Sallust and the Fall of Rome Essay Example for Free

Sallust and the Fall of Rome Essay Sallust also said â€Å"at home they lived frugally and never betrayed a friend†. This means they were always kind and never betrayed anyone. This was all before money became a factor. Sallust could see that Rome was becoming greedy and started to care only about money and knew Rome was going to collapse. He said â€Å"as soon as wealth came to be a mark of distinction and an easy way to renown, military commands and political power, virtue began to decline†. This was before the actual fall of Rome but it was absolutely correct. Rome began to fall apart over money and never went back. They ended up fighting themselves over money and that allowed others to take over. Sallust also said â€Å"such men, it seems to me, have treated their wealth as a mere plaything: instead of making honorable use of it, they have shamefully misused it on the first wasteful project that occurred to them†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This sums up how the thought of money as a toy and used it on the first thing they saw. This greed made Rome fall. Rome was the greatest empire of its time but all things come to an end. Some things ended with war or disease but Rome fell because of the greed of the people there. Greed never leads to anything good and this is probably the best example of that in history. Sallust was completely right when he predicted the fall of Rome over money but no one listened and that was the end of Rome.

Similar Attitudes Toward Machinery, Language, and Substance in Wordswor

Similar Attitudes Toward Machinery, Language, and Substance in Wordsworth, Pope and Dryden William Wordsworth’s â€Å"Preface to Lyrical Ballads† is from the Romantic Period of British literature, while Alexander Pope’s â€Å"The Rape of the Lock† and John Dryden’s â€Å"Mac Flecknoe† are both from the Neoclassical Period; â€Å"The Rape of the Lock† is from the Augustan Age, while â€Å"Mac Flecknoe† is from the Restoration (â€Å"Literary†). Despite these discrepancies in the time periods that their respective works were produced, however, Wordsworth, Pope, and Dryden express similar attitudes toward machinery, language, and substance. Their works evidence their agreement that machinery is a destructive force of serial production and repetition; good poetic language should exclude such repetition and be original and substantial, and poetic images can be used to create substance out of a lack of substance. First, the texts of Wordsworth, Pope, and Dryden evidence their agreement that machinery is a destructive force of serial production and repetition. In â€Å"Preface to Lyrical Ballads,† Wordsworth writes, â€Å"However exalted a notion we would wish to cherish of the character of a Poet, it is obvious, that, while he describes and imitates passions, his situation is altogether slavish and mechanical, compared with the freedom and power of real and substantial action and suffering† (361). In this statement, Wordsworth expresses his view that an association with anything â€Å"mechanical,† or â€Å"[o]perated or produced by a mechanism or machine,† is not exalted and is unbecoming to a poet; machinery does not help produce freedom and substance (â€Å"Mechanical†). In â€Å"The Rape of the Lock,† Pope similarly demonstrates that machinery causes a lack of freedom and ... ...ntic Period, the three works agree on three ideas. They agree that machinery is a destructive force of serial production and repetition; good poetic language should exclude such repetition and be original and substantial, and poetic images can be used to create substance out of a lack of substance. Interestingly, their views are quite relevant to a British literature student who has to use her laptop computer to produce an original, substantial piece of writing from four blank sheets of paper. Works Cited â€Å"Literary Periods of British and American Literature.† The Literary Explorer. Renà ©e Goodvin. 15 Nov. 2004 . â€Å"Mechanical.† The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 2000 Fourth ed. Bartleby.com. 15 Nov. 2004 . (The Longman Anthology of British Literature 2nd Edition, Volumes 1c and 2a).

