Beowulf as Epic - 823 Words

What makes an epic? Is Beowulf an epic? ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · What is an epic poem, and how does it differ from other kinds of poetry or storytelling? How have epic poems traditionally been transmitted from generation to generation? How do tellers remember these long and complicated stories? According to Robert Harris’s Glossary of Literary Terms, he defines an epic as the following: Epic. An extended narrative poem recounting actions, travels, adventures, and heroic episodes and written in a high style (with ennobled diction, for example). It may be written in hexameter verse, especially dactylic hexameter, and it may have twelve books or twenty four books. Characteristics of the classical epic include these: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · The main character or†¦show more content†¦9. BEOWULF is set in a male-dominated world full of violence and danger. What role does patriarchal history play in this world? Why does it matter to the warriors who their ancestors were? 10. How is BEOWULF structured? How does this structure relate to the theme or themes of the work as a whole? 11. What role does the mead-hall play in Anglo-Saxon warrior culture? What is the proper relationship between a lord and his warriors? What examples can you find throughout Beowulf? 12. What is the role of women in the heroic culture of Beowulf? 13. How does treasure function in Beowulf? How do the characters and the poet seem to feel about the element of gold, as it appears throughout the poem? 14. What role do the digressions play in Beowulf? What light do they shed on the main action? 15. Is Beowulf an ideal hero and king? Is there anything lacking in his character? 16. Would you say that the characters in Beowulf are as psychologically complex those in modern works of literature? Do they undergo any development as the poem progresses? References (APA) Harris, Robert(2010). A Glossary of LIteratary Terms. Retrieved 27 December 2011.Show MoreRelatedBeowulf : The Epic Of Beowulf1027 Words   |  5 Pages To begin, Beowulf the poem has a unknown author, Beowulf is an epic poem. In Beowulf he is challenged by the murderous monster Grendel, Grendel is eating and slaughtering Hrothgar the King of the Danes men and people, the king needs Beowulf s help in defeating Grendel, Beowulf ends up killing the monster and is now tormented by the monster s mother that is much larger, she is no match for Beowulf and he kills her as well, lastly it is Beowulf’s last battle after he has been king of Geatland forRead MoreThe Epic Of Beowulf By Beowulf2577 Words   |  11 Pagesoriginal aspects of these different religions. Due to the construction of this Beowulf, students and professors are able to study and get a true understanding of a pagans’ demeanor and how life evolves through their eyes. Throughout the epic poem Beowulf, paganism is exemplified as this epic hero falls victim to fate while embarking on his journey through life fighting monsters and chasing after his fame. To begin with, Beowulf was composed in Old English by an anonymous writer between the sixth and seventhRead MoreThe Epic of Beowulf733 Words   |  3 PagesBeowulf is the oldest anglo-saxon poem written in English. The poem describes the heroic deeds of Beowulf in his fight against monsters. Even if the events narrated in the poem take place in Denmark, the poem was transmitted by oral language between the anglo-saxon even 200 years after its creation. Anglo-saxons did not consider themselves british, but vikings, and their heroes were always from Scandinavia. The author of Beowulf is anonymous. The original poem was written on sheep tanned leatherRead More Epic of Beowulf Essay - Beowulf as Epic Hero844 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf as Epic Hero Epic heroes usually exemplify the character traits most admired in their societies, and Beowulf is no exception.   Beowulf is set in the Anglo-Saxon society, a time when war was rampant among the many peoples trying to take over the different kingdoms of England.   In this dangerous, violent time people lived in constant peril and jeopardy.   These conditions only allowed people of great bravery to survive and men of outstanding courage were admired the populous.   TheseRead MoreThe Epic Of Beowulf As An Epic Hero1519 Words   |  7 Pageswhisked away following a journey, you have most likely read an epic. An epic by definition is â€Å"a long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation†. Every epic has a main character that undergoes the same archetypal journey as all other heroes, an epic hero. There are specific qualities one must have to be considered an epic hero. Each epic hero possesses superhuman strength, displays a strong senseRead MoreComparing Beowulf And The Epic Of Beowulf937 Words   |  4 Pagesthe Roman Empire. In the story Beowulf, his actions portray him, indeed be an epic hero. Both Christianity and Paganism are both portrayed throughout the epic Beowulf. Beowulf frequently speaks of God throughout the story, while there are also many Pagan elements that are evident throughout the story as well. In addition, It s hard to ignore the Christian and Pagan elements in Beowulf. These types of elements are what define the heroic warrior in the epic Beowulf(Vengeance the Pagan and ChristianRead MoreThe Epic Of Beowulf As An Epic Hero711 Words   |  3 Pagesthan the writer. These â€Å"epic heros† are protagonists that fulfill their potential of greatness through using their bravery, strength and humility for good. The near ancient tale of Beowulf is a classic example of an epic story that contains an epic hero. In this tale Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, has been terrorized by a beast known as Grendel. This beast has been