Thanatophobia Diagnosis and Treatment

Thanatophobia Diagnosis and Treatment Phobias Types Print Thanatophobia Diagnosis and Treatment Fear of Death By Lisa Fritscher Lisa Fritscher is a freelance writer and editor with a deep interest in phobias and other mental health topics. Learn about our editorial policy Lisa Fritscher Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on August 31, 2019 Axel Fassio/Photolibrary / Getty Images More in Phobias Types Causes Symptoms and Diagnosis Treatment In This Article Table of Contents Expand Role of Religion Types of Fears Diagnosis Treatment When to Seek Help View All Back To Top Thanatophobia, or fear of death, is a relatively complicated phobia. Many, if not most, people are afraid of dying. Some people fear being dead, while others are afraid of the actual act of dying. However, if the fear is so prevalent as to affect your daily life, then you might have a full-blown phobia. The Role of Religion Many peoples fear of death is tied to their religious beliefs, particularly if they happen to be going through a period of questioning. Some people think that they know what will happen after death, but worry that they may be wrong. Some believe that the path to salvation is very straight and narrow, and fear that any deviations or mistakes may cause them to be eternally condemned. Religious beliefs are highly personalized, and even a therapist of the same general faith may not fully understand a clients beliefs. If the fear of death is religiously based, it is often helpful to seek supplemental counseling from ones own religious leader. However, this should never be used to replace traditional mental health counseling. How Does Religion Cause Different Phobias? Types of Fears Fear of the Unknown Thanatophobia may also have roots in fears of the unknown. It is part of the human condition to want to know and understand the world around us. What happens after death, however, cannot be unequivocally proven while we are still alive. However, at least one study has found that increasing your emotional intelligence can help you deal with your fear of the unknown, thereby lessening your fear of death.?? Fear of Loss of Control Like knowledge, control is something for which humans strive. Yet the act of dying is utterly outside anyones control. Those who fear loss of control may attempt to hold death at bay through rigorous and sometimes extreme health checks and other rituals. Over time, it is easy to see how people with this type of thanatophobia may be at risk for obsessive-compulsive disorder, hypochondriasis, and even delusional thinking.?? What Is Hypochondriasis? Fear of Pain, Illness, or Loss of Dignity Some people with an apparent fear of death do not actually fear death itself. Instead, they are afraid of the circumstances that often surround the act of dying. They may be afraid of crippling pain, debilitating illness or even the associated loss of dignity. This type of thanatophobia may be identified through careful questioning about the specifics of the fear. Many people with this type of fear also suffer from nosophobia, hypochondriasis, or other somatoform disorders. Concerns About Relatives Many people who suffer from thanatophobia are not nearly as afraid to die as they are of what would happen to their families after their death. Fear of Death in Children A childs fear of death can be devastating to the parent, but may actually be a healthy part of normal development. Children generally lack the defense mechanisms, religious beliefs, and understanding of death that help adults cope. They also do not fully understand time, making it difficult for them to accept that people sometimes leave and come back again.?? These factors can lead children to a muddled and sometimes terrifying concept of what it means to be dead. Whether the fear qualifies as a phobia depends on its severity and the length of time it has been present. Phobias are generally not diagnosed in children until they have been present for more than six months. Related Fears It is not uncommon for people who suffer from thanatophobia to develop related phobias as well. Fears of tombstones, funeral homes, and other symbols of death are common, as they can serve as reminders of the main phobia. Fear of ghosts or other entities is also common, particularly in those whose thanatophobia is based on religious factors. Resources to Help You With Your Phobia Diagnosis As there are so many possible causes and complications, it is important that thanatophobia is diagnosed only by a trained mental health professional. He can ask guided questions and help the sufferer figure out exactly what is going on. She can also recognize the symptoms of related disorders and prescribe the appropriate course of treatment. Treatment The course of treatment largely depends on the clients personal goals for therapy. Is she trying to resolve a religious conflict? Does he simply want to be able to attend Halloween events without panicking? The therapist must first determine the clients expectations before designing a treatment plan. Depending on the circumstances, a variety of talk therapy solutions may be appropriate in the treatment of thanatophobia. These may range from cognitive-behavioral to psychoanalytic therapies. Supplemental religious counseling, medications, and other therapeutic alternatives may also be used in conjunction with therapy. When to Seek Help Whether or not to seek treatment for any phobia is a very personal decision. Regardless of whether you choose to get professional assistance, coping with the fear of death can be an ongoing daily struggle. Unlike many phobias that are triggered by specific incidents, such as seeing a spider, thanatophobia may be constantly at the back of your mind. You may be interested in discussing this phobia with others who share your fear. The Best Online Therapy Programs

Essay on The Coorelation between Drug Tolerance and the...

