Macbeth by William Shakespeare - 857 Words

Analysis of a quote that relates to the text: Power corrupts, and Absolute power corrupts absolutely This quote means that the one who has complete authority is extremely likely to abuse his position. Absolute power refers to complete, unchallengeable power where the holder has no external compulsions and is answerable to none about his actions. It builds on the idea that every human being has the potential to become a benevolent dictator given the right situation. Power, or simply the desire for power, can cause people to act in unintelligible ways. Many examples can be seen throughout history of leaders who have been perverted with power. For example, leaders like Hitler and Napoleon have all committed disgraceful actions during their rule in the hopes of attaining the Absolute power. All through the play Macbeth, the desire for Absolute power is the central compelling force for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They are dominated with a great yearning for gaining the ultimate power by becoming the King and Queen, and are willing to achieve it by whatever means necessary. Power corrupts t heir thoughts, behaviours and actions. They become greedy and selfish. As a result of this, they suffer the tragic fate of their own doings. Example of this corruption is first seen when Lady Macbeth decides that she will murder Duncan after reading her husbands letter about the witches prophecies. She refuses to see the difference between right and wrong as she is blinded by the desireShow MoreRelatedMacbeth by William Shakespeare770 Words   |  3 PagesThe play Macbeth is written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to be written between 1603 and 1607 and set in eleventh century Scotland. It is also believed to be first performed in 1606. It is considered to be one of the darkest and most powerful tragedies. Macbeth, set in Scotland, dramatizes the psychological and political effects produced when evil is chosen to fulfill the ambition of power. The Tragedy of Macbeth is Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy and tells the story of Macbeth, a ScottishRead MoreMacbeth, By Willia m Shakespeare1425 Words   |  6 PagesMacbeth Just Can’t Wait To Be King Everyone has a quality that they do not like about themselves. Some people struggle to be social, others may be too controlling of people. The list goes on and on, but the point is that everybody has a particular quality that they must learn to control or else that particular quality can get out of hand. Of course, one could write a list of characters that have major flaws. There is no better example than William Shakespeare’s character, Macbeth, in The TragedyRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1409 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air.† On October 17th, I had the pleasure of going to see Macbeth performed at the Shakespeare Tavern. Along with its reputation for being â€Å"cursed,† Macbeth is also known as one of the crown jewels of William Shakespeare’s repertoire. In my opinion, the central concept of this particular retelling of the play was the murkiness of character. Throughout the pla y, the many characters go through fierce temptation and strife, and noneRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1203 Words   |  5 PagesMacbeth is a play based on King James I, it was written by William Shakespeare, however this play isn’t a king and queen fairy tale, but it’s a play about greed and guilt, chaos and murder and three evil witches who use prophecies to influence Macbeth to do bad things, using flattery would instigate his inner ambition to become king, which in the end doesn’t lead to a very happy ending. Shakespeare’s, Macbeth, was written in the early Jacobean period. During those times, women had no power, theyRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1243 Words   |  5 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s â€Å"Macbeth†, the author portrays the main character Macbeth as a very tortured and flawed individual whose actions only serve to further unravel him. He is conflicted and power hungry, which drives him to perform evil murders and become a ruthless person. Macbeth’s moral compass is not resilient enough to withstand his wife’s manipulations and he is provoked to act on his malicious thoughts of murder. The author explores the terrible effects that ambition and guilt can haveRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare Essay1487 Words   |  6 Pagesreaction†. Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a tale which illuminates the consequences of violating the â€Å"Natural order†, the hierarchy of beings in the universe. When Macbeth, a warrior wel l-known for his courage and bravery, murders King Duncan acting on his unchecked ambition to claim the throne, the order was disrupted, the result†¦chaos. Shakespeare uses symbolism to illustrate the atmosphere of the play as the natural order is flung into a state of turmoil. These techniques used by Shakespeare is usedRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1483 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferent references in the play of how a king deals with power and if they use it for better or for their own personal gain. In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth’s obsession with his journey to power leads to his failure. This obsession is demonstrated through the prophecies, the murder of his best friend Banquo, and his own demise. Macbeth demonstrates that he is incapable of mastering the power and responsibilities of being a king. This is indicated throughout the play with theRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1045 Words   |  5 PagesBlood appears in only two forms, but many times in Macbeth by William Shakespeare; between the war scene at the beginning of the play and the lifting of Macbeth’s severed being lifted by Macduff at the end. It can be said that Macbeth could have been written in blood that there is such a large amount. What is unique about blood in Macbeth is that the â€Å"imaginary blood† or the guilt that the murderer feels plays more of a role of understand and amplifying the theme of the play, that blood is guiltRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1431 Words   |  6 Pages Macbeth, though originally a valiant and prudent soldier, deteriorates into an unwise king whose rash decisions conclusively end in the atrophy of his title, power, and position. Several facto rs contribute to the downfall of Macbeth, which produce a contagion effect and ultimately end with his demise. He receives help from his â€Å"inner ambitions and external urgings† which result in his downfall (Bernad 49). The â€Å"external urgings† consist of the weird sisters who disclose his prophecies, which enlightenRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare2060 Words   |  9 Pagesthe green one red Macbeth Quote (Act II, Sc. II). Out, out, brief candle! Life s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Macbeth Quote (Act V, Scene V). These quotes have been taken from play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare. Like these quotes there are hundreds and thousands of such heart touching quotes written by Shakespeare in his many different

Gambia and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of...

