Personal Narrative Essay - Original Writing - 1716 Words

Personal Narrative We all like to pretend that we have control over our lives. Being in control makes us feel powerful, like we are ready for anything. With everything that goes on in the world we never can truly be in full control of our lives, but the moments that we felt we were in control are looked back as good times in our lives. Of course, it’s the moments where we lose control that stick with us the most. The day I found out I would lose my dad for a year started a little differently than most days. I woke up around 11 to the sharp pain of being hit in the side with a stick. Jolting upwards in pain, I slammed my head against the bottom of my brother’s bed, forgetting that I slept in a bunk bed. Now fully awake and in splitting pain I turned to face my attacker. My three year old brother squealed with laughter as he wound up for another swing with his menacing weapon, a two-foot blue plastic lacrosse stick. To this day I have no idea where he got that stick, no o ne has ever played lacrosse in my family nor did we ever buy a lacrosse stick. â€Å"Thwack!† My leg shot up with pain after my brother Keegan’s latest hit. â€Å"Wake up RyRy!† my assailant giggled as he dropped his weapon. He looked at me with a smile across his face with not a hint of remorse in his blue eyes. Some people might have been surprised that a three year old could brandish a weapon but, Keegan was an ingenious child. Keegan has always been big for his age, with big blue eyes and buzz cut hair heShow MoreRelatedPersonal Narrative Essay - Original Writing949 Words   |  4 PagesPersonal Narrative I am at room in a very spacious hotel with beautiful ambience and a relaxed atmosphere, far away from the hustles and bustles of this world. And as i could visualize an endless wilderness and say; â€Å"it’s in middle of nowhere†, so is this locational description of this hotel. What I now know though, is that it’s at the periphery of our Narok County, deep at the Maasai Mara, Kenya. The hotel usually visited by the high and mighty of this world: Hollywood movie producers, renownedRead MorePersonal Narrative Essay - Original Writing951 Words   |  4 PagesPersonal Narrative The most influential event in my life was moving from Herriman to Draper. The move was accompanied with much sadness and frustration, but I have come to realize that the positive effects far outweigh the negative ones. The biggest result of the move ended up being the ward family we moved into. Other things I was able to do after the move were making friends and discovering many things that I could be passionate about. I am LDS and I have been my entire life. Where we lived outRead MorePersonal Narrative Essay - Original Writing1716 Words   |  7 PagesPersonal Narrative We all like to pretend that we have control over our lives. Being in control makes us feel powerful, like we are ready for anything. With everything that goes on in the world we never can truly be in full control of our lives, but the moments that we felt we were in control are looked back as good times in our lives. Of course, it’s the moments where we lose control that stick with us the most. The day I found out I would lose my dad for a year started a little differently thanRead MoreHow I Am A Writer Essay1112 Words   |  5 PagesReflective As a writer, I would consider myself to be a very strong writer. When it comes to writing or having different writing assignments, I have to write everything down on a piece of paper to get my thoughts out and just let my pen flow. I tend to write essays only when I am assigned, but for the most part, I write everyday. I personally like to write about me in particular but mainly I enjoy writing about overcoming different obstacles people face in life or about the future. As a writer, youRead MoreNarrative Writing : High School917 Words   |  4 Pagesrequired a freshman writing class, I was irritated and dreaded the experience so much that I delayed taking the course to second semester. Very confident in my writing ability as my high school featured a grueling English department and having received high grades on my history and sociology essays in first semester classes, I presumed that I wouldn’t learn anything in FWS. Though I struggled with the drafting process, as my preferred method of essay writing involved writing the entire piece to perfectionRead MoreMy First Time Making A Career Goal1516 Words   |  7 Pagesmethods of writing and writing in different purposes. I also learned different things just by having online discussions and most importantly, I learned how to improve my writing skills and how this course changed my perception of English and apply it in the future. I have gained so much knowledge about writing in this class and it made a great impact on my skills. These lessons I have learned in this class has been very beneficial and I will carry these lessons in the future. The first essay we did inRead MoreCree Poetic Discourse By Neal Mcleod1640 Words   |  7 PagesThe Power of Evolution In the essay â€Å"Cree Poetic Discourse†, the author Neal McLeod addresses