The Coorelation between Drug Tolerance and the Environment When considering the dynamics of brain and behavior, another component that enters the equation is environment. If brain equals behavior then changes to either should result in an altercation to the other component. The question that arises is whether a change in the environment produces change in brain chemistry and therefore, behavior. A connection between brain, behavior and environment may be observed in the context of drug tolerance. There are a collection of questions that seem essential to consider when attempting to correlate the brains development of an observable drug tolerance and the environment. †¢ Does the environment affect drug tolerance? How? †¢ What†¦show more content†¦A delayed recovery to the initial stimuli would be expected if the receptors were numerically or physically altered. However, after terminating a drug treatment, a delayed recovery to the initial stimuli has not been observed. Instead, the body readapts to the drug-free state (2). Furthermore, reactions that are almost directly opposite to the desired effect of the drug are observed. These reactions are termed withdrawal symptoms and are observed when no drugs are administered and compensatory processes operate unopposed (2). If the nervous system provides compensatory responses, then the question arises as to whether environmental cues initiate the response. Environmental cues that initiate responses were observed by the Russian physiologist, Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936). Pavlov made initial observations pertaining to classical conditioning. Pavlov correlated environmental cues and physiological changes as he observed dogs salivating in response to a collection of cues that signaled feeding time. Without the stimulus of food present, there was an observable response to the anticipated stimuli as the dogs salivated in preparation for the emanate arrival of food (3). Siegel et al. (1982) applied Pavlovs model of classical conditioning to the administration of drugs (4). Siegel et al. observed that the anticipated stimuli signaled by environmental cues provided an additional drug tolerance. An experiment was designed with

Individuals vs. Society Essay - 1001 Words

An individual’s role in society can vary with the number themes the characters exhibit. When there are signs of fate, cruelties, weaknesses, and desires for justice and catharsis the role of an individual becomes more complicated. In Antigone, most of those themes are shown thus a single person’s influence or role on society is very small and complicated to attain. However in The Lottery the society has most of the control and there is not many signs of those characteristics so the role of a person is simplified because they are nothing compared to the society combined. Finally, in The Penalty of Death, there are signs of many of the themes but since it is the societies influence against that of an individuals, it is simplified because†¦show more content†¦He is too proud and arrogant to change his ways like when Teiresias warns him of his fate yet he refuses and says, â€Å"Whatever you say, you will not change my will.† Due to Creon’s unchalleng ed law and sentence, Antigone yearns for justice to be enforced on him. There is a very good example where she states, â€Å"But if the guilt lies upon Creon who judged me, then, I pray, may his punishment equal my own.† With all of these themes in the story, it further complicates the role of an individual on society. The Lottery has a many themes that the characters or group of characters show. There was fate because no on really knew who would be picked, and when Tessi Hutchinson was picked, it was because of fate. This fate is different than the kind of fate shown in Antigone. In Antigone, the person’s actions controls their fate, while in The Lottery there is no action shown which can lead to her fate. It is an act of randomness. Tessi Hutchinson had a weakness which was that she kept on saying, â€Å"It isn’t fair!† and all sorts of excuses like that to prevent her family or herself from being picked, even though she had gone through the lottery many times before without saying anything. Her weakness is that she cared too much for herself and her family in a society where one person’s opinion doesn’t matter and it is a dog-eat-dog world. One can clearly tell that, by ourShow MoreRelatedIndividuals vs. Society1024 Words   |  5 PagesAn individuals role in society can vary with the number themes the characters exhibit. When there are signs of fate, cruelties, weaknesses, and desires for justice and catharsis the role of an individual becomes more complicated. 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Only nobles were to rule until knights could build up lordships. 1 Empires wereRead MoreThe Theme of the Individual vs Society in A Dolls House and Hedda Gabler1976 Words   |  8 PagesIndividual vs Society in A Dolls House and Hedda Gabler      Ã‚  Ã‚   George Brandes once insisted that the only way literature could be made into a vital and living piece of art would be by subjecting problems to debate Indeed, it was the `problem at the heart of Henrik Ibsens plays that caused most of the controversy that surrounded them. Whereas other theatrical productions of Ibsens time adhered to a standard plot and set of characters, Ibsen chose to break free of conventions by introducingRead MoreEssay about The Individual vs. Society in Mrs. Warrens Profession1546 Words   |  7 PagesOften in life there is a conflict between what is good for the individual and the moral values placed upon the individual by society.   This is true of the characters in George Bernard Shaws play Mrs. Warrens Profession.   Shaw clearly demonstrates that actions frowned upon by society are not necessarily evil so long as they benefit the individual.