Figures of Speech Essay Example for Free

Figures of Speech Essay Poets use different figures of speech to convey the message of their works. Some poets use metaphors or similes to baffle the mind and force the body to feel and see the images created while others use paradox, hyperboles, or puns to create the same effect. A good poem should involve all the senses and make the mind work to find meaning. William Blake uses metaphors to make the mind work overtime to find multiple meanings in his work To See a World in a Grain of Sand, while Chidiock Tichborne uses paradox to baffle the mind and reiterate the single meaning in his work Elegy, Written With His Own Hand Before His Execution. To See a World in a Grain of Sand by William Blake is a short poem that is filled with deep meaning. Through the use of metaphors and word choice the work seems lengthy to the mind but short to the eye. A metaphor is a statement that one thing is something else, but in a literal sense it is not (Kennedy 817). A metaphor is filled with suggestion giving a simple line of poetry almost infinite meanings. To See the World in a Grain of Sand (1) is a statement that is loaded with suggestion. There are many similarities between a grain of sand and the world such as: the world is made up of many grains of sand, both are round, and both are the same material to name a few. The two objects are also so different that that the line of poetry leaves the mind scrambling to figure out the meaning of this word combination. To figure out the meaning one must look at the literal meanings of the words and the figurative meaning of the word combinations to unscramble the riddle. On the literal level one must look at the key words in the line such as world, grain, and sand and find their definitions and how they relate to the other words in the line. By definition world is the Earth or Universe grain is a relatively small particle and sand is loose grains of worn or disintegrated rock (On Line Dictionary). The connotations of these words in the context of this line help the brain to understand that an object of huge size or quantity is being compared to something very small. One of the many meanings that could come from this statement is its hard to see the big picture of something while only looking at one small detail. This is only one meaning suggested through this powerful line. Every line in Blakes poem is a metaphor that is filled with suggestion and deep meaning. Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour (3) is another metaphor Blake uses to baffle the mind. Infinity is An unbound space, time, or quantity while eternity is time without beginning or end (On Line Dictionary). It is difficult for the mind to fathom these words when looked at alone, but in the context of the poem it is even more difficult to understand how one could fit such a mass into a hand or an hour. On the literal level the mind says it is impossible to comprehend so one must look to the figurative meaning to comprehend what is being said. One of the many meanings of this line is the same as the first; it is hard to see the big picture while only looking at one small detail. Blakes word choice also helps the meaning of the poem. If Blake were to use similes rather than metaphors the work would take on different meaning. If the line and eternity into an hour (4) were changed to eternity is like an hour the work would take on a more limited meaning. When like is put into the line, eternity and hour become directly related where as in the first line eternity is trying to be fit into an hour. A similar effect would occur if the line heaven in a wild flower (2) were changed to heaven is like a wild flower. Heaven would be compared directly to a flower which would change the meaning of this line and therefore the poem. Blake used metaphors and word choice to write a poem that is short, but contains depth. Every word and metaphor in To See the World in a Grain of Sand was carefully arranged to give the poem a broad meaning that could be interpreted in many different ways. In contrast Chidiock Tichborne uses word choice and paradox to convey his limited meaning in the work Elegy, Written With His Own Hand in the Tower Before His Execution. A paradox is a statement that at first strikes us as self-contradictory but on reflection makes some sense (Kennedy 826). Tichbornes work is filled with paradoxes, and is summed up by the paradox at the end of each stanza And now I live, and now my life is done (6). When looking at the main lines in the poem as they reoccur at the end of each stanza one wonders how it is possible to be alive now and also dead at the same time. Upon closer examination of the work the other lines help the brain figure out the paradox. To make sense of the central idea it must be looked at in the context of the other lines in the work. Each line in the work is a paradox that is key to understanding the central idea of the poem. My youth is spent, yet I am not old (9) is one of the lines that mirrors the main point. Youth is defined as the condition of being young while old is defined as having lived for a relatively long time (On Line Dictionary). When looking at these definitions one understands that the narrator has used up their youth, but has not grown old. This could be restated as And now I live, and now my life is done. I sought my death, and found it in my womb (13) is another restatement of the central idea of the poem. Sought means to look for or seek out, so the narrator is looking for his end (On Line Dictionary). Found is to come upon something by searching, and womb is a place where something is generated, so the found his death was where he began (On Line Dictionary). After looking at these definitions we realize that the narrator has not fully lived youth let alone life and is about to die. The two poets demonstrated different figures of speech o convey their message. Blake used metaphors to give his work multiple meanings while Tichborne used paradox to restate his central idea. The two poems are very different from each other but both challenge the mind and body to find meaning making both great works of literature.

