Cleopatra Essays (Examples)

Cleopatra and the Fall of Egypt
Cleopatra life started around 69 B.C. through to 30 B.C. And her reign started around 51 B.C. till the time of her death which was around 30 B.C. She was almost certainly the most unforgettable queen ever seen in the land of Egypt. She was felt as far as the oman Empire as she affected the Empire by bringing down the oman Empire leaders on accident. This developed a very strong hatred towards her from the oman Empire Senate. It was clear that Cleopatra ended up with a good number of enemies than friends not on purpose.

According to Chauveau, Michel, (2000), Cleopatra's story started by the time she was around 17 years old. There was a fight between Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII who happened to be her brother as well as her husband. The fight was simply revolving around the Egyptian throne. This…

Cleopatra VII's Role in the attle of Actium
In the history of Egypt, Cleopatra VII was considered as the "Last Pharaoh" of Egypt, particularly, the last descendant of the Ptolemaic rule. Cleopatra's life history is a series of numerous alliances and relationships with different men, although one of the most prominent men who got involved with Cleopatra is Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, all Roman rulers during the reign of the Roman Empire. In Egyptian history, there have been several queens named Cleopatra, although the seventh queen, who was Cleopatra VII, was the only one who became "influential" and "famous" (Tour-Egypt Monthly 1996). Known as Cleopatra VII Tryphaena, Cleopatra was the daughter of Ptolemy XIII Auletes, reigning King of Egypt during the year 51 C. Cleopatra's father left a will, which states that Cleopatra was to be the heiress to her father's kingdom, and the heir will be Ptolemy XIV,…

For example, when meeting with Mark Antony for the first time, Cleopatra showed up on a barge with a gilded stern, purple sails, and silver oars. The boat was sailed by her maids, who were dressed as sea nymphs. Cleopatra herself was dressed as Venus, the goddess of love. She reclined under a gold canopy, fanned by boys in Cupid costumes (Hinge.Com, 1).
Needless to say, Mark Antony was enchanted.

Cleopatra made a similar dramatic first impression on Julius Caesar. Wanting to meet with Caesar, but knowing her political enemies were likely to have her killed if she appeared openly in public, she had herself smuggled to Caesar rolled up in an oriental rug. When the rug was unrolled, there was Cleopatra. Caesar was enthralled by this fascinating woman, and it is said that he made his/her lover that very night. Cleopatra obviously continued to enthrall Caesar, as he fathered…

During this time, Caesar burned down all his ships which accidentally also burned down the Alexandria Library which was close by.
Soon after Cleopatra was given the throne after Ptolemy XIII had been killed. Cleopatra also gave birth to a child who had been named Caesarion.

Cleopatra had been at the deathbed of Caesar and after his death she retuned home. There her co-monarch had died due to poisoning from probably her elder sister. After his death, Cleopatra's son Caesarion was advanced to become the co-monarch. After securing Egypt she went on to taking her place as the head of Rome along with Mark Antony. However, as things turned out in the end, they both killed themselves instead of being captured by Octavian, who turned out to be the first Roman Emperor (Grant, Powells.com).

Conclusion

The Cleopatra by Michael Grant is considered to be the most wisely researched, correctly documented…

Their relationship proved beneficial for both of them and the reciprocity is beyond any doubt. She understood the weaknesses of her state, but that did not stop her from seeking the ways to overcome them. She allied with the most powerful empire of that time, by conquering two of its most important politicians: Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. While her relationship with Julius Caesar appeared to be less under the impression of passion and more under the impression of an alliance between two intelligent people concerned by the well-being of their states, her relationship with mark Antony seems to be much more complicated and it often makes one wonder about their sound judgments. Mark Antony is often described by historians as being on one hand, a very good military man and on the other, a foolish womanizer, loving to party and play jokes any time he got the chance. He…

Cleopatra's death tragic or triumphant? Explain in reference to text
Is Cleopatra's death tragic or triumphant?

As a character, Shakespeare's Cleopatra is both sublimely sensual and sublimely ridiculous. She is described early on as beautiful and exotic by one of Mark Anthony's solder but also dangerous to his manhood and reputation: "The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper, / And is become the bellows and the fan / To cool a gipsy's lust" (I.1). Cleopatra seduces Anthony into forgetting his obligations to Rome and impinges upon his ability to fight because she lures him into desiring her and turning against his former ally Octavius Caesar. Anthony struggles throughout the play between his obligations to Octavius, who represents cool, disciplined Roman honor and Cleopatra who represents hedonism and Egyptian lassitude.

