Aristophanes Views On Democracy - 1949 Words

Jennifer Bostwick September 20, 2017 Western Civilization Section 011 Flawed, but Functional: Aristophanes Views on Democracy Aristophanes wrote The Acharnians at a time where the world he saw around him was changing. Athens had been at war for six years with no end in sight, the leader who started the war has been killed by a plague, and just three years prior Athens almost voted to kill off one of its allies for trying to leave the Delian League. He was seeing a whole new side of Athens. A side in which the concept of an independent polis has been lost and Athens is at war with its former allies. These are the things that inspire Aristophanes’ Greek comedy to be born. He uses the theater to address the questions he has about what is†¦show more content†¦This radically affects how the people are voting in the ekklesia because they cannot properly vote if they have been fed lies and no longer know what is true. As the story continues Aristophanes continues to show the audience these problems and introduces them to one more big problem. When the audience is introduced to Lamachus they are also introduced to how money is playing a huge role in governmental decisions . People will do more if they are being paid and that has clearly become a huge part of why people are partaking in their governmental duties. After identifying all these problems Aristophanes has caused the audience is to begin to questioning if Athenian Democracy could ever really work, just as he was feeling when he was inspired to write the novel. Aristophanes gives his opinion on the answer towards the end of the book when his main character runs his own Polis. He uses Dikiaopolis to show the audience what Athens’s needs in order to save the democracy they used to find great pride in being a part of. The ekklesia scene at the beginning of the play is very important to understanding why Aristophanes thinks the democracy is failing, but could be fixed. The distress Dikaioplois shows in the scene is a clear indication that the lack of participa tion among the Athenian citizens is something that Aristophanes thinks is a huge factor in why the democracy is failing.Show MoreRelatedAristophanes Vs Socrates1472 Words   |  6 Pages ARISTOPHANES VERSES PLATO’S VIEW OF SOCRATES Student’s Name Course Name Date Introduction The historical story of Socrates depicts why he was able to attract critics and followers from different geographical locations. A more profound assessment of his biography reveals how his arrogance put him on the wrong side of the law on many occasions throughout his life. It is essential to note that the significance of Socrates contribution to the society cannot be sidelined based on theRead MoreSymbolism Of Birds By Aristophanes866 Words   |  4 PagesAristophanes Birds: A View into Athenian Democracy The comical and satirical play by Greek playwright Aristophanes, titled Birds, provided a fanatical escape for the Athenian people during the time of the Peloponnesian War. The citizens were facing the possibility of defeat by Spartan forces, and were looking to regain morale during the war. Birds was performed for The Dionysia Festival of Athens in 414 BC , where commentators could watch with delight, and judges could vote for the best performanceRead More The Clouds by Aristophanes Essay1678 Words   |  7 PagesThe Clouds by Aristophanes - Relevant in Todays World The Clouds by Aristophanes, is a play centrally concerned with education. Aristophanes employs satire to illustrate his conservative beliefs. It is intended to show readers that in the tendency to philosophical subtleties lies the neglection of the real needs of the Athenians. According to Aristophanes, philosophical speculation only acts to shake the established foundations of accepted religion, gods, and ideals of morality. Read MoreClassics Essay on the Play Wasps1699 Words   |  7 Pages * Provide supporting evidence from the literary text you have written Plan Intro Wasps, Aristophanes, symbolism, theme Main Body One Symbolism, how Cleon is portrayed Main Body Two P educated by B, symbolism of a new world. Old vs. new Main Body Three Trial of the dogs, symbolism of greed in the old society, Laches/Labes Con A summary and overall evaluation In the play Wasps written by Aristophanes there is a focus on a single contemporary political issue, the abuse of the judicial systemRead MoreSophocles Vs. Euripides The Peloponnesian War1123 Words   |  5 Pagesprobably easily choose one over because they stand on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Euripides is for a more socially progressive state whereas Aeschylus is for a more conservative form. However, there is a third, and in fact better option. Aristophanes, as a result of preferring comedy over tragedy and discussing more important issues within his works, such as the state of contemporary politics, is the obvious candidate who would give Athens the best, most convincing advice. Each poet has theirRead MoreWilliam Aristophanes And Menander : The Political, Social And Military Circumstances Of The Age1816 Words   |  8 Pagesrefer to evidence from the plays Aristophanes and Menander are both acclaimed comedic playwrights however they differ vastly in genre. Aristophanes wrote old comedy, which would focus on satirical