Islamic cultures Essay Example for Free

Islamic cultures Essay 1.   Islamic cultures in the European Middle Ages were comparably more advanced and better than the Christianity.   Islamic cities in the Middle Ages were thriving and became the centers of trade and economy. Islamic merchants bought and sold goods from across Africa, Asia and Europe.   New technologies such as windmill, block printing as well as new methods of weaving, which were developed in China were brought to Europe by Islamic merchants. Moreover, Islamic cultures during this period were considered mixed and multi-ethnic as it borrowed from the cultures of the people that Muslims conquered or interacted during trading.    Greek works by early scientists and mathematicians were interpreted into Arabic and used by Islamic Arabs.   Islamic cities also became centers for art and learning. Since Islamic society during the Middle Ages valued scholarship Islamic cities became major sites of major libraries and scholarships. 2.   Europe provided a route and area for Islamic culture to flourish. In terms of trade, Europe provided the Islamic empires with raw materials while Asia became the center of trade and commerce.   Europe also became an avenue of the both Islam and Christianity.   Initially, Islam swept mostly all throughout Asia and Europe on the other hand was mainly dominated by Christianity.   But eventually, Islam conquered Europe as well which led to the conversion of many parts of Europe into Islam particularly Spain.   Islamic Europe were also comparable far more superior to those among European Christians, and Islamic cultures were responsible for bringing Asian innovations into Europe.

Jay Gatsby as Tragic Hero of Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby Essay

Jay Gatsby as Tragic Hero of Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby According to Aristotle, there are a number of characteristics that identify a tragic hero: he must cause his own downfall; his fate is not deserved, and his punishment exceeds the crime; he also must be of noble stature and have greatness. These are all characteristics of Jay Gatsby, the main character of Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby.   Jay Gatsby is a tragic hero according to Aristotle's definition.  Ã‚   Jay Gatsby is an enormously rich man, and in the flashy years of the jazz age, wealth defined importance. Gatsby has endless wealth, power and influence but never uses material objects selfishly. Everything he owns exists only to attain his vision. Nick feels "inclined to reserve all judgements" (1), but despite his disapproval of Gatsby's vulgarity, Nick respects him for the strength and unselfishness of his idealism. Gatsby is a romantic dreamer who wishes to fulfill his ideal by gaining wealth in hopes of impressing and eventually winning the heart of the materialistic, superficial Daisy. She is, however, completely undeserving of his worship.  Ã‚   "Then it had been merely the stars to which he had aspired on that June night. He came alive to me, delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendor" (79). Nick realizes Gatsby's estate, parties, shirts and other seemingly "purposeless" possessions are not purposeless. Everything Gatsby does, every move he makes and every decision he conceives is for a reason. He wants to achieve his ideal, Daisy. Gatsby's "purposeless splendor" is all for the woman he loves and wishes to represent his ideal. Furthermore, Gatsby believes he can win his woman with riches, and that his woman can achieve the ideal she sta... ...w World" (182). Gatsby's vision corresponds to that of the explorers who discover the promise of the New World.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gatsby is a man of extreme capabilities but he fails to see the inevitability of his vision's failure, and in his inability to see this, he keeps trying to attain it. He does everything in his power to accomplish this vision, until his death. Daisy indirectly causes Gatsby's death, making her more than ever, unworthy of Gatsby's affections. Ironically, Gatsby lived for Daisy and up to his death, believed and had faith in her and his vision. Works Cited Dillon, Andrew. "The Great Gatsby: The Vitality of Illusion." The Arizona Quarterly 44 Spr. 1988: 49-61. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1992. Irwin, John T. "Compensating Visions: The Great Gatsby." Southwest Review 77 Autumn 1992: 536-545. Jay Gatsby as Tragic Hero of Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby Essay Jay Gatsby as Tragic Hero of Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby According to Aristotle, there are a number of characteristics that identify a tragic hero: he must cause his own downfall; his fate is not deserved, and his punishment exceeds the crime; he also must be of noble stature and have greatness. These are all characteristics of Jay Gatsby, the main character of Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby.   Jay Gatsby is a tragic hero according to Aristotle's definition.  Ã‚   Jay Gatsby is an enormously rich man, and in the flashy years of the jazz age, wealth defined importance. Gatsby has endless wealth, power and influence but never uses material objects selfishly. Everything he owns exists only to attain his vision. Nick feels "inclined to reserve all judgements" (1), but despite his disapproval of Gatsby's vulgarity, Nick respects him for the strength and unselfishness of his idealism. Gatsby is a romantic dreamer who wishes to fulfill his ideal by gaining wealth in hopes of impressing and eventually winning the heart of the materialistic, superficial Daisy. She is, however, completely undeserving of his worship.  Ã‚   "Then it had been merely the stars to which he had aspired on that June night. He came alive to me, delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendor" (79). Nick realizes Gatsby's estate, parties, shirts and other seemingly "purposeless" possessions are not purposeless. Everything Gatsby does, every move he makes and every decision he conceives is for a reason. He wants to achieve his ideal, Daisy. Gatsby's "purposeless splendor" is all for the woman he loves and wishes to represent his ideal. Furthermore, Gatsby believes he can win his woman with riches, and that his woman can achieve the ideal she sta... ...w World" (182). Gatsby's vision corresponds to that of the explorers who discover the promise of the New World.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gatsby is a man of extreme capabilities but he fails to see the inevitability of his vision's failure, and in his inability to see this, he keeps trying to attain it. He does everything in his power to accomplish this vision, until his death. Daisy indirectly causes Gatsby's death, making her more than ever, unworthy of Gatsby's affections. Ironically, Gatsby lived for Daisy and up to his death, believed and had faith in her and his vision. Works Cited Dillon, Andrew. "The Great Gatsby: The Vitality of Illusion." The Arizona Quarterly 44 Spr. 1988: 49-61. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1992. Irwin, John T. "Compensating Visions: The Great Gatsby." Southwest Review 77 Autumn 1992: 536-545.

