Thesis Statement For Romeo And Juliet Essay Example For Students

Proposition Statement For Romeo And Juliet Essay Ordinarily there is something that one must decipher whether it is a book, film, or even the news. One must arrive at ones own decision about the data they are deciphering. For example motion pictures are for the most part more clear at that point books however the plots may have slight contrasts. In the 1996 film The Tragedy Of Romeo and Juliet by Baz Luhrman, there are some significant contrasts between his rendition and the book Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. One of the significant contrasts is that the book happens in the seventeen hundreds in Verona, while the film happens in the late twentieth century still in Verona. This distinction makes the film to show up of a somewhat youthful keenness because of the way that the film utilizes a similar language as the book. It appears to be strange. We will compose a custom exposition on Thesis Statement For Romeo And Juliet explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now Another significant contrast is the job of minister Lawrence. In the book the minister had a piece vital yet in the film his significance decreases a few. One progressively significant contrast is the Capulets burial place. In the book the burial chamber was supposed to be dull and soiled. In spite of the fact that in the film the burial place gave off an impression of being a wonderful nearly church like house of God the burial chamber had numerous candles around where Juliet laid. Additionally she doesn't lie in a final resting place yet in a delightful bed that is incorporated by white sheets. Maybe the most significant contrast between the book and the film is the last scene. In the book the last scene is when Romeo murders Paris and afterward enters Capulets burial place. When in the burial place Romeo drinks the toxin and kicks the bucket. Anyway in the film Romeo doesn't execute Paris by any means. At the point when Romeo shows up at the burial place the police encompass him. He accepts a cleric as a prisoner so he wont be shot. At the point when he enters the burial chamber he strolls to Juliet. This is the place the most signi ficant contrast is. Juliet begins to stir while Romeo recounts his discourse. They are both alive and taking a gander at one another for a couple of moments then Romeo bites the dust. The greatest discussion is if Juliet had even expressed the faintest clamor it might have prevented Romeo from drinking the toxic substance. At the point when an individual deciphers anothers work the translator may free key qualities and change the story totally. Hence the mediator must be amazingly cautious. As on account of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, by Baz Luhrman.

Examples of Toponym or Place Name

Instances of Toponym or Place Name A toponym is aâ place name or a word authored in relationship with the name of a spot. Descriptors: toponymic and toponymous. The investigation of such spot names is known as toponymics or toponymy-a part of onomastics. Kinds of toponym incorporate agronym (the name of a field or field), dromonym (the name of a transportation course), drymonym (the name of a timberland or woods), econym (the name of a town or town), limnonym (the name of a lake or lake), and necronym (the name of a graveyard or cemetery). EtymologyFrom the Greek, place name Models and Observations The name Chicago is first recorded in 1688 of every a French report, where it shows up as Chigagou, an Algonquian word meaning onion field.(The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 2000)An irate assistant described the shopping binge as Wasilla hillbillies plundering Neiman Marcus from coast to coast.(Hackers and Spending Sprees, Newsweek, Nov. 5, 2008)Hooterville was Xanadu with pickup trucks, an odd yet agreeable land with an overwhelming charm.(Craig Tomashoff, When Life Was Simple. The New York Times, July 4, 1999)The Influence of the DanesWhen we discover in excess of 600 spots like Grimsby, Whitby, Derby, Rugby, and Thoresby, with names finishing off with - ly, almost every one of them in the region involved by the Danes, we have striking proof of the quantity of Danes who settled in England.(Albert C. Baugh and Thomas Cable, A History of the English Language. Routledge Kegan Paul, 1978)Dutch TermsEnglishmen have essentially considered anybody theyve come into contact with as being sluggish, poor, weak, conniving, stealing, and of inadequate profound quality, a mentality of predominance reflected in a reiteration of set expressions in the language. . . .Shockingly, the individuals who got the most noticeably terrible of English maltreatment were the Dutch. Most articulations we presently use concerning the individuals of Holland are innocuous, for example, Dutch entryway, twofold Dutch, and Dutch stove, however beforehand, terms containing Dutch were what might be compared to a Polack joke. A bookie who loses cash is a Dutch book; Dutch boldness is motivated distinctly by alcohol; if youre in Dutch, youre in jail, or pregnant; and a Dutch widow is a whore. Still in wide use is to go Dutch, which depicts an actionnot paying for your datethat dialects around the remainder of the globe call to go American.