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Encountering Violence Yeats, Leda and the Swan
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Encountering Violence: Yeats, “Leda and the Swan”
Introduction
Literature is an important aspect of the social wellbeing of a given society because of the important role that it plays in informing the audience about the various issues and concerns related to a particular population in a given context. Authors use creative literary works not only to inform the reader but also to document the various themes and events that define a given age. In this regard, it is worth acknowledging that a significant percentage of the classical literature in use today reflects that various events that occurred in the past. These events often tend to have far reaching implications not only on the characters but on the entire society. In addition, they provide vital lessons to the audience and show how certain events undermine and /or enhance the holistic wellbeing of humanity.
Appreciation of this provides guidance to the audience with regard to how they are expected to handle different situations. Most importantly, conventional themes always underscore the role of the divine power in the lives of the populations. The author of Leda and the Swan succeeds in presenting to the audience theme of violence and the implications of the same to the entire society. Notably, the consequences of the inherent violence have adverse effects and various lessons can be learnt from the same. This paper reviews the theme of violence, how it is explored by the writer, its implications on the characters and the entire society and finally the modern lessons that can be derived from the same.
The poem presents a vivid description of a rape ordeal that leaves Leda pregnant. The first stanza introduces the reader to the theme of violence as s/he informed about the aggressive descent of the bird and the subsequent attack to the victim. The author describes the swan’s assault as a “sudden blow”. In this regard, this is used to refer to the aggressive sexual act that is immediate and finds Leda unprepared. In his review, Scott posits that by use of an incomplete sentence, the author effectively emphasizes the intrinsic violence as well as the explosive nature of the activity that found Leda unawares (2). The author further reveals to the audience that he swan continued to hang in the air while its wings were beating.
The word still in this regard has two different meanings. In the first instance, it shows that the swan continues beatings its wings while in the second instance; it implies that the swan continues to hover above the girl. According to Hargrave, this is also an indication that the swan has overpowered the girl as she is unable to take any practical steps to protect herself from the power of the bird (239). The “beating of the wings” is an indication that the swan had already staged a fight and therefore it would require the girl significant efforts to overcome the same.
Scott also point out that the author used the swan as a form of disguise (4). In this respect, it is argued that the swan is naturally not a violent bird and it hardly causes any harm to humanity. This can be used to explain why the girl remained unsuspecting as the swan approached. She could have contended that the bird was harmless and therefore there was no need of taking practical steps to arm her self. In addition, the bird is a representation of the divine power. Usually, this is considered a form of protection to humanity and therefore, it was unlikely for the same to harm the girl.
The second line provides an explicit description and how she struggles under the power of the bird. This can be considered both a physical and psychological struggle. The author cites that he swan completely covers Leda with its body while she falters under him. The, he has “her thighs caressed” using his dark and webbed feet. Although the author presents some degree of sensuousness in his employment of the term caressed, it is indicated that his feeling is undermined by the bird’s “dark webs”. The third line further exemplifies the pain and fright that the girl experiences in as her nape gets caught in the bill of the swan. This implies that the girl is helpless as she is overpowered by the might of the bird. In the fourth line, the author ascertains that the girl is helpless and implies a crushing movement as the bird “holds her helpless breast against his breast”. Neigh explains that there was some degree of force and physical struggle as the bird pinned down the girl and subsequently raped her (146).
In the second stanza, the author provides a distinct description of the rape through rhetoric questions. The author contends that the divine nature of the bird gave it some form of power that could not be overcome by Leda. He shows that the fingers of the girl are “terrified” and”vague” because of the powerlessness that she experiences amidst the characteristic “feathered glory”. This makes it difficult to push the assailant from her “loosening thighs”. Further Neigh indicates that she looses her identity and turns in a mere “body” that is laid in the “white rush” of the bird (147). Basically, this gives a clear description of a divine nature of the bird and the power that characterizes this status. It shows that the girl could not deliver herself from this problem under any circumstance. It also highlights the resignation of the girl that is exemplified through her “loosening thighs’. Notably, this is contributed to by the overwhelming fear that she experiences during this time.