an intellectual problem that the western academic writing approach harms the indigenous Cree narratives. According to McLeod, the Cree narrative process, which involves poetic thinking, embraces new possibilities and keeps changing (9). This evolution process not only depends on various occasions of speaking but also depends on different storytellers and audiences who absorb stories, thus allowing Cree poeticRead MoreNananna1497 Words   |  6 PagesRiding The Pine: Tim Bowling’s personal reflection of professional hockey in â€Å"Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey Goodbye† In â€Å"Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey Goodbye,† Tim Bowling, an author, poet, and a fishing boat deckhand (Stewart et al 237), articulates how professional hockey has evolved over his lifetime. He laments how a game he was enamoured with no longer captures his complete attention and is not as relevant in his life as it once was. However, Bowling admits he still has a sheepish curiosity for the latestRead MoreVisual Exploration Of Video Games1260 Words   |  6 Pagesdeveloped my existing skills and brought me out of my comfort zone of traditional essay writing. The review process was another major way that I was able to develop as a multimodal communicator. While I still have room to improve in the creativity and visual components of my work, this course has given me much needed exposure to these aspects of communication while also further developing my strengths in analytic writing and reading. The review process was a critical part of my development as a multimodalRead More`` 13, 1977, 21 By Jonathan Lethem1359 Words   |  6 Pages The essay I am analyzing is entitled simply as â€Å"13, 1977, 21† by Jonathan Lethem. It’s personal narrative that is a retelling of the author’s childhood and it starts with Lethem confessing that he saw the original Star Wars movie twenty-one times in one summer when he was thirteen years old. Despite what some readers may think, this essay is not about any kind of obsession he may have with Star Wars. He tells more about the aspects of his childhood that related to the detail of his almost religious Personal Narrative Essay - Original Writing - 1716 Words Personal Narrative We all like to pretend that we have control over our lives. Being in control makes us feel powerful, like we are ready for anything. With everything that goes on in the world we never can truly be in full control of our lives, but the moments that we felt we were in control are looked back as good times in our lives. Of course, it’s the moments where we lose control that stick with us the most. The day I found out I would lose my dad for a year started a little differently than most days. I woke up around 11 to the sharp pain of being hit in the side with a stick. Jolting upwards in pain, I slammed my head against the bottom of my brother’s bed, forgetting that I slept in a bunk bed. Now fully awake and in splitting pain I turned to face my attacker. My three year old brother squealed with laughter as he wound up for another swing with his menacing weapon, a two-foot blue plastic lacrosse stick. To this day I have no idea where he got that stick, no o ne has ever played lacrosse in my family nor did we ever buy a lacrosse stick. â€Å"Thwack!† My leg shot up with pain after my brother Keegan’s latest hit. â€Å"Wake up RyRy!† my assailant giggled as he dropped his weapon. He looked at me with a smile across his face with not a hint of remorse in his blue eyes. Some people might have been surprised that a three year old could brandish a weapon but, Keegan was an ingenious child. Keegan has always been big for his age, with big blue eyes and buzz cut hair he modeledShow MoreRelatedPersonal Narrative Essay - Original Writing949 Words   |  4 PagesPersonal Narrative I am at room in a very spacious hotel with beautiful ambience and a relaxed atmosphere, far away from the hustles and bustles of this world. And as i could visualize an endless wilderness and say; â€Å"it’s in middle of nowhere†, so is this locational description of this hotel. What I now know though, is that it’s at the periphery of our Narok County, deep at the Maasai Mara, Kenya. The hotel usually visited by the high and mighty of this world: Hollywood movie producers, renownedRead MorePersonal Narrative Essay - Original Writing951 Words   |  4 PagesPersonal Narrative The most influential event in my life was moving from Herriman to Draper. The move was accompanied with much sadness and frustration, but I have come to realize that the positive effects far outweigh the negative ones. The biggest result of the move ended up being the ward family we moved into. Other things I was able to do after the move were making friends and discovering many things that I could be passionate about. I am LDS and I have been my entire life. Where we lived outRead MorePersonal Narrative Essay - Original Writing1716 Words   |  7 PagesPersonal Narrative We all like to pretend that we have control over our lives. Being in control makes us feel powerful, like we are ready for anything. With everything that goes