Learn About the Difference Between Corporate Ownership and Management

Today, many large corporations have a great number of owners. In fact, a  major company may be owned by a million or more people. These owners are generally called shareholders. In the case of a public company with a great number of these shareholders, a majority may  hold fewer than 100 shares of stock each. This widespread ownership has given many Americans a direct stake in some of the nations biggest companies. By the mid-1990s, more than 40% of U.S. families owned common stock, either directly or through mutual funds or other intermediaries. This scenario is a far cry from the corporate structure of but one hundred years ago  and marks a great shift in the concepts of corporation ownership versus management. Corporation Ownership Versus Corporation Management The widely dispersed ownership of Americas largest corporations has to lead to a separation of the concepts of corporate ownership and control. Because shareholders generally cannot know and manage the full details of a corporations business (nor do many wish to), they elect a board of directors to make broad corporate policy. Typically, even members of a corporations board of directors and managers own less than 5% of the common stock, though some may own far more than that. Individuals, banks, or retirement funds often own blocks of stock, but even these holdings generally account for only a small fraction of the total of the companys stock. Usually, only a minority of board members are operating officers of the corporation. Some directors are nominated by the company to give prestige to the board, others to provide certain skills or to represent lending institutions. For these very reasons, it is not unusual for one person to serve on several different corporate boards at the same time. Corporate Board of Directors and Corporate Executives While corporate boards are elected to direct corporate policy, those boards typically delegate day-to-day management decisions to a chief executive officer (CEO), who may also operate as the boards chairman or president. The CEO supervises other corporate executives, including a number of vice presidents who oversee various corporate functions and divisions. The CEO will also oversee other executives like the chief financial officer (CFO), the chief operating officer (COO), and the chief information officer (CIO). The position of CIO is by far the newest executive title to American corporate structure. It was first introduced in the late 1990s as high technology became a crucial part of U.S. business affairs. The Power of the Shareholders As long as a CEO has the confidence of the board of directors, he or she is generally permitted a great deal of freedom in running and management of the corporation. But sometimes, individual and institutional stockholders, acting in concert and with the backing of dissident candidates for the board, can exert enough power to force a change in management. Other than these more extraordinary circumstances, shareholders participation in the company whose stock they hold is limited to annual shareholder meetings. Even so, generally only a few people attend annual shareholder meetings. Most shareholders vote on the election of directors and important policy proposals by proxy, that is, by mailing in election forms. In recent years, however, some annual meetings have seen more shareholders—perhaps several hundred—in attendance. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires corporations to give groups challenging management access to mailing lists of stockholders to present their views.

Social Media And Democracy - 1665 Words

Social Media and Democracy: From King Street to Wall Street and from classrooms to boardrooms, there is a revolution happening and it is being driven by how we communicate with each other and by the unprecedented rise of what is commonly called â€Å"social media†. (Dictionary.com, 2014) Social Media is the use of dedicated websites and applications to interact with other users, or to find people with similar interests to one s own. (Dictionary.com, 2014) A business, also known as an enterprise or a firm, is an organization involved in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. The historic invisible walls of the Internet are being broken down daily, locally and globally. Social media touches nearly every facet of our personal and business lives so it’s imperative for social media to be an integral part of a company’s overall strategy, a business’s overall success will be partly owed to the success of their social media use. Social media will be a business’s customer today, tomorrow, their employees and others. The currency in social media isn’t dollars or euros; it’s meaningful engagement, participation and value that rule a business’s day. The World Wide Web is being categorized by billions of users across the world and if businesses want a say in how they want to be categorized they need to participate with the appropriate currency. (Forbes, 2014) In April 2009 the Ford Motor Company launched an ambitious new marketing campaign called the ford fiesta movementShow MoreRelatedSocial Media And Democracy :1665 Words   |  7 PagesSocial Media and Democracy: From King Street to Wall Street and from classrooms to boardrooms, there is a revolution happening and it is being driven by how we communicate with each other and by the unprecedented rise of what is commonly called â€Å"social media†. (Dictionary.com, 2014) Social Media is the use of dedicated websites and applications to interact with other users, or to find people with similar interests to one s own. (Dictionary.com, 2014) A business, also known as an enterprise orRead MoreDemocracy Is Not An Exception1681 Words   |  7 Pagesbirthplace of modern democracy, is not an exception. As Peter Dahlgren mentions, democracy is for and about its citizens, and therefore a certain degree of civic involvement is a necessary and sufficient condition for its prosperity (2009, 14p) If the lower level of participation in democracy continues, the word democracy, originated from demos (the people) in Greek, should be changed to elite-carcy or pauci-cracy. In order to retain a higher lev el of participation in democracy, some Habermasian scholarsRead MoreThe Positive And Negative Effects Of Social Media991 Words   |  4 PagesWhen someone says the words â€Å"social media†, many people immediately think about posts and likes, comments and messages, a way to connect with your friends from far away and other positive thoughts. However, some of our political leaders have been using social media to their advantage, using sites such as twitter to influence people to vote for their party. Fake news also is very easy to spread on social media, causing propaganda to increase in our society. In our democratic society, we believe thatRead MoreDemocracy And The Age Of Information Abundance Essay1734 Words   |  7 PagesDemocracy in the age of information abundance: The impact of new technologies to our democratic political system Introduction Never before, in the history of time, has our ability to collaborate and communicate on a massive scale been so achievable. (Papay Timby, 2014) With the emergence of new technologies, there are more individuals that can have better access to media and information. Experts believe that to some extent it strengthens democracy as there are more numbers of individuals takingRead More Implications of Capitalism on Objective News Content1397 Words   |  6 Pagesit can also have a detrimental impact. Inaccurate news stories, sensationalized material, and manipulation through the media are all repercussions of the effects of capitalism. Capitalism’s influence in the media skews content in favour of the market, preventing the public from access to democratic, objective news content. Too often, capitalist influence dominates the media market through conglomerate control, structured by the ever-growing desire to gain capital, treating the audience as a commodityRead MoreThe s Criteria Of Voting Equality And Effective Participation1400 Words   |  6 PagesThe United States of America is one of the oldest contemporary democ racies, is currently the second largest democracy, and is ranked the 16th best democracy in the world (Campbell et. Al, 2014). Yet there is a legitimate question over whether or not the United States can still truly be considered a democracy, with some studies even suggesting it has begun to resemble an oligarchy (Chumley, 2014). In this essay, I will use Dahl’s criteria of voting equality and effective participation to determineRead MoreSocial Media and Democratic Reform868 Words   |  4 Pages Social Media and Democratic Reform I) In this paper I prove that the TedTalk related to Political and Cultural Globalization by focusing on social media use in The Pro-democracy Revolution and how it has affected democratic reformation. A) A comparative essay between the Jasmine Revolution of Tunisia and the Jasmine Revolution of China. B) How social media affected the outcomes of both of the revolutions. 1) Social Media was the leading force in Tunisia 2) Social Media did not win the ChineseRead MoreTraditional Media And New Media891 Words   |  4 Pagesis online. New media such as blogging, social media and the internet creates this possibility. However this has introduced an argument where the new media appears as a space for every citizen in a democracy to participate in the public conversation. The internet is deploying political influence, elevating political involvement and questioning the monopoly of traditional elites. The main idea being that new media is able to generate dissenting voice of every citizen. Hence new media appears as somethingRead MoreThe Media s Influence On Democracy1317 Words   |  6 PagesThe Media’s Influence on Democracy Media is an extremely popular tool of communication this most of the world use often. Media has many different forms that makes it easy for people to gain access to it. Media can be seen on used on internet site such as twitter and news websites, on television, radio, and newspapers. The public doesn’t have to look very hard to get in contact with some form of media. Media can be a powerful tool because of the involvement it has when many people’s lives. ThisRead MoreThe Main Components Of A Democratic Political System1388 Words   |  6 PagesAbraham Lincoln perfectly touches upon the essence of democracies. In this essay, I will describe the different types and aspects, as well as the components of a democratic political system. Then, I will explain how they can be undermined through the abuse of power, money, inequality, and, of course, the media. The purpose of this list is not to be exhaustive, but for the sake of this essay, I will limit myself to the above. The term Democracy comes from the Greek language, and means ruled by

