Gender, Authority and Dissent in English Mystical Writers Essay

The Book of Margery Kempe certainly provoked an intense amount of controversy, not least in the present but in her own time as well; a debate that centred on her position as a mystic. This position entailed having true knowledge of God, to work towards a union with him where they would essentially become one. Margery Kempe, at the very least views herself to be one of God’s vessels through which He can allow her to experience spiritual visions and feelings. It is in her book that Kempe conveys through words what she considered to be the most significant of these experiences, in order that those who read them would derive ‘great comfort and solace’. It is Kempe’s ‘individual and brilliant adaptation of what was originally a discipline for cloistered elites’1 that draws attention to her. Yet it is this individual voice, the style she uses, and her firm relationship with the market world that questions her experiences of higher contemplation. Certainly Kempe does not conform to the solitary life of a conventional mystic, much like Richard Rolle’s statement of ‘running off’ into the woods, and at one point she is even â€Å"sorrowful and grieving† because she has no company. Yet she uses many of her interactions with others to confirm her position as a mystic. She visits the revered mystic Julian of Norwich to seek advice as to whether her visions were genuine or not (Chapter 18), and receives confirmation from Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury. Essentially what it has been suggested that Kempe experiences is a higher level of contemplation – positive mysticism. This was the search for God through human imagery, which ‘insists on the physical as a legitimate means of access to the spiritual’.2 Certainly one of the standard patterns in mystical experience were the feelings of love between the mystic and God which is often described as fire, hence Rolle’s ‘Incendium Amoris’. Kempe notes that there was an ‘unquenchable fire of love which burnt full sore in her soul’, and that Christ had set her soul ‘all on fire with love’. Thus the intensity of her visions can not be brought into question as ‘she certainly shares with [the tradition] a mystical sense of God at work in human experiences’.3 These human experiences included her own body, as she suffers illness and indulgences in self-mutilation, wearing a haircloth, fasting and even biting her hand so violently that she has to be tied down. However, the visions that Kempe experiences, as mystics viewed them as gifts, are not a product of studious praying and meditating. In most ways what she conveys is an imitation of what many female European mystics experienced, like Bridget of Sweden and Dorothy of Montou or Catherine of Siena. She seeks justification for her mystical standing by linking herself closely to others and, though illiterate receives much of her inspiration from such mystical texts as ‘Incendium Amoris’, ‘Stimulus Amoris’, and Walter Hilton’s ‘Scale of Perfection’. However, as Glasscoe has pointed out, her spiritual experiences were not an easy thing for Kempe to meditate on. Whereas Hilton focused on inner spiritual growth, Kempe can only explain her transcende nce through what was familiar to her – the body.4 She even says that ‘sometimes, what she understood physically was to be understood spiritually’. Thus, whereas her visions may at many points seem extreme and even distasteful it does not necessarily mean that she was experiencing anything less than what is considered mystical. What also inspires Kempe, whilst also bringing into question her status as a mystic is the fact that she was a woman who was firmly placed in the world. David Aers describes her as an independent businesswoman, who before her initial vision was active in the market economy, investing money, organising public work and employing men.5 Mysticism was overwhelmingly contemplative, and there was not much spoke about the ‘active life’, with the exception of Walter Hilton’s positive description of the ‘mixed life’. However instead of accepting that she is â€Å"too busy with worldly occupations that must be attended to’6, like Hilton proposed, Kempe integrates the economic world into her mysticism. Shelia Delany proposed that in her work ‘one is constantly aware of the cash nexus’. 7 This is true in the sense that Kempe even strikes a deal with Jesus, in the sense that he becomes the mediator between Kempe’s social responsibilities as a wife and her desire to lead the spiritual life. Through Christ’s help she can lead the chaste life by buying off her husband, hence paying off all his debts (Chapter 11. p.60). Atkinson, commented that what Kempe creates is a ‘God, who controlled the economy of salvation, [and] functioned as a great banker of a merchant prince†.8 Also Kempe’s drive for ‘more’ is also indicative of her market drive values, in the same sense that she sees that by giving charity to her fellow Christians she will receive in heaven ‘double reward’. This unusual market driven line of thought is not the only factor that distinguishes her from her predecessors. Her style of writing is different and her visions are certainly unique. She actively takes part in many of the experiences, using speech, as Carol Coulson has suggested to inject herself into the holy narrative,9 even at one point acting as the handmaiden to God, and as a replacement to the biblical figure – Mary Magdalene. Her first vision is also very personal, and in some ways domesticated. Jesus is said to have appeared ‘in the likeness of a man†¦clad in a mantle of purple silk, sitting upon her bedside’. The Incarnation is taken to the extreme, where her visions sometimes sit outside the historical moments of the Bible and become part of her own world. Despite distancing herself by calling herself the ‘creature’ throughout the text many have accused her work of being self-absorbed – ‘I have told you before that you are a singular lover of God, and therefore you shall have a singular love in heaven, a singular reward and a singular honour’. Certainly her relations with God are very personal, and in many ways conveyed in sexual terms, as when Christ says to her ‘Daughter, you greatly desire to see me, and you may boldly, when you are in bed, take me to you as your wedded husband’. However, again this ‘great pomp and pride’, is said to emerge from her experience as a female within an urban class which fostered within her a strong sense of class identity and self-value.10 A self-value that she never really agrees to give up, thus because she refuses to traditionally quieten the self, Kempe does not sit comfortably as a mystic. Similarly she never really abandons her desire for worldly goods. She even admits in the first chapters that after her initial vision she refused to give up her worldly leisure’s, and still took delight in earthly things. This earthiness continues throughout the book. At one point she explains that she was embarrassed ‘because she was not dressed as she would have liked to have been for lack of money, and wishing to go about unrecognised until she could arrange a loan she held a handkerchief in front of her face’. This embarrassment does not hold well with the lower stage of mysticism in which the visionary is to dispel themselves of all earthly matters so that their soul is open to heaven. Her mysticism is driven to accumulate. She refuses to ‘be content with the goods that God has sent her’, whilst ‘ever [desiring] more and more’. From God she can attain spiritual status, whilst through her (father’s) social position she maintains earthly standing, thus she is caught between two (masculine) worlds. As David Aers has noted the market world never really receives rebuke in her mystical world, in fact it remains a natural part of it.11 Yet to see her as the victim of a capitalist society is, as Glasscoe maintains, to ignore her avowed purpose.12 Yet it is hard to ignore the element of hysteria in her work. She certainly experiences the traditional mystical dilemma that her visions will never be truly conveyed to those who stand outside it, that ‘herself could never tell the grace that she felt, it was so heavenly, so high above her reason and her bodily wits†¦that she might never express it within her world like she felt it in her soul’. However her Gift of Tears, in which she cries ‘abundantly and violently’, break quite brutally this silence of contemplation. It may be however that her loud screams and cries convey her devotion and justify her higher state. Certainly tradition showed that mystics ‘thought of themselves as vehicles for suffering and their broken voices and lacerated bodies reflected the stress under which they laboured’.13 Her crying brought attention to her being, even in her own time when crowds flocked to see her, becoming somewhat of a spectacle. These tears are almost a sign of her fertility in her contemplative life, and also justified in the Bible – Psalm cxxvi, 5-6 says that ‘they that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Her tears therefore, although extreme and lead many throughout her work to rebuke her, are essentially a sign of grace demonstrating that the Incarnation for Kempe was an ever-present reality.14 Ursula Peters suggested that female mystics, through mysticism â€Å"turned inward and [discovered] ways to describe their own experiences†.15 In fact the role Kempe plays as a woman is very important to her whole mystical experience, and in some ways may even bring it into question. In her experiences with God she plays the wife, the mother, the sister and the daughter. When her husbands exclaims that she is ‘no good wife’ it again demonstrates that Kempe struggled between two worlds, that of the spiritual and that of her family commitments. St Bernard once proclaimed that natural human feeling doesn’t have to be suppressed but channelled into God, and in some ways this is exactly what Kempe achieves. By using the idea that she is a holy vessel she is able to assert herself as a woman in the highly competitive world quite drastically. She refuses to abandon her personality and quite forcefully, hence her adamant desire to be chaste, asserts who she is. The Church even attempted to denounce her as a Lollard, which shows that she was a threatening (female) voice and the only way to quieten her was to denounce her as a heretic. Rather than being a mystical treatise, The Book of Margery Kempe is a narrative account, almost a story, or even an autobiography as many have stated it to be, in which she attempts to adopt the contemplative ideal of piety.16 In fact it is more than mysticism, it is the experiences of a woman trying to find her voice in a masculine social world, and the only way that she can achieve this is through having spiritual authority. Certainly her devotion can not be questioned, and she can’t even predict herself when the intensity of Christ’s Passion will overwhelm her, be it ‘sometime in the church, sometime in the street, sometime in the chamber, sometime in the field’. Yet her extreme metaphors and use of language certainly bring into doubt her status as a mystic. As Susan Dickman has suggested prayers and visions certainly occupy the text, yet they are embedded in a larger structure17, namely how she was ‘painfully drawn and steered, [her pilgrimage acting as a metaphor for her mystical journey] to enter the way of perfection’. Certainly ‘painfully’ is an apt description, leading many to criticise her as a charlatan, a ‘terrible hysteric’ and even one who was possessed by the devil. Yet this account is from a very independent and highly spirited woman, who although struggled with her identity and sought the higher state to explore that larger structure of herself through God, was deeply devoted to her faith. In the end her piety was very ordinary, it is her style of conveyance however, the lack of the abstract vocabulary of Julian of Norwich, Rolle and the Cloud author18 that brings her status as a mystic int o controversy. Bibliography Aers, David., Community Gender and Individual Identity in English Writing, 1360-1430 (London, 1988) Bancroft, A., The Luminous Vision: Six Medieval Mystics and their Teachings (London, 1982). Evans, Ruth and Johnson, Lesley (eds.)., Feminist Readings in Middle English Literature: The Wife of Bath and All Her Sect (London, 1994) Klapisch-Zuber, C (ed.)., Silences of the Middle-Ages (London 1992),447 Glasscoe, Marion (ed.)., The Medieval Mystical Tradition (Exeter, 1980) http://www.anamchara.com/mystics/kempe.htm http://www.ccel.org/h/hilton/ladder/ladder-PART_I.html http://www.sterling.holycross.edu/departments/visarts/projects/kempe/index.html Knowles, D., The English Mystical Tradition London (London, 1961) Meale, Carol. M., (ed.)., Women and Literature in Britain 1150-1500 (Cambridge, 1993) 1 C. Klapisch-Zuber, Silences of the Middle Ages (London 1992),160 2 J.Long., ‘Mysticism and hysteria: the histories of Margery Kempe and Anna O’, in Feminist Readings in Middle English Literature, ed. R.Evans et al. (London, 1994),100 3 M. Glasscoe, English Medieval Mystics: Games of Faith (London, 1993),268. 4 M. Glasscoe, English Medieval Mystics: Games of Faith (London, 1993), 268. 5 D. Aers, Community, Gender and Individual Identity – English Writing 1360-1430 (London, 1988), 112. 6 http://www.ccel.org/h/hilton/ladder/ladder-PART_I.html 7 J.Long., ‘Mysticism and hysteria: the histories of Margery Kempe and Anna O’, in Feminist Readings in Middle English Literature, ed. R.Evans et al. (London, 1994), 87-111 8 D. Aers, Community, Gender and Individual Identity – English Writing 1360-1430 (London, 1988), 106 9 http://www.anamchara.com/mystics/kempe.html 10 D. Aers, Community, Gender and Individual Identity – English Writing 1360-1430 (London, 1988),115. 11 Ibid. 12 M. Glasscoe, English Medieval Mystics: Games of Faith (London, 1993), 275. 13 C. Klapisch-Zuber, Silences of the Middle Ages (London 1992),446 14 M. Glasscoe, English Medieval Mystics: Games of Faith (London, 1993), 276. 15 C. Klapisch-Zuber, Silences of the Middle Ages (London 1992),447 16 http://www.anamchara.com/mystics/kempe.htm 17 S. Dickman., ‘Margery Kempe and The English Devotional Tradition’, in The Medieval Mystical Tradition, ed. M. Glasscoe (Exeter, 1980), 156-172 18 M. Glasscoe, English Medieval Mystics: Games of Faith (London, 1993), 272.

