Insanity and the Necessity of Madness in King Lear Essay -- King Lear

The Necessity of Madness in King Lear At the beginning of â€Å"King Lear,† an authoritative and willful protagonist dominates his court, making a fateful decision by rewarding his two treacherous daughters and banishing his faithful one in an effort to preserve his own pride. However, it becomes evident during the course of the tragedy that this protagonist, Lear, uses his power only as a means of projecting a persona, which he hides behind as he struggles to maintain confidence in himself. This poses a problem, since the audience is prevented from feeling sympathy for the king. Shakespeare’s ironic solution is to allow Lear’s progressing madness to be paired with his recognition of truth, thereby forcing Lear to shed his persona, and simultaneously persuading the audience that Lear is worthy of pity. Lear is initially consumed by what Burton would refer to as the human appetite,[1] and exhibits traits indicative of someone dominated by the choleric humor: he is prideful, yearns for authority, and bullies others when he doesn’t get his way. After Cordelia refuses to dote on him in the first scene, he goes into a fit of rage: Let it be so; the truth then be thy dower†¦ Here I disclaim all my paternal care, Propinquity and property of blood, And as a stranger to my heart and me Hold thee from this for ever. (I, i, 110-118) [2] Lear’s fury, however, only masks the fact that he is really a very needy person, consumed by an insatiable appetite for power and attention. As Bloom says, â€Å"Lear always demands more love than can be given.†[3] Lear proves this to be true when he repeatedly rejects those who love him most, banishing both Cordelia and Kent, who would protect him from his other two daughters’ impending betrayal. D... ...say (Trans.). The Republic of Plato: The Wisdom of Socrates as Recounted by His Pupil Plato. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1957. p.171. 6-Bloom, p. 482. 7-James Hutton (Trans.). Aristotle’s Poetics. New York: Norton & Company, Inc., 1982. p. 51. 8- Bruccoli, Clark, Layman â€Å"Aristotle,† in Bood, (ed.). Dictionary of Literary Biography: Ancient Greek Authors. Vol. 176 (1997), pp. 55-76. 9-Wilson Knight. â€Å"The Lear Universe† in The Wheel of Fire. London: Oxford University Press, 1930. p. 201 10- A.C. Bradley. Shakespearean Tragedy. London: Macmillan & Co. Ltd., 1961. p. 239. 11- Knight, p. 203. 12-William Shakespeare. As You Like It. New York: Signet Classic, 1998. p. 44. 13- T.S. Eliot. â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.† The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Vol. II (New York, WW.Norton, 19860. pp. 2174 ff. 14-Bradley, p. 242.

Notes on 5 Different Short Story

Notes on Short Story THE GIFT OF THE MAGI By O. Henry Date: 26 September 2012 Title: The Gift of the Magi Author: William Sydney Porter also known as O. Henry Background of the O. Henry: O. Henry was born on September 11, 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina. Both his mother and father died before O. Henry turned 20. As a teenager, he worked as a pharmacist’s assistant in his uncle’s drugstore to help support his family. At age 19, he moved to Texas to take advantage of its warmth and dry climate. There he worked at a farm that belonged to a friend of his family’s. Vocabulary: * Instigates: To cause by incitement Subsiding: To sink to a low or lower level * Coax: To attempt to influence by gentle persuasion * Faltered: To hesitate or waver in action, purpose, intent, etc. * Ravages: To work havoc upon * Assertion: A positive statement or declaration, often without reason or support * Tresses: A plait or braid of hair * Ardent: Having, expressive of, or characteriz ed by intense feeling * Dandy: A man who is excessively concerned about his clothes and appearance * Manger: A box or trough in a stable or barn from which horses or cattle eat Setting: Christmas Eve, New York City Characters: Delia Young * James Dillingham Young * Madame Sofronie Literary Devices: * Allusion: â€Å"The magi, as you know, were wise men—wonderfully wise men—who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. † * Anadiplosis: â€Å"And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  * Polysyndeton: â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher. † * Personification: â€Å"The dull precious metal seemed to flash with a reflection of her bright and ardent soul. † * Repetition: â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard. * Simile: â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown wate rs. † * Metaphor: â€Å"Oh, and the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings. † * Situational Irony: Della receives combs for her hair that is no longer there. * Synecdoche: â€Å"White fingers and nimble tore the string and paper†¦Ã¢â‚¬  * Alliteration: â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles. † Symbolism: The symbolism in â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† is based upon the gifts given by Jim and Della. Both