The Bust of Queen Nefertiti Essay Example

The Bust of Queen Nefertiti Essay In approximately 1340B.C., Thutmose, sculptor by profession, left some his most memorable art works of art in his workshop in Egyptian city of Akhetaten. Of the various art pieces, the most beautiful and world known is the bust of Nifertiti whose aesthetic values withstood the test of time and can now be eye-witnessed by anyone today who visits Egyptian Museum in Berlin, Germany. Nefertiti-whose name means the beautiful one has come- was the favorite wife of pharaoh Akhenaten IV of the Eighteenth Dynasty, the revolutionary founder of new faith into single god Aten, and the progenitor of a new art style called Amarna. Even though, we have a number of artifacts from that period, all the records show about Nephrite is that some years after her becoming the Queen of Egypt and giving birth to her daughters Nephrite mysteriously disappeared; moreover, very little evidence suggest that she actually died inflaming the numerous inquisitive minds. It has been suggested that Nefertiti and Akhen aten were related. Their facial features are remarkably similar in many ofthe art works depicting both of them which had been done during the earlier years of their marriage.Again, maybe it is the artist to blame for this bold assumption. The freestanding bust was created during the Amarna period; however, it escaped the almost abstract excess of many other artifacts that forever will stay in its shadow. Considering its beauty, it is fascinating that the bust was found in a workshop at and not on display somewhere in a royal palace. Perhaps the work was never finished due to the evidence of missing details in the left eyeball (its simply left white). Luckily, this flaw doesnt take away much from the overall presentation of the sculpture; the delicate lines and vibrant colors, which enhance its lifelike quality. It is hard to resist the urge to touch yellow-brown stone surface of her smooth skin, which is probably the finest example of