In 1485 – 1603 to what extent was the government of England dysfunctional in the mid-Tudor period?

In the context of the years 1485 to 1603 to what extent was the government of England dysfunctional in the mid-Tudor period? During the Tudor Dynasty it is easily thought that the years between 1547 and 1558 were ones of crisis. With the succession of a child and the first woman within England, people have assumed that the years between Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were an unproductive interlude. The mid Tudor period is seen as negative years within the Tudor Dynasty.It is regarded that Henry VIII and Elizabeth I’s reputations were a factor in why historians such as A.F Pollard and S T Bindoff supported the ‘Mid Tudor Crisis’ . The ‘two little Tudors’, referring to Edward and Mary, seemed colourless in comparison to their surrounding successors, so much so that A Pollard says â€Å"Edward was portrayed as a sickly boy who, throughout his reign, was the pawn of two ‘regents’† while Mary was seen as an ‘intolerant, dogmatic and n eurotic woman who failed to produce an heir’ .Therefore it could be seen that people believed the years of crisis were at their most dysfunctional between the years 1547-1558. W R D Jones argued that Edward and Mary’s reigns were a period of religious disruption, large scale disorder and rebellion alongside the inefficiency and sterility in government and administration, social and economic problems and disastrous foreign policy. This supports the description of the mid-Tudor period being dysfunctional. However there could be influence from the 16th Century writers such as John Foxe who was author to ‘Book of Martyrs’, which was written just after Marys death and depicted her as a monster. Foxe was responsible for a lasting picture of Mary as it fitted prejudices of a confident.Under these circumstances it was not surprising that the period 1547 – 1558 were marked by disasters. However historians such as David Loades, Jennifer Loach and Robert Tittl er stress that there was much creativity in the period. Government under Duke of Northumberland and Mary continued to be effective; also there was continuity in religious beliefs and some foreign policy successes. There were problems within Edward and Marys reigns that were also found in times of Henry VIII and Elizabeth’s for example Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536, Spanish Armada in 1588 and social and economic problems in late 1590’s matched those in 1540’s.Therefore the significance of Edward’s and Mary’s reign was what did not happen rather than what did in supporting that their reigns were the least dysfunctional in England. But in order to gain an understanding of whether or not there was a â€Å"Mid-Tudor† crisis in this period, it is important to compare and contrast other periods of the Tudor dynasty. Some revisionist historians argue that certain areas of Henry VII’s reign, 1485-1509, involved a â€Å"crisis†, for exampl e the Pretenders of Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck.Also the death of the next heir to the throne, Arthur Tudor, in 1502, Elizabeth I and the Pilgrimage of Grace, 1536, the greatest rebellion that threatened England during the reign of Henry VIII, which would have caused the monarchy more concern then the alleged Mid-Tudor crisis . Above all this however, was the Spanish Armada in 1588 during the reign of Elizabeth I. The Spanish Armada threatened national security. Revisionist views of this period have already questioned the presence of a dysfunctional government during the reigns of the Mid-Tudors. Historians such as S. J Lee and D.Loades argue that other parts of the Tudor regime were crisis ridden and that the Mid-Tudor period was relatively stable in comparison. When it came to foreign policy, Henry VII was far less extravagant than his son. Henry’s greatest achievement in foreign policy was possibly his alliance with the Catholic monarchs and the Treaty of Medina del Campo in 1489. After his policy successes he suffered a defeat in Brittany which was a low point for the King’s foreign policy. His main weaknesses in his foreign policy were not helped by the successive losses of his family members, firstly his son Arthur in 1502 and then his wife Elizabeth in 1503.He then failed to re-marry and achieve stronger diplomatic relations outside of England following the death of Elizabeth creating a weak government in England. Also the death of Isabella of Castile was another problem for Henry as he would have Ferdinand as his rival instead of an ally over territorial gains in Europe and in the New World. The later years of Henrys foreign policy were definitely his most challenging and difficult period of foreign affairs allowing the government to be weak and therefore vulnerable to a crisis.His son, Henry VIII was a commanding figure who immediately set about wanting to gain respect and authority in Europe. Henry VIII’s foreign policy can be divided into two separate periods of time in which he went to war. The first period was at the beginning of his reign, in 1509-1515, Henry enforced a policy of aggressive and glorious warfare, this policy allowed invasions to occur within in France and Scotland. He was victorious within both invasions however it was an expensive policy to initiate.The second time period was during the years 1540-1547, this is when Henry, yet again, wanted more glory and domination over foreign affairs. This period of foreign policy was extremely expensive and came at a great financial cost. The gaining of Boulogne and loss of military personnel, costing ? 2,144,765, achieved nothing greater than personal glory for Henry showing his reign as one of dysfunction. The disastrous warfare policy in France and Scotland left Henry’s son Edward with little in the treasury and no financial platform to build upon as well as weak alliances with these countries.Therefore Henry VIII weakened the govern ment for his sons reign which could have created a crisis, this supports that the mid-Tudor period was highly influenced by previous successors allowing any dysfunction to be partially blamed outside the years 1547-1558. So when the death of Henry VIII occurred, the throne was left to his child Edward VI in 1547 with England’s financial stability and foreign relation being left in a poor condition with uncertainty on whether it will recover. As Edward was a minor, his two Lord Protectors, firstly the Duke of Somerset and later Northumberland advised Edward with his decisions.Somerset’s administration was faced with rebellions and uprisings in 1549. The rebellions were part of a mixture of religious and social upheaval. Kett’s rebellion in Norfolk, suffered particularly seriously from the enclosure laws . They were not, however, a threat to the ruling dynasty in the way the Pretenders were to Henry VII. With Lord Somerset ruling at the beginning of Edwards reign, England yet again was at war with Scotland; however this time was without royal approval. Somerset funded his efforts against Scotland with money from the debased coinage.It is possible to say that Somerset allowed the foreign policy to dominate over other royal problems, especially the king’s finances, which he lost all control of . The economy within England suffered from inflation after the debasement of the coinage. This was mostly seen in England's wool and cloth exports as they collapsed in 1551, mainly because of prices rising. In 1552, an Act was passed regulating the manufacture of wool to try and encourage trade . The inflationary pressures increased due to a poor harvest in 1548.This led to unrest within the country that then provoked uprisings the following year in Cornwall and Devon . To some historians, it can be viewed that Somerset’s ruling was as if he was the King. This was thought due to Somerset treating Edward as a child and not respecting the Kin g’s authority. The lack of respect and underestimation of Edwards authority ultimately led to Somerset’s death. Due to the rebellions, this period under the ruling of Somerset it would be seen to be leading towards a crisis.The situation was rescued and turned around by the more pragmatic approach of Somerset’s successor, the Duke of Northumberland. Once Edward replaced Somerset and appointed Northumberland as his new protector, Northumberland faced the task of restoring the Crown’s finances. To do this, the expenditure would be reduced to fund the campaigns in France and Scotland. Northumberland entrusted Cecil with reorganising the Crown’s finances. This was seen as an achievement as Cecil managed to gain extra revenue out of the Church.Edward’s protectors Somerset and Northumberland had different ways of ruling. Somerset continued to debase the coinage and spend large amounts of money on placing troops in Scotland and going to war with Fr ance as if the king’s money was limitless. Northumberland on the other hand, helped by Walter Mildmay, the Treasurer, reorganised the governments finances which involved the stopping of debasement and pulling England out of conflicts with France and Scotland. This progress continued in to Mary I reign and then without Mary I, Elizabeth could never have completed the process of recoinage.This is argued in Michael Hutchings article: â€Å"Elizabeth’s government could never have tackled the coinage problem so swiftly had the ground not been prepared† . This allows Edward and Marys reigns to show great improvement and only positive progress regarding finance, therefore turning away from the period being a ‘crisis’. But the greatest action of the Duke of Northumberland’s financial success as Edward’s protector was to put an immediate end to the disastrous foreign wars in Scotland and France, wars which Somerset had financed .Northumberland had gained his funds by signing the Treaty of Boulogne in 1550 this stopped the expenditure flow out of Boulogne. Despite much criticism, Northumberland’s actions in foreign policy were positive due to England gaining financially, a profit of ?133,333 which was received from the French. Even though a truce was decided, there was still a constant threat from the Scots and French to the English security . J. Guy states that Northumberland’s success in foreign policy was due to ending Somerset’s wars . This is because Northumberland had recognised that foreign affairs should not be mixed into a domestic policy, which is something which Somerset failed to understand and led England towards a financial crisis.Edward’s full authority and respect as King is hard to assess, mainly because of his short reign as King and the fact that he had two Protectors at his side constantly. It is well known that Edward was an intellectual and had a strong grasp on how the gov ernment and court functioned due to being well educated and taught about ruling from an early age. But Edward’s death occurred too early to tell if he would have made a successful king.In theory it is thought that he had the skills and knowledge to rule England successfully. In David Starkey’s documentary about the reigns of Edward and Mary, it was said that Edward was â€Å"not a puppet King† and that he made decisions in court due to his knowledge of the government . Edward was naturally studious, intelligent and a devout Protestant. Apparently he was always self-disciplined and gained advanced knowledge of government, economics and the nobility from an early age due to his Father, Henry VIII, relying on his male heir to be his successor.Edward made decisions in his own interests, for example the disposal of Somerset. The King showed a lack of emotion and was described as â€Å"mature and driven† which was a combination of qualities from his two previou s successors. This does not support the belief of the mid-Tudor period being dysfunctional due to the qualities of Edward being a strong combination of the positive and successful qualities of the previous reigns, showing a solid base of a successful reign. After the death of the boy King Edward, for the first time a woman gained the throne of England.Mary’s initial concern before her rise to the throne was marriage and producing an heir for her reformed Catholic society. Foreign policy was not high on Mary’s list of priorities. Therefore the preference of gaining a foreign husband in Philip II of Spain allowed an Anglo-Spanish alliance against European rivals and gained Mary a husband. But her aim to gain a foreign husband was not welcomed by the English people as many felt that a male foreign ruler would take the control of England from the authority of Mary.This led the marriage to result in immediate discontent which brought uprisings in the country. The most threa tening rebellion was Wyatt’s Rebellion in 1554. The Wyatt rebellion arguably was the greatest threat to Mary’s reign. The social unrest brought into England, due to high unemployment figures was evident as many chose not recognise a foreign ruler in an English government. Although it represented a real threat to Mary the uprising never had the backing or strength to take over and control Mary so the possibility of a crisis was avoided.One of Mary’s greatest achievements economically, however, was her government’s plans for recoinage. Even though the completion of the recoinage took place after her death in Elizabeth’s reign, according to C. E. Challis ‘Elizabeth could never have tackled the problem of the coinage either as quickly or as effectively as she did had it not been so thoroughly aired amongst government officials in the immediately preceding years’ . This supports the purpose of Marys reign and shows that her reign was not an unproductive interlude before Elizabeth’s reign.David Loades supports the positive view towards Mary. He states that â€Å"she succeeded in enforcing her will over three major matters: her marriage, the return to Rome and the declaration of war† . In M. Hutchings article of Mary Tudor, he makes the statement that â€Å"Mary gave financial stability†¦ countered unemployment and social problems. Above all, simply by establishing her own claim to the throne and maintaining it, Mary re-established the legitimacy of the Tudor succession† . The Succession of Elizabeth I after Mary I as Queen of England occurred in 1558.The reputation of Elizabeth I is of high standard and she is considered as good as English monarch as some of the male rulers. The foundations of this reputation were found in the impressive nature of the Elizabethan court, the development of the English culture, the defeat of the Spanish Armada and her successful re-creation of the Church of Engl and following the death of the Catholic Mary I . However, during Elizabeth’s reign as Queen was full of revolts and uprisings. These included key revolts the Northern Earls revolt in 1569, The Ridolfi plot of 1571 and the Babington plot of 1586 which aimed to remover Elizabeth from the throne.The plots were due to the social, economic and religious unrest within England. The rise in population and vagrancy were issues in which Elizabeth had to contend with. Therefore these revolts do not portray a Queen who did not face crises throughout her long reign and also display more serious displays of dysfunction than that of the mid-Tudor period. During Elizabeth’s reign the Spanish Armada and social discontent was much more of a threat to the English crown than any other rebellion or foreign policy with the other monarchs in the Mid-Tudor period.The real possibility of invasion from a foreign force was more of a threat than any other rebellion during the reigns of Edward VI and Mary I but due to their successful reigns this was avoided. This is the Armada Portrait which was taken after her victory against the Spanish Armada. It depicts Elizabeth as the gloriana figure in her country. The picture portrays a stormy, defeatist view of the Spanish loss against the English navy with the picture showing light shaded sky, calm and steady water and the English navy in the foreground on the left side.On the right of the picture is the defeated Spanish Armada. However what dominates the picture is Elizabeth herself. The portrait displays Elizabeth in all her glory, with her flame red hair and whitened face . Her dress and jewels show her power as well as beauty. The portrait captures Elizabeth as a very beacon of defiance which suggests that her reign was one of no dysfunction but as one of many successes and victory, however due to much propaganda within the era this could be an unfair representation of Elizabeth’s reign.This portrait is named the Rainbo w portrait and Elizabeth is displayed in a light tone again. The crown symbolises her royalty and her clothes suggest that her royal magnificence and aura over the English people is maintained due to their extravagance. Elizabeth is holding a rainbow in her right hand. The rainbow symbolizes peace, and the inscription reminds viewers that only the queen's wisdom can ensure peace and prosperity . This could suggest that she is an idol to her people for showing defiance in the tough periods of the 1590s when poverty was rife and harvests failed in England.The snake on her left arm also denotes the wisdom of the Queen. The whole portrait is one of a warning to those who oppose Elizabeth. At the time of this portrait, Elizabeth was 60 years of age, the light shades of the portrait show the Queen as a youthful and a beautiful figure who is in control of her country. In the rainbow portrait, Elizabeth is ageless . All this is powerful propaganda and shaped people’s opinions and vie ws of her, this suggests that she needed to create a false view of herself in order to make up for the dysfunction during her reign.During the years 1485 to 1603 it is certain that financially they were extremely unstable in many different moments during the reigns of each monarch. Henry VII was the only monarch that kept control of his money and died with money left to pass down, this is the main reason as to why Henry VII is regarded as a successful King. However the enclosure issue and the Cornish rebellion threatened to drain him financially. So at the end of his reign, Henry’s popularity suffered greatly but despite this, Henry VII was able to provide his son with a large treasury to start him off as King.Henry VIII however failed to follow in his father’s footsteps. Even though Henry VIII did gain financially through the Break with Rome and the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536, within his second period of â€Å"aggressive and glorious† warfare he use d all his money to go to war which left him with nothing financially. Even though during the next two reigns social unrest and major propaganda took hold, Mary in particular was effective in controlling the masses with her councillors and effective revenue and recoinage reforms.Also Edward was able to manipulate his two Lord Protectors despite being a minor; he had very good intellectual knowledge of the process of government and had the power to implement his policy into the country. The governments of the two monarchs were kept intact and were not as faction-ridden as Henry VIII’s final years as King. The Mid-Tudors if anything strengthened the finances of the government; stabilized the government and increased the diplomatic skills of the monarchy.The most significant part of the reigns is what didn’t occur as there was no breakdown in parliament, no overhaul of Royal Supremacy, no foreign invasion and no civil wars. Historians such as S. J Lee and D. Loades have pr esented the question of â€Å"Was there a Mid-Tudor crisis? † They reviewed the Mid Tudor period and allowed an argument to support Mary’s and Edwards reigns as the opposite of a crisis. Therefore I believe that the â€Å"Mid-Tudor crisis† is an over-exaggeration to describe the period of Edward and Mary.Even though there were a number of personal crises to test the Mid-Tudor monarchs such as being a child and the first woman on the throne, but nothing that threatened the public order, government and security. This is in comparison to other events during the period of 1485-1603, the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536 threatened national security more than Wyatt’s rebellion of 1554. The pretenders to Henry VII’s throne, Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck threatened to de-stabilize a Tudor regime that had only just begun following the Wars of the Roses in the 15th Century.And Elizabeth was not the â€Å"golden monarch† that she was portrayed as follow ing the succession crisis of 1603. The conclusion is that the Mid-Tudors have been unfairly criticized during their reigns due to the way in which they were depicted by their people and historian commentators, such as John Foxe, and it was until recently revisionist historians started to review the events of the Mid-Tudor period presenting an argument against the time period being a ‘crisis’ but as one of tests and tribulations that were all over come, showing a period of an effective government of England.