Jim and Della gave up a possession the forfeited the importance of the gift they would receive from their spouse.The gifts showing the importance of giving everything of themselves. Theme: * Love * Sacrifice * Wealth * Women and Feminity Point of View: Third Person THE NECKLACE BY: GUY DE MAUPASSANT Date: 10 October 2012 Title: The Necklace Author: Henri Rene Albert Guy De Maupassant Background of the Author: Henri Rene Albert Guy De Maupassant was born on August 5th, 1850 and was declared deceased on July 6th, 1893. He was a French writer known for his short stories, which painted the life of people in the 19th Century of France.He was prolific, published 300 short stories and 6 novels, but he died at a very young age due to physical and mental illness. Vocabulary: * Blundered: A gross, or stupid mistake * Wit: The keen perception and cleverly apt expression of those connections between ideas that awaken amusement and pleasure. * Antechambers: A chamber or room that serves as a waiting room and entrance to a larger room or an apartment * Peopling: Indefinitely or Collectively * Trifled: An article or thing of very little value Setting: Paris, 1880 Character: * Mathilde Loisel * Monsieur Loisel Madame Forestier Literary Devices: * Situational Irony * Authorial Intrusion * Anaphora * Alliteration Symbolism: The Necklace The necklace, beautiful but worthless, represents the power of perception and the split between appearances and reality. Mathilde wants to borrow the necklace from Madame Forestier, but she did not tell Mathilde that it was a fake. Mathilde never underestimated Madame Forestier due to her wealth. Themes: * Wealth * Women and Feminity * Pride * Suffering A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings By: Gabriel Garcia Marquez Date: 31 October 2012Title: A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez Background of the Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez was born on March 6th, 1928. He was a writer who grew up listening to family tales. His novels and > have drawn worldwide audiences. He won the Nobel Prize in 1982. After College, he became a journalist who introduced readers to magical realism. Vocabulary: * Stupor: Suspension or great diminution of sensibility; as in disease or as caused by narcotics, intoxicants, etc. Grandeur: The quality or state of being impressive * Dialect: A variety of language that is distinguished from other varieties of the same language by features of phonology, grammar, and vocabulary and by its use by a group of speakers who ar e set off from others geographically or socially. * Bailiff: An officer, similar to a sheriff or a sheriff’s deputy, employed to execute writs and processes, make arrests, keep order in the court, etc. * Reverence: A feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe * Frivolous: Characterize by lack of seriousness or sense * Robust: Strong and Healthy Impertinences: Unmannerly intrusion or presumption Setting: Characters: * The Old Man * Pelayo * Elisenda * Father Gonzaga * The Neighbor Woman * The Spider Woman Literary Devices: * Verbal Irony * Synesthesia * Magical Realism * Onomatopoeia * Allusion Symbolism: * Wings: Wings represent power, speed and limitless freedom in motion. Ironically, the wings of the angel in the story convey only a sense of age and disease. When the village doctor examines the old man, he notices how naturally the wings fit in with the rest of his body.The ultimate effect is to suggest that the old man is both natural and supernatural at once. * T he Spider Woman: The spider woman represents the fickleness with which many self-interested people approach their own faith. Not surprisingly, the old man’s reputation wanes when he proves capable of performing only minor â€Å"consolation miracles†. Themes: * Family * Moral * Religion * Magical Realism The Pedestrian By: Ray Bradbury Date: 7 November 2012 Title: The Pedestrian Author: Ray Bradbury Background of the Author: Ray Bradbury was born on August 22nd, 1920, Waukegan, Illinois.He was an American fantasy and horror author who rejected being categorized as a sci-fi author, claiming that his work was based on the fantastical and unreal. His best known novel is Fahrenheit 451. He is also remembered for other of his popular works including > and >. He was declared deceased just recently, June 5th, 2012 at the age of 91. Vocabulary: * Seams: The line formed by sewing together pieces of cloth, leather, or the like. * Intermittent: Stopping or ceasing for a time * Win try: Of or characteristic of winter * Doot: N/ASetting: November, 2053 A. D. Characters: * Leonard Mead Literary Devices: * Personification * Imagery * Symbolism * Simile * Metaphor * Alliteration * Irony Symbolism: On their way to the psychiatric Center for Research on Regressive Tendencies, they pass Mead’s house. It is ablaze with lights in contrast to the dark city. It is a symbol of hope of vibrant life – light is a universal symbol of hope, but the car is swallowed up once more into the darkness, literally and figuratively. Themes: * Technology * Society loses its humanity * Mankind cease to exist * Distrust and Ultimate Destruction * Propaganda * Pessimistic