murdering the king’s people and no one has come close to stopping this killer. A Geat warrior named Beowulf hears of the King’s predicamentRead MoreThe Epic : An Analysis Of The Epic Of Beowulf701 Words   |  3 PagesBeowulf is one of the longest surviving Anglo-Saxon poem. The epic takes place in the sixth century in what is now Denmark and Sweden. The poem opens with Hrothgar, whose successful rule is signified by a glorious mead-hall called Heorot. For 12 years, a massive man-like ogre named Grendel, a descendant of Cain, has raided Heorot and killed the kings warriors. Beowulf, a young warrior from Geatland (Sweden), comes to Hrothgar’s aid, bringing 14 of his best men with him. At a feast before the endRead MoreBeowulf : An Epic Hero930 Words   |  4 Pages The story of Beowulf shows its reader many characteristics of why this Anglo-Saxon poem is an epic. First of all, Beowulf is a warrior of epic renown by the time he formally introduces himself in the poem. Next, Beowulf is the warrior that many strive to be in life. In addition, Beowulf finds himself tackling many quests that involve dangerous beasts, or as he might call them, demons. The next quality shown by Beowulf is his bravery and honor. The reader is able to easily identify this characteristicRead MoreCulture And Values : The Epic Of Beowulf And Beowulf1260 Words   |  6 PagesAnalyzation of the Beowulf Epic and the Beowulf and Grendel Film The epic tale of Beowulf was written sometime after his death. In other words, a long time ago during the Anglo-Saxon period. Today, directors in Hollywood did not keep from creating their own rendition of this epic poem As a result, plenty of modern interpretations of Beowulf, such as Sturla Gunnarsson’s Beowulf and Grendel, have been released. Naturally, the cultural values that might be reflected in modern Beowulf renditions will

Origins and Use of Amaranth in Prehistoric America

Amaranth is a grain with high nutrition value, comparable to those of maize and rice. Amaranth has been a staple in Mesoamerica for thousands of years, first collected as a wild food, and then domesticated at least as early as 4000 BC. The edible parts are the seeds, which are consumed whole toasted or milled into flour. Other uses of amaranth include dye, forage and ornamental purposes. Amaranth is a plant of the family of Amaranthaceae. About 60 species are native to the Americas, whereas less numerous are the species originally from Europe, Africa, and Asia. The most widespread species are native to North, Central and South America, and these are A. Cruentus, A. caudatus, and A. hypochondriacus. Amaranthus cruentus, and A. hypochondriacus are native of Mexico and Guatemala. The first one is used in Mexico to produce typical sweets called alegrà ­a, in which the amaranth grains are toasted and mixed with honey or chocolate. Amaranthus caudatus is a widely distributed staple food both in South America and in India. This species originated as one of the staple foods for the ancient inhabitants of the Andean region. Amaranth Domestication Amaranth was probably widely used among hunter-gatherers in both North and South America. The wild seeds, even if small in size, are produced in abundance by the plant and are easy to collect. Evidence of domesticated amaranth seeds comes from the Coxcatlan cave in the Tehuacan valley of Mexico and dates as early as 4000 BC. Later evidence, like caches with charred amaranth seeds, has been found throughout the US Southwest and the Hopewell culture of the US Midwest. Domesticated species are usually larger and have shorter and weaker leaves which make the collection of the grains simpler. As other grains, seeds are collected through rubbing the inflorescences between the hands. Use of Amaranth in ancient Mesoamerica In ancient Mesoamerica, amaranth seeds were commonly used. The Aztec/Mexica cultivated large quantities of amaranth and it was also used as a  form of tribute payment. Its name in Nahuatl was huauhtli. Among the Aztecs, amaranth flour was used to make baked images of their patron deity, Huitzilopochtli, especially during the festival called Panquetzaliztli, which means â€Å"raising banners†. During these ceremonies, amaranth dough figurines of Huitzilopochtli were carried around in processions and then divided up among the population. The Mixtecs of Oaxaca also recognized a great importance to this plant. The precious Postclassic turquoise mosaic covering the skull encountered within Tomb 7 at Monte Alban was actually kept together by a sticky amaranth paste. Cultivation of amaranth decreased and almost disappeared in Colonial times, under the Spanish rule. The Spanish banished the crop because of its religious importance and use in ceremonies that the newcomers were trying to extirpate. Sources Mapes, Christina and Eduardo Espitia, 2001, Amaranth, in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures, vol. 1, edited by David Carrasco, Oxford University Press. pp: 13-14 Sauer, Jonathan D., 1967, The Grain Amaranths and Their Relatives: A Revised Taxonomic and Geographic, Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, Vol. 54, No. 2, pp. 103-137

Company overview Free Essays

