Project 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Project 3 - Essay Example Four ideal qualities of a good citizen that are exhibited by Jazz musicians include self-sacrifice, public spirit, sincere performance of duties and self-control and self-confidence (Heater 198). Most of the jazz artists exhibit these qualities in their own unique way. Self-sacrifice in reference to a good citizen is one who gives up self-interest to the interest of the community. The spirit of service and devotion are upheld by the individual. Such qualities are portrayed by Jazz artists in their work and performances. The desire of every Jazz artist is to keep all Americans entertained without considering their race or color. Benny Goodman was the first white bandleader to hire a black musician into his ensemble. He used his fame in the Jazz music to spread black music. He sacrificed his fame among the white listeners and that of his band all for the purpose of promoting the blacks and black music. The quality of public spirit states that a good citizen shows willingness and readin ess to make it a living interest in all the public affairs. Such a citizen is ready to fight for the rights if other people while taking part in all public activities. Billie Holiday who was a jazz artist was vocal in fighting for the rights of the black people, especially with her song â€Å"Strange Fruit† that was inspired by the lynching of the two blacks, Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith. The artist performed the song every night amid emotions, and this made the civil rights movements to adopt it as their anthem (Peretti 89). Sincerity in the performance of duties means that a citizen performs his/ her duties with sincerity and faithfulness. Such a citizen willingly cooperates with the state officials in the discharge of their duties and remits their taxes just as the law requires them. Jazz artists and musicians perform their duties with devotion and sincerity. Among the most celebrated musicians of jazz and who was also a pioneer of jazz was Louis Armstrong born in 1901. At the age of 13 he started playing the cornet. All through his career life, he dedicatedly played jazz music with the purpose of entertaining the American population. Indiscriminately he played in all concert whether made of white people, black, Asians or Muslims. Self-control and self-confidence requires a good citizen to be sober in temperament and exhibit a lot of self-control in all public dealings. A self-controlled citizen possesses a disciplined character and does not indulge in vicious habits. Duke Ellington who was a master composer of jazz showed his self-confidence and self-control qualities of good citizenship during his entire career life of jazz. At the age of seven, he was confident that he would be a great keyboard player as well as founding the â€Å"swing† era of jazz. He remained a self-controlled person even after the great success that he had in his career. 2. My view of these qualities including additional measures proposed for moving present-day America toward a thriving multi-cultural society A lot of efforts have been directed towards creating a thriving multi-cultural society in the present day America. Along the history of racial oppression among people in the American population, any method available that could completely erase or wipe out the culture of racism in the American population has been embraced. Promoting quality citizenship among the American po

Study Shakespeare's Hamlet and Webster's White Devil to compare the Essay

Study Shakespeare's Hamlet and Webster's White Devil to compare the ways that women in the plays are victims of male pride. Cri - Essay Example Among the female characters of William Shakespeare the role of Ophelia is supreme. She is considered as the most fragile character in his heroines. The attributes of Ophelia are far in high whereas the other female character in the play, Gertrude does not get much acclaim. The character Vittoria in The White Devil has been put to many comments. For many she is considered as the white devil in the play. As the other female characters of the play carry the attributes of innocence and good heartedness the chief lady, Vittoria is remarked for her wisdom, courage and harshness. The present essay tries to make an analysis on the female characters in these two plays. Further, a study is being conducted on the females as victims of male pride in these two plays. True, the Elizabethan and Jacobean attitudes of considering the females are also seen in these plays. As females they had to undergo male dominance and male chauvinism which caused the tragedy of the women characters vividly in these two. Women characters in the play Hamlet: The major women characters who enriched the play, Hamlet are Ophelia, the lover of Prince Hamlet and Gertrude, mother of prince Hamlet. The King of Denmark is killed by Claudius, his own brother and the uncle of prince Hamlet who later marries the former queen, Gertrude. It really infuriates prince Hamlet who was well aware of the plot of his uncle. The ghost of the King Hamlet appears before his son Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus reveals the story of his tragedy. The thoughts of revenge engulf in the mind of young Hamlet and the whole play is centred on his revenge against his uncle Claudius who killed his father and married his mother. The five long acts of the play tells his attempts to take revenge on his uncle and in the meanwhile it can be seen that Ophelia, the daughter of Polonius, the trusted courtier of Claudius is making love with Hamlet. The suffering of Ophelia begins when Hamlet mistakenly kills Polonius by thinking it as Clau dius. She becomes mad due to her father’s death and moreover at the rejection of Hamlet and commits suicide. Christy Desmet (1999, p.11) makes clear assessment about the character of Ophelia when he writes, â€Å"Ophelia is a cipher, or a â€Å"plot device† or pawn used by her father, her lover and Shakespeare himself; at most she seems a â€Å"sacrifice to the general meaninglessness and loneliness pervading the play.† The words of Gabriel A. Rieger (2009, p. 47) is also notable when he remarked thus; â€Å"Ophelia is an inversion to the prince.† Laertes, the brother of Ophelia is ravaged to take revenge on Hamlet and in the final scene it can be seen that the sword of Laertes is poisoned as instructed by Claudius and again a cup of bowl filled with poison was made ready for Hamlet. Meanwhile Gertrude drinks the cup for Hamlet and dies and she at the time of death announces the evil works of her present husband. Laertes wounds Hamlet and is himself woun ded by the poisoned sword. When Laertes is seen dying he tells all about the plans of Claudius and at the end Hamlet stabs Claudius and makes him drink the poison prepared by himself. Thus in the final scene of the play a series of murders can be seen. Gertrude’s death is seen a part of her husband’s folly. Horatio, a friend of Hamlet becomes a witness to all the disgraceful acts that happened at the final scene. Two main characters in the play, Ophelia and