Asylums in Massachusetts McLean and Northampton Essay Example

Shelters in Massachusetts: McLean and Northampton Paper Theoretical Asylums, for example, The McLean Asylum for the Insane situated in Boston, The Worcester Lunatic Asylum, and The Northampton Lunatic Hospital have been around for a long time. Since the 1800s through the 1950s refuges have radically changed in appearance, treatment, determination and numerous parts of the shelter, for example, the food patients are given to eat, and what work the patients get the chance to do while being dealt with. The grounds and structures of havens have made huge upgrades. Treatment has gotten increasingly good and methodical as the decades progress. Every haven has various types of amusement and work that the patients are permitted to do while being treated in the early shelters. Shelter Changes in Massachusetts The primary and most punctual havens in Massachusetts all together incorporate the McLean Asylum for the Insane situated in Boston, The Worcester Lunatic Asylum, and The Northampton Lunatic Hospital. McLean Asylum for the Insane was established in 1818 initially situated in Somerville, at that point moved to Belmont, Massachusetts. In 1895. It is celebrated for its notable neuroscience research and for the enormous number of well known individuals who have been treated there, for example, Ray Charles and James Taylor. We will compose a custom article test on Asylums in Massachusetts: McLean and Northampton explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now We will compose a custom paper test on Asylums in Massachusetts: McLean and Northampton explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer We will compose a custom article test on Asylums in Massachusetts: McLean and Northampton explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer This haven was the main mental emergency clinic In the U. S to ensure it had fundamental clinical research centers. The emergency clinic contemplated natural factors in psychological maladjustment patients. The McLean Asylum was additionally a division of the Massachusetts General Hospital and followed the Quaker standards of good treatment. The Worcester Lunatic Asylum was established in 1832 in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was the first of its sort in Massachusetts. During the principal year that it was opened 164 patients were gotten. The Northampton Lunatic Hospital was established in 1858 and situated in Northampton, Massachusetts. This emergency clinic was later added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Northampton Lunatic Hospital and Worcester Lunatic Asylum were both piece of the Kirkbride Plan. This arrangement was a nineteenth century building style that was placed into impact for some refuges. There have been numerous enhancements since the 1800’s until the 1950’s in structures and grounds, analyze, socioeconomics including recreation, work, food, and patient treatment in these refuges in Massachusetts. Past to the 1800s, patients experiencing psychological maladjustment were covered up and housed in correctional facilities before havens. Benjamin Rush, otherwise called â€Å"The Father of American Psychiatry. † contributed an incredible add up to the treatment of patients. Patients were controlled to Benjamin Rush seats; His treatment strategies likewise included dying, cleansing, and hot and cold showers. (Ozarin, L, 2006). 1800s: Buildings Grounds The Worcester Lunatic Asylum comprises of an inside structure and two wings, the storm cellar is intended for storerooms, a kitchen and pantry. Channels have been laid for water gracefully. The structures were plain, solid and made of block with a zinc rooftop. The structures had separate condos for patients, which were warmed in winter and exceptionally ventilated. They had spaces for occupants just as cooking foundations. For the grounds, uncovering and stoning for the basement done just as development of a street. High fences were put up to isolate the various yards. (Massachusetts General Court Senate, 1837). Amusement Patients are urged to take practice in the homesteads accessible in the justification for them. They are permitted to meander in the carpenters’ shop, stroll in the nurseries, take trips, and partake in-entryway games just as different types of amusement. American Psychiatric Association, 1895). Treatment Bloodletting was not generally utilized in rewarding the crazy patients (American Psychiatric Association, 1895). At the Worcester Lunatic Asylum, as far as arrangement of treatment, representatives of the refuge need to give exceptional consideration to neatness, substantial strength of patients, clean air and re asonable eating regimen. Moral treatment was utilized and profoundly remembered, they used to accept that mankind is the law of adoration. (Massachusetts General Court Senate, 1837). Patients are analyzed for fixes yearly. The patients at Worcester have been all the more profoundly chose. Those considered â€Å"incurables† have no choice of eat less and get minimal clinical treatment and nursing help. Anyway they do require a significant measure of food. 1850s Buildings Grounds In 1888, The Northampton Lunatic Hospital rolled out numerous improvements and enhancements in their structures and grounds. Yards of solid walk have been laid by the patient just as exhuming. for the creatures were raised. The stable for cows and dairy cattle are presently in the storm cellar. The horse shelters were constructed in light of the fact that the interest in milk expanded from the approaching measure of patients being admitted to the emergency clinic. A cool stockpiling building was included too, this stockpiling building for the most part containing apples, potatoes, dairy items and vegetables. Regarding improvement, the expansion toward the south wing of the emergency clinic was taken a shot at. There was a significant requirement for the expansion on account of latrine and shower purposes. A roomy structure with a huge chimney basically for the utilization of the patients was built on the emergency clinic grounds. This structure was an endowment of Miss Martha Eastman of Amherst. A large number of the patients utilized the structures and justification for an impermanent home, a situation to work in and for recreational and practice reasons. (Northhampton Lunatic Hospital, 1907). Numerous different