10 Silicon Facts (Element Number 14 or Si)

Silicon is element number 14 on the periodic table, with the element symbol Si. Here is a collection of facts about this interesting and useful element: Silicon Fact Sheet Credit for discovering silicon is given to  Swedish chemist Jà ¶ns Jakob Berzelius, who reacted potassium fluorosilicate with potassium to produce amorphous silicon, which he named silicium, a name first proposed by Sir Humphry Davy in 1808. The name derives from the Latin words silex or silicis, which mean flint. Its probable English scientist Humphry Davy may have isolated impure silicon in 1808 and  French chemists Joseph L. Gay-Lussac and Louis Jacques Thà ©nard may have produced impure amorphous silicon in 1811. Berzelius is credited for the elements discovery because his sample was purified by repeatedly washing it, while earlier samples were impure.Scottish chemist Thomas Thomson named the element silicon in 1831, keeping part of the name Berzelius had given, but changing the ending of the name to -on because the element showed more similarities to boron and carbon than to the metals that had -ium names.Silicon is a metalloid, which means it has properties of both metals and nonmetals. Like other metalloids, silicon has different forms or allotropes. Amorphous silicon is usually seen as a gray powder, while crystalline silicon is a gray solid with a shiny, metallic appearance. Silicon conducts electricity better than nonmetals, yet not as well as metals. In other words, its a semiconductor. Silicon has a high thermal conductivity and conducts heat well.  Unlike metals, its brittle, and not malleable or ductile. Like carbon, it usually has a valence of 4 (tetravalent), but unlike carbon, silicon can also form five or six bonds.  Silicon is the second most abundant element on Earth by mass, making up over 27% of the crust. Its commonly encountered in silicate minerals, such as quartz and sand, but only rarely occurs as a free element. Its the 8th most abundant element in the universe, found at levels of about 650 parts per million. Its the principal element in a type of meteorite called aerolites.Silicon is needed for plant and animal life. Some aquatic organisms, such as diatoms, use the element to construct their skeletons. Humans need silicon for healthy skin, hair, nails, and bones, and to synthesize the proteins collagen and elastin. Dietary supplementation with silicon may increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.Most silicon is used to produce the alloy ferrosilicon. Its used to produce steel. The element is purified to make semiconductors and other electronics. The compound silicon carbide is an important abrasive. Silicon dioxide is used to make glass. Because silicate minerals are common, silicon oxides form rocks and are used to make glass and ceramics.Like water (and unlike most chemicals), silicon has a higher density as a liquid than as a solid.Natural silicon consists of three stable isotopes: silicon-28, silicon-29, and silicon-30. Silicon-28 is the most abundant, accounting for 92.23% of the natural element. At least twenty radioisotopes are also known, with the most stable being silicon-32 , which has a half-life of 170 years.Miners, stone cutters, and people who live in sandy regions may inhale large quantities of silicon compounds and develop a lung disease called silicosis. Exposure to silicon may occur by inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, and eye contact. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets the legal limit for workplace exposure to silicon to  15  mg/m3  total exposure and 5  mg/m3  respiratory exposure for an 8-hour workday.Silicon is available at extremely high purity. Molten salt electrolysis of silica (silicon dioxide) or other silicon compounds can be used to obtain the element at 99.9% purity for use in semiconductors. The Siemens process is another method used to produce high purity silicon. This is a form of chemical vapor deposition where gaseous trichlorosilane is blown across a pure silicon rod to grow polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) with a purity of 99.9999%.   Silicon Atomic Data Element Name: Silicon Element Symbol: Si Atomic Number: 14 Classification: metalloid (semimetal) Appearance: Hard gray  solid with a silver metallic luster. Atomic Weight: 28.0855 Melting Point:  1414  oC, 1687 K Boiling Point:  3265  oC, 3538 K Electron Configuration:  1s2  2s2  2p6  3s2  3p2 Density: 2.33  g/cm3 (as a solid near room temperature); 2.57 g/cm3 (as a liquid at the melting point) Oxidation States: 4, 3, 2, 1, -1, -2, -3, -4 Electronegativity: 1.90 on the Pauling scale Atomic Radius: 111 pm Crystal Structure: face-centered diamond cubic Heat of Fusion: 50.21 kJ/mol Heat of Vaporization: 383 kJ/mol Reference Weast, Robert (1984). CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing. pp. E110. ISBN 0-8493-0464-4.

