The Theme of Love in William Shakespeares Twelfth Night Essay

The Theme of Love in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night In Twelfth Night, Shakespeare focuses strongly on the theme of love; romantic love, friendship, brotherly and sisterly love, unrealistic love and self-love. In this essay I am going to explore these aspects and write about the different sides of love in the play, such as humour and suffering. We find that in Twelfth Night love is a very complicated thing and confusion often occurs. At the beginning of the play we find Orsino talking dramatically of his love for Olivia but actually seems to be in love with the idea of love itself. This shows that his feelings are not actually true and that he is very self-indulgent. He uses exaggerated language whilst lying in rose beds, listening to music and talking constantly to his servants of Olivia's beauty. He also compares his love to food and in this quote he is saying how he hopes his appetite will simmer when it all gets too much and he can no longer handle it. Orsino says, 'If music be the food of love, play on; give me excess of it, that surfeiting, the appetite may sicken and so die.' (I.i.1-3). Orsino seems to be rather in love with himself and assumes that Olivia will return his feelings for her. He says 'Her sweet perfections with one selfsame King!' (I.i.39). Here he compares himself to a King, which shows his self-love and arrogance. Viola's love is an example of true love in the play and she also shows no self-love unlike Orsino, Olivia and Malvolio. In scene ii, Viola is shipwrecked on the Illyrian coast and is distraught as her brother Sebastian disappeared during the storm. She shows strong love for her b... ...s he is so close to Sebastian. There is a lot of confusion and swapping of feelings in Twelfth Night. I feel that the only true love is Viola's love for Orsino as this is the only man she loves during the whole play and is the one she ends up marrying. I think Olivia seems to fall in love too easily as she thinks she can have any man. Also, Maria and Sir Toby seem to marry just for the sake of it as they are close and have no one else to really be with. Feste remains self-contained and is not driven by love or ever gets distressed by it. In Twelfth Night, Shakespeare explores love with great detail and explains it extremely well. I think that his thoughts on love and the way in which he writes about all the tangles and confusion give a lot of interest to the play making it a great play to read and also act out.

