Why are house prices in UK subect to large cyclical variations Essay

Why are house prices in UK subect to large cyclical variations (750words) - Essay Example Normally, the fluctuations in housing prices are related with economic activity. When economic activity heats up in any economy, the real estate sector start to respond to this change also by showing a tendency to adjust prices upwardly however, when the economic activity slows down the housing cycle start to show greater variations too with prices of most of the housing units started to decline. However, what is also important is the fact that numerous research studies also suggested that the increase in pricing of housing   units is also linked with the location of the housing units. The so called momentum and reversion of the cycle of housing prices is therefore not only linked with the economic activity but also with the location of the housing units.(Capozza et .al. 2002). As discussed above that one of the main reasons for increase in the cyclical patterns of housing prices is related with the economic activity therefore in order to clearly assess the cyclicality of housing prices, it is of great importance that the impact of economic activity on housing prices shall be studied first. When economic activity picks up with lesser inflationary pressures, the real income of the households increase therefore there is always a general increase in the disposable income of individuals. With the increase in income levels, the standards of life increase also and people start to prefer more luxurious housing than their current housing therefore the general increase in demand for housing units increase thus putting pressures on prices to increase. However, when the economic activity slows down and due to inflationary pressures or other economic variables, the decrease in income level put downward pressures on the prices. UKs economic performance, over the period of time, has considerably improved. UKs real GDP increased, on average, by

The luggage holder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The luggage holder - Essay Example Very little energy is used by the luggage holder and its applications. In addition, the luggage holder is manually operated, so it does not use any energy other than human effort. Since it requires human effort to operate, this makes it very sustainable and energy-friendly in the long-term. It is also renewable, efficient and non-polluting because it is natural energy. The only resulting impact identified so far is possible fatigue as a result of long periods of operation, which is also very negligible. Finally, all materials are as inherently safe and benign as possible. The luggage holder does not have any energy inputs or outputs though. When it comes to human capital, concept development, product design, assembly, and marketing are the labor-intensive stages of product development that require a lot of human capital. Creativity, innovation, knowledge, habits, skill, cognitive abilities, and social and personality attributes, are the human capital elements that will be in high demand in the design and development of the luggage holder. In regards to financial capital (monetary instruments), a lot of financial resources are required to fund the activities involved in the human capital aspect. When it comes to manufactured or real capital (made by people and their tools), there are steel works, plastic processors, manufacturing space (to support industrial production), assembly tools and machines, and other related forms of infrastructure will be required. The luggage holder does not require any natural capital (the Earths resources and bio-capacity). Very little natural capital is required to develop and sell this product. The materials required are obtained from very little natural resources, and do not interfere with the earth’s bio-capacity in any way. The product development cost is quite high, exact costs are not yet clear as per now. The product development

Understanding the global flows with Globalisation

Understanding the global flows with Globalisation Globalisation, although a process that has been ongoing for a while, has only recently been defined and has been termed differently according to different groups of people. More recently, the global flow of goods, services, information, capital and labour across both; national and regional lines have increased greatly, giving rise to the notion that this economic activity is now being globalised. Globalisation has been suggested to increase the interdependence and integration between countries on a global scale. In theory therefore, it should allow poorer countries the opportunity to enhance their development and compete with the more economically developed countries (MEDCs). However in some cases this tends to polarise the rich from the poor. This has polarisation has been described by Quah (1996) as the persistence and stratification of the differences between the rich and the poor. Inevitably therefore globalisation produces two groups of people the winners and the losers. This e ssay focuses on three particular global flows which include the labour market and how this has both benefited and disadvantaged the different parts of the global world, due to globalisation. The second flow centres on investment flows and capital, particularly foreign direct investment (FDI) and how this too has produced winners and losers. The final flow is a more recent one and involves the movement of technology and information