ALS Disease Psychological Aspects Free Essays

This paper explores the psychological profile of patients with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Aside from the physical challenges experienced by patients, they also have to endure psychological changes such as depression and denial. There are several factors that may contribute to the psychosocial profile of a patient such as degree of severity, age, onset of disease, time span, and dependence on machines like respirator. We will write a custom essay sample on ALS Disease Psychological Aspects or any similar topic only for you Order Now This paper examines the psychological features of ALS patients and how it affects the family and support team. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease is a progressive degenerative disease attacking the brain and spinal cord. The destruction of the nerve cells, called neurons, in the body’s upper and lower motor neurons leads to the inability of the voluntary muscles to function normally (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2008). With the death of the muscles, ALS patients will have impaired use of their arms and legs. Loss of control is the trademark of ALS. As the disease progresses, the patient will have trouble accomplishing day-to-day activities like eating, tooth brushing and putting on clothes (Olney, 2005, p. 8). Furthermore, the patient’s breathing will suffer and in the end, a ventilator will be needed (2005). Although the disease is debilitating, it does not impinge on the patient’s senses- sight, taste, and smell, hear and touch (2008). There are three diagnostic factors in ALS: clinical features such as â€Å"weakness and involuntary muscle contractions†, having positive results of electromyography (EMG), MRI and blood tests) and ruling out other disorders (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Society of Canada, n. d. p. 1). Not only is the etiology of ALS unknown but there is also no cure for it, which makes the disease more frustrating. The drugs and treatments currently available are targeted only to mitigate ALS symptoms. Given the complexity of the disease, it is not surprising to find that ALS-afflicted patients endure physical symptoms as well as cognitive and behavioral changes like memory and speech problems and emotional distress (Levine, n. d. ). Another study reports the onset of depression and denial in ALS patients (Houpt, Gould, and Norris, 1977). Given the grim prognosis that accompanies the disease, there are ALS cases when the patient undergoes severe psychological/ social/ spiritual distress. After all, ALS is a â€Å"life-changing event for an individual and his/her loved ones† (Ciechoski, 2002, p. 9). Typically an individual facing the end of life undergoes what psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross the five stages of dying: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance (Morris and Maisto, 2002, p. 437). The same phases may also apply in patients with ALS (Ciechoski, 2002, p. 12). In an ALS Patient Profile project, it was found that ALS patients experience greater bouts with depression- 60% compared to the 16 -20% exhibited by the normal and fit population (McDonald, 1992). This can be construed as a sign that the ALS patient is overwhelmed with sadness, apathy and feelings of worthlessness. Depression, after all, is a normal reaction in individuals diagnosed with a life-threatening disease (Ciechoski, 2002, p. 15). Another study concurs with finding, adding that aside from depression; ALS patients are also more to go through denial as a response pattern (Houpt, Gould, and Norris, 1977). Denial, as Kubler-Ross suggests, is the first in a sequence people undertake as they await death. It means that the individual refuses to accept the diagnosis and swears that everything is all right. The study conducted by Drs. Houpt, Gould, and Norris reports that 22. 5 percent of ALS patients are â€Å"major deniers† (1977). Again, this is something common to an individual coping with changes. For example, an ALS patient may refrain using a wheelchair even though he/she is clearly demonstrating difficulty being mobile. It may take some time before the patient finally accepts the situation and resorts to using a wheelchair. However, this does denote giving up or succumbing to the disease but merely a sign that the patient is looking after his/ her well-being. In doing so, the patient will have a â€Å"sense of control† (p. 17). Yet, another research shows that ALS-afflicted patients suffer from behavioral instability- displaying polarity in emotions, from being overly reactive and exaggerated to being extremely reticent and dull (Levine, n. d. ). There is also an increased chance