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Nineteen

The drive to Butlersbridge was everything Jack remembered. The trees, the birds, the precise shade of green as the wind ruffled the grass†¦These were the sights and sounds of his childhood. Nothing had changed. It ought to have been comforting. It wasn't. When he opened his eyes that morning, Grace had already slipped from the bed and made her way back to her own room. He was disappointed, of course; he'd been awakened by his own love and desire for her, and wanted nothing more than to gather her back into his arms. But he had understood. Life was not as free for a woman as for a man, even a woman of independent means. Grace had her reputation to consider. Thomas and Amelia would never say a word against her, but Jack did not know Lord Crowland well enough to guess what he might do if Grace were caught in his bed. And as for the dowager†¦ Well, it went without saying that she'd happily destroy Grace now, if given the chance. The traveling party – minus the dowager, to everyone's relief – met up in the inn's dining room for breakfast. Jack knew he'd been unable to keep his heart from his eyes when he saw Grace enter the room. Would it always be this way, he wondered. Would he see her and feel this indescribable, overwhelming rush of feeling? It wasn't even desire. It was far more than that. It was love. Love. With a capital L and swirly script and hearts and flowers and whatever else the angels – and yes, all those annoying little cupids – wished to use for embellishment. Love. It could be nothing else. He saw Grace and he felt joy. Not just his joy, but everyone's. The stranger seated behind him. The acquaintance across the room. He saw it all. He felt it all. It was amazing. Humbling. Grace looked at him, and he was a better man. And she thought he would allow anyone to keep them apart. It would not happen. He would not let it happen. Throughout breakfast she did not precisely avoid him – there were far too many shared glances and secret smiles for that. But she had been careful not to seek him out, and indeed, he'd not had an opportunity to speak with her even once. He probably wouldn't have been able to do so even if Grace was not so inclined to be circumspect; Amelia slipped her hand in Grace's right after breakfast and did not let go. Safety in numbers, Jack decided. The two ladies were stuck in the coach all day with the dowager. He would have been blindly reaching for a hand if forced to endure the same. The three gentlemen rode on horseback, taking advantage of the fine weather. Lord Crowland decided to take a seat in the carriage after their first stop to water the horses, but thirty minutes later he was staggering back out, declaring the ride far less exhausting than the dowager. â€Å"You would abandon your daughter to the dowager's venom?† Jack asked mildly. Crowland did not even try to make excuses. â€Å"I did not say I was proud of myself.† â€Å"The Outer Hebrides,† Thomas said, trotting by. â€Å"I'm telling you, Audley, it's the key to your happiness. The Outer Hebrides.† â€Å"The Outer Hebrides?† Crowland echoed, looking from man to man for explanation. â€Å"Almost as far as the Orkneys,† Thomas said cheerfully. â€Å"And much more fun to say.† â€Å"Have you holdings there?† Crowland asked. â€Å"Not yet,† Thomas replied. He looked over at Jack. â€Å"Perhaps you can restore a nunnery. Something with insurmountable walls.† Jack found himself enjoying the mental picture. â€Å"How have you lived with her for so long?† he asked. Thomas shook his head. â€Å"I have no idea.† They were talking as if it were already decided, Jack realized. They were talking as if he had already been named the duke. And Thomas did not seem to mind. If anything, he appeared to be looking forward to his imminent dispossession. Jack looked back at the carriage. Grace had insisted that she could not marry him if he was the duke. And yet, he could not imagine doing it without her. He was unprepared for the duties that came with the title. Astoundingly so. But she knew what to do, didn't she? She'd lived at Belgrave for five years. She had to know how the place was run. She knew the name of every last servant, and as far as he could tell, their birthdays, too. She was kind. She was gracious. She was innately fair, of impeccable judgment, and far more intelligent than he. He could not imagine a more perfect duchess. But he did not want to be the duke. He truly didn't. He'd gone over it in his mind countless times, reminding himself of all of the reasons why he'd make a very bad Duke of Wyndham, but had he ever actually come out and said it plainly? He did not want to be the duke. He looked over at Thomas, who was looking up at the sun, shading his eyes with his hand. â€Å"It must be past noon,† Lord Crowland said. â€Å"Shall we stop for lunch?† Jack shrugged. It did not matter to him. â€Å"For the sake of the ladies,† Crowland said. As one, they turned and looked over their shoulders toward the carriage. Jack thought he saw Crowland cringe. â€Å"It's not pretty in there,† he said in a low voice. Jack quirked a brow. â€Å"The dowager,† Crowland said, shuddering. â€Å"Amelia begged me to let her ride after we watered the horses.† â€Å"That would be too cruel to Grace,† Jack said. â€Å"That's what I told Amelia.† â€Å"As you were fleeing the carriage,† Thomas murmured, smiling just a little. Crowland cocked his head. â€Å"I would never claim otherwise.† â€Å"And I would never chastise you for it.† Jack listened to the exchange with little interest. By his estimation, they were about halfway to Butlersbridge, and it was growing increasingly difficult to find humor in the inane. â€Å"There is a clearing a mile or so ahead,† he said. â€Å"I've stopped there before. It's suitable for a picnic.† The two other men nodded their agreement, and about five minutes later they'd found the spot. Jack dismounted and went immediately to the carriage. A groom was helping the ladies down, but as Grace would be the last to alight, it was easy enough for him to position himself so he might take her hand when she emerged. â€Å"Mr. Audley,† Grace said. She was nothing but polite, but her eyes shone with a secret warmth. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh.† He looked down at her mouth. The corners were moving slightly†¦very slightly. She wanted to smile. He could see it. He could feel it. â€Å"I will eat in the carriage,† the dowager announced sharply. â€Å"Only heathens eat on the ground.† Jack tapped his chest and grinned. â€Å"Proud to be a heathen.† He quirked his head toward Grace. â€Å"And you?† â€Å"Very proud.† The dowager marched once around the perimeter of the field – to stretch her legs, she said – and then disappeared back inside the carriage. â€Å"That must have been very difficult for her,† Jack commented, watching her go. Grace had been examining the contents of a picnic basket, but at that she looked up. â€Å"Difficult?† â€Å"There is no one to harass in the carriage,† he explained. â€Å"I think she feels that we have all ganged up upon her.† â€Å"We have.† Grace looked conflicted. â€Å"Yes, but – â€Å" Oh†¦ no. He was not going to listen to her make excuses for the dowager. â€Å"Don't tell me that you harbor any sympathy toward her.† â€Å"No.† Grace shook her head. â€Å"I wouldn't say that, but – â€Å" â€Å"You are far too softhearted.† At that she smiled. Sheepishly. â€Å"Perhaps.† Once the blankets were laid out, Jack maneuvered them so they were seated a bit apart from the others. It was not very difficult – or very obvious – to do so; Amelia had sat down next to her father, who appeared to be delivering some sort of lecture, and Thomas had wandered off, probably in search of a tree that needed watering. â€Å"Is this the road you traveled when you went to school in Dublin?† Grace asked, reaching for a slice of bread and cheese. â€Å"Yes.† He'd tried to keep the tightness out of his voice, but he must not have succeeded, because when he looked at her, she was regarding him in that unsettling way of hers. â€Å"Why don't you want to go home?† she asked. It was on the tip of his tongue to say that her imagination was too active, or, since he really ought to be reverting to form, something clever and grandiose, involving sunshine, twittering birds, and milk of human kindness. Statements like that had got him out of far more delicate situations than this. But he hadn't the energy just now, nor the will. And, anyway, Grace knew better. She knew him better. He could be his usual flip and funny self, and most of the time – he hoped – she would love him for it. But not when he was trying to hide the truth. Or hide from the truth. â€Å"It's complicated,† he said, because at least that wasn't a lie. She nodded and turned to her lunch. He waited for another question, but none were forthcoming. So he picked up an apple. He looked over. She was cutting into a slice of roast chicken, her eyes on her utensils. He opened his mouth to speak, then decided not to, then brought the apple to his mouth. Then didn't bite into it. â€Å"It's been over five years,† he blurted out. She looked up. â€Å"Since you've been home?† He nodded. â€Å"That's a long time.† â€Å"Very long.† â€Å"Too long?† His fingers tightened around the apple. â€Å"No.† She took a few bites of her meal, then looked up. â€Å"Would you like me to slice that apple for you?† He handed it over, mostly because he'd forgotten he was holding it. â€Å"I had a cousin, you know.† Bloody hell, where had that come from? He hadn't meant to say anything about Arthur. He'd spent the last five years trying not to think about him, trying to make sure that Arthur's was not the last face he saw before he fell asleep at night. â€Å"I thought you'd said you had three cousins,† Grace said. She wasn't looking at him; she gave every sign of giving her complete focus to the apple and knife in her hands. â€Å"Only two now.† She looked up, her eyes large with sympathy. â€Å"I am sorry.† â€Å"Arthur died in France.† The words sounded rusty. He realized it had been a long time since he'd said Arthur's name aloud. Five years, probably. â€Å"With you?† Grace asked softly. He nodded. She looked down at the apple slices, now neatly arranged on a plate. She didn't seem to know what to do with them. â€Å"You're not going to say that it wasn't my fault?† he said, and he hated the sound of his voice. It was hollow, and pained, and sarcastic, and desperate, and he couldn't believe what he'd just said. â€Å"I wasn't there,† she said. His eyes flew to her face. â€Å"I can't imagine how it would have been your fault, but I wasn't there.† She reached across the food and laid her hand briefly atop his. â€Å"I'm sorry. Were you close?† He nodded, turning away and pretending to look at the trees. â€Å"Not so much when we were young. But after we left for school†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering how to explain just what Arthur had done for him. â€Å"†¦we found much more in common.† Her fingers tightened around his, and then she let go. â€Å"It is difficult to lose someone you love.† He looked back at her once he was satisfied that his eyes would remain dry. â€Å"When you lost your parents†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It was horrible,† she answered. Her lips moved at the corners, but not into a smile. It was one of those flashes of movement – a tiny, little rush of emotion, escaping almost without notice. â€Å"I didn't think I should die,† Grace said softly, â€Å"but I did not know how I would live.† â€Å"I wish†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But he didn't know what he wished. That he could have been there for her? What good would he have been? Five years ago he'd been broken, too. â€Å"The dowager saved me,† she said. She smiled wryly. â€Å"Isn't that funny?† His brows rose. â€Å"Oh, come now. The dowager does nothing out of the goodness of her heart.† â€Å"I did not say why she did it, just that she did. I should have been forced to marry my cousin if she had not taken me in.† He took her hand and brought it to his lips. â€Å"I am glad you did not.† â€Å"So am I,† she said, without any trace of tenderness. â€Å"He is awful.† Jack chuckled. â€Å"And here I'd hoped you were relieved to have waited for me.† She gave him an arch look and withdrew her hand. â€Å"You have not met my cousin.† He finally took one of the apple pieces and bit into it. â€Å"We have an overabundance of odious relations, you and I.† Her lips twisted in thought, and then her body twisted so that she could look back toward the carriage. â€Å"I should go to her,† she said. â€Å"No, you shouldn't,† Jack said firmly. Grace sighed. She did not want to feel sorry for the dowager, not after what the dowager had said to her the night before. But her conversation with Jack had brought back memories†¦and reminded her just how very much she was indebted to her. She turned back to Jack. â€Å"She is all alone.† â€Å"She deserves to be alone.† He said this with great conviction, and more than a touch of surprise, as if he could not believe the matter might be under discussion. â€Å"No one deserves to be alone.† â€Å"Do you really believe that?† She didn't, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬ I want to believe it.† He looked at her dubiously. Grace started to rise. She looked this way and that, making sure no one could hear, and said, â€Å"You should not have been kissing my hand where people can see, anyway.† She stood then, stepping quickly away, before he had a chance to make a reply. â€Å"Have you finished your lunch?† Amelia called out as she passed. Grace nodded. â€Å"Yes. I am going to the carriage to see if the dowager needs anything.† Amelia looked at her as if she'd gone mad. Grace gave a little shrug. â€Å"Everybody deserves a second chance.† She thought about that, then added, mostly to herself, â€Å"That, I really do believe.† She marched over to the carriage. It was too high for her to climb up herself, and the grooms were nowhere in sight, so she called out, â€Å"Your grace! Your grace!