Edgar Allan Poe Essay -- Biographies Edgar Allan Poe Essayws

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe's contributions to American literature have become increasingly more prominent as the years have passed. As short fiction has become a more accepted genre in literary circles, Poe's theories are studied with more passion. Although he lived a rather melancholy existence, Poe did experience moments of joy, and desired to capture beauty through poetical form. Indeed, what he left behind for the literary world was his gifted genius, revealed through his poetry, fiction, and criticism. The darkness that seemed to surround Poe's life began as an infant. Poe was born January 19,1809 in Boston Massachusetts, the second son of David and Eliza Poe. Soon afterward, David Poe abandoned the family. Two-years later Eliza passed away, succumbing to tuberculosis. After her death, Poe, his infant sister, Rosalie, and brother William were separated. William was sent to live with their paternal grandparents. Poe moved to Richmond Virginia to live with John and Fannie Allan; Rosalie was taken in by another family in Richmond (Silverman 1-15). John Allan was a successful businessman; the poverty that Poe had been accustomed to was a thing of the past. Although not extravagant with Poe, John Allan ensured that he had a quality education. While in living in England with the Allans, he attended private academies and continued his education in private schools when they returned to the states. Poe enrolled at the University of Virginia in 1826. While there, he accumulated a large debt. He appealed to John Allan to repay the debts but Allan refused. He believed that Poe was in debt due to gambling and his addiction to alcohol (Silverman 29-38). The greatest contributor to Poe's despair would have to be his self-inflicted addiction to alcohol. His foster family's social status made his alcoholism a shameful vice, and a source of conflict. Using it as an escape of sorts, Poe's life was greatly affected by the substance, disrupting his work, his first engagement, and his time with his foster family. After he left his family, he tried to make a life in Boston, where he found his relatives poor, but giving. Reunited with his brother, William, Poe found him dying at the haunting age of 24. His writing became more insistent, as he found himself rejected by several newspapers. He eventually married his cousin, Virginia, who b... ...an Poe's life was one full of despair and depression. Perhaps it was this state of mind which made him fearless, allowing him to voice his opinion in spite of the criticism directed at him. Today, his words are being regarded with a newfound significance, for short fiction has become a genre in and of itself. His theories on writing will continue to be studied for generations to come. Though his place in literary circles was uncertain before, his place in the literary cannon is undeniable today. Works Cited: Hart, James David. The Oxford Companion to American Literature. New York: Oxford University Press, 1983 Jacobs, Robert D. Poe: Journalist & Critic. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1969. May, Charles E. Edgar Allan Poe: A Study of the Short Fiction. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1991. Poe, Edgar Allan. Tales of Mystery and Imagination. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions Limited, 1993 Rosenheim, Shawn, and Stephen Rachman, eds. The American Face of Edgar Allan Poe. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1995 Silverman, Kenneth. Edgar A. Poe, Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance. New York: Harper 1992 Edgar Allan Poe Essay -- Biographies Edgar Allan Poe Essayws Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe's contributions to American literature have become increasingly more prominent as the years have passed. As short fiction has become a more accepted genre in literary circles, Poe's theories are studied with more passion. Although he lived a rather melancholy existence, Poe did experience moments of joy, and desired to capture beauty through poetical form. Indeed, what he left behind for the literary world was his gifted genius, revealed through his poetry, fiction, and criticism. The darkness that seemed to surround Poe's life began as an infant. Poe was born January 19,1809 in Boston Massachusetts, the second son of David and Eliza Poe. Soon afterward, David Poe abandoned the family. Two-years later Eliza passed away, succumbing to tuberculosis. After her death, Poe, his infant sister, Rosalie, and brother William were separated. William was sent to live with their paternal grandparents. Poe moved to Richmond Virginia to live with John and Fannie Allan; Rosalie was taken in by another family in Richmond (Silverman 1-15). John Allan was a successful businessman; the poverty that Poe had been accustomed to was a thing of the past. Although not extravagant with Poe, John Allan ensured that he had a quality education. While in living in England with the Allans, he attended private academies and continued his education in private schools when they returned to the states. Poe enrolled at the University of Virginia in 1826. While there, he accumulated a large debt. He appealed to John Allan to repay the debts but Allan refused. He believed that Poe was in debt due to gambling and his addiction to alcohol (Silverman 29-38). The greatest contributor to Poe's despair would have to be his self-inflicted addiction to alcohol. His foster family's social status made his alcoholism a shameful vice, and a source of conflict. Using it as an escape of sorts, Poe's life was greatly affected by the substance, disrupting his work, his first engagement, and his time with his foster family. After he left his family, he tried to make a life in Boston, where he found his relatives poor, but giving. Reunited with his brother, William, Poe found him dying at the haunting age of 24. His writing became more insistent, as he found himself rejected by several newspapers. He eventually married his cousin, Virginia, who b... ...an Poe's life was one full of despair and depression. Perhaps it was this state of mind which made him fearless, allowing him to voice his opinion in spite of the criticism directed at him. Today, his words are being regarded with a newfound significance, for short fiction has become a genre in and of itself. His theories on writing will continue to be studied for generations to come. Though his place in literary circles was uncertain before, his place in the literary cannon is undeniable today. Works Cited: Hart, James David. The Oxford Companion to American Literature. New York: Oxford University Press, 1983 Jacobs, Robert D. Poe: Journalist & Critic. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1969. May, Charles E. Edgar Allan Poe: A Study of the Short Fiction. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1991. Poe, Edgar Allan. Tales of Mystery and Imagination. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions Limited, 1993 Rosenheim, Shawn, and Stephen Rachman, eds. The American Face of Edgar Allan Poe. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1995 Silverman, Kenneth. Edgar A. Poe, Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance. New York: Harper 1992

