‘Macbeth’ was one of the first plays written during the reign of James I Essay

‘Macbeth’ was one of the first plays written during the reign of James I. Shakespeare intended to honour the King by glorifying Banquo, the legendary founder of the Stuart line. Hence the play also serves as a mirror for magistrates, a dramatization of the theme of kingship. James I strongly believed in the Divine Right of kings. He believed that the lord of the heavens had placed kings to rule over people in the world, thus Kings had a god-given right to rule and treachery was like turning away from God and not only the king. In actually fact, if you went against your own king, you were indeed challenging God. James I had ruled the Scottish Parliament more or less how he liked using the concept of Divine Right but when he came to rule over England, he found the English parliament far less easy to handle, insisting that the king could only rule by its consent. In ‘Macbeth’ the common theme is based on the natural order of things. Macbeth’s lawless act destroys all law: it occasions confusion and disorder in the world of men and animals as well as in the heavens above. Everywhere there is upheaval: on the night when the murder is done, chimneys are blown down, lamentations and strange screams of death are heard in the air, and some say the earth was â€Å"feverous and did shake† (2,3,53-59). All this confirms the interdependency of man and nature. The natural elements, following the death of Duncan, are in strange disorder and there is the further recounting of other amazing violations of nature, the unnatural behaviour of animals no longer acting according to their ways. ‘A falcon towering in her pride of place was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed’ (2,4,13). As you can probably guess the owl is supposed to represent King Duncan, on top of the chain, and mousing owl is supposed to be Macbeth, the person who broke this chain and disordered everything, to the tiniest atom. ‘Macbeth,’ at the time would have been exceptionally, politically advantageous to James because it would have greatly increased the public’s view that James I was God’s so-called Sergeant on earth, and so had the right to do or change whatever he pleased. The easiest way to attack a political rival was to accuse him of treachery and the easiest way to prove his treachery was to link him with one of the proscribed religious groups. In 1605 James dealt with some troublesome rivals by claiming to have detected a Catholic plot to blow up the parliament. In Scotland, even more than in England at the time, political troublemakers were accused of witchcraft and heresy. James himself was an authority on witchcraft and the London edition of his Demonology was published in 1603, the year of his accession to the throne of Great Britain. Certainly most people believed in the existence and power of witches, devils and ghosts and the religiously orthodox stressed that the devil could take many shapes. According to the teaching of the Church, Heaven and Hell were actual places and the central teaching of Christianity was the sinful (fallen) nature of man and the necessity of a sense of guilt to bring the sinner to accept the salvation from sinfulness offered by Christ. The reason of man was not foolproof and the Church urged the faithful to be on their guard against any suggestion of communication with the Devil. In Act I, Scene 3 of ‘Macbeth’ Baquo expresses similar fears concerning the witches: Were such things here as we do speak about? Or have we eaten on the insane root That takes the reason prisoner? (Lines 82-84) And And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths; Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s In deepest consequence (Lines 122-125 At the start of the play there surrounds two conflicting views of the hero, Macbeth. In scene 1, when the audience have already found out that the witches have met in order to meet Macbeth, a big question mark surrounds Macbeth. The audience is forced to ask themselves who is this Macbeth and what business does he have with these foul witches. In scene 2 the audience finds out the true identity of Macbeth. He is indeed a Hero! We learn that a battle between King Duncan’s army and the rebels is raging nearby. The scene starts of with King Duncan being given the latest news of the rebellion by the sergeant. The sergeant reports, with great enthusiasm, how the battle was at first, in balance. That is until, gallant and brave Macbeth, ignoring all the odds, slashing in and out with his bloody sword reached the traitor Macdowald and with no pity, ripped the traitor from head to toe. After hearing how the battle went, King Duncan has nothing but praise for the heroic deed of Macbeth and announces that Macbeth is to be given the title of Thane of Cawdor and the treacherous Cawdor is to be executed immediately. The battle is given a size and importance that magnify the qualities of Macbeth and our curiosity and anticipation are aroused to meet this might champion so praised by all who have seen him. But our memories still hold the mention of his name by the witches and the finale line of the scene (‘What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won’) reminds us of line 4 in scene 1 (‘When the battle’s lost and one’) and this connexion is consolidated in Scene 3. Macbeth’s first words echo the witches ‘so foul is fair a day I have not seen.’ This suggests Macbeth is already in tune with the way the witches think. Banquo believes that these witches are in league with the devil and thus should not be trusted, ‘Can the devil speak truth?’ However Macbeth wants to hear more of this ‘strange intelligence’, ‘upon this blasted heath you stop our way with such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you.’ The witches predict two things:- that Macbeth will become the thane of Cawdor, and the king hereafter. They also predict two things for Banquo that he will be lesser than Macbeth, and his children will be the kings after Macbeth. The witches second prediction of Macbeth (‘All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter’) is exactly what Macbeth wants to hear because it is his greatest ambition to be king, the ultimate prize is his for grabs. The soliloquy beginning ‘Two truths are told’ which shows that the witches second prediction has come true about Mabeth earning the title of Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth then begins thinking about the witches’ third prophecy ‘the greatest is behind’ and what he needs to do now to become king. It is at this point that he starts to consider murder but he feels very uneasy about the word even though he is renown around Scotland as a ruthless soldier, ‘why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs’ (1,3,134-136). Macbeth is confused but still very ambitious. Macbeth shows signs of having a good heart and good intentions, but he also shows that he has a weak mind that ignores and disobeys what he knows is right. You can straight away see that Macbeth has got a powerful conscious when Lady Macbeth has a torrid time trying to convince him to kill King Duncan. At first he absolutely refuses to do such a horrible deed to such a noble person. He knows in his heart that to kill Duncan is wrong and deceitful. The reader can tell that Macbeth is trying is utmost best to resist the misgivings of his wife. ‘We will proceed no further. He hath honoured me of late, and I have bought Golden opinions from all sorts of people, Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, Not cast aside so soon’ (1,7,31-35). Although he knows that this deed will have profound consequences he allows Lady Macbeth to persuade him into doing what he knows is wrong. Macbeth knows he has chosen the wrong path when he says, ‘I’ll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on’t again, I dare not’ (2,3,46-48). Therefore Macbeth is disobeying what his own heart is telling him. In fact, Macbeth speaks of the distrust he has for his own heart when he says ‘False face must hide what the false heart doth know.’ Lady Macbeth persuades her husband to do the murder by telling him that, all he is doing, is fulfilling his own lofty ambition and that surely he is not a coward. If he is a man, he should act like one. The fact that Macbeth is so easily persuaded to kill a man, proves that he must have considered murder before. It is also the sign of a person who has a weak mind and who does not stand up for himself. Lady Macbeth feeds on this weakness. Macbeth is tempted to do evil and Lady Macbeth is the key human agent – the one Macbeth trusts and loves- who ensures his temptation is through and complete. Lady Macbeth, when we first encounter her is, dominant, determined, powerful, and even perhaps frightening in the intensity of her uncompromising desire for her husband to ascend the throne. Be it, the price of murder. We understand that Macbeth has his own ‘deep desires,’ but this seems tame compared with Lady Macbeth’s unquenchable aspirations (she summons evil itself into her body and soul to unsex her and remove any doubts she might have). Further, we see in her actions, a cool, self-assured person, unlike her husband. When Macbeth falters, she is there and she also has the courage to return the daggers and to faint at the news of King Duncan’s murder, and so distract any attention from her husband. She plans the details of the murder; she has the future worked out. She is also pre-eminently cunning and shows no fear of the supernatural and death itself. That is why she can say, ‘a little water clears us of this deed’ (2,2,67), because there is nothing to fear from God and old-fashioned ideas of retribution. She can happily envisage hypocrisy and falsehood. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth fates are inextricably joined, but her role and character support Macbeth’s destiny. However like Macbeth, Lady Macbeth shows moments of humanity – she would have killed Duncan herself only he reminded her of her own father. It is these small details that perhaps indicate that she is not as cold and inhuman as she makes herself to be. It could actual, all be an act just to persuade Macbeth to do the final deed. This of course makes her breakdown seem the more inevitable as she is bound to blame herself in some way for the murder. Ultimately she finds out that water will not wash away the stain of blood. It is then ironic that Macduff on first meeting Lady Macbeth refers to her as ‘gentle lady’ and one too sensitive to even hear the word ‘murder.’ By the end of the play she is recognized for what she is, a ‘fiend-like queen’ (5,6,108). Macbeth, in the final analysis, is too preoccupied with his own role to give support to her. Once he has done his first major murder he needs no help from her to do the others†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦. Macbeth is a man of action: the play proves this in more ways then others. He is a fearless warrior – and an important lord – who defends his king against treachery. However, ambition is his finale weakness. He allows, first the witches’ prophesy and then his wife’s ambition for him, to undermine his integrity. It is clear that he is not easily won over to evil. His conscience is strong and throws up many objections to his doing the deed. However, he is also too easily influenced in the direction that he secretly desires to go. Once he has decided, he does not deviate, and each step subsequently reaffirms his initial choice. Macbeth, then, is determined, and with this determination turns to a violent and ruthless path, full of chaos. So how does Macbeth ‘a peerless kinsman,’ develops into King Duncan’s murderer? Is Macbeth’s mistake in killing ‘gracious’ king Duncan, his entire fault? Is he to blame for his own doing or were they any other factors that bade him to do this terrible deed? Is Macbeth still the hero at the end of this play and does he deserve what he gets? For these Questions to be answered we need to look at the fundamental theme of the play, Ambition. Partly because it is the driving force of Macbeth’s life. ‘Macbeth’ is a deep sentimental tragedy. ‘Tragedy,’ in Shakespeare usually concerns a great person, the hero, who through some weakness of his character falls from grace, endures intense sufferings (which fascinate the audience), and who inevitable dies a tragic death. In fact, who must die as a consequence of their weakness. Thus if you look at ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’, we find all these ingredients; and if we consider what is the hero’s weakness, it must and can only be ambition. Macbeth says this specifically when he is attempting to resist the murder of Duncan: ‘I have no spur†¦.but only/Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself’ (1,7,25-7).This acknowledgement comes after he has considered all the good reasons for not murdering Duncan. Only ambition is left to overrule his troubled conscience. Furthermore, whilst the influence of both Lady Macbeth and the witches is strong, their power over Macbeth is only possible because the ambition is already there. Macbeth ,then, is a hero but one who is fatally undermined by his ambition, that are the fabric of the play. Put in another way: it is his ambition that leads Macbeth to murder, treason, hypocrisy, corruption and deepest evil.