“Afterwards” by Thomas Hardy Essay

‘Afterwards,’ by Thomas Hardy, is a poem that questions the way that people will look upon the narrator after his death. It centre’s around the idea of ‘noticing things,’ showing the narrators precision and the ambivalence of his neighbours. Hardy gets this across by the techniques that he uses, and the detailed descriptions which show the full extent of what the narrator has noticed. The poem shows the complexity of nature, and describes the cycle of life. The first stanza begins by personifying the ‘Present,’ which is very appropriate as the poem is concerned by the aliveness of the surroundings that it is describing. The reference to the back gate suggests closure, and is a very precise way of describing the end of the narrator’s life. This sense of closure is also demonstrated in the structure of the poem, which is self-contained in its alternate rhyming quatrains. It has a rhyming pattern of abab, which means that the poem is soft and pleasing to hear, reflects the quietness of nature and goes along with the idea of the man being gentle and ‘tremulous’. It is also pleasing to the eye as each stanza loosely mirrors the previous one. However the number of syllables varies in each line, which means the poem is not constrained by its structure. This is fitting to the content of the poem as there are references to birds, and flying which has the connotations of freedom. An example of this is, ‘And the May month flaps its glad green leaves like wings.’ This animal imagery is totally un-restrictive, as well as painting a very bright and vibrant picture of the season that he is describing. The alliteration, combined with each line only having one syllable helps to achieve the bouncing, jolly effect. The line also shows enjambment from the first line that is a technique carried on throughout the poem, adding to the overall continuity. The month of May is also described as being ‘delicate-filmed as new spun silk.’ This simile gives a very precise description of the beauty of spring, comparing it to a shiny new fabric, and giving it an almost transparent quality. There are also the connotations of value and exquisiteness. The second stanza moves consecutively from daytime to dusk, using appropriate  language to describe the time. Hardy is precise in describing the moment the hawk lands as like ‘an eyelids soundless blink.’ This has the combined effect of conveying both the visual swiftness of movement, and also the quietness of the moment. He manages to create an eerie tone by using the word ‘shades,’ which gives the impression that there are many shadows and it is not very easy to see. The eerie tone is continued by the ‘wind-warped upland thorn,’ in which the plosive ‘R’ sound adds to the feeling of rustiness. It shows that the narrator does not only appreciate the bright beauty of the day time, but the more mystical quality of the evening, therefore noticing the full complexity of what nature has to offer. The idea of the day wearing on continues in the third stanza, where the first line foregrounds the rest of the stanza by stating; ‘If I pass during some ‘nocturnal blackness,’ which clearly sets the scene for night time. This is carried on by the description of the hedgehog and the moths, which only venture out at night, which creates a mood of peace and tranquility. The idea that the hedgehog travels furtively suggests a sense of purpose, that the hedgehog has a sly, secret mission to complete, which will go unnoticed in the rest of the world. This seems symbolic for the narrator, who seems to be discretely observing everything. T he secretiveness would help explain the distance that seems to be between him and the rest of the human beings around him. This distance is further achieved by the fact that there are never any names mentioned, or any suggestion of family or relationships. For example ‘one may say,’which is typically impersonal.Stanza four moves from describing the animals that the narrator identifies with, and is more focussed of the narrator and his idea of the people around him. It is different from the previous stanzas in that there is no movement within it, which is appropriate because Hardy is describing the time when the narrator has been ‘stilled at last.’ The focus switches from the visual nature the narrator is so utterly familiar with, to the ‘full starred heavens that winter sees.’ Therefore he is thinking about the unknown, and the life that awaits him after he dies. Again there is the use of personification for winter, as there was for spring, which is important as it signifies the end of the  seasonal cycle where things wither and die.Continuing this somewhat disconsolate tone, the beginning of the last stanza seems to give up on human nature. It asks, ‘and will any say when my bell of quittance is heard in the gloom.’ This brings you back to the closure suggested in the first stanza, where he describes the gate closing on his life. The image of the bell contrasts to the silence of the previous stanzas, especially the one immediately preceding it. It describes the sound dying, and then rising again as a ‘new bells boom.’ The alliteration again helps the line move quickly, suggesting the speed that people rush around. The onomatopoeic word ‘boom’ suggests the loud noise that people make, contrasting to the peace and tranquility of the nature and animals that he describes. The poem ends by asking if the people will say, ‘he hears it not now but used to notice such things?’ This sums up the whole poem, which is expressing how people will not ask these questions. The refrains bring in the new voice in each stanza, having the effect of uniting each one. The meaning of each of the final lines never really changes, achieving the realization that the narrator knows that he will never change the views of the people around him. Hardy is criticizing human nature for not stopping long enough to reflect on what is really meaningful in people’s lives. Therefore in conclusion the repetition of the first line, that ends the poem sums up the whole idea that nothing has actually been resolved. It emphasizes the complexity of nature and the amount of things that goes unnoticed every day and night. Hardy employs various techniques to make the poem come alive, which is crucial in showing his appreciation of what is going on around him. He uses extensive imagery, so that it is both visual, such as by describing the colours, and the explicit detail that is in every small thing that he describes. The silence is also transmitted effectively by word choice such as ‘soundless blink.’ It is also effective in identifying his affinity with animals, as opposed to human beings.