(John B. Marciano, Toponymity: An Atlas of Words. Bloomsbury, 2010) Toponyms From American Indian WordsThousands of toponyms in the United States and Canada get from American Indian words. One is Chanhassen, a Twin Cities suburb in Minnesota. In the Sioux language, this word alludes to the sugar maple tree. The spot name means the tree with sweet squeeze. At times the reference isn't so charming. Stinkingwater Peak, Wyoming, takes its unflattering name from a close by river.(Gerald R. Pitzl, Encyclopedia of Human Geography. Greenwood, 2004)The MississippiIn Algonquian, the structures connected together in a toponym are spellbinding as in Mohican missi-tuk huge waterway, and the toponym in general is utilized to distinguish a specific spot [that is, Mississippi].(William C. McCormack and Stephen A. Wurm, Approaches to Language: Anthropological Issues. Mouton, 1978)Magenta, Duffel Bag, and PaisleyMagenta is a ruddy pink shading, and it is a toponym. The somewhat playful shading is named after a downbeat scenethe blood-absorbed front line at the Battl e of Magenta Italy in 1859 (Freeman, 1997). Different toponyms incorporate duffel pack (Duffel, Belgium), sardines (the island of Sardinia), and (Paisley, Scotland).(Dale D. Johnson, Bonnie von Hoff Johnson, and Kathleen Schlichting, Logology: Word and Language Play. Jargon Instruction: Research to Practice, ed. by James F. Baumann and Edward J. Kameenui. Guilford, 2004) Tuxedo Park, Marathon, Bikini, and LyceumWords that you probably won't suspect were toponyms incorporate (Tuxedo Park, New York), long distance race (from the clash of Marathon, Greece . . .), straightforward (from Sparta in old Greece), two-piece (an atoll in the Pacific where the nuclear and nuclear bombs were tried), [and] lyceum (a recreation center close to Athens where Aristotle instructed) . . ..(Charles H. Elster, What in the Word? Reap, 2005)The Lighter Side of Toponyms: Westward Ho!The town of Westward Ho! in Devon, England, is the main spot name in England that closes in an outcry point. The town acquired its name from the title of Charles Kingsleys well known novel set in close by BidefordWestward Ho! (1855). Elocution: TOP-eh-nim

Rewind the Tape

Rewind the Tape This entry might make it seem like all I do is eat food, but I promise I do other stuff too. So early last week, my friends and I went out to celebrate a friends 21st birthday. I returned to my Texas roots with a nice steak. Our waiter didnt ask for her ID, and I was a little disappointed so I called him back just so I could snap this photo. I was somewhat reminded of the day I turned 18 and tried to buy a lottery ticket and the attendant REFUSED to look at my ID. I was hurt. Tuesday, my office decided to take the monthly company party outside of the office and took us all to Jillians for some fun and food. Its a pretty rare occasion to get paid just to sit back and have fun, so I definitely seized the opportunity. I had to leave early to get to campus to film the documentary that Ive still told you nothing about minus the fact that Im filming one. Wednesday, I was joined by Anjana to attend an information session on Bain Company, a consulting firm. A lot of MIT graduates from all different majors have gone on to become associate consultants and consultants there. Friday, I found the golden ticket. Well, figuratively. Every Friday this summer, theyve got Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell. Last Fridays movie was Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I was too far back to really enjoy the movie and since Id seen it many times before I ended up leaving early and was able to escape the rain. Now I havent seen the new one, but was it good? Saturday, I went to check out a new restaurant called b.good with Nadia 08 and Jessica 08. Ive been trying to compile a list of restaurants owned/managed by MIT alums, and this is one of them. Theyve got a lot of healthy alternatives to the typical fast food meal especially with their baked french fries. Should they be called french bakes instead of fries since theyre not fried? This restaurant is even cooler for their car. And even more cooler than that because theyll be participating in Orientation. Sunday, I had the opportunity to dim sum for the first time here in Boston. A group of about 12 of us went to Chinatown to China Pearl where I had a little bit of this and a little bit of that. It was awesome especially since my roommate knew how to speak Chinese and that was really helpful. If youre ever there, make sure you try the fried radish. Summer does provide you with the opportunity to stop into some of those shops that youd otherwise have little time for. Near to the Park Street T Station, theres an antique coin shop, so me and my roommates stepped in to check out the collection. The shop owners recognized our Brass Rats and went on to tell us how one day wed be able to afford to buy their whole store (hopefully!). My roommate ended up buying a coin from 283 AD. I was still in diapers then. Oh and Sam, if youre reading this, cucumber ice cream is back at JP Licks.

