Gay Marriage Should Be Legal - 873 Words

Gay marriage is a topic that is widely discussed and debated similar to racism or women’s rights, but now that gay marriage is legal people are still trying to ban their freedom statewide. All American couples deserve decent health care, spousal death benefits, and all other privileges afforded through marriage. Same sex unions should not be different from heterosexual marriages. Same sex couples have been denied tremendous amounts of health benefits, but with the legalization of gay marriage do they get regular health benefits just like regular couples? â€Å"With marriage rights now available to gay and lesbian couples in all 50 states, experts say employer-sponsored health coverage for same-sex domestic partners - offered by 46% of large and midsize companies before the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling -could decrease in future years† (Dunning 2). As humans we should ALL receive equal rights. Being black, white, gay, lesbian, transgender, short, or tall should not d efine who we are and what benefits we are allowed. â€Å"The unprecedented expansion of marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples in the past year has exerted added pressure on employers to review the health care benefits they extend to employees’ same-sex spouses and domestic partners† (â€Å"Employers† 1). It is very sad that gay and lesbian couples used to have to file separately at the federal and state level. Colleen Carcone states that â€Å"Before the Supreme Court’s ruling this year, it was unclear whether married couplesShow MoreRelatedGay Marriage Should Be Legal1205 Words   |  5 PagesHoward Sociology 1301-93431 Gay Marriage Getting married is something that most people do when they find love, which it is an important event in their life. The GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) community now get the legal right of same-sex marriage, which they have fought for throughout the years; on the other hand, some opponents of same-sex m arriage have called for a constitutional change towards it. Although there were some countries that allowed gay marriage before the United StatesRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1159 Words   |  5 PagesAmendment, which puts a ban on gay marriage. This amendment entitles to equal rights to the gay community, ending toleration of discrimination in jobs, rights protecting gays from hate crimes,rights allowing advancement in government. However, the concept of gay marriage is still not considered a right the American people should extend to homosexuals. II. The vast majority of opponents believe marriage should be between one woman and one man, meaning marriage should be between members of the oppositeRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1574 Words   |  7 Pagesequal rights. Gays and lesbians are consistently denied rights that are typically taken for granted by the average American. Specifically, gay and lesbian couples are denied the right to marry even if they are outstanding citizens. They are held at an unfair disadvantage solely because of their sexual orientation. This discrimination must stop, because gay and lesbian couples are law-abiding citizens too, who should be afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples. Marriage is about love andRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1564 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is marriage? Recently, people argue with respect to the definition of marriage. What happened to marriage? To get married is a very important event for almost everyone. Especially for women, marriage and giv ing a birth could be the two biggest events of their lives. Many people believe that getting married to the one whom he or she loves is natural. However, what do you think if you cannot get married to him or her because it is socially unacceptable? 100 years ago different colored peopleRead MoreShould Gay Marriage Be Legal?778 Words   |  3 PagesShould Gay Marriage Be Legal? â€Å"†¦I now pronounce you husband and wife†¦Ã¢â‚¬  One would normally hear this when attending a wedding. In tradition marriage has been between one male and one female who love each other. But how would one feel if they heard â€Å"I now pronounce you groom and groom† or how about â€Å"†¦bride and bride...†? In the last 50 years the number of same-sex couples has increased. The on-going argument between the government and the people is â€Å"Should gay marriage be legal?† Although some sayRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1126 Words   |  5 PagesJune 26, 2015 for gay marriage to be legal in all fifty states, thirty seven out of the fifty and Washington D.C already legalized gay marriage. Many support gay marriage and many do not, with widespread values and reasons for and against it. Due to religion and rights people across the nation have differing views and opinions of it.In a five to four vote in the Supreme Court gay marriage becam e legalized in all fifty states. Shortly after that a few marriage officiators and marriage licenses peopleRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1179 Words   |  5 PagesGAY MARRIAGES Some states such as Iowa legalized gay marriage through the action of judicial interpretation based on the state’s constitutional stipulations while other states such as Vermont legalized gay marriage through legislation initiatives. These cases demonstrate the government is the sole body that can dictate the validity of whatever is to be regarded as a marriage, and in this case gay marriage. The power to validate marriage is still observed among the private citizens, religious institutionsRead MoreThe Gay Marriage Should Be Legal947 Words   |  4 PagesDefending Gay Marriage During the last few years, homosexuality has become an important issue for debate. Moreover, homosexuals have taken their case further by claiming their right to marry. Same-sex marriage, usually known as â€Å"gay marriage†, is the marriage between two people from the same biological sex (Doskow1). Since 2000, eleven countries have approved the legalization of gay marriage worldwide: Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, ArgentinaRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1480 Words   |  6 PagesNew World Dictionary defines the word married as being husband and wife, yet there are millions of gay activists who are fighting for a new meaning. They believe marriage is more than a piece of paper and a set of rings. The hope is that marriage could be defined as a â€Å"public recognition of a private commitment† or â€Å"emotional, financial, and psychological bond† between two people (Sullivan 53). Gay activists belie ve that taking away the ability to have a publicly recognized relationship or an acceptedRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1351 Words   |  6 Pageshappened for United States, gay marriage became legal in all 50 states. In most states it already was but the remaining 13 became legal this year. There are many concerns regarding gay marriage, and the effects of them involve many legislative, cultural, religious and family issues. Gay marriage is controversial because a lot of people do not approve of it, they think it is immoral, unnatural, and not what the traditional concept of â€Å"marriage† really means. Opponents of gay marriage say it is only meant

Book Review of The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson Essay

Shirley Jackson, the author, begins with a public gathering on a fine day. All the villagers gather in the square, waiting to draw their annual lots. I have been puzzled since the very beginning. Why do the boys fill their pockets with stones? Why are there piles of stones in the corner? What are they used for? As I went on, I kept wondering: why do people appear so serious and nervous? The lottery seems so unusual that it has a special impact on all the people presented. Having finished the story, I suddenly came to realize that the lottery is indeed unusual. It does have something to do with gambling except that the prize is not money, but a persons life! There does be a crowd, but they dont congratulate the winner, but stone him to†¦show more content†¦It is really disgusting for a mother to utter those words. Where is her conscience as a mother? Bill Hutchinson forces his wife to unfold the deadly paper and then stands by, completely indifferent. Where is his love as a h usband? Someone talks about the neighborhoods abolishment of the lottery, but is absolutely vetoed by the seemingly authority. Then there has been no further objection at all. Where is their sense as human beings on earth? Finally the woman is dead. She is stoned to death by her village fellows, including her dear husband and son. So sarcastic. Peoples fanaticism to the lottery robs them of their conscience, their love, and even their sense. The movie is even more shocking. However, different approaches, the same revelation. Jason go back to where his father used to live, trying to fulfill the old mans last wish to be buried with his dear wife. Everyone appears to be strange and hostile to him except a young, enthusiastic girl, Felice. They fall in love with each other, as romance goes. I have thought that the two of them may fight together against the barbaric custom and finally break it all. To my great disappointment, Felice tells Jason nothing about the ignorance of people in the village, she tells Jason nothing when she finds that her mother has secretly discarded the bone ash of Jasons father, and at last she tells nothing to the policeman to whom Jason has turned for help. It made me feel sickShow MoreRelatedHuman Corruption Of Human Nature1140 Words   |  5 PagesHuman Corruption in â€Å"The Lottery† â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson is a classic short story in U.S literature. Written in 1948, the short story has been published in multiple languages around the world. It is still a required reading in U.S today. The story was later adapted into both a TV short and a play (â€Å"Shirley Jackson’s Bio†). Jackson uses irony and symbolism in â€Å"The Lottery† to show the corruption of human nature. The story opens up on a clear June day. It continues to describe an ominousRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson919 Words   |  4 Pages A story that really stood out to me was â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson. This short story is really different from any story that I have read and it is very unique. â€Å"The Lottery† is about a small town that follows a strong tradition called the lottery. The lottery is when the whole town gets together and they all put their family name in a black box, then every family has to choose one from the box. Whoever pulls out a black dot gets stoned by everyone in the whole town. The theme to this storyRead MoreSymbolism in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson Essay example1173 Words   |  5 PagesWhen most people play the lottery today, they think about having wealth. Generally, people who win are happy about it whether they win one dollar or a million. The lottery in our society has grown to support education and it is often worth several million dollars. Usually, the winner of the lottery gains a lot of recognition for the money they win. But what would happen if there was a small town where people held a yearly lottery in which the â€Å"winner† was the member of the town who was not sacrificedRead MoreThe Lottery Essay617 Words   |  3 Pages Over the years many critics have wrote articles on Shirley Jacksons numerous works. Many critics had much to say about Jacksons most famous short story, quot;The Lotteryquot;. Her insights and observations about man and society are disturbing; and in the case of quot;The Lottery,quot; they are shocking. quot;The themes themselves are not new, evil cloaked in seeming good, prejudice and hypocrisy, loneliness and frustration, psychological studies of minds that have slipped the bonds of realityquot;Read MoreEssay about The Life and Literary Works of Shirley Jackson4264 Words   |  18 PagesShirley Jackson was born on December 14, 1919 to Leslie and Geraldin e Jackson. Her surroundings were comfortable and friendly. Two years after Shirley was born, her family with her newborn brother moved from San Francisco to Burlingame, California, about thirty miles away. According to her mother, Shirley began to compose verse almost as soon as she could write it (Friedman, 18). As a child, Shirley was interested in sports and literature. In 1930, a year before she attended Burlingame High SchoolRead MoreThe Road Through The Wall By Shirley Jackson1897 Words   |  8 Pages Shirley Jackson was born in San Francisco, California on December 14th 1916. From an early age she was at odds with her parents expectations. Within these expectations her mother had an obsession with appearance that put her further away from her. Jackson began writing in 1930 as a teenager and grew up in a suburban atmosphere; this later became the subject of her first novel â€Å"The Road through the Wall† in 1948. From California she moved cross country to Rochester, New York in 1934. Her universityRead MoreShirley Jackson Biography Essay1117 Words   |  5 PagesShirley Jackson was born on December 14, 1916 in San Francisco, California. She was the daughter of Leslie Hardie (President of Stecher-Traung Lithograph,Inc.) and Geraldine Bugbee Jackson. Miss Jackson attended the University of Rochester from 1934 to 1936. She graduated with a BA from Syracuse University in 1940. Shortly after graduating, she married Stanley Edgar Hyman, who was a literary critic and was on the faculty of Bennington college.. They moved to Vermont and had four children togetherRead MoreExpect the Unexpected1898 Words   |  8 PagesExpect the Unexpected What thoughts come to mind when you think of â€Å"The Lottery?† Positive thoughts including money, a new home, excitement, and happiness are all associated with the lottery in most cases. However, this is not the case in Shirley Jackson’s short story, â€Å"The Lottery†. Here, the characters in the story are not gambling for money, instead they are gambling for their life. A shock that surprises the reader as she unveils this horrifying tradition in the village on this beautifulRead MoreEssay about Allegory and Satire in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson2337 Words   |  10 PagesOriginally printed in the June 26, 1948 issue of The New Yorker, Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† brought about controversy from the beginning. Magazine subscriptions were immediately canceled due to the outrage at the brutal underlying message. Mrs. Jackson tore down virtually every institution that American Citizens hold dear to their hearts. Jackson believes we should not just blindly follow authority or blindly partake in any traditions that we may not understand to the full extent. â€Å"Any humanRead MoreThe Revision Process Allows Me855 Words   |  4 Pagesessay and establish the structure in a better order. Specifically, the revision process allows me to take a second look back at my essay and see how I could have ultimately created a more exceptional essay. To start, the revision process allows me to review my thesis and create a better one so that I can have a more defined aspect and get the main point across. Also, the concept of revising an essay can lead to a more easily understood paper with more specific details which would lead to a more structured

