Both the Iliad and the Odyssey remain the oldest known literary works in Western Civilization. Written around eighth century B.C. the Iliad is an epic poem totaling 16000 lines. Its central theme is warfare in ancient Greece, especially those waged by King Agememnon and his rivals. It also has several references to the Trojan War. …
Cognitive Theory, Bereavement and Aging
The basic tenet of Cognitive Theory is the fact that people are products of the way they think and construct their realities; and by identifying the flaws and distortions in thought patterns, the therapist can devise ways of rectifying the problem. Cognitive Theory is founded on the principle that each individual’s conditioned thought patterns go…
Compare and Contrast: American and French Revolutions
The uprising in France against an oppressive aristocracy and the American declaration of independence from an unfair British rule are two major events of modern world history. In this respect, both events were revolutions for freedom and share many aspects. The implications of these two revolutions go beyond France and America, for modern electoral democracy…
Contrasting perspectives on the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War that was started by President John F. Kennedy and later continued by President Lyndon Johnson was one of the most debated and discussed war in the period after the Second World War. At the time of its initiation, there was hardly any public protest. Even the leading intellectuals of the time were…
What are the major determinants of economic growth and how far the costs of economic growth outweigh the benefits
The promise of impressive economic growth has been a staple of electoral promises ever since the inception of parliamentary democracy in the UK. In recent years, this phenomenon has only gathered pace with both the Tories and the New Labour leadership claiming the ‘economic growth’ mantle as their own. Here, the implicit assumption is that…
The relationship between Ethiopia and Eritrea and how it affects U.S. interests
There are several reasons for the protracted and continuing conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, two countries that are situated in the horn of Africa. While Eritrea had been formerly part of the larger Ethiopia, it won its independence in 1993 after thirty years of struggle. Ever since, there have been contentions over territory, trade rules…
How the past influences the present in the novel ‘The Reader’ and the play ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’?
The two works of literature discussed in this essay have several similarities in their underlying themes and narratives. The Street Car Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams in 1947, was not only well received by critics, but also adapted into several stage productions. The post Second World War period in which the play is set…
George Washington’s Farewell Address
George Washington’s farewell address has now become a masterpiece of American political literature, alongside writings by other founding fathers such as Benjamin Franklin, Tom Paine and Thomas Jefferson. It is even comparable in significance to the farewell address by President Dwight Eisenhower, who famously forewarned about the dangers of “military-industrial complex” dominating the political landscape….
Public’s responsibilities toward nature and the environment
Essay Outline: 1. Introduction, explaining the precarious situation of our environment today, stating of thesis. 2. Citing Barbara Ehrenreich’s analysis of the stature of humans with respect to other animals and the non-organic environment. 3. Citing Pauly & Watson’s point about the folly of over-fishing. How this process will ultimately lead to catastrophe. 4. Mentioning…
The most important criteria for assessing the performance of an economic system
The phenomenon of globalization has become ubiquitous in the new neo-liberal world order of the last few decades. This particular form of capitalism has steadily replaced socialistic and communistic forms of economic arrangement in many countries in the world. While proponents of this global economic model argue that this is the best possible system, there…