on in the world we never can truly be in full control of our lives, but the moments that we felt we were in control are looked back as good times in our lives. Of course, it’s the moments where we lose control that stick with us the most. The day I found out I would lose my dad for a year started a little differentlyRead MoreHow I Am A Writer Essay1112 Words   |  5 PagesReflective As a writer, I would consider myself to be a very strong writer. When it comes to writing or having different writing assignments, I have to write everything down on a piece of paper to get my thoughts out and just let my pen flow. I tend to write essays only when I am assigned, but for the most part, I write everyday. I personally like to write about me in particular but mainly I enjoy writing about overcoming different obstacles people face in life or about the future. As a writer, youRead MoreNarrative Writing : High School917 Words   |  4 Pagesrequired a freshman writing class, I was irritated and dreaded the experience so much that I delayed taking the course to second semester. Very confident in my writing ability as my high school featured a grueling English department and having received high grades on my history and sociology essays in first semester classes, I presumed that I wouldn’t learn anything in FWS. Though I struggled with the drafting process, as my preferred method of essay writing involved writing the entire piece to perfectionRead MoreMy First Time Making A Career Goal1516 Words   |  7 Pagesmethods of writing and writing in different purposes. I also learned different things just by having online discussions and most importantly, I learned how to improve my writing skills and how this course changed my perception of English and apply it in the future. I have gained so much knowledge about writing in this class and it made a great impact on my skills. These lessons I have learned in this class has been very beneficial and I will carry these lessons in the future. The first essay we did inRead MoreCree Poetic Discourse By Neal Mcleod1640 Words   |  7 PagesThe Power of Evolution In the essay â€Å"Cree Poetic Discourse†, the author Neal McLeod addresses an intellectual problem that the western academic writing approach harms the indigenous Cree narratives. According to McLeod, the Cree narrative process, which involves poetic thinking, embraces new possibilities and keeps changing (9). This evolution process not only depends on various occasions of speaking but also depends on different storytellers and audiences who absorb stories, thus allowing Cree poeticRead MoreNananna1497 Words   |  6 PagesRiding The Pine: Tim Bowling’s personal reflection of professional hockey in â€Å"Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey Goodbye† In â€Å"Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey Goodbye,† Tim Bowling, an author, poet, and a fishing boat deckhand (Stewart et al 237), articulates how professional hockey has evolved over his lifetime. He laments how a game he was enamoured with no longer captures his complete attention and is not as relevant in his life as it once was. However, Bowling admits he still has a sheepish curiosity for the latestRead MoreVisual Exploration Of Video Games1260 Words   |  6 Pagesdeveloped my existing skills and brought me out of my comfort zone of traditional essay writing. The review process was another major way that I was able to develop as a multimodal communicator. While I still have room to improve in the creativity and visual components of my work, this course has given me much needed exposure to these aspects of communication while also further developing my strengths in analytic writing and reading. The review process was a critical part of my development as a multimodalRead More`` 13, 1977, 21 By Jonathan Lethem1359 Words   |  6 Pages The essay I am analyzing is entitled simply as â€Å"13, 1977, 21† by Jonathan Lethem. It’s personal narrative that is a retelling of the author’s childhood and it starts with Lethem confessing that he saw the original Star Wars movie twenty-one times in one summer when he was thirteen years old. Despite what some readers may think, this essay is not about any kind of obsession he may have with Star Wars. He tells more about the aspects of his childhood that related to the detail of his almost religious

The American Dream A False Sense of Hope Essay - 1543 Words

