Is friar Lawrence to blame Essay Example for Free

Is friar Lawrence to blame Essay Friar Lawrence is the local Roman Catholic priest who is also an apothecary. He is the confident of both Romeo and Juliet and plays an important role in the fate of both. He is more than aware of the familys feuding and seems to be well thought of by everybody. Romeo respects Friar Lawrence very much and sees him as a father figure. When Romeo feels suicidal when he has just been banished from Verona, the Friar tells him to straighten up. `This is dear mercy, and thou seest it not. ` When Romeo confesses that he wants to marry Juliet, Friar Lawrence teases Romeo about how fickle in love he is. `Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, So soon forsaken? ` But in spite of this he still agrees to marry the young couple as he hopes it will end the familys feuding. `For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households rancour to pure love. ` He only agreed to it because he had their best interests at heart. I dont think he is to blame for marrying them as he did what he thought was right. And even if Friar Lawrence hadnt married them, whos to say that another Friar wouldnt have married them? Romeo and Juliet both feel as if they can turn to him when they are in trouble. We see this when Romeo has been banished, because he stabbed Tybalt and Juliet has been told that she must marry Paris. Romeo doesnt seem as if he is very close to either of his parents but Juliet usually has her nurse to turn to, but even the nurse, in the end the nurse rejects her too. `I think it best u married with the county. ` So in desperation each one goes to Friar Lawrence for help. Romeo is helped by being giving him a hide out in Mantua until Juliet can meet him. Juliet, being ordered to marry Paris, has gone to Friar Lawrence in desperation and has asked for help. First of all the Friar has to help Romeo escape. He allows Romeo to spend one night with Juliet, but before dawn he must leave. It is at this time that Juliet has been told to marry Paris. So she goes to the Friar. Friar Lawrence then devises a plan that will ensure Juliet and Romeos happiness. In some ways this shows us the Friars cunning, we are also shown that he is quite a smart man. We know that the friar is also an apothecary, so he gives Juliet a potion, which will make Juliet look as if she is dead. When she is taken to the family tomb, the friar will wait until she awakens, and by which time Romeo will hopefully already be there and take Juliet away. While devising this plan he still has the families interests at heart. He is only doing this in the hope that the two families, Montague and Capulet will reconcile. Although it could be argued, that he only helped them because he wanted to save himself. I personally dont think so. I think he would have known that he would have had to `cover his tracks` before he married the couple. He seems like a prudent man, one that will think things through; he would never have married them and helped them elope for selfish reasons. But the Friar did deceive both the Capulet and Montague parents. And although this was wrong, it was also, in my opinion justified. I think this because he didnt really have much choice. If he had wanted to succeed with his plan then they would have had to be kept in the dark, there was no other way round it. If they had been told, neither parent would have agreed to let their child associate with the child of the enemy. Priests do have the best interests of their parishes at heart and they do not lie and deceive people needlessly, but I think in this case it was allowed. Even though everything didnt turn out the way it should have, it achieved the one thing the Friar wanted: peace between the families. And although the price paid was very high, almost too high, the motivation was honourable he genuinely didnt act selfishly. I think everyone, in the play recognised this including the prince. `We still have known thee for a holy man. ` Friar Lawrence really was a decent man, even if his plans did go slightly wrong.

Life or Death? - Original Writing :: Papers

Life or Death? - Original Writing That is the Question -------------------- â€Å"What you say we treat ourselves to a wild night out, honey?† â€Å"At this time it’s only 9 o’clock.† â€Å"Yeah, I mean later on, say 10 o’clock.† â€Å"Yeah sure, why not, at least that way I can show you what I’m made of.† â€Å"Alright, yeah sure.† â€Å"You go and get ready knowing beautiful girls like you take years to get ready.† â€Å"Shhhhh.† Hannah hurries off to get ready with her body full of energy and excitement, while her fiancà © Ed has a feeling of fear going through his nerves and tries to sit down and relieve this fear. Ed thought of something his closest friend used to ask him when he was a young boy. â€Å"What is your deepest fear Ed?† Ed was very young and he never had a chance to answer his questions as his inner self was perplexed with different thoughts, but none of these thoughts could group together to give him an answer of what his deepest fear really was and it was too late for him to gather an answer before his friend had passed away. Still today Ed still has nerve shocks where his conscience asks him what his deepest fear was and what is it today. â€Å"Why can’t I figure the answer out?† he asks himself. â€Å"What is my deepest fear?† â€Å"Wait, I think I got it?† â€Å"Ed, are you speaking to yourself.† Hannah bellows from the bathroom. â€Å"No, honey I’m just singing that song me and you adore.† He replied embarrassedly. â€Å"I’m ready, Ed, what do you think?† â€Å"Honestly, do really want my opinion.† â€Å"Yessss, hurry.† â€Å"You look stunning sweetheart.† â€Å"Really, thanks.† â€Å"Wait, I’ve been waiting to say this to you Hannah, I want to say, that I love you.† â€Å"Awwww, I love you too,† mutters Hannah Hannah never really used believe Ed, but she didn’t want Ed to feel that his heart didn’t mean anything to Hannah.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) Essay