The films Kes and Billy Elliott Essay Example

The films Kes and Billy Elliott Essay Example The films Kes and Billy Elliott Paper The films Kes and Billy Elliott Paper Billy Casper is a misfit. He does things differently to everyone else, he is smaller than most of his classmates and he has an unusual passion. The director of the film not only uses acting to show how Billys loneliness, but also wide panoramic shots and other camera work. In many scenes, we see Billy, a small, desolate figure in a mass of green. Often, these shots have the mine in the background. The juxtaposition of the mine against the beautiful countryside further conveys the mood. The industry is eating away at the fields, and in the same way the lifestyle of the miners and the expectation of Billy becoming a miner is eating away at him. Another juxtaposition that the director uses is when Jud is going down into the mine. He puts children singing a hymn as the music, and then fades up to the assembly scene. This is good use of editing techniques because he gets the feeling of being sucked down into the mine. As one Jud goes down, he feels all his happiness go out of him, and the fade up to the children illustrates the sucking motion of the mine comparable to a black hole. There are also scenes in the film when Billy is in the woods. In these scenes, he walks slowly and the music is calm and soothing a flute playing over strings. When Billy is in the woods he is at ease. In comparison to this, when Billy is on the estate or at school, there are loud background noises and we often see Billy running. In the woods there is no one telling him what to do, no one to pick on him or bully him, whereas on the estate he is often doing some sort of job or errand for someone. Another reason that Billy doesnt want to become a miner is that he wants to escape from his world. He is picked on at home and at school, constantly being told that he is stupid and no good. Kes is the only thing that he has a great passion for, and she symbolises everything that Billy wants: freedom. Freedom to go where he chooses and to do what he likes. We see shots of Kes flying above Billy, and in the background we can see Barnsley. Kes is flying way above the mine and she doesnt have a care in the world. Billy says Its wild and its free and its not bothered about anybody, which is the attitude that Billy adopts to some extent. Billy understands the hawk, but the hawk is not just a bird to Billy, it is the culmination of all his hopes. Billy shows no desire to be outstanding at anything, he only says that he wont be a miner. The hawk flies above the mine. The mine is deep in the ground, and Billy wants to get as far away from it as possible. When the hawk is dead, Billy has to bury it. This represents the crushing of Billys hope not to become a miner. He has to submit to society, and go to work down the pit. In Billy Elliott there is no pressure on Billy to decide what he wants to do in the future. At home, Jacky and Tony are on strike because the government has decided that it is uneconomical to keep the mines open because it is cheaper to import coal. Billy presumes that he will become a miner, and has no objections to it. The only time he discusses mining is when he asks Michael if he thinks it would be better to be a miner or a ballet dancer. Jacky and Tony being on strike means that there is little money coming into the house. They have been on strike for about a year, making no headway. However, they remain on strike because they have not been trained for anything else. Many of the older miners will never work again. The time is about nineteen eighty-five. The largest police force ever has been assembled to deal with the strikers, and make sure things dont get out of hand, which, of course, they do. Some miners crossed the picket line and were known as scabs. Scabs were hated by the striking miners because they have broken the first rule of the union never cross a picket line. The striking miners struggled to keep themselves warm and fed: the most extreme example of this is when Jacky has to smash up his wifes piano for firewood. This is a very hard thing for him to do because it was one of his wifes favourite things. When Jacky hears about Billys dancing, he tries to go back to work. This is the ultimate sacrifice that Jacky could have made for Billy, and he cannot handle it. He breaks down in the coach park and Tony, who didnt know Jacky was going back, has to come and take him home. Because of the closure of the mines, it was unlikely that Billy was ever going to become a miner, so he doesnt have the anticipation of leaving school and going straight down the pit, like Billy Casper does. His world is changing, it is effectively the end of an era the demise of the working class. A forced change is coming about Billy manages to escape the misery of the miners through his dancing. Everything that Jacky and Tony have ever known is changing, and Jacky allows Billy to be different. At first he finds it hard to do this, but after seeing him dance, he says to Tony He could be a genius for all that we know. When he is asked by the man in the audition room if he supports Billy, he says Yes, of course, and there isnt the slightest bit of doubt in his voice. Because Billy is accepted by his family, he finds it easier to accept things in the world around him. For example, when he finds out that his friend Michael is homosexual, he doesnt tease him or stop talking to him, but accepts him for who he is. He makes jokes about it with Michael, but is never harsh or cruel. The director of Billy Elliott uses the mine less as a visual aid than the director of Kes. He does however use a similar technique to the assembly, when Billy is at a ballet class. He cuts this with scenes of the miners striking and then back to the lesson, with the mingled sounds of the miners shouting and the piano. This is meaningful because it shows that there is such a great difference so close together. We know that there is goi Mining is more a symbol of change in Billy Elliott than anything else. Billy is moving on to new things, and he will experience things that none of his family or the community have ever experienced. In the same way, the miners lives are about to be changed forever. When Billy is sitting by Jacky in the fields, he says that he is scared, and Jacky says Thats ok, son, were all scared. Everyone who is affected by the mining will have a change life. In contrast to this, Mrs Wilkinsons life wont change. For her Billy is leaving, which is sad, but her life will move on. She isnt going to lose her job, she has to keep going the same way as she always has. Mrs Wilkinson is a contrast to the feel good factor of the film. There are certain characters and moments in the film that stand out because they challenge the mood of the film, for example Jacky smashing his wifes piano, and I believe that the matter of mining is clearer in Kes than it is in Billy Elliott. I say this because in Billy Elliott, it is somehow unresolved. We know that the miners go back to work we see them going back, but what we dont know is what happened to them when the mines closed. All we see are Jacky and Tony going to see Billy in his production of Swan Lake. The central theme of the film is Billy, but I think that the film could possibly be even stronger if it showed more of a definite ending to the mines. However, having said this, the film explores wider, more challenging issues than Kes, for example the issue of homosexuality in Michael. It would have been hard to portray these issues when Kes was made in the 1960s, but I think that it makes Billy Elliott a more outstanding film.