Technology And Its Effect On Children - 928 Words

In today s world, it is not uncommon to see children using technology. In fact, just about everywhere you venture you are likely notice a child with an iPhone, or a tablet. Within the last five years’ elementary schools have been depending more on technology such as computers, and tablets for learning, compared to 10 years ago when everything was teacher taught and the closest form of technology found in the classroom happened to be a projector. The fact that there was little use of technology in elementary schools when today s adults were growing up could sure-enough be the reason that many adults are skeptical when it comes to the use of electronics in elementary school. Many adults will say that children stay on the computers too much, and that it isn’t healthy for them. Another reason adults could be hesitant to accept that technology is an important key to learning is the fact that some children have learning disabilities and could struggle when learning from a com puter. Adults will also point out that not every child has access to a computer at home to complete at home assignments. However the purpose of technology in elementary school is there to enhance and broaden the educational process not to hinder it. In elementary schools today we see the use of technology go up every year. Schools are becoming more dependent on electronics for learning purposes. Adults could be becoming skeptical of the use of technology because children are on them quite often at home.Show MoreRelatedTechnology And Its Effect On Children981 Words   |  4 PagesPresent day technology today has helped us connect with others miles away through E-mail, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other forms of social media. Although technology was initially designed to improve communication, the reliance on technology has an adverse effect on many families and the children, in particular the problem that it causes interference in relationships. According to Smith, â€Å"19% of Americans adults rely to some degree on a smartphone for accessing online services and informationRead MoreTechnology and Its Effects on Children1062 Words   |  5 PagesThe use of technology has skyrocketed over the past few years, with a whopping ninetyfive percent of people utilizing the internet, constantly checking smartphones, and relying on other forms of media for entertainment, socializing, or work related instances. Compared with the digital satellites, MP3 players, and Palm Pilots of the 1990s, the technology today has truly advanced, causing many people to become dependent on media-related devices. More than fifty percent of today’s youth contribute toRead Moreeffects of technology on children1279 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY ON CHILDREN In today’s world Technology is everywhere. We use computers for almost everything in everyday life, including â€Å"babysitting† our children. Computers can have both positive and negative effects on children, while some of the negative effects on health and development are unseen. As adults, we understand the physical world around us and the concepts inside computer programs. Children, on the other hand, need to learn this with traditionalRead MoreTechnology And Its Effects On Children1733 Words   |  7 Pageschild spends an astounding 7.5 hours per day on some form of technology (Rowan 2), when the recommend allotted amount of time should be no more than two hours (Kaneshiro 1). Technology is rapidly evolving, making limitless possibilities available for entertainment. This virtual â€Å"babysitter† enables the parents to devote all their time and effort into their work or engross in technology with limited amounts of distraction from the children. Although, the parents are able to have free time, excessiveRead MoreEffects Of Technology On Children s Children Essay1582 Words   |  7 PagesOverstimulation of Technology Causes ADHD in Children Alderman states, â€Å"kids from eight to eighteen years of age spend seven and a half hours a day using entertainment media.† This startling fact means that out of only 24 hours in a day, nearly one third of that time is spent looking at a screen. With screen time becoming more prevalent, it is no surprise that there are effects on the human body. The rise of technology use and ADHD diagnosis correlate to conclude that overstimulation of technology causes ADHDRead MoreTechnology And Its Detrimental Effect On Children1123 Words   |  5 PagesLuke Stafford En 102 Essay 4 6/22/2015 Technology is a large part of everyday life in the 21st century, and the effects of its power over our culture are clearly visible in multiple ways. For example, social media is the most popular form of communication and using the internet and computers seems second nature to us, especially in the form of entertainment. Many children today have never known a time when they didn’t have access to the internet, a television, or a cell phone. Everything is accessibleRead MoreThe Effects Of Technology On Younger Children1319 Words   |  6 Pages Health Effects from the Use of Technology in Younger Children The modern times we live in today are constantly changing in hopes that we as humans thrive successfully. To be more specific, technological advancements are driving our society into new feats that could never be imagined in the past. Thanks to this technology, we have excelled in vital fields such as medicine, education, engineering, and many more aspects that can be considered vital for our benefit, let alone our existence. ModernRead MoreThe Effects Of Technology On Children And Teenagers1456 Words   |  6 Pages To this day and age, we see more and more children and teenagers craving technology. We now see ten year olds with their own iPhones. This has caused many children and teenagers to become addicted to technology. For this reason, technology exposure limitations should abide. What ever happened to only calling and texting on a phone? â€Å"A recent meta-analysis of post studies led by researchers at the University of Exter, U.K., suggests that men who store their phones in their pockets risk exposing themselvesRead MoreThe Effects Of Technology On Children s Children1423 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"It damaged our kids!