upgrades have been made, for example, people are currently in independent agreeable quarters in their own structures. The pantry is currently considerably more substantial and present day. The kitchen offices were presently multiplied in size. The inside of the female wing had been reconstructed. The wing has bigger windows for light just as new wire-slat roofs that are defensive from flames. Another sanctuary was developed; it would be over multiple times bigger than the one they right now had. Treatment as far as treatment, Most of the patients, eighty-two percent, are viewed as serious Taking the normal of the patients that currently present themselves in Massachusetts, eighteen percent should be reparable, and need dynamic treatment, and eighty-two percent, hopeless, and require mainly broad administration and relieving custodial guardianship. It is accepted that good and clinical treatment is fundamental. (Jarvis, E. 1855). Food At The Northampton Lunatic Hospital, the dozing, eating, individual cleanliness, exercise, diversion and occupation schedules are profoundly requested and checked. Private patients get the chance to eat from a bigger assortment of food. The patients are served bread, oats, cheddar, eggs, natural product, meats, beans, tea, espresso, and vegetables with their dinners. (Northampton Lunatic Hospital, 1907). In another model, if the food isn't considered ‘good’ numerous patients will be come furious or harder to control and oversee. The patients additionally require great consideration and observing from the hospital’s workers. Jarvis, E. 1855). Work At The Northampton Lunatic Hospital, patients help out in zones, for example, in the kitchen, sewing, clothing, carpentry shops, painting, brick work, power work, plumbing and in the nurseries horse shelters and corrals. The patients make brushes, tin product, dress, sleeping pads, and bedding and upholster seats. These m ovement are for the most part done in the modern room, wards, their exercises have even been in shows at the medical clinic for anyone passing by to view. The work people accomplish for the refuge and during their off hours are entirely different. Men were permitted to work in the ranches, accomplish garden work, evaluating, and fencing. For ladies, it was entirely expected to accomplish family unit work, sew shoes, stockings, making floor coverings, basketry, and planting also. Representatives of the shelter should figure out how to accomplish the work and show the patients the right ways before the patients are relied upon to do it. (Northampton Lunatic Hospital 1907). These exercises are done for the primary reason for giving the patients a kind of treatment, many are considerably more joyful on the grounds that they are given work which makes the thought a triumph. 1900s Buildings Grounds Since the 1900s, a lot more enhancements and changes have been made in the structures and grounds. For instance for the Northampton Lunatic Hospital in 1910, the structures were rebuilt and numerous increases were made. The â€Å"Day Barn† had been redesigned to help suit 30 calves and the cellar floor was for the most part to house the 40 cows. Eight sections of land of land was cleared, furrowed, and fenced for the ranch. The hospital working for ladies was just a single story high. Ways between the structures on each floor were fundamental. A sunroom on each floor was additionally being given. Concrete strolls from the parkway up until the passageway of the clinic have been laid making availability simpler for patients. (Hurd, Drewry, Dewey, Pilgram, Blumer, 1916). Another kitchen was assembled; it was presently large enough for the workers to prepare nourishment for a bigger measure of patients. Is it all around ventilated, and has all the cutting edge upgrades. There is a modern butcher’s room, where the meat is gotten and cut up. The food, when cooked, is carried on vehicles through sections in the storm cellar at that point went to the ward where the food is then set up in the eating corridors. In 1898, dynamic changes and increments have been made. Another structure to suit the warming plant, machine shop, and craftsman shop, prepared for e

The synthetic opiate Desomorphine also known as Krokodil Research Paper

The engineered sedative Desomorphine otherwise called Krokodil - Research Paper Example Because of its pharmacologic characteristics, desomorphine shows an expanded capability of causing high reliance. Against the scenery of introductory potential instances of Krokodil use in Western Europe, it is basic to give data with respect to the grave impacts of Krokodil (Gahr, et al. 860). Desomorphine (C17H21NO2), known as dihydrodesoxymorphine was first orchestrated in 1932 in United States of America. The target of this union was planned for giving an option in contrast to morphine as far as dependence properties, resistance an improved symptom profile. On the other hand, desomorphine couldn't accomplish the set targets. Despite what might be expected, this engineered sedative depicted enhanced reliance potential in contrast with morphine. Research on this medication have demonstrate that its pain relieving strength is between 8 to multiple times higher that that of morphine. Furthermore, desomorphine shows a quick beginning of activity and a shorter half-life as far as disposal. Such properties of desomorphine may represent the raised addictive potential as opposed to morphine (Veilleux, et al 161). In the ongoing past, there have been radical events in the quantity of cases in maltreatment of manufactured opiates that are created by craftsmanship procedures from codeine containing prescriptions. Different over the counter tablets and medications provided at cost amicable costs can be utilized for the blend of such engineered sedatives. These codeine containing drugs are exemplified by business names, for example, Codelac, Sedal-M and Codterpin. The aggregate sum of codeine in such drugs is in the scope of 8-10 milligrams. Efficiently alluded to as 4, 5-ÃŽ ±-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-3-ol, desomorphine is gotten from codeine containing tablets with the utilization of phosphorus and iodine. In contrast with codeine itself, this engineered subordinate shows noteworthy quality on effect on the body. Significant disadvantages are experienced in the portrayals of potential results in

Random Post While Reading Apps.