Things Fall Apart (Literary Analysis) Free Essays

Things Fall Apart Literary Analysis Okonkwo and his father, Unoka, were two very different people. With just one wife and nothing to leave behind to his only son, Unoka was seen as a failure in the eyes of his village. Okonkwo, however, became a titled man with three wives and a successful harvest every season. We will write a custom essay sample on Things Fall Apart (Literary Analysis) or any similar topic only for you Order Now He was well respected in his community, despite his impulsive tendencies and rigidness. Although he despised Unoka, Okonkwo would not have grown to be the man that he did if it weren’t for his father. Okonkwo was aware of his father’s chronic laziness growing up and he knew firsthand the consequences of that kind of lifestyle. He learned from Unoka’s mistakes, and as an adult tried to become the opposite of him. â€Å"Okonkwo was ruled by one passion- to hate everything his father had loved. One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness. † He didn’t want to be judged based on the faults his father, and he proved that he was indeed everything Unoka was not: Strong, successful, determined and hardworking. Okonkwo also lived in perpetual fear of being perceived as weak, as his father had been. This fear drove him to do reckless things such as kill Ikemefuna, who had regarded Okonkwo as a father-figure. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak. † Such impulsive actions proved him to be tough on the outside, but only weakened him on the inside. Okonkwo came to love Ikemefuna like a son, because he was much more like himself than his own biological son, Nwoye. However, he would never show his affection and later becam e deeply depressed by what he’d done. Nwoye, too, chose a very different path than his father. Okonkwo always thought Nwoye was lazy and feminine, much like Unoka. â€Å"‘†¦ I have done my best to make Nwoye grow into a man, but there is too much of his mother in him. ‘Too much of his grandfather,’ Obierika thought, but he did not say it. The same thought also came to Okonkwo’s mind. † Later in Nwoye’s life, he defied his father’s wishes and joined the Christian church. Upon hearing this news, Okonkwo disowned him as a son. I think this shows that how we’re raised greatly influences the people we become as adults. Okonkwo, who’s father didn’t have many expectations of him, created high expectations for himself. However, Nwoye failed to meet Okonkwo’s high standards and eventually gave up on trying to please him. How to cite Things Fall Apart (Literary Analysis), Papers

Human Resource Management Business Environment

Question: Discuss about the Human Resource Management for Business Environment. Answer: Introduction The purpose of this report is to emphasize the external business environment of SEEK Limited, which is an online recruitment website. The company facilitates both jobseekers and employers in Australia, China, New Zealand, India, Philippines and South Africa (Seek.com.au 2016). In this report, a new business strategy for the company will be provided depending on the external forces that may affect business of the company. Steelpled analysis of Seek Social: Falling employment rate of the India and other developing countries would increase business scope for SEEK (Indiatoday.intoday.in 2016). Young and Middle age structure helps to increase flow of job applicant, which is beneficial for SEEK. Technological: Competitors are improving the website layout. Competitors are introducing mobile applications, which increase usability of the platform (Ladkin and Buhalis 2016). It affects applicants perception about SEEK negatively. Apart from that, low bandwidth connection of the applicants may affect accessibility. Here, competitors are publishing job openings in text format rather than using image or video format. Economical: Inflation can increase unemployment rate of the targeted countries in which SEEK operates. Therefore, during economic crisis, the company would not be able to conduct sustainable business. In this economic condition, employers are seeking for workforce at low wages. On the other hand, applicants are searching for high paying jobs. Environmental circumstances and consequences: Online Recruitment Company reduces paper use, which is beneficial for the environment. As an online recruitment platform, SEEK has successfully complied with the environmental policies. Political circumstances and consequences: Government of the targeted country may change the employment policies. Therefore, SEEK may face difficulties due to changed employment policies Legal context: SEEK needs to comply with the legal framework of the targeted country. A newly implemented legal framework may have positive or negative impact on business development of the company. Ethical implications: The Company needs to provide equal opportunity to the applicants. Discriminating the job applicants would negatively affect the perception of the target market of SEEK. Demographic context: Segregating the target market based on the demographic context would help the company to maintain sustainability Opportunities and Threats As an online recruitment company, SEEK Limited has a set of threats and opportunities due to internal and external market forces. Here, technological and economic factors are the most important elements that would affect business process of the company. Following are the threats and opportunities for the company while conducting business in global market. Opportunities During high unemployment period, SEEK would be able to increase candidate registration. Threats The perception of SEEKs applicants is getting affected by the technological improvement of competitors The mobile application of SEEK is not user friendly. Job applicants may face issues while signing up to the application. Challenges The above threat and opportunity analysis shows that the company is facing a set of challenges while conducting business in international market. The market is highly evolving and therefore, the company is facing competitive challenges, due to emerging technological innovation (Mondy and Martocchio 2016). Apart from that, the company is facing difficulties due to changing economy of the target markets. In this competitive market, finding the skilled employees is difficult for the company. However, it is difficult for the company to find out candidates as per requirements of the clients (Roberts-Lombard, Burin and Klopper 2016). On the other hand, candidates have job preferences, while searching for a suitable job. Low job vacancy prevents the company from providing quality service to the job applicants. In this economic condition, employers are seeking for low wage employees and on the other hand, job seekers are searching for high paying vacancies. Therefore, SEEK is facing challenge while matching employees and employers profile. Difficult user-interface of mobile application is a challenge for SEEK. It prevents the company from increasing applicants registration. Low bandwidth of the target market prevents the applicants from accessing the platform the website of SEEK, needs high bandwidth connection. Business Strategies In order to deal with the identified threats and opportunities, the company needs to set efficient business strategies. Following are the business strategies that the organization intends to deal with the threats and opportunities. Communication with clients: In order to select appropriate candidate for the appropriate client, the company has adopted efficient communication strategy, which helps the company to convey clear information to the stakeholders (Davies and Zhou 2016). The company needs to improve communication with the clients in order to maintain job availability even during recession. In this manner, the company would be able to maintain applicant registration during unfavorable economic condition. SEEK should target fresher applicants for low wage vacancies during the time of recession. It would help the company to satisfy need of both clients and applicants at same time. Continuous improvement of online platform: In order to deal with threat of technical malfunction, the company needs to improve the online platform and website layout. Through this strategy, the company can attract both clients and candidates in an efficient manner (Ladkin and Buhalis 2016). Apart from that, it improves accessibility of the online platform, which helps to increase subscription rate. In order to survive in competitive market, SEEK Limited will adopt online advertisement strategy. This strategy helps the organization to connect with both clients and candidates in global market (Kern and Mller-Bker 2015). Moreover, the company will implement social media advertisement strategy through which it is possible to target broad population of the targeted market. The company needs to improve the website in order to improve bandwidth of the portal. In this manner, the company would be able to overcome the challenge of low bandwidth of the target market. Strengths and weaknesses of the business strategy The employees of the company are solely responsible to achieve the above-mentioned business strategies. Following are the strengths and weaknesses of the employees of SEEK Limited. Strenghts Employees of SEEK Limited have good communication skill and technical knowledge SEEK has a wide client base, which helps the company to conduct sustainable business. The employees have the ability to conduct in-depth market research, which helps the company to understand competitors activities in terms of technological aspects. Weakness Communication within the employees needs improvement. Is the company has 14 employees, the company does not have employee diversification (Seek.com.au 2016). Therefore, the company fails to encourage innovation. Employees need to improve content of the website in order to emphasize job descriptions. HR Strategies In order to enable the business strategy to be fully implemented, the Human Resource management of the company should consider online job posting, cohesive job description and communication with the clients. Following is the discussion of the proposed strategies, which will help the HR to achieve current business strategies. Communication with clients: The HR should build e-mail communication with the clients in order to understand their requirements (Davies and Zhou 2016). This will help the company to achieve the communication strategy. Online job posting for fresher: This would help the HR of SEEK Limited to attract fresher applicants from the target market (Chee 2015). Here, the HR should promote individual job offers through online platforms like social media. Improvement of online platform: HR of SEEK Limited should conduct market research in order to understand competitors strategies for improving online platform. In this manner, the company would be able to increase attractiveness and professionalism of the website. Good Job Description in Text format In order to achieve organization objectives, the HR of the company should prepare the job description in text format (Ladkin and Buhalis 2016). In this manner, the company would be able to reduce use of image and video files, which will help the applicants to access the platform with low bandwidth. Conclusion While concluding, it can be said that SEEK Limited is a multinational online recruitment service provider. The external market analysis of the company shows that political, legal, economic and technological factors have huge impact on the business performance. Since the company is conducting business in international market, the company needs to comply with the governmental policies and procedures. When it comes to the HR responsibilities, the company needs to adopt online job posting, and should communicate with the clients properly. Reference list Chee, L.L., 2015. Power as Practice in Global Governance: Recruitment Agencies and the Governmentof Domestic Worker Migration in Southeast Asia Davies, D. and Zhou, M.W., 2016. Is there too much Emphasis Placed on Specific Skills Knowledge When Recruiting?.Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review,2016 Indiatoday.intoday.in. 2016. Welcome to Jobless Growth: Why India is facing an unemployment crisis. [online] Available at: https://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/employment-scenario-job-crunch-jobless-growth-economy/1/647573.html [Accessed 15 Sep. 2016] Kern, A. and Mller-Bker, U., 2015. The middle space of migration: A case study on brokerage and recruitment agencies in Nepal.Geoforum,65, pp.158-169 Ladkin, A. and Buhalis, D., 2016. Online and social media recruitment: hospitality employer and prospective employee considerations.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,28(2), pp.327-345 Mondy, R. and Martocchio, J.J., 2016.Human resource management. Pearson Roberts-Lombard, M., Burin, C. and Klopper, H.B., 2016. An Internal Marketing Perspective Within A Recruitment Service Environment In South Africa.Journal of Applied Business Research,32(1), p.45 Roberts-Lombard, M., Burin, C. and Klopper, H.B., 2016. An Internal Marketing Perspective Within A Recruitment Service Environment In South Africa.Journal of Applied Business Research,32(1), p.45 Seek.com.au. 2016. SEEK - Australia's no. 1 jobs, employment, career and recruitment site. [online] Available at: https://www.seek.com.au/ [Accessed 15 Sep. 2016].