† There was no reply, so she said, a little louder, â€Å"Ma'am!† The dowager's irate visage appeared in the open doorway. â€Å"What do you want?† Grace reminded herself that she had not spent a lifetime of Sunday mornings in church for nothing. â€Å"I wished to inquire if you needed anything, your grace.† â€Å"Why?† Good heavens, she was suspicious. â€Å"Because I am a nice person,† Grace said, somewhat impatiently. And then she crossed her arms, waiting to see what the dowager said to that. The dowager stared down at her for several moments, then said, â€Å"It is my experience that nice people don't need to advertise themselves as such.† Grace wanted to inquire what sort of experience the dowager had with nice people, since it was her own experience that most nice people fled the dowager's presence. But that seemed catty. She took a breath. She did not have to do this. She did not have to help the dowager in any way. She was her own woman now, and she did not need to worry over her security. But she was, as she had noted, a nice person. And she was determined to remain a nice person, regardless of her improved circumstances. She had waited upon the dowager for the last five years because she'd had to, not because she wanted to. And now†¦ Well, she still didn't want to. But she'd do it. Whatever the dowager's motives five years ago, she had saved Grace from a lifetime of unhappiness. And for that, she could spend an hour attending to the dowager. But more than that, she could choose to spend an hour attending to her. It was amazing what a difference that made. â€Å"Ma'am?† Grace said. That was all. Just ma'am. She'd said enough. It was up to the dowager now. â€Å"Oh, very well,† she said irritably. â€Å"If you feel you must.† Grace kept her face utterly serene as she allowed Lord Crowland (who had caught the latter half of the conversation and told Grace she was mad) to help her up. She took her prescribed seat – facing backward, as far from the dowager as possible – and folded her hands neatly in her lap. She did not know how long they would be sitting here; the others had not seemed quite ready to quit their lunch. The dowager was looking out the window; Grace kept her eyes on her hands. Every now and then she'd steal a glance up, and every time, the dowager was still turned away, her posture hard and stiff, her lips pinched tight. And then – perhaps the fifth time Grace looked up – the dowager was staring straight at her. â€Å"You disappoint me,† she said, her voice low – not quite hiss, but something close to it. Grace held her silence. She held everything, it seemed – her posture, her breath. She did not know what to say, except that she would not apologize. Not for having the audacity to reach out for happiness. â€Å"You were not supposed to leave.† â€Å"I was but a servant, ma'am.† â€Å"You were not supposed to leave,† the dowager said again, but this time something within her seemed to shake. Not quite her body, and not quite her voice. Her heart, Grace realized with a shock. Her heart was shaking. â€Å"He is not what I expected,† the dowager said. Grace blinked, trying to follow. â€Å"Mr. Audley?† â€Å"Cavendish,† the dowager said sharply. â€Å"You did not know that he existed,† Grace said, as gently as she was able. â€Å"How could you have expected anything?† The dowager did not answer. Not that question, anyway. â€Å"Do you know why I took you into my home?† she asked instead. â€Å"No,† Grace said softly. The dowager's lips pressed together for a moment before she said, â€Å"It was not right. A person should not be alone in this world.† â€Å"No,† Grace said again. And she believed it, with her whole heart. â€Å"It was for the both of us. I took a terrible thing and turned it into good. For both of us.† Her eyes narrowed, boring into Grace's. â€Å"You were not supposed to leave.† And then – good heavens, Grace could not believe she was saying it, but: â€Å"I will come visit you, should you wish.† The dowager swallowed, and she looked straight ahead when she said, â€Å"That would be acceptable.† Grace was saved from further reply by the arrival of Amelia, who informed them that they would depart momentarily. And indeed, she'd had barely enough time to settle into her seat when the carriage wheels creaked into motion, and they began to roll forward. No one spoke. It was better that way. Several hours later, Grace opened her eyes. Amelia was staring at her. â€Å"You fell asleep,† she said quietly, then put her finger to her lips as she motioned to the dowager, who had also dozed off. Grace covered a yawn, then asked, â€Å"How much longer do you think we have until we get there?† â€Å"I don't know.† Amelia gave a little shrug. â€Å"Perhaps an hour? Two?† She sighed then, and leaned back. She looked tired, Grace thought. They were all tired. And scared. â€Å"What will you do?† Grace asked, before she had the chance to think better of it. Amelia did not open her eyes. â€Å"I don't know.† It was not much of an answer, but then again, it hadn't been a fair question. â€Å"Do you know what the funniest part of it is?† Amelia asked quite suddenly. Grace shook her head, then remembered that Amelia's eyes were still closed and said, â€Å"No.† â€Å"I keep thinking to myself, ‘This isn't fair. I should have a choice. I should not have to be traded and bartered like some sort of commodity.' But then I think, ‘How is this any different? I was given to Wyndham years ago. I never made a complaint.'† â€Å"You were just a baby,† Grace said. Still, Amelia did not open her eyes, and when she spoke, her voice was quiet and full of recrimination. â€Å"I have had many years to lodge a complaint.† â€Å"Amelia – â€Å" â€Å"I have no one to blame but myself.† â€Å"That's not true.† Amelia finally opened her eyes. One of them, at least. â€Å"You're just saying that.† â€Å"No, I'm not. I would,† Grace admitted, because it was true. â€Å"But as it happens, I am telling the truth. It isn't your fault. It's not anyone's fault, really.† She took a breath. Let it out. â€Å"I wish it were. It would be so much easier that way.† â€Å"To have someone to blame?† â€Å"Yes.† And then Amelia whispered, â€Å"I don't want to marry him.† â€Å"Thomas?† Grace asked. Amelia had spent so long as his fiancee, and they did not seem to have any great affection for one another. Amelia looked at her curiously. â€Å"No. Mr. Audley.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"You sound so shocked.† â€Å"No, of course not,† Grace said hurriedly. What was she to say to Amelia – that she was so desperately in love with him herself that she could not imagine anyone not wanting him? â€Å"It's just that he's so handsome,† she improvised. Amelia gave a little shrug. â€Å"I suppose.† She supposed? Hadn't she ever seen him smile? But then Amelia said, â€Å"Don't you find him a little too charming?† â€Å"No.† Grace immediately looked down at her hands, because her no had come out in not at all the tone of voice she'd intended. And indeed, Amelia must have heard it, too, because her next words were – â€Å"Grace Eversleigh, do you fancy Mr. Audley?† Grace stammered and stumbled, and managed a rather croaky, â€Å"I – † before Amelia cut in with – â€Å"You do.† â€Å"It does not signify,† Grace said, because what was she supposed to say? To Amelia, who might or might not be engaged to marry him. â€Å"Of course it signifies. Does he fancy you?† Grace wanted to melt into the seat. â€Å"No,† Amelia said, sounding highly amused. â€Å"Don't answer. I can see from your face that he does. Well. I certainly shall not marry him now.† Grace swallowed. Her throat tasted bitter. â€Å"You should not refuse him on my account.† â€Å"What did you just say?† â€Å"I can't marry him if he's the duke.† â€Å"Why not?† Grace tried to smile, because really, it was sweet of Amelia to ignore the difference in their positions. But she could not quite manage it. â€Å"If he is the duke, he will need to marry someone suitable. Of your rank.† â€Å"Oh, don't be silly,† Amelia scoffed. â€Å"It's not as if you grew up in an orphanage.† â€Å"There will be scandal enough. He must not add to it with a sensational marriage.† â€Å"An actress would be sensational. You will merely be a week's worth of gossip.† It would be more than that, but Grace saw no point in arguing further. But then Amelia said – â€Å"I do not know Mr. Audley's mind, or his intentions, but if he is prepared to dare everything for love, then you should be, too.† Grace looked at her. How was it that Amelia suddenly looked so very wise? When had that happened? When had she stopped being Elizabeth's little sister and become†¦herself? Amelia reached out and squeezed her hand. â€Å"Be a woman of courage, Grace.† She smiled then, murmuring something to herself as she turned and looked out the window. Grace stared straight ahead, thinking†¦wondering†¦was Amelia right? Or was it just that she had never faced hardship? It was easy to talk about being courageous when one had never come face-to-face with desperation. What would happen if a woman of her background married a duke? Thomas's mother had not been an aristocrat, but when she married his father, he was only third in line to inherit, and no one had expected her to become a duchess. By all accounts, she had been dreadfully unhappy. Miserable, even. But Thomas's parents had not loved each other. They had not even liked each other, from what Grace had heard. But she loved Jack. And he loved her. Still, it would all be so much simpler if he turned out not to be the legitimate son of John Cavendish. And then, out of nowhere, Amelia whispered, â€Å"We could blame the dowager.† As Grace turned to her in confusion, Amelia clarified, â€Å"For this. You said it would be easier if we had someone to blame.† Grace looked over at the dowager, who was seated across from Amelia. She was snoring softly, and her head was perched at what had to be an uncomfortable angle. It was remarkable, but even in repose her mouth was pinched and unpleasant. â€Å"It's certainly more her fault than anyone else's,† Amelia added, but Grace noted that she tossed a nervous glance at the dowager as she spoke. Grace nodded, murmuring, â€Å"I cannot disagree with that.† Amelia stared off into space for several seconds, and then, just when Grace was convinced that she did not plan to respond, she said, â€Å"It didn't make me feel any better.† â€Å"Blaming the dowager?† â€Å"Yes.† Amelia's shoulders slumped a bit. â€Å"It's still horrible. The whole thing.† â€Å"Dreadful,† Grace agreed. Amelia turned and looked at her directly. â€Å"Sodding bad.† Grace gasped. â€Å"Amelia!† Amelia's face wrinkled in thought. â€Å"Did I use that correctly?† â€Å"I wouldn't know.† â€Å"Oh, come now, don't tell me you haven't thought something just as unladylike.† â€Å"I wouldn't say it.† The look Amelia gave her was as clear as a dare. â€Å"But you thought it.† Grace felt her lips twitch. â€Å"It's a damned shame.† â€Å"A bloody inconvenience, if you ask me,† Amelia responded, fast enough so Grace knew she'd been saving that one. â€Å"I have an advantage, you know,† Grace said archly. â€Å"Oh, really?† â€Å"Indeed. I am privy to the servants' talk.† â€Å"Oh, come now, you won't be convincing me that the housemaids at Belgrave talk like the fishmonger.† â€Å"No, but sometimes the footmen do.† â€Å"In front of you?† â€Å"Not on purpose,† Grace admitted, â€Å"but it happens.† â€Å"Very well.† Amelia turned to her with quirked lips and humor in her eyes. â€Å"Do your worst.† Grace thought for a moment and then, after darting a quick glance across the carriage to make sure that the dowager was still asleep, she leaned forward and whispered in Amelia's ear. When she was through, Amelia drew back and stared at her, blinking three times before saying, â€Å"I'm not sure I know what that means.† Grace frowned. â€Å"I don't think I do, either.† â€Å"It sounds bad, though.† â€Å"Sodding bad,† Grace said with a smile, and she patted Amelia's hand. Amelia sighed. â€Å"A damned shame.† â€Å"We're repeating ourselves,† Grace pointed out. â€Å"I know,† Amelia said, with a fair bit of feeling. â€Å"But whose fault is it? Not ours. We've been far too sheltered.† â€Å"Now that,† Grace announced with flair, â€Å"really is a damned shame.† â€Å"A bloody inconvenience, if you ask me.† â€Å"What the devil are the two of you talking about?† Grace gulped, and she stole a glance at Amelia, who was staring at the now quite awake dowager with a similar look of horror. â€Å"Well?† the dowager demanded. â€Å"Nothing,† Grace chirped. The dowager regarded her with a most unpleasant expression, then turned her icy attentions to Amelia. â€Å"And you, Lady Amelia. Where is your breeding?† And then Amelia – oh, dear heavens – she shrugged her shoulders and said, â€Å"Damned if I know.† Grace tried to hold still, but her shock positively burst out of her, and she rather feared she spat upon the dowager. Which did seem ironic, that the first time she did such a thing, it should be accidental. â€Å"You are disgusting,† the dowager hissed. â€Å"I cannot believe I considered forgiving you.† â€Å"Stop picking on Grace,† Amelia said. With surprising force. Grace turned to Amelia in surprise. The dowager, however, was furious. â€Å"I beg your pardon.† â€Å"I said, stop picking on Grace.† â€Å"And who do you think you are, to order me about?† As Grace watched Amelia, she would have sworn she changed right before her very eyes. Gone was the unsure girl, in her place was: â€Å"The future Duchess of Wyndham, or so I'm told.† Grace's lips parted in shock. And admiration. â€Å"Because really,† Amelia added disdainfully, â€Å"if I'm not, what the devil am I doing here, halfway across Ireland?† Grace's eyes darted from Amelia to the dowager and back. And then back again. And then – Well, suffice it to say, it was a monstrously long moment of silence. â€Å"Do not speak again,† the dowager finally said. â€Å"I cannot tolerate the sound of your voices.† And indeed, they all remained silent for the rest of the journey. Even the dowager.