Persuasive Speech About K12 Essay

â€Å"Education is a companion which no misfortune can depress, no crime can destroy, no enemy can alienate, and no despotism can enslave†, a famous quotation from the writer, Joseph Addison. In Filipino sayings, it would be described as something that can never be stolen from you. The K12 system of education is popularly used in the United States, Australia and Canada, it was recently initiated by the Aquino administration to be adapted in the Philippines. Since it denotes prolonging the education of students by two years, would it really be beneficial or unhelpful to a Filipino student? We all know that life is hard and public or private education is costly for parents. However looking past the financial aspects of a student’s education, the K12 system proves to be very beneficial. Unemployment and poverty are two cancers of society and are both problems rooted from Filipinos unable to finish school. The K12 program aims to uplift the quality of education in the Philippines in order for graduates to be easily employed. The program also aims to meet the standards required for professionals who would want to work abroad. Furthermore, it would help the student acquire mastery of basic competencies and be more emotionally mature. According to G. K. Chesterton, â€Å"Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another. † Wouldn’t it make a brighter future for the Philippines if all schools will upgrade the level of teaching? Wouldn’t it make a better generation of Filipinos? Wouldn’t it make the Philippines better equipped to compete globally? Adapting to the education system of first world countries like the United States could definitely uplift the lives of the young Filipinos. After all, they are already living proof that their educational system made them a powerful country in the world. I believe that the K12 system will help the Filipino students attain a better level of learning, a better career to earn a living and a brighter Philippines. From the words of John Dewey, â€Å"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. † Building a strong educational foundation will help any Filipino reach their dreams and make the Philippines a better country.