As far as we can go back in history human rights have been violated, nonetheless many attempts have been made to protect human rights. The first attempt was the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights after World War II. The world agreeing to this declaration was a way to ensure that the lives of so many people weren’t to be lost again for unnecessary reasons. The main purpose of this declaration is making sure that all humans have the right to freedom, justice, and peace in the world. It also says that everyone has the right to nationality, religion, and his or her own opinion. Unfortunately today in many countries human rights are still violated. One of the countries that violates human rights is The Gambia and I will be focusing on Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 19 of the universal declaration of human rights states â€Å" Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the right to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.† â€Å"Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right. The full enjoyment of this right is central to achieving individual freedoms and to developing democracy.† However in The Gambia although the constitution and law provide for freedom of speech and press, the government has restricted these rights. The Gambia one of Africas smallest countries and unlike many of its WestShow MoreRelated A Study of Cotton Trade and Trade in Africa Essays4519 Words   |  19 Pagesgovernments because their governments are poor. Two weeks ago, the WTO declared these subsidies illegal and now wants the U.S. to stop offering subsidies to its cotton farmers. The United States has yet to implement the changes set forth by W.T.O; right now the government said that it is still studying the report. Meanwhile cotton farmers in developing nations continue to suffer due to these illegal subsidies. Developing Countries and International Trade Most developing countries around theRead MoreEducational Wastage: a Case Study of Upper Primary School Girl Dropouts in Otonglo Zone, Kisumu Municipality10149 Words   |  41 PagesIntelex ICT Solutions who typeset and flawlessly formatted this report. DECLARATION BY CANDIDATE This research proposal is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other university. No part of this research may be reproduced in any means or form without the prior consent of the author or the University of Nairobi. ___________________________ Date:___________________ Susan Ombati (Candidate) DECLARATION BY SUPERVISORS This research proposal report has been submitted for examinationRead MoreStabilisation in Investment Contracts and Changes of Rules in Host Countries: Tools for Oil Gas Investors34943 Words   |  140 PagesHAS STABILITY BEEN ADDRESSED OVER THE YEARS? ..........................................................15 1.4 SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................19 CHAPTER 2: WHY DO HOST GOVERNMENTS CHANGE RULES? .......................................20 2.1 WAVES AND THEIR EFFECTS .........................................................................................................20 2.2 THE ARMOURY ..Read MorePrimary Sector of Economy17717 Words   |  71 Pagescounter them.[5][6][7] Such differences also come about due to more efficient production in developed economies, given farm machinery, better information available to farmers, and often larger scale. [edit] List of countries by agricultural output Main article: List of countries by GDP sector composition Global agricultural output from 1970 to 2008. This time covers the effects of the Green Revolution. Below is a list of countries by agricultural output in 2011. Agricultural output in 2011 | Rank | CountryRead MoreInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 PagesINTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT: CULTURE, STRATEGY, AND BEHAVIOR, EIGHTH EDITION Published by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright  © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Previous editions  © 2009, 2006, and 2003. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies

Fortescure metal group ltd free essay sample

The research group has undertaken an analysis of Fortescue Metal Group Limited (‘FMG’). The analysis consists of two parts. Part 1 includes a macro economic analysis which reviews FMG’s economic environment and how this impacted on its performance during the years ended 30 June 2008 to 30 June 2012. During this period FMG’s performance was primarily driven by an overall increase in the price of iron ore, underpinned by higher levels of demand for this product from China. It is considered that continued demand for iron ore by Chinese steel producers and continued growth in China’s gross domestic product (‘GDP’) is likely to support the forecast iron ore price of USD120 per metric tonne (‘mt’) and result in future increased revenues for FMG. The recent depreciation of the Australian dollar (‘AUD’) against the United States dollar (‘USD’) will increase the USD profits of FMG as measured in AUD. Part 1 also includes an industry analysis which applies the ‘Porter five forces’ model and concludes that competition is ‘moderate’ meaning there is an opportunity for FMG to earn above average profits. We will write a custom essay sample on Fortescure metal group ltd or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Part 2 is a business strategy analysis which identifies the competitive strategy adopted by FMG. It is considered that FMG has adopted a strategy of ‘cost leadership’ which is consistent with the needs of its customers who purchase iron ore based on price. Part 2 also identifies the key success factors associated with this strategy and the associated risks. It is considered that the business strategies of FMG (expanding production and cost reduction initiatives) are consistent with its chosen competitive strategy and as FMG is successfully implanting these strategies it is maintaining its competitive advantage. A concern regarding FMG’s high interest and financing costs is noted; however an analysis of the company’s cashflow and debt structure allays this concern. For the purpose of the analysis the research group has relied on the information presented in the financial report for the year ended 30 June 2012 (the 2013 report was only recently published on 22 August 2013). Information contained in FMG’s June 2013 quarterly update to the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) was also used to ensure up-to-date information was considered. 1 Part 1. Macro economic factors and Industry Analysis 1. 1. Economic environment – Macroeconomic factors that impact on FMG’s performance. 1. 1. 1 FMG business activities FMG commenced construction of its initial mine, port and rail assets in 2006 and began shipping iron ore in 2008. 1 FMG’s principal activities are ‘the mining of iron ore from its Cloudbreak and Christmas Creek mine sites, the operation of an integrated mine, rail and port supply chain and the expansion of iron ore operations’. 2 FMG’s segment information for the year ended 30 June 2012 details that 96. 9% of external revenues for the sale of iron ore were received from customers located in China.