Ethical Theory of Karl Marx Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethical Theory of Karl Marx - Term Paper Example A significant portion of the great ethical theories developed by Karl Marx, were the reflection of the social environment, and were directly related to the manner in which the society functioned during those times (Truitt, 2005). The views of Marx with regard to ethics and morality have been an issue of debate among researchers and scholars alike, since a considerable period of time. Various researchers have debated Marx's preference for ethics, and have rejected the claims suggesting that he had no ethics or morality. In fact, he is known to have developed a scientific approach, which seeks to achieve the desired objectives in a morally neutral manner. However according to some others, he pioneered and conceived the idea of ethics based on his observations in the society. The same can be documented with the help of the following: "The ideas of the ruling class are in every epoch the ruling ideas: i.e., the class, which is the ruling material force of society, is, at the same time, i ts ruling intellectual force. The class that has the means of material production at its disposal has control at the same time over the means of mental production so that, thereby, generally speaking, the ideas of those who lack the means of material production are subject to it. The ruling ideas are nothing more than the ideal expression of the dominant material relationships grasped as ideas". (Truitt, 2005, Pp. 42) According to some authors, Marxism is starkly different as compared to other socialist systems, which is highly synonymous with its anti-ethical approach. They believe that there is no mention or presence of ethics in his ideologies, and hence no form of ethical judgment (Tucker, 1971). The ethical ideology as proposed by Karl Marx has become obsolete today, due to the application of historical materialism in a socialist society. The laws governed by morality and ethics were introduced to resolve issues related to social antagonism, but at the same time retaining the b asic objectives through moral intimidation. The demands related to ethical doctrines, symbolizes the acknowledgment that the said perspectives do not lead to / encourage social antagonisms. Marx’s revolutionary ideologies with regard to philosophy overtly rejected the conventional normative philosophical ethics and at the same time, asserted the legacy of a constructive science (Hodges, 1962). Thus on the basis of the facts presented by several authors, it was claimed by many that Marx did not endorse ethics in his theories, as the basic element of ethics was missing in most of his works. Moreover, according to them the theories put forward by Marx, hardly reflected his preference to and attitude towards ethics and morality. This perspective was also challenged by several authors. They believed that the instances quoted by other authors to reject Marx’s attitude towards ethics and morality, and dismiss the same on those grounds, reflected a highly empiricist notion of science. However, it is highly doubtful to assume that Marx indeed in fact, endorse such a notion of science. In order to better understand the claims made by Marx, they could be studied in the light of those made by Hegel, with regard to science, since his views were largely influenced by those of the latter. Also, it was argued that Marx was not a scientist but a philosopher, and hence expecting him to be impartial and unflustered in his writings and observations would be a far-fetched idea. This claim could be

