The contribution of OSH legislature and standards Essay - 5

The contribution of OSH legislature and standards - Essay Example In Britain, Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 covers all workers except the legislature, hence its weakness. Similarly, in the Canadian OSH legislation and standards also factors the wellbeing of employees and facilitates the benefits comparable to those entailed in Britain. Thus, there is a high correlation of the OSH Act as implemented in both countries. The management has the significant role to enforce and ensure safe and healthy working conditions for the employees. The supervising role ensures the safety and wellbeing of the workers by enforcing the stated rules such as dressing and use of protective gear at work among other responsibilities. Thus in conclusion the management entities have a core responsibility to commit and foster Occupational Safety and Health. The two systems, Britain and Canada are very efficient in facilitating occupational safety and healthy wellbeing of the workers. The working place dynamics are a core concern within the structures of employment an element that requires the employees to have the plan to address work-related safety issues. Consequently, due to the need to have a clearly outlined regulatory approach to the dynamics of the rights of workers within the workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Act is a core formulation established in the year 1970, to guarantee the course of promoting the security and human rights of the workers within the job (Alli& International Labour Office, 2008). The observed existence of many hazards that are harmful to the well-being of the people as they work mandated the institution of legislative approach and programs that guide the treatment of the employees as the engage in work. The OSH Act is a formulation of the European countries that realized the need to institute this fundamental body of regulations to ensure the well-being of the employees.

Greek Tragedy Essay Example for Free

Greek Tragedy Essay Art and literature has existed throughout time to represent and express cultural values, ideals and perceptions. It often portrays the forces that push ones particular culture onward, mentally stimulating and expanding individual mind and thought. In ancient Greek culture, Art and Literature is combined in a way that represented all of these things to its people. This combination is what we know as ancient Greek Theater, an art of drama and song, with the structure of spoken portions interlaced with choral lyrics, all concerned with mans fate. 1 Greek tragedy is credited to have developed around 534 B. C when the Greek Thespis created drama in which a main actor conversed with the leader of the chorus (this is where the term thespian originated, it has been used to describe an actor since the early 19th century). 2 Aeschylus, the first of the great 3 tragic poets, added a second actor to his plays and had a chorus of around 12. Sophocles, the second of the great poets, added the third actor and increased the chorus to 15 members. Sophocles is considered to model Greek tragedy, with Aeschylus marking the preparation and Eudripidies the decline. 3 These plays where preformed at Festivals in open-air theaters in which poets competed for prizes. It is widely accepted that these festivals where religious, and honored the Greek god Dionysius (God of Wine). All plays where developed around well-known ancient Greek myth, it was the Poets job to develop character and deepen plot. Each festival included 3 tragic poets to present a tetrology. (A group of 4 plays) which consisted of 3 tragedies and one satyr. 4 Each play would include anywhere from two to four actors, and an assembly of 12-15 choral members. It was each actors responsibility to display the plot through speech, however they where also responsible for singing solos. The chorus was an important tool in Greek tragedy as they commented on each scene and proposed subtleties to the audience, their song also heightened the emotion and atmosphere of the play. 5 Aristotles Poetics is considered the most valuable source of guidance for Greek tragedy. Aristotle defines tragedy as a drama which concerned better than average people (heros, kings, gods) who suffer a transition from good fortune to bad fortune and who speak in an elevated language. 6 It is also defined as a literary composition written to be preformed by actors in which a central character, called the tragic protagonist or hero, suffers some serious misfortune which is significant in that the misfortune is logically connected with the heros actions. 7 The hero is often host to some tragic flaw (hermatia) for which he himself is responsible, and which leads to his eventual downfall. However, Aristotle describes this tragic flaw to lead to a mistake in which the Protagonist is not aware. The heros destruction is often due to his self-ignorance. It is important to understand what Aristotle believes is the purpose for Greek tragedy in order to completely understand some of its main aspects. In Aristotles opinion, one of the marks of great tragedy is its ability to create a Cartharsis, the act of purging the soul of fear and pity. 8 Through creating a complex protagonist, a character who is seen as a great man, or hero, the audience in turn creates respect. Through this characters tragic flaw, and ignorance to his actions, the audience is drawn and starts to pitty the hero. The audience imagines themselves in the heros situation, and although they know the outcome of the story (as all Greek tragedy is bases on well-known Greek myth) they suspensefuly await the heros reaction to his fate. So this purging allows the audience to shed excess fear, refreshing their conscience so that it can exist in a healthy balance. Aristotle theorized that tragedy is rooted in the fundamental order of the universe. 9 Tragedy is a worse case scenario, which describes the possible effects of simple probability. It creates a cause-and-effect chain in which any individual can envision themselves as part of. We can now understand the importance of certain aspects of the tragic heros character and his responsibility to uphold the plot. A hero, in the Greek sense, is a man who by his extraordinary career has pushed back the horizons of what is possible for humanity and is then deemed worthy of commendation after his death. 10 As we know, this hero is not flawless. However, it is important to realise that in what Aristotle values as good tragedy, these flaws often contribute to the very virtues which allow our protagonist to become a hero in the first place. In other words, tragic irony is implicated, and it is the same incidents and qualities of a man which catapult him to hero stature as those which drag him down. Tragedy is concerned with the fate of big men. 11 Aristotle believed that Sophocles, Oedipus Rex was the perfect tragedy. Why was Oedipus Rex in effect the perfect tragic hero? Oedipus was a great man and King of Thebes. He was self righteous, hasty and suspicious of his friends, but we also see that if it where not for these qualities Oedipus would not have continued with his inquiries. His heroic nature is magnified in his persistence for the truth despite the fact that it became quite obvious that gaining further knowledge would end in disaster and self-destruction. 12 Peripeteia is when a character produces an effect opposite to that which he intended to produce. 13Aristotle firmly believed that all good tragedy proposed some peripeteia within its plot. This is perfectly represented within Oedipus Rex. Oedipus promises his people that he will find the root of the plague that gripped his kingdom. In ancient Greek times, it was believed that illness and plague where signs from the gods that they where upset or a crime against their godly standards had been committed. So as any noble hero would do, Oedipus sets out on a quest for this knowledge. He soon discovers that the murder of Thebes prior king, Laius, is the root off his citys pollution. He vows to discover the murderer, and sets the punishment of death or banishment to whomever was found guilty. This was his intention. We can also see again that Oedipus is a noble hero, as he is a king and he is willing to go to any ends for his people. These traits would have invoked feelings of respect in the minds of the audience. As Oedipus discovers more information, he draws nearer to the conclusion that it is possible that through self-blindness and ignorance, Oedipus himself is the likely murderer of Laius. Through this step in the play we see that again Oedipus carries the qualities of a tragic hero; his murdering of Laius was due to his self-arrogance and lack of knowledge that the man who he was killing was of high status. This murder was indeed due to Oedipuss tragic flaw of Hubris (arrogant disregard for the rights of others, or overbearing pride or presumption 14) but he was unaware of the consequences and the murder was quite spontaneous. Oedipus continues to search for the truth despite his possible self-guilt, as he states that he must be sure that he is indeed Leuiss murderer. This, according to human standards, Oedipus not only behaved well in this situation, but he is known to have asserted the dignity of manhood. Alas, more investigation does lead to his definite guilt, and also leads to what is known as an Agagnorisis, or a change from ignorance to knowledge. 15 Oedipus had not been born heir to the throne of Thebes. After learning of a prophecy that he would one-day murder his father and marry his mother, he ran away from his parents to escape this fate. He had arrived in Thebes just after the time of Laiuss death. A sphinx was afflicting the city at the time, and he defeated it, there-for winning the admiration of the Thebans and stealing the heart of newly widowed queen, Jocasta. Their marriage was nearly instant, and they lived in happiness for some years and produced a number of children. So it was at this agagnorisis when Oedipus learnt that he had been adopted, and that Laius had been his father, and Jocasta his mother. They had discarded him apon a hill after hearing the very same prophocy, hoping they too could escape their fate. This unraveling of the plot is called the lusis. 16 This is where the Peripeteia is for filled. Although Oedipus had always intended to catch and punish the murderer of Leius, he in no way intended that it would be himself who was responsible. This is also ironic in the sense that twice he had unknowingly set the path for his own destruction. Another form of Greek tragedy is the decision that the tragic hero must face once he has reached his agagnorisis. 17 Oedipus had a choice, to continue to live in sin with his mother/wife and perpetuate the slow destruction of Thebes, or to uphold the little dignity he had left, finally accept his fate and finalize the promises he made to his people. Oedipus chooses to do what any hero would do, accept responsibility for his actions and punish himself as he promised to do in the beginning of the play. The knowledge of his sin against his father and mother causes him to blind himself, as he could not bear to look upon the world any longer. This fact again adds irony to the story, as when Oedipus was able to see physically, he was still blind to his past and the consequences of his actions. Through his blinding, he was self-knowing, and he had for the first time accepted his fate. He left Thebes as a blind beggar. Although in some respects Oedipus is now seen as no longer a hero, the audience would have respected his final decisions, and in some way he had corrected his moral flaw through his self-punishment. We can now question the belief of fate and pre-determination. Greek tragedy did indeed deal with the role of the gods in mortal life and to the extend that mortals controlled their actions. Oedipus was responsible for his deeds, as it was by no accident that Laius died, and Oedipus did have a tragic flaw, which led to this murder. But we can also examine the fact that a prophecy existed which laid out the steps that Oedipus would take through out his life. If it where not for Oedipuss knowledge of this prophecy, would he have ever left his home in Corinth, would he have ever murdered Laius, and married his mother? Or we can look even further into Oedipuss past; if Jocasta and Leius had not known of this prophecy, they would never had abandoned Oedipus, and perhaps he would never had committed the sins which it seems he was destined to commit. So again we see a cause and effect chain, knowledge leading to ignorance, ignorance in turn leading to knowledge, blindness to sight, sight to blindness. It is also argued that it was the individuals attempt to escape their fate which was the true crime against the gods. It is at this point we can see how the Cultural Revolution, known as The Greek Enlightenment, effected these dramas. It was from this new atmosphere of questioning and individualism in which man started to question the meaning of life beyond the restraints of God rules man. And not only did Greek tragedy come to question the gods, it also questioned what it meant to be human. 18 1 The Complete Plays of Sophocles. 2 http://www. stemnet. nf. ca/~hblake/tragedy1. html 3 http://www. classics. cam. ac. uk/Faculty/tragedy. html 4 www.depthame. brooklyn. cuny. edu 5 15 Greek Plays 6 The Complete Plays of Sophocles 7 www. depthame. brooklyn. cuny. edu 8 9 www. cnr. edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics. html 10 The Complete Plays of Sophocles. 11 The Complete Plays of Sophocles 12 The Complete Plays of Sophocles 13 www. depthame. brooklyn. cuny. edu 12 American Heritage dictionary 15 www. cnr. edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics. html 16 www. cnr. edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics. html 17 http://www. stemnet. nf. ca/~hblake/tragedy1. html 18 http://www. stemnet. nf. ca/~hblake/tragedy1. html.

