes to depict fantasy inspired and illusory images in his works, like in his work The Hotel Eden. Because Cornell lived in New York, he found many interesting and strange objects. He was also interested in second-hand bookstores, so he found a way to incorporate that in his work. Salvador Dali is a Spanish painter, sculptor and filmmaker. He was born on May 11th 1904 and he died on January the 23rd 1989. The Persistence of Memory was made in 1931. It was created by using oil on canvas. The work mainly features melted clocks and sky above the horizon. The clocks in this particular work are what give it a meaning. These symbols represent the facts that dreams can change and become strange and distorted. This work revolves around dreams and personal psychological fantasies. In fact, all of Dali’s work is based around dreams and psychological fantasies and generally things that simply do not occur in reality. For example, Dali’s work Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bumblebee around a Pomegranate a Moment Before Awakening. This work also goes back to the idea of reality and fantasy because of the tigers attacking the nude woman and the elephant hovering above the ocean. Rosalie Gascoigne is an Australian artist and sculptor. She was born on the 25th January 1917 and had died on the 23rd of October 1999. Regimental Colours was started in 1990 and finished in 1991. It was made using sawn soft drink crates on plywood. The work features various brands of soft drinks such as Schweppes. The main symbol in this work is the worn down surface. Many of her works are created around her interest in her surroundings. She likes to use older, worn down materials and signs that show age and have a history. Just like show has shown in Regimental Colours and also her work Sweet Lovers, she does this to show the memories and experiences through the aging material. In conclusion, symbols used in artworks are a very great way to express your inner feelings and emotions. Artists use this to their advantage so they can make their works more interesting and in depth.

“Animal Farm: A Fairy Story” Essay

A book that is based on a fable usually contains characters that act and talk like human beings while retaining their human traits. George Orwell wrote a book that was called ‘animal farm: a fairy story’ and was most likely based on the Russian Revolution which occurred during 1917 to 1945. There are many reasons to which why George Orwell would have used a fable in his condemnation of Soviet communism and totalitarianism. George Orwell used talking animals to show their interaction of these animals to help link things about humans that he can link to animals in the world. George Orwell’s book contained many animals which seemed to be imprisoned on a farm by their owner Mr. Jones, it is recognised by many people that this symbolised the Russia and the Soviet Union under Communist Party rule. The pigs seemed to represent the leaders because they made all the decisions that involved the animals and the farm. The rest of the animals seemed to be the citizens that lived on the farm and were controlled by Mr. Jones then the pigs. The battle at cow shed represented the civil war which ravaged Russia until1920. The battle of the windmill is linked to the German invasion of Russia during World War II. Throughout time, many animals have gained a reputation for their unique actions or even physical looks. These animals have been used to insult or describe someone or what they were doing. When George Orwell wrote this book, he was able to choose particular animals as particular characters to help forebode that character’s particular characteristics and their role in the story. Orwell would have had the animals in the story chosen to help link intelligent human characteristics with dirty farm animals. Orwell is able to use animals to link them to behaviours of humans and even end the book by saying that it is difficult to tell the difference. When George Orwell wrote this book, it would have been clear to him that the topic he was writing about was very controversial and would have angered or annoyed many people in powerful or influential positions that could do some harm to him or his career as a writer by making an influential comment or action. By writing a fable, he is able to protect himself from the criticism or denigration he might receive from those that believe they are being  slandered. Orwell was able to write the book to create an unspoken link with his work and the events that are happening around them that the readers are able to connect without the author making a direct connection. This would have been a very good reason for Orwell to write the book in the way he did. As George Orwell wrote the book, he would have wanted his work to be remembered or recognised for as long as possible. By writing in a fable, his message can be referred to in any situation or any point in time because he has not made any specific references to a specific event. By having his message written in such a way he can now have it spread because the message is universal. By writing the book as a fable, Orwell was able to write his story without having to explain what and why things were really happening because the story was most likely based on politics which can be very difficult to understand. Orwell was able to create reasons to which why things were happening and still have it linked to the complicated topic of politics. Many more readers of the book would have found it much easier to read and understand because Orwell explained it all in a new way without having to complicate it with other topics. Having a wider audience for his book would have helped him spread his thoughts and message with more people reading his book. Based on your understanding of the Russian Revolution, do the characters and events in Animal Farm take on any new significance?When George Orwell wrote this book, he might have wanted his message to be universal though it is quite clear to many readers that he based the story and the many characters on the environment he was living in and the people he knew much more about. The farm