The Victor Poet C.W. Longenecker Essay Example For Students

The Victor Poet: C.W. Longenecker Essay But sooner or later, the man who wins Is the man who thinks he can. I really Like this poem because It reminds me that before anything I do. I have to have my mind free and have a clear head, not think about the what ifs, or the maybe and just go do it. Youve got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win the prize. I think the meaning of this poem is to remind us, that everyone is Just the same as us. And that if we have enough heart we can do it. But sooner or later, the man who wins Is the man who thinks he can. The poetic devices used are ABACA throughout the poem. We will write a custom essay on The Victor Poet: C.W. Longenecker specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Out of My Way Seethes Out of my way Out of my, way I can? T pass up this opportunity to make myself absurd, I can? T pass up this opportunity to let myself be heard. Would you, like to, be the one who sees me lose this all, Would you, like to, be the one who sees me fall. Nobody? S goanna stand In my way Nobody? S goanna stand in my way Give it up son, doing? This my way You like to think the worst is over now, but you cant breathe at all You like to think you? Re owed a favor now, man you? Eve seen it all Did you, want to, be the one who pushed me off the wall, Did you, want to, be the one who let me fall. You can? T hold me down.. Give it up, doing? This my way Out of my way This song is poetry to me because it rhymes in every verse Did you, want to, be the one who pushed me off the wall, Did you, want to, be the one who let me fall. The poetic device used in the beginning is BABY then it goes to AAA later in the song. Snow By Tyler Urban Snow falling softly Blanketing over the ground Beautiful it looked Life Life is amazing Treat everyday like its your last Swiftly Tyler Urban The snow falls swiftly Swiftly through the air snow falls Snow may never end Life is pitiful The days never end with you Eve waited my life Band camp Tyler urban One time at band camp I saw a beautiful girl So I said hello Rhyming poems I have gone places I should not gone. I have done things I should not done. I have been a bad model For my toddle. I have seen through hell, But still I come back. Eve failed plenty things but still I have my wings. Eve been down before but still I will outscore. Stupid Swimming Swimming is dumb it is not a lot of fun Id rather be on a long run UT dont get in a fight you might need some light. You swim by yourself you can pride oneself on Just being by myself When you want to quit have another go at it. Just breath for a bit. Sonnet Love has passed. You fell into the rainbow of my heart Mixing colors lightly tugged and stared Never knowing where it might re-start Leaving mistrust without a slight care Never paying attention to their lead Knowing now, I need to get my mind strait True love is never close yet I feel freed Realizing that I know this much too late Written into mystery was our fate Soft words of molten wax did leave their trace Seemingly I know it makes no debate Seductive, reckoning sweet embrace You drowned me when you knew no difference The nails around my heart knew no defense. Free Verse Sadness One day alone on the road I drive to the end of the world Just to see myself by myself The sadness deepens with every passing minute Knowing that the loneliness never ends The gas always flows but alone I still am I drive for you You do not notice me I could be yours But if I was it Alone I am Alone you are Cry, cry, Teardrop through each minute were Not.