† â€Å"No, it helped them!† These are the common arguments between adults about using technology for their children. Both have good points, however, it depends which angle they are looked at. There are different positive and negative views of technology regarding a child’s social skills, education, creativity, and health. Every morning, to keep a toddler from bothering the family or babysitter, adults turn on the television on, directly to an educational channel, such as PBS KidsRead MoreNegative Effects of Technology on Children1580 Words   |  7 PagesONLINE DATAS AND RESEARCH Negative Effects of Technology on Children March 21, 2010 According to a New York Times article this January, the average kid, ages 8-18, spends over 7  ½ hours a day using technology gadgets equaling 2  ½ hours of music, almost 5 hours of tv and movies, three hours of internet and video games, and just 38 minutes of old fashioned reading according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, which adds up to 75 hours a week! These statistics are not just mere numbers; they are a reflection

The United States Navy Essay - 1269 Words

The United States of America has not always been the world superpower that it is today. The same goes for its Navy. In the first several years of existence, the United States Navy was not a formidable fighting force. The young nation was hesitant to invest in a navy for many reasons, one of them being to prevent provoking the world powers of the time, France and Britain. On top of that, navies were very expensive to build and required a significant amount of resources to maintain, which the U.S. did not have at the time. To say that the United States Navy was ill prepared for war would be a dramatic understatement. The U.S. had a total of fifteen ships in its entire naval fleet compared to the might of the Royal Navy which possessed over six hundred warships. Even with the odds stacked against the U.S., President Madison declared war on 18 JUN 1812. The lack of size and power of the navy at the time would make it extremely difficult to satisfy the needs of the newly founded nation. The U.S. had enough of the British Navy impressing American sailors and seizing American merchant ships. Even though the U.S. Navy lacked the size that British had, the Royal Navy was stretched to its limits. Many of the British efforts were focused on the Napoleonic wars taking place in Europe, leaving just two dozen British ships between Halifax and Bermuda. The U.S. frigates were larger and had much more armament than those of the British giving the U.S. one more key advantage over theirShow MoreRelatedThe United States Navy1223 Words   |  5 Pagesinstitution tasked with the protection of the United States and its interest around the world including on, above, and below the sea, it is increasingly more important that the United States Navy (US Navy) continually works to generate and adapt to change in order be prepared for any threat from enemies near and afar. There are many instances of when the US Navy was required to be innovative or cease to exist. First and foremost, the creation of the Continental Navy on October 13, 1775. The creation of theRead MoreThe United States Navy1326 Words   |  6 Pages The United States Navy The business culture that I have chosen to write about is that of the United States Navy. â€Å"Since its birth on October 13, 1775, the Navy has been involved with more than ten major wars and countless battles in the effort to bring security, democracy, peace and prosperity to the American people. It s stood as a constant deterrent against international aggression. They fought the good fight when necessary. Acted as a willing source of assistance to those in crisis or needRead MoreCase Analysis : Training Requirements For United States Navy1280 Words   |  6 PagesCase Analysis: Training Requirements for United States Navy (USN) MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Operators Summary The MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), previously known as the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS), is a major defense acquisition program (MDAP) based on the United States Air Force (USAF) high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) RQ-4B Global Hawk (Cohn Harrison, 2014; Department of Defense [DoD], 2013; Naval Air Systems Command [NAVAIR], 2014). The programRead MoreThe United States Navy s Involvement During World War I1344 Words   |  6 Pages The history of the United States Navy has always been interesting to me. As a child my grandfather told me stories about his time in the Navy Reserves as a fighter pilot. He always told me that Navy fighter pilots were the best of the best, and that only a few ever have the privilege of being one. He had a ton of pride in his country but especially the Navy as he would constantly be humming the tune to Anchors Away; Sail Navy down the field and sink the Army, sink the Army Grey. It has now beenRead MoreThe Medical Field At The U nited States Navy1509 Words   |  7 Pages The most important of which is how am I going to afford all those years of school. Methods To further understand the questions that I had, I interviewed my Brandon McFarlane, who is already a corpsman in the United States Navy, but is currently enrolled in