In an average day, an American is exposed to over 3000 advertisements, (Kilbourne). Whether they want to admit it or not, they are drawn toward them. A common scheme of the advertisers is to allow the consumer to â€Å"picture the new them.† Whether this be a wealthier them, a skinner them, or a prettier them, they gear there product towards every person and want everyone be able to connect with the advertisement and picture the â€Å"new them.† American Idol, Nutrisystem, and The Biggest Loser, the lottery, and many other â€Å"products† promote that anyone has the chance to be famous, fit, or fortunate. The successes from these â€Å"products† present themselves as they were before, with the sob story that hopefully touches a nerve with†¦show more content†¦It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high w ages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position, (Adams 412). Adams’ true goal of his book was to identify what makes America unique and he did so by proving that America was and still is the only country to have this sort of dream of upward mobility, (Kamp par. 12) As time has went on the meaning of the American Dream has altered. When Adams trademarked the term the American Dream, the idea of it was for people to become â€Å"better and richer and fuller,† (Adams 412), but now as 20th century inventions have been introduced to society the dream has changed. People want what others have and what is portrayed as glamorous and prestigious. A prime example is Gary Soto’s recollection of his childhood obsession with wanting to be like the families he saw on the television saying, â€Å"I very much wanted to imitate [the families from Leave It to Beaver and FatherShow MoreRelatedThe American Dream : The Aspects Of The American Dream797 Words   |  4 PagesA hope, a wish, a dream, but certainly not reality. The proverbial Ame rican Dream consisted first of colonists emigrating to America and find a better life for themselves. The colonists could start from absolutely nothing and shoot to the top of the society. However, for most this dream is known more as a fallacy. The American Dream is Santa Claus. Some people are the beneficiary and believe in it and are filled with a sense of false hope, while others believe they have achieved it themselves andRead MoreOf Mice and Men1630 Words   |  7 Pagescharacters of this novel hope and dream, their plans do not find fulfillment. Due to the lack of fulfillment of their dream, the characters face loneliness setting each apart from the other. Unlike George and Lennie, the other character of Crooks has no one to support him and be there for him as Lennie and George have each other. In the story, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck contrasts the loneliness and isolation experienced by Crooks, whom life has made abandon his dream of equality, with the closenessRead Mo reFalse Deception In The Great Gatsby1739 Words   |  7 PagesIndividuals perpetuate false personas to such an extent that they are convinced into a state of false consciousness of reaching the American dream, ultimately, this facade leads them to their downfall, exposing repressed reality from idealistic lies. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald utilizes symbols to describe the hollow nature of each character’s deceitful persona, which comes to show the ultimate theme of downfall through the individual’s perception of the American dream. The use of gold asRead MoreThe American Dream Is Hard to Achieve in the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald755 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Dream is hard to achieve The Great Gatsby†, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, portrays a world filled with rich societal activities, love affairs, and dishonesty. Nick Carraway is the busy narrator of the book, a curious choice considering that he is in a different class and almost in a different world than Gatsby and the other characters. Nick relates the plot of the story to the reader as a part of Gatsby’s circle. He has hesitant feelings towards Gatsby, despising his personality andRead MoreThe American Dream is most certainly a beautiful one. It has to do with owning your own home in a800 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Dream is most certainly a beautiful one. It has to do with owning your own home in a neighborhood with a good school for the kids and an expensive car in the driveway. Working at a job, that you chose, that provides enough money to realize all of your dreams . Does this sound right? This may have been true when the phrase was coined back in 1931 by James Truslow Adams, in his book The Epic of America, but is certainly not true today. The vast majority of Americans are living inRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1549 Words   |  7 Pagesdiscussion of the passage, poem and scholarly article will show how the path towards the American Dream can turn into a negative or positive outcome in a person’s life. Theme When Mr. Fitzgerald wrote â€Å"The Great Gatsby,† he described the actions of the human society. In a certain way, not only did he describe and critic the high class but also the lower class, which ended up critiquing the American Dream. The American Dream was a idea give to believe that a human being should pursue being happy, wealthyRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1548 Words   |  7 Pagesdiscussion of the passage, poem and scholarly article will show how the path towards the American Dream can turn into a negative or positive outcome in a person’s life. Theme When Mr. Fitzgerald wrote â€Å"The Great Gatsby,† he described the actions of the human society. In a certain way, not only did he describe and critic the high class but also the lower class, which ended up critiquing the American Dream. The American