Rather than seeking to lead effectively, Cleopatra asks for a sleeping drought when Anthony is away: "That I might sleep…

She ruled England for over 60 years, bringing far-sweeping changes to the country during her reign. She was a student of Machiavelli, who advocated strong leadership skills in his book "The Prince," (Adair 169). Historian Adair writes of her, "Her restless and calculating mind was always at work, plotting a course forwards through a tangled maze of possibilities and dangers. She observed men closely and played upon their emotions as if they were the keys of her harpsichord" (Adair 172). Thus, she was a good planner and could view problems dispassionately and with expectation, which helped her anticipate problems, such as the invasion of the Spanish Armada that threatened England but she managed to overcome with planning and foresight. When visiting her men personally on the battlefield she said, "I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not ffor my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in…

This godlessness might initially be viewed as being cynical. However, when one looks at the social and political climate of Shakespeare's time, and the reality that England was just passing through a conversion from Catholicism to the Anglican church, driven by Henry VIII's desire to divorce and remarry, it might not be accurate to label godlessness in the play as cynical. Perhaps that is the view that Shakespeare is suggesting is idyllic, given the turmoil that organized religion had helped create in his country in recent history. This lack of a clear-cut explanation of the godlessness in the play, and of the playful way in which Cleopatra obliterates any claim Antony might actually have to self-divinity, shows how cynicism and idealism are caught in this cycle.
Nowhere in the play is the cycle of cynicism and idealism more dramatically showcased than in the play's final scenes. Caesar has conquered Egypt…

Conventional literature would come to see Cleopatra as an exploitive whore, responsible for the downfall
of virtuous men like the Ptolemies, Julius Caesar and, inevitably, Marc
Antony as well. So is this reported by historical accounts such as that by
Cassius Dio who reflected that "Indeed she so enchanted and enthralled not
only Antony but all others who counted for anything with him that she came
to entertain the hope that she would rule the Romans as well, and whenever
she took an oath, the most potent phrase she used were the words, 'So
surely as I shall one day give judgement [sic] on the Capitol.'" (Cassius
Dio, 39) The argument given here in defining her persona would be the
clear understanding of her imperialist intent, so to say that it had been
always an ambition for this ruler to extend the Egyptian influence to new
heights. The Roman perspective…

ork Cited

Antony and Cleopatra. Retrieved September 30, 2005 from:

http://www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/cleopatra/full.html

Brown, Lenora Inez. "Enter the Body: omen and Representation on Shakespeare's Stage." American Theatre. May 01, 2001. Retrieved September 30, 2005 from HighBeam Research Library eb site.

Desmet, Christy. "omen's Matters: Politics, Gender, and Nation in Shakespeare's Early History Plays." Comparative Drama. September 22, 2000. Retrieved September 30, 2005 from HighBeam Research Library eb site.

Hunt, Maurice. "Shakespeare's Venetian paradigm: stereotyping and Sadism in The Merchant of Venice and Othello." Papers on Language & Literature. March 22, 2003. Retrieved September 30, 2005 from HighBeam Research Library eb site.

Julius Caesar, The Life and Death of. Retrieved September 30, 2005 from:

http://www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/julius_caesar/full.html

Othello, The Moore of Venice. Retrieved September 30, 2005 from:

http://www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/othello/full.html

Starks, Lisa S. "Like the lover's pinch, which hurts and is desired: The Narrative

of Male Masochism and Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra." Literature and Psychology. December 22,…

Indeed, they are both supporter of Communism and here we are already talking about the mature period of Communist in its fight against the Imperialists (certainly, these are the same imperialists that would have paid Rivera for painting Rockefeller Centre) and the meeting between the couple and Trotsky is defining for the late phase of their relationship.
Artistic practices and values

Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath and Frida and Diego are extremely relevant for this category. First of all, Frida and Diego are members of the artistic community of Mexico and not only (and we are referring here to their presence in France during a time of artistic effervescence, as well as to their trip in the United States), this is the community that influences them and from where they draw their identity as artists. Additionally, it is their art that pulls them together each time the fall apart on…

Among the great features of Gothenburg is the Gothenburg Opera House, the Liseberg amusement park and Universeum, a great place to take the family because kids will love the discovery and science center at Universeum.
Boat trips are available that take visitors out into the harbor and into the archipelago further north. Marstand in the archipelago and is well-known as a great place for yachting and yacht racing, and it is easily located from Gothenburg.