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Perhaps the most obvious example of societal morals conflicting with individual need is the case of Mrs. Kitty Warren.   Mrs. Warren is a womanRead MoreHofstede s Four Cultural Dimensions With Fons Trompenaars Models1560 Words   |  7 Pagespublic handles disparities among individuals. Power Distance is the degree to which the least capable individuals from associations and establishments (like the family) acknowledge and it is the extent to which power is to be expected that it is dispersed unequally. Individualism (IDV) vs Collectivism: For this dimension says that the people are incorporated into gatherings. In individualistic social orders, the anxiety is put on individual accomplishments and individual rights they worry about themselvesRead MoreErickson s Theory On The 8 Stages Of Development Essay1143 Words   |  5 Pages(morals of society that are learned), whilst Erickson focuses on the role of culture and society, and the conflicts it can create in the ego itself (McLeod, 2013; McLeod, 2016). Erickson’s theory established that personality develops and builds upon each previous stage, an idea called the epigenic principle (McLeod, 2013). This theory is separated into 8 stages, and are as follows; 1: Trust vs. Mistrust, 2: Autonomy vs. shame, 3: Initiative vs. Guilt, 4: Industry vs. Inferiority, 5: Ego Identity vs. RoleRead MoreThe Four Types of Conflict in Shattered851 Words   |  4 Pagesmany problems going on in the society. There are many types of conflicts th at are going on around him. The four types of conflicts going on in the book are Human vs. Society, Human vs. Self, Human vs. Human and Human vs. Self. The one conflict that is really making this story apparent is Human vs. Society due to the Rwandan genocide. The Human vs. Self, Human vs. Human, Human vs. Self are the other conflicts that are making this story interesting after the Human vs. Society conflict. To Begin, the firstRead MoreLeadership And Hofstede s Six Dimensions879 Words   |  4 PagesHofstede’s six dimensions of national culture are, Power Distance Index (PDI), Individualism vs. Collectivism (IDV), Masculinity vs. Femininity (MAS), Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI), Long Term Orientation vs. Short Term Normative Orientation (LTO) and Indulgence vs. Restraint (IND) and Power Distance Index (PDI). However, to become an effective leader, Power Distance Index (PDI) and Long Term Orientation vs. Short Term Normative Orientation (LTO) is a good combination. Hofstede’s Six Dimensions

School Counselor Analysis Free Essays

School Counselor Analysis Siobhan (Sam) Garrett PSY/435 April 17, 2013 Healey Irked Title of Paper In order to do a proper analysis on a school counselor one must know what he or she does on a daily basis. This is to conduct a job analysis for a school counselor and discuss how it will be used within the school system. Next to determine the reliability and validity of the school counselor analysis. We will write a custom essay sample on School Counselor Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Then the performance and appraisal methods that apply to being a counselor will be evaluated. Finally the benefits and vulnerabilities of each performance appraisal method will be explained. This will provide a full job analysis of a school counselor and what their job entails. Job Analysis For this job one would conduct a job oriented analysis. This is the analysis type that provides the nature of the tasks done on the job (Spector, 2012). The school counselor is there to provide the services that the children need. He or she will provide assessment and screenings, group and individual counseling with school staff, parents, outside agencies, and design remedial education programs (National Association of School Psychologist,  2012). The counselor is part of the team that decides what the students eligible for appropriate programming, special services, and ad on-going progress. Some of the responsibilities of the school counselor are as follows. Evaluate and screen children and selecting appropriate instruments, writing reports that show the evaluation findings, and administering tests (National Association of School Psychologist,  2012). This helps the funding for the programs. Have a conference or meeting with the staff, parents, or child about the progress he or she is making and say hat kind of material is needed for the betterment of the child’s learning experience. The counselor should always be available to students who really need to speak with her for private matters concerning the welfare of the home and school environment. Provide direct services such as in general education settings, classroom presentations, and adapting materials needed for the student in the classroom (National Association of School Psychologist,  2012). Documents student’s levels of performance and reevaluate as needed to see where the student has gained and where the student still needs work. Supervise the assigned Para-educators (National Association of School Psychologist,  2012). The counselor must deal with constraints and obstacles positively. He or she must learn to use new performance and approaches in his or her duties. This is just a portion of the requirements of the student counselor. Reliability and Validity The reliability of this information is good because not only did it come from a woman who works as a school counselor it was backed up by information found online and cited so that the information could be looked up and referred to if needed. The validity of this is also good because it has been documented on many webpages including the N. A. S. P. Therefore it is a valid and reliable source and information from the source. The source has been a school counselor for many years although she will not disclose exactly how many. Performance appraisal methods Some of the objective measures