itself would have represented Russia as a country and the farm’s transformations would have represented the government changes which Russia undertook during the time which the book was written. The farms surrounding and interacting with Animal Farm would have symbolized the other countries in the world which related with the country during that time which tremendous change was happening in Russia. Farmer Jones is easily linked to Czar Nicholas II because Nicholas was the leader or Russia and Jones was the owner of the farm which represented Russia. Both leaders were beginning to be questioned and hated by their followers and soon lost what they had control of. Jones came back with other farmers to come and attempt to regain control of the farm though was met with all of the animals who did not allow Jones to come out of the battle victorious with some animals rising from the group and inspiring them to fight harder. Nicholas also came back with help from other countries to help him regain control of the country which he once controlled. The animals of the farm obviously represent everyone and everything that was under the control of Mr. Jones. In reality, this would represent all the citizens and working class who were struggling in those times which were many in numbers. Karl Marx and Old Major have an obvious similarity because Karl Marx was one of the first to proclaim his vision of a better country and Old Major was the pig who tells all of the animals on the farm of the dream he had that had resurrected an idea and thought which he had forgotten long ago but was able to remember and then pass those ideas onto the other animals. Both Marx and Old Major died before the revolution had come. Old Major spread his message of the vision that he had by teaching a song which he heard as a little pig called the ‘Beasts of England’. This ideology of communism was very popular with the animals and even got them excited where the ideas of communism began to spread throughout the world. A real song was also written by the followers of communism which was called ‘Communist Internationale’. Napoleon seems to be an obvious metaphor for Stalin who was able to become the new leader after Jones had been defeated. Stalin also became the new leader after the rebellion was able to take over. Both Napoleon and Stalin seemed to have the best interest of the country or the farm though both seemed to give into the evil temptations which arose while they were in  those positions. Napoleon began to slowly become greedier for more power which then began to influence his actions such as training the puppies not to read but to train them to become his personal protectors and even attackers. Napoleon soon begins to shower himself with more luxury and fort such as sleeping in a bed and even drinking alcohol. Stalin was also overwhelmed with new found luxury and power and soon let the peasants whom he was meant to help suffer. Snowball seems to be the symmetry of Leo Trotsky. Snowball was a pig that had the same interests of the farm as Napoleon in mind though it is how they each approached their ideas which got them into fights. Snowball was always disagreeing with Napoleon’s ideas and it was soon that Napoleon’s physical way of forcing his thoughts onto others that conquered over Snowball’s less taunting approach. Trotsky was soon seen as a traitor by the country and left as Snowball did when he was forced out by Napoleon. Squealer seems to represent the media in those times who attempted to influence everyone’s thoughts as to what they thought about why Napoleon did such acts as the media did with Stalin. Squealer becomes the only link to Napoleon to the rest of the animals on the farm and was the persuader and influential speaker who was able to hide or conceal the true intentions of the pigs. The media in those times were able to influence so well because the working class in those times were quite uneducated and needed something to think for then and it was that source of media that they depended on. Boxer is quite clearly the metaphor for the working class in those times. Boxer was a very hard working animal on the farm that made great efforts throughout his life and always had a simple motto to help him work even harder. The uneducated workers in those times were easily influenced by Stalin because it seemed as though they would prosper most in the new system as did Boxer. Boxer was a very dedicated follower of Stalin who was later on betrayed by being sent to the glue factory. Mollie is the representation of the middle class workers who are educated and understand the true effects under the new government which was being presented. Mollie would wear a ribbon and lick sugar when Jones was in charge of the farm though as the animals took over, Mollie was not aloud to wear ribbons or lick sugar for she had to make sacrifices. In reality, the middle class did not like the new system for they would be lowered to everyone else’s level. Mollie then leaves the farm after being caught being patted by another farmer and lives as she did when Jones was in charge. The puppies which were taken away from their mother by Napoleon became the bodyguards or defenders of Napoleon. These dogs that Napoleon trained to help keep his strong grip on the country attack Snowball and force him out of the farm which leaves no significant challengers for Napoleon to face. These dogs also attacked anyone that opposed or betrayed Napoleon in anyway. This easily represents the police or army which Stalin had control of when he took over as the leader of Russia. The windmill seems to represent the economy of Russia in those harsh times. The animals worked hard together to build the windmill even though there was a shortage of food and it was promised that this would help them significantly. This was just like in reality where Stalin had a five year plan to help Russia and just like the windmills, they failed to succeed. The book is easily linked to many things around Orwell as he wrote the book. Even though the message of Orwell was attempted to be made universal it is most likely connected to the significant Russian revolution.