Reliance Steel Aluminum Co

Reliance Steel Aluminum Co Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. is one of the largest metals service center companies in the United States. Through a network of more than 180 locations in 37 states, Belgium, Canada, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom, the Company provides value-added metals processing services and distributes a full line of more than 100,000 metal products. These products include galvanized, hot-rolled and cold-finished steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium and alloy steel sold to more than 125,000 customers in a broad range of industries. Some of these metals service centers provide processing services for specialty metals only. The Companys primary business strategy is to enhance its operating results through strategic acquisitions and expansion of its existing operations. This strategy is driven in part by the continued growth and consolidation of the metals service center industry. The Company seeks businesses that are strategically positioned to diversify or enhance its customer base, product breadth and geographic coverage. The Company has successfully completed over 40 acquisitions since its 1994 IPO. Reliance is also expanding its facilities and product offerings in several of its existing geographic locations while penetrating new markets for its products. Corporate History: Reliance was founded in 1939 in Los Angeles, California and began as a fabricator of steel reinforcing bar. In subsequent years, the Company developed into a full-line distributor of steel and aluminum operating through a single metals service center located in Los Angeles. Through the 1960s, the Company expanded its operations via several acquisitions and the establishment of additional service centers. In the mid-1970s, the Company began to establish specialty metals centers stocked with inventories of selected metals such as aluminum, stainless steel, brass and copper, and equipped with automated materials handling and precision cutting equipment. Beginning in the early 1990s, owners of successful service center companies started to sell these companies as they were reaching retirement age. Reliance saw this as an opportunity to expand nationally in a more profitable manner than by expanding with Greenfield operations. This led Reliance to complete an IPO in 1994 to raise the funds to allow for that growth. Reliance has grown significantly through such acquisitions. The Company has completed more than 40 acquisitions since Reliances initial public offering in 1994 and will continue to be an aggressive acquirer of companies. Vision Mission: Reliance serves mission is to provide its customers primarily by providing quick delivery, metals processing and inventory management services. The Company purchases large quantities of metals from primary producers and sells these inventories in smaller quantities. The Companys primary business strategy is to enhance its operating results through strategic acquisitions and expansion of its existing operations. This strategy is driven in part by the continued growth and consolidation of the metals service center industry. The Company seeks businesses that are strategically positioned to diversify or enhance its customer base, product breadth and geographic coverage. Forbes Rankings: Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. 237th on the Forbes Executive Pay in 2008 Reliance Steel Forbes 400 Best Big Companies in 2008 Reliance Steel 13rd on the The 100 Best Mid-Caps in America in 2008 Reliance Steel 1,463rd on the Forbes Global 2000 in 2008 Reliance Steel 1,555th on the Forbes Global 2000 in 2007 Strategy: To become globally competitive: Reduce costs improve operational efficiency. Create economies of scale. Leverage existing assets for future growth: Concentrate on value added differentiated products especially cold rolled segment. Optimize financial structure through debt restructuring including reduction. Diversify market mix through exports to countries like China, Hong Kong and Eastern Europe. Corporate Office: 350, South Grand Avenue, Suite 5100, Los Angeles, California 90071 Phone (213)687-7700 Fax (213)687-8792 Areas of Working: The Company provides value-added metals processing services and distributes a full line of more than 100,000 metal products. These products include galvanized, hot-rolled and cold-finished steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium and alloy steel sold to more than 125,000 customers in a broad range of industries. Some of these metals service centers provide processing services for specialty metals only. Major products are: Carbon steel plate, Carbon steel bar, Carbon steel tubing, Carbon steel structural, Galvanized steel sheet coil, Hot rolled steel sheet coil, Cold rolled steel sheet coil, Aluminum bar tube,ÂÂ   Heat treated aluminum plate, Common alloy aluminum sheet coil, Common alloy aluminum plate, Heat treated aluminum sheet coil, Stainless steel bar tube, Stainless steel sheet coil, Stainless steel plate,ÂÂ   Electro polished stainless steel tubing fittings, Alloy bar, rod tube, Alloy, plate sheet coil, Miscellaneous, including brass, copper titanium Toll processing of aluminum, carbon and stainless steel Executive Management: 56 Years Old David H. Hannah, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Effective October 17, 2007, David H. Hannah, currently Chief Executive Officer was elected to the additional role of Chairman of the Board. Mr. Hannah, 56, became Chief Executive Officer of Reliance in January 1999. He served as President from November 1995 to January 2002. Prior to that, he was appointed a Director in 1992 and had served as an Executive Vice President and as Chief Financial Officer since he joined Reliance in May 1981. David H. Hannah, Chief Executive Officer, relinquished the title of President in January 2002. He became Chief Executive Officer of the Company in January 1999, in addition to being named President of the Company in November 1995. Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1992 to 1995, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1990 to 1992 and Vice President and Division Manager of the Los Angeles Reliance Steel Company division of the Company from July 1, 1989 to June 30, 1990. From January 1, 1987 to July 1, 1989, Mr. Hannah was Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, and from 1981 to 1987, was Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Hannah became a director of the Company in 1992. For eight years before joining the Company in 1981, Mr. Hannah, a certified public accountant, was employed by Ernst Whinney in various professional staff positions. Directors: Gregg J. Mollins, President Chief Operating Officer Thomas W. Gimbel Douglas M. Hayes Franklin R. Johnson, Former partner Mark V. Kaminski, Former Chief Executive Officer Andrew G. Sharkey, President and Former Chief Executive Officer Richard J. Slater, Chairman Leslie A. Waite, Managing Director Impact of Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. on Indian Industry With the governments focus on the infrastructure and electrical sector along with Indias growing importance as a global manufacturing hub for automobiles, infrastructure steel aluminum domestic consumption is expected to grow by 9-10% in 2009-2010. With 10% of the worlds total Steel Aluminum resources India is self sufficient in steel aluminum, combined with low power costs it has a competitive export market. So, till today Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. have not much scope in Indian market because of robust growth in the Asian region, led by China has continued to drive the demand for steel aluminum from Indian market. Demand from East Europe, South Asia and Africa has also contributed to a significant growth in demand of 7%. Growth in power, construction, automotive and telecommunication sectors is expected to increase demand for steel aluminum by 4-5% over the next couple of years. With low demand and high power costs in South America and Europe, copper miners are looking at India. The proximity