humour and profound language as to mask his poignant opinions. Whereas Menander wrote new comedy which mirrors that which we have available to us today in the form of romantic comedy, these usually have a moralistic plot line. In Aristophanes plays he would show his views clearly through the characters (habituallyRead MoreEssay on History Quiz - Western Civilization to Middle Ages1580 Words   |  7 Pagesthe metics. | Question 13 of 60 Because Athenian political offices changed frequently and were filled by lot, leadership was often provided by | ekklesia. | | boule. | | consorteria. | | demagogues. | Question 14 of 60 Athenian democracy reached its peak under the leadership of | Herodotus. | | Pericles. | | Solon. | | Draco. | Question 15 of 60 Pericles did all of the following to achieve political influence EXCEPT | speak effectively in public. | | relyRead MoreComparing Euripides The Play Medea And Aristophanes 1173 Words   |  5 PagesOf Barbarians and Citizens Euripides and Aristophanes have very different views of women in their works. Euripides tends to characterize them as misunderstood, strong people while Aristophanes shows women as comical and forgivable. This difference in perception of women by the audience may stem from the titles given to the women in the stories. Medea in Euripides’ play is a barbarian; Lysistrata in Aristophanes’ play is a citizen. Both plays with the protagonists’ namesakes show how the titles causeRead MoreLysistrat A Work Of Satire1746 Words   |  7 Pagesoccurred in Kenya, Colombia (Selzner 2), Iraq, and Sudan (Morales 284), but perhaps the most interesting of these sex strikes occurred in Liberia in 2003 (Ghitis). There were countless parallels between the Liberian sex strike and that imagined by Aristophanes, and between the leader of the Liberian sex strike, Leymah Gbowee, and Lysistrata. The western media was completely fascinated with Gbowee and the Liberian sex strike, not because of their effectiveness or peacefulness, but because of the significantRead MoreSocrates: One of the Most Important Figures in Western Philosophy1252 Words   |  6 Pagesdiscussions in a wide range of subjects, for example marriage, love, war, politics, religion, science, and morals. Most of his discussions were known as dialectic meaning they consisted of conversations at which it would bring the different point of views and expose the errors they contained. He was very knowledgeable in making sure the conversation that were being held were heading towards the heart of the matter rather then getting side tracked. Some of Socrates achievements were building the tower

Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered to 18 Essay - 1236 Words

A very controversial argument amongst Americans is determining that the current legal drinking age which is 21 should be lowered to eighteen or not. Researching the following propaganda made me understand the dangers to the youth and people in America if the drinking age were to lower. Therefore i will argue with whoever disagrees with me that the drinking age should be lowered. Id like to explain six reasons to why the drinking age should not be lowered beginning with the strongest reasons. First reason being is that alcohol effects the brain badly in many ways such as effecting a persons memory. This is not good since adolecent brains dont stop growing until their mid twenties. Recent studies included animal studies suggest that†¦show more content†¦Reviewing these statists one may be able to analaze and see that even drivers between 21 to 24 were high at risk. What would make a person want to lower the drinking age to 18. Young adults at eighteen are new drivers and le ss expierenced then the 21 + drivers and logically would produce more fatal crashes. Thirdly another serious effect alcohol has is suicide. More than 150,000 students develop an alcohol-related health problem (Hingson et al., 2002[-0]), and between 1.2 and 1.5 percent of students indicate that they tried to commit suicide within the past year due to drinking or drug use (Presley et al., 1998[-1]). People who have any sort of mental condition such as depression, manic depressive and anxiety should not be drinking alcohol at all. Its simply not good for a mentally ill person. Alcohol has been found to lower serotonin and norepinephrine levels Meaning that by having the serotonin levels lowered it will actually make the person even more depressed and higher risk for sucide. Alcohol is also known as the new gateway drug. Marajuana once was but now alcohol has been added into this classification list. youth who drink drink alcohol were 50 times more then likely to use cocaine and those who smoke ciggarettes were 19x more as likely to use cocaine(Two Dangersous Gateway Drugs, 2001). Why should America lower the drinking age if alcohol has the potential to cause people to try drugs then those who dontShow MoreRelatedshould the drinking age be lowered to 18?948 Words   |  4 PagesIn 2009, about 10.4 million young people between ages 12 and 20 drank more than â€Å"just a few sips† of alcohol (Underage). The drinking age should be lowered to age 18 because teens are considered adults at this age, less people in jail for hosting underage drinking, and teens can be taught responsible drinking. Although there is a negative side to lowering