Cabaret :: essays research papers

Brian says 'you're about as fatale as an after dinner mint!' Is Sally really harmless? Brian's exasperated accusation that Sally is 'as fatale as an after dinner mint' is expressed at the end of a weekend away with Max. The outburst reveals Brian's opinion that Sally is not the seductress she fancies herself to be, but is simply 'deluding' herself. However, one must stop to consider the meaning of harmless when applied to Sally Bowles. She is essentially self-absorbed and theatrical, a confused and childlike character, used in the film to demonstrate to the viewer the dangers of complacency and self-indulgence in a dangerous political environment. Sally is, in fact, unintentionally harmful, for her actions can corrupt and she is politically ignorant. Throughout the film Sally boasts her personal corruption, and perpetuates an acceptance that 'divine decadence' and debauchery are desirable lifestyles. A representative of the seedy and superficial cabaret world, Sally flaunts her promiscuity and chooses to live a life where external problems do not undermine her opinion that 'life is a cabaret'. Her world is an illusion; nothing will obstruct her view that Berlin's decadent society is a wonderfully exciting setting for her rise to stardom. Her self-absorption is obvious when she tells Brian she wants to know 'absolutely everything' about him, and then proceeds to talk over him. Similarly, her inability to assist Natalia in her romantic dilemma with Fritz suggests that she has immersed herself so completely in the amorality of the cabaret world that she cannot comprehend Natalia's emotions, or even face reality enough to contextualise her problem. This lack of empathy for those in tune with the real world rather than Sally's constru cted fantasy has the potential to damage her relationships. Sally is ardently ambitious, and her shameless espousal of hedonism is exemplary of her preparedness to do corrupt things to achieve her dreams. Sally is highly atuned to the potential of power and money to advance her career. To attain these things, she uses her sexuality as a commodity, simply another means for the advancement of her aspirations. Her liberal sexuality may ultimately harm both herself and Brian, as it makes him feel used, and her potential for any kind of real relationship is continuously pushed into the background until it becomes almost an impossibility. Sally's initial approach to all strangers is to attempt to seduce them, as seen with both Brian and Max.