Europe and the West Essays

Europe and the West Essays Europe and the West Essay Europe and the West Essay human insignificance Josephine Baker: US †+ FR; singer, dancer, actress; first black to star in major motion picture, integrate in US concert hall; world famous entertainer; Civil Rights contributions International Monetary Fund: after WW2, 40s; pool of collective money to borrow; 29 †+ 188; int. economic cooperation, int. rade, employment, balanced exchange rate; info and influence on everyones econ. Policies Treaty of Versailles: WWI Germany must accept responsibility, disarm, give back territory, and pay reparations; 130bn marks; War Guilt; blame DE for starting war and destruction; blame socialists, communists, Jews, outsiders for selling out the country; started WW2 pretty much The Great Depression: 1930s, originated in US; income, tax revenue, prices and profits ropped worldwide; int. rade plummeted 50%; unemployment high; heavy industry cities suffered most; ended after WW2 Battle of Britain: WW2 air campaign: DE vs I-JK; 1940; fought entirely by air forces; super iority over RAF (royal air force); terror bombing; did not destroy UK air defenses or get them to surrender so DE defeated 14 Points: terms for German surrender in WWI; 1918; disarm, decolonize, redraw Doraers, A-H as one nation, ae-occupy Balkan territory, Independent polar-to, Tree trade, freedom of seas, League of Nations United Nations: 1945, international cooperation, after WW2 to replace League; 51 †+ 193; peacekeeping, security, human rights, economic development, humanitarian assistance; paralyzed until after Cold War Armenian Genocide: 1915-7 Ottoman Empire; 2 mil †+ 400k; blamed for siding with Russia in WWI; portrayed as liability to security; dangers of nationalism; inspired Hitler Spanish Influenza: 1918 killed healthy people; 3-5% of pop; 500m; during war times; hunger; medicine fails (virus not bacteria); troop ships; lox US deaths WWI; war aided spread; public places closed

MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 'The role of Management Essay

MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 'The role of Management Accountants at Tesco Plc' - Essay Example Accordingly, the study findings revealed that management accountants are imperative as decision makers to modern organizations and play a crucial role to ensure adequate organizational sustainability in the long run. In the present state, management accountants form an important facet of any organization. When concerning at the business environment currently persistent in the global platform, management accountants play an important role of providing useful information to the decision makers of the organisation, and thereby, facilitate alignment in the financial planning and its overall business goals (Accenture, 2011). Globalization has also been a major reason for the changing role of management accountants in the present organizational context. Nowadays, management accountants have also been bestowed with the responsibilities for analysing, preparing, interpreting the financial data as well as delivering information about the current strategic position of the organization. Every business planning and decision taken within an organisation is today related with financial matters, wherein financial stability is perceived as a key requirement towards ensuring long-run sustainability of the entity (CIMA, 2009). Evidently enough, the role played by management accountants has become more complex as compared to their initial functions within the organisational management domain. This particular factor can be better understood with the help of practical illustrations, taking example of an organisation. With this particular motif, the study has considered Tesco Plc as the organisation, and hence, reference will be drawn to identify the role of management accountants in the current phenomenon. Management accountants are often considered as the oxygen of financial department and the overall organisation. It is in this context that with the changes observed in the organizational working patterns, the role

Human Resource 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Resource 2 - Coursework Example Therefore, an organizational structure is aimed at coordinating, regulating, and reducing uncertainty in the employee’s behavior (Ratna 5-9). Nevertheless, the organization structure can be classified in to two; the first is the centralized organization structure whereby authority reigns in the top management and orders given have to be obeyed. This structure mainly applies in the military. The second one is the decentralized organization structure, which gives room for decisions to be made at lower hierarchy levels like in the case of a fast food franchise whereby each restaurant in the chain makes its own decisions, thus responsible for its actions. Fast food companies can be analyzed as Quick Service Restaurant where food is prepared and served very quickly. According to the independent news, Britain’s appetite for fast food was increasing, hence, there is need to introduce more fast food restaurants. The Eagles’ Fast Food Company seeks to