Two Men Destroyed by a Secret Essay Example for Free

Two Men Destroyed by a Secret Essay The characters of Oedipus from Sophocles Oedipus the King, and Torvald from Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House, while coming from two different periods in time, are in some ways very similar. Torvald and Oedipus share many qualities, such as arrogance and a fiery temper. Their lives also mirror each other in many ways. They were both prestigious well-off men with powerful positions, happy families, and everything to lose. Both men were destroyed by the revelation of a secret, which had been kept from them by their wives. Oedipus and Torvald both seem to be created by the author to have their lives shattered by a secret, and this premeditation by the author is the cause for the similarities between both the personalities and biographies of the two characters. Torvald and Oedipus share a great number of traits and flaws giving them similar personalities. Oedipus and Torvald are both arrogant stubborn men who are quick to anger and are often too curious for their own good. We are provided with spectacular evidence of Torvalds temper during the last act of the play. Torvalds explosion of anger upon the discovery of Noras secret, shows us the extent of his fiery temper. Torvalds statement, You Miserable thing, what have you done? (Ibsen, pg 104) shows us clearly the rage, which can erupt from his gentle exterior. The same blind rage is also present in the character of Oedipus. On several occasions in the play, he becomes deeply incensed and abandons his wits. This is true of his lengthy dialogue with Tiresias, the following argument with Creon, and the encounter with the Shepard at the end of the play. During this dialogue with Tiresias he remarks, Enough! I wont listen to this sort of talk from you. Damn you! My curse upon you! (Sophocles, pg 29) He is so angry that he dismisses the warning of Tiresias, failing even to consider their dire predictions. The curse he utters against Tiresias was truly a dire action since the ancient Greeks took curses much more seriously than we would today. In the play we see the fulfillment of the curse that Oedipus unintentionally brings upon himself, and from this we can gauge the seriousness of Oedipus statement. Another shared characteristic of Oedipus and Torvald is stubbornness. Oedipus stubbornness is evident in both the scene with Tiresias and the scene with the Shepard. Tiresias is unwilling to speak but (Sophocles, pg 23) Oedipus drives him to it. Oedipus is so stubborn that he ignores the warning of Tiresias, Jocasta and the shepherd not to pursue the issue of his parentage and the identity of Laius murderer. He pushes past all resistance and learns the truth to his own detriment. Torvald also is at times very stubborn. Torvald comments several times that Nora is incredibly stubborn, (Ibsen, pg 61) but it is Torvald that prevails in the battle of will that occurred over Krogstads dismissal. In this argument Torvald shows his resolve by resisting the charms of Nora, leads to the revelation of Noras secret, which shatters their marriage.

The Search for an Honorable Leader in Hamlet and Macbeth Essay

The Search for an Honorable Leader in Hamlet and Macbeth Hamlet clearly defines a good leader in this passage in Hamlet; "Look here, upon this picture, and on this, The counterfeit presentment of two brothers. See, what a grace was seated on this brow; Hyperions' curls; the front of Jove himself; An eye like Mars, to threaten and command; A station like the herald Mercury New-lighted on a heaven-kissing hill; A combination and a form indeed, Where every God did seem to set his seal To give the world assurance of a man." Act III Sc. IV He states that an individual must attain the qualities: grace, leadership, well roundedness, and reverence. Using Hamlet's definition, Macbeth would be considered the exact opposite and in many ways the antagonist to Hamlet's assertion of honorable leader. Macbeth contained qualities that tarnished his prestige in the blink of an eye, and his lack of ability to process certain decisions he made revealed his innate character which was ultimately beheaded. One of the most important characteristics for a prosperous leader to have is grace, which Macbeth knew nothing about. He was a war-hero, and was uninterested in what society perceived him to be. His superstition and dependence on the witches visions show his weakness as a character, and especially as a leader. His beliefs in the witches eventually lead him down the wrong path when he returns to the witches for another proclamation of their visions, which all are apparently true, but misunderstood by Macbeth. In the end, as the visions become reality, Macbeth realizes that he has failed to grasp a hold of the tangible aspects of his life, and wa... ... loudly for him." (Act V Sc. II) In his closing statement, Fortinbras shows his grace and well-roundedness by honoring Hamlet, and understanding that he too went through what Fortinbras himself had to go through his entire adult life, living without his father. For those reasons, Fortinbras is a true leader, and the best representation in these two plays of a leader according to Hamlet's definition. In both plays, many characters are portrayed as being multi-layered, and viewed through many perspectives. Many characters are presented as one thing, but as the play continues, the layers peel, and the character is quickly defined as something different. As Macbeth fought to keep sane, his leadership was hastily tainted. Fortinbras on the other hand, kept his mind set on his goal, and achieved it proving him to be the true leader.

