death penality essays

death penality essays Ignorance has many forms, and all of them are dangerous. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries our chief effort has been to free ourselves from tradition and superstition in large questions, and from the error in small ones upon which they rest, by redefining the fields of knowledge and evolving in each the distinctive method appropriate for its cultivation. (Peters, 1985) What is torture? From the Roman jurists of the second and third centuries to the historians and lawyers of the present, those who have taken the most trouble to consider the question have come up with remarkably similar answers. In the thirteenth century, the Roman lawyer Azo gave this definition: Torture is the inquiry after truth by means of torment. In the twentieth century legal historian John Heath wrote: By torture I mean the infliction of Physically founded suffering or the threat immedialty to inflict it, where such infliction or threat is intended to elicit, or such infliction is incidental to means adopted to elicit, matter of intelligence or forensic proof and the motive is one of military, civil, or ecclesiastical interest. (Peters, 1985) The reason I had to say a little about torture is that it is a form of punishment that for many centuries was carried out in the name of the law. I cannot believe that for many centuries it was acceptable to torture someone to try to get the truth about a crime. Torturing someone does not get the truth to come, out it simply gets the person to tell you what you want to hear just to get the torture to stop. Reading through several books I had to ask myself isn't the death penalty a form of torture? Ernest Van Den Haag writes: I have heard moral philosophers express the view that although capital punishment could not be approved, its abolition is an impossible political goal. To struggle in behalf of the vicious and wicked requires more tolerance than most people can muster. There are other...

The Taming of The Shrew Themes

'The Taming of The Shrew' Themes Lets examine the two major themes that drive Shakespeares  The Taming of The Shrew. Theme: Marriage The play is ultimately about finding a suitable partner for marriage. The motivations for marriage in the play vary enormously, however. Petruccio is only really interested in marriage for economic gain. Bianca, on the other hand, is in it for love. Lucentio has gone to great lengths to win Bianca’s favour and to get to know her better before committing to marriage. He disguises himself as her Latin teacher in order to spend more time with her and to gain her affections. However, Lucentio is only permitted to marry Bianca because he has managed to convince her father that he is incredibly rich. Had Hortensio offered Baptista more money he would have married Bianca despite her being in love with Lucentio. Hortensio settles for marriage to the widow after his marriage to Bianca is refused. He would rather be married to someone than have no one. It is usual in Shakespearian comedies that they end in marriage. The Taming of the Shrew does not end with a marriage but observes several as the play goes on. Moreover, the play considers the impact that a marriage has on family members, friends and servants and on how a relationship and bond is formed thereafter. There is a form of elopement where Bianca and Lucentio go off and marry in secret, a formal marriage between Petruccio and Katherine where the social and economic contract is key, and the marriage between Hortensio and the widow which is less about wild love and passion but more about companionship and convenience. Theme: Social Mobility and Class The play is concerned with social mobility which is ameliorated through marriage in Petruccio’s case, or through disguise and impersonation.  Tranio pretends to be Lucentio and has all the trappings of his master while his master becomes a servant of sorts in becoming a Latin teacher for Baptista’s daughters. The Local Lord at the beginning of the play wonders whether a common Tinker can be convinced he is a lord in the right circumstances and whether he can convince others of his nobility. Here, through Sly and Tranio Shakespeare explores whether social class is to do with all the trappings or something more fundamental. In conclusion, one could argue that being of high status is only of any use if people consider you are of that status. Vincentio is reduced to a ‘faded old man’ in Petruccio’s eyes when he is encountered on the way to Baptista’s house, Katherine acknowledges him as a woman (who could get any lower on the social strata?). In fact, Vincentio is super powerful and rich, his social status is what convinces Baptista that his son is worthy of his daughter’s hand in marriage. Social status and class are therefore very important but transient and open to corruption. Katherine is angry because she does not conform to what is expected of her by her position in society. She tries to fight against the expectations of her family, friends and social status, her marriage ultimately forces her to accept her role as wife and she finds happiness in finally conforming to her role. In the end, the play dictates that each character must conform to his position in society. Tranio is restored to his servant status, Lucentio back to his position as a rich heir. Katherine is finally disciplined to conform to her position. In an additional passage to the play even Christopher Sly is returned to his position outside the alehouse having been stripped of his finery: Go take him easily up and put him in his own apparel again and lay him in the place where we did find him just underneath the alehouse side below.(Additional Passages Line 2-4) Shakespeare suggests it is possible to cheat class and social boundaries but that the truth will win out and one must conform to ones position in society if we are to live a happy life.