Human Resource Strategy making and HR planning often appear to be undertaken as separate activities within organisations. Why might this be the case and what can be done to ensure a closer relationship?

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Human Resource Strategy making and HR planning often appear to be undertaken as separate activities within organisations. Why might this be the case and what can be done to ensure a closer relationship?

Human Resource Management has become the new tool of the millennium for businesses and organisations. Most companies now have HR departments within their organisation to increase their success. Hr branches into many different forms within the company and this essay will focus of two aspects Human resource strategy making and HR planning. The essay will also examine their lack of relationship and how to increase a more efficient working stream.

Human resource strategy is the process of collecting people plans and programmes of activity within an overall framework, designed to deliver against organisational objectives. Human resource management strategy compromises 'those decisions and actions which concern the management of employees at all levels in the business, and which are related to the implementation of strategies directed towards creating and sustaining competitive advantage.

Human resource strategies may be understood as objectives or as processes. Human resource objectives include the development of capability within a company in order to give the business a competitive edge or advantage. This can be described as strategic human resources aims. Usually most companies will approach human resource strategies either through a 'hard' approach or a 'soft' one. The hard can be seen as 'utilitarian instrumentalism' and the soft as 'developmental humanism.'

The hard approach stresses on the crucial importance of the close integration of human resource policies, systems and activities with business strategies. Systems are created to drive the strategic objectives of an organisation. In essence the approach emphasises the quantitative, calculative and business strategic aspects of managing the 'headcount' resource like any other economic factor.

In contrast to the views of the hard approach, the soft emphasises on the importance of incorporating human resource policies with business objectives. This approach regards employees as valued assets and a source of competitive advantage through their commitment, adaptability and skills. Employees are seen as active components within the production process.

Human resource strategy can bring many benefits to a company such as a strategy will put in place the appropriate employee mix to allow the organisation to achieve its aims and objectives. It allows the company to communicate the culture of the business to the workforce. Having a strategy allows employees to develop in a manner, which benefits both the individual and organisation. The strategy will provide targets by which the actions of the human resource function can be assessed.

The starting point for any human resource strategy begins with the organisation's strategic plan and values. But for a plan to take off the ground, it needs a workforce. A workforce must be in place that will allow the strategic plan of the business to be put into effect. This is where HR (human resource) planning comes in.

Human resources planning can be viewed as a company's attempt to predict w how many and what type of employees a company may need in the future. Planning is also used to gauge to what extent the demand is likely to be met. HR planning involves the comparison of an organisation's current human resources with likely future needs. Effective HR planning should result in 'the right people doing the right things in the right place at precisely the right time.'

Human resources planning can help management in making decisions in many of the company's areas. These include recruitment, avoidance of redundancies, training, management, development, estimates of labour cost, productivity bargaining, and accommodation requirements. HR planning is always in a state of continuous evolvement because goals of a company are always changing with an uncertain environment. Many variables such as invention, population changes, resistance to change, consumer demand, government intervention, and foreign and domestic competition make HR planning a complex concept.

Human resource planning is usually seen as an essential feature of the ideal model of human resource management. However, sometimes within human resource strategy making, planning isn't included. There are many reasons why it can be seen that HR planning and human resource strategy making are taken as independent parts of company.

One explanation is the extent of changing patterns of world trade and increasing competition, new forms of foreign and domestic government policies and regulations or through new technologies. E.g. there is no point in planning a large workforce within a strategy if new technology means hardly any employees are required. Also it is difficult to forecast social and economic changes accurately particularly in times of high unemployment All these factors can make planning very difficult and almost useless despite the growing need for it. The need for planning may be in inverse proportion to its feasibility, which would make it difficult to implement with the development and implementation of human resource strategy.

Related to the prior problem is the issue of the 'realities' facing an organisation and the continual shift and myriad policy priorities and strategies, which depend on the policies of the powerful interests groups, involved. HR planning needs to take account of these but by doing so, it may become overtaken in turn, or even be seen as nothing more than a presentational gloss on a totally different reality. Human resource planning can be very susceptible to this pressure. This can happen especially when there is an economic recession. E.g. when companies are losing money, they are more preoccupied with staying in business rather than worrying about recruitment and training planning. HR planning can also be overlooked within human resource strategy by virtue of the weaker power-base of the human resource function, which either precludes the allocation of adequate resources for HR planning or detracts from the ability to ensure the planning is incorporated within the strategy department.

The nature of management and the skills and abilities of managers also contributes to the lack of unity in HR planning and strategy making. In the UK particularly, there is a preference for 'pragmatic adaptation over conceptualisation.' There is also distrust in the theory of planning. In an IPM survey, lack of data, lack of line management understanding, and lack of corporate plan were the main reasons given by personal managers for lack of HR planning and human resource strategy implementation. This of course may vary between the different values, culture or strategy of different divisions, companies or industries. There are also the issues of the multiple and often conflicting nature of an organisation's goals. These can range with pressures for consistency and for flexibility, for prediction and for planning, but also speed and for response. The HR planning and strategy making of a particular company may have different agendas and no fit smoothly so they would have to be undertaken separately.

Also the type of industry may have an affect on HR Planning and human resource strategy. Some companies depend on new product development in an extremely competitive environment. E.g. In the video game industry the goal is to be the first with the latest software before rival competitors. Because its core goals is highly competitive and leans heavily on product, HR planning wouldn't be undertaken together with human resource management. A company may only need a few specialised employees so planning and human resource strategy wouldn't be time or cost effective.

If a company is using a hard approach to its human resource strategy, then it may not be as employee driven as other companies may be. Employees may be seen as commodity rather than integral aspect of the success of the company. In this type of scenario HR planning wouldn't be generally regarded within the making of the strategies, as the focus would be on economic success. HR planning needs to be seen as a 'line' responsibility and line managers using the hard approach are less likely to undertake planning activities than personnel managers; particularly in small decentralised units where the emphasis on achieving financial targets are likely to predominate. HR planning would only be seen as a method of maintaining employee balance rather than a way of utilising the employee potential.

Another factor that can make it seem that HR planning and HRS are undertaken differently could be because of the nature of their purposes. HR planning is one section of an organisation where human resource management looks at the whole of the company. Each section of a company such as marketing, finance and HR planning are busy running their own particularly allotment of the company so their policies make not be taken up with the human resource strategy making as it would look at the entire company rather than one section.