Industrialization And Urbanization During The Civil War

Industrialization and urbanization that happened in America after the civil war, is a good manifestation that the country was moving along the right path. After the war, progress in terms of investments, industrialization and urbanization was inevitable. After the civil war in America, people from the south who had been displaced and the people who were free could now move to the west to work in the cattle drives, fight the Indians and also begin a new life as farmers. Social Darwinism philosophy was adopted, and everyone believed that the poor had the right to be rich. The paper will focus on the right path that the country followed in the feudalism period between 1865 and 1914 when the country became a feudal society based on the capital and not on the land. The class welfare was manifested in the county when the labor unions rose. Some of the labor unions that were developed include the American Federation of Labor in 1886, the international workers of 1905. There was also the development of the political parties that advocated for the minimum wages, reduced hours of working and the conditions of working that were very safe. They also initiated the factories that used machines instead of human labor and the hard labor done by women and children was suspended. During the same period, the federal government in America gave subsidies to the railroads through the provision of the free land. The courts became hostile to the laws on the social welfare such as the Hamer versusShow MoreRelatedHis 105 Assignment 21361 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ Industrialization after the Civil War John E. Brown Strayer University HIS 105- Contemporary U. S. 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SA IBL TB8e Ch14 - 2815 Words

CHAPTER 14—NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE LAW TRUE/FALSE 1. The NAFTA Binational Panel found that the sale of U.S. twine in Canada at unfairly low prices caused past injury to Canadian twine producers. ANS: T PTS: 1 2. In 1994, the Extraordinary Challenge Committee found that the U.S. Department of Commerce was correct in implementing countervailing duties against Canadian lumber. ANS: F PTS: 1 3. Production sharing is intended to create U.S. jobs by encouraging the use of U.S.-made components when assembly of a product takes place in a foreign country. ANS: T PTS: 1 4. In Samsonite Corporation v. United States, it was found that the luggage handles were only assembled in Mexico and therefore not subject to duties. ANS: F PTS: 1†¦show more content†¦d. Samsonite luggage did not cause serious injury to the Mexican luggage industry. ANS: B PTS: 1 2. A free trade area is: a. Two countries that have a common external tariff. b. A geographic area between two countries where there are no tariffs. c. A group of two or more countries in which import duties and other trade barriers are reduced or eliminated. d. A geographic area between two countries where tariffs are reduced, but not necessarily eliminated. ANS: C PTS: 1 3. NAFTA was based on: a. The U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement. b. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. c. The Generalized System of Preferences. d. The North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation. e. None of the above. ANS: A PTS: 1 4. Harmonized tariff schedules break down product classifications into: a. 6 digits. b. 8 digits. c. 10 digits. d. 12 digits. ANS: C PTS: 1 5. Which of the following statements is untrue regarding trade between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico? a. Canada and the United States are each other s largest trading partners. b. Mexico underwent a serious financial crisis in 1994. c. Some key industries in Mexico are government-owned monopolies. d. Mexico has had a traditionally open market that encourages foreign investment. e. All of the above statements are correct. ANS: D PTS: 1 6. A customs union is: a. A group of customs laws intended to reduce tariffs and stimulate trade. b. A free trade area with a common external tariff. c. A

Obama Perfect Union Speech †Contemporary Racism Free Essays

Contemporary Racism President Obama’s speech â€Å"A More Perfect Union† was a response to many outbursts made about things that Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s former pastor, had said on issues of racism. The reverend made statements that Obama called dismissive when what the world needed most was unity to overcome the continual racism in the country. Quotes from the Reverend such as â€Å"In the  21st  century, white America got a wake-up call after 9/11/01. We will write a custom essay sample on Obama Perfect Union Speech – Contemporary Racism or any similar topic only for you Order Now White America and the western world came to realize that people of color had not gone away, faded into the  woodwork  or just ‘disappeared’ as the Great White West kept on its merry way of ignoring black concerns† and â€Å"Racism is how this country was founded and how this country is still run! †¦We [in the U. S. ] believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God† caused an uproar in Washington. Obama used this opportunity to address