Random Post While Reading Apps. Im sitting at my desk in my robe right now. Im on my 5th cup of coffee. I ate some Count Chocula. Nice visual. For those not familiar with the life of the Admissions Counselor at MIT, here it is: We get applications, we get a lot of applications. We then need to read those applications and since we have so many to read, we often find it more efficient to do it at home. Thats why Im here. So, Im taking a break because I need to post something. The blogs have been dormant for a few days but for good reason. Have you read Lydias post? Get on it here. I hope when youre done, you realize, that whatever youve prioritized in your life, none of that is more important than your health. I also hope you realize that if you need help, there are good people out there who are willing to help no strings attached. What else is going on around here? Lets see. I have four windows open: 1.) One has an EA application Im reading. (Hes an interesting guy big into Chess.) 2.) Another is TextWrangler which I use to take notes about prospective students Im reading. (And write this.) 3.) The third is Chrome, where Im now searching around for a new text editor that supports my retina display resolution. (recs?) 4.) The fourth is also Chrome where Im doing some research about my India trip. Im going next week. Nice little trip to Mumbai for 4 days, Delhi for 2 days, and Gujarat for about a week. (GFs family background.) You might ask why Im going to India for such a short amount of time? Well, the answer is that taking vacation in the peak of application reading season is about the silliest thing an Admissions Counselor can do. Its a long story. Ok, I need to get back to reading. I have a lot of apps to read so do me a favor. Be yourself. I dont want to read your grandmas essay that sounds like it should be entered in a fiction contest. The horses shimmering mane glistened with sea spray as we galloped along the edge of the pink sand the concerns of the world blowing through my hair, never to be reacquired. (This isnt real, I just totally made this up, but you get the point.) Whats wrong with, I love horses. We have one named Ted. Ted and I get along great because we both like the beach? I guess this is just a question of style. If the first example is more your speed then by all means go for it. I meant it when I said I wanted you to be yourself. See you later, Labs

Should Abortion Be Legalized Essay - 1068 Words

The topic that I chose for my argumentative essay is about the topic of abortion. Abortion has been a controversial topic for a very long time. The dictionary definition of abortion is â€Å"A medical procedure used to end a pregnancy and cause the death of the fetus†(Merriam-Webster). Many people believe that this procedure is wrong and immoral. These people, who are categorized as â€Å"pro-lifers†, often times forget that by making abortion illegal does not mean that abortion will be stopped. In fact by making abortion illegal you will cause the number of unsafe abortions to go up which can cause a much higher mortality rate in women seeking an abortion. This makes the term â€Å"pro-life† somewhat ironic because of the future implications of their†¦show more content†¦Not only would she have no money, but she would also lose the chance to go to school and get an education. By having an abortion she would not have to deal with all of the issues like t hese, though she would have to deal with the emotional aspect of deciding to terminate the fetus which would be a decision that should be left to that person, not a law. She would hopefully learn from her mistake and use this experience to affect her more positively than negatively. Another reason for keeping abortion a legal procedure is that religious ideology is no foundation for any law. Many people who are â€Å"pro-life† are so because of their religious ideology. By creating laws based on religious ideology we begin to break down the barriers between the separation of church and state. Instead of the law protecting all people now, it will only protect those whose moral compass is the same as the morals within a certain religion. Unfortunately, not everyone is religious and abides by the same morals. Just because you believe something should be a certain way does not mean it should apply to everyone around you, because they may be in a different situation that you are. Forcing your personal beliefs on to an individual is wrong. People have the ability to decide by if they would like to carry out a pregnancy or not. The beliefs of others should not be the fulcrum for her decision, but rather her own beliefs. If someone does not like abortions, they do notShow MoreRelatedShould Abortion Be Legalized?1357 Words   |  6 Pagessaid Margaret Sanger (Quotes About Abortion). An abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy. 69% of women that have abortions are economically disadvantaged (The Demographics Of Abortion: It s Not What You Think). This is one of the reasons abortions should stay legalized, over half of the women would have been struggling to take care of their child without it. Abortion was legalized on January 27, 1973 in a 7-2 decisionRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legalized?1495 Words   |  6 Pagesbetter, whom the president should be or who or if at all, we should be at war with; no one can unanimously agree on any topic in this country. This is no different then with the current hot topic of abortion. Abortion, although legal in this country, is still treated and viewed as taboo because of a dominantly Christian-American society. Some Christi ans make it seem that if you are pro-choice then you are pro-murder. However this is not the case. I will explain what abortion really is and why it isRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legalized?869 Words   |  4 Pages Abortion has become a common argument topic in America; numerous individuals consider themselves pro-life and others pro-choice. Those who consider themselves pro-life oppose abortion, while those who are pro-choice advocate for abortion to be legalized. I believe that abortion should be illegal and that life should be recognized upon conception. Almost all abortions occur during the first trimester when the fetus cannot live outside of the mother’s body. People who are pro-choice believe thatRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legalized?1172 Words   |  5 Pages Although some believe abortion is morally and ethically wrong should it be legal for victims of rape or incest who have no other alternative? Pro-Life advocates believe as horrible as abortion is, the baby is still innocent of any crime. Nobody should be killed for the crime of another person. While Pro-Choice advocates believe if a woman is pregnant by rape, compassion demands that she be allowed to abort. On the other hand, the pro-life vs pro-choice debate tends to overlook the fact that theRead MoreAbortion Should Not Be Legalized972 Words   |  4 PagesAbortion is killing over 1.4 million unborn children in a year (â€Å"They’re Not†). For example, there was the case where a doctor got arrested for killing seven babies and a patient. The clinic he had was described as the house of horror by detectives because doctor Gosnell kept baby parts on a shelf in his clinic. In addition, it was said that he â€Å"forced the live birth of viable babies in the sixth, sevent h, and eighth-month pregnancy and then killed those babies by cutting into the back of the neckRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legalized?1200 Words   |  5 PagesAbortion is a very hot topic that has been repeatedly contended over for the past few years. The argument is should abortion be legalized or not? First before we get into the many sides of abortion we must to know what is abortion. Abortion means ending a pregnancy before the fetus can live independently outside the world. If abortion happens unplanned before 24 weeks of pregnancy. It is called a miscarriage. Abortion is caused design to order to end the pregnancy (Brown, 2013). This can be completeRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legalized?1680 Words   |  7 Pagesrights. A hot topic that is one of the most refuted in today’s society is abortion. One may not see abortion to be acceptable, although, does it make it right to take away that right from someone else? It has taken women a lot of fight and willpower to gain ri ghts to their own bodies, illegalizing abortion would take that right away. Therefore, the question is, should abortion continue to be legalized? First and foremost, abortion can be seen as a way of having full control over one’s personal body.Read MoreAbortion Should Be Legalized Or Not?1902 Words   |  8 PagesDecember 2014 Abortion should be legalized or not? Abortion in itself is a very controversial topic and different people has different views on it some says it should be legalized while others in the other hand says legalization of abortion can create a lot of problems. Abortion is the spontaneous or induced termination of pregnancy before fetal viability. According to WHO, abortion is the pregnancy termination prior to 20 weeks gestation or a fetus born weighing less than 500 grams. Abortion may be self-induced;Read MoreShould Abortion Be Legalized?1685 Words   |  7 Pagesagainst women having an abortion, no matter what situation they are in, the point of women having their own rights should include whether they choose to have their own kid or not. The United States today is very divided on the whole abortion issue, typically republicans are against it calling theirselves â€Å"pro-lfe† and democrats are typically for abortion and they call theirselves â€Å"pro-choice.† Abortion had been practiced in the United States ever since 1880, but it wasn t legalized nationwide untilRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legalized?1799 Words   |  8 PagesAbortion across America Teenage pregnancy has become a norm in America. Sex education is gradually losing significance among the youth. Despite the wide range of contraceptives, many young women are continually getting pregnant. Additionally, the number of young boys and girls ruining their lives at an early stage as a result of quick moments of pleasure is alarming. Moreover, the advancement in technology is an increasingly contributing factor to the high rates of teenage pregnancy (Garfield

The Leaked Secret to Samples Scholarship Essay Uncovered

The Leaked Secret to Samples Scholarship Essay Uncovered Samples Scholarship Essay Fundamentals Explained There's a greater likelihood of the scholarship committee throwing the essay paper in case it doesn't concentrate on the subject. Having us to address any of the issues that you may face when coming up with scholarship essay topics will be recommended for you. If it's an assigned reading in class, the student might not have come from the other side of the article previously and so will have to familiarize themselves with the content and the kind of the author. The very first step to any essay writing is to choose a subject of interest. The very first reading of the short article is vital, as it assists the reader to contact the author of the report to be reviewed. In the conclusion, the author summarizes the key points of the write-up and also connect the exact same wit their opinion on the issue. Possessing another man or woman reading the essay is essential. The coming of the article review essay needs to be catchy and inform the readers about the topic they're likely to discuss. Plan a response carefully and ensure you keep on topic throughout. The very first area of the article review writing process is reading the write-up to be reviewed for the very first time. Writing an article review has over time was shown to be a tough assignment for a lot of the students. The Most Popular Samples Scholarship Essay Obtaining scholarship is just one of the greatest strategies to attain education and training to develop into a fantastic leader. Students basically should write the method by which they implement their theoretical knowledge in practical life to be able to attain success. They need to adopt a unique approach to deal with the theme. The majority of the students aren't acquainted with that style. Samples Scholarship Essay - What Is It? A sample is offered below for the better knowledge of students. Reading online samples seems pointless to plenty of applicants. Elaborate the information which you want to discuss and be sure they are presented accordingly. Therefore, you don't need to be concerned about your private information whenever you order with us. Proofreading is a significant part of writing a scholarship essay, particularly if you're asking for a foreign program. Writing a scholarship essay may not be a very simple job for many students. A creative writing catches the eye, and it could become your passport to a brand-new academic journey. Don't forget to begin your essay strongit should have the capability to spark the interests of your readers. Jun 17, the essay is able to help you write. Students are also requested to compose scholarship essays on several social problems. Scholarship essay isn't a paper at which you can forgive yourself misspellings or formatting inaccuracy. Scholarship essays are a severe matter. Scholarship essays, as its name implies are essays necessary to secure a scholarship. The Battle Over Samples Scholarship Essay and How to Win It There are some rather important things you may learn from an internet sample. Considering all the knowledge areas and tips that you're already conscious of in writing a scholarship letter, you may easily put together all of the information that you should make sure you and your scholarship letter will stick out. There are various letter documents and essay examples that are employed in the sphere of education. It's evident that most students find it tricky to submit completely free error sample essay for financial need scholarship since mostly they give plagiarized content only because they copy the preci se information found on the web.