Organisational structure is also a deciding factor in the influence of the HR planning over strategic issues. Highly divided structures result in strong divisional HR functions, sometimes at the expense of the corporate HR role. The devolution of responsibility for profit or cost control to divisional managers can only be successful if they have control over HR policies. This can lead to tension between corporate head offices and hr managers which could lead to HR planning and strategy making to be undertaken separately.

As shown above, there can be copious reasons why HR planning can be left out of human resource strategy making. However, not incorporating HR planning into strategic decision-making can create a paradox. There cant be a human resource strategy if there is no employees and HR planning deals with recruitment and training. However, there are ways in which the two can ensure a closer relationship.

One of these is delegation of power and change of organisational structure. As mentioned before, planning should also incorporate line managers as well as personnel. By sharing the responsibility of the HR role, cohesion of ideas and formulations have a much better chance of happening rather than if they were isolated. Also managers need freedom to be able to put these policies and strategies in action, which means the heads of office, would need to relinquish their hold over strategy approval and disapproval.

Another way to ensure a closer relationship would be to keep the whole company up to date with information and technology. As mentioned before, one crucial aspect of why HR planning and HRS didn't mix was due to lack of data and training. If every department had sufficient information, understood the goals and objectives and was capable of training others, than incorporating planning with strategy would be faster and easier.

Using a soft approach to human resource strategy would ensure a tighter bond between both roles. Under the soft view, employees would have more significance and importance within the running and success of the organisation. This would mean a higher chance of HR planning being involved within strategy making for the company.

Increasing the importance and size of the HR planning function within a company would increase the bond in strategy making. Companies who have little or no human resource departments are less likely to intertwine planning and strategy making. By increasing the Hr department, more value is placed on the role of HR, especially planning and then would therefore provide a closer link.

If organisations were to become more flexible with resistant to change and environment policies than HR planning would be more closely attuned with strategy formulation. The problem with HR is that when economic crisis hits, it takes a back seat to organisational policies but if their goals were flexible to begin with, then all aspect of Hr, including planning would still be considered during a recession or problem.

These are just a few example of how organisations can utilise their resources to ensure a closer relationship between HR planning and HRS making. For any strategic plan to work, all aspects of HR need to be included because they are all interlinked with each other. If certain links are left out, the plan may have weakness that may cause it to fail or stop it being successfully implemented. As business moves into the 1st century, businesses needed to recognise the importance of Hr planning within Human Resource Strategy to fully comprehend and implement its most valuable and almost inexhaustible asset its employees.

Bibliography

Tyson, S., York, A. (000) Essentials of HRM, 4th ed., Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford

Graham, H., Bennett, R. (18) Human resource management, th ed., Guildhall University, London

Storey, J. (15) Human resource management; a critical text, International Thomson Business Press, London

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American Wedding

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With East Great Falls High now just a memory, the kids have grown into young adults ready to wreak havoc with a new rite of passage - Jim (Biggs) and Michelle (Hannigan) are getting married - in a hurry. Jims grandmother is sick and wants to see Jim walk down the aisle, so theyre going for it in two frantic weeks. Stifler (Scott) plans to be there (bridesmaids!), and more importantly to throw the ultimate bachelor party (strippers!). Finch (Thomas) is all for the hedonistic rituals, but not for letting Stifler steal the maid of honor, who happens to be Michelles sexy younger sister, Cadence (Jones). While everybody else sweats and frets, Jims Dad (Levy) is cool as ever, dispensing advice that no one wants to hear and getting ready for one of the best days of his life.

The group of best friends from their days back at East Great Falls High reunite for the next great sexual adventure in their lives... the wedding of Jim (Biggs) and Michelle (Hannigan), where Stifler (Scott) finds himself falling for Michelles knockout sister, Cadence (Jones). If theres a wedding, we can bet that Stifler will be instrumental in orchestrating the correlating social event... the bachelor party. The event is rushed because Jims grandmother is possibly terminally ill, so the heat is on to plan the wedding in just two weeks. (Kramer plays an extremely large man named Bull that the boys meet when they accidentally end up in a gay bar

The third helping of American Pie offers little more than crumbs. Half the franchises core cast (including Mena Suvari, Chris Klein, and Tara Reid) chose to skip the big fat geek wedding of recent college grads Jim (Jason Biggs) and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan). You can hardly blame the no-shows, considering that the inept direction of How Highs Jesse Dylan reduces American Wedding to a groin-numbing onslaught of sexual-humiliation and emission-ingestion gags.

Among the rote drolleries Jims dad (Eugene Levy) catches his son with his pants down, literally, twice in the first 15 minutes; perennial horndog Steve Stifler (Seann William Scott) downs a doggy-doo truffle; and Jim accidentally garnishes the wedding cake with his pubic shavings. Even gifted Christopher Guest cronies Levy, Jennifer Coolidge, and Fred Willard cant make American Weddings comic wind any mightier Help with essay on American Wedding

Please note that this sample paper on American Wedding is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on American Wedding, we are here to assist you. Your cheap research papers on American Wedding will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality.

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Character development in the film Secrets & Lies

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Introduction to Film and Television theory

. Secrets and Lies (16), directed by Mike Leigh

Secrets and Lies is primarily a film based on characters. Discuss how characters are

Revealed and developed in the film through narrative structure and cinema techniques.

Do my essay on Character development in the film Secrets & Lies CHEAP !

Use specific scenes from the film to illustrate youre answer.

Secrets and Lies is a film that can make an audience feel like they are not watching a film at all, but that they are looking in on everyday people going about their normal lives. Director Mike Leigh uses carefully chosen cinema techniques and narrative structure to achieve this effect. In the beginning we appear to be seeing exerts or slices of different peoples lives, going about their business. But as the film develops, these seemingly unconnected plot strands twist together, gathering tension and momentum. As this happens, we learn much more about each character through their interaction and become emotionally involved. Mike Leigh also works with a lot of improvisation in his movies. The actors work with him over a long period of time to create a new person/character, discussing every part of their personality, life and history. During filming, they are asked not to just recite lines, but have conversations. This adds to the feeling of reality and spontaneity.