Human Relations Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Relations Case Study - Essay Example Introduction: Organizations are very important in the day to day life. One of the most basic and fundamental aspects of organizations is that it involves human resources. The word â€Å"organization† comes from the word â€Å"organize†. This word suggests a sense of order and management of human resources to bring about or achieve an intended result. Literature review Management is an umbrella word. It means controlling and harmonizing resources so that the organization can achieve its goals and targets. The word management clearly points to leadership of the organization. This is where the human resource begins. Leadership determines the quality of the organization almost directly. This is because it is charged with the responsibility of coming up with decisions that shall lift the quality of the organization. Poor leadership leads to unnecessary mistakes which end up in costing the organization a lot of resources. The quality of leadership is reflected through the org anizational leadership structure. Under the leadership structure various managers are assigned with different responsibilities which are viewed as pillars to the organization. This is to make sure that the growth of an organization is all round and evenly distributed. ... This includes coming up with the required standard of qualifications of the prospective workers. This also includes developing skills through training and creation of incentives. The aim of these activities is to come up with a strong workforce that shall work with high level of professionalism. The reward system of the organization is one of the most sensitive areas to the workers. This is because it can nurture talent or even demoralize the workers. This department does not exclude dealing with the cases of indiscipline among workers. In some large organizations, the human resource department is divided into many other smaller departments. These departments deal with specific matters within the organization. While still having a look at the human resource department of an organization, there are times when highly trained workers become involved in cases of indiscipline. These manifest in multiple ways. Some workers are fond of over drinking. This causes many of them to come to work when they are drunk. To illustrate this, our case involves a management trainee called Gary. Although he has full potential, he is not able to be fully helpful to the organization because of his drinking habit. Those who know Gary when he was studying at the university, say he was used to drinking a little too much. He was always late for classes and sometimes never showed up for classes at all. When called upon to be accountable, he had convincing excuses that left the lecturers and other concerned people with satisfaction. Somehow, that was able to cushion him from trouble as long as he was a student. However, when he joined the professional field as a management trainee, he initially thought the same excuses would work in the new work place. However, his bosses became

Leadership Lessons from Abraham Lincoln Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Lessons from Abraham Lincoln - Article Example This article was published in the April 2009 issue of Harvard Business Review. The article includes an interview conducted between the author of the article and Doris Kearns Goodwin, who is the author of a 2005 bestseller book. The author has developed the interview by asking various questions relating to how President Abraham Lincoln was the best president America has ever seen and what made him develop such good qualities of leadership. Goodwin has also replied quite well to the questions asked and has quoted various examples along with presenting similarities and the dissimilarities between Abraham Lincoln and President Obama. The article is based on a number of insights, the basic one being that the lessons of leadership that were learned from Abraham Lincoln can not only be applied to the political viewpoint but also has the capacity to be utilized in other fields of life. Goodwin brings to the audience’s attention that both the former and current presidents always prefer those people who are best at what they do regardless of their dislikes towards the president himself. The basic purpose of choosing such colleagues was to work with people who had the ability to disagree and argue with the president at times when he was considered wrong. The next key concept that has been discussed in the interview is that even though the colleagues question our decisions and thinking regarding the situation, at the end of the day it is the leader who has to make the decisions and stand firm on that decision. The author quotes an example regarding the abolishment of slavery in the United States where many cabinet members opposed Lincoln but he made his decisions on what he felt was right. The author talks about other characteristics of Abraham Lincoln such as his emotional intelligence, which allowed him to learn from his mistakes, his charisma that made him loved by all even his competitors and

Book Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Book Review - Essay Example Therefore the author tries to bring out that the use of these social tools has significant importance in improving business operations and more importantly creating your own social nation and individual, manager or a team leader. The book is generally written on the marketing, business and economics point of view. In these identified perspectives in which the book is written a social assessment of employees, managers and leaders is provided where they can evaluate scientifically their personal competencies and social skills. The author brings a conceptual framework of this relying on well-known case studies in the corporate business world on how the social principles and practices can be adopted by businesses in order to succeed. The author gives information, explaining and convincing the readers and the audience that the underlying social strategies and principles are very essential to the organization. They are essential because it helps integrate the social skills into the leaders hip practices and managerial operations of the organization (Libert 96). It helps organizations to overcome challenges and risks faced by organizations in becoming successful. They aid in gaining competitive advantage and social intelligence through listening, measuring and understanding outcomes of the investments in relation to partners, employees and customers. The social practices and strategies ensure that new social leadership forms is adopted in the various departments in the organization. Finally, the author brings this importance by asserting that organizations are able to realize the return on investments and the economic benefits that can be accrued from the development of new goods and services. Therefore, it can be argued that the author through social nation convinces the audience that they have the opportunity to be part of the social nation community so that they share experiences with social individuals and other various leaders in the corporate world. The key major target audiences are the business operations players including managers, team leaders, employees, customers and partners. This is arrived because the book emphasizes on building the future business by creating good interactions between communities, customers, partners and employees. The author passes the message that social and emotional connections are important in attracting and keeping employees as well as customers establishing a growing, viable and profitable business (Libert 136). Social nation notably adopts innovative technologies, embracing new revolution and new sources of business revenues thus transforming the organization. The author has adopted a formal style whereby he is coherent passing the intended purpose with clarity and originality from the ascribed subjects notably marketing. He has also used correctly the underlying technical words which are major components of fullness and development. This style has contributed greatly to the book passing the intended messa ge and reaching the intended audience effectively. The book contributes greatly in knowledge development when it comes into building

Retailing Industry of UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Retailing Industry of UK - Essay Example This report is structured into four sections. Section two of the paper presents a brief overview of the UK retail sector, using some key players such as Tesco, J.Sainsbury, Morrison and Mark and Spencer. The third part of the report focuses on how the sector is affected by factors in the PESTLE framework. Part four of the paper provides an argument in support of how an understanding of these factors by a firm can create a competitive advantage. The section also provides a brief conclusion and recommendation. Like macroeconomic analysis the analysis of the industry is important because it enables the analyst to make abnormal profits arising from information asymmetry between the proper analyst and competitors who fail to carry out a proper analysis. Just as it is difficult for a firm to do well in a poor macroeconomic environment, so too is it difficult for a firm to perform well in a troubled industry. (Bodie et al, 2002). Similarly, as performance can vary across countries, so too does it vary across industries. (Bodie et al, 2002). This section examines the activities of key players in the UK retail sector. It focuses on the activities of some of the major players such as TESCO, Morison, J.Sainsbury and Mark and Spencer (Report 2008). Tesco PLC is an international retailer. ... (Bodie et al, 2002). Similarly, as performance can vary across countries, so too does it vary across industries. (Bodie et al, 2002). This section examines the activities of key players in the UK retail sector. It focuses on the activities of some of the major players such as TESCO, Morison, J.Sainsbury and Mark and Spencer (Report 2008). Tesco PLC is an international retailer. The principal activity of the Company is food retailing with over 2,000 stores in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan and China. Tesco offers simple travel insurance, food retailing, Tesco personal finance, Telecom, and recycling facilities to the public. J Sainsbury Plc is a United Kingdom-based food retailer with interests in financial services. The Company is principally engaged in grocery and related retailing, and financial services (Report 2008). Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC is engaged in the operation of retail supermarket stores and associated activities. Its business is mainly related to food and grocery. During the fiscal year ended February 4, 2007, it operated 368 Morrisons stores, with 10.5 million square feet of retail space. Through its stores, Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC offers a range of goods, which include fresh foods, groceries, home and leisure products, beers, wines and spirits (Report 2008). 2.0 Growing Trend of the PESTLE framework and How its affects the UK Retail sector In business, environmental analysis is an appreciation of the activities of an organization in relation to its environment (Lin& Lee 2006). Such analysis

Chronic Illness in Age Groups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chronic Illness in Age Groups - Essay Example It was also discovered that malignant hypertension commonly affected this age group. The causes of asthma in this group is mainly allergies to dust and pollens which are aggravated by second hand cigarette smoke that is inhaled by the children (In Burkhart & Krau, 2013). Leukemia in this group is mostly idiopathic. However there is a genetic predisposition among family trees where close relatives have had the condition. Malignant hypertension on the other hand is found among pediatrics whose mothers showed excessive weight gain during pregnancy ( Cheriyan et al 2010). Among the middle age group, demographic data portrays type II diabetes, dyslipidemia and HIV/AIDs as the main chronic conditions of crisis (Pattman, 2010). The main risk factors that culminate to the predominance of the conditions diabetes mellitus type II to the young adults is excessive weight gain culminating to obesity (Wood & Casella, 2010). However, obesity is only known risk factors among those whose relatives are obese thus is mostly an genetically inherited chronic disease. Poor weight control is seen in the group with high incidences of obesity. HIV/AIDs, although not a chronic non communicable disease per se is over contracted among these youths and young adults due to sexual promiscuity among adolescents and poor control mechanisms. This is a sexual active group that has been a reservoir of the killer illness. The aged have not been spared of chronic diseases either (Crimmins et al, 2010). Musculoskeletal disorders like arthritis are very common amounting up to 14.8% of the adult population (Conaghan et al, 2010). The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders (COPD) is also very immense with most adults succumbing to lung cancers after prolonged irritation from smoke and other air pollutants that find their way to the respiratory tract (Abramovitz, 2015). Coronary heart disease and low back pain prevail