Murder on Orient Express free essay sample

Justice; A fundamental theme of the American government comes into play in Murder on the Orient Express written by Agatha Christie. This crucial theme revels itself through the books interruption of trial by jury, capital punishment, and evidence contamination and corruption. The passengers interpretation of justice is present through out this book and is most prevalent in the end when the murder is revealed. The concept of justice is brought up when the â€Å"jury† of twelve passengers on the train unanimously decided Ratchett was guilty. It is no coincidence that the number of passengers is the exact same number used in a court room jury, 12. In section two chapter eight, Colonel Arbuthnot responds to Poirot’s interrogation with â€Å" Well you can’t go about having blood feuds and stabbing each other like Corsicans or the Mafia. Say what you like, but trial by jury is a sound system† (Christie 131). This statement not only shows no remorse for the actions committed but also indicates that the passengers concept of jury was not inaccurate. We will write a custom essay sample on Murder on Orient Express or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The jury system is used in the United States is to not burden any single person with the responsibility of someone’s life. It takes every member for a guilty conviction just as it took all 12 train passengers to kill Ratchett. A court room jury has the power to induce capital punishment when seen fit by a judge but the law does not protect the train passengers for the same offense. These 12 people decided long before their interaction on the train that this man was to be killed. In section three chapter nine, Colonel Arbuthnot stated, â€Å" We decided then and there- perhaps we were mad-I don’t know-that the sentence of death that Cassetti had escaped had got to be carried out,† (Christie 263). Once well known to Ratchett, these 12 people witnessed first hand the heinous murder Cassetti committed in previous years and watched him get away with it when it was clear what he had done. At this time the passengers took it upon themselves to get revenge for the Armstrong family and kill this man. Legally this is forbidden under any circumstances but morally, they truly felt they were doing the right thing. By the end of this book, Detective Poirot announces two theories about how this murder could have taken place. The first properly incriminates each individual and gives a rational explanation for their involvement, the second is polar opposite and claims a random stranger committed this crime at the train station. Even after establishing the detectives originally theory was correct, Poirot still agrees to lie to the local police on their behalf. In section three chapter nine, Bouc concludes, â€Å" In my opinion, M. Poirot, the second theory you put forward was the correct one- decidedly so. I suggest that this is the solution we offer to the Yugo-Slavian police when they arrive. You agree doctor? † (Christie 2640). After working so hard to discover the happenings of the previous night, the detective simply ignores his findings only because physiologically he can relate to the train passengers and to some extent agrees with them. In the US courts, evidence tampering, and obstruction of an investigation is a federal crime but still appears in active trials. The jury’s are almost never able to look at the case from an objective point of view and make and emotionally unattached decision. In a way this is exactly what the passengers did. They were personally to close to the events to be able to make a rational decision and relied on instincts and emotions to carry them through. The characters and decisions made in the book Murder on the Orient Express revolved around a corrupt theme of justice that the passengers were clinging towards to make their actions morally acceptable. By twisting the traditional jury system, personally involving themselves in capital punishment, and abstracting an investigation, each passenger knowingly obstructed justice and the justice system granted to US citizens in the Bill of Rights.

Judaism and Hellenism free essay sample

In the Mediterranean and Middle East before the Common Era stood two cultures deep in their ways of living. The Greeks and Jews both held rich traditions and with their collision after the expansion of Alexander the Great’s Empire, change was on its way. For the Jews, this was a familiar sight, since they were conquered and ruled by the Egyptians and Babylonians before. These Greek and Macedonian rulers held lands far vaster than any other ruler before this time. The Jewish lands along the Eastern Mediterranean were a small nation and the Hellenistic world views held a significant impact on a people secure in their beliefs. The Jews of this time kept their identity while at the same time assimilating to a changing world. Hellenistic changes in Judaism appeared in all the key cities within the Middle East. Cities such as Alexandria, Babylon, Antioch, Ephesus, and Jerusalem held a tremendous difference in Hellenistic Judaism practices at this time. We will write a custom essay sample on Judaism and Hellenism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Assimilation did not occur within a day or a summer though but thru generations. For example, a Jew in the next generation Hellenized Palestine might see himself speaking Greek and thus practicing more pagan rituals. For these people assimilation did not seem so radical since it happened extremely slowly over years, but still the Jews kept their identity. The Jews kept their community and culture as one. Jews assimilated to Hellenistic ways in literature, language, historiography, philosophy, art, and religion. They did so to keep up with a changing world where Hellenism was the ascendant position in the known world. To understand Hellenization in the Middle East, one has to go back to the Persian Empire which stood before Alexander’s Empire. The Persian Empire was in place for about two hundred years and had control over a territory that included India, Ethiopia, Turkey, and all of the Middle East. From the Persian Empire, the Israelites in Palestine adopted the language called Hebrew from the Canaanites. This language was used by the Persians for administrative purposes, so the Jews used it. The language became holy. Alexander’s Conquest over the Persian Empire was the beginning of the Hellenistic age. When Alexander died in Babylon in three hundred