Odysseus One of the Greatest Epic Heroes Essay Example For Students

Odysseus One of the Greatest Epic Heroes Essay An epic encompasses many unique qualities of which are both consistent and concurrent with the authors style and manner of writing. Homers The Odyssey is a prime example of an epic with a well-developed epic hero. In this case, the hero is the epics namesake, Odysseus. Odysseus is undoubtedly the hero of this great epic; however, some have posed doubts as to whether he is deserving of such a noble and eminent title. Odysseus has the poorest fortune and throughout his journey he encounters many dangers and much evil; all of which he overcomes with bravery and wisdom. At the beginning of his journey, Odysseus finds himself stranded on the island of Ogygia with the mystical and beautiful nymph Calypso. On the island, Calypso holds Odysseus captive for many years and presents him with much temptation. She loves him possessively and wills him to stay with her and gain immortality. Odysseus knows he has a family and an entire empire awaiting him in Ithaca and resists the temptations of Calypso, much to her dismay. Zeus then sends Hermes to order Calypso to set Odysseus free. Tell to the fair0haired nymph our steadfast purpose, that hardy Odysseus shall go forth upon his homeward way, not with gods guidance nor with that of mortal man; but by himself, beset with sorrows, on a strong-built raft 46. Odysseus patience and moral strength gain him favor with Zeus and freedom from captivity. Like many epic heroes, Odysseus is not perfect. However, he does strive toward perfection. He encounters many different cultures and people along his journey. Some, like the Phaeacians, show him great hospitality. Others however make attempts on his life and the lives of his family. Through interacting with these people and the experiences they offer, Odysseus gains much knowledge of the world and of other cultures. He is able to better himself and attain wisdom that will aid him on his journey and when he returns home. By this, Odysseus shows respect and integrity, two important characteristics of an epic hero. Odysseus also restores his reputation after the suitors have ravaged his home in an attempt to destroy his good name and his family. Disguised as a lowly beggar, Odysseus enters an archery contest with the other suitors for Penelopes hand, and wins effortlessly. Then, with the help of Telemachus, Odysseus successfully kills every suitor. He is reunited with his family and is restored his kingdom. Odysseus is not only deserving of the title epic hero, he also deserves a place among the greatest heroes of all time. Odysseus proved his worth repeatedly, overcame great obstacles and won the favor of many people and gods. His honor and reputation inspire others to walk in his footsteps. Odysseus is deserving of the honorable title, `epic hero.

Why Tufts Essay Samples Can Help Students Get A High GPA

Why Tufts Essay Samples Can Help Students Get A High GPATufts University is known for providing excellent academics, good job prospects and diversity in the area of degrees and courses it offers. Tufts essay samples are a great source for writing students.The essays that Tufts essay samples provide are comprehensive in terms of instruction. In addition, it provides excellent assistance for writing one's college papers.Writing the essay can be done in a multiple-choice format. It will include essay topics and key points such as personal preference and personality. Key points that will be written on the essays are also very simple to write and easy to review.It is important to note that many of the essay samples provided by Tufts do not utilize any grammar or spelling errors. It is important that students understand and adhere to certain guidelines and standards when writing their essay. Students will find some essay samples through online sources.Tufts essay samples are especially use ful for writing students who may be unfamiliar with the areas of studies taught at Tufts. The essay samples will help to familiarize the student with some of the common activities that take place within the campus and how students get acquainted with the different departments, programs and services offered by Tufts. They will also help to introduce the writer to the area of study that is being written about in the essay.For students who do not have a lot of time to write an essay, they can benefit from the use of essay samples. It allows them to write more quickly and to learn what to include in their essays without having to worry about running out of time. Additionally, they will also get valuable information about how to structure their essays and which of the essay formats they should employ.One of the best parts about the essay samples offered by Tufts is that they provide useful tips and advice on how to use the various forms of writing. Many students find it very helpful for their college essays and writing assignments.Students who are interested in earning a high GPA at Tufts should learn how to write great essays. Essay samples provided by Tufts are very helpful to assist students with the same. The samples are written in a very short time frame and are very helpful to students who are struggling with their college essay writing assignments.