string(74) " its operations by avoiding cultural conflicts as well as social effects\." British petroleum (BP) is one of the largest energy companies dealing in fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services and petroleum products. The company’s international headquarters is in London. The company has operations in more than 100 countries and employs over 96,000 people. We will write a custom essay sample on Company overview or any similar topic only for you Order Now The company has products under the BP, Castrol, Arco, am/pm, and Wild Bean Cafe brand (BPplc, About Bp, 2009). The company operates under two major business segments; exploration and production, refining and marketing and BP alternative energy. The company basically finds, extract, move oil and gas. The company also makes fuels and products, sells fuels and products as well as generating low carbon energy in a responsible way. The company operates in six continents; South America, North America, Europe, Australasia, Asia and Africa (Vault. com, 2009). BP is also well known for its innovative technology which aims at providing energy to meet the customers demand through efficient products. Investing in low carbon energy is also another option that the company is exploring (BPplc, About Bp, 2009). Strategic audit The strategic audit of a corporation is an eight step process that generally encompasses a holistic analysis of the company. The basic aim in strategic audit is to establish the current position which will help the company chart the way forward. A strategic audit helps the company to formulate strategies and select the best strategic alternative(s) for implementation. The first step is the analysis of the current situation. This involves the audit of the current performance and strategic posture. Current performance is evaluated in terms of profitability, market share, and return on investment. Strategic posture looks at the mission, objectives, strategies and policies (BPplc, 2009 Strategy presentation, 2009). The second step is a look at the corporate governance. This means analysis of the board of directors and top management in terms of their structure, names and contribution to the company Scanning the external environment for opportunities and threats is the next step of a strategic audit. Under this stage, the company looks at the societal environment, task environment and finally listing all the above factors. The next step is the analysis of the internal environment i. e. strengths and weaknesses. Here, the corporate structure, culture, resources (marketing, finance, research and development, operations and logistics, human resource management and information systems) is looked into. A summary of these factors is then prepared (BPplc, 2009 Strategy presentation, 2009). After looking at the external and internal environments, the company then analyses its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT). These are then linked to the company’s mission and objectives to establish any relevance. The next step of the strategic audit is the analysis of the strategic alternatives in order to select the best strategy (ies) to be recommended. The recommendation should be justified by looking at the potential, changes and impacts of the strategy. After making the recommendations, the next step is the implementation of the proposed strategy (ies). The implementation will include assigning duties on who is to develop these strategies. The financial aspect and operating procedures should be analyzed. The last step of the strategic audit is the evaluation and control. Evaluation and control involves a look at the current information system i. e. whether it can provide sufficient feedback and whether there are enough controls (BPplc, 2009 Strategy presentation, 2009). Strategic Alternatives In formulating the best strategic alternatives, the company has to consider the economic, socio-cultural, political-legal, technological and financial strengths and challenges facing the company. Economic environment This involves looking at the economic environment. The company operates in an industry that has other large companies e. g. Shell, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Total and other smaller companies. All these companies have the resources and technical ability to compete at the same level as BP Plc. This is why the company has focused on cost reduction through measures like staff reduction and efficient production. The company has also focused on alternative energy e. g. solar and wind. This is as a result of the challenging operating environment where there has been a growing shift to green energy that has minimal pollution. In an industry faced with rising production costs, the company has been on track by focusing on means and ways of reducing their costs. The focus has been on reducing the number of staff and reducing the number of senior positions in the company by 20%. This strategy has borne fruit with the flattening of the cost curve of the company while those of the competitors keep on rising. The company’s focus on new technologies has resulted into improved production capacity. In fact the overall production trend for all the major companies has been declining. BP Plc. has defied this trend by increasing its production in the year 2007-2008. The technology used by the company includes Advanced Gas Injection and Water flood technologies that have enabled the company to push the limits of the reservoirs. The drop in oil prices means declining revenues. In order to increase revenues, the company has focused on reducing the performance gap by restoring revenues in areas like Toledo, improving supply optimization in petrochemical and marketing. The company area of focus for petrochemicals is Asia where there is rising demand. The company has also established value chains for its fuel production. Value chains are those activities that create value from the supply to the final delivery to the consumer. This has been achieved through integrated supply and trading which has lead to more revenues. In a bid to increase its oil reserves, the company has also partnered with TNK of Russia. The partnership has resulted in 30% increase in production. Socio-cultural The company has tried to endear itself to the community in which it operates. BP achieves this through training and employing local staff at all levels. The aim here is to be a local