and twenty three BC his generals separated what was the Persian Empire into two distinct parts. In Egypt, the Ptolemies took charge, and in the east from Syria the Seleucids ruled. The Ptolemies conquered Jerusalem, also known as Palestine during the time, in three hundred and twenty BC and ruled for about a hundred years. Under the Ptolemies, the Jews were not allowed to elect a king, but they still were able to choose a high priest of their own. Palestine itself was the boundary between the Ptolemies and Seleucids. In two hundred and one BC, the Seleucids conquered the Ptolemies and immediately began aggressively Hellenizing the Jews. The Seleucids stayed in power until about one hundred and forty BC when the Maccabees succeeded. Within these two Kingdoms, Greek customs spread far and wide. Trade was in full effect at this time and with it a variety of languages. The Greek language was being used by traders on the Middle Eastern Coast before Alexander even reached the shore. After Alexander’s death, Hellenism took effect on the upper classes in the Middle East. Alexander wanted his fellow Greeks to integrate and marry with the conquered people. He even allowed people of the Middle East to settle back in the home province of Greece and Macedonia. As time passed the Jews learned Greek, and preferred more Hellenistic names. For example, a boy named Joshua might now be Jason, or Mathew would now be Menelaus. Cities names also changed, examples being Akko to Ptolemais and Amorah to Ariopolis. The Jews also built gymnasiums, and participated in Olympic Games. Greek became the administrative language after Alexander. They were exceptionally talented administratively and reached every part of Jewish society. They made sure everybody paid taxes. Some Jews favored Greek education since a lot of the superior quality jobs were held by Greeks. Examples of Greek influence in Jewish writings are in the Qumran and One Enoch. When the Maccabees ruled, Greek was only spoken by the upper class. Jewish scriptures had to be rewritten in Greek for those Jews who could not understand Aramaic. Some Jews chose to admit to Hellenization because of their annoyance with the Persian Empire. The thought that some Jews rationalized this way angered the Maccabees. The Maccabees were more orthodox Jews and were displeased by the Hellenized Jews. In one hundred and seventy three BC, a Jew by name of Jesus or his Greek name Jason became high priest of Jerusalem. His name change was a case of those Jews whom were assimilating to Hellenism. Jason founded a Gymnasium where Jews could go for athletics, for intelligent discussions, and for readings of Greek texts. Two Maccabees openly opposed Jason and his gymnasium. It was the first writings in resistance to Hellenism. Two Maccabees wrote that Hellenism was a new threat to Jewish culture. Previously, alien cultures were perceived as threatening because of the temptation posed by their gods. For Two Maccabees, Hellenism involves a system of values different from orthodox worship, the values associated with the gymnasium. Two Maccabees condemns Jews who adopted these values, even as they remain loyal to Yahweh. Two Maccabees itself shows the effects of Hellenism. Two Maccabees also artfully de-emphasizes the associations of this language with the gymnasium and material culture. For example, the martyrs with their courage are called noble, a term often used in Greek texts. While the category of gentlemanliness, a distinctive Greek value, is applied to aged men who could not possibly participate in the sphere of the Greek gymnasium. Two Maccabees does not simply borrow, but rather transforms Greek customs as it intervenes them with Judaism. With the Maccabees came a revolt against Hellenistic society. They felt as though they were being suppressed religiously. There was a clear line between traditional Jews and the Hellenized ones. Also at this time, the Romans freed Egypt from Hellenized rulers. Anti- Hellenized Jews helped with propaganda such as predictions that this was going to happen. The Maccabees and gospels also showed themselves divided as Hebrews and Greeks. High priest Jason was succeeded by Menelaus in one hundred and one BC. The King of this time was Antiochus IV who persecuted Jewish customs. Antiochus IV after being embarrassed in Egypt came back to Jerusalem to find the city in chaos caused by the different Jewish sects of the city. To regain complete control Antiochus IV went to violent measures against the Jews that were not seen since the Babylonian Exile. While Jerusalem heard a rumor that Antiochus IV was killed in combat, one of the high priests collected an army and attacked the city. The priests name was Jason and once in power got he got rid of Menelaus whom was put in place by Antiochus. When Antiochus IV returned he was enraged and ordered a massacre of many Jews and put Menelaus back as the high priest. Antiochus IV slaughtered many Jews at this time, and also placed laws to help maintain control of them. With the help of Hellenized Jews, it became illegal to do certain Jewish rituals. With Hellenizers and Antiochus IV now in complete ower, he started to shift Jerusalem into a Greek Polis once again. The war between the people started again by a Jewish traditionalist named Mathias Hasmon. The Hasmonaeus were also known as the Maccabees. The man had five male children, headed by Judas Hasmon, whom was also named Judas the Maccabee. The Hasmonaeus then fled town and gained support from villages and created a group of terrorists. They went around killing rich Jews, stealing property, and raiding other villages. In one hundred sixty one BC, the Hasmons signed an alliance with Rome and ten years later the Seleucids abandoned Judah. They were remarkably successful because of the support of the Romans. In one hundred and sixty four BC, the Jews defeated the Greek general Apollonius. At this time, Antiochus IV dies while protecting his territory against the Parthians. After his death, the Hasmoneans were given amnesty, allowed back into the city and their traditions restore. In one hundred and forty two BC, Judah became independent, and Judah Maccabee became the ruler. The holiday of Hanakkah was then established to commemorate the Jews achievement in gaining self-rule. The Hasmoneans took advantage of this and attacked Hellenizers all over the city. However, conditions soon changed when the Hasmonean leaders became corrupt and secular. The kings claimed the high priesthood for themselves, were cruel to their