As mentioned, In the beginning of the film (the set-up) we are introduced to the main characters, and the world, or different worlds, that they live in. The non-diegetic orchestral music we hear in the opening funeral scene sets the tone for the whole movie. It is sad, lamenting, but also has something joyful behind it. This music starts up again whenever a new character is introduced. First, Maurice. We see him in his role as photographer- nice, gentle, joking, coaxing a bride-to-be to smile. The music continues and the film cuts to a shot of Monica intensely stenciling, then a close-up of her hand, pounding away with the paintbrush. This gives an initial feeling that something is pent up inside her. The next shot is a long shot of the exterior of Monica and Maurices nice, neat house which cuts to the interior, including Monica, which is perfectly decorated. This is building up an image of these two characters being fairly well - off. This is added to by the medium - long shot of Maurice admiring Monicas new silk two-piece outfit. A feeling of mystery is created about Roxanne and Cynthia as Monica and Maurice talk. Monica talks positively of Roxanne and negatively of Cynthia. Maurice says, I think thats the last time shes ever smiled of Roxanne, and music starts up. The film cuts to a long shot of Roxanne street - sweeping. Her hair is messy and she looks unkempt. The next shot is a close-up of her face, showing her deep scowl, relating to Maurices words. Our introduction to Cynthia is a long shot of her working at a machine in the background, with boxes pilled in the foreground. Everything is in dull blue and grey tones. The music continues, adding to the sadness and dullness of the scene and connecting it to the other introductions. A medium long shot of Cynthia and her machine making cardboard boxes shows the monotonous repetitive action, then cuts to a close-up of her face, showing her unhappy, defeated expression. We first see Hortense in her job as an optometrist working with a young girl. The camera alternates between close-ups of her and of the girl. We take in her kind smile, her gentleness with the girl, her upper-class accent. Her hair is in a well-styled bob and she wears gold jewelry. The film cuts to a long shot of Hortense leaving the office, the music starts up, and we take in more information about her- she is professional, friendly with the secretary, and wears a stylish black suit.

One of the most original parts of the way Secrets and Lies is structured is the inclusion of transitional scenes in Maurices photographic studio, which appear throughout the film. These scenes expand on Maurices kindness, humor, and passion for photography. He brings out the best in people.

The sequences, cutting between portrait shots and shots of Maurice serve as a metaphor

for one of the films main themes - the rituals and defense mechanisms that are used to

hide the unpleasantness of life, and make dysfunctional relationships tolerable, thereby

maintaining the façade of happiness. Maurice instructs his subjects to put on their best

face for the camera, sometimes with startling contrast to the reality of the

situation.(Leong, A. http//users.aol.com/aleong161/secrets.html).

One way characters are developed in our minds is through details, which reoccur and build up in significance throughout the film. We see the contrast of Cynthias cluttered, run down house with Maurices new, spacious house. We also see Monicas frantic vacuming and obsessively maintaining a perfect neat house. This image builds until we realize that it is perhaps an attempt to cover up her anger and frustration. Shots of Monicas huge mood swings every 8 days, and details of tampons, hot water bottles and painkillers reoccur and build up the idea that Monica cannot conceive children.

The film begins to invoke our sympathy for Cynthia by revealing her deep sense of loneliness. No one really cares about her, she has no compassion, fun or affection in her life whatsoever. This is picked up through the music, which builds in a over-the-shoulder shot of Cynthias reflection in the mirror. We see her putting on her face cream and touching her breasts in a pent up desire for affection. This feeling of loneliness is enhanced by the previous shot of Roxanne in bed with Paul. These feelings are expressed the most in the scene where Maurice comes to visit Cynthia. The two are in their late fathers bedroom, and we see mid shot of Cynthias face as Maurice says look at all this junk - what are you going to do with it? This obviously brings up buried emotions and Cynthia starts to cry, gripping the door with her hand. She utters Give us a cuddle, Maurice and we see a lengthy mid shot as Cynthia rushes to grasp Maurice in a hug. She is hysterical, he is the only one who shows any care or compassion towards her in the whole world. The camera zooms in slowly to show more of Maurices expression, giving us the feeling that he loves Cynthia but doesn't really know how to deal with her raw emotion. The camera then zooms out as Cynthia begins to calm, and the tension abates. When she asks Maurice, You aint gonna make me an auntie now are ya? we see a lengthy close-up reaction shot of Maurice. We can feel the tension, the silence, the struggle on his face as he tries to find the words to tell her about the problems conceiving. In the end he decides against, and they leave the room, Cynthia slamming the door on the painful memories. A high-angle shot looking down from the top of the stairs shows Maurice and Cynthia in the doorway, shadowed. The hallway looks dark and dingy and Cynthia is subdued, stooped over as Maurice hands her money. He wants to look after her, but doesn't know what else to do.

Much of what we learn about the characters in Secrets and Lies is through simply shot conversations between two people. This relates back to Mike Leighs improvisational style of acting. Take, for example, the scene of Hortense lying on the couch talking to her friend, and the scene of Maurice and Monica having a cup of tea, sitting either side of a coffee table in their house. In both, a lengthy medium long shot records most of their conversation. There is nothing flashy about the camera work, nothing to remind the audience that they are watching a film. They simply appear to be watching people having a heartfelt conversation, which in reality, in a way, they are. The actors are sitting down having an unscripted conversation in a way that they think their characters would. We can feel Hortenses longing and questions about parents, Monicas loaded comments about Saint Cynthia, and Maurices sharp defense of his sister. This technique helps us to relate to the characters, and to attempt to understand them as real people, with many different dimensions to them.

I think that the first turning point in the film comes when Hortense makes the decision to call Cynthia. The catalyst for this action has been her mothers death, and the film has been building up to it as she has searched for her birth records and Cynthias address and phone number. Before this point we have seen the plot lines of Hortense and Cynthia lives run parallel to each other but never meeting. Through this decision the stakes are raised - Hortense or Cynthia could be very hurt, emotions are high, and the secret Cynthia has been hiding from Roxanne is about to become involved in her life. We also see that Hortense is very brave and determined - she knows all of the risks and goes ahead anyway.

The scene where Hortense and Cynthia meet and go to a caf shows the effectiveness

of Mike Leighs way of filming a conversation. The caf is empty apart from them. A long high-angle shot from the left gives a deserted dreary view of the caf . This cuts to a very lengthy static, head on, two shot of Cynthia and Hortense. The lighting is set up to try to look natural, and adds to the dreary feeling. The feeling of reality and a real conversation is added to by the long silences as the two struggle to find the words to say to each other, and the unmoving camera. Nothing breaks the tension. This enhances the intensity of the slowly dawning moment where Cynthia recalls Hortenses father. Cynthia breaks down hysterically (again) and you dont know whether to laugh or cry. This feeling is much like the tone of the music, and as well as the film in general. We feel the pain and uncomfort both of them are feeling. Cynthia in tears, Hortense quiet, trying to control her emotions.