of the patient becoming withdrawn, becoming less interactive and shying away from interaction with others, as well as professing â€Å"lack of insight† (n. d. ). Likewise, the patient may start having troubles making decision. Decision making in a serious ailment such as ALS is crucial, thus is requires a great amount of â€Å"flexibility and creativity† (Ciechoski, 2002, p. 18). Among the issues that need to be addressed by the patient are living accommodations, employing caregiver services, use of ventilator and feeding tube, family and work life, and even the subject of creating a living will (p. 21). Decision making should be consulted with the family, medical and support group but ultimately it must be stressed that it is the patient that makes the final decision (p. 22). Despite the torrents of emotions experienced by the patient, it is not suffice to conclude that ALS patients have a predictable psychosocial profile. There have been studies indicating that some ALS patients only go through mild depression or none at all (McDonald, 1992). There are several factors that contribute to the psychosocial profile of an ALS patient- the onset of the disease, age of acquisition, seriousness of ALS, extent of the disease, reliance on respirator and other medical machines, and rate of deterioration (1992). It was found that the onset of the symptoms do no factor in the patient’s psychosocial status (1992). It will also be a factor when there are unresolved issues on the patient’s part prior to diagnosis. On the other hand, age contributes to the patient’s well-being. ALS patients that are diagnosed during late adulthood (over 65 years old) tend to be more depressed and hopeless than those diagnosed in their younger years (1992). While ALS may not primarily be the root of depression, if one is to follow Kubler-Ross’ stages of dying, depression is a normal reaction when the subject of end-of-life id talked. An ALS diagnosis will only aggravate the fear. In addition, when a patient exhibits an acute presentation of ALS, the probability of it affecting the individual’s psychosocial status intensifies. The same assumption, on the other hand, does not apply to the length of ALS. When one is faced with ALS, the prognosis is grim, giving the patient a time life of 3-5 years (1992). However, current data shows that there are ALS patients, roughly 18-42%, outliving the five year mark (1992). Thus, it can be deduced that it is not age but the patient’s will and family support that help him/her uplift his/her psychosocial welfare. When an ALS patient suffers rapid deterioration, his/ her psychosocial profile is also affected. Furthermore, it was found that the longer the patient has been diagnosed with ALS, the more distressed he/she can be (1992). The same is applied to patients whose symptoms have worsened, thus have the need to rely on respirators and other machines. Such individuals may feel more helpless, affecting their attitudes and behaviors. As with any illness, ALS affects relationships- between spouses, siblings, children, friends, family, colleagues and other support system. Family, especially first-degree members are inclined to report periods of depression and denial (McDonald, 1992). One study reports that an astounding 47% of spouses experience stress during an ALS diagnosis (1992). An ALS diagnosis changes the role play in a family, sometimes the wife become the breadwinner or the children take on the role of main caretaker, depending on who gets ill. Aside from family, the patients’ relationship with friends and work colleagues may also suffer, depending on the degree of closeness experienced. Furthermore, the patient’s relationship with the health care professional is important. The better the line of communication between the patient and the health care team, the better outcome there will be. The health care professional may help the patient deal with depression by prescribing medication and counselling, whichever is appropriate. The psychological characteristics of ALS patients vary in patients. Some may be depressed while others may be hopeful. Coping with a difficult illness like ALS is difficult not only for the patient but the family and support group as well. Worsening of symptoms may hinder their psychological well-being. Thus, it is important for everybody concerned to remember that ALS is a disease not to be battled alone. With help and support from everyone involved, patients will be able to live full lives. References Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Society of Canada. (n. d. ). A guide to all ALS patient care for primary care physicians [PDF file]. Retrieved Mary 12, 2009 from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Society of Canada Website: http://www. als. ca Ciechoski, M. (2002). Coping with change [PDF file]. Retrieved May 12, 2009 from The ALS Association Website: http://www. alsa. org/files/cms/Resources/ALS_manual2. pdf. Houpt, J. , Gould, B. and Norris, F. (1977). Psychological characteristics of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) [PDF file]. Retrieved May 12, 2009 from Psychosomatic Medicine Website: http://www. psychosomaticmedicine. org. Levine, S. W. (n. d. ). Neurocognitive, behavioral