Paradise Lost Essay Example

Paradise Lost Essay Satan as the Hero of Paradise Lost Satan Arousing the Rebel Angels, William Blake (1808) Leontien Kouwenhoven 1260707 Supervisor: Dr. J. R. Veenstra Second Reader: Prof. Dr. A. A. MacDonald 06-03-2009 Doctoraalscriptie Engelse Taal- en Cultuur Faculteit der Letteren Rijksuniversiteit Groningen Wordcount: 17. 325 Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Background 5 3. Satan 13 4. Hell 21 5. Sin 30 6. Conclusion 39 7. Works Cited 43 1. Introduction Can the devil be an epic hero? This seems to be the case in John Milton’s Paradise Lost, the great epic from the English Renaissance. Milton’s Satan is brave, resourceful and powerful and an excellent leader as well. When reading the work, after a few pages, the reader may indeed get the impression that Satan is an epic hero. However, this idea does not last for long; when one reaches Book III, the favourable image of Satan as a heroic freedom fighter deteriorates and in the end he is transformed into a beast. Milton’s description of Satan stands in a long tradition of representations of the devil in European literature. One of the greatest earlier works that gives us an image of the devil is Dante’s La Divina Commedia, also a work of epic proportion. We will write a custom essay sample on Paradise Lost specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Paradise Lost specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Paradise Lost specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Dante’s Commedia will be used in this essay as a contrast to Milton’s epic: Dante’s Devil seems to be the complete opposite of Milton’s Satan. He is motionless, frozen in ice and represents a passive evil. This essay will try to answer the question whether or not the devil can be an epic hero. And if not, whether or not he can be another kind of hero? The descriptions of the devil in Dante and Milton are strongly influenced by their respective world views. Milton’s Renaissance perspective is different form Dante’s medieval outlook. Satan’s heroic status owes a lot to the Renaissance world view. With the books and articles written on Paradise Lost and La Divina Commedia, one could fill a library. However, some articles and books have been very useful in writing this essay. To give some examples, John Steadman has written many articles on John Milton and Paradise Lost, of which â€Å"The Idea of Satan as the Hero of Paradise Lost† and â€Å"Milton and St. Basil: The Genesis of Sin and Death† and â€Å"Milton and Mazzoni: the Genre of the Divina Commedia† have been particularly relevant. A book which gives an excellent insight in the medieval world view is C. S. Lewis’ The Discarded Image, which is very suitable in obtaining background information on both La Divina Commedia and Paradise Lost. Another work which provides relevant information on the history of the devil is Jeffrey Burton Russel’s Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages, which gives an elaborate analysis of the position of the devil in society and literature. Singleton’s translation of Dante’s La Divina Commedia is used throughout this paper1. The translation is very good, but more importantly, Singleton added extensive notes and commentaries in separate volumes. In finding out what kind of hero Satan might be, Peter Thorslev’s The Byronic Hero has been most helpful. 1 Alighieri, Dante. The Divine Comedy: Inferno 1. Trans. Charles S. Singleton. New Jersey: Princeton: University Press, 1970. English translations of Italian quotes from La Divina Commedia have been taken from Singleton’s translation. The second chapter of this essay will provide background information on John Milton and his Paradise Lost and Dante and his La Divina Commedia. Both works can be regarded as epics and this chapter will give information on epics in general, the epic in the Renaissance and on the epic hero. Also, this chapter will discuss the epic conventions which can be found in both La Divina Commedia and Paradise Lost. Furthermore, some attention will be given to the authors themselves and their works. If Paradise Lost is an epic, then the work should contain an epic hero. The most likely character to be the hero would be Satan. This third chapter will analyse whether or not Satan can be the epic hero of Milton’s work. Romantic critics such as William Blake and Lord Byron argue that Satan is indeed the hero of the work, especially when taking into consideration books I and II of Paradise Lost. There were also critics, nowadays referred to as Anti-Satanists, who disagree with this. They generally find Satan’s speeches pompous and ridiculous and his behaviour despicable. Furthermore, these critics also take into consideration what happens to Satan after books I and II, in which Satan’s ethical and moral decline becomes apparent: as the story advances he experiences a strong regression and all his seemingly heroic traits are reduced to nothing. In establishing the heroic status of Satan, three separate elements will be analysed. The first one is Satan’s actions; the second is his appearance, and, thirdly, Satan’s character will be given attention. In Paradise Lost, Satan has a complex character, worthy of a hero. One thing that these three elements have in common is that in the beginning of Paradise Lost, they are described as being heroic: Satan’s courageous actions, his splendid exterior and brave character. However, as the story progresses, Satan loses his heroic qualities. He tricks Adam and Eve into their Fall, a non-heroic action. Furthermore, he realises that Hell is inside him and is part of his being, which shows a digression of his character. And finally, he turns into a snake, losing his former angelic appearance. Contrastingly, Dante’s Satan has no heroic qualities at all. He is an ugly brute, not able to move. He is a passive devil, as opposed to the active and well-established Satan in Paradise Lost. Dante’s Lucifer does not need many qualities attributed to him, heroic or otherwise. His role in the plot of La Divina Commedia is very limited: he is nothing more than a mere negation of God. The fourth chapter deals with Hell, since the greater part of Satan’s heroic behaviour in Paradise Lost takes place in Hell. It is not unusual for an epic hero to be placed in Hell or the underworld: the Aeneid and the Odyssey are famous works that refer to the underworld as well. However, these classical epics are not set entirely in Hades: only part of the tale is about the journey of the hero into the Underworld. Contrastingly, Satan travels out of Hell and returns to it during the poem and it forms the basis of the journey, as opposed to Aeneas and Odysseus, who have Earth as their basis. Milton’s Hell lacks order, which provides Satan with the freedom to manifest himself as leader and organiser. Hell in Paradise Lost gives Satan the opportunity to be a hero: the chains on the fiery lake are too weak to hold him and he can travel straight out of Hell without many obstacles. This lack of order in Hell stands in shrill contrast to the order of Heaven: Satan and the fallen angels have disrupted that natural order, so that now they are forced to dwell in a place where nature seems to make no sense and is chaotic. Contrastingly, the location of the devil in Dante’s Hell is very precise: he is located in the deepest pit. He is frozen in ice and not able to move. Whereas Milton’s Hell facilitates Satan’s active movement, Dante’s Hell does not provide this opportunity. The universe of Milton is very loosely structured: Heaven is above and Hell below, separated by Chaos, with Earth hanging down from Heaven by a golden chain. Later on in the poem, a bridge is created by Satan which links Earth to Hell. But when it comes to describing where precisely Hell is located and what it looks like, Milton explains this in a manner which does not reveal much about distances and dimensions. Hell is described as a â€Å"bottomless perdition† (I. 47)2 or the â€Å"vast and boundless Deep† (I. 47). Hell seems to have no borders, it is infinitely large. Yet it does have walls and gates: â€Å"Our prison strong, this huge convex of Fire, / Outrageous to devour, immures us round / Ninefold, and gates of burning Adamant / Barr’d over us prohibit all egress† (II. 434-437). This forms a contrast to Dante’s Hell , which is very ordered and consists of nine concentric circles. In every circle of Hell, Dante meets the souls that are allocated to their respective circle to undergo their eternal punishment. The fifth chapter of this essay will investigate the role of sin in Paradise Lost and La Divina Commedia. In Paradise Lost, Satan’s heroic deeds are actually rooted in sin and the sins that Satan commits make him lose his heroic status. Although Satan’s deeds may be labelled heroic when looking at books I and II, his motives are impure. The most important of these underlying motives are the sins of pride, envy and wrath. It was the sin of pride that led Satan into rebelling against God, thus causing the war in Heaven: Pride forms the beginning of Satan’s ‘heroic’ adventure. However, envy also plays a large role: Satan is envious of Christ as well as Adam and Eve. Quotations of Paradise Lost have been taken from: Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. Christopher Ricks. 1968. London: Penguin Group, 1989. Dante uses the order of the seven deadly sins of pride, envy, lust, gluttony, greed, sloth and wrath to structure his Inferno. He keeps a strict order in his Hell, this is because sin disrupts the divine order and those who have sinned have caused chaos in this order. Dante distributes the punishment for the seven deadly sins very neatly over concentric circles, with a systematic increase in wickedness. The souls of the damned are subjected to this order and are allocated according to their sins. Contrastingly, Milton does not follow this medieval list of seven sins. A very relevant reference to sins is the allegory of Satan, Sin and Death as an incestuous family. Satan has a daughter called Sin and together they have a son: Death. Sin is Satan’s first child, and she is brought into the world thanks to Satan’s disobedience to God. The fact that Satan and his daughter Sin have a child called Death, makes death the inevitable consequence of sin. Although Milton perhaps did not intentionally incorporate the seven deadly sins in his work and although pride, envy and wrath are the most important sins of the work, the other four sins of lust, gluttony, greed and sloth can also be found in the poem and will also receive attention in this chapter. Additionally, some attention will be given to another well-known account of sin and Hell from the Romantic period, namely William Blake’s The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. The analyses made in the chapters mentioned above will make it possible to answer the question whether or not Satan can be an epic hero. And if he is not an epic hero, can he be regarded as another kind of hero? It is interesting that throughout the centuries, many scholars have shared the opinion that Satan is indeed the hero of the work, while others have strongly opposed this view. This concluding chapter will investigate further how these two opposing views came into existence and will try to give an answer to the question. 