fellow Jews, and expanded the territory for administrative purposes. The Hasmoneans also fell to Hellenization by taking such Greek names as Antiochus, Aristobulus, and Hyrcanus. The Hasmoneans benefited from the fall of the Seleucid Empire. They made their country free and increased their territory. Lysias whom was governor of Syria saw this and rounded up his army and took control over the situation. After, a series of civil wars occurred which were propelled by the Romans. Lysias in fear made another deal with the Hasmoneans and got rid of the high priest. This appears to be an extremely hypocritical situation because the Hasmoneans were doing unto others what they had revolted against. Although Jerusalem was ruled under a tyranny, the city grew considerably in size and population, becoming a center of commerce and religion. Hasmonean Jerusalem lasted only until sixty three BC, when Pompey from the Roman Empire took control of Jerusalem. The decline of the Hasmoneans was the end of Jewish rule, but Jewish pride and desire for freedom continued with struggles against Roman rule. Beginning with a series of Jewish wars with the Roman in the first and second centuries, including the Kitos War, the Great Revolt, and Bar Kokhbas rebellion. Through the rebellions, temporary self-rule was placed, but they eventually fell to the power of Rome. A Roman army under Vespasian and Titus attacked and destroyed Jerusalem, and burned Herods Temple. They then enslaved or killed a large part of the Jewish population. The Romans defeats of the Jewish revolts contributed to the Jewish Diaspora, as many Jews were sold into slavery throughout the empire. Today, we see many signs of Hellenization in the world. For example, the Bible was translated into Greek. We see archaeological evidence today in the Tomb of Absolom (a Jewish burial with inscriptions written in Greek), and in the Sepphoris Mosaic (found in the dining room of a Jewish House). These proofs show that Greek traditions, religion, literature, and many other aspects were incorporated into Jerusalem and Jewish culture. The Jewish culture refashioned its identity over and over again. A prime example would be the Greek intrusion during the Hellenistic period. During these times of change, the Jews kept close to their traditions and identity in an ever changing world.

Why The Crusades Failed

Why The Crusades Failed Introduction The crusades refer to the chain of religious wars, fought in the Levant and Asia Minor between the years 1095 and 1291. During the wars, Western European nations engaged the locals, in response to propaganda related to religious expansion.1Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why The Crusades Failed specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The first crusade was ordered by Pope Urban II, who was acting as an agent of the Roman Catholic. The aim of the crusade was to restore Christian control of the holy lands at Jerusalem and the surrounding areas.2 The cause for the crusades could be traced to the times of the Siljug-Byzantine and Arab-Byzantine wars, which ended in the conclusive defeat of Byzantine forces in 1701. After the decisive defeat, the Emperor, Alexios I appealed to Christian nations to fight the common enemy (Muslims), thus requested for their participation in the armed conflict. As a result, Pope Urban II agreed to the request, and committed western leaders to the course of reclaiming the Holy lands.3 The crusaders’ forces were made up of Catholic armies that had come in from Western Europe. However, the forces were never under the same unit of command; the different teams were commanded by different leaders.4 The first crusades were successful. However, those that followed thereafter failed, leading to the defeat of the crusaders. After the defeat, the Crusaders were forced to return to their countries. Most of the soldiers were French. Thus, they were referred as Franks. This was the name used by the Muslim fighters during the duration of the war. On the other hand, the Europeans commonly referred to the people of the Holy Lands as Saracens. The name was used in a negative manner and was used throughout the crusades and after, including the 20th century.5 The crusades were characterized by alliances, including that between Christians and Sultanate of Rum, during the time of the fifth crusade.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The crusades had major economic, political and social effects on Western Europe, including the considerable weakening of the Christian-Byzantine kingdom, which was later conquered by Muslim Turks.6 The factors that led to the failure of the Crusades The failure of the crusades resulted from a number of factors, including the weakening of the rule of the leaders of the war at their home countries.7 They came to the realization that their continued stay at Middle East undermined the rule and the peace at their home countries: the authority and the powers of the leaders of the crusades were threatened at their countries.8 One of such cases was that of Richard I of England, who realized that the brother that he had left in charge of the throne at England was no longer willing to allow him, take the throne upon his return.9 As a result, the threat to the rule of the leaders of the crusaders forces resulted in their departure from the Middle East, so that they could regain their previous rule and the control of their nations. As a consequence, the forces of the Crusaders continued to weaken, which resulted in their inability to handle the fighting capacity of the Muslim forces.10 Further, the divided attention of the crusaders between focusing their attention on the war, and returning to their countries, so they could continue their activities weakened their resolve to continue the crusades. The crusades failed, as a result of the conflicts between the leaders of the different crusaders’ teams. Some of the conflicts resulted from the lack of a common center of command, while others resulted from differences in the priorities of the different leaders.