Evolution of Management Essay

EARLY MANAGEMENT Organizations and managers have existed for thousands of years. The Egyptian pyramids and the Great Wall of China were projects of tremendous scope and magnitude, and required good management. Regardless of the titles given to managers throughout history, someone has always had to plan what needs to be accomplished, organize people and materials, lead and direct workers, and impose controls to ensure that goals were attained as planned. Another example of early management can be found in the city of Venice, which was a major economic and trade center in 1400s. the venetians developed an early form of business enterprise and engaged in many activities common to today’s organizations. The venetians used warehouse and inventory systems to keep track of materials, human resource management functions to manage the labor force and an accounting system to keep track of revenues and costs. Two historical events significant to the study of management are work of Adam Smith, in his book,’ The Wealth of Nations’, in which he argued brilliantly for the economic advantages of division of labor (the breakdown of jobs into narrow, repetitive tasks). The Industrial Revolution is second important pre-twentieth-century influence on management. The introduction of machine powers combined with the division of labor made large, efficient factories possible. Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling became necessary activities. There are six major approaches to management. They are explained as follows; 1) SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT Scientific management is defined as the use of the scientific method to determine the â€Å"one best way† for a job to be done. The most important contributor in this field was Frederick W. Taylor who is known as the â€Å"father† of scientific management. Using his principles of scientific management; (1) scientifically study each part of a task and develop the best method of performing the task, (2) scientifically select and then  train, teach and develop the worker, (3) cooperate fully with workers to ensure that they use the proper method, (4) divide work and responsibility almost equally between management and workers. Management takes over all work for which it is better fitted than the workers. Taylor was able to define the â€Å"one best way† for doing each job. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth were inspired by Taylor’s work and proceeded to study and develop their own methods of scientific management. They devised a classification scheme to label 17 basic hand motions called therbligs in order to eliminate wasteful motions Guidelines devised by Taylor and others to improve production efficiency are still used in today’s organizations. However, current management practice is not restricted to scientific management practices alone. Elements of scientific management still used include: 1. Using time and motion studies 2. Hiring best qualified workers 3. Designing incentive systems based on output 2) GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE THEORISTS This group of writers, who focused on the entire organization, developed more general theories of what managers do and what constitutes good management practice. Henri Fayol and Max Weber were the two most prominent proponents of the general administrative approach. Fayol focused on activities common to all managers. He described the practice of management as distinct from other typical business functions. He stated 14 principles of management which are as follows: 1. Division of Work. Specialization increases output by making employees more efficient. 2. Authority. Managers must be able to give orders, and authority give them this right. 3. Discipline. Employees must obey and respect the  rules that govern the organization. 4. Unity of Command. Every employee should receive orders from only one superior. 5. Unity of Direction. The organization should have a single plan of action to guide managers and workers. 6. Subordination of individual interest to group interest. The interest of any one employee or group of employees should not take precedence over the interests of the organization as a whole. 7. Remuneration. Workers must be paid a fair wage for their services. 8. Centralization. This term refers to the degree to which subordinates are involved in decision making. 9. Scalar Chain. The line of authority from top management to the lowest ranks is the scalar chain. 10. Order. People and materials should be in the right place at the right time. 11. Equity. Managers should be kind and fair to their subordinates. 12. Stability of tenure of personnel. Management should provide orderly personnel planning and ensure that replacements are available to fill vacancies. 13. Initiative. Employees who are allowed to originate and carry out plans will exert high levels of effort. 14. Espirit de corps. Promoting team spirit will build harmony and unity within the organization. Max Weber was a German sociologist who developed a theory of authority structures and described organizational activity based on authority relations. He described the ideal form of organization as a bureaucracy marked by division of labor, a clearly defined hierarchy, detailed rules and regulations, and impersonal relationships. Some current management concepts and theories can be traced to the work of the general administrative theorists. The functional view of a manager’s job relates to Henri Fayol’s concept of management. Weber’s bureaucratic characteristics are evident in many of today’s large organizations—even in highly flexible organizations that employ talented professionals. Some bureaucratic mechanisms are necessary in highly innovative organizations to ensure that resources are used efficiently and effectively. Weber’s Ideal Bureaucracy 3) QUANTITATIVE APPROACH TO MANAGEMENT The quantitative approach to management, sometimes known as operations research or management science, uses quantitative techniques to improve decision making. This approach includes applications of statistics, optimization models, information models, and computer simulations. The quantitative approach originated during World War II as mathematical and statistical solutions to military problems were developed for wartime use. The relevance of quantitative approach today is that it has contributed most directly to managerial decision making, particularly in planning and controlling. The availability of sophisticated computer software programs has made the use of quantitative techniques more feasible for managers. 4) ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR The field of study concerned with the actions (behaviors) of people at work is organizational behavior. Organizational behavior (OB) research has contributed much of what we know about human resources management and contemporary views of motivation, leadership, trust, teamwork, and conflict management. The early advocates of OB approach were Robert Owen, Hugo Munsterberg, Mary Parker Follett, and Chester Barnard. Their ideas served as the foundation for employee selection procedures, motivation programs, work teams, and organization-environment management techniques. The Hawthorne Studies were the most important contribution to the development of organizational behavior. This series of experiments conducted from 1924 to the early 1930s at Western Electric Company’s Hawthorne Works in Cicero, Illinois, were initially devised as a scientific management experiment to assess the impact of changes in various physical environment variables on employee productivity. After Harvard professor Elton Mayo and his associates joined the study as  consultants, other experiments were included to look at redesigning jobs, make changes in workday and workweek length, introduce rest periods, and introduce individual versus group wage plans. The researchers concluded that social norms or group standards were key determinants of individual work behavior. Although not without criticism (concerning procedures, analyses of findings, and the conclusions), the Hawthorne Studies stimulated interest in human behavior in organizational settings. In the present day context behavioral approach assists managers in designing jobs that motivate workers, in working with employee teams, and in facilitating the flow of communication within organizations. The behavioral approach provides the foundation for current theories of motivation, leadership, and group behavior and development. 5) THE SYSTEMS APPROACH During the 1960s researchers began to analyze organizations from a systems perspective based on the physical sciences. A system is a set of interrelated and interdependent parts arranged in a manner that produces a unified whole. The two basic types of systems are open and closed. A closed system is not influenced by and does not interact with its environment. An open system interacts with its environment. The Organization as an Open System Using the systems approach, managers envision an organization as a body with many interdependent parts, each of which is important to the well-being of the organization as a whole. Managers coordinate the work activities of the various parts of the organization, realizing that decisions and actions taken in one organizational area will affect other areas. The systems approach recognizes that organizations are not self-contained;  they rely on and are affected by factors in their external environment. 6) THE CONTINGENCY APPROACH The contingency approach recognizes that different organizations require different ways of managing. The contingency approach to management is a view that the organization recognizes and responds to situational variables as they arise. Popular Contingency Variables Organization size As size increases, so do the problems of coordination. Routineness of task technology Routine technologies require organizational structure, leadership styles, and control systems that differ from those required by customized or non-routine technologies. Environmental uncertainty What works best in a stable and predictable environment may be totally inappropriate in a rapidly changing and unpredictable environment. Individual differences Individuals differ in terms of their desire for growth, autonomy, tolerance or ambiguity, and expectations. CURRENT TRENDS AND ISSUES The following are the current concepts and practices are changing the way managers do their jobs today. Globalization: Organizational operations are no longer limited by national borders. Managers throughout the world must deal with new opportunities and challenges inherent in the globalization of business. Ethics: Cases of corporate lying, misrepresentations, and financial manipulations have been widespread in recent years. Managers of firms such as Enron, ImClone, Global Crossing, and Tyco International have placed their own self-interest ahead of other stakeholders’ welfare. While most managers continue to behave in a highly ethical manner, abuses suggest a need to  Ã¢â‚¬Å"upgrade† ethical standards. Ethics education is increasingly emphasized in college curricula today. Organizations are taking a more active role in creating and using codes of ethics, ethics training programs, and ethical hiring procedures. Workforce diversity: It refers to a workforce that is heterogeneous in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, age, and other characteristics that reflect differences. Accommodating diverse groups of people by addressing different lifestyles, family needs, and work styles is a major challenge for today’s managers. Entrepreneurship: It is the process whereby an individual or group of individuals use organized efforts to pursue opportunities to create value and grow by fulfilling wants and needs through innovation and uniqueness, no matter what resources the entrepreneur currently has. Three important themes stand out in this definition: a. The pursuit of opportunities b. Innovation c. Growth Entrepreneurship will continue to be important to societies around the world. Managing in an E-Business World: E-business (electronic business) is a comprehensive term describing the way an organization does its work by using electronic (Internet-based) linkages with its key constituencies in order to efficiently and effectively achieve its goals. Knowledge Management and Learning Organizations: Change is occurring at an unprecedented rate. To be successful, today’s organization must become a learning organization—one that has developed the capacity to continuously learn, adapts, and change. Knowledge management involves cultivating a learning culture where organizational members systematically gather knowledge and share it with others in the organization so as to achieve better performance. Quality Management: Quality management is a philosophy of management that is driven by continual improvement and response to customer needs and expectations. The objective of quality management is to create an organization committed to continuous improvement in work.