“Nature and the Physical World”

Most common attitudes and behaviors today on nature greatly evolved during the Romantic Era. Before, in some European countries, people don’t usually celebrate any occasion related to nature. But today’s society, because Romanticism evolved, it greatly affects our perspective and approach towards nature. When talking about nature in the Romantic Era, Rousseau is an important figure. He is the man who loves to be associated with nature. He would usually walk and explore nature related sites, climb mountains, and just simply communicate with nature. Rousseau is man of sensitivity, mood and even paranoia. In his time, he explored the agonies of love and the sentimental aspect of it. Love is the most popular feeling celebrated in the Romantic Era. This is known before as a relationship between two individuals and up to now; we use this as a common definition of Love. As we all know, when we encounter Romanticism, it reflects European society. Before, Europe is surrounded by tragic happenings, emotions not being expressed freely, and places where usually killings would take place. But now, it is safer, less hazardous, and even very much beautiful to explore. Mountains and forest or deep woods are no longer places to be afraid of. Instead these are places that are awesome to commune with nature and to be enjoyed and pondered on. Storms on the ocean are now being used as one of the most interesting subject on paintings, musical tones, poems, and writings. Before, things such as ocean storms, lightning, deep woods or mountain views are often being feared. No one would dare to draw closer to these things in fear of losing their lives. Another reason is the supernatural beliefs of people that these things were left unexplored. In the Romantic Era, romantics did not just arouse the sensitivity of emotions, but also it aroused the sensitivity to nature. People have come to realize that communicating with nature could improve one’s lifestyle and belief. Nowadays, people would explore nature and its wilderness, and they usually feel the overwhelming calmness and relaxation that it provides. It has proven that the shift in attitude towards nature is powerful and really can offer long-lasting serenity and positive perception within self. Another important figure during the romantic era is William Wordsworth. Romantic Era in poetry is centered with man’s relationship with nature and the fascination of man with Mother Earth. For Wordsworth, the definition of Romanticism is the passionate relationship towards nature and its wonder and wilderness. In his time, the word â€Å"pantheism† was stated. Because Wordsworth made to reflect his naturalistic attitude in his works, modern Pantheists described it now that God is called life of all, nature, earth and the universe. Pantheists have deep admiration and respect of all living things around us, even the forces outside the earth or in the universe. But Wordsworth did not focus mainly on these things. What he focused on is the appreciation and love for beauty and exquisiteness of Mother Earth and nature. Wordsworth, just like Rousseau, would often go for walks, exploring the beauty of life around us. He would also climb mountains and the most common is his paying attention to the things related to nature that an ordinary individual would often miss in his everyday life. What he often witnessed when he is outdoors, was the overall feeling of calmness and serenity in times of agony and loneliness. We could tell that the love, peace and comfort that Wordsworth is getting from nature is actually the feeling we get every time we call for God. In the Romantic Era, we could probably come across an identical observation, because during this time Industrialization is also emerging and became one of the most attended things by people. Probably, just like Wordsworth, people would also love to go out of the city and search for peace and quietness in one place; just like what Mother Nature provides. These things were what poetry is during these times and even up to now. People tend to find a place where they can relax and be away from all the hard works, materialism, and aristocracies. A place where they can celebrate life and enjoy living as a free individual. In Wordsworth time, nature as described to provide these things would not probably be accepted; for a reason that during these times Church controls almost everyone and everything. Maybe people have tried but it was not socially accepted and anyone who must have caught doing this was branded as deviating from what society’s norm is dictating. Rousseau and Wordsworth, as well as some other Romantic poets and figures, have only one inspiration; Mother Nature and all the living things surrounding us. The paintings, poems, pictures and writings done during these times will probably make us realize how important it is to be away, even for sometime in the materialistic world. These things will also be our heaven in seeking comfort, peace and calmness within ourselves. Jut like poets and figures in the Romantic Era, we will perceive nature as the only thing that will give us no worries no matter what we lose, no matter what the circumstance is. It is the only thing that others cannot get from us, because it will just stay within us; in our hearts and in our minds. References: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/hum_303/romanticism.html http://www.customessaymeister.com/customessays/Poetry/3389.htm   

Social Contexts and Adolescent Development