Empowerment And Participation Essays - Human Resource Management

Empowerment And Participation Empowerment and Participation It is interesting how the word communication can change life at home and at work. When everyone is aware of what is going on around him or her, they can function better. What a concept! All of the readings I have done taught communicating is the key. We read about ridding the stigma of upper management, getting their hands dirty, understanding their position, and why it is important to the rest of the company. This chapter takes it one step further and says talk about the company finances as well. It is important for employees to understand the business in its entirety. That includes the finances of the job. All of the readings in this chapter had something to offer. I feel taking a bit from each will provide a work place of splendor. Finances include a variety of things: From hiring a new employee to purchasing a new tool to make the job easier. It is those decisions we make which can make difference of saving, spending and making money. It is these decisions that can make or break a company. The old school tells us not to share finances with anyone else in the company but those directly on top. The new school is saying that this philosophy is all wrong. If one want an employee to do the best he or she can do, and feel important, give them the company information. Let all the employees know what role they play. Allow them to make decisions that will make their job easier. As implied before, who betters know the job than the employee performing the job? The reading, Zapp! The Lightening of Empowerment suggests managers help their employees take ownership of their jobs. This requires trust, listening to the workers, and giving feedback. The novel concept here is to treat people like humans. Like any relationship, one needs these qualities to survive. If one gives positive reinforcements people tend to respect them. Employers hire people everyday with the hopes and trust they will do their job. But when people do not understand the role they really play in the company, they may not give their full effort. Hence, we have Saps, people who lack the main ingredients of relationships discussed earlier. We must let the employees know we trust them to make good positive decisions. Give them the empowerment by letting them know they are valued, and commending them on jobs well done. Open Book Management suggests we share our finances with the other employees no matter what their status, and give them a stake in the company. After all, this is a good suggestion, why work if one can't reap the benefits of their work? It also suggests that many employees are business illiterate, and if we want them to understand business we need to teach it to them. In conclusion, all of the readings I have done so far make management more then just problem solvers. They have become part of the problem. To solve their own problems managers need to be teachers, coaches, and a wealth of knowledge to be shared. Businesses need to be a team, and to this they need to share every aspect of the team. When the business succeeds all should have a share in the profit, and when it fails all are responsible. Bibliography Pierce, Jon L. John W. Newstrom. The Manager's Bookshelf. 5th ed. Prenticw Hall: 2000, 1996.129-173.

Internet Marketing for Automobiles essays

Internet Marketing for Automobiles essays In society today, the Internet is a fabulous tool for automobile companies to inform the public about their products. In addition, the Internet serves the consumer, allowing potential customers to research various vehicles they are considering. By bringing customers in through Internet-generated sales leads, the dealers are also able to lower their customer acquisition costs. Above all, the Internet is about the proficient distribution of information. The Internet is used to price vehicles, review cars, check for recall notices and safety standards, as well as to check what a dealer may have in his or her inventory. Within a short time, and with a small amount of effort, the car purchaser can become well informed about all aspects of his or her purchase decision (Keller, Car purchasers in today's market are a vast and varying breed of consumer. According to NFO WorldGroup, one of the leading providers of research-based marketing, car buyers can be segmented into six basic groups. "Status buyers" are those who purchase a specific type of car to show success or gain self-confidence. "Utility buyers" are those motivated to purchase a car simply for transportation. "Adventure buyers" seek freedom and adventure. "Family buyers" are those who purchase a vehicle to aid in the ease of transportation for family, as well as those who purchase a vehicle with their family in mind. "Belonging buyers" purchase cars that allow them to fit into society. Finally, "Attraction buyers" purchase vehicles that attract attention to themselves (NFO WorldGroup, 2003). Among these various types of buyers, there are also external considerations when purchasing a vehicle. While one vehicle may appeal to a certain section of the population based on economical factors, that same vehicle may not appeal to those who see the vehicle as bad for the environment, or bad for current politic...