and psychological changes associated with ALS [PDF file]. Retrieved May 12, 2009 from ALS Connection Website: http://www. alsconnection. com/Neurocognitive_Testing_vers_2. pdf McDonald, E. (1992). Psychological aspects of ALS patients and their primary caregivers. Retrieved May 12, 2009 from American Holistic Health Association Website: http://www. ahha. org/articles/McDonald2. htm Morris, C. and Maisto, A. (2002). Psychology an introduction 11th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2008). NINDS amyotrophic lateral sclerosis information page. Retrieved May 12, 2009 from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Website: http://www. ninds. nih. gov/ Olney, A. (2005). Daily activities made easier for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [PDF file]. Retrieved May 12, 2009 from The ALS Association Website: http://www. alsa. org/files/cms/Resources/OT_Manual_2006. pdf. How to cite ALS Disease Psychological Aspects, Papers

The Pardoners Tale

Introduction: Repentance as the Ultimate Choice Of all the stories in Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer The Pardoner’s Tale and its Prologue must be the most famous and by far the most memorable of all the â€Å"tales†. Setting a challenging plot and developing a rather unpredictable twist, Chaucer wrote a unique work which deserves taking a closer look at. Despite the fact that the Tale and the Prologue revolve around the issue of morality most of the time, the two stories manage to touch upon a range of other issues, among which the one of repentance takes a good chunk of the poem, which makes The Pardoner and its Prologue display certain similarities with the Middle English penitential lyrics.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The Pardoner’s Tale specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Calling for the Lord Almighty: Pater Noster and The Pardoner To start with, The Pardoner’s Tale and the Middle English penitential lyrics touch upon the issue of the relationships between a man and God. While in the Middle English penitential lyrics, the idea of a man establishing relationships with God is obvious. Indeed, according to Luis Alberto Là ¡zaro, The Pardoner’s Tale offers a lot in terms of revealing the specifics of the Christian belief and the ways in which people speak to the Lord, contrasting it sharply to the ways offered by the Medieval church: â€Å"Chaucer himself recited his lines in front of a courtly audience, entertaining his listeners with · biting stories about unscrupulous clergy or dissolute women† (Là ¡zaro 147). Indeed, if considering Chaucer’s poem closer, one will see that the author tries to convey the idea that people should remember about the words of wisdom that the Bible says and let God into their souls and minds: â€Å"Now for the love of Christ Who died for us, forsake / your oaths, great and small† (Chaucer) . Comparing the given feature of Chaucer’s poem, it is necessary to mention that the Middle English penitential lyrics by Patterson actually manages to get the same message across, though in quite a different way: â€Å"Une fader in hevene riche, / Thi name be hallid ever i-liche† (Patterson 108). It should be mentioned though, that, in contrast to the Middle English penitential lyrics, in which the author addresses God in a direct manner and with a certain message to get across, whether it is a plea or appraise: â€Å"Ne lete us falle in no fondinge† (Patterson 108) the characters in The Pardoner’s Tale mention the name of God rather as a way to make sure that the Lord will keep them from certain harm: â€Å"Now for the love of Christ Who died for us, forsake / your oaths, great and small† (Chaucer) seems an exclamation than a plea; moreover, it seems that the manner of mentioning God’s name I rather a habit than a conscientious attempt to address the Lord. Hence, the constant mentioning of the Lord’s name in The Pardoner’s Tale and The Prologue can also be considered a specific satire which Chaucer used in his works, as it has been mentioned above. As a matter of fact, satire is the key word that depicts Chaucer’s The Pardoner’s Tale, which also makes the poem differ from Patterson’s Middle English penitential lyrics.Advertising Looking for term paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While The Pardoner’s Tale portrays the people in the poem in a rather satirical way: â€Å"My holy / pardon will cure you all, provided that you offer / nobles and other sterling coin, or else silver rings, / brooches, spoons† (Chaucer), the character in Patterson’s Middle English penitential lyrics are depicted in a much more serious manner: â€Å"Jhesu cryst whane he sculd dey† (Patterson 102). Nevertheless, both authors touch upon the same issue, i.e., faith and a man’s relationships with God, with Chaucer revealing the most despicable sides of human nature: â€Å"â€Å"O / Lord,† he said, â€Å"if only I could have all this treasure / to myself† (Chaucer), and Patterson describing the fear and awe that a sinner feels when speaking to God: â€Å"I am duclus sum in to my bed, / terribilis mors [conturbat me]† (Patterson 103). Pater Noster in Anglico and The Pardoner: The Similarities Much like