Fool Chapter 4 Free Essays

string(25) " of France and Burgundy\." FOUR THE DRAGON AND HIS WRATH[18] â€Å"Don’t despair, lad,† I said to Taster. â€Å"It’s not as grim as it looks. The bastard will stay Edgar and I’m relatively sure that France and Burgundy are buggering each other and would never let a princess come between them – although I’ll wager they’d borrow her wardrobe were it not guarded – so the day is saved. We will write a custom essay sample on Fool Chapter 4 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Cordelia will remain in the White Tower to torment me as always.† We were in an antechamber off the great hall. Taster sat, head in hands, looking paler than normal, a mountain of food piled before him on the table. â€Å"The king doesn’t like dates, does he?† asked Taster. â€Å"Not likely he’ll eat any of the dates that were brought as gifts, right?† â€Å"Did Goneril or Regan gift them?† â€Å"Aye, a whole larder they brought with them.† â€Å"Sorry, lad, you’ve work ahead, then. How it is you’re not as fat as a friar, with all you’re required to eat, is beyond me.† â€Å"Bubble says I must have a city of worms living up my bum, but that ain’t it. I’ve a secret, if you won’t tell anyone – â€Å" â€Å"Go on lad, I’m hardly paying attention.† â€Å"What about him?† He nodded to Drool, who was sitting in the corner petting one of the castle cats. â€Å"Drool,† I called, â€Å"is Taster’s secret safe with you?† â€Å"As dim as a snuffed candle, he is,† said the git in my voice. â€Å"Telling a secret to Drool is like casting ink in the night sea.† â€Å"See there,† said I. â€Å"Well,† said Taster, looking around as if anyone would want to be in our miserable company. â€Å"I’m sick a lot.† â€Å"Of course you are, it’s the bloody Dark Ages, everyone has the plague or the pox. It’s not like you’re leprous and dropping fingers and toes like rose petals, is it?† â€Å"No, not sick like that. I just vomit nearly every time I eat.† â€Å"So you’re a little chunder-monkey. Not to worry, Taster, you keep it down long enough for it to kill you, don’t you?† â€Å"I reckon.† He nibbled at a stuffed date. â€Å"Duty done, then. All’s well that ends well. But back to my concerns: Do you think France and Burgundy are poofters,[19] or are they, you know, just fucking French?† â€Å"I’ve never even seen them,† Taster said. â€Å"Oh, quite right. What about you, Drool? Drool? Stop that!† Drool pulled the damp kitten out of his mouth. â€Å"But it were licking me first. You said it was only proper manners – â€Å" â€Å"I was talking about something completely different. Put the cat down.† The heavy door creaked open and the Earl of Kent slipped into the room, as stealthy as a church bell rolling down stairs. Kent’s a broad-shouldered bull of a fellow, and while he moves with great strength for his grandfather years, Grace and Subtlety remain blushing virgins in his retinue. â€Å"There you are, boy.† â€Å"What boy?† said I. â€Å"I see no boy here.† True, I only stand to Kent’s shoulder, and it would take two of me and a suckling pig to balance him on a scale, but even a fool requires some respect, except from the king, of course. â€Å"Fine, fine. I just wanted to tell you not to make sport of feebleness nor age tonight. The king’s been brooding all week about ‘crawling unburdened to the grave.’ I think it’s the weight of his sins.† â€Å"Well, if he weren’t so dog-fuckingly old there would be no temptation toward mirth, would there? Not my fault, that.† Kent grinned then. â€Å"Pocket, you would not willfully hurt your master.† â€Å"Aye, Kent, and with Goneril and Regan and their lords in the hall there’ll be no need to jest geriatric. Is that why the king has kept company only with you this week, brooding upon his years? He hasn’t been planning on marrying off Cordelia then?† â€Å"He’s spoken of it, but only as part of his entire legacy, of property and history. He seemed set on a course to hold the kingdom steady when I last left him. He bade me leave while he gave private audience to the bastard, Edmund.† â€Å"He’s talking to Edmund? Alone?† â€Å"Aye. The bastard drew on his father’s years of service for the favor.† â€Å"I must go to the king. Kent, stay here with Drool, if you would. There’s food and drink to hold you. Taster, show good Kent the best of those dates. Taster? Taster? Drool, shake Taster, he appears to have fallen asleep.† Fanfare sounded then, a single anemic trumpet, the other three trumpeters having recently succumbed to herpes. (A sore on the lip is as bad as an arrow in the eye to a trumpeter. The chancellor had them put down, or maybe they’d just been made drummers. They weren’t blowing bloody fanfare, that’s all I’m saying.) Drool put down his kitten and climbed to his feet. â€Å"With grave offense to daughters three, Alas, the king a fool shall be,† said the giant in a lilting female voice. â€Å"Where did you hear that, Drool? Who said that?† â€Å"Pretty,† said Drool, massaging the air with his great meaty paws as if caressing a woman’s breasts. â€Å"Time to go,† said Kent. The old warrior threw open the door into the hall. They stood all around the great table – round after the tradition of some long forgotten king – the center open to the floor where servants served, orators orated, and Drool and I performed. Kent took his place near the king’s throne. I stood with some yeomen to the side of the fire and motioned for Drool to find a place to hide behind one of the stone pillars that supported the vault. Fools do not have a place at the table. Most times I served at the foot of the king, providing quips, criticisms, and brilliant observations through the meal, but only after he had called for me. Lear had not called for a week. He came into the room head up, scowling at each of his guests until his eye lit on Cordelia and he smiled. He motioned for everyone to sit and they did. â€Å"Edmund,† said the