and how this has managed to increase the benefits and consequences for MEDCs and LEDCs. The flow of labour due to the process of globalisation has been impacted in a number of ways. The globalisation process, like all processes of change, has important costs for the distribution of economic activity around the world in accordance with comparative advantage of countries and their firms. This relocation inevitably leads to changes in the generation of employment and unemployment, to how labour is compensated i.e. the level and distribution of wages and to the shares of capital and labour in total GDP. These three processes are of vital importance in understanding the impact that globalisation has on labour markets. In theory therefore, using a notional framework, (De la Dehesa, 1999) globalisation opens the world to international competition and induces better allocation of labour by allowing each country to specialise on its production according to its comparative advantages in factors of production. Most MEDCs have a comparative advantage when it comes to highly qualified labour and skilled workforce, what they lack is less qualified labour. On the other hand the demand for both skilled and non skilled workers is high in LEDCs. Most skilled workers in LEDCs seek employment elsewhere in developed countries causing a brain drain effect as the skilled labour has immigrated. This also has a negative effect on public spending as lower returns are gained from public expenditure in services such as education. In contrast, this could have its benefits for LEDCs as successful overseas entrepreneurs may bring valuable management experience and access to global networks to the home country. An inflow of unskilled labour from MEDCs would mean that workers are willing to work at lower wages and as such produce low cost production. Although an advantage for MEDCs, as they are able to gain from cheap employment, these positions are then taken over by these cheaper workers and the locals are sometimes left with no jobs. For example Eastern European migration into the UK where low qualified jobs such as construction and retail are quickly undertaken. In general, globalisation has increased pressures on the domestic labour markets in terms of wages, job security and the upgrading of skills for movement between jobs. As such those that have benefited the most are investors, entrepreneurs, and managers etc. all highly qualified workers that are usually found in MEDCs. Therefore workers with internationally sought after education and skills are in this case winners. On the other hand workers who were previously protected by trade barriers and subsidised state enterprises, are usually unable to adapt to the rapid liberalisation of the economy and as such have suffered the most through reduced job security, relocation of jobs or downward pressure on wages (World Bank, 2007) aka the so called losers. The EU although has played a positive impact on European economies to a certain extent, limits workers from other parts of the world (outside Europe) entering the EU and as such LEDCs are seen to lose out once again. The impact of globalisation on employment will be improved as more countries participate in the global economy and open their markets to international trade and capital flows. This will be particularly felt with the entry of large numbers of (mainly low-skilled) workers from China and India into the global labour force. This flow of labour usually has an impact on the manufacturing industry. This however will cause concerns for other LEDCs as they will struggle to attract investments and manufacturing enterprises given their less favourable conditions political, economic and social and higher wage levels and that their domestic markets will import large quantities of goods from these two countries. As such the completion from other more advanced LEDCs is a problem in itself. Although it is predicted that China will dominate world trade, LEDCs might still be able to produce low skill labour intensive products, as export growth in China and India is expected to raise wages as well as create the need for the import of intermediary inputs. The second flow that is affected by globalisation is the transfer of FDI and capital. One of the most prominent outcomes regarding global financial flows is the major change in their construction in the 1990s, particularly for developing countries. Based on data published by the World Bank Global Development Finance 1999, the following trends can be seen in the table on the next page. Net Long Term Resource Flows to Developing Countries (1990 1998) $bn 1990 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Net long-term resources flow 100.8 223.6 254.9 308.1 338.1 275.0 Official flows 56.9 45.5 53.4 32.2 39.1 47.9 Private flows 43.9 178.1 201.5 275.9 299.0 227.1 From international capital markets 19.4 89.6 96.1 149.5 135.5 72.1 Private debt flows 15.7 54.4 60.0 100.3 105.3 58.0 Commercial Banks 3.2 13.9 32.4 43.7 60.1 25.1 Bonds 1.2 36.7 26.6 53.55 42.6 30.2 Other 11.4 3.7 1.0 3.0 2.6 2.7 Portfolio equity flows 3.7 35.2 36.1 49.2 30.2 14.1 FDI 24.5 88.5 105.4 126.4 163.4 155.0 From the table it can be seen that with an increase in time and in theory increased globalisation there has also been an overall increase in capital flows and FDI to developing countries. FDI flows have emerged as the most important factor of private capital flows. This increase in capital flows can be seen due to the effects of globalisation through financial