that a school counselor can be appraised with are simple measures. These include showing up for work every day on time with no excuses. This will result in less missed days which should be rewarded because the less they are absent the more they are able to be there for the students that need them that day. If they are there for the student then the student may not end up missing any days which is also a plus so it has like a snowball effect. Another way is avoiding accidents. By avoiding accidents the school does not have to turn in accidents to insurance companies and has less bills and debts owed out at the end of the year therefore not just helping the counselor know what he or she is dong but also the school itself would benefit from this. Finally productivity or the number of people the counselor sees and helps on a daily basis. The more students the counselor sees the more of them can get back to their everyday lives and living happy and everyone will leave them alone. This could even result in less bullying in the halls and after school. The ways that the subjective measures of job performance can evaluate ones job performance is in the graphic rating form which assesses individuals on several dimensions of performance. This is like rating your job performance on a scale of one to ten. The boss may make a performance rating on your job to tell the person how he or she is doing that week. The behavior focused rating scale can be used to focus on ones behavior on the job. If a person has a good attitude then they may get a good behavior score. If he or she has a bad attitude he or she may get a bad rating on the behavior score. This depends on the way the person acts and behaves while doing his or her job. Other members of the staff may also rate ones behavior on the job. This will help the boss determine if they are getting along with you or if he or she is causing trouble or are not well liked among your fellow employees. They may make observations on ones performance as well. If he or she is doing a good job a terrible job or just a good enough jobs then he or she can be rated on that performance. Benefits and Vulnerabilities. The benefits and vulnerabilities of these can be simple or even drastic. These are more beneficial if one is doing his or her job correctly. If he or she is doing the job correctly then he or she will get good ratings and be able to have a good score and then job will continue to strive from that person doing it. On the other hand if he or she is not doing a good job the he or she could get bad marks and the job could even suffer from the lack of effort that person is putting into the job. The children could even suffer in this particular job if the job is not done correctly. Another way this could be a bad thing is if a person was to get bad marks but was actually doing a good job. The people he or she is working with may just have a problem with him or her and could give bad marks because of that. Conclusion In conclusion, a school counselor’s job duties include making sure all of the children who her help and assistance need get it in every aspect of school. This is a reliable and valid source and information because not only did the information come from the subject it also came from several other sources. This person is judged on her performance from day to day not on showing up, looking nice, and being courteous but also on the actual performance itself. If he or she does her job, looks nice, and keeps the people she works with happy hoe or she should be able to keep the job and make a good living at it. Level three heading. Replace the level three heading with the words for your heading. The heading must be in bold font. References National Association of School Psychologist. (2012). what is a School Psychologist. Retrieved from http://www. nasponline. org/about_sp/whatis. aspx Spector, P. E. (2012). Industrial and organizational psychology: Research and practice (6th Ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. How to cite School Counselor Analysis, Papers

Pico Iyer the Joy of Less free essay sample

Is a writer who Is very talented and fortunate to have a good Job, a small apartment and enough cash flow to travel several destinations. This accomplishments, he is not. lyre ponders the fact that when he visits these third world countries the inhabitants seem much more content, and even energetic in their surroundings. lyre begins to wonder, does money really buy happiness? lyre puts this to the test. In search of his own happiness, he travels to several locations. Year is quite content in Kyoto, a small apartment tit no television, no bicycle, no car and no media but this is his happiness. Happiness lies less in our circumstances than in what we make of them, in every sense. This statement touched me the most. I agree with lyre in most of his simplicity. I believe Americans as a whole have become so reliant on technology and media, I often wonder how many have forgotten what the sun looks like. We will write a custom essay sample on Pico Iyer the Joy of Less or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It would be nice to walk in my front door without my girls arguing about what they are going to watch after their chores, sometimes I wish I could disconnect the cable.I believe cell phones have dad people lazy as well, why bother remembering a phone number Ill Just look in my contacts! Yes I am guilty of that as well. lyre makes a valid point of letting his audience know that he really does not miss anything when he gets a chance to update himself on media, the outside world, and humanity In general. I wonder if I could make it without my radio for a week, maybe television for a few days? What would America be like if our television, media was limited to a few hours a day? Would we be happier, treat each other with kindness, maybe the crime would go down?