race and the problems in the country relating to it. This speech relates to many of the topics we learned about in class regarding race and racism. Obama talks about his family’s background and how various people don’t like him in office for ridiculous reasons such as that he’s â€Å"too black† or â€Å"not black enough† to be the first black president. They even go as far as to say that he’s in office due to affirmative action. He goes on to talk about his white grandmother and the racist statements she would make, such as that when a black man passes her by on the street she fears him. President Obama’s speech relates to white privilege in the sense that the country has only ever had white presidents and therefore a stereotype has been formed that only the typical white collar, white male deserves to be in office. White people say things like that because they feel like power is being taken away from them and given to black people by having a black president in office. Obama even quotes about white privilege and the power of whites being taken away by saying, â€Å"Most working- and middle-class white Americans don’t feel that they have been particularly privileged by their race†¦Ã‚  when they hear an African-American is getting an advantage in landing a good job or a spot in a good college because of an injustice that they themselves never committed; when they’re told that their fears about crime in urban neighborhoods are somehow prejudiced, resentment builds over time. In his speech he also talks about institutional racism which goes all the way back to Brown vs. Board of Education which was the Supreme Court case that ruled separation of black and white students unconstitutional. Obama also talked about this in his speech saying, â€Å"Segregated schools were and are inferior schools; we still haven’t fixed them,  50 years after Brown v. Board of Education. And the inferior education they provided, then and now, he lps explain the pervasive achievement gap between today’s black and white students. He went on to say how this gives an inferior education to blacks and how this explains the gap in the income levels of white Americans vs. black Americans which in turn doesn’t give black men as many economic opportunities as white men. This not only relates to white privilege because they feel they are deserving of these jobs and educations but it also has a lot to do with institutional racism. By giving these economic opportunities to the better qualified person you are giving it to the one who has a better education. Through his speech, Obama illuminates the problem within our schools. Funding and quality of education go hand in hand, and since often times African Americans live in poor urban communities, schools struggle for funds to heighten the quality of their education. By talking about the dependence of schools on the income of the people living in the areas surrounding, Obama points out that privileged white kids are able to come out on top verses an African American child who grew up in an underfunded school. These white kids then get into more prestigious colleges, in turn landing more high paying jobs than the majority of their African American counterparts. Obama also goes on to talk about how people try to act like there is no racism anymore even though it is so blatantly out there. He quoted â€Å"Talk show hosts and conservative commentators built entire careers unmasking bogus claims of racism while dismissing legitimate discussions of racial injustice and inequality as mere political correctness or reverse racism. He talks about how things like this widen the gap of racism and how we need to work to close the gap instead. He calls it a racial stalemate saying, â€Å"Contrary to the claims of some of my critics, black and white, I have never been so naive as to believe that we can get beyond our racial divisions in a single election cycle, or with a single candidacy — particularly a candidacy as imperfect as my own. † Obama believes that only by exposing the true roo ts of racism can we move forward, slowly but with conviction. He encourages more debate and open discussion instead of hiding behind polite political facades. But I have asserted a firm conviction — a conviction rooted in my faith in God and my faith in the American people — that, working together, we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds, and that in fact we have no choice if we are to continue on the path of a more perfect union†. Overall, the goal of President Obama’s speech was to highlight the most taboo of topics in our society: racism. Since the era of reconstruction, white people have tried hard to ignore skin color, but Barack Obama is trying to make a point of not ignoring the color of his skin, but rather using it to his advantage by pointing out the problems we have created. White supremacy is still very much a real idea, even in our modern 21st century society. Poor education makes finding a good job in tough economic times an almost impossible task for the African American community, simply because they never had the same opportunities as their white peers. Obama encourages Americans to forgive past grievances and instead create a â€Å" new normal† – one of racial equality and opportunity regardless of race. How to cite Obama Perfect Union Speech – Contemporary Racism, Essay examples