Pensacola State University and in the physician s assistance program. I chose to interview Brandon because he is where I hope to be in a couple of years, which is working towards getting further into the medical field. I based all ofRead MoreThe Worst Events Of The United States Navy980 Words   |  4 PagesAs a Senior Chief in the United States Navy, the horrific events that took place on September 11th 2001 have had a profound effect on me both professionally and personally. Since then, our country has been fortunate enough to not have a repeat of the events that took the lives of 2,977 Americans. â€Å"Much of our success has been in the form of intelligence gathered by a multitude of federal agencies and information shared between our allies† (Hoffman 268). This success has led many to believe we willRead M oreAn Internship With The United States Navy As A Civil Servant1353 Words   |  6 PagesIn high school, I was selected to participate in an internship with the United States Navy as a civil servant. I was placed into a rotational position, so that I could learn and understand multiple aspect of the civilian life instead of choosing one path and sticking to it. I worked in the contracts department, on a source selection, with the Budget Financial Manager, on the education team, and as part of the demilitarization team for a squadron. During my time there, the organization created theRead MoreUnited States Navy, Military, And North Carolina Army National Guard1574 Words   |  7 PagesServing in the United States Navy, Army, and North Carolina Army National Guard for a combined total of 21 years before honorably retiring in July 2013 has always been one of many life achievements that I have been profoundly fond of. During my Army tenure, I was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Caroli na as one of a few non-Special Forces support medics for the 3rd Special Forces Group. In order to stay assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group, it was highly recommended that all soldiers were AirborneRead MoreThe United States Transition From Age Of Sail1621 Words   |  7 PagesThe United States Transition from â€Å"Age of Sail† to Steam and Steel Navy William Hunt, the secretary of the Navy in 1881, once wrote: â€Å"the conditions of the Navy imperatively demand the prompt and earnest attention of Congress. Unless some action be had in its behalf it must soon dwindle into insignificance.† Without technology advancements or change, the Navy would soon fall apart. The â€Å"Age of Sail† lasted from about the sixteenth century through the mid-nineteenth century. It was a time in whichRead MoreTheodore Roosevelt s Impact On Theu.s Navy1182 Words   |  5 PagesLeader’s Paper Theodore Roosevelt’s Impact on the U.S Navy Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States, as well as the Secretary of the Navy prior to his presidency. The man was a known intellectual, with strong diplomatic skills and a strong sense of accomplishing the mission. One of these missions was the establishment of a strong permanent Navy that would become one of the largest in the world, establishing the United States as imperialistic country, ready to make its mark. The

Theories of Myth Paper Free Essays

Introduction Mythology, what is itThe dictionary defines mythology, as a set of stories, traditions, and beliefs associated with a particular group or the history of an event, arising naturally or deliberately fostered or a body of myths as that of a particular people or that relating to a particular person. The word â€Å"Myth† itself is of the Greek origin from the Greek word mythos, â€Å"speech, word, fact, story, narrative†. Although these words are rather restrictive in definition, the word myth can be said to fail to take into account the large body of twentieth century work on myth from many angles. We will write a custom essay sample on Theories of Myth Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now Myth, is also described or defined to be the compilation of some type of field work; and the aim may be to produce something of value for religious studies. A myth theory can also be defined as raw material for transformation into artistic productions. In some way shape or form, every culture or ethnic group is an original author of theoretical myths. For example, there has been scientific evidence that at one point there were parts of the earth that were covered in water and are now dry. Other myths tell of an island, floating in the sky where sky people lived long before the world was created. A theoretical approach call the New Criticism/Formalism is said to be used when there is out of date text with no author or historical background. It is misleading to read Greek or Latin text that is translated into another language word for word. There is no way to trace the changes in myth over time because the text will not be chronological. Late authors especially the Romans liked Traditional Biographical Criticism when they created life-records. Traditional Biographical Criticism also works well for writings of political people who interpreted political stories in myth over time. Many of these myths go unnamed and it becomes hard to analyze the author’s life in such cases. Folklore Studies and Anthropology explores unidentified works since in Folklore there are no individual creators of tales necessary. Folklore studies and Anthropology work well when it comes to comparative literature approaches. It is not limited to one version or text of a myth. It works well when it comes to Greek and Roman magic or superstitions. These studies are not good when it comes to complex symbolism. However, it does show similarities between myths and legends. Earth Diver-Myths speaks of scientific evidence where the Earth has parts that are now dry