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Strategic Management - Essay Example An organization performs poorly when there is low climax in the cyclical marketplace. In order to augment the demand for services and products in mature markets, companies will result into restructuring. Through restructuring, an organization anticipates enhancing of the products or services in the market. Mature product marketplaces are a factor of all product lifecycles. After the initial fast growth period is complete, sales will persist to increase but at a slower rate (Thompson & Martin 2010, p. 383). Predicaments associated with mature markets comprise; increased threat of rivals capturing market share, slower expenditure recovery, and risk of products budging into the decline phases of product lifecycle. Once entire product marketplaces go into maturity, there is petite scope for expansion through innovation since the marketplace is already saturated. However, it is significant for every technology based corporations to retain research and expansion expenditure with an aim of sustaining a competitive advantage and keeping up with rivals. In a mature market, possibilities for expansion become significantly limited; alternatives comprise exploiting fresh markets and tactics to endeavor capturing rivals’ marketplace share. Maturity of markets increases the significance of brand names. Caterpillar has an advantage of a tremendously well established and globally known product name (Thompson & Martin 2010, p. 385). Until 1990, the organizational structure of Caterpillar paid attention to functional areas for instance accounting, manufacturing and engineering. The notion was that if every functional area attained its objectives and goals, the client would be satisfied and the firm prosperous. In mid-1990, the company... This paper stresses that the positive effects exceeded the negative effects on performance since the introduction of fresh performance measures and restructuring of the organization resulted to enhancement of the market, financial and productive performance of the company. The development of fresh performance assessment measures a reorganization of business units enabled Caterpillar to achieve its chief goals. The restructuring and execution of the fresh performance assessment system enabled Caterpillar to increase flexibility, responsiveness and customer focus. This report makes a conclusion that Caterpillar Inc. is the global dominant producer of mining and construction equipment, industrial gas turbines, natural gas and diesel engines, and diesel-electric trains. The corporation is also a dominant services provider through Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Financial and Progress Rail. In 1990s, the company initiated restructuring process in order to enhance its performance. The restructuring process was largely influenced by the fact Caterpillar products were operating in mature and cyclical markets. The new strategy, which was adopted by the company in 1990s positively, transformed the financial, market and productive performance. However, the new strategy had negative spillover effects on the performance of the company although the impact was not substantial. In 2010, the company adopted a new business tactic, which has enhanced its performance and competitiveness especially in developing economies.

Scope for exploiting Big Data and Big Data Analytics in the local Essay - 1

Scope for exploiting Big Data and Big Data Analytics in the local transport industry - Essay Example The data being accumulated comes from a wide range of sources. However, the data growth is driven by two main sources working together with decreasing storage costs. The first source for data is the â€Å"internet of things†. A number of sensors collate information on our activities and environment on a daily basis. These connected devices contribute substantially to the amount of information accumulated daily and they are projected to rise from about 4.5 billion devices in 2010 to over 50 billion in 2020 (Dumbill, 2012). The second greatest source of data is the social web of networks where information about human activities is shared on a daily basis. This includes data about human preferences, interests, and locations. On addition to the two major sources of data highlighted above, there are a number of other private sources including hospital records, phone communications, financial transactions, information captured on CCTV and many others. The McKinsey Global Institute has termed big data as the next frontier for competition, innovation, and global productivity (Mayinka, 2011). The analysis of masses of unstructured and semi-structured data which some time ago would have been considered prohibitive in terms of time and money is now considered the next step towards business advantage. One of the reasons why this data has turned out to be very important is that great insight can be gained from the data by monitoring the patterns of human interaction. One of the areas in which big data displays great potential is the transportation industry. This is an industry which increasingly showing great requirement for an industrial big data platform. With increasing urbanization and expansion of many cities across the world, traffic management and related challenges are getting bigger by the day. In some of the largest and more congested cities in the world, a lot of hours are lost daily on traffic and most people incur economic losses and social stress due to

Individual assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Individual assignment - Essay Example Bhide concurs with this position by stating that financial services firms must prove themselves every day – in terms of profits and competitive advantage – because a strategy might be successful today and ineffective tomorrow. Bhide rubbishes the traditional, subjective concept for this sector by demonstrating that as a result of the volatile nature of financial products and services, they can be copied quickly. He suggests that there is no consistent flow of new opportunities available, so firms should concentrate on doing all they can to reduce their chances of failure. The author suggests that strategy should resemble poker rather than chess, where firms concentrate on strategy and execution instead of putting up massive barriers to rivals. The author cites Warren Buffet, who said that core sustainable competitive advantages are virtually non-existent in the financial services sector (Chermack, 2011:35). Financial services firms have no monopoly on excellent product ideas, so they must secure clients by implanting ideas better than their rivals (Gong, 2013:15). In spite of this, other scholars disagree by arguing that possessing operational efficiency or effectiveness is insufficient for companies and that these strategies lead to some firms outlasting others but offering no real competitive advantage in the industry (Gong, 2013:15). Bhide acknowledges that financial services firms must develop and enforce appraisal systems to avoid irresponsibility. He argues that financial services firms should evaluate their performance and constantly analyse current and potential risks. This idea has been proposed by other scholars, who have argued that firms with novel strategies should have sufficient structures to support the emergence of patterns, but not so much that it increases cost and triggers inflexibility (Hitt and Ireland, 2013:45). It can be argued that novel strategies are not about the lack of authority;