Woodstock Music and Art Festival

Woodstock started out as just a big bash and ended as a once-in-a-life-time occurrence. The original Woodstock-goers share a bond and uniqueness that will be hard, if not impossible, for anyone to ever reproduce. Who started such a party? Why was it started? Did the promoters believe it would turn out quite like it did? What was the real Woodstock experience actually like? Four very young and very different men sponsored Woodstock: John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Artie Kornfield, and Michael Lang. John Roberts was the oldest, at age twenty-six. Being heir to a drugstore and toothpaste manufacturing company, he supplied most of the money. In 1966 he met Joel Rosenman, who had just graduated from Yale Law School and was playing guitar for motel lounge bands in the Long Island area. By 1967 they shared an apartment and an idea for a screwball comedy show about two guys with unlimited resources who are always getting involved with crazy innovations. While looking for new ideas to help the show, they essentially became the characters of it. Artie Kornfield was the vice president of Capital Records and had written at least thirty hit singles. Michael Lang was the youngest in the group, at age twenty-three, and was the manager of a rock group called Train. In December of 1968 he met with Kornfield to discuss a record deal. They hit it off immediately and ended up sharing some similar ideas. One for a cultural exposition/rock concert/extravaganza and another for a recording studio set one hundred miles from Manhattan in a town called Woodstock. Their only problem was getting the money to finance it. Their lawyer recommended they talk to Roberts and Rosenman. In March of 1969, after a written proposal and a discussed budget of about half a million dollars, the four partners formed a corporation called Woodstock Ventures. The Woodstock Ventures team planned to create the world's largest rock n' roll show ever. They wanted it to include the back-to-the-land spirit, yet still be easily accessible. They ended up leasing an industrial park in Wallkill, New York (about twenty miles from Woodstock, NY), from a man named Howard Mills, for ten thousand dollars. They planned the music and art festival to take place on August 15, 16, and 17, 1969. Over seventeen major acts were planned including Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Blood Sweat and Tears, and the Grateful Dead.2 The slogan, â€Å"Three Days of Peace and Music†, and the symbol, a catbird perched on a guitar, were agreed on by the four because they thought it would help break the hype about the concert creating violence. They hired Allan Markoff to be in charge of setting up the sound system, which at the amplifier's lowest setting would cause pain to anyone within ten feet of a speaker. Since they couldn 't entice a big movie studio to film the weekend, they got Michael Wadleigh, who had a strong reputation as a cameraman and director, to do the job. The planning was not easy and Woodstock Ventures ran into a lot of problems. Wallkill residents found out about the festival, which was estimating an attendance of about two hundred thousand people, and got scared. They did not want hippies and rioters disrupting town life. They held a meeting on July 15, 1969 and passed a town ordinance, which prohibited all events that would draw a crowd of more than three thousand people.4 Joseph Owen, the assistant town attorney of Wallkill, made clear the penalty to such a violation, a fifty-dollar fine and/or six months in prison for each officer of the corporation for each day.5 Since Woodstock Ventures had already collected nearly three hundred thousand dollars worth of tickets (the cost for a one day ticket was seven dollars, a weekend ticket cost eighteen dollars), they had no choice but to find an alternative location for the festival. Elliot Tiber, owner of El Monaco (a resort on White Lake), read about Woodstock getting tossed out of Wallkill and realized that he had what Woodstock Ventures needed, a permit to hold a music festival in Bethel, New York. He contacted Lang who immediately came out to El Monaco. However, the resort was only about fifteen acres and they needed a lot more land than that. Tiber then thought of his friend, Max Yasgur, who owned a massive dairy farm right outside of Bethel. On July 20, 1969, Woodstock Ventures agreed to rent six hundred acres of the farm for seventy-five thousand dollars. Bethel residents started to read about Wallkill's worries about the festival and they started to feel like the concert was pushed on them. George Cobb and other small landowners advised Bethel town attorney, Fredrick Schadt, and building inspector, Donald Clark, not to approve their permits.7 The landowners pressed charges against Woodstock Ventures to get them to increase security and sanitation levels. After several meetings and payoffs the court released a statement saying, â€Å"The differences between the parties have been resolved. The motion is withdrawn.† At last Woodstock was really going to happen. By Thursday, August 14, 1969 there were already about twenty-five thousand people at the site and more coming. The main highway, Route 17B, was backed up nearly ten miles. Hippie groups like the Pranksters, the Hog Farmers and Wavy Gravy set up side stages, kitchens and shelters to set a precedent for people who had never camped before and to help keep things in order.9 On the morning of Friday, August 15, 1969 several hundred New York police officers, hand-picked by Woodstock Ventures and promised fifty dollars a day, showed up to help keep order throughout the weekend. However, when they arrived they received a message stating that if they participated they may be subject to departmental censure. Several stayed to work under fake names and the agreement of being paid ninety dollars a day.10 Woodstock Ventures turned to the hippie groups to help with security and handed out passwords and symbols to the most fit. Around noon the ticket-ta kers showed up and wanted everyone to walk out and comeback in with their tickets ready. But security found this to be ridiculous and saw the only solution to be to take down the fence so everyone could enjoy. Drugs were as uncontrollable as the weather. The smell of burning marijuana filled the air. Acid was being passed out in Kool-Aid and other edible forms. Drugs such as heroin, opium, and mescaline were also being distributed throughout the festival. By midnight on Friday it started to rain and hardly let up the whole weekend. Nearly four hundred and fifty thousand people were packed together camping in the mud and sharing their love with each other. By Saturday morning there was already a food crisis. Local groups set up free kitchens and the National Guard had food and medical supplies flown in by helicopter. Three main medical tents were also setup to help organize the patients. There was one for people experiencing bad drug symptoms, another for people with bad cuts and abrasions (especially on the feet) and the last one was for people who burned their eyes from staring at the sun too long. A total of thirty two groups performed during the three day Woodstock event. On Friday, August 15, 1969 at 5:07pm Richie Havens entered the stage and started the music. Following his act was Country Joe McDonald, John Sebastian, Bert Sommer, Tim Hardin, Ravi Shankar, Melanie, Arlo Guthrie, and Joan Baez. On Saturday, August 16, 1969, around 12:15pm, Quill came on, followed by Keef Hartly, Santana, Mountain, Canned Heat, The Incredible String Band, Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, Sly and the Family Stone, The Who, and Jefferson Airplane. On Sunday, August 17, 1969, Joe Crocker took the stage around 2:00pm, due to a huge storm the music had to cease and did not continue until about 7:00pm. At that time Country Joe and the Fish came on, followed by Ten Years After, The Band, Blood Sweat and Tears, Johnny Winter, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, and Sha-Na-Na. Last but not least, on Monday, August 18, 1969, around 8:30am Jimi Hendr ix walked on stage for an unforgettable ending. He played to a mere forty thousand people and officially ended the Woodstock Music and Art Fair at 10:30am. Woodstock was more than just an art and music festival; it was the capstone of an era and a cultural jungle. People of all sorts attended; Vietnam vets, black militants, anti-war protestors, rednecks, anti-gays, ban drug advocates, pro-government advocates, legalize drug advocates, gays/lesbians, and anti-government advocates. Although it might have seemed to be the start of a civilization collapse, it actually became the site of a mini-nation, in which minds were open and love was free. The people who came together on August of 1969 created an unforgettable landmark of the twentieth century, which changed the world forever. Gary Proud, an original Woodstock attendee, said, â€Å"You can shake off the mud, the music will fade, but you can never forget the emotions.†