A couple of great Swedish traditions include "The Day of the Herring" (in June) during which Swedes make it a point to eat herring; many chefs have seminars teaching people how to make a "Midsummer herring dish." There is a floating hotel and restaurant (the Salt & Sill), and while on board a visitor can devour a three-course dinner and a night's stay in the Bed and Breakfast for 65 British pounds.

The Port of…

History Of Egypt
Civilization Emerges in the Nile Valley 2-3

The Age of the Pharaohs (3200 CE - 30 CE) 3-4

ritish Colonial Rule (1914-1954) 4-5

Modern Egypt (1954 -- Present Day) 5-6

Conclusion & Suggestions

Egypt has always remained one of the most intriguing areas on the planet, with historians, archaeologists and laymen alike flocking to the country on a steady basis throughout the last two centuries to indulge their curiosity and explore the heart of human civilization. The home of iconic monuments built by the world's first civilizations -- including the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and a wide assortment of temples and ruins -- Egypt has come to represent the age of humanity's emergence for modern society. The age old cities of Cairo, Alexandria and Luxor have become modernized during the last century, but visitors and residents to Egypt have come to recognize the nation's seemingly…

King Herod, The Great
Quite a variety of members belonging to the royal dynasty had their names Herod being originated in Edom or Idumea after John Hyrcanus in 125 B.C was obligated to adopt the Jewish religion (1). The Herod family ruled in Palestine as vassals of the omans. Followed by Maccabees, the history of this dynasty mainly relates to the political history of Palestine during this whole era (1).

omans in 40 B.C made Herod I the Great, son of Antipater the king who managed to keep hold of his throne even during the times of changes in the government at ome (1). Herod's kingdom includes Idumea, Galilee, Judea, Batanea, Samaria and Peraea, which was more or less the same size as the kingdom of David and Solomon (1).

Though Herod had outstanding leadership skills, yet he was greatly detested by the Jews. One of the reasons for disliking…

A in millions)

Current in millions)

Provided by Federal ureau of Investigation as of September 18, 2006. www.whitehouse.gov/goodbye/3ae6b1ac94aa97e6650780f280890a7c81100e47.html"

CHART: National Correctional Populations

National Correctional Populations

The number of adults in correctional population has been increasing.

A in millions)

Current million in millions)

Provided by ureau of Justice Statistics as of November 30, 2006. (Social Statistics riefing Room, 2006)

More Statistics

Violence in the Media

Huston and colleagues have estimated that the average 18-year-old will have viewed 200,000 acts of violence on television (Huston, a.C., Donnerstein, E., Fairchild, H. et al. ig World, Small Screen: The Role of Television in American Society. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1992.)

41% percent of American households have three or more televisions (Nielsen Media Research, 2000).

56% of children ages 8-16 have a television in their rooms (Annenberg Public Policy Center, 2000. Media in the Home 2000)

Percentage of television-time children ages 2-7 spend…

Jewish Monotheism
Historians of Judaism actually date the strong Jewish emphasis on monotheism somewhat later than expected within Jewish history. The archaeological discovery of idols and artifacts indicating cultic participation from the time of Israel's presence in Canaan has seemed to indicate a relative laxity in actual practice before the Babylonian captivity, while textual criticism seems agreed that most of the Torah's foregrounded statements of strong monotheism date from textual recensions during the Babylonian captivity, and thus substantially post-date both the J-writer and the E-writer of the Old Testament (Moberly 217). But the strong emphasis on monotheism which comprises the first commandment given by Yahweh to Moses is a defining feature of Judaism in prevailing polytheistic cultures where the Jews can define their religion in opposition, so to speak. I would like to examine three separate ways in which Jewish monotheism defined itself against a kind of prevailing cultural polytheism.…

The Inferno: Cantos IV
The epic poem The Inferno, the first part of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, tells the story of the author on Good Friday in the 14th century. Lost in the forest, he encounters the spirit of the poet Virgil, who promises to reunite him with his beloved. In order to do so, they must take a path through hell. The Inferno is Dante’s tale of the underworld and subtle commentary on sin. There is much that is revealing regarding all the separate parts of this epic poem. This paper will discuss the many themes of the fifth Cantos. This Cantos shows us Dante’s panache for mixing history and myth as a means of confusing the reader, making the backdrop of hell appear more hellish. Also the relative innocuousness of the sins of the sinners of this level of hell also gives the entire presentation of…

The earliest divisions of the temple still standing are the barque chapels, just in the rear the first pylon. They were constructed by Hatshepsut, and appropriated by Tuthmosis III. The central division of the temple, the colonnade and the sun court were constructed by Amenhotep III, and a later on addition by Rameses II, who constructed the entry pylon, and the two obelisks connected the Hatshepsut structures with the core temple. To the back of the temple are chapels constructed by Tuthmosis III, and Alexander. During the Roman age, the temple and its environment were a legionary fortress and the residence of the Roman government in the region (Johnson, 1988).