The Round House by Louis Erdrich Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Round House by Louis Erdrich - Essay Example The question of justice on Indian reservation as narrated by Joe the son of an Indian woman who is raped by a white man is addressed in a rather scanty manner. Justice is not well delivered with regards to the case of the raped woman. Based on the plot of the novel Edrich turns the question of justice to relate to a powerful human story. Her novel focuses on a Native American woman who is raped in the set of a sacred round house and the quest of seeking justice for this inhuman act becomes really devastating more like the crime itself (Erdrich, 22). Justice on the Indian reservations is based on primitive laws which do not regard the value of human rights regardless of the origin of the offender. Justice is disregarded and is based mainly on the culture and policy of the region without giving attention to the victim offended or even the nature of the crime with regards to the society. The Round house the vicinity where the rape ordeal takes place is located on reservation land and th is is where the tribal courts are in control. However, the suspect of the rape case is white and according to the law of the land the tribal courts are not allowed to prosecute non-native people (Erdrich, 23). According to Joe’s narration years on later when he has become apublic prosecutor, he recalls the terrifying events he had to go through after his mother was raped and trying to get justice for the crime was fruitless. Joe tries to show how the issue of crime is surrounded by many roots. Justice in this case follows the tribal traditions and therefore it has its own rules which are regarded important despite the nature of crimes committed. Edrich tries to analyse the legal system with regards to the United States system which according to her has failed to protect the rights of the Indians who are living in the reservations. There havebeen many oaths which have been broken and the decisions of justice placed on the hands of the reservation authorities. The question of j ustice based on the unfolding of the story is treated with respect to the legal black holes. It is through this approach that the laws of the society where the case took place created a platform for predators to commit crimes and later escape without being punished or prosecuted. According to the plot of the story the justice that is portrayed is that of the kind of a vigilante. There are certain attributes of justice that are escaped and hence it is clearly seen that justice on Indian reservations is disregarded or in other words there is little that a victim can do in case a crime is committed against him/her and the culprit is not from the vicinity. The Round House generally addresses the perception of justice in the North Dakota where the Indian reservations are as well as its neighbouring communities. Justice in this context is based on old crimes as well as family dramas. A lot can be stated with regards to the level of justice that was given to the Indian reservations but one thing that stands out is the fact that there was a lot of discrimination in the way justice was administered on crimes committed in the society (Nielsen & Robert, 55). Joe narrates how he had to mature faster due to the fact that he took up the quest of finding justice for his mother. His role was not easy at all since all he got from the authorities was a cold shoulder and his plight fell on deaf ears. Does the novel suggest that justice was done in this case? The novel does not suggest that justice was received for the rape case. This is due to the fact that Joe at his tender age of 13 years decided to take revenge on the man who raped his mother after investigations on the case did not seem to

Methods Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Methods Project - Essay Example arts of the body, the cells are thought to exclusively be sourced from fetus instead of the adult human being since those of fetus are considered most viable and important. These cells are important to the human body because they are viable and important within the body of human once introduced. These stem cells in the body are able to grow into the different cells found in the different parts of the body and even tissues of the body hence they enable the body to be able to repair the damaged or worn out tissues of the body. This means that the bodies therefore have the ability to generate body parts which then immediately replace those parts or the tissues that are partially or completely damaged. The embryonic stem cells are generated in the eggs of a female after fertilization a process that takes either four or five days. This is the science that deals with the investigation which is set to establish the cells especially the basic cells that enable the organisms grow and develop. Such cells are collected then grown and developed in the laboratories so that the basic properties of these cells can be established and used to develop the field. Using the findings from the laboratory analysis and experiments the information obtained is used to improve the efficiency of the stem cells (Thomson et al. 13728). One of the reasons for the anti-stem cell research is the perception that people generally have regarding the source of the stem cells that are used in research. The general perception of people is that the cells are obtained from aborted fetus only which is not necessarily the case. These cells are also found in the placenta as well as the blood that is found in the placenta which is an alternative source of the cells without necessarily having to do any abortion. But apart from these two sources the major or rather the main source of these cells is the blastocysts which are basically the human eggs that have been fertilized but not embedded in the womb of a

Shakespeare and Angela Carter and their works Macbeth and Blood Chamber Essay Example for Free

Shakespeare and Angela Carter and their works Macbeth and Blood Chamber Essay Shakespeare and Angela Carter present through their work of ‘Macbeth’ and ‘The Bloody Chamber’ the struggles of women rebelling against gender stereotypes and how they fall victim to the patriarchal society they are a part of. Firstly, Shakespeare shows the importance of gender boundaries in society and how women who do not conform to their gender stereotypes will be punished. In Macbeth Shakespeare uses the character of Lady Macbeth to show this. Lady Macbeth throughout the play influences and controls her husband Macbeth for personal gain, she does this by taunting her husband which is already the first sign that she doesn’t conform to the stereotypical 16th-century woman who would usually be submissive to their husband. â€Å"When you durst do it, then you were a man† here we see that the gender roles have switched because it’s the wife who has the power here, by saying you ‘were a man’ is telling of this, she is almost mocking him by inferring that if he doesn’t murder Duncan then he is a ‘woman’ in the sense that he was too weak to carry out the murder showing how society viewed women as almost ‘delicate’ however in this scene it’s the woman who has the power. Lady Macbeth teases Macbeth because she knows how if he murders Duncan that she will gain power, now as they’re in a highly patriarchal society Lady Macbeth would not have had any social hierarchy over men but if she becomes queen she will have that power and this would have been desirable for her, as Shakespeare has shown us through her not follow social stereotypes that she has more ‘masculine’ desires rather than women who conform to society by following their only purpose in having children which Lady Macbeth opposes through her description of infanticide she has no interest in having children. To a Jacobean audience, this would be absurd because women’s only purpose in society in the 16th century was to provide men with children. Shakespeare is showing us here how she is against the most feminine thing for a woman and is almost striving for her own personal gain of power which is more masculine in the sense that in most Jacobean plays/stories it is onl y men who strive for power and is a masculine trait traditionally. In The Bloody Chamber, we see a masculine trait again is given to a female character, Carter gives the role of the hero who saves the damsel in distress to the protagonist’s mother which again in traditional stories is a male stereotype where a man would come to save the female who has been captured. The mother is identified with power as she’s described as having â€Å"furious justice† which shows that Carter and Shakespeare have both given female characters that power or shown that like Lady Macbeth they are capable of wanting/having that power. However, a female craving this power is not punished in The Bloody Chamber like it is in Macbeth with her being haunted by her feeling of guilt with her having visions of blood on her hands â€Å"come out, damned spot! But I command you!† as we can see from the way Shakespeare wants this presented as she’s shouting it’s obviously driving her insane as she can see it but no one else can and thus Shak espeare shows how a woman is punished for rebelling against gender stereotypes by her seeking power and has gone insane due to a man’s actions and therefore takes the consequences. But The Bloody Chamber doesn’t punish women for trying to gain power like in Macbeth but through the use of fetishes and sexual desires, they are punished. In The Bloody Chamber, the main protagonist is seen as having sexual desires through the words â€Å"thrusting†, â€Å"ecstasy†, †burning cheek† and â€Å"tender† the main protagonist is usually described with sexual words like this throughout the story. This is a continuative theme throughout the story even by things such as the red necklace she is given by the count which can symbolize blood is a reference to sexual fetishes and desires. However, the same intrigue that allows her to explore sexuality also forces her to explore the secret room which allows her to discover the bodies of the counts old wives. Like Lady Macbeth who is punished for her husband’s actions, the main protagonist in this story would also have been punished for her husband’s actions that being that she discovered his murders and would have been killed by him for discovering them until she is saved by her empowered mother. Secondly, we also see the rebelling of gender stereotypes through the merging of the genders with female and masculine traits being given to opposite-sex characters in Macbeth and The Bloody Chamber. In Macbeth, we see the characters of the witches who cross the line between female and male gender stereotypes. â€Å"You should be a woman, yet your beards forbid me† showing that Shakespeare even blurred the lines of gender through their appearance and thus they rebel against the patriarchal society by not conforming to these stereotypes of looking like a woman and it shows through the confusion of Banquo who has been indoctrinated by the patriarchy and knows nothing else. However, even with the witches who have tried to rebel from gender stereotypes even through appearance they still fall victim to the patriarchy. They have received the punishment of being segregated from a society which is most likely due to the time being that in the 16th century England the fad for witch hun ting was at its peak. A critic states: ‘Of all Shakespeares female characters Lady Macbeth stands out far beyond the rest — remarkable for her ambition, strength of will, cruelty, and dissimulation.’ I agree with this statement that Lady Macbeth stands out and has traits such as ‘strength of will’ because of â€Å"That made you break your enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man† it would have been unheard of for someone like Lady Macbeth who is a representation of a woman in 16th century Elizabethan England to stand up and taunt their husband like she does which does show strength, it also shows her rebelling against gender stereotypes because it’s unfeminine for a woman to mock their husband for not being a man in considering if she wasn’t married she would have no power at all in society and therefore doing this could be seen as a risk to a woman and therefore making Lady Macbeth ‘strong’ and ‘ambitious’ As Lady Macbeth propels her husband toward committing Duncans murder, she indicates that she must take on masculine characteristics. Her most famous speech