Customer Relationship Management and E-Commerce Strategies Essay

Customer Relationship Management and E-Commerce Strategies - Essay Example The findings are that in general both websites serves as customer interaction platforms that are also transactional, and serve up products that customers can purchase, and which the backend systems process. The backend systems, apart from processing transactions, also allow for the creation of customer accounts, from where the platform is able to better manage customer experiences and interactions, by remembering customer purchases and transaction histories. (Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc., 2004; Starbucks Corporation, 2013). II. Main Findings At the Starbucks site there are many activities geared towards managing relationships with customers. At the very basic, the website offers visitors the opportunity to be part of the mailing list for its newsletter. The very concept of the webpage itself is a big relationship management and transactional portal, where customers are able to buy extras and gifts, such as ornamental pieces for the holidays, coffee cups, and pouches of coffee to be brewed at home. The items are prominently displayed at the center of the pages like in a catalog, with prices, and clicking on the product images brings the customer to a page where the customer can place the order in a bag, for later payment. The site then through this particular gifts page is an interactive way for the company to engage customers and to allow for transactions. Taking a step back, putting the original www.starbucks.com on the URL bar redirects the customer to the Starbucks Store. In this way the online visitor to Starbucks is engaged in the same way as Starbucks would engage customers in their stores. The virtual presence is also configured as a store (Starbucks Corporation, 2013b). In fact, taking a step back, each of the categories in the Starbucks online store, from tea to coffee to equipment, drinkware and the Starbucks Card categories, lead to pages that sell merchandise. The entire site can be construed as a customer relationship platform, and behind it is an accounts management system where customers can create accounts to facilitate the building and the maintenance of the customer relationships online. The latter includes understanding purchase patterns, purchase histories, and generally archiving customer transactions to potentially improve the customer engagement process moving forward. At the back too it can be construed that IT is a vital aspect of the entire experience. The CRM front end as described above must have at the back of it a support infrastructure that includes orders processing and fulfillment, and a backend to track all transactions and manage specific customer relationships through the maintenance of databases of customer interactions (Starbucks Corporation, 2013). In contrast the Green Mountain Coffee website is less forward with its products, having no catalog at the home page for instance, in the way that the Starbucks site pushes its products with pricing and orders fulfillment all in front when the visito r visits the site. Moreover, where Starbucks automatically redirects visitors to starbucks.com directly to its online store, Green Mountain Coffee’s home page is a general page about the company, with key products displayed out in front, but no pricing and related orders fulfillment options present. That said, the Green Mountai

Exam 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Exam 2 - Assignment Example The Q1 here is 90%, followed by territory 1 and 8. Strategies for selling in new markets Here the real challenge would be to maintain projected business decisions to percolate in territory 5; equally spaced with 25% across four quarters. These territories need more marketing and publicity. Staffing requirements: Aim of the Sales Force: Aggressive selling/orders for market penetration especially in the Q1 and concentrate more on demographic locations of A. Since the sales departments across industries work under extreme pressure to deliver their targets, we are also going to follow the same structure. The basic idea here is to formulate a task force of a small team capable of undertaking substantial work and deliver goods as targeted and their goals are more aligned with the organizational goals. Further after a year, depending upon the nature of the business the team may be expanded on need basis. The staffing requirements are a combination for existing as well as new markets. The en tire sales team will be headed by the general sales manager [GSM], reporting to the CMO. Further the team would comprise of fields sales manager, the accounts group and the admin staff. Four telemarketers are to be hired since the company expects high returns in mostly all sectors. Offcourse downsizing would be looked at based on the need of the hour. All the staff will be trained hands on before putting them on field operations. Here the motivation for employees should be handsome incentives quarterly, based on achieving targets. For the first year the team should be paid incentives at 5 – 10 % of their base pay. This will be steered up the following financial year. Unique Selling Proposition (USP) for Sales: Consumer loyalty is based on the use of our machines for the first time and coming back to use the same machine over a period. This needs to be combined with the value proposition of the product and the best in class machine longevity [7 – 10 years] against compe titors having say 4 – 5 years. This is one of the keys to build loyal consumer base. Basic design for Effective Sales: The sales task force should â€Å"think consumer to be big†. The sales strategies should be consumer centric, i.e. more focused on delivering goods to the buyers. All these concepts are designed to achieve targets â€Å"first time right†. This also ensures customer satisfaction. The key points that the sales team should look into is delivering targets for the company and machines to the consumer. These commitments should help the sales team to achieve organizational goals for the financial year 2012 -2013. Sales focus should be on more mature territories like 10, 8 and 1. Here the scope of ROI is high and the market share for capture is also high. In this sector it is very logical to sell only premium models of routers for the first year. It is also apparent that due to the presence of fewer companies in sector ‘A’ as compared †˜B’ and ‘C’, the net profits would also be high since our premium routers would compensate for the volumes required. Hence, the need to maintain the customer base here is critical. The accounts team will have to play a major role here in retention of clientele. They will also have to coordinate with the telemarketers to get the job done. And here the sales rigor has to be maintained over a substantial period of 8 months for ‘A’. Once the Q1 targets are achieved then the team can also

Extra Credit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10

Extra Credit - Essay Example This function enables the managers to establish or create standards of performance and review of the employee output to make sure that all the workers perform to meet the set standards. The controlling function helps in identification of problems and situation to be addressed and implements new performance requirement or standards. The coordinating function takes place in meeting held by management and planning sessions to make sure that all departments a familiar and work in respect to the organization’s goals and objectives. In any organization, coordinating involves management direction, communication and supervision (Roberts 5). Staffing is the function which deals with recruitment of new staff in the organization. The staffing function also deals with development and training, promotion, performance appraisals and transfers. Staffing makes sure that the organization employees the qualified candidates who can deliver and ensure that the organization meets the set goals. Or ganizing is the function which controls the organization’s structure. An organization is laid down on the structure foundation and without a structure an organization can not work successfully. The organization structure which is controlled by the organizing function is involved in designating employee responsibilities and tasks. The organizing function also develops the structure and chain of command in which communication takes place. Finally, planning involves the process of setting goals in respect to the organization’s resources and objectives. The planning process put down the target to be met by an organization at a particular time (Roberts 6). Planning is important in management because it helps the managers to put across targets to be achieved. Putting down the targets makes the employee and management team to work hard in order to meet organizational goal. Organizing is important to management because it gives a clear structure of

Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anthropology - Essay Example cide and ‘female genital mutilation’ are two of the practices that I would like to discuss looking from the point of view of a cultural relativist and later observe it as an ethnocentric anthropologist would. A cultural relativist would view these practices in the socio-cultural perspective of the people where it is practices and rationalise it as per the need and demand of the people and place. Infanticide is still prevalent in the far-east, especially in some part of India. It is the practice of killing infants in womb of the mother, especially if it is a girl child. As per the Indian custom, male children are supposed to carry on the family name and traditions and they are often preferred over girl child. It is also believed that last rites of a dead person must be carried by his or her ‘son’ so that he attains salvation of the soul. Under dire economic compulsions, mothers have been forced to kill the infant in the womb. On the other hand, female genital mutilation is practices among certain Moslim clan where pre pubescent girls are forced to undergo surgical mutilation of their genitals without anaesthesia. The Moslems believe that Quran1, their religious scripture, promoted this practice so that women do not become promiscuous and men are not swayed from the path of religion. It is the decree of Allah2, therefore, it is the personal choice of the individuals following that religion. As an ethnocentric anthropologist and as an American, I am totally aghast that such practices are still in vogue. Acts and proclamations that do not conform to basic human values of freedom of spirit and compassion for fellow human being, must be stopped at the earliest, even if they are carried on, in the name of religion and culture. Infanticide and FGM3 are both barbaric acts which violate the basic values of our race. Infanticide is killing of another human being and no matter what the compulsions are behind the deed, it is a murder of the first order and the

Bobs Dilemma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 18

Bobs Dilemma - Essay Example As the discussion stresses, employees who wanted to further their careers at the company had to work hard and keep family out of it. If Bob would take his paternity leave, his teammates would have to fill in for him, which he is afraid would create resentment. Additionally, he is worried that it will harm his career. Bob decided to take the advice of his colleagues on the issue. Mike, his married teammate, told him that the job’s structure required one to be quiet regarding family needs if one wanted to move up and talked to him about the use and abuse of the policies. Manuel, who is his best friend and single, is of the belief that those without children face discrimination. Judy, a 38-year-old single mum, was of the opinion that the uses of benefits made an individual seem less dedicated and affected their performance appraisals. Finally, Jessica, who is a recent college graduate, opined that company policy provisions are there to be used. One communication theory that appli es in this case is formal communication vs. informal communication. Communication involves sharing of information for purposes such as influencing, motivating, persuading and informing. Formal communication is distributed across an organization in an organized manner downwards flowing from executives regarding company policy and upward from the staff in the form of reports and data. This kind of information is well planned and established. Informal communication, on the other hand, works to satisfy emotional and social needs without basis on the positions that individuals hold in the organization. The most common term for it is grapevine and is considered as rumor or gossip. Information flowing through this channel can be exaggerated or deleted, causing inaccuracies. Employees use this channel when they feel vulnerable, such as in this case where Bob is searching for help on his issue by talking to colleagues.

Stand Up Zamboanga! Essay Example for Free

Stand Up Zamboanga! Essay We cannot deny the fact that hatred and lack of unity and peace led to Zamboanga Crisis. Just for example, recently we’re facing the pork barrel scam issue wherein some of our recognized political leaders are involved to and they are just trying to divert the people’s attention and as a result, a war broke out in Zamboanga City. And also racial and religious discrimination between Christians and Muslims. The MNLF leader Nur Misuari wants to claim Zamboanga City as his own, and strive to fight for his selfish ambition by leading his men to cause trouble in the city resulting to deaths of innocent people, loss of homes especially in the affected areas, destruction of properties, trauma, fear, hatred, absence in work, missing out important lectures and school activities for students, loss of income especially to those who need to work daily to earn a living and the dwindling state of the city’s economy as a whole. The government sectors and non-government offices should work hand in hand for faster crisis rehabilitation in Zamboanga City as well as the volunteers and community as a whole. They should implement new strategies how to cope up and solve the conflict situations in the shortest possible time to avoid further damages. The higher officials should display a role model in strictly abiding the city’s rules and regulations instead of involving in certain anomalies and controversies. So that the people can learn to trust and respect them and can follow and learn to abide in the government policies too. They should never tolerate violence and crime so that the people will not abuse and rebel and will learn how to be God-fearing with righteousness in mind. We are living in the modern era where the trend of technology is a great help in the rehabilitation program of the city, community, evacuees and future generation. For example the use of different media of communications like radio broadcasting, social internet sites like facebook and twitter wherein people can be well-informed and they can express their sides and opinions, encouraging and consoling one another eventually forgetting the trauma at the right time. Also we can connect with our fellow Filipinos from other areas, regions and countries offering help by giving voluntary donations  such as relief goods, rice, clothings, sanitary kits and shelter tents for the evacuees. Our allies from other nations especially U.S. also help in providing high tech military equipments, sharing their knowledge about new strategies and tactics in combating the enemies and training our own soldiers. Even as student and citizen of Zamboanga City, I can contribute towards building a better Zamboanga by starting in my own little way of helping other people in need. I can devote my time studying hard and become a professional serving our own city and educating the young so that they can have the proper mindset that we Zamboangueà ±os can be united and can be peacefully working together despite our religious differences in achieving progress and prosperity in our city.