2. Background This chapter will provide background information on John Milton’s Paradise Lost (1667) and Dante Alighieri’s La Divina Commedia (1321). Both works are epics and are widely considered to be masterpieces that are still read today. This chapter will give some general information on epics, as well as the epic in the Renaissance period and why La Divina Commedia and Paradise Lost can be considered as epics. Furthermore, attention will be given to the epic hero. However, first of all we must focus on the authors themselves and their works. It seems likely that Milton when writing his Paradise Lost, was inspired not only by Dante’s vision of Hell, but also by Classical literature. Milton had an exceptionally great knowledge of La Divina Commedia. David Masson states in his Life of Milton, that Milton ‘must have known this great poem better than any other Englishman alive’ and remarks that Milton read the Commedia ‘attentively and reverently. ’ Milton studied the Italian language and during his Cambridge years he widely read in Dante, Petrarch, and other Italian poets. In a letter to Benedett o Buonmattei, the leading Dante-expert of the day, he writes of the depth of his study of Italian literature, especially the works of Petrarch and Dante. Milton even provides an English poetic translation of a few lines from the Inferno in his work Of Reformation. This information and the many similarities between the two works may indicate that Milton was inspired to use the genre of the epic for his work, as applied by Dante and by classical authors before him. Dante finished his Commedia in 1321 and he is considered to be one of the greatest poets of all times. His La Divina Commedia can be regarded as one of the works of art that initiate the beginning of the Renaissance in Italy. 5 The story tells of the character Dante, who travels through the afterlife. The work consists of three different parts, containing Dante’s journey through Hell, Purgatory and Heaven. The work had quite an impact and it had a wide range of audiences: students read it in grammar school and the work was discussed in the marketplace and even in church. One of the main reasons for this impact is probably the fact that is was written in the vernacular as opposed to many works written in Latin. 6 It was 3 Butler, George F. Giants and Fallen Angels in Dante and Milton: The Commedia and the Gigantomachy in Paradise Lost. Modern Philology. 95. 3 (1998): p. 352. 4 Butler, George F. The Fall of Tydeus and the Failure of Satan: Statius Thebaid, Dantes Commedia, and Miltons Paradise Lost. Comparative Literature Studies. 3. 1-2 (2006): p. 143. 5 Lewis, R. W. B. Dante: a Life. London: Phoenix, 2002: p. 15. 6 Parker, Deborah. Commentary and Ideology: Dante in the Renaissance. Durham: Duke University Press, 1993: pp. 28-31. Boccacio who added the word Divina to the title of the work, stressing the divine meaning it contains. In literature, an epic is a grand narrative poem in maje stic style about the exploits and adventures of a superhuman hero engaged in a quest or some serious endeavour. The hero is distinguished above all others by his strength and courage. The subject-matter of epic includes myth, legend, history, and folk tale. Battles and perilous journeys play a large part, as do gods, the supernatural, and magic; scenes are often set in the Underworld or in Heaven. Certain formal features are conspicuous: the narrator vouches for the truth of his story; there are invocations, elaborate greetings, long speeches, detailed similes, digressions, and the frequent repetition of elements typical of an epic. 7 There is a standard distinction between traditional and literary epics. Traditional epics are works such as the Iliad and the Odyssey, while literary epics were composed in deliberate imitation of the traditional form. Literary epics do not necessarily have to contain all of the epic conventions as the ones mentioned above, as long as it manifests the epic spirit and grandeur in the scale, the scope and the human importance of their subjects. 8 So, works do not have to comply to all the epic conventions in order to be called an epic. It is not difficult to apply the label of an epic to Paradise Lost, since it contains many epic conventions. La Divina Commedia may not contain an epic hero or lengthy descriptions of battles, but it does contain many epic features, such as the epic spirit and grandeur of the scale of the narrative. Furthermore, the subject of the redemption of the human soul is certainly of profound human interest. The Renaissance period shows the revival of art and literature under the influence of classical models, and many literary epics were written in this period, of which La Divina Commedia and Paradise Lost are certainly the most impressive ones. Milton’s Paradise Lost is generally looked upon as the main work of the English Renaissance. The Renaissance is believed to have originated in Florence in the fourteenth century, where there was a revival of interest in classical antiquity. Important figures of that era were Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio, but also painters like Giotto. The period from the end of the fifteenth century has become known as the High Renaissance, when several Italian cities began to rival Florence’s leading position. Renaissance thinking spread from the early 7 â€Å"epic†, in: The Concise Oxford Companion to Classical Literature, ed. M. C. Howatson and Ian Chilvers, (Oxford University Press, 1996). Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. See: www. oxfordreference. com, (16 January 2009). 8 Abrams, M. H. Glossary of Literary Terms. 1971. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1999: pp. 77-78. sixteenth century onwards. 9 This influence and revival of classical culture, art and literature is represented in both Paradise Lost and La Divina Commedia, notably in the framework of the setting of the underworld, which is a common literary motif of classical epic literature. Other famous literary examples with the same motif are Hercules’ journey into the underworld to capture Cerberus, Orpheus’ descent into Hades to retrieve his wife, after she had died because of a snake-bite, or Virgil’s Aeneid, in which Aeneas travels into the underworld to meet his father. Inspired by stories such as these, Dante and later Milton wrote their epic poems. Milton had the intention of writing an epic poem on an exalted subject decades before he started writing Paradise Lost in 1658. In his At a vacation Exercise in the College (1628), he already mentioned that he wanted to devote himself to â€Å"singing in the manner of Homer† and he envisioned writing a poem concerning â€Å"wars and heaven under Jupiter†. Notes and drafts from around 1640 contain four drafts of projections of the Fall of man, one of them called Paradise Lost and another Adam unparadiz’d. Milton spent almost twenty years writing controversial prose and political pamphlets and he was a strong supporter of liberty of conscience, human choice and free will, themes also recurring in Paradise Lost. 10 The story itself tells of the fall from heaven of Satan and the other angels who rebelled against God. Milton’s work shows many influences of the Classics and can be classified as an epic. The epic poem Paradise Lost was originally published in ten books, but from 1674 onwards the work consisted of twelve books after the Virgilian model, by splitting books seven and ten. Paradise Lost is the poem Milton is still famous for today. 11 Paradise Lost is seen by many scholars to be one of the most sublime products of the Renaissance and especially as the great epic of that age. 12 Two very important epic conventions which can be found in both the works of Milton and Dante, are the recapitulation of the past and prophecy of the future. 13 In Paradise Lost, the recapitulation of the past takes place in book V where Raphael tells Adam the story of the war in heaven and the Fall of Satan and the other angels. The epic convention of the prophecy can be found in books 11 and 12, where Michael reveals to Adam the future of his descendants. He tells Adam about the Flood: 9 â€Å"Renaissance†, in: The Oxford Reference Online. A Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, ed. Elizabeth Knowles, ( Oxford University Press, 2006). Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. See: www. oxfordreference. com, (16 January 2009). 10 Loewenstijn, David. Milton, Paradise Lost. A Student Guide. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004: pp. 10-14. 11 The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 7th ed. Vol 1. Ed. M. H. Abrams. New York: W. W. Norton Company, 2000: p. 1816. 12 Loewenstijn, David. Milton, Paradise Lost. A Student Guide. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004: p. 16. 13 Bush, Douglas. â€Å"Virgil and Milton†. The Classical Journal. 17. 