The Right to Die Analysis Essay Example For Students

The Right to Die Analysis Essay The Right to DieThe word Euthanasia originated from the Greek language: eu means good and thanatos means death. Euthanasia (Greek, good death) is the practice of killing a person or animal, in a painless or minimally painful way, for merciful reasons, usually to end their suffering. However, some people define euthanasia to include both voluntary and involuntary termination of life (Humphy 12). Like so many moral/ethical/religious terms, euthanasia has many meanings. Euthanasia, in the strict sense, involves actively causing death. This is, in some cases, legal like in the Netherlands, but in few other countries. Euthanasia, in a wider sense, includes assisting someone to commit suicide, in particular physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Allowing death e.g. by not providing life support or vital medication is not considered euthanasia if it is the patients wish (Robinson). It is sometimes called passive euthanasia in cases where the patient is unable to make decisions about treatment. Living Wills and Do Not Resuscitate orders are legal instruments that make a patients treatment decisions known ahead of time; allowing a patient to die based on such decisions is never considered euthanasia. Terminal sedation is a combination of medically inducing a deep sleep and stopping other treatment, with the exception of medication for symptom control (such as analgesia). It is considered to be euthanasia by some, but under current law and medical practice it is considered a form of palliative care (Humphry 14). Advocates of euthanasia generally insist that euthanasia should be voluntary, requiring informed consent, and that it should only be used in cases of terminal illness that cause unbearable suffering, or an eventual, complete loss of awareness. Its opponents challenge it on several ethical grounds, including a slippery slope argument that it is the first step towards compulsory euthanasia (Leon 22). Voluntary euthanasia is the truest and fullest form of euthanasia wherein the individual requests euthanasia either during illness or before, if complete incapacitation is expected (a coma would be an example). Euthanasia in these cases differs from suicide by existing only within the context of the amelioration of suffering in the process of death. Volition must be informed and free (i.e. not under duress from any third party) (Capek, Fox, and Kamakahi 33). Involuntary Euthanasia is what some describe as the killing of a person who has not explicitly requested aid in dying. It is often done when resuscitation is not expected, or after severe brain damage that renders a person incapable of making life decisions. Therefore any euthanasia is not voluntary, but also not involuntary. Famously notable as turning off life-support, this is most often done to patients who are in a Persistent Vegetative State and will probably never recover consciousness (Wickett, Humphy 41). Involuntary eut hanasia is where an individual may distinguish between life and death and may fully realize the difference between them. Any medical killing is involuntary. If, for example, a man knows he is going to experience severe agony, and does not consent to death, euthanasia imposed upon him is ethically and morally, if not legally, classed as murder. In Nazi Germany the term euthanasia (Euthanasie) referred to the systematic killing of disabled children and adults. This has tainted the word in German-speaking countries; the alternate term is Sterbehilfe, which means help to die. Any time that medical personnel determine on behalf of a sentient and responsible individual that his or her life is not worth living, the medical killing of such a person as it is considered to be done for the prevention of suffering is involuntary euthanasia. This is not to be confused with medical killing in cases of capital punishment or as part of genocide (Robinson). Proponents of euthanasia argue that only patients can determine when suffering makes life worse than death and that such persons can and should be allowed to make the decision. Some also argue that terminally ill patients are respected more by having their suffering end than by being kept alive against their will. Additionally, a utilitarian argument can be made about the harms to the whole of maintaining the individual beyond viability (Yount 42). They also believe that people should have control over their own bodies and that complete prohibition on assisted death excessively limits personal liberty. If a person is competent, they should have right to choose death (End of Life Choices). The second type of argument against euthanasia is that it is not prudent to advocate it; that is, eventually we all may be suffering, and if we think ahead, we may think it better if the doctors on whom we depend are not tempted to perform euthanasia. Euthanasia is inherently less complex than palli ative care, and training for euthanasia does not qualify a physician to estimate a patients response to palliation (Robinson). Like all medical procedures, euthanasia can fail, or bring