From West Side Story to Spring Awakening: the Evolution of the American Musical

23 September 2012 From West Side Story to Spring Awakening: The Evolution of the American Musical Broadway, also known as The Great White Way, no matter how you chose to describe it, they describe a place that for over one hundred years has put on the most spectacular musicals in the world. From Ancient Greece to the Globe Theatre and finally to Broadway, these places have all been known for being â€Å"the† place for plays and musicals. â€Å"Broadway is the street in New York that has come to symbolize live theater entertainment throughout the world† (Talkinbroadway. om). Over the last one hundred years many things have changed in the world of the musical. Producers, directors, and actors now have more freedom and liberty with their production and the portrayal of the characters. â€Å"While the contemporary Broadway musical took its form from operetta, it got its comic soul from the variety entertainments that delighted America from the mid-1800s onward. Crude Ameri can Variety and Minstrel Shows eventually gave way to the more refined pleasures of Vaudeville — and the rowdy spirit of Burlesque† (Musicals101. com). George M.Cohan was the first to really put his stamp on The Great White Way, and in turn he unknowingly started a change in how shows on Broadway were performed and produced. â€Å"American composers George M. Cohan and Victor Herbert gave the American musical comedy a distinctive sound and style† (Musicals101. com). With his performing past Cohan could only succeed. His biggest hit was Little Johnny Jones, wherein George Cohan would play an â€Å"American Jockey name Johnny Jones, who had returned to his hometown victoriously after being falsely accused of throwing a race at the London Derby† (Lewis 6). While the London stage was still living in another century with The Arcadians and The Quake Girl†¦.. outside a small section of Manhattan Island known as The Great White Way, one man was setting the Am erican musical stage on the course it was to take for the remainder of the twentieth century† (Jackson 22). George Cohan’s contribution to Broadway inspired others. The people he inspired would go on to put their own stamp on Broadway. One of the biggest he influenced was Jerome Kern. Jerome Kern â€Å"like most of his peers was the recipient of numerous rejections from music publishers† (Lewis 8).After numerous rejections, at the age of 17 Jerome Kern’s first tune â€Å"At the Casino† was published. Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II would come together and create one of the biggest musicals of not only their time but of all time: Show Boat. The difference between Show Boat and the other plays was that â€Å"the play was the thing, and everything else was subservient to that play. With Show Boat came complete integration of song, humor and production numbers into a single and inextricable artistic entity.Here, finally, was a musical with a consi stent and credible story line, authentic atmosphere and three-dimensional characters† (TheatreHistory. com). Their groundbreaking musical led to the beginning of the musical theatre revolution. Show Boat opened on December 37, 1927, and â€Å"doubtlessly stunned audiences with its atypical realism† (Lewis 18). Hammerstein’s score would have no doubt left an impact on the musical’s audience. He would become one of the greatest musical composers of all time. Show Boat â€Å"caused a tremor through show circles—but not an earthquake† (Lewis 22).While it didn’t have the impact that Cohan had, it still brought on change and gave the audience something they had yet to see. After Show Boat, Oscar Hammerstein tried to repeat his success with five more productions that ultimately failed. However, the tides were beginning to change; on March 31, 1943 Oklahoma was unveiled to the world. â€Å"Within ten minutes† ‘of its opening, wrot e Brooks Atkinson in his book Broadway’ â€Å"a Broadway audience was transported out of the ugly realities of wartime into a warm, languorous, shining time and place where the only problems were simple and wholesome, and people were uncomplicated and joyous† (Lewis 35).How many young girls aspiring to achieve a career on Broadway do not at some point in time do not recreate Laurie’s dream sequence? It was a pivotal moment in musical theatre history and a much needed success for Oscar Hammerstein. It was a modern version of Romeo and Juliet that left the most impact on the Broadway audience. â€Å"Jerome Robbins brought together composer Leonard Berstein and playwright Arthur Laurents to work a modern day version of Romeo and Juliet, called East Side Story (Green 175). East Side Story was never put on due to scheduling conflicts.However, six years later, East Side Story became West Side Story and the world was introduced to the story of Tony and Maria. A duo wh o fell in love despite all obstacles that surrounded them. The world was also shown the lyrical genius known as Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim and Laurents would later recall that â€Å"although production ran for nearly two years and managed to turn a profit, business was never outstanding† (Lewis 84). Hard to imagine considering West Side Story is to this day still an iconic and popular musical.It was in the late twentieth century that the audience was treated to a musical that had yet to be seen, a story yet to be told during the course of Broadway’s illustrious history. â€Å"In the world of Rent, the alluring young protagonists, plagued by a host of contemporary ills from drug addiction to STDs, believes that society owes them free rent† (Lewis 167). It was an idea that was fresh and new; an idea that was very much needed in this new day and age. How many people shed a tear when Angel died?It was something that the audience needed, considering that every day mo re and more people were falling ill to these same illnesses. Rent provided a relatable aspect towards its audience. Many stars were created from the cast of Rent, but one would leave the show and captivate the audience by playing a wicked witch. Wicked is the story of the witches of Oz before the invasion of Dorothy. Idina Menzel left Rent to portray Elphaba, â€Å"The Wicked Witch of the East†. She constantly clashed with Glinda, â€Å"The Good Witch of the North† and Wicked became a story within a story.While it described the witches before the invasion of Dorothy and her loveable dog Toto, it also told the story of the events that led up to Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. Wicked gives the audience the story of The Wicked Witch of the East before Dorothy dropped a house on her. It also allows the audience to see that Glinda wasn’t as perfect as everyone thought. While Elphaba was her own person, Glinda on many occasions would try to get Elphaba to conform to wha t her peers were. This would lead to her striking out on her own. In 2006, audiences were treated to a new musical.A story that while written in the nineteenth century had contemporary lyrics and a young cast that gave the story life and showed tragedies that had yet to be seen before. Spring Awakening showed the fallout of being young and uninformed, it showed abuse at home, mistreatment from your teachers, and what being desperate can do to a young person. The audience was shown the story of Wendla Bergman who despite being a teenager was woefully uninformed of the things she desperately needed to know, Melchior Gabbor, a self-proclaimed atheist and all around golden boy despites his religious iews, and Moritz Steifel, who above all else just wanted to make his father proud and who became victim to his professors who decided to play God with his life. Wendla being woefully uninformed led to her unknowingly getting pregnant by Melchior, as her mother informed her that essentially y ou could only get pregnant once married. Once her pregnancy was discovered her mother took her to a shady doctor who performed a botched abortion that ultimately led to Wendla’s death. Moritz Steifel needed to pass his exams to continue on in school, and he did.However, his professors failed him and expelled him from school. After being shunned by his father and failing as an apprentice, Moritz ends up committing suicide. Melchior doesn’t even know about the creation of his child with Wendla or their demise until he escapes from reform school and sees the graves of both Wendla nd Moritz. The productions ends with a haunting scene in which Melchior is about to commit suicide when the ghosts of Wendla and Moritz stop him. The American Musical has changed vastly over the last one hundred years. The audience and the landscape have changed over the years.From West Side Story where Maria threatens to kill herself to Spring Awakening where Wendla actually dies a tragic death that could have been prevented if she had only been informed of the ways of the world. Works Cited Lewis, David H.. Broadway Musicals: A Hundred Year History. Jefferson, N. C. : McFarland, 2002. Pgs. 6-8, 18-22, 84, 167. Print. Jackson, Arthur. The Best Musicals from Show boat to Sweeney Todd: Broadway, Off Broadway, London. New York: Crown Publishers, 1977. Page 22. Print. Green, Stanley. Broadway Musicals, Show by Show. Seventh ed. Milwaukee, WI: H. Leonard Books, 1985. 175. Print. Talkin' Broadway – Broadway 101 â€Å"The Great White Way†. † Talkin' Broadway – Broadway & Off-Broadway theatre discussion, cast recording news, reviews of musicals and drama. N. p. , n. d. Web. 23 Sept. 2012. <http://www. talkinbroadway. com/bway101/1. html>. Birdie, e Bye. â€Å"American Musical Theatre: An Introduction. † TheatreHistory. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 23 Sept. 2012. <http://www. theatrehistory. com/american/musical030. html>. 1990s, The. â €Å"Musicals On Stage: A Capsule History. † Musicals101. com – The Cyber Encyclopedia of Musicals. N. p. , n. d. Web. 23 Sept. 2012. <http://www. musicals101. com/stagecap. htm>.