Parties Involved In The Project Completion Construction Essay

Parties Involved In The Project Completion Construction Essay In a construction project there are several parties involved in the completion of the project. These parties can be from either the public sector or the private sector. The key parties are the owner/client, the architect/engineer and the general contractor. Between these parties there are business agreements in the form of contracts to complete the work in the project, such as: design, engineering, construction, management and maintenance. A construction project is ready for execution after the client/owner accumulates the required funds and has obtained the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities. Upon meeting the above mentioned criteria for establishing a project, the client will approach a general contractor or an architect to complete the project. In medium to large size projects the client can execute the work by employing the work force directly (trade contract), entrusting a select portion of the work to general contractors and executing the remaining work directly (main contract) or entrusting the entire work to general contractors (turnkey contract). In a main contract, the client contracts with an architect whom is responsible for the design of the project and a general contractor who is responsible for the construction, which results in two separate contracts: the client-architect contract and the client-contractor contract. Subject to the clients involvement in decision making, the architect is able to act as the clients representative. In a turnkey contract the general contractor is responsible for both the design and construction of the project; there is a single contract between the two parties: the client-contractor contract. The client-contractor contract maintains the contractual relationship between the two parties in both main and turnkey contracts. Theoretically speaking, the turnkey contractor is responsible for a main contractors and consultants (architect/engineer) work within a project, in other words the turnkey contractor is also acting as the main contractor. It is important to consider the potential for change in this contractual relationship, it is important to consider the idea that a main contractor can also act as a turnkey contractor within the project. Problem Statement How can a general contractor act as both a main contractor and a turnkey contractor within a single project? Research Questions What form of project will allow the general contractor to change their role in the projects organisational structure? How is the general contractor allowed to change roles? Delimitation This study will be written from a practical perspective, not from a legal perspective. This study will focus on the relationship between the client and general contractor in a building construction project to identify the parameters in which the general contractor is able to be both a main contractor and a turnkey contractor within a single project. This study will not cover the legal issues pertaining to liability, insurance, and risk management etc. Research Method The research conducted is through qualitative and analytical methods, to answer the research questions raised in this study. The research will be from primary and secondary sources such as: interviews, articles, books, websites, published documents from websites (electronic books, archived documents etc.), reports, publicly available legal documents (sample contracts). Chapter 1 Section 1 Prior to analysing how a general contractor acts as both a main and turnkey contractor, there is necessary to outline what their contractual roles and responsibilities are within a project. By identifying their contractual responsibilities, it allows for a more accurate analysis to answer the research questions presented in the problem statement section of this study. What is a Main Contract? In the initial stage of the project, the client awards an architect with a consultant contract, where the architect is responsible for preparing drawings, specifications, and contract documents for general contractors to bid on. The winning general contractor is awarded the main contract for the project. The main contract is a business agreement between the general contractor and the client, where the general contractor agrees to carry out the main construction works in the project. The general contractor (now main contractor) may subcontract one or more trade contractors to carry out specific works in the main contract. The main contract is a result of the Design-Bid-Build (DBB) project delivery system. The DBB project delivery system is the method the client gets the project from start to finish. DBB consists of three parties: the design party, the construction party and the client. The design party includes the architect, specification writers (consultants), engineers (structural, services, mechanical), interior designers, quantity surveyors and other participants the architect considers necessary for completing the project. Depending on the clients involvement in the decision making, the architect is able to act as the clients representative and also for reviewing contract documents. The construction party consists of the main contractor who is responsible for providing the labour, material, equipment, machinery and professional expertise to complete the project in accordance with the contractual documents which are provided by the architects. The client is responsible for providing the location of a project (the site) and the contract documents to the main contractor, providing the architect with the budget, and funding the project (paying the main contractor and the architect). The budget is an important part of the project as it allows the architect to design a building that meets the clients requirements and it determines the scope of the project. What is a Turnkey Contract? A turnkey contract is a business arrangement between the client and the general contractor. To commence the project, a client awards the general contractor a turnkey contract, where the general contractor (now turnkey contractor) is responsible for the design, engineering, construction and management of the project. The construction industry refers to the turnkey contractor as a single point of responsibility, a phrase that reflects the turnkey contractors contractual obligations. Note: The client can award the turnkey contract to either the architect or a general contractor, however the researcher will continue on the premise that the contractor is awarded the turnkey contract to remain consistent with the research for this part of the study. The turnkey contract is a product of the Design-Build (DB) project delivery system i.e. it is another method the client gets the project from start to finish. In a DB project, the turnkey contractor may award an architect/engineer a consultant contract to perform the design work. The turnkey contractor is also able to subcontract trade contractors to perform specific works in the turnkey contract. A turnkey contract can also be used in a Design-Build-Operate (DBO) project delivery strategy. In DBO the client awards a general contractor a turnkey contract, and the general contractor (now turnkey contractor) is again responsible for providing design, engineering, construction and management services, however with Operate the turnkey contractor is obligated to also provide the building to the client once it is fully operational. The purpose of DBO is to manage the client and general contractor in a multidisciplinary contract: to design, build and operate as opposed to individual agreements to govern the different facets of a project (Sunna, 2009). In a DBB project the client has a direct relationship with the architect and the main contractor (where the architect and contractor have an indirect relationship) shown in Figure 1, whereas in the DB project the client has a direct relationship with the turnkey contractor. Figure Section 2 Based on the research on project delivery systems and procurement methods, the private finance initiative involves both the public sector and the private sector working in collaboration to develop a project. This section focuses on the private finance initiative in an effort to answer the first research question: What form of project will allow the general contractor to change their role in the projects organisational structure? What is the Private Finance Initiative? The private finance initiative (PFI) is a procurement method where a private party or private parties provide funds to finance public services or projects; to partially privatise the service or project. The objective of a PFI project is to provide infrastructure to the public sector with additional services like maintenance (with PFI the private sector both operates and finances the project). Theoretically, the government (public sector) bids on a project, which includes construction work, services and maintenance. Because these projects require a variety of skills, in PFI the government and a group of private companies place a combined bid on the project, and work in collaboration to execute the project. The concept of PFI is to involve the private sector in public sector services or projects, because private companies are considered to be better at project management and budgeting/finance management. When a project is awarded, the public and private parties (in this case the government and private companies) create a new private company to manage and exchange funds for the project. These funds are used to initiate and run the project. For a construction project after the building is fully operational, if the private companies made an agreement for the maintenance of the building over a period of for example, 25 years; the government will reimburse the cost of the project (including interest) over time. Contract Process A public party (government) signs a contract with a private party (a company or a group of companies) creating a public-private partnership (PPP). A PPP is a contract between a public party and a private party. Before the PPP is created a private company creates a new company in collaboration with other private companies, this is referred to as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). The SPV is made up of private investors, a construction company, a maintenance company and a bank lender/s. SPV contracts with the government creating a PPP, and also with general contractors responsible for constructing and maintaining the building. The banks funding PFI projects are repaid by SPV, from payments received from the government over the duration of the PFI contract. The repayments are based on the SPVs ability to meet the requirements specified in the contract. PFI Project Organisation Structure Refer to Figure 2; the SPV is divided into subgroups: A holding company (Com A), private investors/bank lenders (Com B) and a services or operating company (Com C). The primary contract is between the government and the SPV, and the requirements in the specification transmit from the SPV to Com A, Com B and Com C through secondary contracts, and then filter down to the trade contractors. Figure What form of project will allow the general contractor to change their role in the projects organisational structure? According to the concept of PFI procurement, once a PPP contract is signed a new company is formed to finance the project. Referring to Figure 2, the SPV is considered as the client in this project because the government requires additional funding for the