Summary News And Public Opinion - 1746 Words

Module: News and Public Opinion What’s the story? Student ID: w1421939 Student name: Heidi Yuanhong Huang Introduction: Factual information gathered by news organizations would be presented to the public in the forms of stories rather than merely a set of facts. Stories are more likely to appeal to the audience, as they more digestible and relatable than an array of facts. At the same time, the story format is more likely to influence the audience, which to some extent gives power to the writers or the news organizations that are in charge of the process of transforming a set of factual information into a news story. However, the audience of news is the demand that news suppliers have to answer to and they are exposed to a†¦show more content†¦Another thing that happens behind the scene of the news we read, see or listen to is the screening of information and materials. Journalists receive a tremendous amount of information daily from different sources, which they then have to decide which ones are newsworthy. We tell stories for different reasons and it is logical to assume that journalists do so as well. (Schudson, 2011) Decisions are made consciously or not by the news writers when establishing the relationships among the factual information they have gathered and confirmed. There are a number of factors affecting the decisions: organizational ones, commercial ones, political ones and so on. Journalists often find themselves under a lot of pressure facing deadlines, they are also asked to write to answer the requirements from their editors, in terms of timing, themes, content, etc. They write competitively within and outside of the news agencies they work for, which gives them the tendency of writing to please the audience, in terms of content and format. Journalists do not need to be taught to write in the story format and switch to a grieving tone when it is a tragic story. The story format helps readers to understand information and is more likely to provoke emotions that lead to engagement. Journalists in different news organizations are the ones crafting the moral of the stories. It is also essential that news

How did Jackie Robinson Overcome Racial Discrimination in...