The section that follows this underscores the implications of the rape to the entire society. According to Scott, “The broken wall, the burning roof and tower, And Agamemnon dead.” implies the fall of Troy as well as the end of Trojan War (5). This predicts that this rape will culminate in the birth of Helen who would play a significant role in the collapse of the Greek civilization and lead to modernity. In his review, studies cites that the “burning roof”, “tower” and Broken” wall also have sexual implications. In this regard, the burning roof is used to refer to the vagina, the broken wall to the breaking of virginity during rape and the tower refers to the phallus. Fire in this context represents the sexual passion as well as the union between the higher power and humanity.
In the last stanza, the author ends the poem by posing a rhetoric question to the audience. Also, by using past tense in this stanza, the author succeeds in placing the rape activity as well as their relative implications in their historical context. The author wonders whether the girl while being ravaged savagely by the “brute blood of the air” was aware of the consequences of the same. In particular, she wonders whether Leda understood that this divine union was symbolic of societal change and dynamism to modernity. In his review, Neigh indicates that by it the author defining the swan as “brute blood of air”, he showed that the swan was physical and had the characteristic of an animal as well as those of the divine nature (152). The last stanza of the poem also portrays the bird as being indifferent to the experience of the victim. This is manifested when he lets Leda drop from his “indifferent beak”.
Conclusion
At this juncture, it can be contended that the poem is a reflection of the violence that is related to rape. The author uses mainly physical terms to describe the incident and underscores the activity of the bird versus that passivity of the girl. The bird has strength and it dominates the activity as opposed to the girl who feels helpless and overpowered. From a historical point of view, this implies the dawn of a new era as well as civilization. This is characterized by various transformations that have fear reaching implications on the historical population. It shows that the beginning of any new era in history is often characterized by violence and incomprehensible beginnings.
Further more, it is indicated that the brutality that is manifested in this rape suggests that violence tends to culminate in more violence in future. It is in this consideration that this paper concludes by indicating that Yeats succeeds in exploring the theme of violence as well as its implications on the characters and the society at large.
Works Cited
Holstad, Scott. Leda and the Swan: Modern Irish Literature. Retrieved, 20th March, 2010, from: http://www-scf.usc.edu/~erdemoz/Write/leda.html
Janet, Neigh. Understanding “Leda and the Swan”. Journal of Modern Literature, 264 (2002): 144-60.
Nancy, Hargrave. Violence in “Leda and the Swan”, Arizona Quarterly, 37 (1993): 236-46.
Hire the Best House Painters Austin
Hire the Best House Painters Austin
Painting your house is a long process that requires time, energy and resources. This is why you cannot afford to go wrong and so you will need an expert to tell you what to do and where to add which color. For this reason, hiring house painters Austin will be the best decision you have ever made. This is because it will ensure that all your work is done precisely, and it costs just enough.
First of all you need to know the area of your house that you want to be painted. You will want to make decisions ion how each room will be painted in order to make records of all the colors of paint you need to be bought. The expert will tell you how many cans to use overall and they will estimate the cost for you so do not worry.
The painters are also very experienced in terms of the tools to use and so you do not have to worry about choosing brushes and rollers as they will do it for you. Many people end up doing bad paint jobs in their houses because they do not ask for help, but they simply go to the shops and buy the nearest brush and paint and get working.
There are also other problems that can cause your paint not to work on the surface of your walls. The problems include water seepage that will be handled well by the professionals. They will know when to paint and when to put waterproofing first and then paint and especially in the houses basement. Painting without taking care of seepage is just a waste of time as it will soon peel off.
Of course if you have a big house like a mansion and you want it repainted you cannot do it alone unless you want to take months doing it. This will make it necessary for you to ask for professional help. Also if you do not have the necessary tools they may bring their own saving you considerably in terms of cost and also in terms of time.
There are so many processes that are involved in the process of repainting an old house. First of all, the wall will have to be sanded in order to peel off the old paint so that it does not spoil the surface appearance when repainting is done. Then the base paint will be applied and then other coats can follow. One can choose to have their walls painted in water based or oil based paints depending on their budget and also their preference.