company by creating partnerships with the local community. BP strategic aim is to reduce the levels of resistance to its operations by avoiding cultural conflicts as well as social effects. You read "Company overview" in category "Papers" The company has entered into partnerships with the local community in terms of education, encouraging enterprise, fostering good governance, partnership in public health, access to energy, giving and volunteering, safeguarding human rights, as well as development through community case studies. All these activities are targeted at enhancing and fostering the relationship between the company and all the community in which it operates thus reducing conflicts between the community and the company. Political-legal Some of the challenges that the company could face are the political/ legal. This is because the company has operations in many countries that may be subject to political instability. To mitigate this, the company has formed partnerships with local companies and thus reduces resistance towards the company consequently the company is able to increase its operations and revenues. Rigid legal regimes concerning the operations of foreign companies may negatively impact the operations of the company. The company has reduced this by engaging in partnerships with local companies. Taxation and licensing may vary from country to country. This may have negative impacts on the company’s operations. Exploration and production rights may not be granted to the company. BP has overcome this challenge by partnering with the governments of respective countries through agreements. Technological In a bid to improve its operations and increase productivity, the company has adopted innovative technologies. Some of these technologies include the Bright water which uses new inter-well polymer treatment which ultimately improves water flood Recovery. The Company has focused on technology to come up with innovative approaches that can increase production as well as solve energy challenges Financial information BP plc has been able to grow its net income by 39% to $26. 2 billion which is the highest growth rate registered by major energy companies. Cash flow from operations also grew 54% to $ 38. 1 billion on a year on year percentage basis. The company was also the only super major to register growth in reported volumes in new reserves. The company registered a growth of 1% on year on year percentage basis. Apart from operations, the company utilizes debt to finance its activities. The debt is at the rate of 20-30%. All these financial data indicates that the company is focused on growth by efficiently using its cash resources to generate more sales and improve on the shareholders wealth by engaging in share buy backs. Recommended strategy Based on the analysis of all the above factors, some of the available strategies are; – Cost reduction strategies – Alternative energy by diversification – Focus on growing markets growth – Creating value on existing products – Partnership to grow – Technology leadership – Continuous improvement These strategies can be broadly classified into two directional i. e. growth and retrenchment strategies. The company can utilize the growth strategies in its upstream segment (exploration and production) and retrenchment strategies on its down stream business (refining, convenience, refining) (Wheelen, 2006) Implementation of the strategy Strategy implementation involves all the activities and choices that are required for the execution of a strategy. The implementation process basically deciding who is to carry out the plan what must be done and how are the selected people selected to carry out the strategic plan going to do it (Wheelen, 2006). These strategies are normally executed by various heads of business segments subordinated by other employees within the business segments. This has been done through budget allocations, programs that indicate the time frame in which the various strategies need to be implemented and the use of procedures e. g. the Operating Management System that covers employee capabilities to risk assessment. Some of the programs used by the company are those of closing the performance gap which runs from 2008 to 2011, and the reduction of the number of employees in refining and marketing from mid 2007 to the end of 2009 by 3,500. After deciding on who and what must be done, the company must decide on how the strategy is going to be implemented. How a strategy is to be implemented might involve developing new organizational structure. For BP plc, to implement some of its strategies, the company has decided to eliminate certain senior and junior positions. Evaluation and control This is the process by which a company can monitor its corporate activities and performance results in order to compare the actual performance with the desired performance. Evaluation and control provides a feedback mechanism where corrective measures can be taken where necessary (Wheelen, 2006) Evaluation and control can be summarized into the following 5 steps – Determine what to measure – Establish standards of performance – Measure actual performance – Compare actual performance with the standards – Take corrective action The company has set out plans to reduce costs and improve on efficiency on its operations. The company wants to grow its upstream business (exploration and production) while at the same time turning around its downstream business. Upstream business growth is measured by growth in reserves, increased replacement percentage, and getting more out of reservoirs. Downstream business is to be improved through cost reduction by restructuring the company’s operations e. g. by downsizing and recapitalizations Improved bottom-line, high reserve replacement percentages, efficient operations, growth in reserves are some of the standards of performance that the company uses to gauge performance. Actual performance is measured at specified times e. g. for BP plc, restoring revenues from refining performance, improved supply optimization and margin capture in petrochemical and marketing has a time frame of 2008-2011 The comparison of actual performance against standard performance has to be done in order to establish the current position for example in 2008; the production grew 1. 