Dream was a idea give to believe that a human being should pursue being happy, wealthyRead MoreThe American Dream977 Words   |  4 PagesThe American dream is a subjective idea that can mean money and fame for some or just the idea of freedom to others. What we believe is our path to reach this dream determines whether or not we are blinded by corporations’ image of the â€Å"American Dream†. Corporation’s main goal is to subtly coerce consumers into believing in the corporate world’s idea of the â€Å"American Dream†. They accomplish this by placing consumer’s into general categories which depicts how they will consume and place them in aRead MoreNarratives, It Is How You Interpret The m1091 Words   |  4 Pagesthings differently. Seeing different viewpoints and how it alters our perception of the dream affects the realism of the narrative. Dreams have many important aspects to them, especially in American Literature. I believe one of the most important characteristics dreams possess is its power to make a character more relatable. In Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, the narrator becomes more relatable with her dream of getting rid of the wallpaper. She becomes more and more like the wallpaper as each dayRead MoreThe American Dream : A New Nation1617 Words   |  7 PagesThe American dream is an ideology that has been around, known, and praised for a long time. It is an aspiration many long to achieve and protect with their lives. A story that has been written out for us and embed in our minds. As children, we begin school and are taught the pledge of allegiance and how important it is for everyone to take a moment to praise and thank what the nation for what it has to offer. We rise and hold this belief too our hearts looking upon the flag representing our nation

The once and future king free essay sample

King Arthur of the Arthurian legends is one of the most unique characters in the history of literature. Since he has been depicted by a variety of writers, there is more than a single description of his personality. The Arthur we know is actually a conglomerate of many different interpretations of one character. For this reason, his character and very person havent been too consistent through the legends. The earliest Arthurian Legends which are also some of the earliest medieval works, describe King Arthur as the traditional Anglo-Saxon war hero; but as the time goes by, and the medieval people start to admire different things, he evolves into a different kind of hero, a chivalric one. Thus, over time, the image of King Arthur has changed from that of an epic hero to one of a symbol of chivalry- this is apparent with the difference in characteristic depiction of King Arthur in the early story of Brut and a later legend, Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, here there is a noticeable change in his personality. The earliest depiction of King Arthur was that of a fierce warrior-king, brutal and unforgiving. The early medieval kings were warlords who surrounded themselves with nobles and knights- called thanes, and protected their lands from foreign invaders through bloody wars and battles. The original Arthurian legends portray King Arthur in such a role- he is frequently described as â€Å"Arthur the powerful† or â€Å"Arthur the brave† and often comes across as bloodthirsty; not unlike Beowulf in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf. In reality, these early legends were the Anglo-Saxon cultural perspective of King Arthur. One example of such an Anglo-Saxon view of King Arthur is Brut by Layamon, a British priest; in his poem, he describes Arthur as a savage and fierce warrior, an object of dread to friend and enemy, an epic hero. This is evident in Brut- where in one of his speeches where Arthur curses his enemies, wanting to crush them all: Then said Arthur, noblest of kings: â€Å"Alas, alas, that I spared my foe, that I did not starve him to death in the forest, or cut him to pieces with my sword! [ ] he shall suffer for it the most bitter affliction, harsh treatment I will be his slayer! I will slaughter both Colgrim and Baldof, and all their followers shall suffer death. [ ] I will fittingly avenge all his wicked deeds. If life might endure in my breast, [ ] never again shall Childric deceive me! † (lines 10510-10524) These lines show the brutality and unfettered heroism of King Arthur. His vexed and aggrieved speech about his enemys escape shows his unforgiving nature. Such is his anger that King Arthur wishes for the death of not only his enemies but also of all his followers; he even voices his regret of not having cut them to pieces, and wishes to kill them with his own sword. Not only does this speech show Arthurs merciless disposition, but it is also filled with a vengeance these lines of Arthur are a battle cry as he avows to get his revenge on his enemies. Towards the end of the speech, while vengefully vowing to avenge his defeat, King Arthurs tone is more than just distressed and agitated, it has a quality of firm determination and tenacity. All these aspects of Layamons perspective of King Arthur: determination, brutality, tenacity, vengeance, might and an unforgiving nature, all combined with the right amount of rage and conceit, show that he is, in all aspects, an epic hero. Akin to Beowulf -who with his strength, firmness and pride was the quintessential Anglo-Saxon warrior and champion- King Arthur is the ideal warrior-king. Eventually as literature progressed towards the heart of the Medieval Era, King Arthur evolved from an epic hero to a symbol of chivalric virtues of Camelot. He was no longer known as the brave and strong defender of the British, but as the virtuous upholder of all chivalric values in the great court at Camelot. Contradicting the early medieval stories which revolved around King Arthur, these middle Arthurian Legends portray the king as a minor character whose presence is only felt indirectly as a representative of a chivalry and excellency. This is apparent in the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, where Arthur is but a role model for all the knights when it comes to courtly behavior. The knights regard him with a reverence for his lordly ways. When the Green Knight rudely interrupts their feast by barging into their dining hall, all of them remain silent, in anger and in dread, while King Arthur welcomes him graciously as it is seen in the following excerpt from the poem: â€Å" Therefore chary of answer was many a champion bold, And stunned at his [The green knights] strong words stone-still they sat [ ] Then Arthur before the high dais that entrance beholds, And hailed him, as behooved, for he had no fear, And said, â€Å"Fellow, in faith you have found fair welcome;† (lines 20-30) These lines perfectly demonstrate how King Arthur exhibits model knightly behavior. Even though this intruder has disturbed his celebratory feast, he does not lose his temper, instead he follows the first rule of chivalry – hospitality. As we see in this text, the other knights, who sat â€Å"stone still† and â€Å"chary of answer†, do nothing to welcome the new-comer amongst their midst; nevertheless, Arthur does his duty and warmly invites the Green Knight to his court (line 21, line 20). In this way we see how King Arthur has unmatched manners in the court of Camelot- this is the most distinguished factor about him in this story, as the main focus of this legend is on Sir Gawain and his quest. Thus, we can say that King Arthurs one and only role in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight is to set a standard for his knights in social behavior, to remind them of the rules of Camelot. These lines demonstrate Arthurs gallant manner, they also show that Knights of the Round Table have a high place in their minds for him. While they dreaded even speaking to the alarming stranger, their revered King Arthur, who is described as one who â€Å"had no fear†, welcomed him graciously (line 29). Thus, King Arthur is greatly admired by his Knights because they still thought of him as the fearless king of old and also because of his valiant and courtly behavior. This fact greatly impacts most stories of this time because Arthur has a great influence over the Knights of Camelot and most of these stories follow their bold and daring quests. Even if the king, in these legends, seems removed from the thick of the plot line, his presence is still felt from afar, as a social force – for it has already been established that the Knights admired and imitated his social manner and his lordly ways. This remote influence, too, can be observed in the story of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight where King Arthur is neither the the protagonist of the story nor the source of all action, but is the highest authority and the inspiration for Sir Gawain to take up the challenge posed by the Green Knight. This inspiration is noticed when Sir Gawain accepts this quest, â€Å"Would you grant me the grace,† said Gawain to the king, â€Å"To be gone from this bench and stand by you there, [ ] That I have you for uncle is my only praise; My body, but for your blood, is barren of worth;† (lines 117-131). Through Sir Gawains speech we can see that the reason that he is taking up this quest is to be a delegate for Camelot. He says that he wishes to â€Å"stand by† King Arthur, that is, represent him on this quest(line 117). This further establishes the fact that King Arthur is not the main character of the story, as it is Sir Gawain who is the one who actually undertakes the quest. Thus, in this legend, and many others written during this time period, King Arthur turns into a minor character in sharp contrast to the earlier legends which depicted him as the brave warrior at the head of his armies in every battlehe is no longer the main character but his presence is still felt as a significant influence for Sir Gawain to take up this quest. However, as discussed before, the Knights of Camelot, including Gawain, greatly admired Arthur for his chivalric ideals and manner. So it can be said that in the minds of them of the Round Table, King Arthur is simply a personification of all the values of chivalry which they want to uphold as knights. Sir