liberalisation in both developed and developing countries. This is done in two ways domestic financial liberalisation and international financial liberalisation. Domestic encourages market forces by reducing the role of state in finance. This is done through removing controls in interest rates and credit allocation. International liberalisation, however, demands removal of controls and regulations on both inflows and outflows of capital. In allowing cross border movement of capital, it promotes global financial integration. Capital is not only flowing from the developed to developing countries but also from the LEDCs to the rest of the world, examples include Mexico, Chile and Thailand. MEDCs were first to take on this change of financial liberalisation. Much of MEDCs financial funds are now tied up in investment trusts, pension funds etc rather than banks. By the 1980s LEDCs too were beginning their change. Deregulation of domestic financial markets as well as the liberalisation of the capital account was supported by the World Bank. This rush in foreign equity financing and FDI has been associated with the privatisation of the public sector companies in the developing countries such as Argentina. Under the WTO agreement on financial services, (1998), 70 of its member countries agreed to open up their financial sector. Even though in theory it would seem as though investment is being poured into these LEDCs, the benefits do not always outweigh the problems. Working conditions and the treatment of workers in plants that produce mostly textiles and footwear for export tend to vary widely. On one side, conditions in foreign owned and subcontractor plants offer extensi ve evidence of harm, and of the exploitation and sometimes even the abuse of workers. The Kader toy factory in Thailand is a case in point that illustrates the mistreatment of workers. In this case over 100 workers died in a fire as safety exits were blocked or sealed shut. In this case the LEDs tend to lose out to a great extent. However this is not always the case. Surveys by the ILO for example, have found that the pay for workers in LEDCs and NICs (Newly Industrialising Countries), while low by standards of MEDCs is still higher than what would be available in the places that the workers come from. In a lot of these cases wages are slightly higher than the minimum wage. It can be argued therefore that not all is bleak for LEDCs when FDI is involved. For instance FDI can lead to the creation of jobs and increased employment and output in host countries. This is done directly in companies benefiting from FDI and also indirectly through ancillary services, thereby contributing to an increase in economic growth. In addition, through the transfer of technologies and know-how and access to foreign markets, FDI can lead to temporary movements for the provision of services or others forms of movements of workers, who, know being more knowledgeable are able to find jobs abroad more easily. As such, FDI can have beneficial effects for LEDCs and they may not always lose out. The final flow of globalisation is that of information technology and its growing popularity today. This arguably is the reason for the wide gaps in inequalities between MEDCs and LEDCs. The internet is being used by over millions of people worldwide and this number is growing. However the spread of communication and technology is highly uneven and most of Sub Saharan Africa is left behind, as well as other parts of the world. This situation is difficult to remedy when a third of the worlds population still live on less than $1 a day. Technology itself will not help to solve the problems of LEDCs but the availability and use of information and communication technologies are a requirement for economic and social development in todays world. Econometric studies have shown the close statistical relationship between flow of information technology, productivity and competitiveness for countries, industries and firms (Dosi et al., 1988). Technology on its own is not enough, this needs to be tied in with a sufficient level of education in general, and of technical education in particular, which is essential for the design and productive use of new technologies (Foray and Freeman, 1992) The role that technological flows has on countries in stimulating growth and development is that of a two edged sword. On the one hand, it allows countries to leapfrog stages of economic growth by being able to modernise their production systems and increase their competitiveness faster than in the past through the use of innovation and technological advances. The most critical example is that of the Asian Pacific economies i.e. the Asian Tigers, particularly the cases of Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea. These countries grew rapidly due to increased technological performance and enhancement. This is so despite the current financial crisis, which is unrelated to competitive performance and may be related, in fact, to the attractiveness of booming Asian economies to global technological flows. On the other hand, for those economies that are unable to adapt to the new technological system, they are usually left watching on the sidelines. Moreover, the ability to m ove into this technological flow depends on the capability of the country to be educated, and to be able to take on board and process new technological equipment and knowledge. This starts with the education system, from the bottom up, from the primary school to the