If you are painting the house you live in, you may have to move out as the paint has a strong smell that will not be very healthy to inhale. You will also need to make sure that all the furniture and the floor are covered so that they do not get the paint. You can lay newspapers on the floor or go for papers from U-Haul.
House painters from this area have been doing this work for a long time. Their expertise and long years of experience will make it easier for them to know what you need and so they cannot disappoint you at all.
How to Get the Best House Painters Austin
Painting your office or house usually give it an attractive look. The appearance of your house or office contributes highly to how people judge you. Undertaking this process requires that you have resources, time and energy. To make the right choices in terms of color, quality among other factors to be considered you require house painters Austin coming to your aid.
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Do not run to the hardware shop and buy just any set of rollers and brushes. In many cases, it is good that you leave the experts to get the brushes since they know the ones that are appropriate for a job like yours. When poor quality rollers and brushes are used then the end product of the job may be of very poor quality.
The experts are able to evaluate the walls thoroughly so that they can be able to tell of problems that the wall may have. Walls that have water seeping through will need to have waterproof coats applied on first before the painting is done. When this is not done, and paint is applied on the wall that seeps water, then after a while the paint will start to peel off.
You can be able to undertake small tasks for yourself such as painting of the fence or another minor task. In cases where you want to repaint the entire house which is big. This can take you a lot of time. For very huge tasks you require the assistance of a professional. They usually come with their equipments, so you do not have to go through any trouble. You are able to save on time and energy.
The paint type to choose from is the water and oil based. This, in many cases, is dependent on a personal budget. The stages in repainting entail sanding the wall so that the old paint can be removed. If sanding is not done or properly done then the final results are not good. After sanding is properly done the base coat is applied and after that the other paint coats. For a more attractive looks, the coats can be repeated.
Preparations before painting should be done which entails covering the furniture. The floor should also be covered using old newspapers or you can get papers from U-Haul. This makes sure that the paint does not get on your items or the floor since it may be hard to remove and at times the stains may become permanent. You may also consider moving out when the process is taking place since inhalation of some of these paints can cause you some problems.
The experts who are experienced in this field are able to give you a satisfactory job. Have house painters come to your aid for big tasks and repainting of your house. Their years of experience help them to know the best paint brands to use and the appropriate equipments.
Why you should Hire the Best House Painters Austin
A beautiful home should have paint applied on it. When you want your residence to look attractive, you must know the type and quality of paint to use. With this in your mind, you should engage the service of the house painters Austin who are well known when it comes to painting job because they will give you the best results.
Before any painting in the house, you should ensure that you know which room is to be painted. The reason for doing this is because you want to know the colors to be applied and the amount of money you will need in order to purchase the colors. All these facts will come from the experts in painting who will advice on what to do.
When you take their services, they will ensure that you get the best paint in town because they are qualified to do so. They are trained on what equipment to use including the brushes, and with this help, it will save you troubles of painting the house on your own. You will get the best results for your house because the experts will make sure that they have used quality tools.
Because of the good training they possess, they will apply the paint when it is necessary. They are able to detect any leakage in the house, and if it is there, these professionals will not apply the paint until they have solved the leakage problem first. They will not do any kind of painting your house with any seepage on it because it is hard to paint on a wet surface.
When you own a big house, it is very hard to paint it alone because most of your precious time will be lost here. Many are the times when you want to paint, and you cannot afford to buy the appropriate tools for the job. All you need to do is to call the service providers because they will save your time and money.
Before any re-painting begins, there are procedures that are to be followed. First of all you should remove any previous paint with sandpaper for the smooth surface of your wall. Second, you should apply the first layer of paint that is a foundation followed by a second layer or more if you prefer a thick outcome. You can choose to either put the oil or water based oil, but all these is according to the style you want and the money you want to use.
Paint can be harmful to people, and you should take all the precautions in mind. You can decide to move to a different place until the smell is gone completely. If you paint the house and you have furniture in it, you should use the newspaper to cover the floor from painting or use the U-Haul papers.