and once were covered with water. The myth says that a person dove into the water to retrieve some Earth. The Earth that was brought to the surface is the same land we live on today. There are other myths that say it was mud that was brought to the surface in a different way until it became the Earth. The creation myth of Christians and Jews tells of the Earth once being covered completely by water. The Japanese creation myth tells of muddy oceans covering the world at the beginning of time. A GOD named Izanagi and GODDESS named Izanami were curious about what was under the Ocean. Izanagi threw his staff into the ocean and pulled out some Earth which became the island of Japan. Iroquois creation myth states that the island floating in the sky before the world was created had sky people who never died nor was born. They never experienced sadness except for one day when a sky woman who d iscovered that she was going to give birth to twins. She told her husband and this news made him very upset because they had never experienced this before and it did not seem possible. He was so angry that he went to the center of the island where there was a big tree that gave off light over the entire island. The husband was so angry and in disbelief that he tore down this tree tearing a big hole in the center of the island. He then pushed his wife through the hole and she fell towards the water below. There were water animals that existed on the Earth and saw the lady falling towards the water. The water animals saved the lady and began to help her by diving to the bottom of water to get mud to build land. The animals then took the mud and spread it on the back of a big turtle. They continued and continued as it grew and grew becoming the size of North America. The idea of a personal approach to mythology happened in 1926 says Stanley Krippner.However, you can make a strong case that the first proposed mythological foundation for an individual human experience was published a decade earlier. C.G. Jung published, Symbols of Transformation, in 1912. This was his vision of a mythological basis to the operation of human psyche. Jung wrote in his memoir, Memories, Dreams, and Reflections which was his theme of the mythic nature of personal experience near the end of his life in 1961. He was telling his own personal myth, telling one’s story in mythic terms. Jung declared, whether the story is true or not is not the problem. The only question is whether what I tell is truth or fable. References Myths, Models, and Paradigms: A Comparative Study in Science Religion. New York: Harper Row, 1976. Barbour, Ian G. Theoretical Approach Strengths and Weaknesses for Analysis of Myths – web.cn.edu /KWHEELER/documents/Theory_Myth.pdf Living Myth: Personal Meaning as a Way of Life. Boston: Shambala, 1993. Bond, D. Stephenson. Creation Myths – www.cs.williams.edu/~lindsey/myths/myths.html How to cite Theories of Myth Paper, Essay examples

Individualism and Family Values free essay sample

This essay will examine the historical evolution of notions of ‘family values’ and ‘individualism’, using historical criticism and semiotic analysis; it will demonstrate how these terms have historically been very fluid and tied to the socio-cultural concerns of their day. Focus will be on establishing a historiography of the key terms, from the late Elizabethan to the modern era. Particular attention will be paid to the Victorian era, wherein, this essay will argue, the true archetype for the modern ‘nuclear family’ was established. This essay will look at key works of art throughout the stated timeframe, works reflective of the era’s common sentiment, in order to establish socio-cultural patterns. The aim of the essay will be to show that the anti-collectivist, increasingly nuclear, and specifically consumer-based nature of modern ‘individualism’ is inimical to traditional conceptions of family values. when considering individualism and its effect on traditional family values, it is important to clarify the understanding of the terms. In terms of Individualism and for the sake of analytical focus this paper shall stick to a relatively modern conception of the word: ‘individualism connotes a dynamic capitalist economic rationality—utilitarian, competitive, and profit-maximising—inimical to the supposed torpor of feudal and tribal mentality alike’ (Meer, 1). On a more fundamental level it could be said that individualism is the opposite of collectivism; it refers to the endeavour, the interests, and, to some degree, the gratifications, of a single person rather than a group of people. The concept of traditional family values is rather more complex. Even within the confines of the United Kingdom, one family’s notion of ‘tradition’ may vary greatly from another’s. After all, the U. K. is a heterogeneous society, comprised of many religious, cultural, and ethnic groups; which is to say the U. K. is the composite of many traditions. Nevertheless, for the sake of simplicity, this paer will adopt a working definition, one which roughly approximates a conventional majority of U. K. society. With slight modification, according to the critic Collins’(2011, 47) the description of a traditional Western family will serve the purpose. Traditional families, then, encompass: ‘heterosexual, racially homogenous couples who produce their own biological children’ (here, we may append nominal Christian religious affinity). Such families have ‘a specific authority structure, namely, a father-head earning an adequate family wage, a stay-at-home wife and mother, and children’. Moreover, the traditional family, states Hill Collins, has overtones of being a ‘private haven from a public world’ (2011, 47). The obvious temptation in this instance is to dismiss individualism outright as contradictory