Cell Systems And Their Function - 1461 Words

Introduction Systems and their function: All living things must obtain and use nutrients, get rid of waste, interact with their environment, and perform other processes in order to live. The complexity of an organisms will determine the way the organisms will carry out these processes. Unicellular organisms are organisms containing only one cell such as bacteria and some algae. These types of organisms performs all of the process necessary for life using only a single cell. Multicellular organisms, on the other hand, are organisms that consists of more than one cell. These type of organisms require organ systems to carry out the life process. Organ systems are group of anatomical structures that work together to perform a specific†¦show more content†¦Muscular System 3. Skeletal System 4. Nervous System 5. Circulatory System 6. Lymphatic System 7. Respiratory System 8. Endocrine System 9. Urinary/Excretory System 10. Reproductive System 11. Digestive System 12. Immune System All these organ system rely on each other in order to function properly. If even one organ system fails to works properly, the organism could lead to severe disability or even death. (Study, 2015) The circulatory, digestive, and respiratory are three main organ systems discussed in this lab report. The digestive system are the collection of organs that work together to break down food into nutrients so that it can be absorbed into the blood. This systems consists of four main steps which include ingestion, digestion, absorption, and egestion. The mouth is responsible for carrying out the first step which is taking in the food. The salivary glands, pharynx, esophagus, and the teeth are responsible for the second step as they are responsible to break down the complex food molecules into smaller molecules. The absorption of the food is done by the stomach, the liver, the gall bladder, and small intestines. These organs are responsible for absorbing the digested nutrients and transporting them to the bloodstreams. Finally, the last step, the egestion, is done by the large intestine, rectum, and anus. These organisms are responsible to remove the waste food materials from the body. The circulatory system, also called the