Shakespeare’s Brilliant Use of Symbolism Essays

Shakespeare’s Brilliant Use of Symbolism Essays Shakespeare’s Brilliant Use of Symbolism Paper Shakespeare’s Brilliant Use of Symbolism Paper â€Å"To be or not to be that is the question† (Kittredge, 993). This is one of William Shakespeare’s best known and used quotes. Many who use it do not even know what piece it is taken from, or what exactly it means. It just sounds like a cool, tragic, Shakespearean quote to use to sound more intelligent. And that is the sad truth. Shakespeare’s works are filled with quotes, soliloquies, and experts, like this one, that are filled with innuendos, imagery, word choice, etc. One very important literary technique used by Shakespeare, in all of his works, is his symbolism, which portrayed Shakespeare’s life, time period, and messages he wished to get across to his audience. He also used his symbolism to satirize whomever he wished. Shakespeare’s works would not be complete without his symbolism, which is used throughout all of his works. One example of William Shakespeare’s brilliant use of symbolism can be seen in the play Macbeth. In this play Shakespeare uses symbolism to represent the overall theme of murder. The contrast of light and dark throughout the play symbolizes the good and evil that is being battled. During the time that Macbeth was written the king was associated with the sun. A sunset, then, represented the king’s death or overthrow of his rule in power. When shall we three meet again . . . and That will be ere the set of sun. (Shakespeare, Act I, Scene I, ll 1 and 5), are quotes that symbolize and foreshadow the coming death of the king. They, the witches, shall meet again when the king has been done away with. The contrast and symbolism between light and dark continues throughout the play. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires. (Act I, Scene IV, ll 50-51) symbolizes Macbeth’s step towards evil. He does not want anyone or anything to bring to knowledge his dark and evil plans. Another symbolism in the contrast of light and dark is nighttime. Whenever anything bad is occurring, or is about to occur it takes place during the dead of the night in the cover of darkness. The murders, Lady Macbeths sleepwalking, and the appearance of the witches all take place at night. Lady Macbeth’s sleeping walking shows a good contrast of the light and dark symbolism. At first she craved the darkness, but then she became afraid of it and carried a candle with her to drive away the darkness. In the line, She has light by her continually; tis her command. (Act V, Scene I ll 26-27), symbolizes her fear of the evil within the darkness. One very important symbol in Shakespeare’s Macbeth is blood in Duncan’s murder. The bloodshed represents Macbeth’s guilt and shame of the crime he has committed. After killing the king Macbeth says of the blood on his hands, As they had seen me with these hangmans hands. (Act II, Scene II, l 28). Macbeth’s guilt is portrayed after this act in that he refuses to return to the crime scene to smear the blood on the guards, because he thinks that the blood will only show his guilt and incriminate him further. Another way that the reader can tell that Macbeth is extremely uncomfortable and feeling guilty is because he immediately tries to remove the blood from his hands after killing the guards. He is very uncomfortable with the blood being on his hands, incriminating him through his guilt. Opposite of blood being a symbol of guilt, water is a symbol of purification from that guilt. After the murder of Duncan Lady Macbeth assures her husband that, A little water clears us of the deed; (Act II, Scene II, l 67). Throughout the later portion of the play Lady Macbeth repeatedly rubs her hands together, symbolizing her want and need to wash the deed from her hands. She wants to remove the â€Å"spot† physically from her hands and symbolically from her conscience, Out, damned spot! out, I say! . . . (Act V, Scene I, l 39). The water symbolizes the purification of the guilty conscience of Sir and Lady Macbeth. A common object used as symbolism throughout Shakespeare’s works are ghosts. In Hamlet the ghost that he sees is his father. Of course the ghost symbolizes his father’s death, but it also symbolizes that his father has come back for some reason. That reason, Hamlet later finds out is for revenge because his father was murdered. Ghost. â€Å"Revenge his foul and most unnatural murther. † Ham. â€Å"Murther? † Ghost. â€Å"Murther most foul, as in the best it is; But this most foul, strange, and unnatural. † (Act I, Scene V, ll 26-28). The ghost of Hamlet’s father plays a very important role in the play, as throughout the entirety of it Hamlet is trying to seek revenge for his father, which was first brought to his attention by the ghost. Another symbol used in Hamlet is the use of the word â€Å"dream† Throughout the play Hamlet is confronted with death, and his uncertainties as to the conditions of the existence of an afterlife (Rogers, 10). In his â€Å"to be, or not to be† soliloquy Hamlet questions as to whether it is worth it to live or die. He refers to death as some sort of dream that may come. He uses the reference of a dream to death because, as dreams are uncertain and often forgotten after they are through, so is death, although it is a dream that one will never be woken up from whether it be a nightmare or sweet escape. â€Å"To die to sleep