to traditional family values. On the surface, the family seems after all to be a microcosm of collectivism, the very antitheses of individualism; and, undoubtedly, in large part this evaluation holds true. However, this explanation is somewhat monolithic and irons over some of the more problematic subtleties of the case; indeed, individualism presupposes a kind hermetic insulation that would not be possible in the familial context, and vice versa. The reality is that the two concepts are not so hermetic, and are in fact bound to overlap. Consider that for the majority of history the family unit was very much a strategic entity, a way of forging advantageous marital and blood ties. This particular tradition, as one critic has noted, is a longstanding staple of ‘Eurasian family patterns’ (Lal 2006, 178). Considering that, until very recently, males have monopolised authority within the family unit, it is not too difficult to perceive in the tactical manoeuvres of allied kinship, a distinctly individualistic bent. At every level, notes one critic, ‘families looked to dynastic marriage strategies to find greater wealth and power’ (James, 39). In which formulation, we may safely presume, the will of the father was paramount. The altogether calculated manner of pre-modern wedlock is vividly captured in much literature of the time. Vivid examples include Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, wherein the mutual love of the eponymous protagonists is superseded by a blood feud between their respective families; or in Taming of the Shrew, where the prudent father, Baptista Minola, using his children like bartering chips, cannily withholds permission for his much coveted daughter Bianca to marry, before her shrewish sister Katherina is also wed. There is something decidedly ‘unlovely’, then, about the bulk of history concerning traditional ‘love’. As daughters were exchanged like chess pieces, in a paternal power play, certain other influences ensured a level of valour to these otherwise unromantic unions. ‘Traditional’ values concerning ‘the sanctity of marriage’ were ‘preserved through the fierce guilt culture based on sin promoted by the medieval church’ (Lal, 178). Much of this ‘guilt culture’ survived into the modern day, because Christianity has survived; consequently the Christian tradition of monogamous and (ostensibly) lifelong matrimony is still very much a part of ‘modern family values’, even if the religious fervour underpinning it is less ardent and literalistic than before. The necessarily religious tenor of marriage and thus ‘the traditional family’ obtains not only to a physical collectivism, but a spiritual one also. Christianity, as one critic has it, ‘sets the values of universal providence and love against the prideful individualism of the sinner’ (Meer, 47). That said, there is nothing innately selfless about wishing exclusively to possess another person. Contrarily, it is a rather selfish, individualistic act, as is monogamy in general; to pursue such a line of enquiry, however, would be to stray from ‘traditional’ thought and moral stricture and that is a transgression bearing harsh penalties. In which regard, the unhappy fates of two Daniel Defoe (anti) heroines, the eponyms of Moll Flanders (1721) and Roxana (1724), come to mind: their deliberate transgression of sexual and marital mores provoked public censure. The bedrock of normative matrimony was not easily broken. As the narrator of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (1813) famously averred, as the nineteenth century commenced, it was yet ‘a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife’ (1995, 3). Its is clear that Individualism, does not square with preindustrial ‘family tradition’, which was largely opportunistic, strategic, and paternally calculated. Moral standards are of course wedded to their social contexts; and, as the Victorian era progressed, the ‘traditional’ accordingly fell in line with consensus of the day. This accommodated a ‘Romantic individualism’, which was in part a reaction to Classical and Enlightenment stoicism which ‘set universal reason above the merely personal passions’ (Meer, 47). This ‘individualism’ vaunted subjectivism, imagination, and emotion; it was a kind of self-reflexive solipsism, as opposed to the more modern conception of a strictly self-serving egotism. Thus, for the Romantics, the concept of individual ‘Genius’ held great sway; the lone exalted mind in dominion over its environs. Consider Caspar David Friedrich’s painting, Wanderer above the Sea of Fog (1818), with the sober and solitary watcher stood regally atop a rather wild and craggy rock-face. Also Wuthering Heights (1846), a book possessing ‘a desiring individualism so violent and transgressive that it crosses the material world into the spiritual realm’ (Shires 2001, 66). This was not in itself inimical to traditional family values; although, it did precipitate a more emotionally involved approach to coupling and romantic love in general. This intellectual sea-change came concurrently with an important societal one: marriage partners, at this time came, to be ‘freely chosen, based on romantic love rather than economics or parental concerns, and the marriage relationship changed from being relatively unemotional and functional to warm and compassionate’ (Popenoe, 2009, 92). The old tradition, of strategic alliance, was supplanted by a new one, marriage for love. This new romantic and Romantic tradition, of truly ‘loving union’, was the precursor for modern traditional family values, as the industrial revolution was for modern mechanised society. As the former shaped family tradition, the latter set the stage for what would become the modern ‘individual’, as it is known today. As J. W. Childers (2001,80) observes, ‘the