to a high demand region and the low smelting costs has made India and other South East Asian counties increasingly attractive locations. With its primary use in the galvanizing of steel, the major users of zinc are the automobile and construction industries. India is presently a minor exporter of Steel Aluminum, but with the expansion of new production capacity India is well on its way in becoming self sufficient and will take a much larger role in international markets. Indias have potential in the global base Steel Aluminum market and also its growing appeal to international investors. Often compared to the dynamic growth rates in China, India has promised but failed to deliver the same. This conference will critically examine if Indias recent developments will finally allow that promise to be successfully met. So, it is cleared from the above mentioned facts that till today, India is self sufficient in steel Aluminum, combined with low power costs it has a competitive export market Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. have not much scope in Indian market because of robust growth in Indian Steel Aluminum market, but it have opportunities in future because of continuity in demand for steel aluminum, because of robust growth in power, construction, automotive and telecommunication sectors in India. SWOT Analysis: SWOT Analysis, is a strategic planning tool used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective. The aim of any SWOT analysis is to identify the key internal and external factors that are important to achieving the objective. SWOT analysis groups key pieces of information into two main categories: Internal factors The strengths and weaknesses internal to the organization External factors The opportunities and threats presented by the external environment The internal factors may be viewed as strengths or weaknesses depending upon their impact on the organizations objectives. What may represent strengths with respect to one objective may be weaknesses for another objective. SWOT Analysis of Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. Strengths to Build Upon Largest Integrated Aluminum Stainless Steel player in US Cost Efficiencies arising out of : Captive power generation. In house manufacture of HCFC. Economies of scale due to melting capacity. Capacity of 250,000 tones. v Restructuring would enable focus on core strengths / core competencies. v The Company has a very diligent and disciplined acquisition strategy (growth segment) v Has cold rolling capacities which result in : Value added products. Production of international grade Stainless Steel facilitating exports Has diversified into many different areas of the Steel Aluminum industry and has many strong brands under its main umbrella group. Specialized equipment used to process the metals requires high-volume production to be cost effective. Reliance expects to continue to be at the forefront of consolidation in the large and still fragmented Steel Aluminum service center industry, even during poor economic periods when local or regional metals service centers may lack the access to capital required to compete effectively. Weaknesses to Overcome Inappropriate handling of the environmental interest groups is a very big weakness of the organization and can be detrimental to it in the future. High Gearing Capital blocked in group company investments. Opportunities to Exploit Opportunity In the developing Indian market, which is one of the largest consumer of Steel Aluminum. Operations and could greatly enhance its suite. Value added products. Present import duty structure allows protection. Growth opportunities in domestic as well as world market. Leaves scope for volume growth. Export substitution for wide width thin gauge. Cold Roll Stainless Steel (CRSS). Threats to Overcome Entry by global players and dumping by Asian countries. Operations sensitive to global prices of Nickel and stainless steel. Change in govt. policy on duty protection for. CRSS will have adverse impact on pricing. Reasons for Growth of Reliance Steel Aluminum Co.: Diverse, talented and dedicated workforce High degree of stock integration Low-cost producer in many operations Leadership positions in process and product technology Organization structure geared to effective global management Mix of businesses capable of delivering superior financial performance over the business cycle Balanced geographic spread with major investments underway in growth regions. Favorable effect for Reliance Steel Aluminum Co.: The organization has a global presence and thus has access to a wider customer base and a larger market than other Steel Aluminum companies. Reliance expects to continue to be at the forefront of consolidation in the large and still fragmented metals service center industry, even during poor economic periods when local or regional metals service centers may lack the access to capital required to compete effectively. Network of more than 180 locations in 37 states, Belgium, Canada, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom, the Company provides value-added metals processing services and distributes a full line of more than 100,000 metal products. Reliance is also expanding its facilities and product offerings in several of its existing geographic locations while penetrating new markets for its products. Harm full effect for Reliance Steel Aluminum Co.: Investors hammered Steel and Aluminum stocks on renewed fears a global recession would further slash demand for commodities. India is self sufficient in aluminum; combined with low power costs it has a competitive export market. Conclusion: Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. is one of the largest metals service center companies in the United States. Through a network of more than 180 locations in 37 states and Belgium, Canada, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom, the Company provides value-added metals processing services and distributes a full line of over 100,000 metal products. The Company has a very diligent and disciplined acquisition strategy seeking immediately accretive acquisitions with a minimum return on investment, but if Reliance Steel Aluminum Co. wants to operate in India, it has to compete with local robust players, which are not only fulfilling local Steel Aluminum needs but also have potential to set them in Global Steel Aluminum market with their techniques cost efficiencies. Bibliography: www.rsac.com www.magnesium.com www.google.com/finance www.world-aluminium-market.com Reliance Steel Aluminum

The Quiet American Essay -- Films Movies Vietnam War Essays

The Quiet American The film The Quiet American takes place during the 1950’s in Vietnam. The movie illustrates the atmosphere of Vietnam previous to the Vietnam War and during the French occupation of the country. The main plot of the movie revolves around three characters: Fowler played by Michael Caine, Pyle played by Brendan Fraiser, and Phoung played by Do Thi Hai Yen. For the duration of the movie the three main characters are involved in a semi love triangle. This triangle and the emotions that the male characters feel towards Phoung begin to characterize the way they feel about the country of Vietnam itself. Vietnam becomes feminized, taboo, and sexualized just as Phoung does in Pyle and Fowler’s eyes. The manner in which Fowler and Pyle struggle over Phoung represents the approach that Britain and America employed in their fight to â€Å"save† Vietnam from communism. Pyle’s’ intentions toward Phoung, although similar in some cases to Fowler’s, differ greatly at the same time. Both men view Phoung as a sort of object that needs to be saved or requires some sort of assistance in order to endure life. When Pyle falls in love with Phoung upon their first meeting, he decides that he must do whatever he can or whatever he deems necessary in order to â€Å"save† Phoung from a lowly existence. This is the exact same way that Pyle views Vietnam and its present condition. He wants to rescue Vietnam from what he believes to be unadulterated evil: communism. Pyle does this in a...