the drinking age because it can cause more motor-vehicle accidents, greater chance for alcohol problems, and the health risk it can cause. ThereRead MoreShould the Legal Drinking Age Be Lowered to 18?590 Words   |  2 PagesUnderage Drinking Age Position Paper Drinking is a serious problem in America. The current legal age is 21. But some people seem to disagree. Should the legal drinking age be lowered to 18? It’s a question that has been thrown around for years. I believe that the legal drinking age should stay at 21. There are so many more benefits and responsibilities you have at age 21. You don’t fully mature until you’re at least 20 years old. The amount of underage drinking fatalities that happen every yearRead MoreEssay about Why the Drinking Age Should Be Lowered to 18872 Words   |  4 PagesLowering the drinking age to 18 would make a lot of sense in the world. Lowering the drinking age to 18 would make more sense. It would be better for the teens that drink on college campus. The drinking age should be lowered to 18 because you can vote at eighteen, buy tobacco, it’ll reduce the thrill of breaking the law, evidence supports that early introduction of drinking is the safest way to reduce juvenile alc ohol abuse, and college people that are not 21 drink also. If teenagers that are nowRead MoreLowering Legal Drinking Age Essay1417 Words   |  6 PagesLowering the Drinking Age Half the United States population starts drinking at the age of 14.When you are 18 you have privileges like joining the army. (Mitch Adams Lowering the drinking age page 1) You can go to war and die for your country but you still can not enjoy an ice cold beer. (Mitch Adams Lowering the drinking age page 1) How is being 21 different from being 18? How does three more years of not drinking make you mature enough to drink? The longer you drink the more you start toRead MoreControversial Analysis: Drinking Age1278 Words   |  6 PagesCarolina Quiroga April 02, 2012 Leslie Jones English 102 The Drinking Age and Young Adults. Because underage drinking is a major problem for young adults, the drinking age has become a very controversial issue. In the 1990s, the drinking age was 18, but it was changed to 21 in 1984. The Federal Government informed states to choose between raising the drinking age to 21 or foregoing highway funding. This decision obviously affected 18 to 20 year olds who could no longer buy alcoholic beverages.Read MoreLegalizing the Drinking Age to 181624 Words   |  7 PagesLegalizing the Drinking Age to 18 When people turn to the age of eighteen, they are finally considered an adult. They can join the army, have the right to vote, buy cigarettes or tobacco products, get a tattoo and even die for our country, but they aren’t allowed to buy alcohol? A person can be responsible enough to live on his or her own, make money, pay bills, and yet they are not old enough to purchase or consume any type of alcohol. Underage drinking has been a major controversial issue forRead MoreWhy Lowering The Drinking Age Is A Good Idea?. Lowering1627 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Drinking Age is a Good Idea? Lowering the drinking age to 18 in the United States has been a source of controversy in recent years. It has been a controversial topic because many people disagree, while many agree with the topic. For example, the people who disagree and are against lowering the drinking age to 18 believe we should not lower the drinking age because 18 year old individuals are not responsible enough to drink alcohol. While, the people who agree we should lower the drinking ageRead MoreLowering The Minimum Drinking Age1380 Words   |  6 Pagesperson reaches the age of 18, they are allowed to tattoo their bodies, smoke tobacco, gamble and even enlist if they wanted to! As an adult, they want to be treated as one but how can they feel like an adult if hanging around with their friends and drinking beer while watching TV is illegal? Of course, that does not stop them, though. The United States is one of the few countries in which still have such a high minimum drinking age. Although most people thi nk young adults (18-year olds) are irresponsibleRead MoreShould The Drinking Age Be Lowered?995 Words   |  4 Pages Should the legal drinking age be lowered to age 18? Recently people have been debating whether If the drinking age should be lowered to 18. Some people think 18 is a better age but others think it’s outrageous to lower the drinking age to 18. After much reading and observing, I myself think the drinking age should be kept at 21 years old,because young adults who drink while they re underage make poor decisions and majority of the young adults are in college lacking in classes. The legal drinkingRead MoreDrinking Age Drinking847 Words   |  4 Pagesthe drinking age should be lowered to eighteen like most of the world or if it should stay at twenty-one. Underage drinking has been a major questionable issue for years, yet why is it not under control? Teenagers are continuing to buy alcohol with fake identification cards, getting into bars and drinking illegally. As a recent teen, I have proof that these things are going on not only in college but in high school as well. There are a lot of factors that come together to why the drinking age should

It Only Takes One Moment free essay sample