operate in the Unite d Kingdom in some years in the future. Due to high competition in fast food business in the United Kingdom, the company should be in a position to achieve a competitive advantage. Therefore, the decentralized organizational structure is the most suitable one mainly because a fast food company yields too many restaurants in different parts of a country for efficiency sakes. Hence, each restaurant must have a subunit manager, such that the authority granted to these managers acts as a way of training them for incase of senior positions in the future. The other advantage is that employees feel empowered, hence yielding satisfaction in their work and eventually, they are motivated to even work harder. In addition, the senior management can have time to focus on the pressing and demanding issues at hand, since the unit mangers are taking care of subunits’ issues. Unlike the centralized organizational structure, which may hinder operational efficiency, the decentralized authority i nvolves employees in decision making thus enhances efficiency in the company. 5.2 Task 2 Identify an organization in the Public Sector. Through your own research, present an analysis of the organization’s approach to employee relations. An employee relation consists of the task involved in maintaining employer-employee relationship, which yields satisfaction, motivation, and morale. Hence, employee relations aims at preventing and solving issues that arise at the place of work involving employees, and could affect their jobs. British council is a public sector organization that enhances awareness of the United Kingdom’s democratic values and processes via working together with other countries to enhance good governance and human rights. However, according to the British council policy, the organization insists that employment relationships must be governed by equality and opportunity. Their policy encourages communication between the employees and management, and furth er states that it is only through communication that the management is aware of the employee’s needs, expectations, and grievances. Hence, the policy acknowledges that spirit in which the managers and employees interact with each other determines the relations of both parties in the place of work. In addition, the company encourages the training of

Performance appraisal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Performance appraisal - Research Paper Example Performance Appraisals should be able to minimize the gap between the evaluation that an employee receives on a particular performance and the actual results the individual has achieved. However, this is seldom achieved. Studies have been conducted on the efficacy of performance appraisal as social and the emotional factors or the cognitive process on performance appraisal has been assessed. While it is vehemently believed that performance appraisal can have positive implications and help improve organizational effectiveness, these studies suggest that organizations have not been able to achieve the intended objectives in conducting performance appraisal. This paper reviews the perceived benefits of performance appraisal and the constraints that have hindered the development of an effective performance appraisal system. Literature Review Performance Appraisal has been defined as the "formal evaluation of an employee's job performance in order to determine the degree to which the empl oyee is performing effectively" (Griffin & Ebert, 2002 cited by Schraeder, Becton & Portis, 2007). Performance management is about improving performance but is often forgotten (Hendry et al, 2006). Aligning with corporate objectives and goals The PA system should be strategically aligned with corporate objectives and goals to achieve the intended results. This requires careful thinking and serious planning as the administrative, developmental, and strategic needs have to be integrated (Caruth & Humphreys, 2008). Therefore, an effective PA system should reflect formalization, job relatedness, standards and measurements, validity, reliability, open communication, trained appraisers, ease of use, employee accessibility to results, review procedures, and appeal procedures. Through written employee handbook the employees should be made aware of the formal procedures and policies. The appraisal factors should account for success or lack of success in performing a job. These should be well understood and uniformly interpreted by all appraisers. For meaningful appraisal standards should be thoughtfully set so that it ensures integration of information into the overall strategic process of the organization. Benefits of PA Performance appraisals are used to determine employee compensation, merit pay, while also facilitating human resource management functions. PA can also provide information about the effectiveness of the firm’s selection and placement programs, in addition to identifying training needs (Pettijohn et al, 2008). The most important function is to provide information and direction to employees which would lead to enhanced performance. PA is meant to gather information for personnel decisions such as rewards, promotion, transfers or termination (Kennedy & Dresser, 2001). It is also used as a tool to identify weaknesses which helps identify training and development needs. However, seldom is there focus on personality traits and behavior. According to Schraeder, Becton and Portis (2007) performance appraisals have definite benefits such as enhanced communication, enhanced employee focus by promoting trust; it leads to goal setting and enhanced performance. Facilitating communication reduces employee uncertainty, according to Schraeder et al while inhibiting or hindering communication is an organizational weakness (Caruth & Humphre