Examine the role of the witches in Macbeth Essay

King James I succeeded Queen Elizabeth I on the throne of England in 1603. He was a member of the Stuart dynasty and was already the King of Scotland. This meant he united the two kingdoms, ending incessant warring between the two nations. James hoped to end the period of religious turmoil that had engulfed England for the previous century. The people in 17th Century England were very superstitious and witchcraft was the object of fevered fascination. In 1604 a law was passed that said anyone convicted of witchcraft should be executed. King James I was as fascinated by witches as his subjects, and in 1590 he personally interrogated a group of witches who had plotted to kill him. Misogyny and a strong belief that morality was being upheld fuelled society’s hatred of witches. World Order was an important factor of seventeenth century life. World Order was a system in which God was at the top of the chain, followed by the King or Queen, then humans, birds, animals and fish. They believed that the King had been directly chosen by God and therefore did not have to answer to parliament. The human section of the Order was split into subdivisions of classes. It was believed that each person was born into their social status and ambition to rise above their position was considered unacceptable and was punishable by political means or by fate. The audience would immediately realise that once Macbeth had murdered the King, he would have to die, as he had disturbed God’s natural order. The first scene of Macbeth prepares the audience for the entrance of the witches with the use of pathetic fallacy. This is used to dramatic effect, with thunder, lightning and rain applied to create a feeling of chaos. The scene being set in a desolate place reinforces this idea, with the setting making it seem like the events that will unfold will be of an ominous nature. The words the witches use support the idea of chaos and disturbance. The word ‘hurly-burly’ is used to show the turmoil at the time, with the area being ravaged by battle. Another phrase used to show disturbance is ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’. This phrase makes the audience wonder how anything fair can possibly be foul, thus creating confusion. There are many indicators that the ‘three weird sisters’ are witches. These include the use of the number three, the familiars and the language of the sisters. The number three is a number often believed to be magical, and throughout the play Shakespeare frequently uses this number throughout the play. All three of the sisters have familiars, demons who take the form of creatures to aid witches with their evil craft. This is shown when the witches say ‘I come Graymalkin’, ‘Paddock calls’ and ‘Anon’. Some of the sisters say things that can be interpreted as being related to witchcraft, including ‘that will be ere the set of sun’. This relates to witchcraft, as traditionally it was believed that witches performed magic at sunset. In Act I Scene 1, the Captain tells the story of Macbeth being a brave and noble man who is valiant and trustworthy. He gives an account of a battle that has just taken place and tells the king of Macbeth’s role in it. As the man telling the story holds the rank of Captain, trust is established between him and the audience. The use of words such as ‘carved’, ‘unseamed’ and ‘steel’ have connotations of murder and butchery, showing Macbeth’s bloodthirstiness in battle. The Captain also uses the phrase ‘or memorise another Golgotha’. This compares Macbeth’s fighting as being as bloody and savage as the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This is a huge comparison, as Christ is a holy figure. I think that this shows Macbeth fights with such passion it could be almost a religion. A semantic field of ‘warfare and battle’ supports this scene, with lexis including ‘choke’; ‘rebel’; ‘galloglasses’; ‘smoked’; ‘over-charged’; ‘bloody’; ‘execution’; ‘carved’; ‘battlements’; ‘cannons’ and ‘wounds’. I think the words ‘choke’ and ‘over-charged’ are strong words, as they both show the zeal and ferocity Macbeth fought with. There is a large contrast between the way the witches and the Captain portray Macbeth. This creates an ambivalent presentation of Macbeth, allowing the audience to interpret Macbeth’s character in different ways. As a result of this, Macbeth’s entrance to the play is delayed until the third scene to allow the witches and the Captain to speak. The contradictory ideas about Macbeth that are spoken create tension, as the audience waits to see the true nature of Macbeth. A witch speaks before Macbeth’s arrival in Act I Scene 3, the line ‘A drum, a drum, Macbeth doth come’. This line has a strong aural quality, and the rhyming of ‘drum’ and ‘come’ creates a sound like a heartbeat, or a drum signifying war. This creates uncertainty in the audience’s mind, and prepares them for an ominous scene. Throughout the first scene of the play the witches are presented to the audience as puzzling creatures, possibly closer akin to Satan than humans. Their characters seem uncertain and their strange speech patterns are an enigma. They speak many contradictions including ‘when the battle’s lost and won’ and ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’. These contradictions could possibly be affiliated to world order, and the 17th Century audience may interpret the witches’ speech as a disturbance of that. The second appearance of the witches gives an insight into the power of the witches. The first witch tells the others about a woman who insulted her and how she would take her revenge upon the woman’s husband. The woman’s husband was the captain of a ship and the witch says ‘in a sieve I’ll thither sail’ and ‘I’ll do, I’ll do, and I’ll do’. One of the skills witches were credited with was the ability to sail in sieves and the use of this and the way in which ‘I’ll do’ is repeated three times, suggests some form of incantation will be used upon the sailor. The other witches offer to ‘give a wind’, allowing her to create a storm at the ship’s location. This shows that while the witches cannot directly control people, they do have control over the environment and they can use this to change the circumstances of people. What the witches plan to do with the captain is very alike what happens to Macbeth in the future. â€Å"Sleep shall neither night nor day† is similar to Macbeth after murdering Duncan, where he is plagued by nightmares and cannot sleep. This links Macbeth to the witches and shows his evil nature. When Macbeth meets the witches he is greeted with the witches saying ‘hail to thee, Thane of Glamis’, ‘hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor’ and ‘All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter’. The three lines indicate the three states of being: past, present and future. ‘Glamis’ shows the past tense, as Macbeth has been Thane of Glamis for a significant amount of time and he is aware of his position. ‘Cawdor’ represents the present, as unbeknown to him, Duncan has just stripped the previous Thane of Cawdor of his title, and will issue it to Macbeth. The final greeting is a prophecy, and it tells Macbeth that he will become King of England. The close repetition of the phrase gives the parallelism a strong rhythmic value, creating a sound that is similar to a spell or incantation. This reminds the audience that the prophecy has come from the mouths of evil, and so cannot be pure. After hearing these prophecies Macbeth responds by physically jolting. Banquo saying ‘why do you start and seem to fear’ shows this. There are three possible explanations for him jumping. Either Macbeth jumps in fear of the witches, jumps because he knows Duncan must die, or because the idea of murdering the king was already in his mind. In my opinion the reason Shakespeare put Banquo’s line into the play was to make the audience wonder if Macbeth had already thought about killing Duncan and claiming the throne. After the prophecies are given, Macbeth also orders the witches to tell him more. Imperative verbs are used to show his commands. These include ‘stay’ and ‘speak’. These show Macbeth wants to know more and show his military commanding background. It appears that he is used to having his orders carried out. Ross – a herald of King Duncan – then gives the news that Macbeth is Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth responds by saying ‘The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?’ This is part of a set of ‘clothes’ images throughout the play. This series of images supports the theme of the play, assuming a false identity and assuming someone else place. Clothing is used because Macbeth appears to be hiding his true nature behind the valiant robes of kingship. The set of images is effective because clothing can suggest concealment and disguise. After being assured of his position as Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth edges into a soliloquy. This is a dramatic technique and shows a character’s innermost thoughts. The phrase ‘if ill, why hath it given me earnest of success?’ is spoken by Macbeth, and shows how he cannot understand how the prophecies can possibly be evil when they have given him success. This shows he fully believes the witches and so means he will be likely to commit the murder of the king. A series of images from the stage is in this soliloquy with words such as ‘prologues’; ‘act’ and ‘imperial theme’. Another one of William Shakespeare’s plays, ‘As You Like It’ has a similar theme and a character in it says ‘All the world’s a stage and the characters merely players. They have their exits and their entrances.’ This displays world order, and it can be seen that each person has a part to play and must not step out of his or her role. By killing Duncan, Macbeth will step out of his role and cause chaos. I also think this can be related to Macbeth, as the witches have carefully orchestrated his life and have great control over his destiny. This is very much alike to the lines or acts in a play, while his exit will be his fate. At the end of the soliloquy there is also another clothes image, when Banquo says ‘look how our partner’s rapt’. This is a pun, as Macbeth is ‘spellbound’ but also metaphorically ‘wrapped’ in the clothes of another man – the king. The language of Macbeth’s letter to his wife shows that he has chosen to believe the witches prophesies. The letter opens with the phrase ‘They met me in the day of success’. This shows that all the experiences he had that day were successful, the battle and the encounter with the witches. The phrase ‘they have more in them than mortal knowledge’ shows that he fully believes they have magical powers, and that he trusts they will be beneficial to his cause. He says he ‘burned in desire to question them further’, showing the audience his desperate need to know more information. The phrase ‘fate and metaphysical aid doth seem’ is used by Lady Macbeth in her response to Macbeth’s letter. This phrase is significant as it shows her readiness to ally herself with evil and the magic of the witches. It also shows that she believes fate has placed the supernatural witches in their paths and they would be wrong to side against them. Lady Macbeth has a large soliloquy in Act I Scene 5. A soliloquy is where an actor turns to the audience and speaks directly to them, as if the character were daydreaming. The actor speaks the truth – as their character perceives it to be – to the audience. This technique is used to great dramatic effect by Shakespeare. In her soliloquy her deadly intent is revealed. The words ‘I feel now the future in the instant’ spoken by Lady Macbeth are very significant. They show that she believes their future will be decided by their actions regarding the king. I think that at this point she knows what must be done for her husband to become King. Lady Macbeth graphically indicates her decision to bring about the death of King Duncan by saying ‘O never shall sun that morrow see’. This shows that when the king goes to sleep, he shall never see daylight again: his fate is inevitable. ‘Sun’ is used as an image because the sun is a symbolic representation of monarchy. Also, in world order, kings where the highest placed creature, just as the sun is the most important thing in the sky. When Macbeth rejoins his wife, they speak of their plans to kill Duncan. She advises Macbeth to ‘look like th’innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t’. This means she wants Macbeth to look honest and friendly on the outside, yet on the inside, be as venomous as a vicious serpent and murder the king. The audience at the time would make a link between this and the Gunpowder Plot. The medals awarded during the plot to commemorate James’ escape featured a flower intertwined with a snake. As this had only recently happened in Shakespeare’s time, the audience would immediately recognise the connection. In Act I Scene 6, Duncan visits Macbeth’s castle. At the scene’s start, Duncan remarks upon how agreeable the castle is, with phrases such as ‘hath a pleasant seat’ and ‘recommends itself’ displaying his thoughts. This is ironic, as the castle looks like ‘th’innocent flower’ but is really ‘the serpent under’t’, as the king finds out. Lady Macbeth uses many euphemisms for murder in her soliloquy. Examples of these are ‘provided for’, ‘great business’ and ‘dispatch’. The use of euphemism shows that she does not want to explicitly state her murderous intentions clearly. A reason for this could be that she is afraid of being overheard and accused of treason. However, I think the main reason is that if she clearly said ‘murder’ the situation would seem more ‘real’ and she would see the extent of the crime. I believe she is still unsure herself about the gravity of the situation. The euphemisms all have double meanings, and these could be seen as a type of test for Macbeth to see how he would react to the suggestions. ‘Provided for’ could mean to be fed or to be killed. The ‘great business’ could be seen to be the feasting or the murder that would mean greatness for the Macbeths. The word ‘dispatch’ could mean welcom ing the guest, or the murder. In Act I Scene 7 Macbeth has a soliloquy that shows his indecisive state of mind. There are many words which show doubt, including ‘if’ and ‘but’, displaying how he is considering his actions and is not fully committed to the cause. This is supported by the language of thought, including ‘but how’, ‘if’ and ‘could’. Macbeth shows he is aware of just how immoral the murder would be, with the lines ‘he’s here in double trust: first, as I am his kinsman and his subject†¦ then as his host’. Here Macbeth lists his reasons why he should not kill Duncan, as he is his subject, his host and is even related to him. Through the soliloquy Macbeth shows that he understands there will be consequences for murder. ‘Might be the be-all and the end-all – here’ is a line spoken that shows the murder will not be the end of his troubled time; it will be the beginning of an even more distressing s tate. He recognises that consequences will occur to whoever carries out the action and shows it through the phrase ‘bloody instructions which being taught, return to plague th’inventor’. Macbeth also says to himself that Duncan has been a good king and that ‘his virtues will plead like angels’. At the end of the soliloquy an extended metaphor of horsemanship develops. This includes words such as ‘spur’; ‘prick’; ‘vaulting’; ‘o’erleaps’ and ‘falls’. This is prefigures Macbeth’s life, as his ‘vaulting ambition’ is all he has to ‘spur him on’, and it will eventually reach too high (the position of king) and ‘o’erleap’. He will then ‘fall’ and will receive the consequences of his actions. The image of horsemanship was used to remind the audience of Macbeth’s strict militaristic background. Macbeth’s soliloquy shows a huge difference in character between himself and his wife. While his wife immediately resolves that they must kill the king, Macbeth thinks about the consequences. This shows Macbeth does have a conscience and I think this causes the audience to feel sympathetic to his plight. Macbeth has a second soliloquy in Act II Scene 1. Here his intensified fragile state of mind is shown to the audience. Macbeth sees an apparition of a floating dagger, shown through the phrase ‘is this a dagger which I see before me’. This shows that his mind is so focused upon the murder of Duncan, it is seeing weapons everywhere he turns. Phrases such as ‘a dagger of the mind†¦ proceeding from the heat-oppressà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½d brain’, show the mental strain Macbeth is under. A semantic field of the ‘supernatural’ underpins this soliloquy, with words including: ‘witchcraft’; ‘Hecate’; ‘murder’; ‘sentinel’; ‘wolf’; ‘stealthy’; ‘ghost’ and ‘fear’. I think that ‘Hecate’ is a particularly powerful word to use as Hecate was traditionally thought to be the goddess of witchcraft. At the beginning of the soliloquy Macbeth is using euphemisms for murder, like ‘the bloody business’. However, towards the end of the soliloquy, the language has developed and now includes words like ‘murder’ and ‘horror’. This shows that Macbeth has now fully made his decision and accepts what he must do. The soliloquy ends with a rhyming couplet, reminiscent of the witches. By using the language of the witches on Macbeth, Shakespeare has identified Macbeth closely with them. This creates the impression that the soliloquy ends with him making his own spell that will mean the death of Duncan. The two soliloquies depict the way in which the witches have effected Macbeth. They have given him advice and he has taken it in the way that he believed was correct. The witches have only influenced him, they have not directly told him what to do. I think Shakespeare has used these soliloquies to give the audience an insight into the mind of a murderer. As this was a 17th Century production, psychology and other studies into the mind had not been begun. This would mean the audience would be enthralled by what would have been revolutionary viewing. Act II Scene 4 takes place outside of Macbeth’s castle and is a conversation between Ross – a thane – and an old man. Though this scene takes place after the murder of Duncan, the two characters discussing the night do not yet know anything about his death. It is important that the man speaking is old, as this means he has lived for a long time among the feuding Scottish warlords. This creates an impression of knowledge, and that the old man would have seen many unusual things. Pathetic fallacy is used, with the phrase ‘dark night strangles the travelling lamp’ signifying an eclipse. I think an eclipse has been used for the night’s weather, as it is highly unusual and would have been considered to be supernatural. This would have given the night an eerie atmosphere. The old man begins the scene by saying ‘this sore night hath trifled former knowings’. This shows that while the man is very old, he cannot remember a night as strange as this. A bank of images relating to the stage is found, including ‘act’ and ‘stage’. These relate to the previous stage images, found in Act I Scene 3. The images link to world order and the way in which everybody has a part to play that they cannot change. By murdering Duncan, Macbeth has stepped out of his role and his upset the balance of world order. ‘A falcon tow’ring in her pride of place was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed’. The falcon is top of the food chain, and this is metaphorical for a lesser animal (Macbeth) killing something that belongs at the top of world order (Duncan). The horses have turned cannibalistic and are eating each other: ‘turned wild in nature, broke their stalls†¦ they eat each other’. This shows just how disturbed the order of the world is, yet it is also metaphorical for Macbeth killing his own kind. The use of language such as ‘entomb’, ‘strange’ and ‘unnatural’ show the precarious state the world is now in, with Duncan dead. Act IV Scene 1 begins with the three witches casting a spell in preparation for their meeting with Macbeth. Pathetic fallacy is once again used, with thunder giving the audience the impression the spell will be destructive. The chant shows many of the prejudices of the time. The witches put many parts of creatures that were considered inferior to the majority into the cauldron. These inferior creatures are: ‘frog’; ‘bat’; ‘dog’; ‘adder’; ‘blind-worm’; ‘lizard’ and ‘howlet’. All of the animals mentioned are creatures of the night, and so were considered very rudimentary forms of life. After more chanting, the witches begin to put in parts of other items associated with death. The mythical ‘dragon’, the predatory ‘wolf’, the evil ‘witches’ mummy’ and the poisonous ‘hemlock’ are all placed into the pot. This adds to the feeling of death and evil. Society’s prejudices come to the forefront of the chant with body parts of non-Christians being added to the pot: ‘liver of blaspheming Jew’, ‘nose of Turk’ and ‘Tartar’s lips’. As Jews, Turks and Tartars were not Christian, the audience would have feared them as they were foreign and their cultures were