After this point, where Cynthia and Hortense begin to go out and form an unexpected bond, the action changes, and the tables begin to turn between Cynthia and Roxanne. Cynthia is blossoming through her friendship with Hortense, more confident, less desperate and nagging. The scene where Cynthia and Roxanne sit at home smoking is repeated, only this time it is Roxanne asking her mother all the questions, rather than the other way around. We see Cynthias newfound confidence and attitude as she walks past Roxanne who is street sweeping and quips you missed a spot dahling. She also begins to take more pride in her looks, doing her hair nicely for a night out. The sub plots continue, at Maurices studio. A beautiful woman with a scarred face is told by Maurice, Someone always draws the short straw. This relates back to a similar comment he has made to Monica. We can feel the wistfulness in his voice - why does life have to be so unfair? The introduction of Stuart Christian provides some light relief, but at the same time a sense of sadness as Maurice thinks about how easily someone can slip into despair in life- There but for the grace of God….

The encounter with Stuart also shows us how hard working and prosperous Maurice has been.

I feel Cynthias decision to bring Hortense to the barbecue for Roxannes birthday is the second turning point in the film. This changes the action again, now Hortenses life is being intertwined with the lives of all the others. It also raises the stakes again - now there is much greater potential for more people to get hurt. We can feel the tension as Hortense tries to avoid questions about where she works, and we cannot help but feel that everything is going to come out soon. The lunch is shot from behind the one empty chair at the table so that we can see all of the characters arranged in a semi-circle around the camera. Interestingly, Paul and Jane, the minor characters are seated either side of the camera, so that they are partially cut off by the frame. This helps focus our attention on the main characters. The characters then move into the lounge, which becomes the climax scene of the film. We see a medium shot of Roxanne opening her card and money from Maurice, and Cynthia, distressed, over her shoulder. This cuts to a close up of Monica, with a smug expression on her face. This gives us the feeling she knows shes done better than Cynthia for Roxanne. Cynthia says Wish Id brought my present with me now with a hint of hysteria in her voice. The music starts up, deep, slow and ominous, building tension. The music builds as the camera stays on Cynthia, struggling to hold back tears. We can feel her sadness and emotion. We can hear everyone else going about happily around her. Only Hortense feels the tension and we see a mid shot of her in the bathroom, trying to gain composure. This is typical of what we know about her character, she tries to keep calm at all times. While she is gone Cynthia reveals she is her daughter. The camera flicks to a quick, close-up reaction shot of each of the others in silence, the tension build even more. Roxanne explodes and storms off. Maurice must once again be the mediator and we see his love and compassion as he convinces Roxanne to return. A medium-long shot of Maurice by the fireplace is significant. We hear Monica and Cynthia either side of him arguing like hes not there, as things come to a head between them. This shows the position he has been in for the whole film, stuck in the middle of them. Maurice finally cracks. He is the only one who can blow apart all the secrets and lies that have been driving everyone in the family apart. The music starts up again, bittersweet, and Cynthia moves to comfort Monica. Hortense joins them to comfort Cynthia. We realize that all the lies had caused them to hate each other because they never knew the truth. They come to a resolution, and everyone feels a release. Cynthia understands that the reason Monica has been so bitter towards her is because she is envious of her child. They perhaps now can give each other the support, care, affection and family that each of them secretly craves.

Secrets and Lies is stark and uncluttered, revealing its characters through snapshots and details, and largely through simple conversations. The cinematography is created to give the impression we are peering into peoples lives rather that watching a carefully crafted story. As the film picks up momentum, and the narrative structure brings together all the separate elements and people, we begin to learn much about the characters, their past, and why the act and make the choices they do. We also learn the meaning they bring to each others lives, and why they must come together.

Please note that this sample paper on Character development in the film Secrets & Lies is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on Character development in the film Secrets & Lies, we are here to assist you. Your cheap research papers on Character development in the film Secrets & Lies will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality.

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Did Ronald Reagan's presidential administration turn our country in the proper direction?

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Reagan haters and supporters alike agree on one thing, he was a popular guy. Alonzo L. Hamby remembers him as an "outstanding national cheerleader... Reagan successfully lifted the morale of the nation that in 180 was wallowing in pessimism and uncertainty" (Hamby). The Vietnam War and the Nixon administration had left a negative impact on the country that Jimmy Carter did not improve. Along with inflation, long gas lines, and the American hostages in Iran, Reagan came into his presidency during a shadowy time. Not only did his dynamic personality help to lift the morale of the people, his economic policies led to economic growth, and his foreign policies led to the end of the Cold War. He not only worked to put the economy on the right path, he made the country feel safer and more patriotic at the same time.

The first executive order of Reagan abolished price controls on oil and gasoline. He also eliminated environmental and regulatory obstacles to domestic production to reduce our independence on foreign suppliers (Low Oil Prices). This ended the long gas lines and buoyed businesses, but he did not stop there. He persuaded Saudi Arabia to increase oil production from million to million barrels per day. These moves paid handsome dividends. The sharp drop in crude oil prices lowered gasoline prices below $1.00 per gallon (Low Oil Prices). The increase in domestic oil production and from Saudi Arabia effectively smashed the OPEC cartel's ability to fix worldwide oil prices. Finally, the sharp plunge in oil prices crippled the bellicose Soviet Union, which derived most of its income from oil production (Regan Homepage).

Reagan based his economic program on supply side economics (Encyclopedia Britannica). This theory is a very complex idea that President Reagan developed himself, causing people to call it "Reaganomics" (Encyclopedia American). The theory of Reaganomics called for a significant reduction in all forms of taxes and an adequate cutback on governmental spending so there will be more money in the hands of the American citizens. The main goal of the supply side economic theory is to give a boost to the United States economy, which would cause the economy to expand. This economic expansion and boost would occur through citizens who would spend the extra tax money on products and services in their geographical region or who would invest money into businesses in their area. In theory the economic growth would eventually increase taxable incomes. This increase in taxable incomes should cause the governmental revenues to grow in the long run. With the idea of Reaganomics in mind President Reagan persuaded Congress to pass the Economic Recovery Tax Act, which was the cornerstone of "Reaganomics". This tax act called for a 5 percent tax cut that was implemented over a three-year period (Reagan homepage).This indexed tax rates to stop inflation from pushing taxpayers into higher brackets. His 186 tax relief act lowered the top personal income tax rate from 70% to 8 %( Reagan homepage). Taking on the problem of inflation inherited from Jimmy Carter, Reagan supported Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker's efforts to tighten the money supply. This triggered a brief recession, but ended inflation as a national issue.