university. And it relates, as well, to the overall process of cultural development, including the level of functional literacy, the content of the media, and the diffusion of information within the population as a whole. For this reason, many LEDCs especially those in Sub Saharan Africa have been unable to benefit from this global flow. Technology, per say is not the problem, rather the ability to obtain this technology and then learn to use it, is the real issue. Due to this regions and firms usually in MEDCs that concentrate on advanced techniques and methods of production are able to attract a pool of talent from around the world. This however leaves out some of the local employees who are not able to fit the job description and as such is a win/lose situation. An example of this is Silicon Valley which is the most advanced information technology-producing region in the world. It can only maintain this high level of innovation by acquiring experts from India, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Korea, Israel, Russia and Western Europe, to jobs that cannot be filled by Americans because they do not have the necessary skills. Likewise, in Bangalore, Mumbai, and Seoul engineers and scientists concentrate in high-technology hubs, connected to the Silicon Valleys, while a large share of the population in all countries remains in low-end, low-skill jobs, when they are lucky enough to be employed at all. (Carnoy, 1999). Therefore there is little chance for a country, to be able to benefit from this new technological age without incorporating itself into the technological system. In conclusion therefore, the three global flows mentioned have both benefited and disadvantaged both MEDCs and LEDCs in their own particular ways. All these three flows need to work in accordance with each other in order for development to be more evenly spread and in order for LEDCs to close down the widening gap of development. Labour mobility flows have allowed skilled workers in LEDCs to obtain better prospects elsewhere, something that would not be possible without this free movement. On the other, whatever skilled workforce was left behind is now lost to the host country. Capital flows and FDI have helped to provide employment in LEDCs and increase competitiveness amongst MEDCs. However problems such as sweat shops and small markets of some countries have meant that this has not benefited all. Finally, technological flows have taken production to another level through innovation and new techniques. Although advantageous to almost all MEDCs, many LEDCs are unable to acquire this expertise or technology and as such are unable to share in this technical age. The problem here is not the technology, but the lack of. Globalisation can be understood to mean an increase in global flows. These are just three mentioned. Globalisation involves numerous numbers of global flows that all play their part in this global process which to some extent is restricted to particular regions rather than global flows perhaps a regionalisation of the world?

Lord of the Flies by William Golding and Great Expectations by Charles

Lord of the Flies by William Golding and Great Expectations by Charles Dickens `Lord of the Flies`, by William Golding was written in 1954 almost a century after Charles Dickens wrote `Great Expectations`, in 1860. Both of the novels are considered as being classics and have been made into films and the books while seeming completely different do have similarities although they are in different social, historical and cultural settings. The frameworks of the books are completely different, `Lord of the Flies` starts as a traditional boy's adventure story like `Coral Island`, by R.M. Ballantyne, however it is subverted to a dark, menacing story about how people behave when the constraints of society are removed. The island is a microcosm of society, and in the book we see examples of hierarchy, the social divide, human nature, and how the boys, with no adults, start to rely on their basic savage instincts. `Great Expectations` is mainly about the divides between the rich and the poor, a popular theme in the Victorian times as the industrial revolution had broadened and highlighted the divide, however both books do reflect on society, and the weakness of human nature. Both the books, while having a traditional framework, have an original element. Not many memoirs are as strange and varied as Pip's, and not many boy's adventure stories turn as dark and menacing as Golding's novel. In the opening chapters the settings of the books are contrasting, in `Lord of the Flies`, the boys are in tropical splendor, (the pool) "It was clear to the bottom and bright with the efflorescence of tropical weed and coral" (pg 17), while in `Great Expectations` the opening chapter is set in a graveyard, which is dank a... ...agwitch in his torn, coarse and disheveled state, "A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints, and stung by nettles, and torn by briars; who limped". From this the reader can see that, although the opening chapters of both novels seem completely unrelated, in fact when the reader looks more closely, many parallels can be seen. For example though the settings are very diverse, one being a wind swept moor, and the other being a tropical island, both are menacing. Although these books were written almost a century apart, and at first seem to be on different topics, many of the key features are the same, and many of the characters posses similar qualities.