5% while the replacement reserve was 136% which was more than the minimum 100% replacement. If the actual performance does not match the expected results, then corrective action needs to be taken. An example is the restoration of capacities in Texas City so as to boost refining and consequently revenues. References BPplc. (2009, March 3rd). 2009 Strategy presentation. Retrieved April 15th, 2009, from Bp. com: http://www. bp. com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/STAGING/global_assets/downloads/I/IC_bp_strategy_presentation_march_2009_script. pdf BPplc. (2009, March 3rd). About Bp. Retrieved April 15th, 2009, from Bp. com: http://www. bp. com/marketingsection. do? categoryId=2contentId=7013628 Vault. com. (2009, April 14th). Indusrty Overview. Oil and Gas. Retrieved April 15th, 2009, from Vault. com: http://www. vault. com/nr/main_article_detail. jsp? article_id=22843159cat_id=0ht_type=7. Wheelen, J. D. (2006). Essentials of Strategic Mnagement. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. (BPplc, 2009 Strategy presentation, 2009) How to cite Company overview, Papers

Training and Prosocial Organizational Behaviors-Free-Samples for Stude

Question: Discuss about The relationship between training and prosocial organizational behaviors. Answer: Introduction Some of the fundamental features of the human resource management are training and organizational behavior. Proper training is provided by the experts to the new employees of the organization. The organizational behavior is such an aspect that is measured from the ways the employees of the particular organizations behave (Hendry, 2012). This also reflects the organizational culture as well. In this paper, the main purpose will be to draw a relationship between pro-social organizational behaviors and training of the employees. Training Training is an organized procedure in the organizations. The employees must be given a proper training so that they can enhance their skills and show their worth by delivering the expected performance for the organizations. The employees should be trained in a way by which they can adjust to all the changes in the organizational environment. All the required knowledge, ability and skills can be obtained by the employees if they go through a proper training indeed (Hendry, 2012). Pro-social organizational behaviors Pro-social organizational behaviors are considered to be very important behaviors that are elemental for the success of the organizations. These pro-social organizational behaviors have a huge implication on the overall performance of the organizations (Hazzi Maldaon, 2012). The organizations will be able to survive properly if they perform the pro-social organizational behaviors properly. The pro-social organizational behaviors are generally enacted by the individuals of an organization when he carries out his or her functions for the organization by communicating with his colleagues. There are certain kinds of pro-social organizations that can be highlighted in this context. They are employee-directed pro-social behavior (altruism), compliance, customer0directed pro-social behaviors, whistle-blowing and others. Relationship between pro-social organizations and training It has been a matter of discussion as proper training of the employees could lead to the success of the organization from all the directions (Hazzi Maldaon, 2012). If the employee-directed pro-social organizational behaviors are not properly performed the employees will not learn the ways they should conduct with their colleagues and most importantly with their clients (Armstrong Taylor, 2014). The organization can function smoothly only if the employees are well-organized and behave properly according to the ethics of the organization. The experts should always behave well and co-operate with the workers. These particular behaviors are very necessary for the survival of the organizations (Hazzi Maldaon, 2012). These things are also taught in the training process. This is considered to be one of the most interesting responsibilities for the human resource managers. They should incur the sense of responsibility in the employees through proper training (Armstrong Taylor, 2014). It is believed by some experts that taking up the additional roles or the extra roles is a part of the pro-social organizational behaviors and the employees should be trained by the human resource managers properly (Ford, 2014). All these things should be directed towards meeting the organizational goals and achieve organizational success. Conclusion The paper can be concluded by saying that pro-social organizations are really very inspiring for achieving the organizational success. It is the responsibility of the HR managers to make the employees efficient enough to comply with the needs of the organizations. References Armstrong, M., Taylor, S. (2014).Armstrong's handbook of human resource management practice. Kogan Page Publishers. Ford, J. K. (2014).Improving training effectiveness in work organizations. Psychology Press. Hazzi, O. A., Maldaon, I. S. (2012). Prosocial organizational behaviors: The lifeline of organizations.European Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Sciences,54, 106-114. Hendry, C. (2012).Human resource management. Routledge.