Supply Chain Management - Benchmarking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Supply Chain Management - Benchmarking - Essay Example Coca-Cola Amatil Company (CCA) is the largest soft drink bottler in Australia. Its headquarters is at Sydney and it supplies to a host of countries in the Asia-Pacific region. In Australia, where it has a 60 percent share of the soft drink market, Coca-Cola Amatil has eight manufacturing and more than 70 distribution sites, each with different products and distribution requirements. It requires several suppliers across many countries to supply various products that go into manufacture of its soft drinks and juices. The presentation covers the need and importance of Supply Chain Management (SCM) for the company. Purchase is the foundation of making an effective Supply Chain. A good purchase will often result in better margins. Organizations have specialist purchase departments. They are informed of the requirements and in turn they organize purchases according to previously laid down policies of the organization or company. Larger organization may have more than one purchasers or even a group of people making purchase decisions. Since there are individuals who finally make decisions their judgment, whether individually or in groups, are influenced by the environment they work in. Kohli (1989) proposed that influence is a function of personal resources or power. Every person has a demographic background that largely consists of his personal resources comprising mainly of ethics and education. His decision is influence by these. The status hierarchy determines the level of power but that can be moderated by the influence of the size, similarity and cohesiveness of the group he works in and th e risk, time and pressure of the situation. These factors when combined influence behaviour in purchase decisions. Sheth (1973) maintains that the psychological world of the decision makers affects purchasing behaviour. This will include the special

Human Resource Management Models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Resource Management Models - Essay Example The soft approach appears to be the better option considering the human ability to change and adapt, but as we will see, it cannot be used alone to manage human resources. We need to integrate approaches and find a multidisciplinary approach to dealing with people. How much of people management depends on theory and how much cannot be measured "In theory, practice and in the workplace experience, though people appear to be of central concern, the rich, warm, unpredictable face of humanity are all too clearly absent." Perhaps the most difficult question to answer is whether people are better lead or managed. Do people respond better when encouraged by a leader or when they are managed To begin with, it is necessary to understand what human resource management is and how it works. Every business runs on resources and the one resource that it cannot function without, is its staff. Human resource management is therefore about getting the most out of staff members (Human Resource Management Guide). Human resource management also, however, includes deciding which individuals are better suited to which position as well as conducting sufficient research to determine the best placement of individuals (McNamara 2008). We can now determine what has to be done with regards to human resource management, but there are two ways of going about this: we can either look at the humanistic approach or at the objective 'hard' approach. ... Two schools of thought were developed with hard and soft theories in mind: Harvard and Michigan. Harvard follows the soft model more closely while Michigan is based on the soft model. The normative model seeks to consolidate both the strategic management of the business as well as the interpretive model which is considered soft (Gill: 3). The problem here is that according to Gill (1999) "there are problems in the integration of HRM policy with business strategy and evidence indicates that HRM is more ad hoc than strategic."(Gill 1999: 3). In this case, one cannot assume that what is good for he business is necessarily good for the employee (Gill 1999: 3). The hard model would therefore focus on the employee as a resource, assuming that whatever causes the business to soar, will automatically uplift the employee (Gill 1999: 4). The intuitive problem is that humans are not controllable and they are not constant. Human's cannot be 'paid off' or compensated with more pay without regarding emotions or feelings even though this is a simple solution to a complex issue. In Gill and Meyer (2007) it was ascertained that outsourcing of certain business portions yielded dramatic results (Gill and Meyer 2007: 4). These results were not necessarily good ones, in the sense that businesses no longer had to employ people to do the jobs they could outsource, leading to job-losses and retrenchment. Despite this, there has to be an increase in individual 'soft' model relationships with employees if the employee numbers are smaller (Gill and Meyer 2007: 4-5). According to Gill and Meyer too, human resource management has to "manage the simultaneous pursu it of soft and

The Importance of National Belonging in the Development of Nation States Essay Example for Free