Reagan's economic program launched the greatest peacetime economic expansion in U.S. history. Save for a brief recession from 10-1 that coincided with the Persian Gulf War, the United States enjoyed a sustained period of economic growth. Reagan's detractors try to belittle this achievement, pointing to the large deficits incurred during the Reagan years. While it is a historical fact that government spending exceeded revenues by $1.4 trillion during Reagan's years in office, it was the Democratic Congress that resisted the Reagan Administration's efforts to cut domestic spending (comments). In the end, the deficits helped rebuild our military, which had been weakened and neglected during the Carter years, and helped bring down the Soviet Union and win the Cold War.

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The fall of the Soviet Union was an amazing event for most Americans. For many years, the USSR was seen as a threat. For those who grew up with fallout shelters and civil defense drills, the rapid disintegration of the Soviet empire in the early 10s was akin to winning the lottery -- staggering, elating and totally unexpected. We celebrated the disintegration of our old foe and heralded a great victory for the West and President Ronald Reagan in particular. Our champion anti-Communist had accomplished what seven U.S. Presidents before could or would not -- he had stopped and then reversed the tide of Communism.

When President Reagan was elected in 181, the strategy of detente described the relationship that existed between the United States and the USSR. President Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissenger had advanced this strategy in the 170s and it had remained

fundamentally unchanged by both the Johnson and Carter administrations until 17 (Garthoff 5). While Webster defines detente as a relaxation or reduction, as of tension between nations, President

Reagan believed the leadership of the USSR was interpreting detente as freedom to pursue whatever policies of subversion, aggression and expansionism they wanted anywhere in the world (Schweizer 77). President Reagan believed the United States had lost its hard-earned edge over the USSR and that President Carters administration was foolish to believe the USSR had any other goal but their historically stated one of destroying democracy and replacing it with Communism.

President Reagan saw the Soviet leaders as moral and mortal enemies and believed that, by surrendering the initiative to the USSR, Carter had sent a dangerous message that America was prepared to accept, as inevitable, the advance of Soviet expansionism (Lenczowski ). Early proposals to rollback the Russians from their European and Far East holdings vanished with the explosion of the first USSR atomic bomb in August 14 and the Communist victory in China in October of the same year. The United States found itself with less and less leverage over the Soviet Union due to the rapid build up of their nuclear arsenal(Ibid 4).

Secretary of State George Schultz described President Reagans new approach to containment in a statement to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 18 The policy of detente represented an attempt to induce Soviet restraint. Detente was based on expectations that the anticipated benefits from expanding economic relations and arms control agreements would restrain Soviet behavior. Unfortunately, experience has proved otherwise. As a result, the new (Reagan) policy was based on the expectation that faced with demonstration of the Wests renewed determination to strengthen its defenses; enhance its

political and economic cohesion, and oppose adventurism, the Soviet Union will see restraint as it's most attractive or only option. (Garthoff 107).

On December , President Reagan announced an embargo on American gas and oil equipment and technology bound for the Soviet Union. The plan affected sixty U.S. companies, seriously disrupted the Siberian pipeline project and shut down a joint Soviet and Japanese venture to develop the oil and gas fields on Sakhalin Island (Oberdorfer 46). The loss of the gas pipeline and the Sakhahn Island project cost the Soviet Union several billion dollars a year in income they desperately needed to upgrade their technology, stabilize their economy and shore up

their empire. Additionally, U.S. efforts to reduce the credit worthiness of all the Eastern bloc countries placed additional pressure on the Soviet Union to pick up the slack. Support to offset

U.S. sanctions against Poland alone cost the Soviet Union $1 to $ billion dollars per year (Rodman 4).

In his memoirs, President Ronald Reagan takes credit for conceptualizing a purely defensive system that would allow the world to break out of the cycle of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). He claims the idea of a purely defensive anti-missile system came to him

While he was reflecting on the sobering responsibilities he had assumed as the new commander in chief -- particularly how little time he would have to decide whether or not to order Americans nuclear forces into action. He wanted to render nuclear weapons impotent (Reagan 606). President Reagan believed nuclear weapons and the policy of MAD in which each side checks the other with the threat of annihilation were immoral. He seized on the idea of finding a way out of the nuclear dilemma and putting the nuclear genie back into the bottle. Whatever other motives he might have had, President Reagan really believed that SDI could work.

Despite the controversy in the United States over the viability and advisability of SDI, the Soviets took the attempt at a strategic defense very seriously. They feared we would be able to do

Something they were unable to do and that we would make some sort of break through. The revolution in super-computer technology as it applied in particular to battlefield management systems was something the Soviets realized they had left themselves out of and this only reinforced their fears. By 187, the U.S. led the Soviet Union by 8 to years in microprocessors; 8 to 1 years in computer-operated machine tools; 8 to 10 years in minicomputers; 8 to l years in mainframe computers; 10 to 1 years in supercomputers; 7 to 11 years in software and 7 to 10 years in flexible manufacturing systems (CIA/DIA). Soviet leadership saw that, in theory at least, SDI was possible and the U.S. might do it. If it could be done, SDI would strike at the heart of their military doctrine and economic insecurities and nullify their nuclear force advantage. It was by this nullification that Reagan was able to remove the threat of the USSR and establish an American supremacy.

Ronald Reagan led America through almost a decade of confidence building greatness. His economic policies brought us out of inflation and began an era of economic growth that could only be undone by preceding presidents. He also brought the Soviet Union to its knees with some of those policies and his defensive strategy called SDI. I admire him as a president because of his moral convictions about our country. By working on this paper I have discovered a new liking for him throughout my research. My favorite quote I found about him was by Margaret Thatcher, who said "Ronald Reagan set out to challenge everything that the liberal political elite of America accepted and sought to propagate. They believed that America was doomed to decline; he believed it was destined for further greatness. They imagined that sooner or later there would be a convergence between the free Western system and the socialist Eastern system, and that some kind of social democratic outcome was inevitable. He, by contrast, considered that socialism was a patent failure which should be cast onto the trash heap of history. They thought that the problem with America was the American people, though they didn't quite put it like that. He thought that the problem with America was the American government, and he did put it just like that" (courage).

Bibliography

CIA/DIA Gorbachevs Modernization Program A Status Report, A paper submitted to the Subcommittee on National Security Economics of the Joint Economic Committee, March, 187.