Rogier van der Weyden Biography

Rogier van der Weyden Biography Rogier van der Weyden, one of the most well-known and influential Netherlandish painters of the fifteenth century, was born in the city of Tournai in Belgium in about 1400. A son of a cutler, after completing his apprenticeship with Robert Campin, he moved to Brussels where he was made the official painter to the city. He also undertook important commissions for the greatest members of the Burgundian court, including the famous Duke Philip the Good. His career was extremely successful. He quickly established a prosperous workshop and an international reputation. Van der Weydens powerful religious paintings reflect an intense personal belief; his portraits are often characterised by a tender, reflective godliness. His expressive, naturalistic style was widely imitated, and set the pattern for Netherlandish painting and had a profound effect on Europe as a whole. Brussels Official Painter About 1427 Rogier van der Weyden was apprenticed to Robert Campin, then a leading painter of Tournai. Because the age of twenty six would have been rather late for doing that, some scholars argue that the painter probably only formally registered when he saw the possibility of establishing himself as an independent master. In his article on van der Weyden for example, A.J. Wauters points out that no text now remains, by which accuracy of the statement that Rogier began his apprenticeship in 1427, as made by the copyist of the register of painters of Tournai, called Recuiel de St. Luc, can be tested. For him the date seems improbable as Rogier was then already a husband of Elisabeth Goffaert and the father of a son named Corneille. It is almost certain for the author, that the copyist must have made a mistake, perhaps writing 1427 instead 1417. And, as early as 17th of November 1426, on one of Rogiers visits to Tournai, the Magistrate offered him the wine of honour, in recognition of the gleam which he castes on his town. His career had opened already then, under the greatest patronage, says Wauters. In French-speaking Tournai, Rogier was known as de la Pasture. The name was translated to Van der Weyden when he moved to Flemish Brussels. Before 1435, he settled there and was appointed official painter to the city. The new title led to official commissions such as the four panels on the theme of justice painted for the court room of the Town Hall. They illustrated the justice of Trajan and Herkinbald, a legendary Duke of Brabant, and were intended as a permanent reminder to the judges of their well-known family. This vast project must have taken several years to complete. The first panel bears the date 1439, and it is assumed that the others were finished in the 1440s. Rogier may have worked as a sculptor before he became a painter. As a rule, painters in those days were familiar with sculpture. Not only did they polychrome statuary, but one of the challenges to the art of painting was to create the illusion of sculpture, especially on the outsides of the shutters of an altarpiece. Rogiers father is said to have been a sculptor, and Robert Campin is mentioned as both, painter and sculptor. The artist was involved in various works for the city, including designs for decorative schemes and sculptures. It seems that Van der Weyden did not have to travel in search for employment, as we know of only one journey: in 1450 he went to Italy, visited Rome and Ferrara (the portrait of Lionello dEste dates from this time, the altar panels at Frankfort and Florence are likely of the same period). The Major Commissions His employment as town painter did not stop van der Weyden accepting other commissions. Rogier did a great deal of portrait paintings, particularly because after Jan Van Eycks death he was the most renowned painter in the Netherlands. In his time, the court resided mainly in Brussels, where it claimed his services, and the demand for portraits of nobility gradually grew. Brussels was a favourite residence of the Burgundian duke, Philip the Good, for whom Rogier worked, although he was never made an official court painter like Jan van Eyck. It was, however, van der Weyden who produced the most popular portraits of Philip and his son Charles the Bold. The painter attempted to create an ideal image of the Duke. That was exactly what the contemporaries wanted, so his portraiture made van der Weyden very successful and popular. He was sought after by the grandest nobleman and bourgeoisie, who wanted him to record their faces