There was a girdle wall constructed around the temple that was made up of self-sufficient massifs of sun-dried brick adjoining at their ends, constructed of courses set on a triple arrangement that ran concave horizontal concave. The gate through which…

The morning meal will be included in this fare, with $100 being spent on the necessary six other meals of the three day stay. $175, 3,542.89 MXN, is allocated to transportation, sightseeing fares, souvenirs (compulsory sombrero) and the exploration of the night life; $100 is saved (all the money saved in one location is used to pay the counter value of the larger expenses, such as a cruise to Africa).
(*) Three days in Brazil -- a budget of $525 (925.755 Brazil reais, at an exchange rate of 1 USD = 1.76 BL); $300, or 529.01 BL will be spent on boarding within a three start hotel; $50 will be saved and $125 will be spent on bus transportation, sightseeing fares and food.

(*) Estimated cost of the trip from Brazil to Nigeria - $400

(*) Three days in Nigeria -- $180 per hotel room (26,865 Nigerian naira, at an…

..and it is unlikely that the military will attempt to take over the executive branch by a coup." (2007) the media is not informing the citizens of what is occurring in many cases and a recent attempt to make a citizens arrest by over 8,000 individuals in Washington of President ush relating to war crimes resulted in many of those individuals being tasered and arrested.
SUMMARY and CONCLUSION

The future of the United States, according to what is known of the history of Rome, the predecessor upon which the U.S. originally based the form of its democratic government, appears to be bleak indeed. However, there is hope that the next presidential election will progress in a democratic manner and that the newly elected president will have the stamina and integrity required to see the United States return to the democracy upon which it was based and with the least pain…

Maybe I'm joking through clenched teeth. Gentlemen, I'm tormented with questions; resolve them for me. For example, here are you, wanting to wean man from his old habits, and to correct his will in line with the demands of science and common sense. But how do you know that man not only could but ought to adapt himself in this way? hat has led you to conclude that it is absolutely necessary for human desire to be altered? In a few words, how do you know that this reform will really be to man's advantage?

Dostoevsky 32)

Dostoevsky, also clearly believed some of what he was saying in his work of fiction, as in a letter to his niece in 1870 he writes, "For want of great conceptions, even science has sunk into arid materialism; what does a passing blow signify in face of that?"

Dostoevsky 207) Even science, can…

Resistance meant affirming one's own cultural heritage, in this case an African-American or black heritage (Lincoln and Mamiya 15).
By the 1990s, the problems encountered and caused by young black students in public schools had become a national priority and among the initiatives proposed by black leader at the time was the establishment of special schools exclusively for young black males. The rationale for this educational initiative was that this would provide the possibility of concentrating exclusively on the learning potential, learning styles, and the learning and behavioral difficulties of these students in a more effective manner than can be done in the traditional coeducational interracial settings that were typically dominated by white and feminine cultures (Billingsley 107). According to this author, "It was an idea, simple and straightforward, that grew out of the best motivations to improve the performance of these boys. It seemed to have a great deal…

However, there are some techniques that I have found help me, even when feeling less than motivated.
First, before even starting the writing project, create a simple outline. For me, the idea of the five-paragraph theme can be expanded to meet most any assignment: that is a topic, then at least three supporting paragraphs, perhaps one that compares and contrasts. Then, I have learned to do a synopsis that will allow me to still be creative, but redo individual paragraphs and/or scenes that support what I have already written. Then, I was reading a blog awhile ago and the person said the best way to proof and get a sense about spelling, grammar and the drugeries of writing was to read backwards. Then, anything odd pops out.