It was fleeting, so fleeting I shouldn’t be so certain it actually occurred. But I was. Because of its quickness, it should have been unreliable. But it wasn’t. There are well over six billion people on earth, and I guarantee you the majority of them will not be able to pinpoint the exact second—nanosecond, really—their entire view on life changed. But I can. To this day I can recall every single detail of that moment. February 24, 2006. Drip, drip. That is really annoying. As I stood frozen in that tiny hospital room, unable to move, all I could hear was that incessant dripping sound. It hadn’t stopped for what seemed like forever. I had no idea what it was, or where it was coming from, and honestly, I didn’t particularly care. As irritating as it was, though, it was still something I could focus on. Something besides the hushed, tearful voices of my mom and the nurse, which seeped in through the closed door. Something besides the goosebumps that peppered by bare arms (I should’ve brought a jacket, but in my haste to get here I’d forgotten). Something besides the tight, burning sensation in my throat and behind my eyes, warning me of the flood that threatened to gush out. And something, anything, besides the sight of my father’s once-strong body lying on the bed, frail and lifeless. However, I couldn’t help myself. My eyes were irrevocably drawn to it. It was the first time I’d focused on him since I arrived at the hospital an hour ago. I guess until that moment, I’d never fully realized how different he was from the father I had known as a little girl, the one who lifted weights every day and who spent most of his free time fixing up our house. The one I thought would always be there, protecting and supporting me. The man I see now is different. He had been for some time, I guess. His cheeks were gaunt; the muscles in his arms, so impressive a lifetime ago, had disappeared, and the vitality that once glowed on his skin was gone forever. Suddenly, for the tiniest moment, eons before the word â€Å"forever† even finished crossing my mind, I had an epiphany. I’d always known nobody lived forever, but until this speck in time, I’d never grasped the concept in its entirety. The only other death I’d personally known was my grandfather’s. That was when I was in third grade—old enough to be affected, but still too young to think the thoughts that were currently racing through my mind at warp speed. Thoughts of how my father would never get the chance to walk me down the aisle at my wedding, of how he would never get to see me graduate, of how he would never meet his future grandchildren. Only now had I been confronted with the hopeless mortality of mankind. No matter how much money you have, or how great your accomplishments are, or how stunning your beauty is, the truth still remains. Those things won’t be here forever. Money can be lost, accomplishments can be forgotten, and beauty can fade. Most people don’t want to dwell on this fact, and they shouldn’t, but it should be there in the back of their minds. Don’t take anything for granted, because it might no longer be there when you look for it later. Instead of focusing on dispensable material goods, focus on living. Life was meant to be lived, and at the end of the long road, when someone asks a person if there is anything he wished to have done but didn’t, he should be able to respond â€Å"No† with conviction. My father was one of those people. He lived his life the way he wanted to. I can think of nothing he’d have regretted not doing during his life. In a way, I guess he’d foreshadowed his own death, especially after over half a dozen hospitalizations in three months for various issues with his diabetes and liver problems. Perhaps that is why he lived so freely, even when he could barely move. He knew his time was limited. The last time I’d seen him conscious was a week prior to his passing. He’d been in so much pain he couldn’t get out of the car, but he still joked around with me and told me his plans for seeing the Beijing Olympics. That’s why his death had shocked me so much. It was hard to believe someone who’d been laughing one day could lapse into a coma and, later, the oblivion of death, a mere few days later. All these thoughts crowded inside me until I felt like I couldn’t breathe. They weren’t quite concrete—they were more abstract in that they didn’t form complete sentences or defined ideas in my head. I felt them, and instinctively, I knew they would change my life. From this day on, I vowed, I won’t be afraid of taking risks. I wouldn’t, as trite as this may sound, live every day as if were my last. Some day, it could be. Life is unpredictable. I finally forced myself to move. I walked closer to the bed and stared ay my father’s face. Gaunt as it was, it looked peaceful. I gently covered one of his hands with mine, silently thanking him for the lesson he’d unknowingly taught me. My tears finally spilled from eyes, each one chasing the previous down my cheeks. It felt good, like I was purging myself of my old way of thinking to make room for my new mindset. I stayed in that position until my mom came back inside and whispered, â€Å"It’s time to go.† I followed her silently out of the room, casting one last glance at my father. In the background, the dripping sound ceased.