service or building project and is allowing the private party (Com A, Com B and Com C) to partially privatise the project. However, the government is still part owner; the SPV can also be a general contractor. In Figure 2 the SPV is both financing and operating the project, depending on how the SPV wants deliver the project, Figure 2 assumes that the general contractor (in the project environment) is a main contractor, therefore the SPV will have a client-contractor relationship. But the government is still a part client to the project therefore the SPV is also considered as the turnkey contractor to the project. A PFI project created through the partnership of the government and the SPV allows for a general contractor to change their role in the projects organisation structure. As shown in Figure 2, the SPV is a part client, turnkey contractor from the governments perspective and main contractor from the SPVs perspective. Section 3 According to research regarding contracts and contractual relationships, Novation allows the parties involved in the project to change the project organisational structure by transferring their rights and responsibilities to the works specified in the contracts. The purpose of this section is to identify Novation in an effort to answer the second research question: How is the general contractor allowed to change roles? What is Novation? The business dictionary defines novation as the substitution of an original party to a contract with a new party, or substitution of an original contract with a new contract. To expand on that definition, novation is the process of replacing the original contract with a new contract between the original parties involved. Alternatively novation is also used to replace an original party with a new party under the original contract. Once the original party is replaced, the original partys obligations are discharged, and the new party is responsible for the replaced partys obligations. Novation can only occur when all the parties involved agree to replacing a party or replacing a contract. By replacing the obligations of the original party the main contractor all the parties involved (client, architect/engineer, and main contractor) in the original contract must agree for the replacing to take place. If the agreement to replace comes into effect, the new party will take over the responsibilities and obligations of the replaced party, i.e. the new general contractor will become a replacement to the original main contractor. Novation is used when the parties find that payments or performance are impossible under the terms of the original agreement, or the debtor will be forced to default or go into bankruptcy unless the debt is restructured. (Sahil, 2010) According to Rowlinson (2010), if the main contractor is being replaced with a new general contractor the clients role in the project remains unchanged (the client being the contracting party). Figure 3 illustrates how novation affects the projects organisation. The Client (A) awards a consultant contract with an architect (B) and a construction contract with a general contractor (C). However, the client wants to create a single point of responsibility for both design and construction. For this to occur, the client (A) can novate their rights and obligations (under the consultant contract) to the contractor. Figure In the pre novation phase; the client will first award an architect/engineer the consultant contract to conduct the design work for the project, through which the potential general contractor will place their bid. In the post novation phase; the consultant contract between the client and the architect/engineer is novated to the general contractor (after the general contractor is employed). This novation results in the original consultant contract between the client and architect/engineer being completely replaced with a new consultant contract between the general contractor and the architect/engineer. By novating the contract, the client transferred the architect/engineers rights and responsibilities to the general contractor, therefore the general contractor is now responsible for both the design and construction works of the project. How is the general contractor allowed to change roles? Based on the concept of novation presented in section 3, the client is able to contract with an architect/engineer making them responsible for the design work in the project. After this stage the client awards a general contractor with a main contract for the construction work in the project. If the client wants to make the general contractor (now main contractor) responsible for the post tender design work, and all the parties agree to this contract change, then the client novates the contract thus making the main contractor a turnkey contractor. Through novation a general contractor is allowed to change roles, however all parties must be in agreement. Alternatively, novation can also be used to change a turnkey contractor into a main contractor, on the basis that all parties agree. Chapter 2 Empirical Data The purpose of the empirical data section of this study is to verify the practice of the PFI procurement method as well as identify the relationship of the parties involved. An article published in The Observer section of the Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom (UK), by Graham Norwood (2010) titled Self-build homes face a new set of obstacles is about the UK governments planning and housing policy. The articles primary focus is the effect of the policy on self-builders (owner-builders) and rural authorities, with emphasis on financing. It appears that the article is part of a debate regarding the positive and negative effects, from the owner-builders perspective as it depicts the UK government in a negative context. Extract 1 Housing minister Grant Shapps says the coalition will instruct councils to create registers of potential self-builders and allocate them land, including some private plots donated by volume house-builders, as a condition of receiving planning consent to construct large schemes. In return, at least some self-builders, chiefly in high-priced rural areas, would have to agree that their completed homes would be classified as local social housing and not be sold-on privately. Extract 1 outlines the policy and the governments intentions to provide owner-builders with properties to construct dwellings to increase housing in the UKs rural regions (by coalition the author is referring to the government). Extract 2 Orme is also critical of the abolition of house-building targets, which are to be replaced with more power for councils and community groups to decide on schemes for local homes. In some cases, 90% of locals may have to support a proposal before it can go ahead, a level of support currently achieved by very few planning applications. Orme is a reference to Jason Orme, an owner-builder and editor of Homebuilding Renovating magazine. According to Extract 2 an owner-builder requires the approval of both the local authorities and the community for the design of the building. Extract 3 The fear of many, including volume developers, surveyors and planners, is that by devolving decision-making to communities, most plans for homes will be thrown out. Until now, self-builders have been treated benevolently by planners. Before the recession there were 20,000 self-built homes in the UK annually, about 12.5% of the total, compared with 40% in Scandinavia and central Europe. Extract 3 summarises the possible issues that can slow or stop the progress of the project. Based on the first sentence by devolving decision making to communities, most planswill be thrown out the author is saying the potential effect of including local communities in the design approval process, from the consultants perspective. In this portion of the empirical section scrutinizes extracts from the UK governments Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing June 2010 discussed in the article by Norwood (2010). Extract 4 Paragraph 11 of Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing June 2010 Collaborative Working Key to the success of this new approach will be collaborative working between Local Planning Authorities and Regional Planning Bodies, as well as early engagement with local communities, stakeholders and infrastructure providers. Local Planning Authorities will need to work closely with the private sector, particularly developers and housebuilders, to achieve the Governments strategic housing objectives. In Extract 4, private sector in refers to the private party that the government will provide properties to. Through this information the researcher is able to confirm the relationship between the public and private parties. Extract 5 Paragraph 29 of Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing June 2010 Set out the approach to seeking developer contributions to facilitate the provision of affordable housing. In seeking developer contributions, the presumption is that affordable housing will be provided on the application site so that it contributes towards creating a mix of housing. Extract 6 Paragraph 36 of Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing June 2010 In support of its objective of creating mixed and sustainable communities, the Governments policy is to ensure that housing is developed in suitable locations which offer a range of community facilities and with good access to jobs, key services and infrastructure. This should be achieved by making effective use of land, existing infrastructure and available public and private investment, and include consideration of the opportunity for housing provision on surplus public sector land (including land owned by Central Government and its bodies or Local Authorities) to create mixed use developments. The statement in Extract 5: approach to seeking developer contributions to facilitate the provision of affordable housing, and Extract 6: making effective use of land, existing infrastructure and available public and private investment, together both these statements confirm that the government (public party) is going to work in collaboration with the owner-builder (private party), because the developer refers to the general contractor, and public and private investment refers to the combined funds of both the public and private parties. When the government is going to work with the owner-builder, the government is entering a PPP with the owner-builder. In Extract 1 Norwood (2010) writes their completed homes would be classified as local social housing and not be sold-on privately. The government is going to allow the owner-builder to partially privatise the completed building, particularly at the end classified as local social housing refers to a public service. The PPP between the government and the owner-builder is not the same as the PFI procurement discussed in Chapter 1, Section 2. According to that discussion, the government collaborates with a private party to jointly bid on a project and exchange funds to develop the project, here the government is providing the property/site for construction without financing the project. By comparing both the discussion of PFI in Chapter 1, Section 2, and extracts 1 to 6, the following information has been verified: the government is the public party; the owner-builder is the private party and the SPV. The relationship between the two parties is a public-private relationship, in other words the public sector is involving the private sector in public service or projects, which (as discussed previously) the concept of PFI.