The Importance of National Belonging in the Development of Nation States Essay Prior to the late 19th Century Europe consisted of many small states that lacked a sense of unity. The sentiment stirred up in the wake of the French Revolution; the idea of a sovereign people with natural rights and equality appeared attractive to many of these nations. Around this time Europe saw the emergence of Nation States encompassing a people who had a shared history, culture, language, religion and beliefs. How important this sense of national belonging was is something we shall explore by looking at events in such places as Germany, Italy and France. We will decide whether it was patriotism or other factors such as warfare and the rise of industry which had the biggest parts to play on the European stage. Above we have just described the common factors which contribute to making a nation; find one territory with specific boundaries and borders and fill it with these people and you would in theory have made a nation state. However the idea of national belonging is not quite so black and white, nor so easy an idea to prove. Ernest Renan, a noted theologian seemed to realise that rules about having a shared language or shared religion were simply not realistic when taking into account minority communities and religious toleration. Instead Renan makes allowances that in some areas factors such as these would be contributory but actually in his words ‘A nation is therefore a vast solidarity, constituted by the feeling of sacrifice one has made in the past and of those that one is prepared to make in the future. Renan continues stating that it is ‘the clearly expressed desire to pursue a common life. ’ This swing towards nationalism was sparked in part by the cultural movement which followed the Enlightenment period and was known as Romanticism. An era when poetry, music and art were increasingly used to influence the nation, the movement supported ideas such as the importance of national pride giving precedence to ‘senses and emotion over reason and intellect. German artist Caspar David Friedrich captured this sentiment in his painting The Oak Tree in Snow which depicted a barren tree with new life springing from the roots symbolising a lost past with the promise of future new growth. This was particularly poignant as the Oak Tree was a symbol for German national sentiment. Similarly in Italy the poet Ugo Foscolo wrote ‘How thou art humiliated by foreigners who have the presumption to seek to master thee! But who can depict thee better than he who is destined to see hy beauty all his life long? ’ Foscolo’s argued that tourists could not appreciate the greatness of his country, only those who could share in its history can take possession of the pride that accompanies the honour of being Italian. These two examples are interesting because at the time of their publication no Germany or Italy as we know them today yet existed so this at least proves that in the minds of those living by Romanticism values at least thought that national sentiment was desperately important. In addition to the evidence of Romanticism championing the unification cause Germany and Italy shared some other similarities. Firstly, and perhaps most obviously we can tell from studying a ‘before and after’ map. In 1815 Italy was a collection of many smaller states some of which we know were controlled by the Austrian empire and Germany is a jigsaw of German speaking states. However by 1914 clear boundaries had been drawn and both territories are much more obviously defined. Also both countries contained several nationalist activist groups, some public, some as secret societies who all had the same aim of achieving unity but for different reasons and with variations on the end result. In Italy the strength of opinion was such that some organisations were willing to use violence such as in the case of the Carbonari group who proclaimed ‘He alone is worthy of life who loves his country’. Revolutionary group Young Italy was also key in generating public support for the Risorgimento (Resurrection) nationalists. Germany also contained these pressure groups and parties from both countries took part in the rebellions of 1848 and while both had some success, yet another similarity is that both were eventually beaten back in Italy by Austrian intervention and in Germany by the Prussian King Frederick William IV. The revolutions swept across much of Europe leaving thousands dead in the name of unification. This however does not necessarily mean that it was patriotism or an unqualified sense of national belonging that drove them. Other considerations included for businessmen policies for reviving trade, students were concerned about poor job prospects and a lack of social status and peasants wanted an end to the last vestiges remaining of the medieval feudal system. For the peasants at least it is most likely this was their sole motivation as the concept of nationalism would have meant little to them in their daily struggle to feed and clothe their families. Both Germany and Italy appeared to be committed to unification and key figures helped to bring this about. In Germany Gottfried Herder significantly influenced public opinion with his philosophical ideas about human nature. Herder placed huge importance on national language ‘Has a people anything dearer than the speech of its fathers? ’ He goes on to say that the culture of a people ‘thrives only by means of the nation’s inherited and inheritable dialect. ’ This idea is so fundamental to Herder’s beliefs that he says ‘no greater injury can be inflicted on a nation than to be robbed of her national character, the peculiarity of her spirit and her language’. Herder however gives little consequence to the political aspects and it is possible therefore that the changes which inevitably took place in Germany were not due to his romanticism based contributions but this does tell us how strongly he felt about the importance of national sentiment. In Italy it was figures such as Count Camillo di Cavour who propelled the unification forward but his motives were