Have you ever been protested and demonstrated against? Jackie Robinson felt the outcry of America during his baseball career. Fighting not only for his future, but also for the overall well-being of his sport, Robinson received death threats for his efforts. On a daily basis, this disciplined African man fought the pressures of hatred toward his entire race. As a segregated country, America saw major league baseball as a white man’s sport. Robinson was the outlier in an otherwise American â€Å"tradition.† Society observed Robinson’s play on the field with extremely bias eyes. No matter the achievement; no matter the obstacle; many still discredited his abilities due to the color of his skin. Over time skeptics gave in to their malice. Robinson†¦show more content†¦His passion for desegregation showed during his time in the army. As stated in the article Historic Impact, â€Å"He was court-martialed for failing to sit in the back of the bus at a Texas a rmy base. The case became a national, political incident and the army was forced to dismiss the charges against him† (â€Å"Historic† 1,2)! Just because the Color Barrier was an impenetrable force did not mean Jackie Robinson was not willing to use every ounce of his body to burst through it! Baseball has always been a part of America’s pastime. From Babe Ruth calling his shot to Cy Young winning 511 games, baseball has always been a sport of chance. Baseball is a sport where one has to give the other team an opportunity to win. A team cannot run the clock down until the game is over; the other team always has a chance to win the game. The fate of a team always lies in their own hands. The same chance for success was given to Jackie Robinson when Branch Rickey brought him into the major leagues. If Robinson could put up respectable statistics and play with class and dignity he could win the heart of a country. In Rubinstein’s article it states, â€Å"Foll owing Rickey’s lead, some Major League clubs were quick to integrate† (â€Å"Rubinstein† 25). Jackie’s perseverance lead to a huge wave of Negro players into Major League baseball. Players like Willie Stargell, Joe Morgan, and Willie Mays became stars of the league all because of Robinson. As stated in Rubinstein’s article â€Å"By theShow MoreRelatedThe Theme Of Fences, By August Wilson1566 Words   |  7 Pagesthis play, the main theme concerns the pain and suffering that individuals go through to get a chance to fulfill their dreams and how the characters cope with the failure to achieve their dreams due to various reasons like, racial discrimination. Like many African-Americans of that time, the characters in this play have hopes to overcome the suppression and discrimination and fulfill their ambitions. The play is set in the late 1950s to early 1960s. This is right after World War II and in the midstRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Jackie Robinson And A League Of Their Own 1762 Words   |  8 Pages Comparison of Discrimination Zack Bican 7 November 2014 University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Author Note This paper was prepared for Sociology of Sport, taught by Dr. Keary Rouff, online. Comparison of Discrimination Critical Analysis In our world today, it is unlikely that we will not face some sort of discrimination in some way. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary website, discrimination is defined as â€Å"the practice of unfairly treating a person or group of people differentlyRead MoreBaseball, America s Pastime2009 Words   |  9 Pagesof the hardest sports to succeed in. Out of the four major sports in the United States, hitting a 95 mile per hour fastball is a goal only few can accomplish at a professional level. With only 750 players throughout 30 Major League Baseball (MLB) teams, the odds of making it to â€Å"The Show† are highly unlikely. To make it to the big leagues as an African American player was an even harder feat to accomplish in the mid to late 1900’s. Baseballs Greatest Experiment tells the story of how MLB was an allRead MoreRacism In Racism1214 Words   |  5 Pages How is racism defined? How does it affect relationships between people, and how does it affect American values? Racism is defined as â€Å"a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race† (Merriam Webster). This means that whites believe their traits and achievements are superior, and that blacks are inferior. It has existed since biblical times and is very evident throughout the world todayRead MoreEssay about Remember the Titans: Movie Review1011 Words   |  5 Pagesrelationship and mentality between â€Å"the whites† and â€Å"the blacks†. This present-day culture, resulting from a society of masters and slaves, has struggled against central concepts deeply rooted in the nations past .With strong cultural values on racial discrimination, the path towards the concept of racism in America was a vital moment in the course of the nation’s history . Social concepts and attitudes could not be altered overnight, but it can be altered. Indeed, in the quest for social progress, theRead MoreJackie Robinson5168 Words   |  21 PagesJackie Robinson, Why Him? The story of Jackie Robinson has become one of Americas most iconic and inspiring stories. Since 1947, American history has portrayed Jackie Robinson as a hero, and he has been idolized as a role model to the African American baseball community. It is an unarguable fact that he was the first to tear down the color barriers within professional baseball. The topic of Robinson’s role in integration has long been a point of discussion amongst baseball historians. ResearchersRead MoreEssay about The Civil Rights Movement 2130 Words   |  9 Pagesbased on hierarchy, separating black from white, Latino from Asian, and rich from poor. Through the significant decades of the 1940s-1960s, America laid the groundwork for civil rights, a movement through which minorities fought for equal opportunity. How could America call itself â€Å"land of the free† when only the white man could socially and economically move upward? For minorities, this represented an immobile society. Ye t, equality elapsed over time, and due to pivotal events in American history

Stonewall A Documentary About The Lgbt Community Essay

Before Stonewall, a documentary about the experiences of the gay community leading up to the riots at Stonewall, opens with anecdotes from the LGBTQ community about their past experiences. One woman recalled that when she was young she only knew that she should not talk about her sexual orientation and she knew to hide it. The LGBTQ community felt suppressing their feelings was the only choice due to the high risk of ruining their own and others lives if they did come out. For instance, a woman names Donna Smith was picked up off the street by a police officer and put in an insane asylum at the request of her mother. These feelings and experiences were representative of what it was like for most of the LGBTQ community before the events at Stonewall in 1969. The 1920s was a time of economic prosperity. There was an increase of population in cities, and while most gay people continued to live in isolation and secrecy, some started to form small communities in neighborhoods such as Greenwich Village and in parts of San Francisco. Here, freer social norms allowed for a homosexual underground which included many bars and parties. People often looked up to musical artists, such as Gladys Bentley, and writers, such as Langston Hughes and Gertrude Stein. These people among many others helped bring the community together and helped to challenge social norms. In the 1930s, the Great Depression caused much social unrest. This resulted in riots in Harlem and LGBTQ unions fighting forShow MoreRelatedWhy Should We Make Decisions On Experiences That They Themselves?1697 Words   |  7 Pagesable to make decisions on experiences that they themselves could not understand. This really raised a lot of questions to me about who is in power and how big of a problem it is the those in power are not more diverse. We have struggled in society and have â€Å"imprisoned so many behind stone walls of racism, sexism, and homophobia† (Rudacille 140). It also raised awareness that the very same acts done by heterosexual couples were acceptable, and not punishable in the confines of the home, but thatRead MoreThe Cultural Identity Of The African American Community1653 Words   |  7 PagesThe African American community has sat at the end of a discriminatory lens from the moment they set foot in the United States. For that reason, black communities have undergone the process of community building to ensure that all members feel a sense of belonging. Race, gender, nationality, ethnicity, poverty, and sexual orientation, all play a role in developing one’s identity and more often than not, these multiple identities intersect with blackness. Being that American society has deemed coloredRead MoreSocial And Political Movements Of Queer Art1924 Words   |  8 Pagesalways learn the history and society from the works of art during a specific time period. The certain topic and style of art could be produced under different social environment. You will never understand what does the impressionist painting depict about without knowing the social context in France during 1870s and 1880s. Also the Age of Enlightenment in 18th century, many brilliant works of art, like neoclassicism, depicted the economics, music and physics that developed during scientific revolution