5 (1952): p. 180. †¦Till God at last Wearied with their iniquities, withdraw His presence from among them, and avert His holy eyes (XII. 106-109) Michael also talks about the journey of the Hebrews: Till by two brethren (those two brethren call Moses and Aaron) sent God to claim His people from enthrallment, they return With glory and spoil back to their promis’d Land (XII. 169-172) These Biblical events that Milton mentions here, have not yet happened, but cast a look into the future. There are many other epic conventions to be found in Paradise Lost. To begin with, the work has a beginning in medias res; the work begins when Satan and the other angels that rebelled against God have already fallen: â€Å" the Poem hastes into the midst of things, presenting Satan with his Angels now fallen into Hell† (I. Argument). Secondly, Milton uses the classical notion of the invocation of the Muse: â€Å"Sing Heaven’ly Muse† (I. 6). Another important epic convention is the elaborate descriptions of battles. We find this in Paradise Lost when Michael tells Adam the story of the War in Heaven: â€Å" when all the Plain / Cover’d with thick embattled Squadrons bright, / Chariots and flaming Arms, and fiery steeds / Reflecting blaze on blaze† (VI. 15-18). Milton has also incorporated epic catalogues, an example of which can be found in Book I, where there is a lengthy description of the angels that fell together with Satan into Hell: â€Å"First Moloch † (I. 392). Furthermore, the notion of supernatural intervention occurs when Christ offers to sacrifice himself for mankind. Paradise Lost contains many epic similes, for example: Angel forms, who lay intranc’t Thick as Autumnal Leaves that strow the Brooks In Vallombrosa, where th’Etrurian shades High overarch’t embow’r; or scatter’d sedge Afloat, when with fierce Winds Orion arm’d Hath vext the Red-Sea Coats, whose waves o’erthrew Busiris and his Memphian Chivalry, While with perfidious hatred they pursu’d The Sojourners of Goshen, who beheld From the safe shore their floating Carcasses And broken Chariot Wheels (I. 301-311) The last significant epic convention to be found in Paradise Lost is the descent into the underworld. Like in Milton’s Paradise Lost, there are many examples of epic conventions to be found in Dante’s La Divina Commedia. The most obvious one is the epic convention of the descent into the underworld: just as in the Aeneid, Dante’s hell consists of circles separated by geographical boundaries. 14 However, there are many more epic conventions Dante makes use of. One of them is the beginning in medias res: â€Å"Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita / mi ritrovai per una selva oscura† [Midway in the journey of our life I found myself in a dark wood] (Inferno I. -2). Dante also invokes the muse, as is often done in classical epics: â€Å"O Muse, o alto ingegno, or m’aiutate; / O mente che scrivesti cio ch’io vidi, / Qui si parra la tua nobilitate† [O Muses, O high genius, help me now! O memory that wrote down what I saw, here shall your worthiness appear! ] (Inferno II. 7-9). Furthermore, the work contains three events which can be classified as supernatural interventions. The first one is the moment when Dante encounters three animals on his way: a she-wolf, a leopardess and a lion, hich form an allegory of the temptations of Sin. The second intervention is when Dante meets Virgil, who is to be his guide: â€Å"Mentre ch’i’ rovinava in basso loco, / dinanzi a li occhi mi si fu offerto / Chi per lungo silenzio parea fioco† [While I was ruining down to the depth there appeared before me one who seemed faint through long silence] (Inferno I. 61-63). However, the most important intervention is that of Beatrice: â€Å"Io son Beatrice, che ti faccio andare; / vegno del loco ove tornar disio; / amor mosse che mi fa parlare. † [I am Beatrice who sent you. I come from a place to which I long to return. Love moved me and makes me speak. ] (Inferno II. 70-72). Beatrice is sent to help Dante when he strays from the right path in his life and she wants him to learn the knowledge he needs in order to redeem himself. Beatrice tells Dante that when she was still alive, she was his inspiration and this inspiration kept him on the straight and narrow path of a good Christian life: Quando di carne a spirto era salita E bellezza e virtu cresciuta mera, Fu io a lui men cara e men gradita; 14 Feldherr, Andrew. Putting Dido on the Map: Genre and Geography in Vergil’sUnderworld†. Arethusa. 32. 1 (1999): p. 90. E volse i passi suoi per via non vera, Imagini di ben seguendo false, Che nulla promession rendono intera. [When from the flesh I ascend And beauty and virtue in me increased I was to him less dear and delightful; And into ways untrue he turned his steps, Pursuing false images of good That never any promises fulfil] (Purgatory XXX. 127-132) Beatrice’s death signified the moment that Dante’s life started to go downhill and now she is chosen to turn his life in the right direction once gain, as she had done in life. He was tempted by sin and Beatrice offers Dante a chance to purify and save his soul. Dante’s work contains many elaborate epic similes, an example of which can be found in the description of some damned souls: â€Å"Come le rane innanzi al la nimica / Biscia per l’acqua si dileguan tutte, / Fin ch’a la terra ciascuna s’abbiaca† [As the frogs before their enemy the snakes all vanish through the water, till each cocks itself on the bottom] (Inferno IX. 76-78). Dante also makes use of the epic notion of catalogues. Especially in Canto IV, when Dante and Virgil are in Limbo, we see many of these epic lists: â€Å"Quelli e Omero, poeta sovrano; / L’altro e Orazio satiro che vene; / Ovido e ‘l terzo, e l’ultimo Lucano† [He is Homer, sovereign poet; next is Horace, satirist; Ovid comes third, and Lucan last. ] (Inferno IV. 88-90). All the characters named in this and the other catalogues, are names from the classical period, and hence proper to the epic genre. As well as Milton, Dante’s work casts a look into the future, which is an important epic convention. We find this in Dante’s conversation with Caccio, a Florentine punished in the Inferno. Caccio tells Dante about the future of Florence and the victory of Dante’s adversaries. Dante is able to make these kinds of references to the future, since the story is set in late March of the year 1300, but actually written between 1308 and 1321. Caccio tells Dante: â€Å"Dopo lunga tencione / Verranno al sangue, e la parte selvaggia / Caccera l’altra con molta offesine† [After long contention they will come to blood, and the rustic party will drive out the other with much offence] (Inferno VI. 64-66). He refers here to the May day festivities of 1300, where there was bloodshed between two Guelph factions, the Bianchi and the Neri. In June 1301, the Bianchi gained political control of Florence and banished the Neri from the city. 15 Caccio tells Dante more about this particular situation: â€Å"Poi appresso convien che questa caggia / infra tre soli, e che l’altra sormonti / Con la forza di tal che teste piaggia. † [Then, through the power of one who presently is temporizing, that party is destined to fall within three years, and the other to prevail] (VI. 67-69). Caccio here refers to the fact that the exiled Neri turned to Pope Boniface VIII for help and they managed to regain control of Florence and passed severe sentences against over six hundred Bianchi. Caccio predicts these events to happen within three years. 16 By deliberately setting the story in the past, Dante is able to incorporate such prophesies into the story. It is striking that Dante chooses Virgil, one of the most famous classical authors, to be his guide. Virgil has written a work containing a journey into the underworld as well. In his Aeneid, Virgil tells the story of Aeneas descending into the underworld. The fact that Virgil has already written about such a journey and therefore knows the way makes him the perfect guide. Another possible reason for choosing Virgil is the great admiration that the author Dante has for the poet, which he refers to when they first meet in Canto I: â€Å"Tu se’ lo mio maestro e il mio autore: / Tu se’ solo colui da cui io tolsi / Lo bello stile che m’ha fatto onore. † [You are my master and my author. You alone are he from whom I took the fair style that has done me honor. ] (Inferno I. 85-87). It is clear that La Divina Commedia belongs to the epic genre. However, the one thing that the work is missing, is an epic hero. Dante might be considered to be its hero, but he does not display much heroic behaviour. His main task in the work seems to be describing what he sees as an observer: to keep a traveller’s journal as it were. In the sixteenth century, this lack of a hero caused scepticism in regarding the work as an epic. Others hailed Dante as the best heroic poet, even surpassing Homer. However, as we have seen in this chapter, there are so many ways in which La Divina Commedia can be described as an epic, that scholars nowadays see the work as belonging to this genre. 17 There are two important qualities that enable Milton’s Satan to act as the epic hero of Paradise Lost: freedom and free will. In Milton’s day and age, individualism and liberty became important issues. The notion of freedom and equality often recurs in Paradise Lost, and in most instances this can be linked to Satan. Satan can be described as a free spirit and there seem to be no boundaries to his freedom; even the boundaries of Hell are hardly any 15 Alighieri, Dante. The Divine Comedy: Inferno 2 commentary. Trans. Charles S. Singleton. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1970: pp. 101-102. 16 Alighieri, Dante. The Divine Comedy: Inferno 2 commentary. Trans. Charles S. Singleton. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1970: p. 02. 17 Steadman, John. â€Å"Milton and Mazzoni: the Genre of the Divina Commedia†. The Huntington Library Quarterly. 23. 2 (1960): p. 108. restriction for him. But most of all, it is this notion of a new sort of freedom which enables Satan to become the hero of Paradise Lost: â€Å"Here at least / we shall be free† (I. 258-9). For Satan this means that he i s able to start his rebellion in Heaven and it gives him the opportunity to start his quest to cause the Fall of Adam and Eve. The theme of free will is also important. We see that in Paradise Lost, Adam and Eve are meant to make mainly good choices. Contrastingly, free will makes that Satan is only able to make bad choices. When taking into consideration only books I and II of the work, what we see is a rebel who fought for freedom: for himself and his peers. However, as the story continues, this heroic status of Satan becomes less likely. This chapter has shown that both La Divina Commedia and Paradise Lost can be regarded as belonging to the epic genre. Since Milton chose the epic as the structure to tell the tale of the War in Heaven and the Fall of Adam and Eve, one can validly bestow the title of ‘hero’ on Milton’s Satan. 8 However, this view is certainly not shared by all critics: Satan is by no means universally regarded as the hero of Paradise Lost. There is no easy answer to the question as to whether or not Satan deserves that title. 18 Steadman, John. â€Å"The Idea of Satan as the Hero of ‘Paradise Lost’. † Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 120. 4 (1976): p. 22 5. 3. Satan Both La Divina Commedia and Paradise Lost are widel