Comments on the Kudrow Speech Defending Ronald Reagan http//www.quickchange.com/reagan/comments.htm

"Courage"-Margaret Thatcher's thoughts on Ronald Reagan, July 00 http//www.freerepublic.com/forum/a8845a44e.htm

Encyclopedia Americana article, July 00, http//gi.grolier.com/presidents/ea/bios/0preag.html

Encyclopedia Brittanica.com, an article on Reagan, July 00 http//www.brittanica.com/eb/article?eu=64466&tocid=140&query=ronald%0reagan&ct=

Hamby, Alonzo L., How Great a president was Ronald Reagan

July, 00 http//www.reagan000.com/howgreat.asp

Garthoff, Raymond L. Detente and Confrontation American-Soviet relations from Nixon to Reagan. Washington D.C. 185

Ibid., The Soviet Estimate US Intelligence Analysis and Russian Military Strength. New York

18.

Lenczowski, John. Soviet Perceptions of US. Foreign Policy. Ithaca, NY Cornell University

Press, 18.

Low oil prices A Fill Up of Good News http//www.cato.org/dailys/0-17-.htm Web Page by Stephen Moore on oil prices from the 180's to present

Oberdorfer, Don The Turn How the Cold War Came to An End The United States and the

Soviet Union 18-10. New York Posidon Press, 11.

Ronald Reagan Homepage July 00, http//www.spygame.org/RonaldReaganPage.htm

Schweizer, Peter Victory The Reagan Administrations Secret Strategy That Hastened the Collapse of the Soviet Union. New York The Atlantic Monthly Press 14.

Bibliography

CIA/DIA Gorbachevs Modernization Program A Status Report, A paper submitted to the Subcommittee on National Security Economics of the Joint Economic Committee, March, 187.

Comments on the Kudrow Speech Defending Ronald Reagan http//www.quickchange.com/reagan/comments.htm

"Courage"-Margaret Thatcher's thoughts on Ronald Reagan, July 00 http//www.freerepublic.com/forum/a8845a44e.htm

Encyclopedia Americana article, July 00, http//gi.grolier.com/presidents/ea/bios/0preag.html

Encyclopedia Brittanica.com, an article on Reagan, July 00 http//www.brittanica.com/eb/article?eu=64466&tocid=140&query=ronald%0reagan&ct=

Hamby, Alonzo L., How Great a president was Ronald Reagan

July, 00 http//www.reagan000.com/howgreat.asp

Garthoff, Raymond L. Detente and Confrontation American-Soviet relations from Nixon to Reagan. Washington D.C. 185

Ibid., The Soviet Estimate US Intelligence Analysis and Russian Military Strength. New York

18.

Lenczowski, John. Soviet Perceptions of US. Foreign Policy. Ithaca, NY Cornell University

Press, 18.

Low oil prices A Fill Up of Good News http//www.cato.org/dailys/0-17-.htm Web Page by Stephen Moore on oil prices from the 180's to present

Oberdorfer, Don The Turn How the Cold War Came to An End The United States and the

Soviet Union 18-10. New York Posidon Press, 11.

Ronald Reagan Homepage July 00, http//www.spygame.org/RonaldReaganPage.htm

Schweizer, Peter Victory The Reagan Administrations Secret Strategy That Hastened the Collapse of the Soviet Union. New York The Atlantic Monthly Press 14.

Please note that this sample paper on Did Ronald Reagan's presidential administration turn our country in the proper direction? is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on Did Ronald Reagan's presidential administration turn our country in the proper direction?, we are here to assist you. Your cheap custom college paper on Did Ronald Reagan's presidential administration turn our country in the proper direction? will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality.

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Lyme Diease

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Lyme Disease

People who go into the woods or who work or play near the bushes can get Lyme disease. With care, this serious disease can be prevented.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks. The disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a bacterium that infects several species of ticks found in woodlands, brushy areas, and costal grasslands. These ticks also carried on the bodies of certain animal's especially white-tailed deer and white-footed field mice. People get Lyme disease after being bitten by and infected tick. The tick must remain attacked for at least 6 hours for infection to occur. The disease is most commonly transmitted in the summer.

The symptoms of Lyme disease vary. For most people, the first sign of infection is a rash. Other early symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, sore throat, and pain in the joints and muscles. Physicians use antibiotics to treat the disease when the illness is diagnosed and treated early, most patients make a full recovery. If untreated, the disease can lead to arthritis, heart abnormalities, and disorders of the nervous system.

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People can reduce the risk of getting Lyme disease by taking precautions against ticks that transmit it. In woody or brushy areas, people should inspect their skin daily for ticks and remove them promptly. It also helps to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks, and to use inspect repellent. A vaccine that provides some protein against Lyme disease is available.

Lyme disease occurs in many parts of the world, including Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe. In the U.S., it is most common in the Northeast states especially Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey. It is most common in the upper Mid-west, especially Wisconsin and Minnesota and the West Coast in parts of California. Large regions, such as Wyoming, seem to find to be free of the disease. The disease gets its name from the town of Lyme, Connecticut, where a cluster of cases occurred in the early 170's.

Please note that this sample paper on Lyme Diease is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on Lyme Diease, we are here to assist you. Your cheap custom research papers on Lyme Diease will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality.

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My Sevent Grade Summer

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My Unforgettable Summer

As I was standing at church during praise and worship, I asked myself , Why am I here praising the Lord and what has changed me so much that coming to church was what I always looked forward to every week?.

After a long but exciting last day of the school year, it was finally seventh period. Summer was on its way and that was the only thing that was going through my mind. Sleeping in everyday, being out with friends, playing ball till the sunset and staying up all night during the summer was all a typical fourteen year old guy could plan on doing over the summer. An hour and five minutes left...yes im that excited. If you were as anxious as me, I wouldnt blame you. I mean schools fun when youve got youre friends to suffer the long and boring year with, but then youve also got to deal with homework, tests, and those nagging teachers..I mean that is the whole point of school right? Well anyway, I had many things to look forward to with the upcoming days of rare, sunny Kodiak weather along with what im really looking forward to the most, summer camp.

This summer camp was called, Camp Woody. From what I heared, this camp was based on a Christians reaching out and sharing the word with teens and teaching them about how God loves them, to accept Christ as their savior, and to teach them how to share their faith. Wow, I knew that going to that kind of camp was going to be a weird experience for me because I wasnt really into reading the bible, staying holy and all that religious stuff, although I did believe that there was a God. I guess I didnt really worry about that whole situation because my friends were going too and if my whole clique was there, I knew camp wouldnt be too shabby for me. Besides, its a summer camp, theres got to be more than just pastors preaching such as outdoor games, activities, and bonfires. As I sat in class, contemplating about what Camp Woody was going to be like, I had just realized that doing so made my last minute of seventh grade pass by briskly. Eventually, the closing bell that indicated the end of the school year finally rang. To my ebullience, summer vacation was about to begin as soon as I took those final steps out of school. I had a really

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Is Arenas good?