Racial Discrimination By Booker T. Washington Essay

Racial discrimination, political, social and economic inequality during the late 19th century and early 20th century led various leaders within the black community to rise up and address the appalling circumstances that African Americans were forced to endure. Among these leaders were Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois whom possessed analogous desires as it pertained to the advancement and upliftment of the black race. While both individuals were fighting for the same cause and purpose they embraced contrary ideologies and approaches to African American struggle. In Booker T. Washington’s book â€Å"Up from Slavery† African Americans were encouraged to be passive and focus on vocational education whereas in W.E.B. DuBois book â€Å"The Souls of Black Folk†, African Americans were encouraged to fight for their merited rights and focus on academic education. However, although Washington was convinced that his ideologies would sincerely uplift the black race, th ey actually proved to be detrimental, leaving DuBois ideology to be the most reasonable and appropriate solution for the advancement of the black race. Booker T. Washington was a leader who saw power and success in passiveness and patience. He believed that African Americans would attain their rights in time through hard work, improved education and self-help. His journey from slave to leader was evidence that the black race was highly capable of helping themselves reach a degree of success and he was ultimately convincedShow MoreRelatedBooker T Washington And W. E. B. Dubois Persuasive Essay1326 Words   |  6 Pagespeople, and African Americans were constantly subject to racism and discrimination. Because of this, two men, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois both attempted to fight for rights and equality for African Americans during the late 1800s and early 1900s. They both believed African Americans deserved to have rights and equality, but they had very different opinions a nd ideas on how to solve the problem. Thus, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois both tried to gain rights and equality for AfricanRead MoreBooker T.Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois Essay1184 Words   |  5 Pagesthis movement amongst the Black community were Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois, however they had very differing views on how to achieve this goal (PBS.org). Washington and Du Bois essentially split the Black community into two parties, radical and conservative. Du Bois, the radical, preached for a strong political and civil rights agenda, and uplift for Blacks through education. Washington pushed for Blacks to accept their racial discrimination until they had proven themselves through hardRead MoreB. Dubois And Booker T. Washington795 Words   |  4 Pagesbelieve in fighting violence with violence or leaving the violence untouched? W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington were two African-American rights activists during the late 1800s and early 1900s. W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington had the same idea for the end result of equality for colored people. However, they had very different approaches to reach their desired results. Booker T. Washington believed it was the right idea to approach his issues in a passive manner. However, W.E.B. DuBoisRead MoreBooker T Dubois Dbq Essay1235 Words   |  5 Pages To Submit or to Admit News is buzzing around America about racial injustice, homophobia, sexism, xenophobia and more. People are rioting, protesting, and taking a stand against the injustice that is currently affecting their lives. Today, there are many political leaders and celebrities that preach the need for social and economic equality. What did influential people have to say about the prejudice that America was facing during the time of the Jim Crow laws? Post-civil war, there were two hugeRead MoreBooker T. Washington Essay1249 Words   |  5 Pagesposition that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome† –Booker T. Washing. Booker Taliaferro Washington was born in Hale’s Ford, Virginia on April 5th, 1856 to Jane Burroughs and an unknown White man. Washington was married three times. His first wife was Fannie N. Smith from Malden, West Virginia. Booker and Fannie were married in the summer of 1882 and had one child together named Portia M. Washington. Fann ie died two years later in May 1884. The second wife was Olivia A. DavidsonRead MoreBooker T. Washington And His Critics : The Idea Of Racial Compromise1270 Words   |  6 PagesBooker T. Washington and His Critics: The Idea of Racial Compromise The era of Jim Crow began after the end of Reconstruction in 1877, in which through the rebuilding of the South, whites established laws and customs that forced freed slaves to stay marginalized and targeted by Southern whites. The purpose of these Jim Crow ideas was to keep blacks and white separated, and to also keep blacks from progressing in society. For instance, Southern whites forced blacks to take literacy testsRead MoreAnalysis Of Booker T. Washington999 Words   |  4 Pageswhich had videos about Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois. There were two African American men wanting to uplift the Black community, but sought two different ways of doing so. They both saw things from two different points of views. Booker T. Washington spoke as a southerner who grew up as a slave that experienced racism throughout his life. He advocated industrial/vocational education to give blacks a useful skill to make money and take of their families. Washington had attended Hampto n UniversityRead MoreCompare And Contrast Booker T. Dubois1296 Words   |  6 PagesW.E.B Du Bois and Booker T. Washington were both fighting for the betterment of blacks, but accomplished it differently. W.E.B Du Bois believed in blacks getting a classical education and obtaining equality. While, Booker T. Washington wanted blacks to focus on vocational skills and give up their rights to be a success. W.E.B Du Bois disagreed because he believed that African Americans should not limit themselves to vocational labor but preferred that they educated themselves so they would be recognizedRead MorePolitical Leadership And Its Effects On African Americans1393 Words   |  6 Pagesin order to destroy the hopes of advocating for the rights of the black people. It was at this time that W.E.B Du Bois and Booker T. Washington stood out to defend the black people in the ruling of America. The two political leaders advocated for the provision of human rights to the black people and to the end of oppression, mistreatment and discrimination in America. Booker T. was born in the early 1850s, he later becomes a political activist in fighting for the human right. Additionally, W.E.B DuRead MoreBooker T Dubois Compare And Contrast Essay1110 Words   |  5 PagesCompromise vs. Conflict The stark differences between Booker T Washington and W.E.B. DuBois and their approaches to racism Do you believe that slow and steady wins the race, or that when talking about civil rights the sooner the better? Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois were two very influential people who fought for the rights of African Americans in the late 1880’s to early 1900’s. Although both men were fighting for the same thing, their views on how to approach equality and their personal