for posterity. Members of the Burgundian court, such as Philips illegitimate son Antony, also turned to him for portraits, often wanting their own images eternalized in adoration of the divine in a diptych format. Commissions for more public works, especially large altarpieces, also came van der Weydens way. An example is the great Last Judgment altarpiece ordered by the fabulously wealthy Burgundian chancellor, Nicholas Rolin and his very religious third wife, Guigonne de Salins. The work was commissioned for Rolins hospital in the Hotel-Dieu in Beaune, where it still hangs. Constructing of the hospital was accepted by Pope Eugenius IV in 1441. The dedication of hospital was to St. Anthony, who is shown in the shutter of the picture (the dedication was changed by Pope Nicolas V to St. John the Baptist, who is prominent in the interior scene of the Last Judgment ). The work began in 1443. The polyptych is the artists largest work, made of fifteen panels of different sizes. It was placed in the end of the nave, behind the altar, in a chapel separated from the nave by a wooden partition, through which patients could fallow the mass from their hospital beds. It was also the tradition to open the wings of the polyptych on Sundays and feast days. Jean Chevrot, the Bishop of Turnai, had Van der Weyden paint the triptych of the Seven Sacraments, which are: Baptism, Communion, Confirmation, Confession, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders and Matrimony. The masterpiece is a good example of a big appeal the Christian sacraments had in early Netherlandish painting. The acts are presented around the central Crucifixion scene. The importance of the central panel is emphasised by enlarged figures. The figures of St. John and Mary overcame with grief are characteristic feature in Rogiers art. The magnificent Descent from the Cross was commissioned by the Louvain Archers Guild. As an altarpiece it was intended for a chapel in Louvain, but fell into Spanish hands in the sixteenth century. Today, it is on display in the Prado in Madrid. Christs pale body is being taken down from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. The corpse is almost immaculate and shiny apart from his bloody wounds. The crown of thorns hurt his forehead; a Roman soldier stubbed his midriff with his spear; here are the holes in Jesus hands and feet. This is the central scene of the picture. The corps forms a bow with the upper arm of his mother Mary Magdalene. Her immense sorrow causes her to collapse. In her fall, her body takes on the same shape as her sons, implying that her co-suffering. Susie Nash In Northern Renaissance Art points out, that apart from underlining the Virgins co-passion, Jesus and her poses are also brilliantly designed to refer to the patrons of the work, since both evoke the shape of a crossbow. Thus while the actual crossbows in the image are tiny, hanging from the tracery in the corners, the poses of Christ and the Virgin stamp the guilds identity on this work in an unmissable way. Each figure in the painting seems to be in the precise place. The sense of movement is limited on every side. Caught in sculptural form, grief and sorrow have nowhere to go remarks Max Frielà ¤nder. Despite the busy narrative and all the figures taking part, Van der Weyden managed to build a convincing and intimate atmosphere, without giving a viewer a sense of crowdedness. The picture combines telling details with dramatic spatial density and unstable rhythm. Like Jan van Eyck, Rogier had the rare ability to combine grandeur of forma and delicacy of detail. The figures are almost life-size and their torment is expressed so passionately that it overwhelms the viewer completely. Rogier van der Weyden often found an inspiration in the genius of Jan van Eyck. Madonna with St. Luke is an example of the influence van Eycks Rolin Madonna had on Rogier. As the town painter of Brussels he must have know and adored this masterpiece, but at the same time he departed from van Eyck with new motifs and ideas, which were later used in his own workshop. Typical of the art of van Eyck is the striking atmospheric effect of chiaroscuro. Rogier took over the external elements of the setting, the hall with the three apertures opening on the garden completed by a wall, the two figures with their backs to the spectator, and the view of both banks of the river. To the younger master the architectural solutions of the elder artist seemed, above all other things, to be worth imitating. Van der Weydens Madonna, as a completely independent representation of this subject, established a new convention. Rogiers saint Luke is not himself painting the Mother of God, like in the earlier pictures, but recording the silverpoint sketch. In Rogiers works is was the content the mattered the most. In order to make the importance of the religious meaning stronger, he returned to the dominance of line (the contour was the main tool of expression in fourteenth century art). His figures and surrounding them architecture are always clearly and expressively outl ined. The monumental Escorial Crucifixion is the largest single panel by the artist. Rogier