unknown to them. There is a semantic field of ‘poison’ in the incantation, and the lexis included are: ‘poisoned’; ‘entrails’; ‘toad’; ‘sweltered’; ‘venom’; ‘sleeping’; ‘boil’ and ‘bubble’. These were all added by Shakespeare to make the witches’ concoction appear to be very deadly. Towards the end of the spell, the finger of a ‘birth-strangled babe, ditch delivered by a drab’. A ‘drab’ was a prostitute and the child would have been killed at birth, as an illegitimate child would bring shame upon the family. As it was strangled at birth, the child is unblessed and so would never enter Heaven. This is ‘familiar magic’ and works through association. This could prefigure Macbeth’s murder of Macduff’s children. The magic number three is also used, when the witches say ‘thrice’ towards the start of the spell. The rhymes and rhythm of the words help to reinforce the idea of a deadly spell. The spell has a heavy aural quality, and this meant the audience could feel a part of the play. Rhyming couplets are used throughout the spell, helping to make it seem like a chant. An example of a rhyming couplet is ‘Ditch delivered by a drab, make the gruel thick and slab’. This phrase also has many labials in it, helping to create a sense of evil and decay. Shakespeare also employs onomatopoeia in Macbeth. This helps to reinforce the tension and make an aural sound of a spell. Examples of onomatopoeia are ‘double’, ‘trouble’ and ‘bubble’. There is a language link between this and Act I Scene 2 where the captain describes Macbeth as having ‘doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe’. This helps to tie Macbeth to the witches. I think that Macbeth returns to the witches because he wants to know his future. He has been tortured by the spirit of Banquo whom he has had killed and he fears for his sanity. Macbeth goes to the witches to seek assurances that he will not be dethroned in the future. I think he is looking for a future, as his guilt seems to tell him he will not have a pleasant one. The fact that he comes to the witches for reassurance shows that he has chosen to fully believe them and he trusts them. By consulting them, he is trying to change his own fate. This could further upset the order of the world. Macbeth greets the witches in the following way: ‘How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags! What is’t you do?’ ‘Black’ and ‘secret’ connote concealment and this links to the clothes images that run throughout the play. The use of the phrase ‘midnight hags’ shows that Macbeth understands the power of the witches and that they have just created a spell. Midnight is the witching hour, and this can be cross referenced to Act I Scene 1 where the witches say ‘that will be ere the set of sun’. A witch responds by saying ‘a deed without a name’. This is in keeping with the earlier euphemisms for murder. When Macbeth speaks to the witches he instantly commands them by saying ‘I conjure you’. This is a play on words, as the witches have the ability to conjure things and because he is commanding them. Imperative verbs are once again used, showing that he is used to having his orders carried out. Examples of imperatives are ‘answer’ and ‘speak’. Macbeth is prepared to take the world to the edge of destruction to get the answers he seeks. ‘Castles topple’ and ‘pyramids do slope their heads to their foundations’ shows he does not care about the destruction he causes in his quest. He ends by saying ‘even till destruction sicken’. I believe this would be said with finality, showing how deeply he will pursue his aims. A semantic field of ‘chaos’ underpins this whole section, with words like: ‘winds’; ‘yeasty waves’; ‘confound’; ‘swallow’; ‘lodged’; ‘blown down’; ‘topple’; ‘slope’; ‘tumble’ and ‘destruction’. Semantics are used here to show just how much Macbeth has already disturbed world order by murdering Duncan. The witches create three apparitions that give Macbeth a prophecy each. The first apparition is of an ‘armed head’ and it tells Macbeth:’Beware Macduff, Beware the Thane of Fife’. Macbeth’s immediate response is ‘thou has harped my fear alright’, meaning he has confirmed what he thought. Towards the end of the scene, he says he will act on his first impulse and do what his first instincts say: ‘The very firstlings of my heart shall be, the firstlings of my hand’. After hearing Macduff has fled Scotland, Macbeth turns into a blind rage and orders his men to ‘give to th’edge o’th’sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line’. The second apparition is of a ‘bloody child’ and tells Macbeth: ‘Laugh to scorn the power of men, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth’. This greatly pleases Macbeth and gives him more security. Although he is reassured, he still makes an oath that he will kill Macduff. I think he does this for extra reassurance in light of the first apparition. The bloody child prefigures the decision Macbeth will make to kill Macduff’s children. The third apparition is of a ‘child crowned, with a tree in his hand’. The child tells Macbeth: ‘Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him’. Macbeth responds by saying no one can make the trees move at their will. This shows that he dismisses the prophecy and does not take into consideration the possibilities of how this could occur. Macbeth’s confidence has improved greatly after hearing these prophecies and he confidently asks the third apparition ‘shall Banquo’s issue ever reign in this kingdom?’ By asking the question, Macbeth shows he is still intrigued by the original prophecy of the witches which said Banquo’s descendants will be monarchs. The witches then tell him ‘seek to know no more’. This annoys Macbeth and he childishly says ‘deny me this, and an eternal curse fall on you’, showing his arrogance. After he does this, the witches summon another apparition, this time eight kings with Banquo following behind. Macbeth realises the answer to his question about Banquo’s heirs when he says: ‘Now I see ’tis true, for the blood-boltered Banquo smiles upon me, and points at them for his’. Macbeth’s reactions to all the prophecies show his precarious state of mind. Throughout Act IV Scene 1 he lapses into bravado, attempting to show he is confident when in actual fact he is very nervous and afraid. Two examples of bravado used are ‘call ’em, let me see ’em’ and ‘had I three ears, I’d hear thee’. Although he is nervous and fearful of his future, Macbeth still feels superior to the witches. This is shown through phrases such as ‘tell me’ and ‘filthy hags’. Macbeth misses the significance of the third prophecy, where the obvious interpretation of the trees being camouflage is overlooked. This shows that he is no longer thinking like a soldier, and rather a desperate man. The apparition showing Banquo’s heirs is believed to have political significance. The eight king bears a glass (mirror) and it is thought that it would have been pointed at King James I, watched the play. As it was facing James, the audience would have seen the kings face while the line, ‘some I see, that two-fold balls and treble sceptres carry’ was spoken. These represent the two orbs James I carried at his two coronations in Scotland and England, as well as the three kingdoms he now ruled: Scotland, England and Ireland. I think this was put into the play to try and support James. When he came to power, he promised better things for both Catholics and Protestants. However, he seemed not to fulfill these promises in the way that the people wanted and the Gunpowder Plot challenged his rule. I think that Shakespeare put this section in Macbeth to try and show James had a legitimate claim to the throne as he was descended from ancient royalty. In the scene, Macbeth’s assistant is called Seyton. This could possibly be pronounced ‘Satan’, adding to the impression of Macbeth’s growing evil. I think the use of an assistant called Seyton makes it sound as though Macbeth now has his own familiar, the Devil himself. Towards the end of the scene, the doctor tells Macbeth that Lady Macbeth is suffering from a mental ailment. Macbeth’s immediate response is to order the doctor to ‘cure her of that’. The next few lines of the play detail Macbeth asking if the doctor cannot cure ‘a mind diseased’. However, I believe the audience would see the question as Macbeth asking for help himself, as the anxiety and sorrow he describes is what he himself is suffering from. The question is reinforced by a semantic field of ‘cleaning’, with words such as: ‘minister’; ‘pluck’; ‘raze’; ‘antidote’ and ‘cleanse’. I think this shows just how badly Macbeth wants his mental state to be cured. When the doctor says patients must cure themselves, he responds by angrily saying ‘throw physic to the dogs’. This shows his precarious mental state. Act V Scene 8 details the battle between Macbeth and Macduff outside Dunsinane Castle. The scene begins with Macbeth saying he wants to become the great soldier that he once was, and will not commit suicide. The line ‘why should I play the Roman fool and fie on mine own sword?’ shows this. Macbeth tells Macduff that he has avoided him for the entirety of the battle, but his ‘soul is too much charged with blood’. This means he has seen so much death he no longer cares about who he faces. As he is facing Macduff, Macbeth boasts that no naturally born man can kill him. This makes Macduff reveal his own Caesarean birth. Hearing this, Macbeth almost physically collapses. The mental stress and the fake promise of glory from the witches suddenly leave Macbeth, and he is free to sadly muse about his shortcomings. ‘And be these juggling fiends no more believed That palter with us in a double sense, That keep the word of promise to our ear And break it to our hope.’ This section shows how Macbeth now views the witches and their prophecies. The first line shows how he no longer believes the witches. The use of the phrase ‘juggling fiends’ represents his view that the witches have been ‘juggling’ with fate, emotion and people’s lives. ‘That palter with us in a double sense’ means Macbeth now accepts that the witches’ prophecies could have been interpreted in different ways and he made the wrong choices. ‘That keep the word of promise to our ear’ shows how they misled him by speaking of future greatness, but then ‘break it to our hope’. Despite realising that Macduff will kill him, Macbeth decides to die fighting, in an attempt to reclaim some of his lost honour. Another reason for his decision to die fighting is the fact that he cannot bear the thought of being subservient to Malcolm after being in a position of power all his life.