How did I become the person I am today? Is it because of the way my parents raised me? Does it have anything to do with the friends that I had growing up? Could it be that my teachers went above and beyond their content to teach me life lessons? The fact is that I had many influences in my life including my parents, friends and teachers that led me down the path to become the adult I am today. The numerous social contexts that I have encountered in my life each had their own part in contributing to my behaviors, personality, beliefs, goals and essentially every part of my being.As an adolescent, and even as an adult, much of the information and guidance I have received about achieving adult status was acquired from my parents. I am very fortunate to have parents who have made such a positive impact on my life. As an adolescent, I did not always get along with my parents. They were very strict and I was often angry with them for not letting me have as much freedom as my friends. I can still hear my mom saying, â€Å"If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you? † Now, as an adult, I understand that they really were just trying to look out for me.As far as preparing me for adulthood, my parents encouraged me to always do my best. My parents taught me that hard work is important and not only did they talk the talk, but they walked the walk. They led by example, and because of them I have an excellent work ethic which will be useful when I begin my teaching career (which I hope is very soon). Many adolescents do not look to their parents for information and guidance. They often feel like their parents do not understand them or their problems.As a teacher, I can try to help foster strong relationships between parents and students by providing support for those families who need it. I can provide parents with information about raising adolescents as it can be a very tough time with their child going through so many changes. As far as the students are concern ed, I can encourage them to go to their parents for advice and let them know that their parents are smarter than they think. I can even provide them with examples from my own life where my parents gave me excellent advice, even though I didn’t think that at the time.Another influential source of information and guidance in my adolescent years was that of my middle and high school teachers. In fact, one of the reasons that I chose teaching as a career was because of the positive interactions that I had with many of my own teachers. My favorite teachers were the ones who taught me how to be a better person, not just a better student. They had high expectations, taught organizational skills, encouraged self initiative, and provided guidance and advice outside of the content.I felt like they were always open to help in any situation. I want my students to understand that teachers can make a make a big difference in their life. I want them to know that they can always come to me w hen they have a problem and that I will always try my best to help them find a solution. I hope to teach them skills that they can use after they leave my classroom. I want what I teach them to stay with them forever, not just while I am their teacher. I also think it is important that they are encouraged to have relationships with other teachers, not just myself.All teachers have experienced adolescence, and each one of us brings something different to the table. If I am not able to help a student with a problem, then I can point them to someone who can. In typical adolescent fashion, I was also very influenced by my peers. While it may not seem that adolescent peers would provide much information and guidance for reaching adult status that is just simply not true. Interactions with my peers taught me about handling conflict, considering others, and making decisions. These peer experiences prepared me for similar situations that I would encounter as an adult.I think that peer inter actions are so important to adolescents because at this stage in their development much of their behavior is influenced mostly by their peers. As a teacher, I want to teach my students how to use interactions with their peers in a positive manner. I want to foster strong relationships in the classroom, so that students can use the characteristics of these relationships to build new relationships. I want my students to know that they can learn a lot from their friends, both good and bad. The important thing for them is to know how to separate the good from the bad, and learn rom their mistakes, as well as the mistakes of others. A context that involved both peers and teachers and one in which I learned many skills and responsibilities required for achieving adult status was high school marching band. Being a part of band taught me many skills that were necessary for attaining adult status. One of the most obvious skills that comes from being in band is teamwork. I also learned confid ence and pride. Dedication was also necessary because we put so much time into practicing and performing. One of the most difficult lessons was learning that we could not always come in first place.This lesson is very helpful because as an adult, because I am not going to get every job I apply for. Learning to keep going when we feel defeated is very important. I want to encourage my students to participate in extracurricular activities, whether it be band, sports or other clubs. Students should have the opportunities to learn these skills that come from being a part of something. I them to know that when I look back at my adolescent years, the thing I miss the most are the activities such as band, school musicals and community service clubs.Though I am not active in church as an adult, it was definitely one of the social contexts that had a great influence on who I am. There are so many lessons that one learns at church that can be applied to life. Going to church introduced me to being a part of something greater than myself and gave me the opportunity to express my beliefs. While I am not able to bring religion into the school setting, I can still remind my students that organizations that they are a part of can provide much information and guidance in becoming an adult. I can encourage them to stand strong in what they believe in, but to also respect the beliefs of others.In this day and age, it would pretty much be impossible for the media to not have any influence on the development of adolescents. However, I would say that in my own personal experience media had a part, but only a small part, in informing and guiding me from adolescence into adulthood. One of the reasons that media was not a big influence in my life goes back to how strict my parents were. I was not allowed to watch a lot of television or listen to a lot of music. My time on the computer was very limited. All of my interactions with media were monitored