Gawain especially looks to Arthur as a symbol of all knightly or chivalric virtues. He even humbly acclaims that if it werent for Arthurs blood running in him, he would be nothing, â€Å"barren of [his] worth† (line 131). This confirms the fact that Sir Gawain, and all the other knights use King Arthur as a reassurance, feeling that if they had the values of the king, they could do anything; for they has faith in King Arthur and his Round Table, in the chivalric values of Camelot. Therefore, from these examples present in the story if Sir Gawain and The Green Knight we can conclude that the Knights of the Round Table idolized King Arthur not because he was a warrior-king but because he was, to them, the embodiment of all the honorable values of being a knight. As we can see, there are many subtle differences between the two interpretations of King Arthur in the stories of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight and Brut. In the early legends Arthur is described as the fearless warrior-king, the defender of the Britons whereas the later legends depict him as a virtuous leader and the role model for all the Knights of Camelot. This transformation of King Arthurs character over time is very obvious when the texts from different time-periods are compared. In the early legend of Brut, King Arthur is an epic hero- he is the protagonist of the story. The legends of that era revolved around Arthur and his battles. As seen in the story Brut, he is unforgiving and blood thirsty; his thoughts are set on winning and bringing down his enemies rather than trying to settle the conflicts peacefully. This is in contrast to the King Arthur of the later legends, such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, who welcomes armed strangers into his castle. In the beginning of this story, when the Green Knight barges into the feast at Camelot on his horse, Arthur welcomes him warmly and invites him to dinner instead of getting insulted and punishing him. He comes across as easygoing and very level headed. Even in moments of anger, this King Arthur of later times remains calm and doesnt show his emotion; this is seen in the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, where he remains composed even in the face of danger (in this case- losing one of his best knights, Sir Gawain because of a strangers challenge). In lines 236 and 237 of this legend, it is seen that â€Å"Though high-born Arthur at heart had wonder, / he let no sign be seen [ ]†. Thus, in the later legends, King Arthur-who was a symbol of chivalric virtues and courtly manners- controlled his emotions and remained unruffled when he was challenged. This characteristic of the chivalric King Arthur is distinctly different from the earlier perspectives of him in such legends as Brut. This early King Arthur who was an epic hero, was a most forbidding character, he clearly expressed his anger and was often described as â€Å"stern-minded† (line 111). In Brut, King Arthur often asserted his anger, especially during battles when his mind bore nothing but hatred towards his enemy- â€Å"He laid the shield to his breast; the king was bursting with anger. He smote Borel the earl right through the breast, So that his heart was split. Arthur cried at once: The foremost hath met his fate! Now the Lord help you! † (lines 112-115). These lines show King Arthurs frustration and his hatred and also portray how he openly displays his anger. In sharp contrast to the calm and composed Arthur of the later time-periods, this excerpt from an older legend shows that he was â€Å"bursting with anger†, clearly portraying how the epic hero Arthur did not control his emotions(line 112). In this way, we can see that King Arthurs temperament has changed from vengeful and impulsive to poised and chivalric between the two legends. Overall it is discernible that the kings personality and characteristics have changed over time and this is especially apparent when comparing two works from different time-periods. In this way we can see that the characteristic depiction of King Arthur has evolved over time from a fearless battle hero to a chivalric and virtuous ruler. The early Arthurian legends such as Brut, which were written when poems like Beowulf were popular, described Arthur as an epic hero. But as the time passed by and the virtues of chivalry came into being, the Arthurian legends of that time, such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, started to reflect the social focus and began to depict Arthur as an expert in chivalrous values. Thus, it is seen that King Arthurs role in the legends continually changes as the peoples general perspective of a hero changes. The tales of King Arthur have been shaped and reshaped according to the teller of the story. There is not just one perfect depiction of King Arthur, his character is a combination of many perspectives of him. It can be altered to adapt with the times as it has adapted through the Medieval Era. This â€Å"evolution† of his portrayal and the fact that he will never die are what make King Arthur one of the most exceptional characters in literature.