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Enacting Project Goal and Strategy to improve the operations for the AVIS Car Rental Company
Enacting Project Goal/Strategy to improve the operations for the AVIS Car Rental Company
To improve the operations of the AVIS Car Rental Company the management will have to first attract, motivate and develop its employees. This is because internal partners tend to promote an internal orientation of customers (Ward and Dagger, 2007). Efforts must be made by the company management to ensure that their employee satisfaction and retention rates are high. This is because disgruntled employees in addition to high employee turnover can cost the company its customers. For external customers to be satisfied it is critical that the internal employees are first satisfied or else this could be a recipe for chaos (Day, 2000).
The development of the company’s long term strategies must include the personal preferences and values of the employees. This will make sure that the car rental company institutes a business culture that is disposed to the value system and personal preferences of the employees. This will in the long run augment the degree of internal satisfaction of customers. The successful formulation of the company’s long term strategic goals must be done within a setting that is made up of understanding, and trust that is supportive of employees team work and at the same time sustains decision making by the management (Day, 2000).
Since the satisfaction of employees greatly affects their attitudes which in turn impacts on their performance and relationship with the company’s external customers the continuous study on the company’s employees training needs and levels of satisfaction is critical if their motivational levels within the company are to be raised. How the employees eventually interact with the external customers will determine the success of the company.
After dealing with the internal customers it is important for the Avis car rental company to now strategise on how best they can directly satisfy the external customer this can be done by first looking for the best locations for their car rental business operations. The company management can first conduct a research on the kind of clientele that is highly available in the region and try to dig as much as possible into what their rival companies are doing to stay an edge ahead of the competition (Gary and Broderick, 2008).
The company should ensure that all their fleet of vehicles are insured this will enable them avoid setbacks such as their vehicles being detained by law enforcing agents. The best insurance cover and at the best price can only be obtained if the company management can take some time and shop around.
The company should also consider doing away with manual management systems and incorporating automated business systems in order to make their work more efficient to run. This is because the bulk of paper work involved in manual systems could lead to lots of confusion on which fleet of vehicles are outside and which ones are inside. Management of the invoices also becomes tedious with manual systems. Fleet management software would come in handy to ensure that the work is done with a lot of ease (Gary and Broderick, 2008). .
To ensure that the car rental company receives a respectable flow of customers it will also be critical for it to go online and enact a website. This is because most companies are now doing their business online and if the company does not follow suit it is likely to loss potential customers. Most people today are computer savvy and are thus involved in online shopping where they pay for goods and services in the convenient of their houses. The company will thus have to establish a fully developed online booking engine for its online customers with automatic notifications for the customers on their booking status which will end up saving lots of time.
The possible requirements for the functions/operations/constraints
The company’s rental branches must emphasise the submission of a formal assessment system to measure the quality of service delivered by employees. The company can also improve its internal delivery of service through creating and applying internal standards of service delivery. By so doing the company will be able to effortlessly satisfy its internal employees.
Staff meetings should be utilised as a forum for identifying and addressing the individual needs of employees. Employees individual complaints, recommendations and enquires must be strengthened so as to treat employees as customers. They can thus add value to their products through delivering to their business internal customers (Ward and Dagger, 2007).
It is important to also take time and reflect on the people operating the company’s business, the company’s vehicles, technology, customers and market rates then think about all possibilities. To have a better shot at success the company should become obsessed with numbers. The company management should take its time and go through each possible benchmark including: earnings, revenue per user, built reservations, car utilisation and the average rental rate. They should reflect on what they may have attained at this point in time in previous financial periods and strategise on the best way forward.
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References
Day GS (2000). Managing market relationships. Journal of Acad. Marketing. Sci.28(1): 24.
Gary T, Broderick A (2008). Relationship marketing Perspectives, Dimensions and Contexts. Berkshire: McGraw-Hill.
Ward T, Dagger TS (2007). The complexity of relationship marketing for service customers. Journal of Service Marketing. 21(4): 281-290.