Independent Study for November 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Independent Study for November 7 - Essay Example The significance of this poem is that Turner has removed the blame to the terrorists who fire the gun but instead, he blames the gun by making it responsible through personification. Yusef Komunyakaa’s poem â€Å"Facing It† is another military poem about a painful experience suffered by a Vietnam War veteran when he visited a Vietnam veteran Memorial. Komunyakaa uses the first person to create a symbolic setting of the memorial sculptures by drawing its physical properties. His descriptions create a ghostly reflection of the settings which has been clogged by his military experiences. The poem shows that the many survivors of the war come to a dead end upon visiting a memorial site. The military people are also taken to be unable to experience the present or the future without interference from the memories of the war. As such, they keep on grieving even when safe from the war. â€Å"The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner† by Randall Jarrell is a short poem which is filled with condensed brevity and shocking violence. This gives the poem a rather immediate and durable impact to the readers. This is partly due to the tittle of the poem depicting that it is written from the poem of view of the dead gunner. Jarrell paints an uncomfortable picture about his sympathetic situation by precise choice of diction. The gunner seems like a small child who has lost the comfort of his biological mother to land into the hand of the state. By alluring to paradox of ‘birth† and â€Å"death†, he is able to present the trauma undergone by gunners. â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† by Wilfred Owen is a poem which describes the general conditions of the military in war especially when attacked and presents the effects of such an experience through the eyes of a person who has lived through the experience. The poem depicts the soldier’s situation as utterly frightening and life-threatening when they are gas attacked and have to

The Importance of Study Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Importance of Study Skills - Essay Example mber anything at school not because they are lack of abilities but because they dont know how to concentrate on the information that they need to learn. Second of all, it is important to be able to remember what you concentrate on, so mnemonic is also a basic study skill. It allows a student to learn information the way that it will remain in the students brain for a long period of time. The skill is important because it creates a certain database in students mind, which develops his critical thinking and erudition. Hence, ability to concentrate and mnemonic are the most effective study skills required for all students. However, in order to be able to perceive information properly, a pupil has to be capable of collecting the most important core points from what he or she listens and reads, so effective taking of notes is also a very useful study skill. Note taking allows a student to focus on the most crucial aspects of each topic and subjects that he perceives during lessons and outside the classroom. Moreover, it is important for students to take notes in order to be able to remind themselves the main points of the learned material whenever he needs it after lessons. Also, effective reading is the skill that maintains efficient learning and helps a student to remember information for a longer period of time. Furthermore, effective reading skills are absolutely useful in any kinds of learning activities, as most of the activities require reading. Being able to read huge amounts of texts and perceive its meaning properly is going to be convenient not only within the classroom but also in life in general. Hence, study skills are very important not only for studying process and getting good grades, but for multiple activities outside the classroom, including successful studying in future professional

Constitutional Law of the European Union Case Study

Constitutional Law of the European Union - Case Study Example Accordingly. Germany must defend that the decision to restrict its national policy of supporting companies with financial benefits should have been taken by unanimous voting. Article 94 also envisages that there shall be a unanimous decision in respect of directives, regulations and regulations affecting the common market functioning. This is a good defence for Germany to maintain that if national companies are not supported with financial benefits, they will be adversely affected by unhealthy competition from the financially strong companies. Though there are proviso for derogation of these requirements by adopting Qualified Majority Voting, (QMV), the derogation power for overriding the unanimous voting requirements can not used for restricting a single member state from supporting its national companies when there possibilities of similar practices being followed at all member states in some form or other though the commission may not have received complaints.. There is no reason how it will distort competition when such practices likely to be followed by all the member states. Hence a decision of this nature should not be discriminatory towards a single member state alone. ... In the instance case itself, though there were complaints against France and Germany, action is directed at Germany only. Hence the decision is blatantly discriminatory by the abuse of QMV. The EC Treaty itself has provisions for creating interventionist funds to ward off difficulties. Hence Germany can rely on the above defences before the court of justice for cancelling the impugned decision. As Luxembourg Compromise was only a guideline and not statutory until recently without anticipating any such exigency, Germany can argue that this QMV principles must be reviewed so as to prevent vested interests from joining together against a single member state by insisting on unanimous voting. Germany's practice has been open and transparent while other member states are not likely to be so as there is no way of detecting such practices in guise. Germany being singled out alone will result in competition distortion. Moreover the commission does not appear to have followed the procedures giving opportunity to Germany before taking the impugned decision. In case no C-288/962, the court of justice has observed as follows. Plea in law alleging failure to observe the rights of the defence 92 By its first plea in law the German Government complains that the Commission denied it and the Land of Lower Saxony access to the observations, mentioned in section II of the grounds of the contested decision, which had been sent to the Commission, during the administrative procedure, by letters of 31 August 1995, 1 September 1995 and 4 September 1995, by four competitors of Jadekost. 93 According to section II, the letters in question pointed out, in particular, that Jadekost had used the aid granted to win market share from its competitors through sales at below-cost prices.