No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to. ‘Tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish’d. To die to sleep. To sleep perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub! For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause. There’s the respect That makes calamity of so long life. (Act III, Scene I, ll 56-69). Hamlet’s uncertainty of death is felt throughout this entire soliloquy. Later in it he says, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover’d country from whose bourn No traveler returns, puzzles the will, And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? (Act II, Scene I, ll 78-82). In this expert the traveler and the undiscovered country symbolizes someone traveling in death onto the unknown after life. This entire soliloquy symbolizes Hamlet’s uncertainties of death. One other example of symbolism that is used in Hamlet is a serpent. The serpent, which Hamlet’s father’s ghost refers his uncle to, represents the evil and deceit that the uncle used to get the crown. A serpent, many times in literature, represents something that is secretive, evil, and tempting, just as Lucifer, in the form of a serpent was in the garden of Eden. â€Å"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made† (Genesis 3:1). The ghost of Hamlet’s father says of his uncle, ‘Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forged process of my death Rankly abus’d. But know, thou noble youth, The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown. (Act I, Scene V, ll 35-39). And just as the serpent tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, Hamlet’s uncle tempted his mother and very soon after Hamlet’s father’s death they were married. O wicked wit and gifts, that have the power So to seduce! won to his shameful lust The sill of my most seeming-virtuous queen. (Act I, Scene V, ll 44-46). The king had stolen from him by the â€Å" serpent†, â€Å"by a brother’s hand, of life, of crown, of queen† (ll 74-75). In Shakespeare’s Othello there are many different symbols used throughout the play. One of these symbols is sight. Throughout the play Othello bases his beliefs on what he is told and hears, instead of what he sees. Therefore sight symbolizes Othello’s lack of proof with what he sees, but actually does not see. For example, Othello believes Iago when he tells him that Cassio was given the handkerchief he had given Desdemona, by Desdamona herself. Iago. Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief Spotted with strawberries in your wive’s hand? Oth. I gave her such a one; ‘twas my first gift Iago. I know not that; but such a handkerchief (I am sure it was you wive’s) did I to-day See Cassio wipe his beard with. (Act III, Scene III, ll 435-438). The lack of sight, or blindness is vital to the play, as each character’s confusion bleeds off of one another’s lack of proof. Othello does not see any incriminating actions that Desdemona has committed, and Emilia does not â€Å"figuratively† see what her husband has done with his twisted words and actions. Another symbol in Othello is plants. In many of Iago’s speeches he talks about fruits and plants. What they symbolize is that the characters that Iago is manipulating are plants that are slowly growing more and more twisted, and Iago is the gardener that is making sure that they get more and more twisted and stay that way. Iago. Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners; so that if we will plant nettles or sow lettuce, set hyssop and weed up thyme, supply it with one gender of herbs or distract it with many either to have it sterile with idleness or manured with industry why, the power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills. If the balance of our lives had not one scale of reason to poise another of sensuality, the blood and baseness of our natures would conduct us to most prepost’rous conclusions. (Act I, Scene III, ll 323-334). Iago, through jealousy or some other motive, most manipulates Othello: Iago. The Moor already changes with my poison. Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons Which at the first are scarce found to distaste, But with a little act upon the blood Burn like the mines of sulphur. (Act III, Scene III, ll 325-329). Another symbol used by Iago when he is talking about Othello besides plants is animals. Many times Iago refers to Othello as a Barbary horse, an ass, and an old black ram. These are innuendos Iago uses to make fun of Othello with. It reflects a level of racism that Iago has for Othello. Iago. The Moor is of a free and open nature That thinks men honest that but seem to be so; And will as tenderly be led by th’ nose As asses are. (Act I, Scene III, ll 405-408). Also, when Iago is talking to Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, he refers to Othello: Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe. (Act I, Scene I, ll 88-89). And also: Iago. Zounds, sir, you are one of those that will not serve God if the devil bid you. Because we come to do you service, and you think we are ruffians, you’ll have your daughter cover’d with a Barbary horse; you’ll have your nephews neigh to you; you’ll have coursers for cousins, and gennets for germans I am one, sir, that come to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs. (Act I, Scene I, ll 109-118). One very important symbol in Othello is the handkerchief. It symbolizes different things for each character. For Desdemona, the handkerchief was the first love gift that Othello ever gave her, therefore it