Migration Of People With Disabilities Social Work Essays

Migration Of People With Disabilities Social Work Essays Migration Of People With Disabilities Social Work Essay Migration Of People With Disabilities Social Work Essay Procedural jurisprudence is the jurisprudence that prescribes the processs and methods for implementing rights and responsibilities and for obtaining damages. It is distinguished from substantial jurisprudence. Substantial law- the subdivision of jurisprudence which creates, defines and regulates people s rights, responsibilities, powers and liabilities. In another words the procedural jurisprudence is a tool to implement the substantial jurisprudence. If we have a right to migration it is non plenty merely to hold it on a paper. This right should be supported by a particular process through which we can to the full bask this right. Gordon Brown, with his ocular damage, Helen Keller and Stephen Hawking would be denied residence in Australia. Why? Because their disablements are seen as enforcing excessively much of a fiscal load on authorities services and supports. The part that they could do to Australian society is non considered. Disabled people are merely non cost-efficient. One more extremely publicised instance was that of Bernhard Moeller, who worked for two old ages as a physician in a little town in Victoria. Despite Australia holding a clear deficit of state physicians, Moeller was told in 2008 that his boy s Down syndrome meant that his household could non derive lasting residence. The part the household as a whole could do was ignored. Disability was equated with load. Moeller was finally given a lasting visa, but merely after a countrywide community and media run forced Immigration Minister Chris Evans to step in. Those two instances were mentioned by the day-to-day Australian newspaper on February 4, 2010. Unfortunately, there are the worlds which people with disablements or households with kids who have disablements face every twenty-four hours and non merely in Australia. The differences between the rights we have and the rights we can truly bask are immense. Persons with disablements is a vulnerable group in every society which faces jobs in every domain of life: sensible adjustment, migration, employment, wellness attention, instruction, etc.. In this essay I would wish to set a visible radiation on a existent state of affairs which individuals with disablements experience while migrating to other states. I will utilize the illustration of Australia. Particularly I would wish to look at the CRPD which Australia has signed 2 old ages ago and its art 18 Liberty of motion and nationality . Legislation study CRPD Australia has ever been a strong protagonist of CRPD during its drafting. The Convention was signed on 30 March 2007, ratified on 17 July 2008 and entered into force for Australia on 16 August 2008. Australia besides acceded to the CRPD Optional Protocol on 21 August 2009. ( The Optional Protocol allows the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to have communications from or on behalf of persons or groups of persons who claim to be victims of a misdemeanor of the commissariats of the CRPD by that State party ) Harmonizing to Art. 4 of CRPD by subscribing the Convention Australia has committed to follow all appropriate legislative, administrative and other steps for the execution of the rights recognized in the present Convention ; to take all appropriate steps, including statute law, to modify or get rid of bing Torahs, ordinances, imposts and patterns that constitute favoritism against individuals with disablements ; to take into history the protection and publicity of the human rights of individuals with disablements in all policies and programms and so on.. Related to the migration issues there is Article 18.1 Liberty of motion and nationality which proclaims: States Parties shall acknowledge the rights of individuals with disablements to liberty of motion, to freedom to take their abode and to a nationality, on an equal footing with others, including by guaranting that individuals with disablements: ( a ) Have the right to get and alter a nationality and are non deprived of their nationality randomly or on the footing of disablement ; ( B ) Are non deprived, on the footing of disablement, of their ability to obtain, possess and utilize certification of their nationality or other certification of designation, or to use relevant procedures such as in-migration proceedings, that may be needed to ease exercising of the right to liberty of motion ; aˆÂ ¦ Furthermore, Australia has adopted an interpretive declaration to CRPD where it covered the migration issue: Australia recognizes the rights of individuals with disablement to autonomy of motion, to freedom to take their abode and to a nationality, on an equal footing with others. Australia farther declares its apprehension that the Convention does non make a right for a individual to come in or stay in a state of which he or she is non a national, nor impact on Australia s wellness demands for non-nationals seeking to come in or stay in Australia, where these demands are based on legitimate, nonsubjective and sensible standards. In my point of position this portion of the declaration repeats the chief duty of CRPD prohibition of favoritism based on disablement. And these give voicing points on that this sensible standard for migration must be seen in the visible radiation of CRPD and a theoretical account of disablement it creates. That means that the sensible standard does nt make any favoritism for people with disablements while migrating to another state and disablement itself is seen non as a load but as a diverseness. The importance of CRPD Medical and societal theoretical account of disablement Before I will get down analysing the conformity of Australian migration jurisprudence with late adopted CRPD I want to state more about the significance of CRPD in international human rights for people with disablements. CRPD is referred to as a paradigm displacement in international human rights jurisprudence for individuals with disablements. The Convention does non make new rights for handicapped individuals, but it talks about bing international human rights in a disablement context, it elaborates and clarifies bing duties for states within this context. Today, 650 million people, which is 10 per centum of the universe s population, live with a disablement. The statistics says that in developing states, 90 per centum of kids with disablements do nt go to school.A Women and misss with disablements are really frequently capable to deep favoritism. All over the universe individuals with disablements face barriers to their engagement in society and more frequently have lower criterions of life. Why CRPD is a paradigm displacement ? The CRPD helps to alter the perceptual experience that individuals with disablements should alter or conform with social positions of what is normal. Disability, harmonizing to the Convention, consequences from the interaction between individuals with damages and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinder their full and effectual engagement in society. It replaces the old medical theoretical account of disablement by a societal and human rights theoretical account based on the fact that it is society that disables individuals with disablements from take parting to the full in society and exerting their human rights as citizens. The societal theoretical account of disablement emphasizes the duty of society to level the physical and attitudinal barriers that exclude and stigmatize people on the footing of their physical or mental status. The CRPD changes the attack to disablement, from thought of it as a societal public assistance issue to being a human rights issue. And this human rights attack shows how societies can take the social barriers and biass that lead to the exclusion of individuals with disablements from the society. The CRPD helps to supply counsel on how the provinces can better follow to the human rights duties they have already undertaken in other conventions, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The CRPD is a human rights convention intended to advance, protect and guarantee the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by individuals with disablements. It addresses such of import issues as handiness, personal mobility, wellness, instruction, employment, habilitation and rehabilitation, engagement in political life, and equality and non-discrimination. A fact of fall ining CRPD by any state points on a full apprehension of the duties it creates and the significance it brings into society. Unfortunately, in the instance of Australia despite of its strong support of CRPD during the drafting and farther confirmation of the Convention, the bing migration jurisprudence does non reflect the chief rules of CRPD. Problems with the current migration jurisprudence in Australia: The CPRD expressly insures the right to liberty of motion and nationality under Article 18, that specifically states that Parties must see that individuals with disablements have the right to use relevant procedures such as in-migration proceedings that may be needed to ease exercising of the right to liberty of motion. Section 60 of the Migration Act 1958 provinces that: If the wellness or physical or mental status of an applier for a visa is relevant to the grant of a visa, the Minister may necessitate the applier to see, and be examined by, a specified individual, being a individual qualified to find the applier s wellness, physical status or mental status, at a specified sensible clip and specified sensible topographic point. The Migration Act by its Section 65 enables the Minister to allow or decline a visa for the applicant depending on a fact if she or he meets the health-related standards. Schedule 4 of the Migration Regulations 1994 contains Public Interest Criteria ( PIC ) 4005-4007 where the health-related standards for allowing visas is set out. One of the demands is that the applier: ( degree Celsius ) is non a individual who has a disease or status to which the following subparagraphs apply: ( I ) the disease or status is such that a individual who has it would be likely to: ( A ) require wellness attention or community services ; or ( B ) meet the medical standards for the proviso of a community service ; during the period of the applier s proposed stay in Australia ; ( two ) proviso of the wellness attention or community services associating to the disease or status would be likely to: ( A ) consequence in a important cost to the Australian community in the countries of wellness attention and community services ; or ( B ) prejudice the entree of an Australian citizen or lasting occupant to wellness attention or community services ; irrespective of whether the wellness attention or community services will really be used in connexion with the applier ; The of import thing here is that Item 4005 does nt incorporate waiver. Items 4006 and 4007 contain Ministerial release, but the procedure requires cost assessment which makes this release a repetition of the chief standards of those Items. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship Fact Sheet 22 on the wellness demand justifies those demands by the purpose to: minimise public wellness and safety hazards to the Australian community ; contain public outgo on wellness and community services, including Australian societal security benefits, allowances and pensions ; and maintain entree of Australian occupants to wellness and other community services. If the applier does nt run into the wellness demands, he or she can non be granted a visa. The other limitation on the manner to be granted a lasting visa is a household unit demand. It requires all members of the migrating household ( those who migrate with the applier ) to set about medical trials. If any members of the household unit fail to run into the Health Requirement no household member will be granted a visa ( including the applier seeking to fulfill the primary standards ) . If the applier ( or member of the household unit ) has an identifiable disease or status, the cost appraisal by the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth ( MOC ) is required. The applier will non be granted a visa ( will neglect the wellness demand ) if the disease he has is likely to be a important cost in the countries of wellness attention and community services and/or prejudice the entree of Australians to those services. There is no definition of the construct of significant cost in either the Act or Regulations. But the Department of Immigration and Citizenship s Procedures Advice Manual 3 gives some counsel as to how the MOC can measure what is considered a important cost under 4005 ( degree Celsius ) ( two ) ( A ) . Harmonizing to the PAC 3, the degree of costs which is already important sums to $ 21000. The Regulations are transporting a clear message that disablement is a load to the society. It is obvious that fiscal factors create a concern for the decision-makers. Current jurisprudence does non take into history the single fortunes of the applier and that the being of a disablement does non needfully intend that individual will be a fiscal load. That this individual may lend in the society much more so the costs are. Decision The Migration Regulations need to be harmonized and updated because they reflect the medical theoretical account of disablement and they do nt follow with the CRPD. Today s Australia s policy of wellness ordinances is a tool of excepting migrators with disablements from come ining the county. Unfortunately the current migration commissariats neer mention that societal and economic parts which an applier with disablement may do to Australia. The jurisprudence is concentrated excessively much on the negative things and possible effects and seems to deny the other sides of appliers personality, his endowments and abilities. The wellness demand has become a manner of excepting migrators from come ining Australia. Furthermore, I would state that the policy behind the wellness demands is non proportionate to the purposes the province seek to accomplish. ( 5 ) For illustration: physician Ten who has a kid with disablement or a female parent who is ill ( because of her age ) buzzword migrate to Australia even if the Australian society is in demand of such a physicians like physician X. A gifted vocalist or a painter in a wheel-chair will non be able to migrate to Australia because while treating his visa cipher will take into consideration his endowment and abilities the jurisprudence is concentrated on the negative side of disablement. What can I say about the kids which have in the row with a disablement besides a great potency in every domain of life such as scientific discipline, art, athletics and so on. Meeting the wellness standard is a status of entry and being granted a lasting visa. The wellness standards lay evidences for automatic favoritism of people with disablements and contradicts the whole construct of CRPD. As a consequence people with disablements are being denied of their rights under Art. 18 Liberty of motion and nationality of CRPD. Harmonizing to the societal theoretical account adopted by the UN, if a deaf individual can non bask the film it is the film s failure to include captions that is at mistake. If a individual in a wheelchair can non entree a edifice it is the designer s inability to imagine a incline that is at mistake. The cost of supplying these services is merely portion of the cost of holding a society that embraces diverseness. Equally good as the harmonisation national statute law with international duties in present instance is a duty of Australia. To go a socially inclusive society demands to take the barriers that reject human difference at the door. Disability is a fact of life. Not merely are physical and rational damages portion of human diverseness, we frequently forget that we will all be disabled by age or unwellness at some phase. Rather than topographic point such a huge psychological and territorial gulf between those with and those without damages, we need to acknowledge the breakability and impermanency of our physical and mental wellness. Even more, we need a province that recognizes the parts people can do in malice of, and frequently because of, their physical or mental difference. Australia should see a displacement from an nonsubjective economic appraisal of a handicapped individual s value to one with a greater focal point on their value and parts to a diverse and progressive society. Some values can non be expressed in economic footings, such as the quality of a individual s life, relationships and their part to Australian society. Australia s committedness to international human rights norms requires the development of appropriate legislative models to back up good pattern. The purpose of the rights-based attack to disablement is to guarantee the active engagement of individuals with disablements in political, economic, societal, and cultural life, and to authorise them in a manner that is respectful and suiting of their difference. While the Convention does non set up new human rights, it does set out with much greater lucidity the duties on States to advance, protect and guarantee the rights of individuals with disablements. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisabilitiesLegalTool.aspx ) In many instances, the MOC cost appraisal is based on the premise that an applier with a disease or status would entree all available wellness and community services. This premise nevertheless ignores the fact that in many instances strong household and cultural ties mean that applier s with a disease or status would be more likely to be cared for by a household member and less likely to be put into attention. In Canada the tantamount statutory trial allows the MOC to find whether the applier will really utilize the wellness attention installations and whether such usage may put an excessive demand on the services. I think this is a just trial, because it takes into consideration the existent person instead than the conjectural individual with a similar disease or status. In my point of position, the Health Requirement promotes negative word pictures and perceptual experiences of people with disablement and it contradicts the societal inclusion policy and Australia s international human rights duties, including the CRPD. In add-on, the procedures by which the Health Requirement is applied are flawed and can take to unfair results.