much different from that of Herder. Cavour conspired with Napoleon III of France against the Austrians which resulted in several territories becoming part of Sardinia where Cavour happened to be Prime Minister. Giuseppe Garibaldi was a respected military commander throughout this period of war whose notable success was motivated by his vision of a united Italy. Unification of both countries was hardly plain sailing and problems arose for various reasons. Italy perhaps suffered because the reason for the unification had been more political than sentimental. Massimo d’Azeglio, a pro nationalist is believed to have said ‘We have made Italy, now we have to make Italians. ’ The death of Camillo di Cavour regardless of his motives was described as ‘the architect of national unity’ and his death in 1861 was a definitive blow to the cause. Germany’s problems centralized around regional rivalries with people confused as to whether they first belonged to their region or their country, this was certainly the case with some Bavarians. It has commonly been supposed that all of the events leading to unification of countries such as Germany and Italy and the revolutions that shook Europe were triggered in France by the revolution of 1789-1799 as can be seen in this statement; ‘The French Revolution completed the nation which became one and indivisible’. Many in France had sought an end to an absolute monarchy and what was deemed an autocratic domination by the French government. Instead they hoped for a shift towards modernity where all men would be equal under the law and have no special privileges simply because one happened to be born aristocratic or have an elitist position in society. The end of feudalism and the ‘ancien’ (old) regime gave way to new ideas summarised once more by Ernest Renan ‘It is France’s glory to have proclaimed, through the French Revolution, that a nation exists by itself The principle of nationhood is ours’. It would be reasonable then to suppose that France had enjoyed great success in providing a patriotic example that other countries hoped to follow and yet once again we find resistance and also some contradictions. While some supported unity for political reasons such as in the case of the Leon Gambetta, a French statesman who supported republicanism, he said in a letter to the leader of the Breton armed forces in 1870 ‘I beg you to forget that you are Bretons, and to remember only that you are French. While a novelist later in 1884 remarked ‘the word patrie signifies nothing and stirs nothing. It exists no more in local speech than in local hearts. ’ It is hard to assimilate all the opinions and motivations for why the French either supported or rejected the idea of national belonging but it does seem that the more urbanised areas, under the direction of intellectuals, students and politicians for their own agendas were more in favour of being ‘Frenchmen’ than those who resided in more isolated, rural communities occupied mostly by peasant farmers who wanted peace not war. Peasant farmers in particular were to suffer greatly when we consider how the rise of industry commonly termed as the industrial revolution were to affect national feelings. While the ending of feudalism had allowed some peasantry to buy small patches of land, for others, some who were affected by the enclosure laws could find themselves as landless labourers unable to grow their food or gather fuel from common land. In Britain the Chartism movement of 1839 sought to represent all workers who found themselves in a piteous position uniting opinion against social injustice. We are bowed down under a load of taxes our traders are trembling on the verge of bankruptcy, our workmen are starving, capital brings no profit and labour no remuneration. ’ Chartists and their Parisian counter parts the Artisans identified themselves as socialists. Obviously this was a time of great economic change and awareness of class distinctions at the time of the industrial boom was growing. Karl Marx was a German radical whose notion of Socialism was closely linked to that of Communism which he and his colleague Frederick Engels was active in promoting. Marx was particularly concerned about the struggle of society with relevance to these class distinctions. He highlighted in his ‘The Communist Manifesto’ ‘The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles’ Marx states that the working class (proletariat) and the new middle class (bourgeoisie) are fighting these ‘class struggles’ over the means of production. He claims that the bourgeoisie exploits the proletariat and was motivated by ‘naked self-interest. He goes on to say however that the lower bourgeoisie class will also suffer as the higher middle class overtake them too. ‘Partly because their diminutive capital does not suffice for the scale on which modern industry is carried on their specialised skill is rendered worthless by new methods of production. ’ Marx’s conclusion being that eventually the middle classes and the working class would find themselves in much the same situation and have more in common. This therefore was the significant factor pointing towards nationalism and not the sense of national belonging or sentiment itself. Having considered the factors which were successful in bringing about unification it appears that political reasons had the greater impact. Cavour enjoyed success in Italy through negotiations which involved war and gaining new territory. Herder in Germany relied on sentimental and romanticism theories but Germany encountered difficulties in rallying the nation who were confused about their regional or national identity. Educated French sectors of society were enthusiastic but failed to significantly influence the peasantry while radicals like Marx renounced any importance of the idea of national belonging. Still it is impossible to ignore that there were many individuals such as Foscolo, Friedrich and Garibaldi who shared a united vision of a united country but it is unlikely that their sense of national belonging was the major significant factor in the development of nation states.