I also learned that the best way to learn writing is two-fold: just do it, and read more. For some reason, many people…

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"Sonnet 130" by Shakespeare and "Sonnet 23" by Louis Labe both talk about love, as so many sonnets do. Their respective techniques however, differentiate them from each other. Shakespeare uses a rhyme scheme that became known as Shakespearean rhyme scheme or English rhyme. He writes about love in a sarcastic manner though. He is mocking the traditional love poems and the usual expressive manner in which women are often compared to. It is ironic in a way because Shakespeare himself also uses the very techniques in his previous writing when he is writing from a man's point-of-view and describing a woman. But in this sonnet he uses the technique of mocking this exaggerated comparison. Usually women are compared to having skin as white as snow, however, in reality, Shakespeare points out, women don't really fit this description, "If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun."

Louis Labe…

Commonplace: "You Always Admire hat You Really Don't Understand"
There are a great many things that arouse admiration in this world of ours. Some of these things such as a creation of nature, a work of breathtaking art, scientific breakthroughs that benefit human kind, and acts of bravery are, without doubt, worthy of the admiration and the sentiment that they inspire. Unfortunately, however, human beings also fruitlessly admire a great many more things that are illusory in nature and, therefore, not really worthy of respect. Take, for instance, the human desire to be good looking, rich, successful and powerful. These qualities seem desirable purely because people who possess these attributes appear to be better off in life. But, are they really? Or, do these qualities give rise to admiration only because we don't really understand what being beautiful, wealthy, successful or powerful entails?

Perhaps, it is precisely the recognition that…

movie industry in America has been controlled by some of the monolithic companies which not only provided a place for making the movies, but also made the movies themselves and then distributed it throughout the entire country. These are movie companies and their entire image revolved around the number of participants of their films. People who wanted to see the movies being made had to go to the studios in order to see them. They made movies in a profitable manner for the sake of the studios, but placed the entire industry under their control and dominated over it. The discussion here is about some of those famous studios inclusive of that of names like Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Culver, RKO, Paramount Studios, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Studios, Universal Studios, Raleigh Studio, Hollywood Center Studio, Sunset Gower Studio, Ren-Mar Studios, Charlie Chaplin Studios and now, Manhattan Beach Studio.…

Romeo & Juliet Movie Production Critique
This movie production critique is based on the William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet version, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. Staring off with the set, this was based as Verona Beach, and portrayed as a modern day city. There are many references to religion in the set, with angel statues and shots of churches and areas of prayer. Also, many of the buildings in the inner city (away from the beach), are large skyscraper-like buildings with large signs denoting Montague or Capulet. The mansion of the Capulet's is large and opulent, with gardens, many staircases, many rooms, and a large pool where the infamous "Romeo, oh Romeo" scene takes place. Modernism is apparent in the billboards, beach front and gas stations shown.

Use of light during the day is infused with color and intensity. The sun shines with golden abundance and each characters eyes…

women and men differently. Men see men as different and often are afraid to be alone without discussion of "sex." The woman is marked differently than a man, but is she?
GENDER AND SEXUALITY

How are gender and sexuality socially constructed? Are men and women different in the workforce? Should men be able to be who they are without discussion of women? What are the masks that women wear? Why? Often men are afraid to be with a group of males without discussion about women. Women are considered marked. Why is this? How does this fit into life? Women are discriminated at home, at work, and in life by both males and females. Men are unmarked by women and men. However, no man or women should be considered "marked," but as the individual who they are.

When men and women think about women, they often have thoughts of the "sexy"…

Madame Sarah' by Cornelia Otis Skinner
Life engenders life, energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich." Sarah Bernhardt in 'Madame Sarah' p. 14.

Madame Sarah' occupies a significant place in the incessant flood of biographies that hit the world of literature every year. This genre has been given the most attention because of the fact that we all find lives of rich and famous rather intriguing and thus worth exploring. This is the very reason Madame Sarah was warmly received when it was first published in 1967. Apart from being a witty account of the life of one of the greatest French theatre actresses of all time, the book sold well because of the credentials of the author, Cornelia Otis Skinner, who herself was a fine actress.

Since the subject belonged to the same field as the author, we get an in depth first hand…

Shakespeare used Music in his orks
illiam Shakespeare (1564-1616), English playwright and poet, is recognized all over the world as the greatest dramatist of all times. His plays have been performed more times than those of any other dramatist and have been translated in almost every major language. (Kastan) hile many aspects of Shakespeare's plays have been discussed and analyzed, it is perhaps not so widely known that music has also played an important role in many of his plays. In this paper we shall review the historical background of music in the Shakespearian era and discuss how and why music was used in Shakespeare's works. The type of music used by the playwright as well as some examples of music in specific plays shall also be described.