How phylosophers contribute to build western civilisation Essay

How phylosophers contribute to build western civilisation - Essay Example These great philosophers are up to today greatly remembered for their work including others like St. Augustine, J. J Rosseau, and Karl Marx among many others. In this essay, only the mentioned philosophers will be reviewed; their work and the way it influenced the growth of Western Civilization. Body Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle During ancient Greek civilization, there existed an individual who was extremely well understood like an influential philosopher; he was called Socrates. In his era, he was termed a very elegant; however, extremely eccentric individual. He coined several unique philosophies all the while appearing and behaving very distinct from the normal philosophers of his era. He often dressed in cheap garments, was typically barefoot, and not at all bothered much concerning his look. This was not an ordinary feature of thinkers of his era. He not at all taught for cash; however, he made his philosophy understood simply through introducing his view in simple dialogue. P eople found that extremely fascinating that an individual may become one of the major well-recognized philosophers about teaching and he did not yet levy for his philosophies. Socrates was hugely recognized for his teachings on morals. He thought that if every person concentrated on being ethically correct, people could be pleased. People have regularly discovered a few of the pleased individuals have very minor; and a few of the unhappiest individuals have extra than they understand what to do with. In fact, this is not correct in each case; however, it is a common conclusion from people. For Socrates, everything concentrated on ethical and moral philosophies. A few honored his teachings whereas others were hugely upset by his philosophies. Sadly, during 399 Socrates was imprisoned for not having faith in the gods he was assumed to, which led to his capital punishment (Plato & Rowe, 2010, 54). Plato Plato was among the Socrates immense students and when Socrates was sentenced to de mise, it proved difficult for Plato. He had a hard moment bearing it; he fled from his household and transformed his job. Plato turned to be a philosopher and is currently recognized as the major popular teacher of the Western Civilization. Plato established a school bestowed to tutoring philosophy, mathematics, and hypothetical astronomy. The school stayed for 900 decades. Plato permitted males and females to learn in his school in an era where females were not considered equal to males. This demonstrates how correctly over his era this philosopher was. He scripted a manuscript with his notion for â€Å"utopia† including forming some philosophical hypotheses. His hypothesis of dualism remained very influential. Dualism is a thought â€Å"that people possess an immortal soul different from their entities. Plato had faith in the hypothesis, although he existed in the eras of Greek gods where Christianity was not a regular religion. This hypothesis is not founded on Christiani ty; however, the hypothesis is very alike to the general declaration of many Christians. As Socrates, Plato coached an extremely clever student who turned out very popular and well recognize in the Western Civilization; Aristotle (Plato & Rowe, 2010, 67). Aristotle Aristotle was recognized for not just turning to a well-recognized philosopher and teacher; however, he as well was a scientist. Aristotle pursued Plato’

Evaluations and Assessments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evaluations and Assessments - Essay Example The purpose of these assessments is to ensure that students are acquiring the essential skills, concepts and subject knowledge in social studies; that they have the opportunity to engage in a broad range of social topics that include civics, economics, geography, history, and general social studies skills. The plan is to eventually these across the state by 2008-09 in order to measure student learning in social studies. 9 CBAs are targeted for elementary school. They are believed to be better able to assess the subject as compared to standardized multiple choice and short answer questions for instance as well as have other advantages. The main component of the CBA is the rubric page. This details how a student can reach proficiency for the particular assessment. Besides this, the CBA mentions support materials, provides a student checklist, suggested resources etc. Both formal and informal assessments are similar in that they seek to provide a measure of student performance, usually as a summative assessment of learning. However, formal assessments are conducted under stricter exam conditions because their scores are noted on the student records. On the other hand, informal assessments are typically used to provide students with practice for the real formal assessments and may not be conducted under such strict conditions. The CBA issued by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction are formal assessments. Any other student assessments conducted entirely by the teacher would be considered as informal. The Content and Regional Focus for GLEs for grade 1 is based as Families and the concepts of near and far, now and then; for grade 2 is based on Community and the same concepts. A simple example of a pre-assessment question is given below. Another question could test the student’s knowledge and understanding of a