Characteristics That Defines The Tropical Rainforest Geography Essay

Characteristics That Defines The Tropical Rainforest Geography Essay Tropical rainforests are located some distance around the equator and it is one of the earths spectacular wonders. It runs from the tropic of cancer in the northern side of the equator to tropic of Capricorn in the southern part of the equator. Examples of largest known tropical rainforests are found in Brazil (South America), South East Asia, Indonesia (islands near the Indian Ocean), and Democratic Republic of Congo (Africa), and in the Caribbean Islands (Isaac and William, 2007). The largest tropical rainforest is the Amazon rainforest found in the South America and which covers almost two thirds of the United States continent (Malhi and Philips, 2000). Tropical rainforests are defined by their wet climate condition in that it receives 400 to 760 cm of rainfall each year as observed by Morecroft and Keith (pp 298). The climate consists of uninterrupted warm temperatures, high humidity and high rainfalls. Its temperatures range between 25 to 30 Degrees Celsius. This paper will look at the climate that exists in the tropical rainforest and how it affects the growth of a variety of plants in the tropical rainforest. The tropical rainforests made is made up of mostly wet seasons and its climatologic regions lie within the inter-tropical convergence zone. The different types of rainforests are categorized according to the different types of weathers they experience during the year and considering their geographical location (Osterndort et al, 2001). These rainforests includes the monsoon, subtropical and the equatorial type. The rain is experienced almost every day and it lies between 1500 to 2500mm throughout the year. The temperatures vary during the day and night in that during the day, the temperatures range between 30 to 35 degrees Celsius while during the night, the temperature drops to between 19 and 24 degrees Celsius. The type of climate experienced in the tropical rainforest is the equatorial climate and it is characterized by high relative humidity ranging from 77% to 88% and this supports a variety of plant species (Martinelli et al, pp 1107). The tropical rainforest is filled with green vegetables throughout the seasons because of the high rate of rainfall which encourages growth of trees that form canopies which provide shade to other plants and animals living in the area. The atmosphere is always humid, hot and damp due to the canopies that are formed from the trees. The rainforest provides a home to different types of animals and contains many species of plants more than any other type of vegetation areas known. Its climate has no pronounced summer and winter in that the temperature differences between the day and night is observed to be larger than the differences in temperature between summer and winter. The climatic characteristics that defines the tropical rainforest includes average daily temperature of around 27 degrees Celsius, the diurnal temperature change is between 2 and 5 degrees Celsius, the latitude comes under the doldrums low pressure belt all the year round, the rainfall is usually convection al and finally the midday sun is always near the vertical and is overhead twice a year at the equinoxes. The rainforest soils are not usually fertile and this is because the continuous rains wash away the valuable nutrients. The daily weather cycle of the tropical rainforest begins in the morning when the sun shines, heats up the ground making hot and wet air rise in the atmosphere then in the afternoon, the dark clouds brings the rain and thunderstorms in the rainforest and this cycle is repeated continuously each day resulting to an ever wet area (Lewis, 2006). The rainforest is made up four layers namely; the emergent layer, the canopy, the understory and lastly the plants that make up the forest floors. Firstly, the emergent layer consists of a small number of trees that are tall which is referred to as Emergents. The trees grow above the canopy that is has been created by the other trees and reaches to a height of about 54m. These trees are adapted to withstand strong winds and high temperatures from the direct sunlight. It is usually in habited by eagles, monkeys, bats and some butterflies. Secondly, we have the canopy layer which also consists of tall trees of height 45m maximally. The canopy is estimated to contain an almost 50% of different plant species as it has been discovered to be the densest area of biodiversity. It contains epiphytic plants which attach themselves to tree trunks