van der Weyden presented it himself to the Carthusian monastery of Scheut near Brussels in the en of his life, after his eldest son Corneille entered the Carthusian monastery. The monks sold the painting in 1555 to Philip II of Spain. The King placed the painting in the Escorial, where, in the late seventeenth century, it was badly damaged in a fire, which, along with following restorations, left the masterpiece in a very bad state of preservation. The three figures seem very isolated. The figure of Saint John and Saint Mary represent two corresponding images of sorrow. This and their earnest faces make the narrative of the picture hard to read. Unlike his Descent from the Cross, this scene is placed in a stone niche, not in an altar shrine. The artists painted the figures of Virgin Mary and Saint John where we would rather expect sculpture, which reminds us of the cut in stone, monumental Crucifixion groups.We could still see them today in some churches. The stone-coloured garments, with definite, harsh folds, emphasize the sculptural quality of the picture and may also suggest the white habits of the Carthusian monks. The sculptures were often placed against real or painted fabrics. Rogier used a bright red cloth of honour, which, contrasting with the delicate tones of the panel, emphasises the overall emotional effect of the figures and presents them as saints. Van der Weyden lived in prosperity since arriving in Brussels, and later, as a successful painter in great demand, managed to increase his fortune greatly over the thirty years of his career. No wonder than that he could afford the donation of his huge Crucifixion to the monastery in Scheut, which must have meant a considerable devotion of time and money. Rogier had also enough funds for a number of other gifts to churches in Brussels, and donations to the destitute. Van der Weyden died in 1464 and was buried in the cathedral of Brussels, Saint Gudule. The artists genius was honoured with a requiem service. Van der Weydens son, his grandson, and his great-grandson, all became painters, but none of them shared his success. Conclusion Rogiers influence and fame reached far and wide from Brussels, all the way to Germany, Italy and Spain. In the studios of the Netherlands it ruled pictorial invention and methods of work throughout the second half of the century. Van der Weyden run a large workshop where copies were being made to his design. The students later repeated Rogiers compositional ideas, with more or less success. In van der Weydens time there was no simple divide between ecclesiastical and secular patronage. The bishops and heads of religious houses often came from the same noble families as the courtiers. All the personages who have been identified as donors of altarpiece of Rogiers hand (Pieter Bladelin, Nicolas Rolin, Jean de Chevrot, the Bishop of Tournai) were eminent men who had grown great in the favour of the court. His art was well suited to express the sombre splendour of secular as well as religious ceremonial, and it appealed especially to the dignitaries of the church. The position Van der Weyden had achieved through his art could be illustrated by his association with the highest levels of society. He belonged to the prestigious confraternity of the Holy Cross in the church of St-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg and prospered sufficiently to make not only investments in Tournai stock but also, as I have already mentioned, he was able to present religious foundations with gifts, particularly to the Carterhouses of Scheut and Herinnes where his son was a monk. However, the access to one of the greatest painters of the age was not restricted to dignitaries of church and state. Van der Weydens service was available to all who could afford it. Corporate commissions, such as that of the Louvain Archers Guild for the Descent from the Cross, could involve lower-ranking members of society in the commissioning the work of art. The Descent from the Cross is probably Rogier van der Weydens most impressive work. According to Davies, this picture alone makes it easy to credit that Rogier was the dominating painter of the north in the fifteenth century: A sentiment of pity, so much then in peoples minds, clear presentation of forms easily recognised; strong and sincere piety; spirituality without strangeness; technical mastery. The Descent from the Cross made a profound impression on his contemporaries, as testified by many copies and copies and imitations, and it almost certainly established Rogiers fame. Susie Nash adds: The originality of these figu res, and the beauty of their shapes were so powerful that artists repeated them throughout Europe for a hundred of years: this is arguably the most influential painting of the fifteenth century. In Early Netherlandish Art Max Frielà ¤nder talks about two cogent reasons why Rogier van der Weyden became the most influential painter of the fifteenth century outside Italy: firstly, his retrospective, completely non-revolutionary art was in harmony with the traditional tendencies still existing everywhere, and secondly, the essential character of his style proclaimed