pretty closely.Unfortunately, mos t adolescents in today’s world have entirely too much media influence. Many students have their own smart phones which gives them access to pretty much anything they want access to. Television and movies that are geared toward adolescents are more risque than they were a decade ago. As a teacher I think it is important that I warn students of the negative impacts that media can have on their development. However, media can also impact students in a positive way if used correctly. I would like to teach my students how to use media to research important topics that can help them grow into knowledgeable young adults.If media is a big influence in their life, I want to make sure that it is a positive influence. I think my experiences as an adolescent are still relevant to the lives of adolescents today. While my experiences as an adolescent took place more than a decade ago, adolescents in today’s world continue to encounter many of the same situations of the past. Peer pr essure still exists and takes a toll on the decision making of adolescents when it comes to risky behaviors such as drinking, drugs and sex. The interaction and conflict that they have with their parents, is very similar to the interactions that I experienced with my own parents.I felt the need for independence, just as they do. The emotions that I encountered as an adolescent are still experienced by adolescents today. I went through heartbreak, making new and losing old friends, the desire to be popular, and trying to impress others. Our world has changed tremendously over the past decade, but the issues of adolescence as well as adolescent development have continued to remain the same. Having experienced the years of adolescence myself, along with the education I have received about adolescent development, I believe that I can have a positive influence on the lives of my students.Helping my students understand that they are in control of who they become is one of my top prioritie s. I can accomplish this by teaching them to be open to information and guidance from the many social contexts in their life, and emphasizing focus on the positive aspects of the various influences. I also believe that it is important for me to share how I was influenced by many different contexts in my own life. I would hope that this would help me connect with my students and lead them to attaining adult status using what they learn from the many contexts in their own life.

Articles Of Confederation

Articles Of Confederation Essay Articles Of ConfederationIn the 1770’s, as America’s great thinkers and writers were declaring their desire for independence; they also established a committee to lay the foundation for the American form of government. These brilliant writers and philosophers hesitantly began designing the national level of government for use in America and named their final draft the Articles of Confederation . Out of their utter distrust of a centralized government, due to their association with the English monarchial system, the drafters deliberately established these articles as a loose confederation of states, rather than a firmly united nation. Life under the Articles of Confederation was filled with hardships and uncertainty, and the political scene was paralyzed with inability due to the lack of sovereignty in a central executive branch and the unanimous state consent required for the ratification of an amendment together with the lack of a taxation privilege . However, despite its inherent flaws, the Confederation government did prove capable to accomplish a few foreign and domestic achievements. Under the authority of the Confederation, the United States began to introduce itself in the global scene. The United States determined its place in the community of nations by establishing diplomatic relations and its participation in the world economy. The Confederation Congress also accomplished something many historians overlook. They successfully managed, organized, and eventually won the Revolutionary War . After winning the war, the Congress went on to successfully negotiate the Treaty of Paris and compelled the British to recognize American independence. On the domestic home front, the Congress began to effectively solve the land ordnance problem. The Confederation Congress established a procedure for governing the new territories and organized them into prospective states, giving each prospective state full and equal status with the original thirteen sta tes. Furthermore, they institutionalized systems of local government, and public education . Moreover, while accomplishing all this, the congress managed to keep the national economy afloat. This proved to be an enormous feat because the economy was suffering from the loss of colonial privileges. These major achievements were all accomplished despite the inherent flaws in the basic structure of the Confederation government. The Articles of Confederation created a unicameral Confederation Congress, with each state having only one vote. On most political matters this legislative body required the approval of 9 out of 13 states to ratify any proposed Congressional intention. In Article 13, the Articles declared that in order to ratify an amendment to the Articles the consent of all 13 states were required . This left the national government, running through the Confederation Congress, powerless and unable to proceed with the most trivial matters of politics. The Confederation Government, under the Articles, lacked an executive and judicial branch. This caused Congress to be severely handicapped when it came to the enforcement of her requests. This lack of an executive, coupled with the Congress’s negated power of taxation, caused a crippling financial difficulties. The Congress, having only enough power to request essential national funds from the states, found that many refused to pay, or were late in doing so. Due to the lack of an executive branch, Congress soon found itself facing a mounting national debt that it was unable to pay on its own or force states to assume their share of the burden. Since change was virtually impossible, due to the unanimous amendment process, the Articles