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why The Crusades Failed specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of the conflicts among European forces included the rivalry between Innocent IV and Fredrick II. Fredrick II believed that Innocent IV was spreading a campaign against him. At the same time of the rivalry between Fredrick II and Innocent IV, Louis IX of France was planning the seventh crusade, which was not supported by many of the other leaders. Later, Louis IX attempted to reconcile the conflict of interest between the two, to no avail, which increased the rivalry between the crusaders forces. The continued conflict of interest and the rivalry between the Crusaders’ forces weakened their combined effort, as well as well as their strategic approach to the wars. Further, the weakening resolve decreased the ability of the crusaders to match the fighting abilities of the Muslims, which led to their unexpected defeat.11 The failure of the crusades resulted from the double-crossing of the Greeks. It was considered so, after the military allies of the pope lost their tru st in the loyalty of the church. They lost faith in the church after the Greek Orthodox Church gave money to the authorities of the church, so that the church could help install Alexius to power.12 The strategy of buying the placement of Alexius to power seemed to the military allies, as an effort that went contrary to the values of the Greeks. As a result, the misunderstanding between the church and the military allies led to a continued withdrawal of the support offered by the allies of the pope. The withdrawal of the support of the allies of the Pope led to a reduction in the military capacity of the crusaders’ forces. The withdrawal of the support offered to the Crusades also resulted from the increasing incidences of corruption and political dissension among the partners in the war. With the decreasing cooperation between the different parties, towards winning the war, the Muslims were on the other hand, improving their cooperative effort and shared participation. As a r esult, the crusaders were overpowered by the increasing efforts of the Muslims, which forced them to concede defeat.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The failure of the crusades was caused by the relatively few soldiers in the crusaders forces, compared to those from the Muslim side. The crusaders benefited from the superiority of their war technology and skills, which offered them an edge ahead of the Muslim forces. As a result, the first attacks were successful, but as time went on, the Muslims mastered their skills. Therefore, they were able to avoid defeat. Further, the western armies arrived in the Middle East after a long journey, which would leave them tired, weakened by diseases and also the attacks that they met on their way there. As a result, their fighting abilities would be greatly reduced by the factors mentioned, which made them not to compete with the Muslims at their optimal war capacity. Also, after conquered a certain area in the Middle East, some members of the crusaders forces would leave for their home countries. As a result, the remaining troops would have few soldiers to continue with the war, as well as t hose to ensure that the conquered areas were not reclaimed. The impact of the continual return of the Crusaders forces was worsened by the fact that the soldiers that left for their home countries would take more than decades to return, or send other soldiers to take their place in the war.13 The failure of the crusades was caused by the expensive nature of the war attempts. Some groups believed that the crusades were staged by the Europeans, so they could acquire wealth and riches. However, contrary from this view, the nations involved in the crusades scrapped, borrowed and imposed great taxes on their citizens so that they would afford sustaining the crusades. The funds raised through the increased taxation levels, and the borrowing was channeled towards paying the armies, equipping the forces and feeding the soldiers at the base. The difference between the conquest of the Middle East and other areas where they had previously captured was that the land there was not a revenue-prod ucing. Therefore, compared to their European farm lands, the Crusaders felt that they were not gaining from the captured. As a result, the home nations of the Crusaders continued to carry the burden of the war, which left them no choice, other than to accept that the crusades were not viable in the long term. Further, most of the exhaustible resources that were available to the crusaders as well as the supplies that they received from their nations started running out after years of fighting. The continued reduction of European resources discouraged some of the nations, which resulted in a continuous withdrawal of their forces from the Middle East. As a consequence, the forces left at Middle East continued weakening and reducing, which resulted in their defeat by the Muslim soldiers.14 The failure of the crusades resulted from the lack of support from the Byzantines, despite the fact that they had promised to offer the Europeans support throughout the crusading period.15 As a result , the Crusaders continued to wait for the help of the Byzantines, which led to a weaker resolve to engage in the crusades without them. Their expectation of getting help from the Byzantines was solidified by their knowledge that the Comnenus lineage of rulers had requested for the help of the pope, which marked the beginning of the Crusades.16 As a result, the lack of support from the Byzantines demoralized the crusaders, and weakened the ground they had gained in the Middle East.17 The failure of the crusades was caused by the lack of a proper channel for transporting more people from Europe to the Middle East, so that the new recruits could offer support to the soldiers that had arrived earlier.18 The European groups willing to participate in the war lacked the channel of arriving in the Middle East. In this regard, their valuable input would have helped maintain the dominion of the earlier armies, which is evident from the success of the first crusades. One example of such a fail ed attempt to transport more people to the Middle East was that led by a German youth called Nicholas in 1212.19 Nicholas announced that he had been commissioned by God to voyage to the holy land, and spread the message that he would take more people to participate in the crusades. From his campaigns about the voyage to the holy land, he gathered the following of 30,000 hopefuls who were willing to go with him to the holy land.20 However, after the leaving Cologne for the Middle East, many of the people died of disease and hunger along the way, while some were eaten by wild animals like wolves. Additionally, thieves attacked them and stole their clothing and food, leaving them without the resources to keep them going. Upon the arrival of