king, â€Å"fetch the princes of France and Burgundy. You read "Fool Chapter 4" in category "Essay examples"† Edmund bowed to the king and backed toward the main entrance of the hall, then looked to me, winked, and motioned for me to come join him. Dread rose in my chest like a black serpent. What had the bastard done? I should have cut his throat when I’d had the chance. I sidled down the side wall, the bells on the tips of my shoes conspicuously unhelpful in concealing my movement. The king looked to me, then away, as if the sight of me might cause rot on his eye. Once through the door Edmund pulled me roughly aside. The big yeoman at the threshold lowered the blade of his halberd an inch and frowned at the bastard. Edmund released me and looked bewildered, as if his own hand had betrayed him. (I bring food and drink to the guards when they are on post during feasts. I believe it is written in the Obfuscations of St. Pesto: â€Å"In nine cases out of ten, a large friend with a poleax shall truly a blessing be.†) â€Å"What have you wrought, bastard?† I whispered with great fury and no little spit. â€Å"Only what you wanted, fool. Your princess will have no husband, that I can assure, but even your sorceries won’t keep you safe if you reveal my strategy.† â€Å"My sorceries? What? Oh, the ghost.† â€Å"Yes, the ghost, and the bird. When I was crossing the battlement, a raven called me a tosser and shat on my shoulder.† â€Å"Right, my minions are everywhere,† said I, â€Å"and you’re right to fear my canny mastery of the heavenly orbs and command of spirits and whatnot. But lest I unleash something unpleasant upon you, tell me, what did you say to the king?† Edmund smiled then, which I found more unsettling than his blade. â€Å"I heard the princesses speaking amongst themselves about their affections for their father earlier in the day, and was enlightened to their character. I merely hinted to the king that he might ease his burden with the same knowledge.† â€Å"What knowledge?† â€Å"Go find out, fool. I’m off to fetch Cordelia’s suitors.† And he was away. The guard held the door and I slipped back into the hall and to a spot near the table. The king, it seemed, had only then finished a roll call of sorts, naming each of his friends and family at court, proclaiming his affection for each, and in the cases of Kent and Gloucester, recalling their long history of battles and conquests together. Bent, white-haired, and slight is the king, but there is a cold fire in his eye still – his visage puts one in mind of a hunting bird fresh unhooded and set for its kill. â€Å"I am old, and my burdens of responsibility and property weigh heavily on me, so to avoid conflict in the future, I propose to divide my kingdom among younger strengths now, so I may crawl to the grave light of heart.† â€Å"What better than a light-hearted grave crawl?† I said softly to Cornwall, villainous twat that he is. I crouched between him and his duchess, Regan. Princess Regan: tall, fair, raven-haired, with a weakness for plunging red velvet gowns and another for rascals, both grievous faults had they not played out so pleasurably for this teller of tales. â€Å"Oh, Pocket, did you get the stuffed dates I sent you?† Regan asked. And generous to a fault as well. â€Å"Shhhhhh, bunny cunny,† I shushed. â€Å"Father is speaking.† Cornwall drew his dagger and I moved along the table to Goneril’s side. Lear went on: â€Å"These properties and powers I will divide between my sons-in-law, the Duke of Albany and the Duke of Cornwall, and that suitor who takes the hand of my beloved Cordelia, but so I may determine who shall have the most bounteous share, I ask of my daughters: Which of you loves me most? Goneril, my eldest born, speak first.† â€Å"No pressure, pumpkin,† I whispered. â€Å"I have this, fool,† she snapped, and with a great smile and no little grace, she made her way around the outside of the round table and to the opening at the center, bowing to each of the guests as she went. She is shorter and rather more round than her sisters, more generously padded in bosom and bustle, her eyes a grey sky short of emerald, her hair a yellow sun short of ginger. Her smile falls on the eye like water on the tongue of a thirst-mad sailor. I slid into her chair. â€Å"A handsome creature is she,† I said to the Duke of Albany. â€Å"That one breast, the way it juts a bit to the side – when she’s naked, I mean – does that bother you at all? Make you wonder what it’s looking at over there – bit like a wall-eyed man you think is always talkin’ to someone else?† â€Å"Hush, fool,† Albany said. He is nearly a score years older than Goneril, goatish and dull, methinks, but somewhat less of a scoundrel than the average noble. I do not loathe him. â€Å"Mind you, it’s obviously part of the pair, not some breast-errant off on a quest of its own. I like a bit of asymmetry in a woman – makes me suspicious when Nature’s too evenhanded – fearful symmetry and all. But it’s not like you’re shaggin’ a hunchback or anything – I mean, once she’s on ‘er back it’s hard to get either one of them to look you in the eye, innit?† â€Å"Shut up!† barked Goneril, having turned her back on her father – which one is never supposed to do – in order to scold me. Bloody clumsy etiquette that. â€Å"Sorry. Go on,† said I, waving her on with Jones, who jingled gaily. â€Å"Sir,† she addressed the king, â€Å"I love you more than words can say. I love you more than eyesight, space, and liberty. I love you beyond anything that can be valued, rich or rare. No less than life itself, with grace, health, beauty, and honor. As much as any child or father has loved, so I love thee. A love that takes my breath away and makes me scarcely able to speak. I love you above all things, even pie.† â€Å"Oh bollocks!