Epic vs. Tragic †Macbeth and Odysseus Essay

When different literary works are examined similarities and differences are noticeable. This remains true in The Odyssey by Homer and The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare. The Odyssey’s main character is a courageous soldier named Odysseus who faces many obstacles on his journey home. The Tragedy of Macbeth includes a power obsessed king with the name of Macbeth. Homer’s Odysseus and Shakespeare’s Macbeth compare in their ambitions and their positions in society, but they also contrast due to the fact that Odysseus is an epic hero and Macbeth is a tragic hero. Odysseus and Macbeth’s similar ambitions drive them to get what they want. In Odysseus’s case it help him to return to his home, â€Å"All hands aboard;/ Come, clear the beach and no one taste/ The Lotus, or you lose your home of home† (Part 1, 52-54). Odysseus’s ambition leads him to understand that getting home is the most important thing to focus on. This ambition keeps Odysseus’s mind on his goal and drives him to eventually return to Ithaca. Macbeth has the same ambition when it comes to him reaching his goal of forever being king, â€Å"We have scotched the snake, not killed it† (III. ii. 13). Macbeth is explaining how killing one man has not completed his plan to ensure his reign as king. Macbeth’s ambition drives him to kill anyone that stands in his way of the throne. These men have opposite overall goals but the ambition that drives them to their goals is virtually the same. Odysseus and Macbeth also have great importance in their societies. Odysseus a king and a brave soldier holds much importance to the people of Ithaca, â€Å"Odysseus my lord among the rest./ If he returned, if he were here to care for me,/ I might be happily renowned!† (Part 3, 116-118). Here Odysseus’s wife, Penelope, is making it clear how this hero of the Trojan War and great king of Ithaca is a great lord to his people. He is a courageous soldier as is Macbeth and they both are kings over their people. Before Macbeth’s downfall, he kills the Thane of Cawdor in a heroic battle, â€Å"What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won† (I. ii. 67). Macbeth is the king of Scotland and starts off as a heroic and brave soldier. He is not the best leader but he still holds great importance. Both men share their standings in society and the heroic acts they perform for their people. Odysseus and Macbeth are also different because one is an epic hero and the other a tragic hero. Odysseus, an epic hero, protects his men throughout The Odyssey and continues to grow as a character, â€Å"My faithful company/ Rested on their oars now, peeling off/ The wax that I had laid thick on their ears;/ Then set me free† (Part 2, 59-62). At the beginning of the story you can see Odysseus’s crew is faithful and they stand by Odysseus showing that he starts out as a great man and continues to progress. Odysseus and Macbeth are opposite because Odysseus grows throughout the work while Macbeth falls. Macbeth starts out as a great soldier but by the end he slowly fades into an evil man, â€Å"Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood/ Clean from my hand?† (II. ii. 60-61). This marks the beginning of Macbeth’s downfall as he commits his first selfish murder. Macbeth only falls farther as he continues to commit these murders only to get him farther in life. This difference is one of the most significant as one character rises to become a better man and the other falls to his death due to his lack of moral compass. Both of these important characters, Odysseus and Macbeth, have their similarities and their differences. Their ambition drives them to reach their overall goals and their importance to their people remains similar, yet they are different because one is a tragic hero while the other an epic hero. Comparing these to seemingly different works has allowed for many similarities and quite a few differences to come to light.