symbolizes Othello’s love. However, Iago manipulates the meaning of the handkerchief by making Othello see it as a symbol for Desdemona herself. By doing this, when the handkerchief goes missing Othello takes it as Desdemona is also missing from his bed and is in someone else’s. Oth. That handkerchief Did an Egyptian to my mother give. She was a charmer, and could almost read The thoughts of people. She tole her, while she kept it, ‘Twould make her amiable and subdue my father Entirely to her love, but if she lost it Or made a gift of it, my father’s eye Should hold her loathly, and his spirits should hunt after new fancies. (Act II, Scene IV, ll 55-63). The handkerchief itself symbolizes what Othello’s mother used to keep his father faithful to her. The handkerchief is supposedly made from silk of sacred worms and is dyed with extracted blood from the hearts of mummified virgins. The pattern of strawberries on the handkerchief on the white background suggests that the bloodstains left on the sheets on a virgin’s wedding night, therefore the handkerchief suggests a guarantee of virginity as well as fidelity (Crowther, 47). Another, more subtle symbol is the song that Desdemona sing in act five as she is preparing for bed. The song is about a woman who is betrayed by her lover. She was taught the song by her mother’s maid, who suffered the same misfortune as the woman in the song. The lyrics of the song suggest that both men and women are unfaithful to one another. To Desdemona, this song appears to represent a sad and resigned acceptance of her alienation from Othello’s affections, and singing it leads her to question Emilia about the nature and practice of infidelity. Des. My mother had a maid call’d Barbary. She was in love; and he she lov’d prov’d mad And did forsake her. She had a song of ‘Willow. ’ An old thing ‘twas; but it express’d her fortune, And she died singing it. That song to-night Will not go from my mind. I have much to do But to go hang my head all at one side And sing it like poor Barbary. (Act IV, Scene III, ll 26-32). Another work of Shakespeare’s that contains symbolism is Romeo and Juliet. One main symbol in this play is poison. When Friar Lawrence first appears he remarks that every plant, herb, and stone has its own special properties, and that nothing exists in nature that cannot be put to both good and bad uses. Therefore, poison is not automatically evil, but when put to bad use, it becomes evil in the hands of humans. In plants, herbs, stones, and their true qualities; For naught so vile that on the earth doth live But to the earth some special good doth give; Nor aught so good but, strain’d from that fair use, Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse. Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied, And vice sometime’s by action dignified. Within the infant rind of this small flower Poison hath residence, and medicine power; For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part; Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart. Two such opposed kings encamp them still In man as well as herbs grace and rude will; And where the worser is predominant. Full soon the canker death eats up that plant. (Act II, Scene IV, ll16-30). The sleeping potion that the friar gives Juliet makes her appear dead after she inhales it, however, when Romeo sees Juliet, thinking she is dead, he drinks the poison and is killed. Poison symbolizes society’s tendency to poison good things and make them fatal, just as the Capulet-Montague feud sours Romeo and Juliet’s love into poison. Another use of symbolism in Romeo and Juliet is thumb-biting. This gesture begins a brawl between the Montagues and Capulets. Samson, by flicking his thumbnail from behind his teeth, he shows an insulting gesture, which offends the other party. It is really actually a very juvenile action, and he does it because he wants to interrogate and get into a fight with the Montagues, but at the same time doesn’t want to be accused of starting the fight. Greg. I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list Samp. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it. Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? Samp. I so bite my thumb, sir. Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? Samp. [aside to Gregory] Is the law of our side if I say ay? Greg. [aside to Sampson] No. Samp. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir. (Act I, Scene I, ll 46-58). Because Sampson is being timid, he wants to be annoying, but not challenging. The thumb-biting seems to be a rather meaningless gesture, and represents the entire foolishness of the entire Montague-Capulet feud, and also the stupidity of violence in general. One other symbol in Romeo and Juliet is Queen Mab. In the first act Mercutio delivers a speech about the fairy Queen Mab, who rides through the night on her tiny wagon delivering dreams to sleepers. The story says that she doesn’t generally bring the best dreams, but instead shows the dreamer dreams of vices that they are addicted to. An example would be greed, violence, and lust. Queen Mab does not only represent and symbolize the dreams of sleepers, but she also symbolizes the power of waking fantasies, daydreams, and even desires. Through the imagery of the story Mercutio paints suggests that all desires and fantasies are as nonsensical and fragile as Mab, and that they are also basically corrupting. This point of view greatly contrasts with that of Romeo and