† Who had said it? I was relatively sure it was not my voice, as it hadn’t come from the normal hole in my face, and Jones had been silent as well. Cordelia? I scooted out of Goneril’s chair and scampered to the junior princess’s side, staying low to avoid attention or flying cutlery. â€Å"Bloody buggering bollocks!† said Cordelia. Lear, refreshed from his shower of flowered bullshit, said, â€Å"What?† I stood then. â€Å"Well, sirrah, lovable as thou art, the lady’s profession strains credibility. It’s no secret how much the bitch loves pie.† I crouched again quickly. â€Å"Silence, fool! Chamberlain, bring me the map.† The distraction had worked, the king’s ire had turned from Cordelia to me. She took the opportunity to poke me in the ear-lobe with her fork. â€Å"Ouch!† Whispered, yet emphatic. â€Å"Tart.† â€Å"Knave.† â€Å"Harpy.† â€Å"Rodent.† â€Å"Whore.† â€Å"Whoremonger.† â€Å"Do you have to pay to be a whoremonger? Because strictly speaking – â€Å" â€Å"Shhh,† she said, grinning. She poked me in the ear again, then nodded toward the king, that we should pay attention. The king pointed to the map with a bejeweled dagger. â€Å"All these lands, from here to here, with rich farmlands, bounteous rivers, and deep forests, I do grant to Goneril and her husband, Albany, and to their offspring in perpetuity. Now, we must hear from our second daughter. Dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall. Speak.† Regan made her way to the center floor, looking down at her older sister, Goneril, as she passed, as if to say, â€Å"I’ll show you.† She raised her arms out to her sides, trailing the long, velvet sleeves down to the floor so she described the shape of a grand and bosomy crucifix. She looked to the ceiling as if drawing inspiration from the heavenly orbs themselves, then pronounced: â€Å"What she said.† â€Å"Huh?† said the king, and verily â€Å"huh† was echoed around the room. Regan seemed to realize that she should probably go on. â€Å"My sister has expressed my thoughts exactly – as if she may have looked at my notes even before we here entered. Except I love thee more. In the list of all senses, all fall short, and I am touched by nothing but your love.† She bowed then, looking up a bit to see if anyone was buying it. â€Å"I’m going to be sick,† said Cordelia, probably louder than was really necessary, as were the coughing and gagging noises she perpetrated thereafter. Deflecting, I stood and said, â€Å"She’s been touched by a bit more than his majesty’s love, I dare say. I mean, in this very room I can name – â€Å" The king shot me his best Must I chop off your head? look and I fell silent. He nodded and looked to the map. â€Å"To Regan and Cornwall I leave this third of the kingdom, no smaller or less valuable than that bestowed upon Goneril. Now, Cordelia, our joy, who is courted by so many eligible young nobles, what can you say to receive a third more opulent than your sisters?† Cordelia stood at her chair, not making her way to the middle of the room as her sisters had. â€Å"Nothing,† she said. â€Å"Nothing?† asked the king. â€Å"Nothing.† â€Å"You’ll get nothing for nothing,† said Lear. â€Å"Speak again.† â€Å"Well, you can’t blame her, really, can you?† I interjected. â€Å"I mean you’ve given all the good bits to Goneril and Regan, haven’t you? What’s left, a bit of Scotland rocky enough to starve a sheep and this poxy river near Newcastle?† I’d taken the liberty of going over to the map. â€Å"I’d say nothing is a fair start for bargaining. You should counter with Spain, majesty.† Now Cordelia moved to the center of the room. â€Å"I’m sorry, Father, that I can’t heave my heart into my mouth like my sisters. I love you according to my bond as a daughter, no more, no less.† â€Å"Be careful what you say, Cordelia,† said Lear. â€Å"Your dowry is draining away with every word.† â€Å"My lord, you have sired me, raised me, and loved me. I return those duties back, as is proper: I obey you, love you, and most honor you. But how can my sisters say they love you above all? They have husbands. Don’t they have to reserve some love for them?† â€Å"Yes, but have you met their husbands?† said I. There was growling from various points around the table. How can you call yourself a noble if you’ll just start growling for no reason. Uncivilized, it is. â€Å"When I shall marry, you can rest assured that my husband will get at least half my care and half my love as well. To say anything else I’d be lying to you.† This was Edmund’s doing, I was sure of it. Somehow he’d known that Cordelia would answer this way and had convinced the king to ask the question. And she did not know that her father had been wrestling with his own mortality and worth for the week. I hopped over to the princess and whispered, â€Å"Lying now would be the better part of valor. Repent later. Throw the old gent a bone, lass.† â€Å"So this is how you feel?† asked the king. â€Å"Aye, my lord. It is.† â€Å"So young and so untender,† said Lear. â€Å"So young, my lord, and true,† said Cordelia. â€Å"So young, and so bloody stupid,† said the puppet Jones. â€Å"Fine, child. So be it. Let your truth be your dowry, then. For by the radiance of the sun, the dark of the night, all the saints, the Holy Mother, the orbs of the sky, and Nature herself, I disown you.† In his spirituality Lear is – well – flexible. When pressed for a curse or a blessing he will sometimes invoke gods from a half-dozen pantheons, just to be sure to catch the ear of whichever might be on watch that day. â€Å"No property, land, or title shall be yours. Cannibals of darkest Merica, who would sell their own young in the meat market, shall be closer to me than you, my used-to-be daughter.† I wondered about that. No one had ever seen a Merican, being as they are mythical. Legend goes that in the name of profit they did sell the limbs of their own children as food – that was before they burned the world, of course. Since I didn’t expect a state visit from the merchant cannibals of the apocalypse anytime soon, it appeared my liege was either herniating the metaphor or speaking the tongue of a frothing nutter. Kent stood then. â€Å"My liege!