Lord Byron’s Don Juan Essay

Lord Byron’s Don Juan is a satirical poem that offers a seemingly comical and serious outlook of sexuality. In three different sexual relations in three different places, the events that surround Don Juan are both laughable and questionable. From an early affair with Donna Julia, to an innocently, beautiful engagement with Haidee and finally an unfulfilled and avoided relation with the Sultana Gulbeyaz, Don Juan escapes through the clutches of love with shattered innocence, a broken heart and near fatal eroticism. â€Å"As Byron’s satiric genius developed, it tended to employ less and less of the traditional axe-swinging of the neoclassic satirists and to approach more and more the mocking and ironic manner of the Italian burlesque poets†¦Finally, when his satiric genius had fully ripened, Byron found complete expression in serious and social satire† (Trueblood, 19). From an early age, Don Juan was destined to wander through a maze of sexuality. One can see this unfolding by merely looking at his parent’s marriage. Let us first look at Don Juan’s parents, Don Jose and Donna Inez. Byron presents the couple ironically and comically. Donna Inez, â€Å"morality’s prim personification †¦perfect past all parallel† (Byron, I, 16-17), still is not good enough for Don Jose. A man with a greater concern for women than knowledge, Don Jose is not a particularly admirable father figure. He lacks respect for his wife, and â€Å"like a lineal son of Eve, /Went plucking various fruits without her leave† (Byron, I, 18). This allusion to Don Jose being a son of Eve is somewhat accurate and satirical. Like Eve, he is careless and unaware of the consequences of his actions. However, as Eve’s son, the offspring of God’s beautiful creation, Don Jose is given holy qualities. He cannot be blamed for his actions, and for a long time, Donna Inez blinds herself from his wrongdoings and maintains their marital status. Their relationship is practically pointless; a mother and father that wished each other dead, not divorced. The unification of Don Jose and Donna Inez is a comical union. â€Å"What men call gallantry, and gods adultery, / Is much more common where the climate’s sultry† (Byron, I, 63). The two reach a point where they canno t stand each other, yet for some reason, they stay together. At the same time, marital disputes and infidelity make for no laughing matter. They were, and continue to be, problems for couples all around the world. Byron depicts Don Jose and Donna Inez at each other’s throats, but still sleeping side by side. To further solidify ironic humour, when their divorce inevitably approaches, Don Jose falls ill and dies. His death right before getting divorced symbolizes the death of marriage. Byron might be poking fun at the fact that more and more marriages end in divorce, and that the fire shared by ‘soul mates’ typically burns out. Despite being an unfaithful and uncaring father, the narrator paradoxically calls Don Jose an honourable man. The death of the father creates increased duties for the mother. Donna Inez decides to enlighten Don Juan with the teachings of art and sciences, but in doing so, neglects teaching him the basic facts of life. Someone uniformed about basic life necessities is at risk of not knowing how to act and react to certain situations. Though Don Juan does not attempt to manipulate those around him, his lack of direction leads him to being a victim of a harsh, unforgiving world. â€Å"Ladies even of the most uneasy virtue / Prefer a spouse whose age is short of thirty† (Byron, I, 61). This is a bold statement from the narrator, but it is certainly the case for Donna Julia, Donna Inez’s friend. She falls for the young and handsome Don Juan when he turns sixteen, though her affection started before then. Donna Julia is seven years older than Don Juan. Her love for the young lad is both comic and paedophilic. Donna Julia unsuccessfully resists temptation, and eventually takes Juan’s innocence and sends him along a path of sexual confusion. As the narrator states: â€Å"Even innocence itself has many a wile / And will not dare to trust itself with truth, / And love is taught hypocrisy from youth† (Byron, I, 72). Her inability to resist Don Juan is satirical for he is sexually inexperienced. Being sexually unsatisfied, one would think Donna Julia would pursue a lover with sexual experience. Her longing for such a young man is bizarre a nd questionable. â€Å"Byron seems to the think temptation integral to creation, and fall the inevitable consequence of temptation† (Ridenour, 29). For Don Juan, an impending relationship with Donna Julia is most appealing, but in turn, it is the start of spiralling, sexual journey. â€Å"Oh pleasure, you’re indeed a pleasant thing, / Although one must be damned for you no doubt† (Byron, I, 119). Unfortunate consequences of plentiful pleasure tend to follow Don Juan around. His romance with Donna Julia is of short lived passion. One November night, Don Alfonso’s suspicions reach a new height and he confronts Donna Julia in her suite. The season is significant; November represents the conclusion of fall and an approaching winter. The trees lose their leaves, plants and shrubs dwindle and the days get shorter and colder. These events can be compared to Don Juan and Donna Julia’s relationship, as its fire