The Life and Times of William Shakespeare

Shakespeare is widely regarded as the world’s greatest playwright, and there’s no real reason to dispute that. People are still seeing his plays 400 years after he wrote them, not because it’s â€Å"trendy† or â€Å"hip,† but because they’re so good. His insight into the human spirit has never been equaled. This paper is a brief biography of Shakespeare and a discussion of the times in which he lived. Discussion His life: It’s somewhat difficult to find factual information about Shakespeare, because the â€Å"first attempts at biographical research were not begun until over half a century after Shakespeare’s death† (Best, 2005).In addition, there were few biographies written of important persons at this time, especially dramatists, since plays were not considered â€Å"serious literature† (Best, 2005). In addition, the Puritans closed the theaters in 1642, and many manuscripts and other records were lost (Best, 200 5). It also doesn’t help that there are numerous spellings of his name. Nevertheless, scholars have pieced together a fairly complete picture of his life, and where facts are not known, they have drawn reasonable inferences (Best, 2005).However, the fact remains that much of what we know is based on indirect information. William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon some time in April, 1564, the son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden (Hanna – Life). Although there is no record of the exact date of his birth, there is a baptismal record at the church, so most scholars put his birthday as the 23rd of April, 1564 (Hanna – Life). John Shakespeare was a â€Å"prominent and prosperous alderman† in Stratford, and was â€Å"granted a coat of arms by the College of Heralds† (Hanna – Life).Little is known of Shakespeare’s boyhood but it is believed that he probably attended the â€Å"Stratford Grammar School† (Hanna – Life). There is no record of him having gone on to either Oxford or Cambridge, both of which were well established by his time (Hanna – Life). Shakespeare’s name turns up next in 1582 when he marries Anne Hathaway, some eight years his senior (Hanna – Life). Their daughter Susanna was born in 1583 and twins, Judith and Hamnet, were born in 1585 (Hanna – Life).Once again Shakespeare disappears from the records and doesn’t turn up again for seven years, by which time he is â€Å"recognized as an actor, poet and playwright† (Hanna – Life). His recognition comes in the form of an insult from a rival, Robert Greene, who calls Shakespeare â€Å"an upstart crow† in his (Greene’s) play, A Groatsworth of Wit (Hanna – Life). It’s thought that at about this time (1592) Shakespeare joined an acting troupe known as The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, one of the best in London (Hanna – Life).The troupe leased the theater (named, unoriginally, â€Å"The Theatre†) where they performed; they lost the lease in 1599 (Hanna – Life). By this time, though, the troupe had enough money to build their own theater, across the Thames on the less fashionable South Bank; this new theater was, of course, The Globe (Hanna – Life). The Globe opened in July, 1599, with some of the old timbers salvaged from The Theatre used in its construction (Hanna – Life). The Globe featured â€Å"Totus mundus agit histrionem† (A whole world of players)† as its motto (Hanna – Life).When James I ascended the throne in 1603, the company changed its name to the â€Å"King’s Men† or â€Å"King’s Company† (Hanna – Life). The company’s instructions, conveyed to them in Letters Patent, told Shakespeare and eight other company members specifically to â€Å"use and exercise the art and faculty of playing Comedies, Tragedies, Histories, Interludes, Mor als, Pastorals, stage plays †¦ as well for recreation of our loving subjects as for our solace and pleasure† (Hanna – Life). Things went well for the newly-christened King’s Men for another ten years, until 1613 (Hanna – Life).Then, on June 19, a cannon fired from the theater’s roof during a â€Å"gala performance of Henry VIII† set the Globe’s thatched roof on fire and the theater burned to the ground (Hanna – Life). The audience was so absorbed in the play that at first they ignored the fire, but when the walls and curtains went up, they surely must have run (Hanna – Life). By some miracle â€Å"there were no casualties, and the next spring the company had the theatre ‘new builded in a far fairer manner than before’† (Hanna – Life).Shakespeare â€Å"invested in the rebuilding† effort, but by that time he had retired to Stratford, to the â€Å"Great House of New Place† that h e’d bought in 1597 (Hanna – Life). There were considerable land holdings associated with the house, and Shakespeare remained there, where he continued to write, until his death in 1616 (Hanna – Life). Ironically, he died on his alleged birthday, April 23 (Hanna). He was 52. Although he died at what we would consider a young age, he left behind a body of work that has made him immortal, and continues to light up theaters around the world.His Times: The world 400 years ago is often seen as romantic and noble, but it was brutal, unsanitary and often terrifying. We’re familiar with a lot of the history of the time through films and TV shows; a movie about Elizabeth I was released recently. Shakespeare lived at a time of political upheaval and court intrigue, as well as a time of exploration. For example, a man named John Hawkins sailed to the New World a second time in 1561 (Hanna – Times). Trips like this were dangerous and daring, but also yielded tr easure and more importantly, lands for the Crown. From 1577-1580 â€Å"Francis Proke sailed around the world† (Hanna – Times).In 1586 when he was 22, Mary Queen of Scots was tried for treason and executed the following year (Hanna – Times). And in 1588 one of the greatest events in English history took place: the English under the command of Queen Elizabeth I defeated the Spanish invasion fleet known as the Armada (Hanna – Times). Unfortunately, this was also the time of the great plagues; plague swept through London in 1592-93, necessitating the closure of the theaters; plague struck again in 1603 (Hanna). This was also the year that Elizabeth I died and James IV, King of Scotland became James I of England (Hanna – Times).It was at this point that the â€Å"Lord Chamberlain’s Men† became the â€Å"King’s Men†; James I liked the theater and was a writer himself, publishing works on such subjects and witchcraft and  "the divine right of kings† (Best-James I, 2005). In 1605, the â€Å"Gunpowder Plot† was hatched and Guy Fawkes lead a group of Catholics in an attempt to assassinate James and blow up Parliament (Hanna – Times). The English still celebrate â€Å"Guy Fawkes Day. † As we saw, the Globe burned down in 1613 by which time Shakespeare had returned to Stratford. He lived only another three years.