Pater Noster, Pater Noster in Anglico has a number of issues in common with Chaucer’s The Pardoner’s Tale, i.e., the topic, the theme, the metaphors, to name a few. Despite a comparatively small size, Pater Noster in Anglico yet manages to convey a lot of ideas which Chaucer also offers the readers to consider in his poem. To start with, Pater Noster in Anglico begins with addressing to God: â€Å"Une fader in hevene riche† (Patterson 108) and is altogether devoted to praising the Lord’s name. Likewise, The Pardoner’s Tale is also filled with the lines in which people address God in a certain manner: â€Å"‘By God’s precious heart,’/ and ‘By His nails’ and ‘By the blood of Christ in the / abbey of Hales† (Chaucer). Filled with references to Lord Almighty, Chaucer’s poem, however, contrasts with the naivety of the prayer mentioned by Patterson. While the latter is written for the sake of glorifying the name of God, the people in Chaucer’s poem mention the Lord’s name and the names of saints in vain, which is already a sign that they do not take their beliefs too seriously: â€Å"By St. John, you / shall not depart so easily!† (Chaucer). In addition, while the overall tone of Patterson’s poem is uplifting and high-flown, Chaucer’s characters mention the Lord’s name when talking about the most despicable thi ngs, which also adds to the contrast between the two books: â€Å"Nay, old churl, not so fast, by God† (Chaucer). Perhaps, the message which both The Pardoner and the Middle English penitential lyrics works so well because neither of the works uses actual people or even their credible impersonations to convey the key idea. It is not secret that in both cases, the characters are exaggerated versions of themselves.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The Pardoner’s Tale specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Each of the characters in the Pardoner’s Tale is a classic stereotype. In other words, the character in Patterson’s poems is a generic image of a praying man, which makes the given image a typical generalization. Hence, the characters in both Chaucer’s and Patterson’s poems are generalized, which serves to make the chain of authors’ arguments even more impressive: â €Å"It would be strange indeed if Chaucer had intended his characters to be recognizable as particular living individuals, or as scientific phenomena, and nothing more† (Miller). Hence, in both poems, the characters are easily identifiable, yet hardly relatable to any particular person, which makes the argument concerning faith and church all the stronger. Asking for Forgiveness: When Timor Mortis Is Stronger than Ever Another issue which the two works both touch upon is the one concerning forgiveness. One of the major themes in Chaucer’s poem, the given issue helps draw the line between the Kingdom of God and the church; the author obviously stresses that there is a considerable difference between the faith in God, and its representation in the form of a church and its clergy. It is quite peculiar that Chaucer depicts the clergy in a rather unpleasant way. As a matter of fact, Patterson does not mention any clergy or even church in his poems whatsoever – there is only the Holy Trinity and him, a portrait of an average sinner praying to the Lord. As Hicks stresses, Unlike Augustine’s Christian teacher who exercises dignity, restraint, and moderation when he delivers his homily, Chaucer’s Pardoner inverts Augustine’s precautions on action in his sermon. He speaks in an unpleasant, irritating voice and displays unnecessary, distracting gestures when he presents his moral tale; thus, he inverts Augustine’s standards of homiletic decorum. (Hicks 83) When the Heart Breaks in Three Parts: The Holy Trinity Along with the rest of the Middle English penitential lyrics, the poem by Chaucer shares a lot of similar issues and ideas with the poem named in Patterson’s book as â€Å"Alas, My Hart Will Brek in Thre.† However, as it has been mentioned before, Chaucer’s poem is a satire; hence, the mentioning of the Christ, the Holy Spirit and God is a parody on the then idea of the Trinity: â€Å"The oath o f the three ‘To lyve and dyen ech of hem for oother’ (703) parodies the mutuality of the divine Trinity. If successful, this drunken effort to ‘play God’ would of course spell disaster for the race† (Hatcher 247). Like Chaucer, Patterson also mentions the Holy Trinity, yet does so to create the atmosphere of spirituality: â€Å"Alas, my hart will brek in thre† (Patterson 103).Advertising Looking for term paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Comparing the above-mentioned idea to the one conveyed by Patterson in his Middle English penitential lyrics, one must admit that Patterson’s poems are completely deprived of the bitter irony which Chaucer’s lines are shot through. While the latter manages to develop the idea of faith with the help of the most noble and uplifting images of repenting poor sinners and the Lord Almighty taking care of their lives, Chaucer offers a bitter reality where indulgences are sold as a token of forgiveness from the havens above. Thus, the two poems provide a rather sharp contrast when compared. Even though Besserman and Storm claim