is extinguished by an upset Don Alfonso. â€Å"Man is chained to cold earth and is able to alleviate his sufferings only by his own efforts – by love and glory and, as we learn in the second sta nza, by poetry. This very poem is presented as an attempt to give color, form, warmth to a world naturally colorless, indefinite and chill† (Ridenour, 33). This thought can also be applied to Donna Julia, who was brightening her world with the young Don Juan. Though she promised Don Alfonso to never disgrace the ring she wore, she falls victim to the fact that â€Å"pleasure’s a sin and sometimes sin’s a pleasure† (Byron, I, 133). Donna Julia acts like a double-edged sword when confronted by Don Alfonso. She gets upsets by his unfaithful accusations, while the whole time, Don Juan is hidden beneath a pile of clothes. â€Å"Satire was Byron’s natural and habitual response to censure and injury† (Trueblood, 20). In the end, Donna Julia is left emotionally hurt and displaced, while Don Juan barely escapes from a physical punishment. Don Alfonso is left betrayed, deceived and not knowing where to turn. The first canto ends with the same disheartened feeling: â€Å"All things that have been born were born to die, / And flesh (which Death mows down to hay) is grass† (Byron, I, 220). The allusion of De ath mowing the grass of life is comic and serious. Humans age from year to year and their health eventually deteriorates. The same can be said of Don Juan’s sexual relations. â€Å"In Don Juan, Byron uses almost every possible variation of epic tone, from the frivolous to the almost entirely serious† (Clancy, 63). The tone takes a turn for the worse when Juan is involved in a shipwreck. He manages to get aboard a longboat and escape the capsizing ship. Juan’s luck only lasts so long for his tutor, who boards the longboat only to be eaten several days later. Just when Juan appears on the brink of death, he floats to safety clutching an oar. The oar can be seen as an obvious phallic symbol, and in turn, it leads Juan to his first true love, Haidee. â€Å"Amidst the barren sand and rocks so rude / She and her wave-worn love had made their bower† (Byron, II, 198). The setting of their relationship is perfect, for it is both beautiful and dangerous. â€Å"As Byron is careful to point out, it is here, on a coast whose perils have been repeatedly emphasized, that the peculiarly harmonious and ideal love of Juan and Haidee is consummatedâ₠¬  (Ridenour, 44). The love of Juan and Haidee has a quality of magnificence which Don Juan and Donna Julia lacked. The two are portrayed as soul mates that happened upon each other. They were brought together in a stroke of luck and when their union is denied â€Å"the power of love sours to lust, sex hatred and leering prudishness. What is true love is equally true of the other passions†¦The attempt to contain the passions and stop the flow of life always defeats itself in some manner. This is the particular form which the standard satiric plot takes in Don Juan† (Kernan, 93). Though Haidee and Juan were meant for each other, Lambro interferes and puts an end to their relationship. He ruins the purity of love, which had ironically been washed up on a beach. Lambro puts Juan into slavery, and furthermore, causes his daughter’s coma and eventual death. Had he accepted the unification of Juan and Haidee, life in general would have been happier, gayer. Violence and disorder lurk behind tranquility and harmony, and the tranquil and harmonious are fated inevitably to dissolve again in the violent and chaotic. This is an immutable law of Byron’s world. Haidee was, â€Å"Nature’s bride† (Byron, II, 202), and the love she shared with Juan is contrasted in its naturalness with the unnatural situation of woman in society. Their union is almost an act of natural religion. (Ridenour). Mary Grant places Don Juan â€Å"among the different kinds of humor, the mild and pervasive type of Socratic irony, subtle in its half-laughter and half-earnestness, harmonized best with the ease of affability of the sermo, its change of tone from grave to gay, its arts in the absence of art† (Ridenour,10). Don Juan is brought to a slave market in Constantinople and bought by a eunuch for the Sultana, Gulbeyaz. The eunuch, Baba, can be seen as a sinister and dangerous character. â€Å"The technique of associating the subject to be ridiculed with sexual impotence is, of course, a traditional one; but the connection between impotence and lust for power exists on a much deeper level than that of mere invective† (Ridenour, 12). Baba’s sexual life has been obliterated, and his condition foreshadows a drastic change to Don Juan. This is fulfilled when he is brought to the palace and immediately dressed in woman’s clothing. Juan’s gender rearrangement is ironic, and turns bizarre when Gulbeyaz demands him to make love to her. As he is still in mourning for losing Haidee, Juan refuses and bursts into tears. â€Å"In the accounts of his [Juan’s] relations with women, he is not made to appear heroic or even dignified; and these impress us as having an ingredien t of the genuine as well as of the make-believe† (Eliot, 97). His actions at first infuriate the Sultana, then she feels compassion, and eventually she cries. Juan is displaced from a man to a weeping woman, while Gulbeyaz turns from a demanding woman to an