Juliet, who see their love as something real and ennobling. O, then I see Queen Mab hath been with you. She is the fairies’ midwife, and she comes In shape no bigger than an agate stone And in this state she gallops night by night Through lovers’ brains, and then they dream of love; O’er courtiers’ knees, that dream on cursies straight; O’er lawyers’ fingers, who straight dream on fees; O’er ladies lips, who straight on kisses dream, Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues, Because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are. Sometimes she gallops o’er a courtier’s nose, And then dreams he of smelling out a suit; And sometime comes she with a tithe-pig’s tail Tickling a parson’s nose as a’ lies asleep, Then dreams he of another benefice. Sometime she driveth o’er a soldier’s neck, And the dreams he of cutting foreign throuats, Of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades, Of healths five fadom deep; and then anon Drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes, And being thus frighted, swears a prayer or two And sleeps again. This is that very Mab That plats the manes of horses in the night And bakes the elflocks in foul sluttish hairs, Which once untangled much misfortune bodes. This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs, That presses them and learns them first to bear, Making them women of good carriage. This is she (Act I, Scene IV, ll 53-54 and ll 70-94). The symbolism described in this paper from William Shakespeare’s plays Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet are just examples of how Shakespeare uses symbolism throughout his works. While other literary techniques, such as imagery and diction, play an important role in Shakespeare’s works, symbolism plays just as great, if not a greater role in his pieces. Many times the symbols that Shakespeare used carried a theme throughout the entire work, and also, many times served as foreshadowing. Shakespeare’s life, time period in which he lived, messages he wished to portray to his audience, and people he wished to satirize all were sources in which Shakespeare derived his symbolism in his works from. Aronson, Alex. Psyche and Symbol in Shakespeare. Bloomington, London: Indiana University Press, 1972. Arthos, John. Shakespeare’s Use of Dream and Vision. Totowa, New Jeresey: Rowman and Littlefield, 1977. Faber, M. D. The Design Within, Psychoanalytic Approaches to Shakespeare. New York: Science House, 1970. The Holy Bible, Revised New International Version. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994. Kittredge, George Lyman. Sixteen Plays of Shakespeare. Boston; New York; Chicago; Atlanta; Dallas; Columbus; San Francisco; Toronto; London: Ginn and Company, 1946 Ludowyk, E. F. C. Understanding Shakespeare. Cambridge: At The University Press, 1964. May, Robin. Who was Shakespeare? The Man The Times The Works. New York: St. Martin’s, 1974. Matthews, Honor. Character Symbol in Shakespeare’s Plays. Cambridge: At the University Press, 1962. Rowse, A. L. Shakespeare the Man. New York; Evanston; San Francisco; London: Harper Row, Publishers, 1973. Rogers, L. W. The Ghosts In Shakespeare. Wheaton, Illinois: The Theosophical Press, 1966.

Comment Etiquette

Comment Etiquette Comment Etiquette Comment Etiquette By Maeve Maddox Paul Krugman, in his capacity of Op-Ed columnist for the New York Times, recently felt the need to remind his readers to stay on topic when commenting on his posts. The admonition to stay on topic is found in every article on the subject of web comment etiquette. etiquette: the customary code of polite behavior in society; good manners. â€Å"Stay on topic† is one of the five basic rules offered by the editors at WordPress.com: 1. Be specific. 2. Don’t leave a link. 3. Stay on topic. 4. Be nice. 5. Keep it brief. In Online Community Management for Dummies, Deborah Ng offers a longer list of rules; â€Å"stay on topic† is in there, as are these two useful recommendations: Practice respectful disagreement, not personal attacks. Be brief and don’t turn every comment into your own personal blog post. In her article â€Å"Are You a Blog Hog?†, blogging coach Molly Greene gives this definition of a â€Å"blog hog†: You might be a blog hog if you hijack someone else’s blog and use your comment to toot your own horn, discuss your accomplishments ad infinitum without being asked, hog the thread, dominate the conversation vs. join it, or take it upon yourself to jump in and reply to every question or comment other visitors make. She follows this definition with specific remedies for bloghogitis. Two of her recommendations are to tailor comment length to the type of post being responded to, and to avoid turning the comment into a lengthy rewrite of what the author of the blog has already written. Although the term â€Å"blog hog† isn’t used, Leigh Alexander seems to be describing one in an article about the kinds of comment people leave: The Person Who Wants To Talk About Something Else Entirely. This individual typically devotes several paragraphs to a personal anecdote tangentially related to a sentence or two in the article. They seem oblivious to the fact that they are spiraling off into their own universe. Readers’ comments are a valuable addition to a blog. The most appreciated comments are the good-natured ones that focus on the post topic. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and ToesTelling a Good Poem from a Bad One13 Theatrical Terms in Popular Usage