and branches for support. These plants also obtain water and mineral salts from rain and debris that is collected from the other supporting plants in the canopy region (Schneider and Root, pp 710). Thirdly, we have the understory layer which is located in the region between the forest floor and the canopy. These area forms a habitat to snakes, lizards, leopards, boa constrictors, birds and other predators. The region does not receive enough sunlight due to the canopy layer above it in that approximately, the under story receives 5% of total sunlight. It is sometimes referred to as a shrub layer. The last layer is the forest floor which is estimated to receive only 2% of sunlight. The area is characterized by low vegetations because of the relatively low sunlight penetration and only plants that are adapted to low light survive in this region. The rate of decay in plants and animal matter are sped up by the availability of warm and humid conditions. The presence of fungi also speeds up the rate of decay of plants and animals. For many years it was thought that plants in the tropical rainforest were unaffected by the equatorial climate but recent studies indicated that the warm temperatures of tropical rainforest affected the growth of a variety of plants in the region. Lewis (pp 198), stated that the drier conditions in the cloud forest could lead to extinction of some species of plants more especially the orchids. He also monitored tree growth, tropical temperatures and level of carbon dioxide released as a result of high humidity and warm climate. His researches on the matter revealed that the tropical rainforest trees gave off more carbon dioxide than they could use and this resulted to a change in the composition of forest. He also noted that the trees at times grew at a slower rate when the nights were warm. Other studies by Osterndort et al (2001) indicated that some trees grew at a faster rate when the level of carbon dioxide rose while other tree types declined in vitality. Lewis (pp 200), indicated that an increase of carbon dioxide in the tropical rainforest was the main reason for the abrupt shifts in species growth and this, he noted, could lead to serious ecological repercussions in the area experiencing these. The type of climate experienced in the tropical rainforest has made plants growing in the area to adapt themselves so that they can survive the existing conditions such as growth of bushes and canopies. Examples of such plants and how they have adapted themselves includes; lianas which have thick vines that loops around the trunk of trees to reach the top and receive sunlight. Usually their stems come in different shapes and varying length. Their life begins from the forest floor but they grow upwards depending on trees for support until they reach to the top of the tall trees. When they reach at the top, they then spread towards other lianas and trees and wound themselves tightly so that they can be in a position to resists strong winds. Another type of plant in found in the warm environment of tropical rainforest is the fern. The ferns grow in the forest floor as they are well adapted to survive on such a condition. Apart from these, we also have the epiphytes or air plants which perch themselves high on the branches as they become detached from the ground. They begin their life from the canopy from seeds taken there by wind or birds. Some of the tallest trees have buttress roots system which ensures total stability against strong wind and to increase the surface area under which they obtain their nutrients from (Morecroft and Keith, 2009). The diversity in plant species is said to be highest in the tropical rainforest region and it is the responsibility of individuals to ensure that the trees are maintained to allow growth of these trees. Tropical rainforest is reported to maintain a clear environment that is safe for human stay in that it uses up all the carbon dioxide in the air and releases a clean atmosphere. Conclusion Conclusively, it has been observed from the above that the equatorial climate in the tropical rainforest favors the growth of a variety of plant species. It is noted that the tropical rainforest is the largest ecological area that supports and gives a habitat to a diversity if plants and animals. The climatic changes have been observed by Malhi and Philips (2000), to be unchanging and are characterized by high levels of rainfall and high humidity. The climatic condition has created the emergence of different layers which contains a variety of plant species making it one of the earths most spectacular scenery.