remained unchanged and hardships continued to mount for many Americans. The major hardships of America in the period of Confederation rule were primarily between the debtor and the creditor . The economic downturn of the mid 1780’s, caused by the removal of the guaranteed English markets, left many farmers ruined and inundated with debt . These farmers pleaded with their state governments for help, but in most cases states refused to interfere, in one case in particular, these angered mobs of farmers rebelled against the government. This rebellion was known as Shays’ Rebellion in 1786 . Alarmed by the rebellion, other state governments agreed to help the angry farmers to thwart these rebellions. Their help came in the form of coining money to cause inflation, thus making the debt seem smaller and smaller. Under the Articles, this coinage was completely legal and it caused terrible interstate controversies. Congress, lacking the power to regulate interstate commerce, could only helplessly watch as rival states began a series of tariff wars o ver the inflation. These tariff wars, which devastated the national trade, coupled with Shays rebellion, seemed to be the culmination of all the downfalls and weaknesses of the fledgling government and change was deemed to be necessary . READ: Parts Of The Computer EssayBy 1887, some of the American leaders realized if the country was to survive a new plan of government needed to be considered. Thus, the Annapolis Convention of 1786 was held to address regional issues such as trade, but delegates were soon calling for a national convention . At this convention in Philadelphia 1787, the authors of a new plan proposed change of the loose confederation of states to a solid national union. They then changed the mode of representation in Article 1, section 3, as to better represent the people of America. In article 1, section 8, they empowered congress to regulate trade among states, raise revenue through taxation, coin national money, discontinue state coining, and enforce federal laws and treaties . The Constitution also imposed a federal executive and judicial branch to act directly on the individual citizens of America and to execute and interpret the laws of Congress. The Articles of Confederation, which were in for ce from 1781 to 1789, had many shortcomings and flaws, most due to the inherent distrust of a strong central power. These weaknesses caused many problems in America. Inflation grew, tariff wars between states commenced, and the uncertainty of a possible mob-rule lived in the minds of many. However, despite the flaws and setbacks imposed by the Articles, the fledgling Congress proved capable enough to establish mechanisms for westward expansion, establish the United States in the World Scene, and maintain a running economy . Still, a need for constitutional change was illustrated by the severe problems, and the Philadelphia convention answered the call. The drafters of the new constitution looked at all the mistakes created by the Articles, and to their great credit, successfully learned from them. They used the Articles as a foundation, and established the United States Constitution which today still stands as the greatest republic known to man. History Essays

Organisations & Behaviour Learning Organisations Essay

Organisations & Behaviour Learning Organisations - Essay Example A learning organisation intentionally designs the structures and strategies in order to enhance and maximise the learning of its employees. (Dodgson, 1993) With the changing environment of business and advancing technology the notion of the Learning organisations has gained much more importance. Learning has become an important characteristic of an organisation in order to compete in the global business. Learning is a volatile and dynamic concept through which the process of updating in an organisation takes place. With the growing size of the corporations and continuous innovations in the field of technology the individual learning has transformed to the notion of the organisational learning. The notion of learning plays an important part in the progress of an individual just like that the learning on the organisational level plays an important part in the growth of an organisation. The organisational group of people can define the organisational learning as the sum of the learning activities of the individual, which takes the shape of combined effort. (Dodgson, 1993; Fiol & Lyles, 1985). An organisational learning program should be designed in the way that it is not lost when the members of the organisation leave the organisation. ... ive environment of the business in today's high pace changing business environment enhancing the learning capabilities of business is the solution of half of the problems. (Prahalad & Hamel, 1994). Equally important is the creation of an unlearning organisation which essentially means that the organisation must forget some of its past. Thus, learning occurs amidst such conflicting factors (Dodgson, 1993). Most of the leading companies of the world like Shell were among the first to embrace the notion of learning. In Shell Arie de Geus described learning as the only strategy to compete effectively. Hence learning organisation can be defined as "The essence of organisational learning is the organisation's ability to use the amazing mental capacity of all its members to create the kind of processes that will improve its own" (Dixon, 1994) "A Learning Company is an organisation that facilitates the learning of all its members and continually transforms itself" (Pedler, Burgoyne & Boydell, 1991) "Organisations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to learn together" (Peter Senge, 1990) The following are the important characteristics of the learning organisations: Learning organisations adopts the external environments. They are flexible and continue the process of change. Depicts the combination of individual and collective learning. Keeps on learning with the outcomes. Learning can be done in two ways. 1) Single loop 2) Double loop In single loop learning people learn in a way prescribed to them by the organisation. In double loop learning people, people not only learn in a