the many hopefuls in Genoa, they were dismissed to go back to their homes as there were no ships to transport them to the Middle East.21 The impossible nature of transporting people in the Middle East stopped many groups, which could help the troops that had arrived there earlier, so that they could win the wars.22 There was another case of a group in France, which sought its way to the Middle East to participate in the crusades. The group led by Stephen comprised of more than 20,000 people. Stephen had promised that the sea would give way for the group to cross to Palestine.23 However, the seas did not give way, forcing them to seek an alternative means of transport. While at the shore, some ship owners offered to take them across to the holy land. Unfortunately, some of the ships wrecked while at sea, and those that arrived at the other side were attacked by forces ordered by Fredrick II. The travelers in the ships including the children were taken as slaves.24 This difficulty in the transportation of more people in the Middle East shows the difficulty that the Europeans experienced, when trying to increase the forces participating in the Crusades. As a result, the rate of replacing the soldiers that died and those that went back to their homeland was slow, which weakened the ability of the crusaders forces, leading to their defeat.25 The failure of the crusades was fueled by the bloody attacks of the Muslim forces, including the raid that took place after the departure of Louis. Immediately after the departure, a civil war started between the Genoese and the Venetians.26 At the same time, the Baibars took the opportunity to strike, and marched across the coast of the region, capturing different towns, previously controlled by Christians, one after another. Some of the towns captured during the raid include Antioch, Jaffa, Safad, and Caesarea.27 During the raid, many Christians and crusaders were enslaved, and others slaughtered, which greatly weakened the power of the Crusaders’ forces in areas like Antioch to an irreparable extent. The massive attack weakened the ability of the crusaders in countering Muslim forces, and also demoralized the remaining forces, which drove them towards accepting defeat. The forces of the Crusaders were also affected by a lack of communication, which resulted, partly from the unfriendly relations between the leaders of the different nations or teams. The lack of communication between the different teams was worsened by the language barriers that existed between them. Some of the teams used Latin while others used French. However, among the soldiers, the problem was worse, as most of them could not understand one another, which widened the rivalry between different teams.28 As a result, there was a prevalent lack of common resolve and unit of command, which widened their inability to counter Muslim forces. The relations between the groups were also characterized by an inherent lack of proper planning due to the rivalry between the different groups. This was with regard to the resources required and the avenues to use during the crusades.29 The failure of the Crusaders’ forces was perpetuated by the European style of fighting, as the cr usaders relied on heavy armor and large horses. They also relied on a few bowmen, which was not enough to counter the experienced fighting style of the Muslims. The Muslims, on the other hand, used camels and fast horses, which allowed them to move across the desert-war-front very fast. The Muslims also had innumerable bowmen. Therefore, they could attack the Europeans from a far distance, which increased their advantage in defeating them. The fighting strategies of the Muslims left the Crusaders helpless, whenever the Muslims decided to strike. Therefore, this shows that the fundamental war style between the Crusaders and the Muslims increased the potential of the Muslim forces, which led to the unsuccessful nature of the crusades.30 Conclusion The crusades refer to the chain of religious wars, fought between Muslim and European forces at Levant and Asian minor. The crusades started after Alexios appealed for the help of the Pope. Thus, the church could help the Byzantines at resto ring the Holy Land to Christian rule. The crusaders were made up of armies from Western Europe. The factors that led to the failure of the Crusades include the unskilled nature of the crusaders forces, which were not able to counter the war techniques of the Muslims. The failure of the crusades resulted from the rivalry that existed between the different leaders and the double-crossing of the Greeks by the church, which reduced the support offered to the crusades. The failure was caused by other factors, including the limited number of the soldiers that made up the crusaders forces, the high costs required to sustain the crusades and the lack of the support promised by the Byzantine forces. Other factors included the lack of effective transport networks in the Middle East and the bloody attacks by Muslim forces, which demoralized the crusaders. Lack of communication among the crusaders teams and the experienced fighting style of the Muslims also perpetuated the failure of the crusad es. Bibliography Bull, Marcus and Norman, Housley (eds). The Experience of Crusading Volume 1, Western Approaches. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003: 307. Cartlidge, Cherese. The Crusades: Failed Holy Wars. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2002 Constable, Giles. The Historiography of the Crusades in Angeliki E. Laiou, ed. The Crusades from the Perspective of Byzantium and the Muslim World. Washington, DC: Dumarton Oaks, 2001. 77. Edbury, Peter and Jonathan Phillips (eds). The Experience of Crusading Volume 2, Defining the Crusader Kingdom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003: 326. Edgington, Susan and Sarah Lambert (eds). Gendering the Crusades. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2002. Florean, Dana. East Meets West: Cultural Confrontation and Exchange after the First Crusade. Language Intercultural Communication, 7. 2 (2007): 150–151. Folda, Jaroslav. Crusader Art in the Holy Land, From the Third Crusade to the Fall of Acre. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press , 2005. Harris, Jonathan. Byzantium and the Crusades. New York: Continuum International Publishing, 2003: 276. Hodgson, Natasha. Women, Crusading and the Holy Land in Historical Narrative. Woodbridge: Boydell, 2007. Housley, Norman. The Later Crusades, 1274-1580: From Lyons to Alcazar. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992. James, Douglas. Christians and the First Crusade. History Review, 53 (2005): 34-38. Kagay, Donald and Andrew Villalon (eds). Crusaders, Condottieri, and Cannon: Medieval Warfare in Societies around the Mediterranean. Leiden: Brill Academic Publisher, 2003. Madden, Thomas (ed). The Crusades: The Essential Readings. New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell, 2002. Footnotes 1 Giles Constable, The Historiography of the Crusades in Angeliki E. Laiou, ed. The Crusades from the Perspective of Byzantium and the Muslim World (Washington, DC: Dumarton Oaks, 2001), 77 2 Dana Florean, East Meets West: Cultural Confrontation and Exchange after the First Crusade. Language Intercultural Co mmunication, 7. 2 (2007): 150–151 3 Norman Housley. The Later Crusades, 1274-1580: From Lyons to Alcazar. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992), 75 4 Peter Edbury and Jonathan Phillips (eds), The Experience of Crusading Volume 2, Defining the Crusader Kingdom (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003), 326 5 Jonathan Harris, Byzantium and the Crusades (New York: Continuum International Publishing, 2003), 276. 6 Donald Kagay and Andrew Villalon (eds), Crusaders, Condottieri, and Cannon: Medieval Warfare in Societies around the Mediterranean (Leiden: Brill Academic Publisher, 2003), 134. 7 Peter Edbury and Jonathan Phillips (eds), The Experience of Crusading Volume 2, Defining the Crusader Kingdom (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003), 326 8 Dana Florean, East Meets West: Cultural Confrontation and Exchange after the First Crusade. Language Intercultural Communication, 7. 2 (2007): 144. 9 Ibid, 145 10 Ibid, 150 11 Giles Constable, The Historiography of the Crusade s in Angeliki E. Laiou, ed. The Crusades from the Perspective of Byzantium and the Muslim World (Washington, DC: Dumarton Oaks, 2001), 77 12 Florean Dana, East Meets West: Cultural Confrontation and Exchange after the First Crusade. Language Intercultural Communication, 7. 2 (2007): 143 13 Cherese Cartlidge. The Crusades: Failed Holy Wars. (San Diego: Lucent Books, 2002), 24 14 Natasha, Hodgson, Women, Crusading and the Holy Land in Historical Narrative. (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2007), 87. 15 Jonathan Harris, Byzantium and the Crusades (New York: Continuum International Publishing, 2003), 276. 16 Donald Kagay, and Andrew, Villalon (eds), Crusaders, Condottieri, and Cannon: Medieval Warfare in Societies around the Mediterranean (Leiden: Brill Academic Publisher, 2003), 172. 17 Thomas Madden (ed), The Crusades: The Essential Readings (New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell, 2002), 74. 18 Douglas James, Christians and the First Crusade. History Review, 53 (2005): 34-38. 19 Natasha, Hodgson, Women, Crusading and the Holy Land in Historical Narrative. (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2007), 78. 20 Susan Edgington and Sarah Lambert (eds), Gendering the Crusades (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2002), 232 21 Marcus Bull, and Norman, Housley (eds), The Experience of Crusading Volume 1, Western Approaches (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003), 307 22 Jonathan Harris, Byzantium and the Crusades (New York: Continuum International Publishing, 2003), 276 23 Donald Kagay, and Andrew, Villalon (eds), Crusaders, Condottieri, and Cannon: Medieval Warfare in Societies around the Mediterranean (Leiden: Brill Academic Publisher, 2003), 172. 24 Florean Dana, East Meets West: Cultural Confrontation and Exchange after the First Crusade. Language Intercultural Communication, 7. 2 (2007): 144 25 Natasha, Hodgson, Women, Crusading and the Holy Land in Historical Narrative. (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2007), 78. 26 Thomas Madden (ed), The Crusades: The Essential Readings (New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell, 20 02), 174. 27 Ibid, 175. 28 Donald Kagay, and Andrew, Villalon (eds), Crusaders, Condottieri, and Cannon: Medieval Warfare in Societies around the Mediterranean (Leiden: Brill Academic Publisher, 2003), 172. 29 Natasha, Hodgson, Women, Crusading and the Holy Land in Historical Narrative. (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2007), 78. 30 Natasha, Hodgson, Women, Crusading and the Holy Land in Historical Narrative. (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2007), 78.

Write an evaluation of a published macroeconomic forecast Essay

Write an evaluation of a published macroeconomic forecast - Essay Example This means that there is continuous growth in future, which is brought by the banks’ new advances made on the credits extended to customers. In the next quarter the economy is expected to perform even much better. Another contributor to the economic growth is the housing for the last more than 5 months, sales of real estates hasbeen evident. This is backed by the new modern homes that have been constructed and some which are still under construction. For example, CoreLogic Home Price Index rose by 1.1% in a year. This is according to chapter three of the (economic forecast publication r April 2014). In comparison, the housing construction and sales vary by 9%, construction rate being higher than the sales. This is a growth indicator. Manufacturing and processing sectors have added wonderful growth indicators to the economic growth. The May returns of this year are anticipated to be the highest for the last three years. This follows last years 5% growth, which is highest for the last three years now. Key assumptions here are that: the government does not take care of the borrowers where the cost of loans is very high. The government assumes that there is general growth. They don’t take care of the private sectors and individuals who bear the high cost of economic growth through coast of loans. The second assumption is the policy of selling the homes. It is more beneficial to hold investments than sales, especially real estates. This is in regard to the principle of the investment multiplier concept. The audience of this information is the potential investors, shareholders and the government agencies. Some areas have been exaggerated. Firstly, the sales of assets are lower in long term growth in GDP. Anothe r one is the high cost of loans shifted to borrowers. The borrowers are economically affected. Labor market shows a negative image compared to developments as said earlier in the US economic