Biography of Jan Hus, Religious Reformer and Martyr

A century before Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses criticizing the Roman Catholic Church, Czech pastor and church reformer Jan Hus pointed out the same problems. The Church labeled Hus a heretic and burned him at the stake. But Hus complaints would not die with him. Instead, they sparked a wildfire of protest that roared across Europe, changing Christianity forever. Early Life and Career The birth of Jan Hus around 1370 was of little notice in the southern Bohemian town of Husinec. His parents were peasants, and as an adult, he shortened his surname from Husinec to Hus. By 1394, Hus had earned a bachelors degree at the University of Prague. Two years later he added a masters and became an instructor at the university. A struggle at the university pitted the German masters, who opposed church reform, against the Czech masters, who admired the writings of John Wycliffe (1330 - 1384), an English reformer who translated the gospels into English. Wycliffes writings found their way into Prague about 1401, worsening the split between the Germans and Czechs. Hus Discovers Wycliffe Hus found himself agreeing with many of the points Wycliffe had raised. For example, Wycliffe considered Scripture to be the supreme authority, not the pope. He also opposed the sale of indulgences, Church documents which supposedly shortened or terminated a souls stay in purgatory. Wycliffes belief in trusting in Christ alone for salvation, rather than good works or obeying church rules, later became a cornerstone of the Reformation. Hus also agreed with Wycliffes plea for restraining clergy, who had become powerful landowners in Bohemia. Hus denounced the sin of simony, the practice of using a church position to profit from selling pardons or church appointments.   Church and Politics Needless to say, Hus positions were not popular with the local bishops and the pope. In 1403, Johann Hubner, one of the anti-reform German masters at the university, drew up a list of 45 of Wycliffes articles and condemned them as heresy. Besides the upheaval caused by the fledgling reform movement, this was a period of chaos in the Roman Catholic Church. There were two popes, Gregory XII and Benedict XIII, and a later election resulted in a third, Alexander V. Archbishop Zbynek Zajic of Bohemia, initially a supporter of Hus, turned against him and bribed Pope Alexander V to prohibit preaching in private chapels. Hus preached in Bethlehem Chapel in Prague. When Hus refused to follow the popes order, Archbishop Zbynek excommunicated him. Still, Hus continued to preach and teach at the university. Once more, the matter of indulgences came up when Alexanders successor, Pope John XXIII, sold them in Bohemia to raise money. Hus again condemned the practice, but that did not sit well with King Vaclav IV of Bohemia, who received a share from indulgence sales. Without Vaclavs support, Hus was excommunicated by the Roman curia. A church interdict was placed on Prague in 1412, which meant Catholics could not receive sacraments or be buried in church cemeteries. To spare the city, Hus fled to southern Bohemia, where he stayed in exile at the castles of friends. Hus Writes Feverishly In an attempt to answer charges against him, Hus wrote a lengthy book titled The Church (de Ecclesia) in which he asserted that Jesus Christ, not the pope, is the head of the church. Hus stated that Christ is the Rock upon which the church is built, not Peter. While Hus declared Catholics were obligated to obey the church when its laws were based on Scripture, he said they had no duty to obey when humanmade rules could not be supported by the Bible. In his book On Simony, Hus attacked the common practice of simony, rampant in the 15th century. Affluent parents bought high church positions for their sons, most of whom showed little interest in the gospel. That led to a string of lazy, corrupt church leaders. During that period Hus also penned a long series of letters to everyone from personal friends to the people of Prague to cardinals and the pope. Much of what is known about him comes from those documents. His other works explained the Ten Commandments, the Apostles Creed, and the Lords Prayer. Of course, many of Hus positions undercut church authority, a stance that further alienated him from the local archbishop and Rome. Hus was dangerously unaware of just how much he was hated by church officials. Betrayal and Execution In 1414, a naive Jan Hus traveled to a church conference in Constance, Germany, believing he would have the chance to defend himself before a group of church fathers gathered to discuss the situation of three sitting popes. Hus was promised safe passage there and back by King Sigismund of Hungary, Vaclavs half-brother, but when Hus arrived, he was arrested and thrown in prison. Located next to the latrines, Hus unsanitary cell stunk. The reformer grew so ill that treatment by the popes doctor and relocation to another cell were needed to keep Hus alive. When Hus finally appeared before the council, the loathing against him was overwhelming. Sigismund, caving to political pressure, secretly withdrew his vow of protection. The council concocted 30 false articles they said Hus taught, including that he was the fourth person of the Godhead. Every time Hus tried to defend himself, he was shouted down. On July 6, 1415, Hus was dressed in priestly vestments then ceremonially defrocked. He refused to recant his beliefs. Dragged to the place of execution, he was bound to the stake with a chain around his neck. Men piled wood up to his chin. Given one last chance to recant, Hus proclaimed his innocence. As the fire overtook him, Hus could be heard singing, Jesus, son of the living God, have mercy on me. Reformation Legacy Hus impact on later reformers was immense. In 1520, Martin Luther confessed, I have taught and held all the teachings of Jan Hus, but thus far did I not know it . . . In short, we are all Hussites and did not know it. Most mainstays of Protestant theology can be traced to Hus: Christ alone as head of the church, strict adherence to the Bible, all worship readings and sermons in the local language, reception of both wine and bread in communion, daily Bible reading by Christians, and the danger of temptations in culture. As a Catholic priest, Hus never advocated breaking from the church. Instead, he called for change, for reforming the corrupt bureaucracy of the church and returning to the nonpolitical norms of early Christianity. The system called his appeals heresy.   Jan Hus Fast Facts Full Name: Jan Hus  Also Known As: John Huss, Johann Huss  Occupation: Priest, theologian, teacher   Born: Between 1369 and 1372 in Husinec, Czech RepublicDied: July 6, 1415, in Constance, GermanyEducation: University of PraguePublished Works: The Church, On Simony, lettersKey Accomplishments: Inspired church reformers like Martin LutherFamous quote: In life eternal, there is perfect joy and light, without pain or torture, and there is communion with God Himself and His angels. Sources Christian History Institute.  To Build a Fire. https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/to-build-a-fire.Reformation 500. Jan Hus. https://reformation500.csl.edu/bio/jan-hus/.C.S. Lewis Institute. The Legacy of John Hus. http://www.cslewisinstitute.org/The_Legacy_of_John_Hus_FullArticle.Online Library of Liberty. Jan Huss,  The Church  [1411]. http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/huss-the-church.Christianity Today, Christian History. John Huss, Pre-Reformation Reformer. https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/martyrs/john-huss.html.Encyclopedia Britannica. Han Hus, Bohemian Religious Leader. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jan-Hus.The Famous People. 18 Thought-Provoking Quotes By John Huss That Prove Hope Springs Eternal. https://quotes.thefamouspeople.com/john-huss-87.php