Frankenstein is Not a Natural Philosopher Essay examples -- Shelley Fr

Smith’s article ‘Frankenstein and natural magic’ takes a literary approach to the analysis of ‘Frankenstein’ although this is supported by some background scientific knowledge. Through the article, Smith describes the impacts science has made on Frankenstein’s life . Smith plays close attention to Frankenstein’s childhood, where he discovered the ancient philosophers, and his Ingolstadt years. It is in these periods where Smith argues that Frankenstein is not a natural philosopher but a natural magician due to his affinity for the ancient natural sciences, the romantic genius he posses and by contrasting Frankenstein against traditional, enlightenment stereotypes of the natural philosophers within the text and the greater Socio-historical context. However, this is in contrast to the arguments of Sleigh, who by comparing Aldini to Frankenstein, attempts to rationalise his actions and draw parallels with the attitudes of the modern philos ophers. In Sleigh’s ‘Life, Death and Galvanism’ the analysis is significantly more scientific than Smith’s consequently this is done at the expense of true literary discussion and thus only brief passing references are made to Shelly’s ‘Frankenstein’ therefore the reader has to pry out comparisons between Frankenstein and Aldini. The article itself is the story of Aldini and his uses of Galvanism but it also draws on considerable philosophical ideas to analyse the thought process of Aldini. Like Smiths text, the article is chronological and details events from 1808 onwards. Her argument concedes that Aldini and Frankenstein may have had similar attitudes due to the nature of their work, their need for ‘Inspiration and their backgrounds. One could theorise that although Frankenstein shows to be mor... ...in. She argues that they have a similar attitude and their actions are only slightly dissimilar. Nonetheless, one can question the reliability of Aldini as a representative of natural philosophy because of Smith’s focal description of a natural philosopher, thus alerting us to Frankenstein’s incompatibility with the traits given to a natural philosopher. Thereby arguing that Frankenstein was no natural philosopher. Works Cited Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Joseph, M. K, Frankenstein; or The modern Prometheus. London, New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. Sleigh, Charlotte. ‘Life, Death and Galvanism.’ Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and biomedical Sciences 29 (1998): 219-248 Smith, Crosbie. ‘Frankenstein and Natural Magic.’ In Frankesntein:Creation and Monstrosity, edited by Stephen Bann, 35-59. London: Reaktion, 1994. Frankenstein is Not a Natural Philosopher Essay examples -- Shelley Fr Smith’s article ‘Frankenstein and natural magic’ takes a literary approach to the analysis of ‘Frankenstein’ although this is supported by some background scientific knowledge. Through the article, Smith describes the impacts science has made on Frankenstein’s life . Smith plays close attention to Frankenstein’s childhood, where he discovered the ancient philosophers, and his Ingolstadt years. It is in these periods where Smith argues that Frankenstein is not a natural philosopher but a natural magician due to his affinity for the ancient natural sciences, the romantic genius he posses and by contrasting Frankenstein against traditional, enlightenment stereotypes of the natural philosophers within the text and the greater Socio-historical context. However, this is in contrast to the arguments of Sleigh, who by comparing Aldini to Frankenstein, attempts to rationalise his actions and draw parallels with the attitudes of the modern philos ophers. In Sleigh’s ‘Life, Death and Galvanism’ the analysis is significantly more scientific than Smith’s consequently this is done at the expense of true literary discussion and thus only brief passing references are made to Shelly’s ‘Frankenstein’ therefore the reader has to pry out comparisons between Frankenstein and Aldini. The article itself is the story of Aldini and his uses of Galvanism but it also draws on considerable philosophical ideas to analyse the thought process of Aldini. Like Smiths text, the article is chronological and details events from 1808 onwards. Her argument concedes that Aldini and Frankenstein may have had similar attitudes due to the nature of their work, their need for ‘Inspiration and their backgrounds. One could theorise that although Frankenstein shows to be mor... ...in. She argues that they have a similar attitude and their actions are only slightly dissimilar. Nonetheless, one can question the reliability of Aldini as a representative of natural philosophy because of Smith’s focal description of a natural philosopher, thus alerting us to Frankenstein’s incompatibility with the traits given to a natural philosopher. Thereby arguing that Frankenstein was no natural philosopher. Works Cited Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Joseph, M. K, Frankenstein; or The modern Prometheus. London, New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. Sleigh, Charlotte. ‘Life, Death and Galvanism.’ Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and biomedical Sciences 29 (1998): 219-248 Smith, Crosbie. ‘Frankenstein and Natural Magic.’ In Frankesntein:Creation and Monstrosity, edited by Stephen Bann, 35-59. London: Reaktion, 1994.