Divinity, Sexuality And The Self Essays - Literature,

Divinity, Sexuality And The Self Through his poetry, Whitman's Song of Myself makes the soul sensual and makes divine the flesh. In Whitman's time, the dichotomy between the soul and the body had been clearly defined by centuries of Western philosophy and theology. Today, the goodness of the soul and the badness of the flesh still remain a significant notion in contemporary thought. Even Whitman's literary predecessor, Emerson, chose to distinctly differentiate the soul from all nature. Whitman, however, chooses to reevaluate that relationship. His exploration of human sensuality, particularly human sexuality, is the tool with which he integrates the spirit with the flesh. Key to this integration is Whitman's notion of the ability of the sexual self to define itself. This self-definition is derived from the strongly independent autonomy with which his sexuality speaks in the poem. Much of the Song of Myself consists of a cacophony of Whitman's different selves vying for attention. It follows that Whitman's sexual self would likewise find itself a voice. A number of passages strongly resonate with Whitman's sexuality in their strongly pleasurable sensualities. The thoroughly intimate encounter with another individual in section five particularly expresses Whitman as a being of desire and libido. Whitman begins his synthesis of the soul and body through sexuality by establishing a relative equality between the two. He pronounces in previous stanzas, You shall listen to all sides and filter them from yourself, and, Not an inch nor a particle of an inch is vile, and none shall be less familiar than the rest. Here, he lays foundation for the basic egalitarianism with which he treats all aspects of his being for the rest of the poem. This equality includes not only his sexuality, but in broader terms, his soul and body. In the opening to section five, Whitman explicitly articulates that equality in the context of the body and soul: I believe in you my soul, the other I am must not abase itself to you, And you must not be abased to the other. He refutes the moral superiority of the soul over the flesh historically prevalent throughout Western thought. With that level groundwork established, he is free to pursue the relationship between the soul and the body on equal footing. The mechanism of this integration may be one of a number of possibilities included in Whitman's work. Whitman's notion that All truths wait in all things very broadly defines the scope of his desire to distill truth from his surroundings. He indicates that ...all the men ever born are also my brothers, and the women my sisters and lovers, suggesting that perhaps sensual understanding of the interconnectedness of man bridges the spiritual to the corporal. Within the context of the passage, the cause/effect relationship between sensual contact and transcendent understanding becomes clear. His declaration that I believe in the flesh and the appetites, Seeing, hearing, feeling, are miracles reinforces the concept that truth is directly discerned through the union of the spirit and the senses. Human sensuality thus becomes the conduit that bridges the spirit and the flesh. Whitman demonstrates the result of that synthesis to be peace and knowledge that pass all the argument of the earth. He expands this revelation of truth and understanding as the passage continues, linking it to divinity as he invokes the image of the hand of God and the spirit of God. The union of the spirit with the body thus becomes a natural, common pathway to divinity. This association to the cosmos, facilitated by a union of the spiritual and the corporal, is then a direct result of the expression of the sexual self. Whitman's choice of the word reached in ...And reach'd till you felt my beard, and reach'd till you held my feet, is a powerful image. It connotes not only a physical bridging, which Whitman establishes as a elemental force in its sensual nature, but also a direct application of the will. In this context, this passage echoes Whitman's earlier Urge and urge and urge, always the procreant urge of the world, in its hunger and desire. Both words reached and urge indicate willed effort, revolving around the basic function of human nature in sexuality. The centralness of the procreant urge to both these passages makes the sexual act the volta around which comprehension and truth are achieved. One of the key truths that Whitman explicitly communicates is the notion of the interconnectedness of mankind. This theme echoes throughout Song of Myself in the collection of voices through which Whitman speaks throughout the poem, voices