Historical Background of Music in the Shakespearian Era

The 16th century in which Shakespeare was born was a period when England was…

Etruscans as a monolithic group, in fact, they covered a wide geographic area with a civilization that spans many centuries from a millennium BCE to their putative dissolution a couple of decades BCE (Time International, 2001). The sculpture Etruscan warrior supporting a wounded comrade, from the early fifth century BCE, was created in about the middle of the Etruscan era.
At the time this sculpture was created, the Etruscans had begun exploring the coast of what is now known as the Italian peninsula. The Etruscans enjoyed dominion on the seas at the time, giving them "tremendous potential for trade as well as piracy" (Time International, 2001). It is obvious from the embellishment on the clothing of the two warriors that the Etruscans enjoyed their sea-based wealth. It is also easy to believe, as Time (2001) contends, that the Etruscans were a more jovial people than were the omans who supplanted…

Did the war between Athens and Sparta set the stage for Philip II to rise to power?
Philip II's power worked out according to plan after his noticeable involvement in the 3rd Social War fought in the year 356 BC. Delphi was overrun and defeated by the Phocians. The Spartans as well as the Athenians entered the fray rooting for the Phocians. Though unable to unite in opposition to Philip II, the Athenians continued waging war till the treaty, Peace of Philocrates, was signed in the year 346 BC. South Greece was weakened further by such continuous discord. In the middle of this struggle, Philip II expanded his kingdom by capturing Crenides' urban areas and renaming it Philippi in the year 355 BC, destroying Methone in the year 354 BC, and annexing the Chalcidice promontory's ancient city Olynthus in the year 348 BC (MAG).

How did Philip II build the…

The author of this brief response took a look at four chapters from a particular book. What follows in this report is a direct and measured response to those chapters. The readings themselves had a good variety and variance to them. They all involve very personal subjects but all center on the coming of age of teenage girls during the first generation after World War II ended. However, they are not monolithic or too much alike in nature. It is important that literature explore the human condition and what drives people to act and behave as they do. Of course, nobody lives or behaves in a vacuum. Despite what some people might suggest, what a given person does can affect the behaviors and reactions of others and/or the same thing can happen in reverse.
Analysis

The first reading and topic is one that tends to be explosive and controversial. Indeed,…

Most Elizabethans believed their self-identity was wrapped up in a cosmic paradigm of fate and destiny, and were somehow controlled by the stars and planets and had a power over the baser side of man -- tools of God, but with certain amounts of free will. Thus, a very central idea in Shakespeare is this central view that an individual's identity is set by God, the Planets, the Universe, the Gods, and Nature. But in contrast, the idea of free will for the individual -- or even a single utterance or decision, can change forever the destiny of the individual. A superb example of this is in Romeo and Juliet.

Fate and chance surround the identities of the major and minor characters in RJ almost from the opening scene. Because the audience already believed that their destiny was predetermined, they saw the characters as having very little choice in their…

high degree of misinformation I had received from traditional teachings about the church and the beginning of Christianity. Moreover, I was struck by the notion that most other people in the Western world receive this same degree of intentional misinformation, so much so that I have even heard people defend the idea that knowledge of the historical church is irrelevant to modern Christianity. Reading through the class material, I was struck by how critical this historical information was to the understanding of the actual church. One critical piece of information is the idea of Jesus as the head of the church, despite him not establishing Christianity as a separate religion. Another critical idea was that prophets could play a continuing role in Christianity, when my traditional understanding had suggested that after Jesus there would be no more Jewish prophets. I also found myself wondering about the very obvious and significant…

Myths - "The Other Side of Wonder"
Like the empty sky it has no boundaries, yet it is right in this place, ever profound and clear.2

So run the lines from Cheng Tao, describing signifying, identifying myths - always there explaining existence and every facet of life, explaining the reason behind every man's actions:

So, myths.

For what is a myth? Lillian Hornstein3 describes it best. "A myth is the traditional tale common to the members of a tribe, race, or nation, usually involving the supernatural and serving to explain some natural phenomena. Given as an example is the tale of Persephone, daughter of Demeter, abducted by Hades and brought to the underworld but allowed to return to earth and visit her mother for six months. Thus, we have the varied alternations of the season on earth.

Shall we consider the social-cultural effects of myths positive or negative?

To the…