Macbeth Tragic Drama Essays - Characters In Macbeth,

Macbeth Tragic Drama In the tragic drama Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare in 1606 during the English Renaissance, the hero, Macbeth, constantly declines in his level of morality until his death at the end of the play. Because of his change of character from good to evil, Macbeth's attitude towards other characters, specifically Duncan, Banquo, Lady Macbeth, and the witches, is significantly affected. The first of the four characters is Duncan. Since Macbeth interacts with Duncan only a minimal amount before Duncan's death, Macbeth's attitude towards him changes very rapidly. Before Macbeth hears the witches' first prophecy, he is very close to Duncan, and would never even think of doing something against him. When the thought of murdering Duncan crosses his mind immediately after he finds that he has just been named Thane of Cawdor, he cannot believe he "yield[s] to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs" (I, iii, 133-35). In scene 5 of act 1, however, his "vaulting ambition" is starting to take over, but partly because of his wife's persuasion. He agrees that they must "catch the nearest way" (17), and kill Duncan that night. On the other hand, as the time for murder comes nearer, he begins giving himself reasons not to murder Duncan: First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, Who should against his murderer shut the door, Not bear the knife myself. (I, vii, 13-16) When Lady Macbeth enters, though, she uses her cunning rhetoric and pursuasion techniques to convince Macbeth that this is, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the right thing to do. He then tells her that "I am settled." (79). He is firmly seated in his beliefs that killing Duncan is the right thing to do-until he performs the murder. He is so horrified by this act that for a moment he forgets where he is or whom he is with. We learn from this murder that Macbeth truly had faith in the king and was very loyal, but under the forces of his wife's persuasion and his own vaulting ambition, he is put in the evil frame of mind for just long enough to kill Duncan. This murder does permanently alter him from his moral state of mind, however, and he soon does not feel much remorse for murdering Duncan. The Second of the four characters towards whom Macbeth's attitude changes is Banquo. Before he murders Duncan, Macbeth is a very close friend to Banquo, and they are almost always together. After the murder, however, Macbeth senses suspicion on Banquo's part. He realizes that Banquo's "wisdom that doth guide his valour / To act in safety" (52-53) will cause Banquo to want to turn Macbeth in for his crime. Macbeth knows he must also get rid of Banquo since, according to the prophecy, the throne will pass to Banquo's sons otherwise. Macbeth starts showing his extreme hatred towards Banquo while he is convincing the two murderers that killing him is right: Macb: Both of you Know Banquo was your enemy. Murderers: True, my lord. Macb: So is he mine; and in such bloody distance That every minute of his being thrusts Against my near'st of life; (III, i, 114b-118) Finally, Macbeth actually shows signs of relief when the murderer calls him to the door during his banquet and tells him of Banquo's death: Macb: There's blood upon thy face. Murderer: 'Tis Banquo's then. Macb: 'Tis better thee without than he within. (III, iv, 12-14) Macbeth's last statement, "Tis . . . within", means that Banquo's blood is better on the murderer than in Banquo, showing that Macbeth is, in truth, happy that Banquo has been killed. the killing of Banquo by Macbeth shows extreme selfishness; he cannot bear to see even his best friend's sons succeed him on the throne. However, a more important reason that Macbeth kills Banquo is because of Banquo's suspicion of him, and what Banquo will do to him once he finds out for sure that Macbeth has commited the murder of Duncan. One can see that Macbeth becomes extremely harsh if he wants his way. He will go to horrid extremes just so that he does not have to live his kingship in fear, but instead "to be safely thus." (III, i, 49) Lady Macbeth, the third character, interacts with Macbeth a considerable amount, and influences him greatly. He and his wife as a pair are dangerous because