† â€Å"Sit down, Kent!† the king barked. â€Å"Come not between the dragon and his wrath. I loved her the best, and hoped that she would take care of me in my dotage, but since she doesn’t love me enough, only in the grave will there be peace for Lear.† Cordelia looked more confused than hurt. â€Å"But, Father – â€Å" â€Å"Out of my sight! Where is France? Where is Burgundy? Finish this business! Goneril, Regan, your younger sister’s share of the kingdom shall be divided between you. Let Cordelia marry her own pride. Cornwall and Albany shall divide the power and property of a king evenly. I shall retain only my title and enough of a stipend to maintain one hundred knights and their carriers. You shall keep me from month to month in your own castles, but the kingdom shall be yours.† â€Å"Royal Lear, this is madness!† Kent again, now making his way around the table to the center floor. â€Å"Careful, Kent,† said Lear. â€Å"The bow of my anger is bent, don’t make me loose the arrow.† â€Å"Loose it if you must. You’d kill me for being bold enough to tell you that you’re mad? The best of loyalty is that a loyal man has the courage to speak plainly when his leader moves to folly. Reverse your decision, sir. Your youngest daughter doesn’t love you least because she’s quiet, any more than those who speak loudest are the most sincere.† The older sisters and their husbands were on their feet at that. Kent glared at them. â€Å"No more, Kent,† the king warned. â€Å"On your life, not another word.† â€Å"What has my life ever been, but a thing I risked in service for you? Protecting you? Threaten my life as you will, it will not stop me from telling you that you do wrong, sir!† Lear started to draw his sword then and I knew he had truly lost all sense of judgment, if turning on his favorite daughter and closest advisor and friend hadn’t shown it already. If Kent decided to defend himself he’d go through the old man like a scythe through a wheat straw. It was unfolding too fast, even for a fool to stay the king’s blade with wit. I could only watch. But Albany moved quickly down the table and stayed the king’s hand, pushing his sword back down into the scabbard. Kent grinned then, the old bear, and I saw that he wouldn’t have drawn blade on the old man at all. He would have died to make his point to the king. What’s more, Lear knew it, too, but there was no mercy in his eye and the madness had gone cold. He shook himself free of Albany’s grasp, and the duke backed away. When Lear spoke again his voice was low, restrained, but palsied with hate: â€Å"Hear me, thou traitorous ferret. No one challenges my authority, my decisions, or my vows – to do so on British land is death, and in the rest of the known world is war. I’ll not have it. Your years of service noted, I give you your life, but only your life, and never again in my sight. You have five days, Kent, to provision yourself, and on the sixth day, turn your back on our kingdom forever. If twelve days pass and you are still in the land, your life is forfeit. Now go, this is my decree and it shall not be revoked.† Kent was shaken. This was not the blade he had braced for. He bowed then. â€Å"Fare thee well, king. I go, for I dare to question a power so high that you give it away for a flattering tongue.† He turned to Cordelia then: â€Å"Take heart, girl, you’ve spoken truly and done nothing wrong. May the gods protect you.† He turned on a heel, putting his back to the king, something I’d never seen him do before, and marched out, pausing only a second to look at Regan and Goneril. â€Å"Well lied, you spiteful bitches.† I wanted to cheer the old brute, write a poem for him, but the hall had fallen silent and the sound of the great oaken door closing behind Kent echoed through the hall like the first thunder of a world-breaking storm. â€Å"Well,† said I, dancing to the middle of the floor. â€Å"I think that went about as well as could be expected.† How to cite Fool Chapter 4, Essay examples

Overtones By Gerstenberg Essays - Alice Gerstenberg,

Overtones By Gerstenberg In Alice Gerstenberg's "Overtones", she presents two deceitful women, both insanely envious of the other, who meet one day over coffee. Two other actors living out their true feelings and being honest show the jealous, rude, but truthful, side of each of the women. The real women put on an act, saying or doing nothing that they actually feel towards each other; they are entirely dishonest. The play illustrates how envy leads straight to hatred and unhappiness, which I believe to be the theme. How can you love yourself when you are longing to be someone else, wanted everything they have and hating them for it? The message I got from the play was that deep jealously has only negative effects and to be happy you must be your true self and true to yourself. The play made me see how silly it is when one puts on phony layers to impress another. Because there were two different mindsets of the women, I would have two of everything, one on a lower stage and then a set just like it on a raised stage. The women hid their true feelings, so I would place the primitive ones on the raised stage back from the audience, behind a layer of sheer material. The raised stage can be thought of somewhat like a mind bubble. As everyone shows a fake side of himself sometime, I want the audience to relate to the play and to see themselves in somewhat of a similar situation. I want there to be known tension between the real women, but I also want to create humor between the counterparts as a relief of the tension between the two different women, using a lot of sarcastic language and actions. I want the audience to leave feeling thankful for what they have.