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I sing of arms and of the man, fated to be an exile, begins Virgil, and it is on precisely the issue of this man of arms that critical debate in recent years has tended to centre. Scholars continue to disagree on whether or not Aeneas is presented as a good soldier, although the question itself is certainly far from black and white, complicated by the culturally relative nature of terms such as conflict and courage, as well as by the rather oblique definition that good itself holds. In this essay I will attempt to resolve these complexities and ambiguities by juxtaposing Aeneas against the Roman and Homeric ideals of the warrior, exemplified by Aemilius Paullus and Odysseus respectively. I will argue that Aeneas meets the criteria set by neither model and that, ultimately, he is an emotionally unstable, morally dubious and even an incompetent military leader.

However, the very fact that he is the protagonist needs to be stressed his character is necessarily sympathetic, dynamic and intricate. My intention is not to assert that Aeneas is a villain or a coward; he is quite obviously neither of these things and such an interpretation of the Aeneid, a text rich and ambiguous in meaning, would be nothing short of reductive. And in this way he must, and does, have some positive, somewhat redeeming features. K. W. Gransden notes that, Virgil created in Aeneas a new type of Stoic hero1, a point that is perhaps most evident in Book Four when Aeneas leaves Carthage. His speech to Dido is indicative of his determination to suffer both silently,

Aeneas did not move his eyes and struggled to fight down the anguish in his heart. (Bk. 4, p.1)

and willing

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Do not go on causing distress to yourself and to me by these complaints. It is not by my own will that I still search for Italy. (Bk. 4, p.)

Emotional restraint and acquiescence in regard to ones own fortunes and torment is intrinsic to a Roman conception of a warrior. Plutarch, for instance, emphasises exactly this in his description of the life of the potentate Aemilius Paullus who stoically accepts the death of his son and heir as retribution for the Romans successful military campaign against the Macedonians. Equally, the presentation of Aeneas in Book Four can be seen to parallel that of Odysseus in Book Nineteen of the Odyssey, where the reader is told that, in spite of his wifes tears, the heros eyes were steady. Aeneas, then, does conform to both the Roman and Homeric paradigms in his ability to endure the sufferings that Fate has allotted him. And yet his chief characteristic is not his endurance, as is the case with Odysseus, but rather his pietas, a quality essential for a Roman warrior. Time and time again in the Aeneid he is referred to as pius Aeneas, famous for his devotion(6, p.145), so the Sibyl extols. This devotion is threefold in that it is not only religious and extends to both his family and to his duty as Father of Rome. The latter of these has already been demonstrated by his separation from Dido, in which he subordinates his personal wishes in order to fulfil his destiny, while one can see the first two aspects of this pietas at work quite clearly in Book Five, in which the funeral games, held in honour of the divine father of Aeneas (5, p. 1), combine a celebration of the familial and of the holy.

Yet this pietas, as much as it appears to pervade Virgils characterisation of the hero, might be called into question. Aeneas, on frequent occasions, seems reluctant to implement his Fatum and also uncertain as to the rewards it offers. In Book Five the poet externalises Aeneas thoughts as he wonders whether he should forget about his destiny and settle in the fields of Sicily (5, p.16), and throughout the first half of the poem he needs to be constantly prompted to continue in his search for his patria (homeland) by his wifes shade in Book Two, his fathers shade in Book Five, and twice by Mercury in Book Four

Mercury wasted no time So now you are laying foundations for the high towers of Carthage and building a splendid city to please your wife? Have you entirely forgotten your own kingdom and your own destiny? (Bk. 4, p. 8)

Aeneas seems rather less than devoted to his duty at this moment. He is shown to be quite contented in Carthage and it seems unlikely that he would have left its sweet shores under his own volition. Gordon Williams remarks that Dido is Aeneas first serious test, and he seems to give way without a struggle4, and one may see the character here as close to the antithesis of Odysseus who, in his pig-headed determination to return to Ithaca, even rejects Calypsos offer of immortality. Indeed, Aeneas, whose sword was studded with yellow stars of jaspers (4, p. 88) is a picture of decadence and almost a parody of Mark Antony in the manner in which he has been softened and seduced by an exotic land. Nor is devotion to duty the only aspect of his pietas that can be found wanting, and as much as Aeneas appears to be a truly devoted son it should be noted that he repeatedly fails to protect his family. When one considers those personages in the poem that could be seen as intimate with Aeneas it must be realised that virtually none survive Cruesa, his first wife, is lost at Troy; Dido, debatably his second, commits suicide; Anchises, his father, dies in the port at Drepanum; and finally Pallas, to whom Aeneas is surely a surrogate parent, is slain by Turnus. Only his son and heir, Ascanius, is still standing at the end of Book Twelve. Of course, it may be argued that the hero is culpable for not a single one of these deaths were it not for the fact that, with the exception of Anchises, Aeneas readily confesses to his personal failure in the role of warrior-protector. For instance, he admits to being confused and robbed of his wits when, in Book Two, he quite literally loses his wife

I never saw her again. Nor did I look behind me or think of her or realise that she was lost. (Bk. , p.5)

By his own admission he simply forgets about Cruesa and as a result the encroaching Greek forces slaughter her. He pleads equally guilty to Didos downfall when he greets her shade in the Underworld saying Alas! Alas! Was I the cause of your dying? (6, p.146-7); his question is never answered, but the widows telling silence speaks louder than any words could. And this pattern of self-condemnation is continued in his response to the slaying of Pallas, his ward, where his turn of phrase is similarly unequivocal This is not what I promised Evander, when he took me in his arms (11, p.7). It is important to understand that it is impossible to extricate Aeneas the warrior from the various other roles that he fills in the poem, as lover, as husband, as father, and as son. The character is a complex composite in which all these facets become inextricably bound together and as a result his shortcomings as guardian to his family has an impact on his position as a warrior and as a guardian to the citizens of Troy. Once again Aeneas seems to fall short of the Homeric model and it is worth remembering the value which Odysseus places on oikos (household); his actions throughout the final section of the Odyssey are motivated by a determination to secure not only his material possessions, but also to protect Penelope and Telemachus from the threat of the Suitors.