Michelangelos David - Critque essays

Michelangelo's David - Critque essays This is a massive statue. Although the art textbooks and guidebooks generally say that "The David" is 434 centimeters (14' 3") tall without its pedestal, computer scientists have determined this famous sculpture, is actually three feet taller. Its 517 centimeters (17') tall and weighs well over nine tons! It sits on top of a six-foot pedestal. It was carved during the High Renaissance period from a block of marble that another sculptor had left unfinished. Michelangelo had been dissecting corpses for about five years at the time he made this sculpture, so some wonder why the head and hands are too large in comparison with the body. It is thought that since the statue was originally intended for the roof of the Florence Cathedral, the exaggerating the head and hands would have made them more visible from a distance. The statue was never placed there, but set instead in front of the Palazzo della Signoria, the center of government in Florence. As a result, its meaning changed. Rather t han being a religious image (it would have been one of several Old Testament figures on the cathedral), it became a symbol of the political strength of Florence against the forces of tyranny. It is possible that the artist intended the hand symbolize strength and power. Michelangelo, depicted him before the battle: a young man concentrated and determined to help his people and win the battle over Goliath. The slingshot he carries over his shoulder is almost invisible emphasizing that David's victory was one of cleverness, not sheer force. From a personal and modern point of view, I think that David is absolutely exquisite. It represents the ideal physical man. David looks so strong and virile. Michelangelo superbly and realistically captured the physically qualities that make a man's body attractive to a female eye. I believe that this work of Michelangelo's is considered a Masterwork because of it's realistic and careful a ...

The Quality of Interpretive Provision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

The Quality of Interpretive Provision - Essay Example According to the study conducted Natural England manages Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) including some of the country’s wonderful and splendid habitats. Globally famous wildlife sites are ranked as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPSs). Natural England has fixed themes and priorities for 2008-2011 for the use of ALSF grant. Out of the selected themes, theme 4 dealing with education and understanding stresses on the provision of educational and interpretive opportunities in the context of landscape, biodiversity and geo-diversity constituents of the natural environment on and in proximity to the sites affected by extraction. Innovative approaches to education and interpretation is one of the priorities of theme 4. See the map below for the number of grants and their percentages for various regions of the Natural England. Effective interpretation must be fulfilling the audience expectations. It should provide vivid experience to the l isteners. It should be a planned composition and adhere to an essential theme so that the visitor follows it and feels engrossed to match it with own similar experiences. Audience should get a feeling of reverence by the interpreter. The researcher states that heritage interpretation has progressed in the past decades to become mellowed since Freeman Tilden wrote ‘Interpreting our Heritage’ in 1957. Interpretation has played a significant part in enlivening decreasing urban, industrial and rural regions via tourism and conservation programmes. ... Direct interaction with the visitors can be customised as per visitors’ inquiries and interests by answering 'on the spot’; comparatively interpretive signage is less flexible as the visitors can not provide instant response on signage. It is, therefore, critical for signage to be much more pertinent than other kinds of interpretation (UQ, 2006). Ideally interpretive signs should be inspected from visitors’ point of view, their inquisitions, anxieties and their knowledge. The visitors’ responses should form the basis of an interpretive signage (UQ, 2006). Warning Signs Extra precaution needs to be taken for not creating any ambiguity over the content of the message for double-meaning and culturally particular statement. It is more relevant while designing warning signs, as any wrong communication can be detrimental to the life of visitors. Local people may be well aware of possible environmental risks but visitors have no idea of the place. Therefore, wani ng signs need to provide functional information for the prevention of possible loss (UQ, 2006). Designing warning signs There are four key elements that a warning sign include, which are the word ‘Warning’, or ‘Caution’, a sentence about the risk, a possible outcome of ignoring the risk and instructions on taking precautions, as shown above (UQ, 2006). A warning sign should be easily visible and differentiable from general instructions such as interpretive information. It can be written in colour for enhanced visibility, as red colour is linked with danger zone. Contrast between the background and text provides clarity to the message (UQ, 2006). Size The size of the alert message and the type font used is critical although research is not