How Becoming an Adult Has Changed Christmas free essay sample

I love the holidays, they bring a special joy to my life, they make me smile even if things may not be going as planned in my life; just the thought of family and friends spending time together is a great big deal in my family. I now get to experience the feeling and joys my parents did when they see me opening my presents. My children are so precious and I love having every memorial moment with them. We still do the same things at Grandmas every year nothing has changed except for the fact that I’m a Mother now. I can distinctively remember the Christmas of 2006; it was the year my son (Jaylen) was born. It’s the year I realized that my spoiled days were over and it was not only about me any more. It was the first time I actually realized that I’m Mommy now! It was a very fearful and joyful moment at the same time; my family didn’t pay as much attention to me anymore. We will write a custom essay sample on How Becoming an Adult Has Changed Christmas or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They were occupied with my new baby boy (Jaylen), I was extremely happy, they had taken to my son because 18 months earlier they were a little upset that I was going to have a baby(they thought I was too young). My dad was the happiest I have seen him in years, he was a proud grand pap. I’ll admit I was a little jealous because all the attention was no longer on just me I had to now share it. Then again I sat back and thought I’m an adult now and I should not be treated like a baby anymore, so from that point forward I found the grown up I had hidden inside. Thirty-three months (two and a half years) later there was an addition to my family for the holiday, I had my daughter JaKailah, she was a great gift after losing our Nana Boat in June of 2009. My daughter was born just 13 days later (June 21 2009); my grandmother and I both feel as though she is a part of Nana Boat in many ways. Not having our Nana Boat with us on Christmas anymore is a huge void; she is their saying â€Å"just give the children what ever they want, they are our special gifts from god†. One thing that has stayed the same is all holidays are special in my family, but Christmas is still the most important. All my family still meet at Grandma’s house every year. We have family from every where that comes in from out of state to celebrate this special occasion. Every year our Christmas routine has stayed the same; grandma has a special way of making every holiday memorable, she was also very particular about time, there was a time for everything we did on Christmas. She has a set schedule between 9:00 am and 10:00 am. Everyone shows up at grandmas to put their presents under the tree. Grandma has breakfast made for everyone every Christmas pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs and toast. Then at 11:30am it is time to give each other the presents we have for one another. By the time we were all done opening presents it is time for us to have dinner at 2:30. WOW! We could smell that great food cooking the whole time we were opening our presents. As a child I can remember many traditions sheared with my family. Because there were so many people staying at Grandma’s for the holidays. I can remember making pallets (beds) on the floor with my cousins so the adults could have the beds and air mattresses. My cousins and I would stay up really late and sleep until the after noon. After waking up I can remember my Uncle Bobbie; he looked just like Mr. Rodgers (from Mr. Rodger Neighborhood) he has the same blue sweater and those same blue tie up shoes. I would wake up and say good morning, Mr. Rodgers it is going to be a wonderful day in the neighbor hood. I was a very spoiled child; I got what ever I wanted, when I wanted it from every one in my family. I have even started my own traditions with my children, we have one day where we all sit down at the dining room table after Thanksgiving and we tell each other what we would like to have Santa Clause bring us for Christmas. I have even found a count down to Christmas calendar filled with chocolate candies, it starts at twenty-five and end at one; what you do with this calendar is you start at twenty-five and every night eat one piece of chocolate and by the time its Christmas eve there is one less piece of chocolate remaining. Basically it is a count down to Christmas by eating a piece of chocolate each night until Christmas. My children are still very young so we are still in the process of coming up with new traditions. Things in life change so fast with out notice, some good and some bad, I just make the best of what I have. I always thought that I would need to be the center of attention, but this Christmas I learned that it’s not always about me. Each and every member of my family was very important in many ways. Each of us have our own roles and it works for my family. My fiance is a very quiet, laid back, stay out the way type of person. My Aunt is crazy for the kids, she literally buys them everything. My uncle is the strict no nonsense kind of guy who like the kids to stand in the corner. Uncle what can I say about him? Oh wow he’s the grouch, always yelling, the Children are too loud make them sit down. My dad always happy and feeding into what ever the kids say, do this and do that. Pappi mostly hiding in the room away from everyone to stay away from the chaos. My mom she is the clean freak always running around after every one cleaning up behind them. My Nana Boat she was all for the kids give, give, give that all she knew when it came to her baby’s. My brothers and sister they are needy, always wanting something that they really do not need. Being the big sister I have to love them(I do very much so. I’m only going to talk about my immediate family, because if not you will be here reading for months. As for my-self I’m kind of a reserved person; I just sit back and watch what’s going on around me. I can remember the time it took my grandma to prepare for Christmas; she would bake for weeks. She would let me help her make cookies, pies, fudge, and my most favorite of all chocolate covered pretzels with sprinkles. I can still smell those cookies and pies bake. Being with my grandma and helping her bake was the best feeling in the world. Still to this day my grandma still lets me help her bake for Christmas. She doesn’t leave out my children, they are right there with their hands in the dough, just getting as messy as possible. I know every edition to or family makes Christmas every year more and more enjoyable. I believe that each and every Christmas changes each and every person in my family for the better. CODA: There are a few reasons why I chose to use Frank McCourt â€Å"Limerick Homecoming† essay from the book Angela’s Ashes published in 1996. One reason I chose to use this essays style to revise my family essay is because Frank McCourt showed how to go from past to present tense in the same essay to tell about a special event in this life. Another reason I believe that this essay showed that no matter how bad things are at one point or another in your life that having your family around can make things all the better. Lastly, I chose this essay to because I related to the characters, meaning that I related to them so not coming from a rich family, not graduating high school and still striving to make it in this world .