additional suffering (Capek, Fox, and Kamakahi 52). Some claim that if euthanasia were allowed, doctors might press people into euthanasia to reduce medical costs. Many people believe that saving medical costs is a coercive argument that should disqualify a person from giving free consent (Robinson). Many doctors argue against euthanasia, as providing death is antithetical to their primary function and training. The Hippocratic oath that all doctors take states, I will not administer poison to anyone where asked, and Be of benefit, or at least do no harm.. If, some have argued, a doctor is trained both to cure and kill, then he or she is being told always to judge when to kill, and his or her best efforts at saving life will not be expended (Leon 28). Many religious people are said to object to eutha nasia. Christians believe that ones life is derived from God and it is Gods to take, and destroying it is an offense to God (Wickett and Humphry 56) Further, in most Western nations the prohibition on killing is considered a moral absolute that cannot be conditioned by ethical concerns (Yount 47). Recycling EssayCriticism of Dr. Kevorkian has also been heavy. Some critics categorically oppose the terminally ill (or those in constant pain) taking their own lives (Robinson). Beyond these criticisms, critics have stated that Dr. Kevorkian has primarily practiced as a pathologist, has relatively little experience with live patients, has had all his licenses to practice medicine revoked, and in the end is not equipped to evaluate whether a prospective client is clinically depressed and therefore, according to accepted medical (and legal) thought, incapable of deciding to end his or her life (Wickett and Humphry 98). Terri Schiavo is a severely brain damaged American woman whose husbands efforts to remove her feeding tube and forbid anyone from attempting to feed her by mouth have prompted a fierce debate over euthanasia, guardianship, and the rights of the disabled (Lipper). On March 18, 2005, her feeding tube was removed for the third time (Stacy). Michael Schiavo, Terri Schiavos husband, is her legal guardian. He contends that Terri is in a persistent vegetative state and that he is carrying out her wishes to not be kept alive in that state (Stacy). Terri Schiavos family contests both of Michaels claims. They say she is responsive and in no discomfort, that her condition does not meet the medical definition of vegetative, and that she would not wish to die. They also contend that Terri was a victim of domestic violence, both before and after her injury, and that Michael does not have her best interests at heart. They seek to revoke his legal guardianship of Terri, arguing, among other things, that his living with another woman since 1995, with whom he has two children, makes him legally estranged from her (Lipper). Although the courts that have heard this case have generally sided with Michael Schiavo, her family has vigorously appealed the courts decisions and sought to prevent her death (Lipper). The ACLU has joined the legal battle, siding with Michael Schiavo, but numerous disability rights organizations, religious organizations, the Florida legislature, the Vatican, and both houses of the United States Congress have joined the legal battle, siding with Terris family (Lipper). Republican congressmen Dennis Hastert, Tom DeLay, and Tom Davis opened a congressional inquiry of the House Government Reform Committee, to take place in Clearwater on March 25, and issued subpoenas for Terri, Michael, and several hospice workers. According to the lawmakers, harming Schiavo or preventing her from appearing at the hearings would be a violation of federal law, and thus they would be forced to keep her alive until the court date. The judge said he saw no reason to change his earlier permission allowing S chiavos husband to remove her feeding tube. Judge Greer defied the congressional subpoenas, and letting the order stand which gave Michael Schiavo permission to remove Terris feeding tube (Stacy). However, on March 19, 2005, congressional leaders announced that they were drafting a bill that would order the reinsertion of Schiavos feeding tube and allow a federal court to review the case. If passed, President Bush plans to sign it (Stacy). Works Cited Capek, Stella M., Elaine Fox, and Jeffrey J. Kamakahi. Come Lovely and Soothing Death: The Right to Die Movement in the United States. New York: Twayne, n.d. End of Life Choices: Compassion, Dignity, and Control. 2004. End-of-Life Choices/Compassion In Dying: Compassion Choices . . Euthanasia. Ed. Lisa Yount. San Diego: Greenhaven P, Inc., 2002. Humphry, Derek. Eugene: Hemlock Society, 1991. Lipper, Tamara. Between Life and Death: Behind the unprecedented showdown over one womans fate.. 2005. Newsweek. . Robinson, B.A.. Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide. 02 Sept. 2004. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. . Stacy, Mitch. Schiavo Kin Wants Feeding Tube Reinserted. 20 Mar. 2005. MSNBC Wire Services, The Associated Press. . The Ethics of Euthanasia. Ed. Daniel A. Leone. San Diego: Greenhaven P, Inc., 1999. Wickett, Ann, and Derek Humphry . The Right To Die: Understanding Euthanasia. New York: Harper and Row, 1986.