The Presidency Of Andrew Jackson Essay Example For Students

The Presidency Of Andrew Jackson Essay The Presidency of Andrew JacksonIn this paper Ill go over his presidency, focusing on both the highs and the lows of his two terms in office, from 1829-1837. The issues that Ill focus on are states rights, the tariff, the spoils system, Indian removal and banking policies; these controversies brought forth strong rivalry over his years of president. He was known for his iron will and severe personality, and strong use of the powers of his office that made his years of presidency to be known as the Age of Jackson. Jackson served as delegate to Tennessee in the 1796 Constitutional convention and a congressman for a year (from 1796-97). He was elected senator in 1797, but financial problems forced him to resign and return to Tennessee in less than a year. Later he served as a Tennessee superior court judge for six years starting in 1798. In 1804 he retired from the bench and moved to Nashville and devoted time to business ventures and his plantation. We will write a custom essay on The Presidency Of Andrew Jackson specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In 1814 Jackson was a Major General in the Tennessee Militia, here he was ordered to march against the Creek Indians, who were pro-British in the war of 1812. Eventually he forced all Indians out of the area. His victorys impressed some people in Washington and Jackson was put in command of the defense of New Orleans. This show of American strength made Americans feel proud after a war filled with military defeats. Jackson was given the nickname Old Hickory, and was treated as a national hero. In 1822 the Tennessee Legislature nominated him for president and the following year he was elected the U.S. senate. He also nearly won the presidential campaign of 1824. However as a result of the corrupt bargain with Henry Clay, he ended up losing. In 1828 Andrew Jackson became the seventh President to the United States.Instead of the normal cabinet made up by the president, he relied more on an informal group of newspaper writers and northernpoliticians who had worked for his election. I believe that this made him more in contact with the people of the United States, and with the public opinion and feelings toward national issues. President Jackson developed the system of rotation in office. This was used to protect the American people from a development of a old political group by removing long-term office holders. His enemies accused him of corruption of civil service for political reasons. However, I think that it was used to insure loyalty of the people in his administration. States rights played an important part in Jacksons policys as president. In the case of the Cherokee Indians vs. The State of Georgia, two Supreme Court decisions in 1831 and 1832 upholding the rights of the Cherokee nation over the State of Georgia who had wanted to destroy Cherokee jurisdiction on its land because gold had been found on it, and the state seeing the Indians as tenants on state land decided to kick them out. Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that Georgia had no jurisdiction to interfere with the rights of the Cherokee and removal of them would violate treaties between them and the U.S. Government. However, Jackson, not liking these decisions. Jackson was and always will be an Indian fighter. I think he just liked pushing around the Indians because he knew that whatever resistance they had was no match for the U.S. army. The question of the tariff was a major controversy in the United States around the years of Jacksons Presidency and his strong support for a unified nation over states rights would hold the country together in this national crisis. The Second Bank of the United States was not made into an issue of his election in 1828. However he decided the bank, which is not a government bank, but chartered by it in 1826, had failed to provide a stable currency, and had favored the Northern states, and few loans were granted to the southern and western areas because they were a larger risk and the bank didnt see it in its interest to make such a gamble with its money. And in his mind the bank was in violation