Narcissus And Goldmund Essays - Narcissus And Goldmund, Narcissus

Narcissus And Goldmund Throughout this book Hesse continuously explores the idea of the conflict individuals experience when searching for their true identity. Narcissus and Goldmund, two medieval men whose characters are metaphors for the underlying theme of mans individual search for self and the human experience. Narcissus is a monk firm in his religious and intellectual beliefs or so he thinks, and Goldmund a youth hungry for knowledge and life experience. Narcissus the intellect living a purely academic life yet when Goldmund becomes part of his life, finds himself fighting the emotional part of his psyche. Goldmund is the total opposite, an individual born to live life to its fullest yet fighting those desires due to parental influences. The two men are diametrically opposite, even their names are metaphoric ? Narcissus the embodiment of pure intellect and Goldmund who's names translates as "Golden mouth" which indicates a hunger for life and worldly experiences. The story of both individuals are metaphors of the ways and degree that one can lead a life. Narcissus has a hermetic existence in his ivory tower with his pure thought , reasoning and self sufficient loneliness for companions. He is closed off from life in the monastery the acetic who is totally unaware of life's cycles. Goldmund's so called vagabond lifestyle rich in experience, free spirit and free choices. I feel here that it is important to Hesse that it be stressed that the extreme of any life style such as in this story is actually dangerous to the individual, and according to Hesse himself ( Comments from a conversation with Rudolf Koester) "the development to become a personality with privilege to think, feel, and act independently is the primary responsibility of the individual. Extremes such as a complete withdrawal into a hermetically sealed ego is as dangerous as the individual who succumbs to the allure of conformity while yielding to pressure. The individual must establish a balance between the two forces" I found it quite interesting that two men are total opposites and yet could be so connected to each other. As Hesse shows in this book each is in the minds of the other throughout their separate lives. This is enforced for example when Goldmund is carving a statue of John the Baptist only to see that the face that he has carved is that of Narcissus'. Maybe the two men have one thing in common in that they are both living lives that are quite extreme, which was the entire focus that Hesse wanted for this book.