Vertigo is a 1958 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock that has stood the test of time in the horror genre. It is considered to be one of the seminal films in the genre not only because it set the tone for the films to follow but also because it exhibited numerous features and techniques that would serve to revolutionise the way in which movies were made. The camera angles, use of space, cinematography, special effects and sound all contribute to the overall effect achieved. As such, this essay will examine each of the above with a view to concluding that Hitchcock rejuvenated the horror genre with Vertigo and provided a master class in using cinematic techniques for effect. The first technique of note is the way in which camera angles are used in order to create an atmosphere of fear, giving the impression that the characters are moving in one vicious circle. The use of the camera â€Å"†¦ simulates panicky feelings of acrophobia (fear of heights) felt by Scottie Ferguson (James Stewart). † (Pramaggiore & Wallis, 2004, p. 127). For example, at one point in the film, a staircase is filmed from the very top. This not only alludes to the cyclical nature of the narrative because the bell tower staircase is indeed circular but also narrows the shot. The illusion of falling from a great height is fostered in this shot and indeed in others, like that in which Stewart appears to be standing on the ledge. Furthermore, the camera angles also link directly to the illusion of space: â€Å"†¦ serves as a template for key themes: the topography of a city and its surrounding countryside matched by dilemmas of sexual choice, guilt and obsession. † (Orr, 2005, p. 137). The view from the bell tower always appears to be bleak, thus mirroring the overtones of the plot. The sound used also highlights the cyclical nature of the narrative. In an interview in Sight and Sound, Scorsese pointed out that â€Å"†¦ the music is also built around spirals and circles, fulfilment and despair. Herrmann really understood what Hitchcock was going for – he wanted to penetrate to the heart of obsession. † (2004). Scorsese’s assessment is correct and this is typified by the scenes in which Madeline and Judy fall to their deaths. The sound is similar in both instances and actively signifies the irony that the starting point of the movie is also the end. However, it is not only the use of music that has a significant impact of the tone of the movie but also the silence. Hitchcock uses silence incredibly well and only provides dialogue as and when he has to. For example, even the confession scene at the denouement of the movie is not as full of vocabulary as it may be in other films. Words are used sparingly and to make a point. Special effects and cinematographic techniques are not used as sparingly as the dialogue in an attempt to convey the tension desired. Hitchcock undoubtedly used rear projection in Vertigo: â€Å"Foreground and background tend to look starkly separate, partly because of the absence of cast shadows from foreground to background, partly because all background planes tend to seem equally diffuse. † (Bordwell & Thompson, 1996, p. 244). This is an example of both of these features and there are numerous examples of this in the film, such as the point at which Novak and Stewart kiss against the backdrop of the ocean. The actors were filmed and then imposed on a natural backdrop, thus forgoing the use of shadow. As such, there is something innately unnatural about it, which follows the plot. The film stock is also colour and this also helps to eliminate the use of light and dark, thus enhances this particular effect. In conclusion, there can be little doubt that Hitchcock rejuvenated the horror genre with Vertigo and provided a master class in using cinematic techniques for effect. There are numerous techniques used within the movie to help contribute to the cyclical and somewhat claustrophobic atmosphere. Again, this serves to heighten the tension. The sparing use of dialogue and excellent use of sound effects, when paired with the film stock and clever camera angles, certainly enhance the narrative and ultimately allowed Hitchcock to create one of the best cinematic examples of horror in history. Bibliography Bordwell, David & Thompson, Kristin, 1996. Film Art: An Introduction. 5th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. Orr, John, 2005. Hitchcock and Twentieth Century Cinema. London: Wallflower Press. Pramaggiore, Maria & Wallis, Tom, 2005. Film: A Critical Introduction. London: Laurence King Publishing. Scorsese, Martin, 2004. The Best Music in Film. Sight and Sound (September 2004). [Online] Available at: http://www. bfi. org. uk/sightandsound/filmmusic/detail. php? t=d&q=42 [Accessed 10 May 2010]. Vertigo, 1958. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. USA: Paramount Pictures.