Smokey Joes Cafe and Away

The concept of journey exceeds beyond physically traveling, as the traveller encompasses an emotional and intellectual journey along the way. These journeys are a process in which the traveller grows and changes in response to extending themselves out of their comfort zones and overcoming the struggle with themselves, each other and with nature. The play ‘Away’, composed by Michael Gow through the use of dramatic techniques and the novel ‘Smokey Joe’s Cafe through language techniques have both demonstrated how physical Journeys impacts on the travellers inner growth. Away’, set in the late 1960’s reflects the Australian events and situations at that time. These shape the attitudes and behaviour of the characters Gow uses, it strengthens Australia’s historical context for the audience. There is a cyclical structure Nature is a symbolic theme that sharpens ‘Away’ physical setting. Gow significantly sets the play over the Chris tmas holidays, portraying three ordinary yet contrasting families that are eventually drawn together by the power of nature. This time of year symbolises the birth of Christ that contradicts the imminent death of Tom.His approaching imminent death of Tom. Tom’s approaching death heals the characters, as they become linked to the natural cycle, we are born to die. â€Å"Give me your hands if we be friends, and Robin shall restore Amends. ‘ ( Act 1, Sc 1) This signifies the beginning journey of reconciliation and acceptance through use of intertextuality. Gow has made cross reference with Shakespeare. Tom’s role as Puck, infiltrated from a ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’, encapsulates his significance in the overall play.Puck’s power to restore and heal alludes and soaks into Tom’s character as his awareness of both life and death become the base of power for a catalyst change in others. Tom’s ability to transform Coral and inspi re his parents is expressed through the play within a play. ‘Stranger on the shore† Tom’s deep sense of his own mortality is life giving to others, he expresses impending death and his capacity to care for other’s lifts coral from her darkness. â€Å"I’m walking, I’m walking, I’m walking. symbolis for Corals renewal in her emotional journey, while Repetition of walking reinforces she is back to reality The plant â€Å"Coral† symbolizes a lifeless skeleton that is fragile and easy to break, just like the character in â€Å"Away†. Coral undergoes a vast transformation through the physical journey, from being repressed because of her son’s death to finally accepting that he is gone. Coral – her emotional recovery is profound. She symbolically and emotionally ‘returns from the dead’. She has been away from herself since the death of her son and has been unable to deal in the real world effectively.T he physical journey she undertakes to the beach is a metaphor for her emotional journey to recovery of self and ability to ‘walk’ in the world of the living. Physical setting – Earth; place of respite and rest Beach allows for cleansing, harmony Water: through both sea and storm, emphasises idea of change as its dark and has unknown depths, yet can also be life giving. Air evokes destruction through Bonfire: Ancient symbol of life. Its warmth draws those characters, who have been renewed, it confirms the redemption they have achieved.And the insight enveloped around each character portraying their inner growth.. Similarly in ‘Smokey Joe’s cafe, Bryce has used historical information on the Vietnam war to create his characters and setting to enable a more appealing and indulgent recite for the reader. Courtenay has used the power of nature throughout the Vietnam veteran’s journey, fathomed most in the Vietnam jungle. The jungles landscape became secondary growth with, bamboo everywhere, all of it tangled and dense and hard to see or move through. â€Å"The bloody jungle was the enemy as much as the Viet Cong (pg. ) Thommo says this highlighting the soldier’s physical journey that overcame the difficult obstacles and level of areas they were subjected to. Nature’s demolition lead to the motive of Agent Orange, a main issue manufactured