GRE sample essay -argument issue Essays

GRE sample essay -argument issue Essays GRE sample essay -argument issue Essay GRE sample essay -argument issue Essay The given argument initially brings up an issue that many parents picked up their children when day-care center has already closed. Although the road construction on 1-72 was mentioned in the memo, the owner of Happy Sun Happy Moon day-care center ignores some consequences from the construction and recommends charging regulation for those parents who arrive late. This argument lacks of adequate evidences and reasons behind such determination and thus it may dissatisfy some parents. Therefore, I think the argument needs to be explored more thoroughly which I will explain in the following paragraphs. The major overlooked assumption is that there are several reasons why parents cannot pick up their kids on time. It is possible that they havent received any information regarding times and places of the road construction. As a result, they arrive the center late in spite of their early leaving from workplaces. Moreover, the owner shouldnt anticipate parents to leave early in order to pick up their children. This expectation is impossible in most occupations because leaving before closing times could be considered serious misconduct in some workplaces. How can author expect parents to do that? For these reasons, the regulation should be revised according to the above suggestions. It is difficult to believe that charging fee from those parents would be the best choice to cope with such problem. Some parents are willing to pay for the fees If they really have important appointments. : For Instance, the parents who are doctors might experience emergency cases which will have to spend longer time In their workplace. In that cases, the fees Is not a major concern for them to keep their children safe In the centre. To gain this supports, If the owner would Like all parents to appear on time, he will have to convince or ask for parents cooperation rather than using charging policy to force them. It could be a security purpose that persuades the parents to come early because there are no security officers around center after opening hours. In Its present form, the argument falls to provide strong evidences on supporting the claim that charging fee for the parents will definitely solve the centers problem. To gain more beneficial outcomes, the author should provide additional details of the road construction together with Informing their clients of logical reasons for arriving on time In order to obtain maximum cooperation. GREG sample essay -argument issue By Alliteration to cope with such problem. Some parents are willing to pay for the fees if they really eave important appointments. For instance, the parents who are doctors might experience emergency cases which will have to spend longer time in their workplace. In that cases, the fees is not a major concern for them to keep their children safe in the centre. To gain this supports, if the owner would like all parents to appear on In its present form, the argument fails to provide strong evidences on supporting the road construction together with informing their clients of logical reasons for arriving on time in order to obtain maximum cooperation.