Bric: Culture, Values, and Business Ethics Essay

INTRODUCTION BRIC, represents the countries Brazil, Russia, India, and China. These countries are known to be at similar stages of economic growth. The BRIC countries have had a huge success in the past decade with their industrialization and economic success. With the BRIC countries emerging as economic powerhouses and the increasing number of foreign counties increasing to do business with them, ethical rules must integrate into their business practices. An increasing number of companies are moving production to the BRICs in order to take advantage of generous tax incentives, high productivity rates, and cheap labor. Each country has cultures and values which makes them unique. They also have a very specific business ethic that one should know about if they want to be successful in these countries. BRAZIL Brazil, known as the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America and in the Latin American region. It is the fifth largest country geographically and by population with a population of 190,732,694 according to the 2010 Census. It is known as one of the world’s fastest growing economies and is part of the United Nations, the G20, BRIC, and groups. Brazil is known for their economy having a growth rate during the world recession in 2008 (Vernengo, 2010). Brazil’s land use is 87% forest/woodland and meadows/pastures and has a climate which is known to be mostly tropical since they have the Amazon. Iron, gold, petroleum, and nickel are some of the many natural resources they are known for. BRAZIL’S CUTURE AND VALUES The Brazilians have a unique culture that they share with one another. First off, the official language is Portuguese which makes up almost 100 percent of the population. Brazilians have a strong national ideology that their land is a â€Å"racial democracy†. As far as the Brazilian class system goes, people with darker skin tend to be economically and socially disadvantaged. Class is determined by economic status and skin color. Women make up forty percent of the workforce but are found with lower paying jobs than males such as teaching, nursing, and jobs with clerical duties (Brazil – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d.). Common Brazilian foods consist of rice and beans which are put together with meats and fish. The most important meal of the day is a multicourse meal eaten after midday. Middle-class would eat the beans or rice with fish or meat and the lower class would only eat beans or meat during this meal. Now that Brazil is industrializing. The famil y-centered meal at midday is being replaced with smaller meals that are consumed at restaurants with buffets or fast-food such as McDonalds. The lower-calls who cannot afford this will generally eat at home, buy snacks on the street, or carry food with them at work. Brazil has a nation dish known as â€Å"feijoada† which means â€Å"big bean† stew. It consists of a variety of meats cooked with black beans and condiments with rice, fresh fruit, and a side of onion sauce. Different social classes and economic inequality in Brazil has been a problem for a long time. There is a large rate of crime in urban areas such as kidnapping, murdering and assaults. Killing of police officers are common in less wealthy areas as well. â€Å"The murder rate in greater Sà £o Paulo, for example, is some five times that of the New York metropolitan area† (Culture of Brazil, n.d.). The Brazilian government has The Federal Constitution of Brazil that provides the executive, legislative, and executive independent branches. Voting in Brazil today is universal and required for all literate Brazilian citizens aged from seventeen to seventy and is optional for the citizens who do not have the ability to read and write. In the country of Brazil there are many unique values the citizens hold. To begin with, the main religion of the country is Catholic. Brazil has the largest catholic community in the world. During the colonial times, there was no freedom of religion which meant that all of the Portuguese settlers and Brazilians were forced to the Roman Catholic faith which in turn made most of the population today Catholic. Another popular Brazilian religion is Umbanda, which is a blend of African and Catholicism religions. Some branches of the Umbanda religion wear white clothes in ceremonies while others do not. During ceremonies, all of the people sing, drink and smoke, being under the influence of the spirits. â€Å"Music and dance are essential in rituals because they facilitate the communion with the spirits and help people in their daily lives† (The Umbanda religion – Brazilian spirituality, n.d.). In Brazil there are very specific way women and men meet. When two males meet, they shake hands with each other while maintaining steady eye contact with each other. When women meet with each other they kiss each other starting with the left check then alternating to the right similar to some Americans. When a woman wants to shake hands with a man, she should be to one extending her arm out first. Hugging and backslapping are also common among friends. BRAZIL’S BUSINESS ETIQUETTE When doing business in Brazil there are many things to take note of. To begin with, Brazilians need to know who they are doing business with. As a result make appointments at least two weeks in advance. Face-to-face meetings are preferred instead of written communication so they know exactly who they are doing with. During meetings, business men socialize over coffee which at times can make meeting informal. When exchanging business cards, they are to be done during introductions with everyone at the meeting. One side should be translated in Portuguese and should be presented with that side facing the recipient. Brazilian companies have a vertical hierarchy where the managers at the top make the majority of the decisions. Most of the management is men but recently women are starting to gain these roles as well. When dressing, men should wear dark colored suits. Usually if someone is an executive they will wear a three-piece suit while a two-piece suit is worn by office workers. Women should wear dresses, suits, or something conservative and make sure their nails are always manicured. When doing business in Brazil there are some do’s and do not’s to be aware of. Always make eye contact because this will show that the business person listening is paying attention, interested, and honest. It should always be expected that a meal will take longer since it is more like a celebration rather than a meal. Food and drinks should always be accepted when offered during a special or business occasion. As far as things not to do, never give gifts that are purple or black since these are considered mourning colors. Never rush business dealings and always avoid pressuring final decisions since Brazilians take a long time to do this. Never show feeling of frustration since this will look bad for the person wanting to do business with them. Corruption and deforestation should never be brought up since these are current sensitive topics. Lastly, never publically criticize Brazilian counterparts if they need to be told something, it should be done in private so it does not make them look bad (Malinak, 2007). Knowing Brazil’s business etiquette is critical if a person wants to have success making business. RUSSIA Russia, officially known as the Russian Federation, is the largest country in the world with a population estimate of 143,300,000. It is the world’s largest reserves for minerals and energy resources and is the largest oil and natural gas producer. It is also has the largest forest reserves. Due to Russia’s size, there are many climates. The main climates are humid continental and subarctic. Russia only has two main seasons which are winter and summer. The coldest month is January and the warmest month is July. Between these seasons for a brief time are their spring and autumn. Russia is known for their oil, natural gas, and timber which accounts for more than 80% of their exports abroad. They are the third largest electricity company in the world and the fifth renewable energy producer (Russia, 2012). RUSSIA’S CULTURE AND VALUES The Russian citizens have much pride in their country. They have many patriotic songs and poems about their homeland and take pride in their cultural heritage. Eighty one percent of Russia speaks the Russian language. Families are very dependent on each other and are very small, usually with only one or two children per family since women are always working outside of the house. Most of the families live in small apartments sharing with two or three generations (Russia – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d.). The most common food of the Russian culture is bread while potatoes cabbage beets and carrots are the main vegetable of their diet. Russians love meat. Lower class has sausage, port, beef, mutton, chicken, and dried or salted fish while the higher class has duck, veal, and salmon. In the daily life of a Russian, breakfast is usually coffee or tea with bread or sausage. Lunch people eat potatoes, soup, macaroni, or rice and can be eaten only in a cafeteria in a w orkplace or at home. Dinner consists of boiled potatoes, cabbage, bread, or sausage and bread. There is not that much talk about different social classes in Russia any longer. The â€Å"new Russians† are seen to be driving late-model cars such as Mercedes and Jeeps while dressing in designer clothing and wear heavy gold jewelry. Showing off these items demonstrate wealth. Juvenile misbehavior has been increasing significantly along with prostitution, AIDS, and homelessness among children and teens. As far as government goes, they have a parliament that is divided into and upper and a lower house. The lower house is known as Dumab which has 450 elected members while the upper house consists of local governors and legislators from the eighty nine administrative regions (Culture of Russia, n.d.). On top of Russia’s culture, Russian’s values are also very important. The main religion the Russians follow is Orthodox Christianity which is run by bishops and metropolitans. For most of the Orthodox followers, religious practice concentrates on the affecting experience of liturgy, which is chanted daily, on Sundays, and in long, elaborate services on holy days. Churches and cathedrals are the most important sites to worship at. When two people meet for the first time, there should be a firm, hard hand-shake while making eye contact. If a male is shaking hands with a woman, this handshake will be less firm. When women meet each other they kiss on the cheek three times starting at the left cheek and then alternating. As for close male friends, they first give each other a pat on the back followed by a hug. RUSSIA’S BUSINESS ETIQUETTE When doing business in Russia it is expected for a person to be on time to all business meeting. Russians are known for testing patience. In turn, a Russian may be late to a meeting or not start the meeting for one or two hours afterwards to see the reaction the person will give. The best way to communicate in Russia is the fax and email since the mail can be unreliable. Before making a trip to Russia, one must inform the company of the intended business proposal and objectives. When giving a presentation, Russians expect it to be long and detailed and to include to history of the subject. Hierarchy is important to Russians. They respect age, rank and position. The decision makers higher up have authority over subordinates. When exchanging business cards it is usually done after the initial introductions with formal ritual. The business hard should include university degrees and be translated into Russian using Cyrillic text on one side while having the other side be in English. When dressing, businessmen wear suite that are dark and well tailored with a nice dress shoe. Typically a Russian businessman will never take his jacket off. What a businessman wears demonstrates their image as a professional. Women should dress conservatively in skirts rather than pants. When doing business with Russia there are some do’s and do not’s to be aware of. When first meeting, do shake hands firmly since Russians do this to each other naturally. Always get involved in small talk before starting a business conversation. Most of the small talk will deal with family. When doing business, never be afraid to show emotion and never reward anyone in public because Russians will see this as suspicious are can cause jealousy (Gorrill, 2007). INDIA India. Known as the Republic of India, is the seventh largest country in the world with a population of 1,210,193,422 according to the 2011 Census. It is the most populous democracy and second-most populous country in the world. India is considered a newly industrialized country and is one of the fastest-growing major economies. It has the third-largest standing army in the world. The climate in India is largely influenced by the Himalayan Mountains and the Thar Desert. These both cause winter and summer monsoons. There are four major climates in India which are tropical wet, tropical dry, subtropical humid, and montane (India, 2012). I NDIA’S CULTURE AND VALUES The Indian’s have a unique culture. Different states have different languages with the main one being Hindi. Two other main languages are Urdu, and Bengali. India’s culture is based on an hierarchy with the tradition of the caste system. All relationships involve hierarchies such as schools. A teacher is known as a guru and is known as the person with all of the knowledge. At home the father in considered the leader of the family. In the business world the boss is seen as the person responsible for the business. As far as family, people are defined by groups rather than individuals. These groups can range from being part of a region, state, family, career path, etc. This extended family creates a numerous amount of rules, structures, and interrelationships. In the Indian culture, people do not like to say â€Å"no†. Instead if something was not available they would tell a person what they would want to hear. If a person asks for something, the Indians must do wha t is asked and if not, they would be considered rude (India – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d.). As far as food goes, rice is the main food in India. Like the United States where there are people who eat meat and who are vegetarian, it is very similar in India but based on the cast system. Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, and Christians all eat meat except pork, besides the Christians. When in the lower-caste, Hindus eat meat except for beef. Members in the higher castes are vegetarians. Every caste, tribe, town, village, and religion has a variety of traditional ceremonies, mostly religious based that are observed with enthusiasm and wide participation. India’s government is a liberal democratic federal government and is the largest democracy in the world. The country is divided into twenty eight based states for administrative purposes. The central government also administers seven small â€Å"Union Territories† (Culture of India, n.d.). There are many different values that India holds. The main religions in India are Hindu, which makes up of 81.3% and Muslim which is 12% of the country. This is one of the largest Islamic nations in the world. There are thousands of rituals and millions of shrines, temples, and other holy places. Hindus have a large pilgrimage temples where Muslims visit tombs of saints. Most Hindus believe in reincarnation when one dies so when a person rebirths they can go into a new caste system. Hindus are usually cremated instead of buried. When Indians get married most of the marriages are arranged. Marriages that are not arranged are looked down upon. When people are to meet in India, the eldest person should be greeted first since they have an hierarchical structure. When leaving, each person individually must be given a farewell. More educated people who deal with westerners shake hands. Men shake hands with other men and women shake hands with other women. A handshake between and man and a women tend to be uncommon due to their religious beliefs. INDIA’S BUSINESS ETIQUETTE When doing business in India is it smart to make an appointment at least a month or two ahead of time by letter. Business appointments should be made in the late morning or early afternoon between eleven and four. When meeting for the first time it is possible for business not to be discussed at all since meetings start with getting to know people. When a decision is made, it is made by the person with the most authority. When talking to a person who does not have a professional title they should have to title of â€Å"Madam† or â€Å"Sir†. When exchanging business cards, it should be done after the initial handshake. The university or degree earned should be stated on the business card and should be given and received with the right hand only. When giving a business card it should also be in the position where it is readable as its handed to the recipient. The business dress code is conservative. Men should wear business suits that are dark colors and women should wear suits or dresses. If business is done in a hotter part of the country the dress code is less formal. One should always remain polite and honest at all times to prove sincerity and politeness. Never be aggressive during business negotiations because this can show disrespect. When offered a drink or food during a business meeting it should always be accepted. If not, it is considered offensive (Gorrill, 2007). CHINA China is the second largest economy in the world and is the fastest growing market economy. It is also the world’s most populous country. As of 2001, China has a population of about 1,347,350,000 with an annual growth in GDP of 9.5%. China’s success has been primarily due to manufacturing as a low-cost producer. This is attributed to a combination of cheap labor, good infrastructure, relatively high productivity, favorable government policy, and a possibly undervalued exchange rate. China’s climate is made up of dry seasons and wet monsoons. In winter the temperature is cold and dry whereas the summer it is warm and moist. Since China has such a complex topography, the climate ranges region to region. Recently there have been problems in Chine with pollution and environment deterioration due to the high population (China, 2012). CHINA’S CULTURE AND VALUES Chinese is the official language in China. The social structure is formal and hierarchical. There is a hierarchical class system supported by the Confucian philosophy. At the top of the system there are scholars followed by farmers, artisans, and at the bottom merchants and soldiers. Rice is the main food of China. Grain is grown where the climate is too hot to grow rice. Breakfast consists of noodles or wheat bread or rice with porridge served with shrimp, vegetables, and pickles. Lunch is closely related to breakfast. Dinner is the largest meal of the day which always includes soup being the last course. If there is a special occasion or family gathering, there will be elaborate meals. For the mid autumn festival, known as the Moon Festival, , â€Å"moon cakes† are served which are baked pastries filled with ground sesame and lotus seeds. Business occasions are usually at restaurants that consist of ten or more courses. China is a communist state. The president is elected by the National People’s Congress for a five year term. The NPC had duties to write laws, delegate authority, and supervise other parts of the government. The Chinese Communist Party is the only political party and controls either other small parties (Culture of China, n.d.). Since China is a communist state, majority of the country is atheist. Twenty percent of the population practice Confucianism and Taoism. Taoist temples consist of a courtyard, a main hall with an alter, and small shrines. Worships take the form of mediation or physical exercise. China has the one child only rule due to the high population it holds. In rural areas, families are allowed to have more than one, perhaps two or three. When meeting with the Chinese, many lower their eyes as a sign of respect. When at a large function it is okay to introduce yourself to guests but at small functions it is polite to wait for the host or hostess to introduce you. A Chinese person should always be addressed by the honorific title and surname unless advised otherwise (Hong Kong – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d). CHINA’S BUSINESS ETIQUETTE In China, Face-to-face meetings in the workplace are an essential step towards making a sale in most business markets. Only when a face-to-face appointment is secured can it be assumed that the enquiry is a serious one. As in the West, Chinese buyers are busy people and prefer for suppliers to visit them at their offices, unless negotiations are at an advanced stage and the client wants to visit the supplier’s production facilities to look at the scale of the operation. Hierarchical structures of Chinese society and business organizations are based on a strict observation of rank where the individual is subordinate to the organization. People will enter the meeting room in hierarchical order, as the Chinese are very status conscious. Senior members generally lead the negotiations and will direct the discussion. A long-term relationships are considered more valuable then hurried transactions. When exchanging business cards one side should be printed in English and one in Chinese. The card should be presented with both hands and with the Chinese side facing up. When accepting a colleague’s card study it carefully before placing it on the table, never in the back pocket because this is known to be extremely disrespectful. When doing business in China, punctuality is important. As far as business attire, men should wear Conservative with subtle colors. Women should avoid high heels and short sleeved blouses. The Chinese frown on women who display too much. Subtle, neutral colors should be worn by both men and women. There are many do’s and do not’s when doing business in China. One must always maintain eye contact. If this is not done one will be considered untrustworthy. The Chinese counterpart should always initiate the formal greeting. One should always address the counterpart by their title and last name. If they do not have a title use â€Å"Mr.† or â€Å"Madam†. One should never point when speaking as this is considered rude. When being offered food or a beverage, always wait until the host starts. Business should never be discussed when eating or drinking. It is also advised to not use large hand gesture since they are considered distracting to the listener. CONCLUSION To conclude, the BRIC countries have grown rapidly in the past decade with their success in industrialization and trading. Since there is such an rapid growth in business moving into these countries, if a business wants to be successful they need to know the specific practices and beliefs. Going into a country to do business without knowledge of the country’s culture and values will end up turning a business back to where they came from and end up being unsuccessful. Therefore, a business needs to obtain background information and knowledge of the different business ethics for success. REFERENCE Brazil (2012, November 14). In Central Intelligence Agency. 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Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/India.html Culture of Russia (n.d.). In Every Culture. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Russia.html Gorrill J. (2007). Doing Business in China: Chinese Social and Business Culture. In Communicaid. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20China.pdf Gorrill J. (2007). Doing Business in India: Indian Social and Business Culture. In Communicaid. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20India.pdf Gorrill J. (2007). Doing Business in Russia: Russian Social and Business Culture. In Communicaid. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing %20Business%20in%20Russia.pdf Hong Kong – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette (n.d.). In Kwintessential Ltd.. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/hongkong-country-profile.html India (2012, November 26). In Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved December 4, 2012, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html India – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette (n.d.). In Kwintessential Ltd.. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/india-country-profile.html Malinak, C. (2007). Doing Business in Brazil: Brazilian Social and Business Culture. In Communicaid. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Brazil.pdf Russia (2012, December 4). In Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved December 4, 2012, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rs.html Russia – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette (n.d.). In Kwintessential Ltd.. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/russia-country-profile.html The Umbanda religion – Brazilian spirituality (n.d.). In Whatafy. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://whatafy.com/the-umbanda-religion-braxilian-spirituality.html Vernengo, M. (2010, March 29). Brazil: Latin America’s Big Success Story?. In