itself, not, as in the works in van Eyck, in the execution, but in the design, for which reason it was easier to learn and led to a more or less satisfactory result, even if the pupil was incapable of rising to the height of master ship. Even a retrospective artist is, however, up to a certain point, limited to the artistic tendencies of his own time. Van der Weyden was often obedient to the stylistic demands of the new naturalism. He had to struggle to achieve a certain lifelikeness of effect, which in his works, is not an essential factor as it is in the works of Robert Campin and van Eyck. This is why fifteenth c entury painters outside the Netherlands, especially the Germans Spaniards, and French, became familiar with the new Flemish realism through the works of the most naturalistic of all old Netherlandish masters. Rogiers influence goes into breadth. His contribution consists of ideas, types, themes, joy and the sound of music on the one hand, dramatic tension and moral grandeur on the other. Bibiography Ludwig Baldass, Jan van Eyck, Phaidon Publishers Inc., New York, 1952 Jan Bialostocki, Sztuka cenniejsza niz zloto, Tom 1., Panstwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszawa 1991; Adam Bochnak, Historia Sztuki Nowozytnej, Tom 1., Panstwowe Wydawnictow Naukowe, Warszawa Krakow 1985; Davies M., Netherlandish Primitives: Rogier van der Weyden and Robert Campin, The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, Vol. 71, No. 141 (Sep., 1937), pp. 140-145, Valentin Denis, All the Paintings of Jan Van Eyck, Vol. IV in the Complete Library of World Art, Oldbourne Press, London 1961; Brian Fallon, Van Eyck, Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review, Vol. 71. No. 284 (Winter 1982), pp. 360-377; Max Friedlà ¤nder, Early Netherlandish Painting, Vol. I, The Van Eycks Petrus Christus, A.W. Sijthoff, Leyden 1967; Max Friedlà ¤nder, Early Netherlandish Painting, From Van Eyck to Bruegel, Phaidon Press Ltd., London 1956; Davies M., Rogier van der Weyden. An essay with a critical catalogue of paintings assigned to him and to Robert Campin, Phaidon Press Ltd., London 1972; Susie Nash, Northern Renaissance Art, Oxford University Press, 2008 Wauters A.J., Rogier van der Weyden I, The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, Vol. 22, No. 116 (Nov., 1912), pp. 75-82; http://hoocher.com/Rogier_van_der_Weyden/Rogier_van_der_Weyden.htm http://www.nationalgellery.org.uk http://artbible.info http://www.wga.hu

Somanatha: The Many Voices of a History by Romila Thapar Essay

It was during the year 1026 that Mahmud of Ghazni raided the Somanatha temple for its wealth, leading to the destruction of its many idols. In Somanatha: The Many Voices of a History, Romila Thapar explores the distinct narratives that were written at the time by placing them into the historical context of the period. Her goal, through this monograph, was not to reestablish how we perceive the history of the raid, but to instead study the diverse perspectives and views represented in the various sources collected on the topic. Historical interpretations range from the Turko-Persian narratives of the period to the Colonial writings long after the raid. Through the investigation of the sources one would hope to point out the variations in the texts, and then analyze why these deviations in the story came to be. Thapar’s findings would assist any historian in determining the nature of these sources and the way they are currently used. One must remember that any and all sources co uld be of significant importance when looking at the attitudes of the individuals of the time. The Turko-Persian narratives contain a multitude of different versions of the raid on the Somanatha temple by Mahmud of Ghazni. Persian scholar Al-Biruni provides historians with the most realistic version of the events surrounding the raid. He believed that because the Somanatha temple was constructed of stone and placed in an area surrounded by sea on three sides it had to be guarding wealth. Mahmud was in fact able to conquer the Somanatha temple for its wealth, subsequently taking pieces back to Ghazni. Turkish raids to India were originally focused on obtaining animal herds, but the reason for them now was to loot urban treasuries and capture prisoners of war... ...itish Colonials’ short term goals, but this course of action would leave long lasting effects on the people of these two cultures. All in all, Somanatha: The Many Voices of a History hopes to study the diverse perspectives and views represented in the various sources collected on the topic. The hope is that this will allow historians to better understand the various perspectives on the period. In order to get the true picture of an event one will need to analyze all of the possible views of what actually occurred. Historical interpretations range from the Turko-Persian narratives of the period to the Colonial writings long after the raid. Any event, such as the raid on the Somanatha temple, can prove to be more complicated then one would ever believe at first sight. Works Cited Thapar, Romila. Somanatha: The Many Voices of a History. London: Verso, 2005. Print.