Dixons Takeover of Elkjøp

Dixons Takeover of Elkjà ¸p The agreed takeover of Elkjà ¸p by Dixons Contents (Jump to) Abstract Chapter 2 – Literature Review Chapter 3 Sources of Data Chapter 4 Research Design, and Statistical Analysis Chapter 5 Conclusion Bibliography Abstract The roles and responsibilities of the Board of Directors, Chief Operating Officer, or Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer and the remainder of upper management of a listed company, as stated by Jayne Mammatt, Senior Manager at Ernst and Young, â€Å"†¦ have become increasingly onerous in recent years† (Ernst Young, 2006). The key purpose of the Board of Directors is â€Å"†¦ to ensure the †¦Ã¢â‚¬  prosperity of a company by â€Å"†¦ directing the company’s affairs whilst meeting the appropriate interests of its shareholders †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (BREFI group, 2006). The role of the Board of Directors is to (BREFI group, 2006): Establish vision, mission and values, Set strategy and structure, Delegate to management, and Exercise accountability to shareholders and be responsible to relevant stakeholders. The preceding statement bears particular relevance concerning the subject of the acquisition of Elkjà ¸p by Dixons and whether said acquisition will result in a gain in shareholder wealth. The question posed as to the fact that there is evidence that domestic acquisitions do not lead to shareholder wealth gains is borne out in studies conducted by Doukas and Travlos (1988, pp. 1161-1175) and Markides and Ittner (1994, pp. 343-366). Thus, in the case of the acquisition of Elkjà ¸p by Dixons the question to be examined is, if there is any reason to suppose that a cross-border acquisition would be different in terms of leading to shareholder wealth gains? Dixons is one of the largest retailers of electronic products in the Europe, operating in over 12 countries (DSG International plc, 2006a). The company, Dixons Group plc, is presently known as DSG International (UK Business Park, 1999), however it shall be referred to as Dixons in this examination. The company operates in the following sectors under a number of brand names which the company has acquired or set up operations under its own brand (DSG International plc, 2006b): Electricals Currys Electro World Elkjà ¸p Kotsovolos Partmaster Direct UniEuro DSG Insurance Services Computing DSG Business Services Genesis PC City PC World PC World Business The TechGuys e-commerce Dixons.co.uk Pixmania.com The company earned  £7,072,000,000 during 1005 – 2006 and generated  £317,600,000 in profits before tax (DSG International plc, 2006). Elkjà ¸p ASA is the largest wholesale and retail seller of electronic equipment in the Nordic Region with outlets located in Norway, Sweden and Denmark (Business.com, 2006) generating approximately  £475 million in sales in 1999 (Dixons Group plc, 2000/02, p. 3). Dixons has been an acquisition minded company, utilizing this technique to expand into new markets as well as broaden its base of operations in the same mode as Wal-Mart which utilizes the buy in approach to enter markets as opposed to setting up new operations from scratch. The foregoing is evidenced by its acquisition of ASDA in the United Kingdom and planned acquisition of Taiwanese retail Trust-Mart in China (Barboza and Barbaro, 2006). In 1999 Dixons acquired the Norwegian electrical retailer Elkjà ¸p for  £444 million to establish a significant foothold in the markets o f Denmark, Norway and Sweden, as well as a platform for the launch of other branded stores in its portfolio (UK Business Park, 1999). The expansion represents a long standing policy of the company which has acquired (UK Business Park, 1999): 1996, DN Computer Services, a mail order computer company for  £9.7 million 1998, Byte, a computer retailing business acquired from Specialist Computer Holdings for  £7 million to add its 16 outlets to the chain of 50 PC World stores 1999, a chain of 39 electronic retail stores from Seeboard for  £20 million 1998, a stake in with Planet Online to aid in Internet computer sales 1999, an investment in U.S. based Telepost Holdings for  £6 million to expand its Internet based business services 1999, acquisition of Elkjà ¸p for  £444 million 2000, acquisition of Ei System Computer in Spain for  £16 million to add 12 stores to its business line 2000, a 15% stake in Greek electronics retailer P. Kotsovolos for  £44 million 2001, the acquisition of the Danish company SuperRadio, a chain of electronics superstores 2001, the acquisition of a 24% stake in the Italian electrical retailer UniEuro for  £64 million, 2002, the acquisition of Direct Telephone Services, a mobile phone provider for  £31 million 2002, the acquisition of the remaining shares of UniEuro’s 88 stores for an additional  £231 million 2004, the acquisition of WHSU, known as Micro Warehouse, to expand its PC World operations 2005, Dixons changed its name to DSG International The indicated deals point to the management strategy of expansion through acquisition as a long term business plan, of which Elkjà ¸p was another link in that process. This examination shall seek to examine the statement as to whether the instance of the cross border acquisition of Elkjà ¸p by Dixons has lead to a gain in shareholder wealth in light of the statement that there is a sufficient body of evidence in domestic acquisitions that such transactions do not, in most instances, lead to gains in this area. The foregoing question shall be examined through research conducted into the pre and post merger standings of Dixons, as well as other indicators of shareholder values as represented by stock prices, assets, and revenue growth. As stated by Broxterman and Murad (1999, p. 3) the objective and concern of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer and upper management staff is to â€Å"†¦ increase shareholder value†. They state that this is measurable through the following means (Broxterman and Murad (1999, p. 3): Return on Capital Invested, or EVA (Economic Value Added) This term has become a popular metric that measures the trend of an improvement or a decline in shareholder value, and in the instance of public companies this is reflected in the stock price. Accordingly, an increase in shareholder value moves stock prices upward, whereas a decline in this metric sends them downward. Groves (2006) states that in simple terms, a company increases shareholder value through either a reduction in â€Å"†¦ its cost base whilst maintaining revenue †¦Ã¢â‚¬  and or through increasing â€Å"†¦ its revenue whilst maintaining or reducing its cost base†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Bierman (2006, pp. 1-2) makes the same argument, stating that â€Å"Business corporations attempt to make profits and increase the value of the stockholder’s position†. These theories apply to acquisition activity as well, as these transactions represent a facet of corporate strategy to expand their operations and to increase their profit Rappaport, 1997, pp. 14-29). Such can also result, increased profits, from economies of scale, which is the reduction of duplicate operations that thus lowers costs in administration, warehousing, manufacturing, delivery, supply chains and allied functions. Utilizing the foregoing as a guide, research into these aspects will provide definitive in formation to equate whether an acquisition has met these conditions as indicated above. Dixons’ management strategies have functioned in much the same manner as the fabled John F. Welch, Jr., the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of General Electric during their storied years in that â€Å"Who knows what they’ll buy or sell next?† (Higgins, 2000, p. 10). This illustration has been utilized because between 1987 and 1988 General Electric’s â€Å"†¦ return on shareholders equity increased from 17.6 percent in 1986 to 18.5 percent in 1987 and to 19.4 percent in 1888 †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Higgins, 2000, p. 9). Furthermore â€Å"†¦ the company’s balance sheet and cash flow remained strong during this period †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Higgins, 2000, p. 9). Despite the foregoing the company’s share price did not reflect this performance as a result of the â€Å"†¦ perception of outsiders †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Higgins, 2000, p. 9). The foresight of Welsh and General Electric was acknowledged nearly a decade later when Noel Tichy, a corporate analyst said â€Å"The two greatest corporate leaders of this century are Alfred Sloan of General Motors and Jack Welsh of GE† (Higgins, 2000, p. 10). The preceding represents the spirit of the examination of Dixons, in that their acquisition minded strategy is seemingly challenged in the same manner. Chapter 2 – Literature Review In researching the subject as to whether there is any reason to believe that the cross border acquisition, as represented by Dixons of Elkjà ¸p, should or does represent a difference between domestic acquisitions which by and large have proven not to lead to an increase in shareholder wealth, there is evidence to prove such is not necessarily the case. Jarrel and Poulsen (1889, pp. 12-19) support the analysis that domestic acquisitions do not generally lead to shareholder increases in their analysis as reported in â€Å"The Returns to Acquiring Firms in Tender Offers: Evidence from Three Decades.†, as does Loder and Martin (1990, pp. 17-33) in â€Å"Corporate Acquisitions by Listed Firms: The Experience of a Comprehensive Sample†. Doukas and Travlos (1988, pp. 1161-1175) in â€Å"The Effects of Corporate Multinationalism on Shareholders’ Wealth†, Markides and Ittner’s (1994, pp. 343-366) Shareholder Benefits from Corporate International Diversifica tion:† as well as Yeung and Morck (1992, pp. 41-56) in â€Å"Internationalization: An Event Study Test† point to evidence that companies in comparison achieved better result from international acquisitions. The preceding authors explain the improved results concerning gains as being a factor of market synergies. A review of the Annual Reports of Dixons and Elkjà ¸p for the periods between 1999 through 2005-2006 represented a key source of direct information concerning the earnings of the firms which in term could be correlated against the stock prices for said periods. As stated by Higgins (2000, p. 9) in his book â€Å"Best Practices in Global Investor Relations: The Creation of Shareholder Value†, the activity registered by stock prices might not accurately reflect the performance of the company, however, the preceding analogy referred to the inception of diversified merger and acquisition strategy in the 1980’s by Jack Welsh of General Electric, whose principle are understood now. Chapter 3 – Sources of Data In equating whether Dixons management strategy in the acquisition of Elkjà ¸p has added to shareholder value, the analysis of a number of sources shall be utilized to bring forth data to enable a determination to be reached. Past history as represented in the Annual Reports for both companies represents the most relevant data concerning revenues, profit and related data. Internet sources present the opportunity to examine stock prices from a present day and historical basis to correlate against the revenue result achieved in various years to reach a determination of the preceding in generating shareholder wealth. The utilization of books and journal articles represent sources that will aid in reviewing theory as well as foundational and theoretical information on shareholder wealth as well as the duties and responsibilities of the Board of Directors and upper management in this regard. Internet sources represent the means to seek information not only on theoretical aspects as mentioned previously, but information on company activities as reported in various newspapers and press releases. The combinations of these sources will permit a balanced view as to equating the examination of the question, thus all shall be utilized. Chapter 4 – Research Design, and Statistical Analysis The design of the research is to present the factual accounting and stock share price data as the conclusive means via which to reach a determination as to if the acquisition of Elkjà ¸p by Dixons has or has not resulted in gains to shareholder wealth. This approach has been taken as a result of studies and information as provided by Doukas and Travlos (1988, pp. 1161-1175) and Markides and Ittner (1994, pp. 343-366) on international acquisitions, as well as the internet source of BREFI (2006) that outlined the roll of the Board of Directors, along with Broxterman and Murad’s (1999, p. 3) insights into ‘return on capital invested, or EVA (Economic Value Added). The summary of financial activity with respect to Dixon’s acquisition of Elkjà ¸p is contained in the following Table: Table 1 – Dixons Acquisition of Elkjà ¸p Financial Summary 1998 through 2006 (in  £millions) (Dixons Annual Reports, 1999 through 2005/06) The foregoing statistical figures have been compiled in keeping with the stated aims and objectives of this examination as well as to present the actual results of operations. This Table effectively indicates that Dixons share prices have increased since its acquisition of Elkjà ¸p, as have revenues. Chapter 5 Conclusion Dixons acquisition of Elkjob represents one of a string of acquisitions performed by the company since 1999. Elkjà ¸p’s revenues during the period 2004/05 were  £1,003m (Dixons, 2004/05) with 2005/06 sales registering in excess of 1,500m (contentmanager.net, 2006). Considering that Dixsons paid  £444 for Elkjà ¸p in 1999, the earnings clearly indicate that Dixons has received more than its money’s worth in return. The stock price and revenues figures clearly prove that in this instance Elkjà ¸p’s as well as Dixons shareholders have benefited from this acquisition, as well as the other acquisitions and company actions since 1999. Given that Economic Value Added, as stated by Broxterman and Murad (1999, p. 3) is the key determinant of shareholder vale, Dixons has demonstrated that their concern for shareholder value has been met. The dramatic gains made by the company are a result of its overall approach to management of the firm’s resources, as well as continued expansion and growth. These principles have boded well for Elkjà ¸p’s shareholders, as well as Dixons. Bibliography Barboza, D., Barbaro, M. (2006) Wal-Mart said to be acquiring chain in China. 16 October 2006. The New York Times Bierman, H. (2006) Increasing Shareholder Value. Springer Publications BREFI group (2006) The Board of Directors – roles and responsibilities. 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