Colours R Us' Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

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The condition known as delirium

The condition known as delirium Introduction This assignment will examine the condition known as delirium and will focus on a clinical case study (please see appendix 1. for the full overview of the clinical case study) of a gentleman called Halim* who has presented in the emergency department with his two daughters. This assignment will be separated into two distinct parts; the first part of this assignment will provide a clinical overview of delirium and will explore what the condition is, the common features, clinical causes and interventions available to manage and treat the condition. This will provide the reader with an understanding of the components that constitute the condition of delirium. The second part of the assignment will then focus on placing the acquired knowledge of delirium on to the clinical case study of Halim so that a more detailed clinical exploration can be completed; with focus being placed on the role of the practitioner and their interventions in addressing the key issues. *To protect and respect client confidentiality all names have been changed and any identifiable data censored for the purpose of this assignment. Delirium Clinical Overview Delirium, also sometimes referred to as an acute confusional state, is a common clinical condition that presents with individuals experiencing disturbances in consciousness, cognitive function and perception, which has an acute onset and fluctuating course (NICE, 2010). The important clinical characteristic of a delirium is that the onset is quite rapid; it may present and develop within a very short period of time, usually over the course of a few hours or days (Brown Boyle, 2002). It is not uncommon for an individual to present to hospital settings with symptoms of delirium and it is important to acknowledge that individuals who already are hospital inpatients or in a care setting may also develop delirium; it is a condition that traverses the inpatient and community settings. Literature suggests that there are two types of delirium; hypoactive delirium is characterised by individuals experiencing withdrawal, lethargy, introversion and sleepiness whereas people with hyperactive delirium have heightened arousal, restlessness, agitation and aggression (NICE, 2010). There is also a third variation where individuals may experience a mixture of both hyper and hypoactive symptoms which can make diagnosis very difficult. It is suggested that delirium can often be mistaken for dementia, worsening of pre-existing cognitive problems and old age; however delirium is a clinical syndrome that differs from these other conditions as it is the sudden and acute onset that tends to vary throughout the course of the day that identifies it as delirium rather than any other disorder (Meagher, 2001). It is reported frequently within the literature (Wong et al., 2010; NICE, 2010; Meagher, 2001; Brown Boyle, 2002; Cole, 2004 and Siddiqi House, 2006) that patients with delirium experience a reduced ability to focus and concentrate; perceptual disturbances which includes delusions, paranoia and hallucinations; fluctuations in presentation; difficulty in following conversation or direction; rambling or changing topic; disorganised thinking and disturbances in consciousness. In addition to these clinical symptoms there also may be mood disturbances and changes in neurological presentation with individuals experiencing changes in muscle tone, tremor and involuntary jerking (Map of Medicine, 2011). Delirium occurs due to underlying physical pathology (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) and although symptoms may present as symptoms of mental illness the condition itself has originated usually from some kind of underlying infection, disease or event that has impacted on the individuals physical health status (Wong et al., 2010). Examples of possible causes for delirium include; hypovolaemic shock, cardiac failure, myocardial infarction, head trauma, seizure, metabolic disorders such as liver or renal failure, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, infection, malignancy, dehydration, post operative state, pain, constipation or urinary retention. In addition to these common causes delirium may also be induced by individuals experiencing complications from drug interactions and withdrawal; and included in this is prescribed medications, illicit drugs and alcohol (Map of Medicine, 2010). Delirium is a very serious condition and it cannot be underestimated as the mortality rate for individuals is very high even after discharge from hospital for up to 12 months (McCusker et al., 2002), other complications from delirium also include patients having to stay longer in hospital which means they are exposed longer to hospital acquired infections, persistent cognitive deficits and an increased risk of the individual being discharged into residential care rather than return to living independently are also factors (Wong et al., 2010). With the symptoms of delirium presenting as the onset of an acute mental illness it is possible for debate to arise as to which clinical team should be responsible for the management of the patient; additionally; in light of the evidence presented; it would be easy for the individual with delirium to be overlooked or not be investigated for the reasons behind the onset of the condition which is probably why the mortality rate is so high; underlying physical conditions that are not assessed, treated or managed will continue to affect the health status of the individual. Statistically more than half of delirium cases go unrecognised by health professionals (Inouye et al., 1998). Prevention of delirium is more effective than treating it once it has developed (Brown Boyle, 2002) therefore it is important for healthcare professionals to be aware of the risk factors, symptoms and causes of delirium for individuals under their care either in hospital or in the community. If delirium has already developed then it is the responsibility of the healthcare team to manage the condition quickly and efficiently to reduce further problems and difficulties for the individual; recognizing the mortality rates associated with a diagnosis of delirium should facilitate efficiency. To assist with obtaining a clearer clinical perspective of delirium and the impact it has on an individual a clinical case study shall now be explored. Halim Clinical Exploration Halim was admitted to the emergency department and when the clinical history was obtained from his daughters it was identified that there had been a rapid change in his cognitive status which had been observed within a 24 hour period as his daughter had not been alerted to any concerns when she had spoken to him the previous evening. In light of the evidence it is possible for practitioners at this point to consider that Halim has developed an acute syndrome such as delirium and the next stage is to explore this further. On completion of the basic observations it was evident that there are physical abnormalities present. From visual observation of the patient it is clear he has altered mental status, dry skin and cracked lips. From clinical measurement of heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and oxygen saturation levels, there is further evidence of physical abnormalities that may contribute to changes in cognitive function to such an acute degree. Obtaining clinical history often involves information being sought from third parties to support clinical findings particularly if the patient is impaired cognitively. Halims daughters were able to give an account of a gentleman who had experienced marital problems and divorce due to alcohol misuse and evidence remains that he continues to consume alcohol regularly. In addition to this there is a history reported of Halim neglecting his diet to the extent his daughters provide food for him when they visit, he also engages in health limiting behaviours by smoking and consuming high levels of caffeine on a daily basis. The history obtained from Halims daughters identifies a gentleman who is successfully self- employed, he has hobbies and interests although his social network has reduced and although he engages in health limiting behaviours such as smoking, drinking alcohol and neglecting his dietary needs; he has remained independent within his own home. The evidence suggests there has been an acute change and with this information and the clinical evidence indicating Halim is experiencing tachycardia, high temperature, hypotension and dehydration the clinical evidence provides a strong indication that he is experiencing symptoms of delirium. Further investigations are required to gain a greater understanding of what physical changes have occurred so that underlying causes are treated, however the practitioner should take some time to explain to the family members what tests are being completed and what the medical team are treating Halim for. The family must be very distressed by the changes to their father and by communicating the outcomes of the assessment and responding to any questions they may have will be beneficial as it is reported that the experience of delirium is frightening for both the patient and their carers and the value of reassurance cannot be underestimated (Mohta et al., 2003; Jacobson Schreibman, 1997). Managing Halim in terms of obtaining his consent to agree to treatment and investigations may be difficult because of the level of cognitive change and because his understanding and judgement may be impaired because of the delirium; therefore it is important that the practitioner and family are familiar with legal frameworks and hospital policies that are in place to ensure the rights of all parties are being protected. An example of this would be practitioners being familiar with the hospitals delirium policy, being well versed in patients rights and by having knowledge about legislation such as the Mental Capacity Act (The Stationary Office, 2005). As stated previously the experience of delirium may be frightening for Halim and therefore the practitioner should endeavour to implement nursing and care strategies that reduce distress, improve orientation, address physical health status and ultimately minimise the duration and impact of the delirium. Examples of the interventions that can be implemented include; working with the multi disciplinary team to treat the underlying cause of the delirium. This may include providing pain control, regulation of bowel and bladder function, ensuring adequate diet and fluid intake is promoted and recorded. Another intervention that is reported to be effective in supporting patients with delirium is for care staff to provide a safe and therapeutic environment. This would mean that Halim is offered reassurance and support, all activities are carefully explained; and for Halim this may mean that a Farsi speaking interpreter is found to facilitate communication between him and the medical team as he reverts to the language of his birth when speaking with the clinicians. In expanding the opportunity to communicate with Halim, this may increase his comprehension of what the medical team are trying to achieve and reassure him that the procedures being carried out; like attempting to obtain a urine screen. Due to the life threatening nature of Delirium it is essential for all physical screens and assessments to be carried out to ensure early identification of the reason for the onset of the condition, if the therapeutic interventions are unable to be implemented due to Halim remaining agitated and acutely confused then as a last resort medication may be considered in an attempt to reduce his level of arousal enough to ensure clinical procedures and care can be delivered. Psychotropic medication can be prescribed in delirium in an attempt to reduce the levels of distress and agitation and for Halim it may be beneficial to ease his levels of arousal enough so that medical interventions can take place; it is important to note however that psychotropic medications have side effects that include; extra pyramidal side effects, mobility impairment, sedation and cardiac interaction therefore they must be used with extreme caution and Halim should be monitored closely. Conclusion Halim has presented to the emergency department with a delirium and the impact of this on his health and welfare should not be underestimated by practitioners. With mortality rates in delirium being worthy to note it is essential that care pathways are developed to ensure the physical health and mental wellbeing of patients like Halim are met concurrently. Clinical, environmental and behavioural interventions are acknowledged to reduce the impact, intensity and duration of the condition; therefore practitioners should work intensively to ensure a delirium presentation is treated efficiently and effectively to ensure mortality rates are reduced and recovery is facilitated as quickly as possible.