A History of the Chola Empire of India

A History of the Chola Empire of India Nobody knows exactly when the first Chola kings took power in the southern point of India, but certainly, the Chola Dynasty was established by the third century BCE, because they are mentioned in one of Ashoka the Greats stelae.  Not only did the Cholas outlast Ashokas Mauryan Empire, they continued to rule until 1279 CE- more than 1,500 years.   Fun Fact The Cholas ruled for more than 1,500 years, making them one of the longest-ruling families in human history, if not the longest. The Chola Empire was based in the Kaveri River Valley, which runs southeast through Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the southern Deccan Plateau to the Bay of Bengal.  At its height, the Chola Empire controlled not only southern India and Sri Lanka, but also the Maldives.  It took key maritime trading posts from the Srivijaya Empire in what is now Indonesia, enabling a rich cultural transfusion in both directions, and sent diplomatic and trading missions to Chinas Song Dynasty (960 - 1279 CE). Chola History The origins of the Chola Dynasty are lost to history.  The kingdom is mentioned, however, in early Tamil literature, and on one of the Pillars of Ashoka (273 - 232 BCE).  It also appears in the Greco-Roman Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (c. 40 - 60 CE), and in Ptolemys Geography (c. 150 CE).  The ruling family came from the Tamil ethnic group. Around the year 300 CE, the Pallava and Pandya Kingdoms spread their influence over most of the Tamil heartlands of southern India, and the Cholas went into a decline.  They likely served as sub-rulers under the new powers, yet they retained  enough prestige that their daughters often married in to the Pallava and Pandya families. When war broke out between the Pallava and Pandya kingdoms in about 850 CE, the Cholas seized their chance.  King Vijayalaya renounced his Pallava overlord and captured the city of Thanjavur (Tanjore), making it his new capital.  This marked the start of the Medieval Chola period  and the peak of Chola power. Vijayalayas son, Aditya I, went on to defeat  the Pandyan Kingdom in 885 and the  Pallava Kingdom in 897 CE.  His son followed up with the conquest of Sri Lanka in 925; by 985, the Chola Dynasty ruled all of the Tamil-speaking regions of southern India.  The next two kings, Rajaraja Chola I (r. 985 - 1014 CE) and Rajendra Chola I (r. 1012 - 1044 CE) extended the empire still further.   Rajaraja Cholas reign marked the emergence of the Chola Empire as a multi-ethnic trading colossus.  He pushed the empires northern boundary out of Tamil lands to Kalinga in the northeast of India  and sent his navy to capture the Maldives and the rich Malabar Coast along the subcontinents southwestern shore.  These territories were key points along the  Indian Ocean trade routes.   By 1044, Rajendra Chola had pushed the borders north to the Ganges River (Ganga), conquering the rulers of Bihar and Bengal, and he had also taken coastal Myanmar (Burma), the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and key ports in the Indonesian archipelago and Malay Peninsula.  It was the first true maritime empire based in India.  The Chola Empire under Rajendra even exacted tribute from Siam (Thailand) and Cambodia.  Cultural and artistic influences flowed in both directions between Indochina and the Indian mainland.   Throughout the medieval period, however, the Cholas had one major thorn in their side.  The Chalukya Empire, in the  western Deccan Plateau,  rose up periodically and tried to throw off Chola control.  After decades of intermittent warfare, the Chalukya kingdom collapsed in 1190.  The Chola Empire, however, did not long outlast its gadfly. It was an ancient rival that finally did in the Cholas for good.  Between 1150 and 1279, the Pandya family gathered its armies and launched a number of bids for independence in their traditional lands.  The Cholas under Rajendra III  fell to the Pandyan Empire  in 1279  and ceased to exist. The Chola Empire left a rich legacy in the Tamil country.  It saw majestic architectural accomplishments such as the Thanjavur Temple, amazing artwork including particularly graceful  bronze sculpture, and a golden age of Tamil literature and poetry.  All of these cultural properties also found their way into the Southeast Asian artistic lexicon, influencing religious art and literature from Cambodia to Java.

Discuss the importance of passion and love Essay

Discuss the importance of passion and love - Essay Example In line 2 of the poem, he states, â€Å"Before my pen has glean'd my teeming brain,† of which he is talking about his passion for writing, meaning before he has written anything that he can gather from the flood of thoughts in his head. In the last 4 lines of the poem, lines 9 through 12, he extends his fear to also include the potential loss of his love. However, in the last 2 lines, it seems he has come to terms with his fears and recognizes an unimportance of love, in the last line he says, â€Å"Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.† In â€Å"The Eve of St. Agnes,† by Keats, he takes the opposite perspective on love. He describes a character who is propelled into a situation, specifically a house, which contains noted dangers, â€Å"Hyena foemen, and hot-blooded lords,† to rescue an old, frail woman, out of love, â€Å"Save one old beldame, weak in body and soul.† Lord Byron’s poems, â€Å"When We Two Parted† and â€Å"She Wa lks in Beauty,† are poems that discuss love in past-tense; it has been experienced, and has since vanished. He is talking about it in the present, reminiscing about his history. One example of past and present in â€Å"When We Two Parted,† is in stanza 2, â€Å"The dew of the morning sunk chill on my brow—it felt like the warning of what I feel now.† By this, he is referring to how he felt in the past, compared to the same feeling in the present.