that â€Å"That Chaucer held some views in common with the Lollards does not mean that he necessarily held all, and to attribute to him condemnation of Canterbury pilgrimage must surely strain credulity† (Besserman and Storm 406), it is still obvious that Chaucer makes an attempt to remind the readers about the Holy Trinity and make them forget a bout the power of the corrupt clergy. Facing the Dread of Death: Forgiveness as a Way to Overcome It Another recurrent theme that one can find in both The Pardoner and the Middle English penitential lyrics is the idea of forgiveness. Again, offered in a rather subtle way in The Pardoner’s Tale, in Patterson’s lyrics, it is rather on the nose. Anyway, it cannot be denied that the issue is in the spotlight of discussion in The Pardoner’s Tale as well as in the Middle English penitential lyrics. Again, while in Patterson’s poems, the idea is considered from a viewpoint of redemption, Chaucer takes the examples of how the issue of guilt is handled by the lowest of the low: â€Å"Here in / my bag I have relics and indulgences, as fair as any / man’s in Britain, which were given to me by the / pope’s own hand† (Chaucer). Indulgences, one of the worst ideas that have ever occurred to the clergy, as the means to buy one’s innocence, re present the scale of the moral lapse of the given time slot. Likewise, Patterson also talks about forgiveness, yet his idea of forgiving one’s sins is way more devout: â€Å"God graunte vs grace hym for to seure† (Patterson 103). It is also quite peculiar that The Pardoner offers the idea of forgiveness, and, to Chaucer’s credit, rather subtly, one must admit: â€Å"God forgive you your trespasses / and guard you from the sin of avarice† (Chaucer) is, perhaps, the only line in which the word â€Å"forgiveness† is mentioned. However, the idea of looking for repentance is definitely there in Chaucer’s poem. The poem even begins with a cry for forgiveness and the need to repent: â€Å"Our Host began to swear as if he were mad; â€Å"Help! / Alas! By the nails and cross of Christ, this was a false / churl and a false justice!† (Chaucer). Compared to Chaucer’s work, Patterson’s poems seem to be more explicit in their idea of forgiveness, like prayers are supposed to be: â€Å"Semper in sinnis I ete my bred† (Patterson 103); it is quite important that the author of the poem does not even beg for forgiveness – like a mere mortal in front of God, the author knows that he will be judged like a sinner is supposed to. However, Patterson’s â€Å"Alas, My Hart Will Brek in Thre† also touches upon a very interesting thought which is not developed by Chaucer, yet can serve as the continuation of the idea of forgiveness. According to Patterson, death can be viewed as a logical ending to the life full of sins. The author starts with the fact any human being is a sinner by default, which is why in the end, terribilis morttis awaits for him/her: â€Å"Infirmus sum, I may not Rise. / Terribilis mortis conturbat me† (Patterson 103). However, in the final lines of the poem, Patterson makes it clear that for a sinner who is waiting for his earthly suffer it end, death can be considered as a way of salvation: â€Å"In Celum ther is Joy with the! / terrbilis mortis conturbat me.† (Patterson 103). Therefore, Patterson suggests that death is already repentance for the sins made during one’s earthly life, while Chaucer insists on the fact that guilt cannot be washed away either by money, or by the sands of time: â€Å"The Pardoner may have made a mistake, but Chaucer did not† (Swart 47). Seized by the Fear of Death: Timor Mortis in The Pardoner Finally, the fear of death as the central theme in The Pardoner’s Tale and its prologue must be discussed. At the given point, the connection between Chaucer’s and Patterson’s works seems obvious; while in Chaucer’s work, the characters decide to defeat the fear of death and, thus, kill the Death himself, in Patterson’s Middle English penitential lyrics, the fear of death is described as a phenomenon. It is also quite peculiar that the descriptions of death as Chaucer and Patterson see it also differ. Chaucer depicts death as the force that comes out of nowhere and takes people away, leaving their relatives and bellowed one mourn in grief: â€Å"A / stealthy thief that men call Death, who slays all the / people in this country-side, came with his spear and / struck his heart in two, and went his way without a/ word† (Chaucer). Patterson, however, in his penitential lyrics described death as something that is quite natural to fear; the character in his poem fears the death despite his age, belief, or experience: â€Å"In August whan the levis falle [†¦] timor mortis conturbat me† (Patterson 107). Thus, Patterson not simply depicts death as The Grim Reaper, but also makes it obvious that it is natural or a human being to be afraid of death. Hence, the poem somewhat contrasts with the theme of Chaucer’s poem, in which the three men decide to oppose the death and, therefore, defeat their fear of it to a certain extent; at least, they no longer stay motionless in fear, but decide to do something to get rid of death instead of waiting for the day when it strikes them. However, it cannot be denied