Shepard Fairey, the Controversial Street Artist

Often described as a Street artist, Shepard Faireys name first began to appear in the news for wheat pasting (a method of adorning public spaces with the artists own posters by way of a water and wheat mixture—like a wallpaper paste), sticker tagging, and the numerous accompanying arrests that now comprise his official criminal record. Hes best known for his painting of Obama in 2008  titled Hope  and his poster from 1992 titled Obey, which inspired a clothing line of the same name. I think the Obey icon image finds a balance between goofy and creepy, humorous and monolithic. I consider the image the counter-culture Big Brother. Id like to think of it as a sign or symbol that people are watching Big Brother as well. Ive had people ranging from anarchists to the president of the National Reserve Bank embrace my work and I think the more diverse the audience is, the more potential for interesting dialogue there is.—Stepard  Fairey Early Life and Training Shepard Fairey was Frank Shepard Fairey born on February 15, 1970, in Charleston, South Carolina. The son of a physician, Shepard Fairey fell in love with making art at age 14. After graduating from the prestigious Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts in Idyllwild, California in 1988, he was accepted at the Rhode Island School of Design. (If youre not familiar with this fine institution, RISD is almost ridiculously hard to get into and enjoys a sterling reputation as a training ground for working artists.) Fairey graduated in 1992 with a B.F.A. in Illustration. From the Street to Art While attending RISD, Fairey had a part-time job in a Providence skateboarding shop. The marginalized, underground culture there (where styles are out as soon as theyre in) synthesized with that rarified art school culture and Faireys ongoing interests in punk music and stenciling his own punk music t-shirts. Everything meshed on the day a friend asked him how to create a stencil. Fairey demonstrated with a newspaper ad for a professional wrestling match featuring Andre the Giant which was the most banal image he could have grabbed. Tantalizing what if possibilities began to cross Faireys mind. It came to pass that Fairey, who had only recently become aware of Graffiti Art, took his Obey stencils and stickers to the streets. Andre the Giant famously gained a posse and Faireys name was launched. Controversy Around Faireys Work Fairey has often been accused of plagiarizing other artists work. In some cases, even casual examination of these claims shows almost verbatim copying with little transformation. While some of the older, political propaganda works are in the public domain, others are not. The real issue seems to be that Fairey copyrights these appropriations, enforces his copyrights and profits from them. There are a lot of different people who’s  [sic]  work I like that arent necessarily aesthetic influences, but conceptual—and there are some that are aesthetic. I’m inspired by John VanHammersfeld who did a lot of psychedelic poster graphics and one of my earliest Obey Giant graphics was my knock of his iconic Hendrix graphic. My work is very much a melting pot of a lot of different influences.—Stepard  Fairey Fairey also disappointed a segment of his fans by not remaining a cult figure and beginning to make money as an artist. Conversely, his messages calling for social and political change are sincere, he donates heavily to causes and he keeps a staff of assistant artists gainfully employed. Many parallels can be drawn between Faireys image sources and those of Andy Warhol, who is now celebrated in the art world. Only time will tell if Fairey attains Warholian status, but he gained a lasting place in history for the HOPE poster during Barack Obamas 2008 Presidential campaign. Sources Fairey, Shepard. E Pluribus Venom.Berkeley : Gingko Press, 2008.Fairey, Shepard. Obey: Supply Demand : The Art of Shepard Fairey.Berkeley : Gingko Press, 2006.MacPhee, Josh. Stencil Pirates.New York : Soft Skull Press, 2004.Shepard Fairey (biography at thegiant.org)Retrieved 27 January 2009