for Vietnams â€Å"(pg. 7) . They sprayed it in our tents, in our weapon pits, in our kitchens and mess halls and in our latrines. It would be on our plates we ate off and the cups we drank off. † Courtenay introduces Thommo fand the soldiers to recount,- flashbacks†¦ The start of the physical journey â€Å"That’s what it was; a big hole with hills called Yama’s surrounding it, filled with water that might as well have been shit.It felt like shit. Tasted like shit and smelled like shit, when you fell into it, it stuck to you like shit sticks to a blan ket. † (pg 70) Preparation for the jungle (Still in Australia) highlights the beginning of change, and growth the soldiers will experience†¦ The use of repetition, simile, colloquialism, introducing†¦ â€Å"Crackle-pop-crackle-pop-pop-pop† â€Å"Putta putta putta putta† (Page 3) Onomatopoeia has been used to echo the firing of an AK47, and the ‘dust off blades of an emerging helicopter picking up the wounded’.The sounds give a sense of battle while Thommo describes it from a nightmare that is recounted from the past events of Long Tan; it establishes the hardship Thommo goes through, finding it difficult to settle back into society. All of these paragraphs Don’t link or refer back to question It didn’t help that Australia treated them like a bunch of mercenaries guilty of war crimes. â€Å"You killed children! †(Pg43) Angela, a local says this to Spags showing her disapproval and resentment for him.It establishes the ho stility and non-acceptance society felt towards the soldiers, their lack of understanding, going by the distorted media, regarded them not as heroes, but pure murderers. Societies attitude towards the war created diversity between the vets and the community â€Å"It seems the real heroes were the nice little boys and girls who marched in the Anti- Vietnam rallies chanting slogans, waving the Viet Cong flag and passing a joint around while the cops looked on. † (Pg. 10). This shows Thommo and the soldiers are filled with fury and irritation for the people and Government.

The Country Of 8958 Square Miles Essay - 1536 Words

The country of Djibouti is a small country of 8,958 square miles and about 740,000 people. It is located in the north eastern part of Africa between Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The people of the country came across the red sea from the middle east; it is predicted they came over in about 3 B.C. They were introduced to the religion of Islam almost 1,000 years later; becoming the first country in Africa to adopt Islam. In 1884 the French made Djibouti a French colony. After years of conflict and dealing with bordering country invaders it gained independence and became a Republic with a one party rule in 1981. Because it is a republic, like the United Staes, they have a three branch system of government. The economy is stable, however the poverty rate is very high at 42%. The Djiboutian culture is very unique in the sense that no country has the same history and unique mix of diversity that intermixes so well. Because of the long amounts of time the French and Arabs occupied the land the culture is primary reflected through these influences. Somalian and Ethiopians make up a large portion of the population in todays society. A large part of the country speaks Somali and Afar, even tough the official languages are Arabic and French. The variety of language is important because most people make a living in port yards. Because the country is so close to the equator the land is mostly desert with constant dry heat and is not able to be farmedShow MoreRelatedThe Birth of Heroes and the Rise of Filipino Nationalism12139 Words   |  49 Pagesold and emergent forces is becoming more likely. This is a period where the old order is gradually being defeated, unknowingly, that is. A thick black smoke rises in Manila, capital of the Spanish regime in Asia. The smoke can be seen almost a mile away. For someone unfamiliar with how things are, these columns of smoke may mean war or another pirate attack against the city. The putrid smell of the fumes belies a far deeper reason for this conflagration. The year was November 30, 1645, feast