that the manner in which the three overcome the fear of death seems rather a parody of the Biblical redemption. As Hatcher explains, When they have slain Death, no one will ever die again – and the world will therefore be perfect. Conceived on a binge, this plan parodies Christ’s redemptive act: his was self-sacrificial whereas theirs is murderous; his overcame the death of the soul whereas theirs aims to overcome the death of the body; his preserved but transcended the natural mortality of individuals whereas theirs aims to subvert the state of nature. (Hatcher 247) Finally, the development of the characters’ attitude towards death must be mentioned. In Chaucer’s poem, there is a logical development of the idea of death, which starts with sin and fear: â€Å"They made the devil’s sacrifice / Within that devil’s temple, wicked wise, / By superfluity both vile and vain† (Chaucer) and ends with an acceptance of the fact that a human is mortal: â€Å"And therefore I must / keep my old age as long as it is God’s will† (Chaucer). In contrast to Chaucer’s characters, the character of Patterson’s lyrics does not evolve – he is fixed on the idea that death is something to be feared: â€Å"Thanne ofte thynke on cristes passion / Whan timos mortis conturbat me† (Patterson 108). Hence, in a certain aspect, Chaucer’s work is stronger than Patterson’s preachy tone: â€Å"And Pardoner, I / pray you draw near again, and let us laugh and make / sport as we did before† (Chaucer). Conclusion: When the Pardon Is Finally Given Taking the above-mentioned into account, one must admit that there is a considerable range of similarities between the Middle English penitential lyrics and the poem written by Ch aucer, especially when it comes to discussing The Pardoner’s Tale. Even though the works by Chaucer and the ones by Patterson belong to completely different genres and have considerable differences in their topics and styles, they still discuss the same issues. Hence, it can be considered that, much like the Middle English penitential lyrics, the poem by Chaucer is shot through with the idea of guilt and repentance. Works Cited Besserman, Lawrence and Melvin Storm. â€Å"Chaucer’s Pardoner.† PMLA 98.3 (1983): 405-406. Print. Chaucer, Geoffrey n.d., The Pardoner, His Prologue, and His Tale. Web. Hatcher, Elizabeth. â€Å"Life without Death: The Old Man in Chaucer’s ‘Pardoner’s Tale’.† The Chaucer Review 9.3 (1975): 246-252. Print. Hicks, James. â€Å"Chaucer’s Inversion of Augustinian Rhetoric in ‘The Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale’.† Essays in Medieval Studies 3 (n.d.): 78-95. Web. Là ¡zaro, Luis A. n.d., Orality and the Satiric Tradition in The Pardoner’s Tale. Web. Miller, Robert P. â€Å"Chaucer’s Pardoner, the Scriptural Eunuch, and the Pardoner’s Tale.† Speculum 30.2 (1955): 180-199. Print. Patterson, Frank Allan. The Middle English Penitential Lyrics. Norwood, MA: The Columbia University Press. 1911. Print. Swart, Jacobus. â€Å"Chaucer’s Pardoner.† Neophilologus 36.1 (1952): 45-50. Print. This term paper on The Pardoner’s Tale was written and submitted by user Cailyn Cruz to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Misperception of Iraq essays

Misperception of Iraq essays One of the most blatant and significant misperceptions floating around in the world today regards the war in Iraq. In spite of official findings to the contrary, including some admissions on the part of the Bush administration, many American citizens continue to believe both that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and that the nation was somehow linked to the terrorist attacks of September 11. Even though weapons inspectors and other investigators found no corroborating evidence to these claims, millions of citizens hold on dearly to this misperception, believing strongly that President Bush was correct to have invaded a sovereign nation. Many mainstream media sources have published articles or broadcasts on the fact that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and that Iraq cannot be linked to September 11. However, many people continue to believe the misperception that both these myths are true. The misperception thrives in large part because of the clever wording or spin of the Bush administration. Furthermore, for many people around the world, the misperception that many Americans hold is ridiculous and frightening. Regardless of how people feel about the President and whether or not he should be re-elected, the Iraq issue remains an important, relevant misperception on the part of the American people, a misperception that can No one will argue reasonably that Saddam Hussain was a good leader. He killed and persecuted numerous people and suppressed the citizens of Iraq for many years. He deserved to be removed from power. Therefore, Saddam Hussain's failure as a leader is not a misperception. However, the means by which the United States invaded Iraq resulted in countless civilian deaths and American soldier casualties and was also counter to the basic rules of international politics. After all, few nations in the world offered their ...

About the Speaker of the House of Representatives

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