However, there are moments in the poem where Aeneas appears as neglectful and ineffectual as a military leader, as he does as on the domestic front. This is most particularly, and astonishingly, the case with his complete absence from the conflict in Book Nine. Through Iris speech Virgil elucidates the heros incredible blunder

Aeneas has left his city, his allies and his fleet, and gone to visit the royal seat of Evander on the Palatine. And as though that were not enough, he has travelled as far as the remotest cities [Š] What are you waiting for? (Bk. , p.14)

Aeneas has made two crucial errors firstly he has left his troops leaderless and thus vulnerable; and secondly, he has compounded this initial mistake by travelling such a great distance that both communication with his army, and a swift return in the event of an attack, have become logistically unfeasible. His no-show nature in this book could not provide a greater contrast to Plutarchs description of Aemilius Paullus at the Battle of Pydna (168 BC), who, though filled with fear, put on a happy, smiling face and rode past them [Š] without helmet or breastplate.5 If one were to seek a parallel to such courageous and assertive leadership in Book Nine, it might be rather found in the figure of Turnus, whose tenacity and fearlessness allow him too to charge into the battlefield ahead of his men.6 While Aeneas disorganised and directionless people turn and run in terror (, p.), he enjoys the juice of Bacchus (8, p.15) at the court of King Evander. It is surely an intended irony that he is called the greatest of warriors (, p.15) in this book and were it not for divine intervention, on the part of the ships-turned-nymphs who inform Aeneas of the Rutulian attack, his absence might have resulted in considerably more destruction. Yet, even on his return his competence as military potentate is, at times, to be doubted, and as the truce descends into further conflict in Book Twelve he demonstrates both an inability to manage his troops and lack of awareness as to the severity and immediacy of the situation

Where are you rushing? What is this sudden discord rising among you? Control your anger! (Bk. 1, p.1)

Aeneas is at this moment standing unarmed in the centre of a battlefield and rather than defend himself or attempt to organise his forces he makes this quite pathetic, and most likely unheard, speech. He is, though, punished for such hesitation and sluggishness when he is wounded by an arrow and compelled to retreat from combat as a consequence, leaving his army leaderless for a second time. Only the mysterious healing potion of Venus, his mother, allows him to rejoin the fight, as once again it is the gods that come to Aeneas aid.

Indeed, Aeneas is constantly plagued by an equivocality of mind. Later in the same book the poet notes that conflicting tides seethed in his mind (1, p.17) and it is precisely for this hesitance that the Sibyl of Cumae chastises him (6, p.14). In retrospect it must be noted that Aeneas actions are only ever emphatic when he himself is out of control and in the grip of furor. Nowhere is this more the case than in his response to Pallas death firstly he captures two sets of four sons as, shockingly, human sacrifices; secondly, he slays Tarquitus and proceeds to taunt the mangled corpse with you will be left for the wild birds (10, p.5)7; thirdly, he kills the prostrate Lucagus, cutting short his pleas for mercy; and finally, he puts father and son, Mezentius and Lausus, to the sword. It would be possible to cite Aeneas actions here as indicative of a good warrior and yet in truth he is nothing more than a frighteningly successful killing machine who simply deals out death (10, p. 61). As W.A. Camps states, such brutalities [Š] are altogether at variance with the heros usual humanity.8 The word fury reverberates throughout this passage so as to emphasis that the characters conduct is not calm or considered, but rather the result of an all-consuming and quite unrestrained rage. Plutarch notes that it was the detachment of Aemilius that the Romans found most impressive and in Book Ten Aeneas could not be less rational or more emotional. However, it is the pervasive moral ambiguity in this passage that, more than the protagonists lack of restraint, undermines his position as a soldier, and even Aeneas seems horrified at his own ruthlessness as he holds the young body of Lausus

But when Aeneas, son of Anchises, saw the dying face and features, the face strangely white, he groaned from his heart in pity. (Bk. 10, p.68)

As before, Aeneas is the judge and jury of his own actions and a poignant sense of guilt is infused in this moment of realisation. A Roman warrior is also a moral warrior, and it is the words of Anchises in Book Six, you must be the first to show clemency (6, p.15), that the hero violates when he slays Lucagus and Lausus. And yet, for all his regret and self-condemnation in Book Ten, Aeneas is unable to keep his passions in check when he finally defeats Turnus at the poems close. The Rutulian prince, kneeling as suppliant, begs for his life, but the sight of Pallas baldric deafens Aeneas to his pleas

Blazing with rage, he plunged the steel full into the enemys breast. The limbs of Turnus were dissolved in cold and his life left him with a groin, fleeing in anger down to the shades. (Bk. 1, p.)

Jasper Griffin, in his examination of this final image, points to Virgils use of the word fervidus (blazing with rage) as a denunciation of the heros lack of self-control, and moral deficiency is once again the corollary of Aeneas uninhibited rage. This incident appears all the more shameful when compared with the paradigm offered by Aemilius Paullus

Perseus, however, made a disgraceful spectacle of himself he threw himself on the floor and clasped Aemilius knees, whimpering and pleading [Š] Despite his displeasure, Aemilius raised Perseus to his feet, gave him his right hand.10

The parallel between Aeneas and Turnus, and Aemilius and Perseus is striking to the extent that, names omitted, Plutarchs description might easily provide an antithetical ending to the Aeneid. Aemilius here shows the correct and Roman response to the entreaties of his enemy and it is precisely his clemency, rather than his barbarity, that makes him a good warrior. Equally, though mercy to ones adversaries was less intrinsic to the Grecian morality, Odysseus spares the herald, Medon, in the midst of slaughtering the suitors.11 He is able to contain his passions in a way that Aeneas is not. The Roman model, and more implicitly the Homeric one, requires a warrior to have as much moral strength as physical and intellectual muscle, and Aeneas quite simply fails to achieve this balance.

In Book Eight Aeneas is presented with the shield forged for him by Vulcan, and on it the God of Fire has hammered various scenes and figures from Romes illustrious history (or rather future for Aeneas). Cato, Augustus and Agrippa are particularly prominent on its design, and yet one might question whether Aeneas is deserving of such a prize. He seems inadequate to his descendants, both as a domestic and as a military protector renowned for his pietas, yet easily seduced by Dido; held to be devoted by his father, and yet responsible for the deaths of Cruesa and Pallas; seen as a stoic hero, though his behaviour in Books Ten and Twelve is demonstrative of a lack of self-control and an emotional instability. Aeneas actions are only ever emphatic, such as the slaying of Laucus or Turnus, when they are also morally bankrupt and as a consequence he falls far short of the good warriors that Odysseus, in the Homeric world, and Aemilius, in the Roman, can be seen to exemplify. Virgil may well be credited with the creation of an emotionally complex and ambiguous character, be he certainly cannot be credited with the invention of a good, even a mediocre, warrior.

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