apathetic female. Communication between the two is short lived as the sultan approaches the castle. Upon seeing Juan, the sultan states: â€Å"I see you’ve bought another girl; ‘tis pity / That a mere Christian should be half so pretty† (Byron, V, 155). The sultan, who has four wives and undoubtedly several mistresses, comes off as a fool for not noticing that Juan is a male. We can laugh at his blindness, but at the same time, one can only wonder what else he does not see. In Canto I we have the amusing account of the genealogy of Don Juan. Then there is a description of the first of Juan’s amours, the Julia episode. Canto II continues Juan’s adventures, including his shipwreck and subsequent love affair with Haidee. In Cantos III and IV the passionate roma nce of Haidee and Juan comes to its tragic end and Juan is soon embroiled in the ludicrous seraglio escapade which occupies the whole of Canto V and is concluded in Canto VI (Trueblood, 5). Through these episodes, Byron uses satire to portray sexuality in a comical and serious manner. â€Å"The poem is a satire on the romantic cult of passion and on the natural man whose passions are his only guide from his proper woes† (Clancy, 53). Don Juan is sent on a rollercoaster of sexuality: paedophilic love, true love ending in a broken heart and then a confusing, uncertain relation. Through hardships and endeavours, Don Juan comes out a stronger man. From the first six cantos, one can conclude that â€Å"love, which should be a means of overcoming self, of living in and for another person, is itself egotistic. The remedy merely aggravates the disorder. It is the same paradox which, in other terms, we have met so often before† (Ridenour, 75). The comedic yet serious portrayal of sexuality makes Don Juan one of the greatest satires even written.

Elizabeth and Akbar: the Religion of the Ruler

Kenneth Wolfe: â€Å"Elizabeth and Akbar: The Religion of the Ruler† Kenneth Wolfe states that in 1530, the people of the country would follow their rulers religion in order to bring peace. This brought conflict among the country dividing it into states. How important was following your rulers religion? Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) and Emperor Abu-ul-Fath Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar of Muhgal India (1534-1606) answer that question. Elizabeth and Akbar, once in power, were determined to bring peace among their country by being the foundation of their country. They used their militaries to take control. Elizabeth was born Protestant and had several struggles throughout her lifetime; her being a â€Å"bastard† and the deatyhs of her loved ones. Elizabeth invented a â€Å"Religious Settlement† that made England a Protestant country. Elizabeth tried to make a church that was both a doctrine and had appearance of the religions. Queen Elizabeth was able to resist a religious civil war unlike many other countries, and her sister. Elizabeth became fondly remembered through her religious settlements and skills creating loyalty towards her and is remembered by all England’s generations. The Mughal Emperor Akbar also experienced a troubled youth. His tutor taught him â€Å"universal peace† which is what he followed when he came into power. Akbar was a brutal warrior, but also known to be very spiritual. He was known to be â€Å"powerful, magnetic, and inspiring†. After Akbar inherited the Mughal Empire it expanded from all of north and central India which consisted of Muslim and Hindu people. Akbar needed a large army to contain his empire. He was known to be a skilled military leader and married Hindu princesses. He began to end taxing, and enslaving Hindu’s as they made their pilgrimage to the many shrines of India. And in 1564 he stopped taxing all Islamic countries. Akbar’s religion began to change as he began to make pilgrimages to his shrine every year and even built a new capital, Fatephur-Sikri. Akbar ended up having 3 sons, predicted by Shakih Salim and named to first after him. Akbar was deeply religious by nature and experienced a â€Å"ecstasy† during a royal hunt. In 1582 Akbar invented the â€Å"Divine Faith† which made the people dedicate their life and honor to Akbar. Akbar’s leading civil and military appointees are known as mansabdars. They were loyal to the ruler and were assigned revenue. Akbar later divided his empire into 12 large provinces which were lead by a governor. This helped keep order among the Mughal Empire. Akbar’s religious changes and mahzar caused a revolt which he was able to control. He respected the non-Muslims by â€Å"universal peace†. The Mughal Empire lasted long due to the fact that Muslims do not rule over Hindu’s and vice-versa (universal peace). Elizabeth and Akbar were able to retain power by respecting all their countries religions and by bring peace. I would have to agree with Kenneth Wolfe at the fact that Elizabeth and Akbar both retained power by using peace. Although, I believe Elizabeth had contained her country better then Akbar because she did not favor any religion even though she was Protestant. Akbar, although he was Muslim, favored the Hindus. Queen Elizabeth did a better job by containing religious civil wars unlike Akbar who had a revolt. I believe over all that both Elizabeth and Akbar did a great job ruling and bringing religious peace among their country.