doctrine of individualism seemed to emerge as the soul of industrial culture . The Victorian era, was ‘shaped by the growing power of the bourgeoisie’ (Plunkett, 170); this rising middle-class and their growing wealth, came to vie for influence with the aristocratic classes, as economic power looked to overtake hereditary privilege in terms of societal ‘clout’. Increasing meritocracy gave individual endeavour new credos. The growing force of Capitalism stressed the importance of private property and individual wealth, in leading to a better society. This contention persists today. For example, in a modern economics text book: ‘Wealth leads to individualism, and poverty leads to collectivism’ (De Mooij 2010, 135). Growing urbanisation led, also, to increasingly insulated family units, the origin of the so-called ‘nuclear family’. As all this capital-driven individualism transmuted avarice from vice to virtue, the deleterious effects on ‘traditional family values’ were unavoidable; this is largely because society overall was changing in ways that would render the ‘traditional’ somewhat obsolete. The days of alchemy were in their last throes, to be finally supplanted by chemistry; as was astrology to fall to astronomy; Creation to evolution, and so on. In the face of so much fundamental transformation, the old traditions were inevitably at risk. The emergent industrial world also meant that, like today, family relations began to be deeply influenced by workplace relations (Kirkpatrick Johnson 2005, 352). Nevertheless, in the U. K. Queen Victoria, ‘was a pillar of family values’ (Plunkett, 170). The monarch utilised modern technology such as; photography, to promulgate a specific representation of herself and her family as ‘ordinary’, ‘traditional’ people. This created a potent paradigm of the traditional family to which others could aspire. Thus was deliberately ‘constructed’ as an ideal of tradition. Whether this ideal tallied with reality is not as important as the idea itself; for this symbolic gesture, toward a contrived ‘English family tradition’, anticipates modern day mass-produced ideological media. As late as the eighties, Mitchell (2010, p47) states that Margaret Thatcher explicitly urged a return to ‘Victorian values’. One hopes Thatcher did not literally wish to revive the bigoted, disenfranchised, pseudo-scientific, repressed, racist, and colonialist ideals on which Victorian values hinged; it is the spurious, idealised paradigm of morally upright, industrious ‘Great’ Britons upon which she presumably gazes back, through rose-tinted imaginings of British history (Mitchell 2010, 47). The precedent set by Victoria is that which prevails today, wherein a national myth is propagated at the expense of true rendition. Thus modern society on the one hand vaunts high ‘individualism’, material possession, and personal wealth as the cultural apotheosis, while, on the other, adverting the rectitude of traditional family values. Thus, in Britain, ‘the family is revered and the popular media are dominated by debates about the falling standard of British parenting’ (Storry 2002, 126). An inherent aradox underlies the above: the materialistic consumerism revered by late capitalism implicitly endorses a self-centred individualism that cannot rightly co-exists with the collectivist leanings of ‘traditional family’, as either a pre-modern blood alliance, or a modern love-based family unit. Modern society insistently thrusts a materialistic, individualistic, consumer ideal in people’s faces and then complains that people are not upholding the traditional family values which that ideal refutes. Moreover, modern pervasive media, the dominance of the screen, and ubiquity of the internet, mean that individuals have more means of remaining isolated than ever before, more ways to be ‘individualistic’. Even still, the myth prevails; research suggests young men in the U. K. hold ‘firmly onto romantic notions of traditional family values and the male breadwinning role, even though many can now speak the language of equal opportunities and women’s rights’ (Arnot 2002, 193). The problem is how to reconcile these traditional notions with the un-traditional realities of modern society. The answer is simply to evade reconciliation, by means of obfuscation. The raging greed and individualism unleashed by Thatcher’s deregulatory policies had very little to do with the mythic Victorian virtues she espoused. The true product of her policy was more American Psycho’s (1991) Patrick Bateman, than the improbably virtuous Nell Trent from Dickens’s The Old Curiosity Shop (1841). Although ‘tradition’ is tethered to its epoch and moves accordingly, there are undeniably strains of consistent precept identifiable in traditional family values; sanctity of marriage, heterosexual coupling, productive, patriarchal, child-producing units, and the like. Modern society, wherein marriage is ever less ‘sanctified’ and sex for reproduction hardly the norm, is surely at variance with ‘traditional family values’ (not that this is necessarily a bad thing). The truth is that modern capitalist society is geared against the caring collective endeavour that traditional family values entail. The trend, Vern L. Bengtson and Ariela Lowenstein observe, is to ‘roll back the state’ and ‘thereby release resources for individualism and free enterprise’ (106). The removal of state provisions for the under-privileged, the increasing privatisation of education, the obsessive materialism of the modern U. K. is not compatible with traditional family values. Nevertheless, it is doubtless that the true, individualistic tenor of modern society will continue to be glossed over with the mythical and idealistic family paradigm, of what daily appears an increasingly spurious ‘tradition’.