Analysis of Construction Company, India

Analysis of Construction Company, India Annual Report Analysis of  Hindustan Construction Company Limited Tejas Vaidya Construction Sector Analysis: Construction in India has become a key contributor to the economy of India in the recent years. It ranks 2nd in employment and contribution to the economy only after the agriculture sector. This sector also ranks 2nd when it comes to FDI inflows. However the last three years have been a challenging period for this sector. This sector has now come into the forefront with the ‘Make in India’ campaign being driven actively by the Prime Minister of India. Key aspects of the sector are as follows: The Indian Construction is valued at about USD 126million and projected to grow to USD 140million by 2017. The Construction industry contributes about roughly 10% to the GDP, a contribution of Rs. 6708 billion in the year ending March 2013. 50% of the construction industry demand comes from infrastructure and the rest comes from industrial activity, railways, residential and commercial development combined. Being a labour intensive sector, it employs 3.5crore people including direct and indirect jobs. The government has highlighted infrastructure as a key sector to turn around and sustain the momentum of GDP growth that had slowed down in the last 3 years. This industry is skewed in terms of major players; there are a handful of companies from both public and private sector. The public sector players are: IRCON, NBCC, RITES and EIL. The major private sector players are: LT, HCC, MN Dastur Co and Ansals. There is immense scope for development in this sector and it is seen as a booming sector, primarily due to the following reasons: The estimated shortage for housing in urban India is 18.8million units whilst that in rural India is 47.4million units. The current standards of infrastructure are unable to sustain the growing population and there is hence a dire need for re-generation and renovation to meet demands in urban areas. The Government of India has released a new urban development campaign that will help develop 100 ‘smart cities’ across India. Cities will be supported to gain investments from private capital and make effective use of PPP model to strengthen their infrastructure and services. 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) is permitted in construction and infrastructure development projects. Apart from this, a high degree of recent regulatory advancements have been seen in this sector which include the following: Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission The National Urban Housing and Habitat Policy, 2007 Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS) Infrastructure Investment Real Estate Regulation Development Bill, 2013 Model State Affordable Housing Policy for Urban Areas, 2013: About HCC: Hidustan Construction Company was established in 1926 by Seth Walchand Hirachand Doshi. It is an integrated group that operates in the areas of construction, infrastructure development and real estate. Being one of the largest private sector construction companies in India, it has been involved in projects ranging from highways and bridges to hydel-power projects to nuclear facilities.HCC’s standalone turnover stands at Rs. 4,113.5 crore and net profit stands at Rs. 80.6 crore, after reporting losses for the last two years. Financial Report Analysis HCC has a multitude of ongoing, new and completed projects in this year across various states in India and also in Bhutan. A total of 202 projects are listed. The state wise spread of the projects is as follows: Chairman’s Address to Shareholders The chairman starts by highlighting the terrible state of the economy, of governance and of the infrastructure sector over the last two years. However he shares a spirit of optimism over the formations of the stable NDA government. He states that the GDP growth has been languishing at the sub 5% levels this year 2013-14. As a result the construction sector is also badly hit. Overall, HCC works in a discreditable framework in India since the sector that is most affected by economic slowdown is infrastructure. The chairman, Ajit Gulabchand lists the problems endemic to the construction industry and they are: Environmental clearances to new infrastructure projects Lack of effective decision making Non-payment of claims by government public sector clients The chairman also highlights the performance of HCC as a standalone company which has been impressive amidst turbulent economic conditions. Turnover has increased 7.2% to Rs. 4113cr and has seen an increase for 67% to 640.7cr. The company has been successful in driving down costs. A key project Lavasa is back on track and taken up by Steiner AG, a wholly owned subsidiary which has remained profitable since the last 3 years. The chairman ends with sharing his optimism with respect to a stable BJP-led NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Management Discussion Analysis In this section various aspects of the business and business environment of HCC, both internal and external is discussed. The macro economic review The performance of the economy coming into the year 2013-14 is analysed. Chart A highlights the GDP growth rate in the 5 preceding years. Chart B highlights the growth of the construction sector. It is observed that current account deficit as a ratio to GDP has narrowed significantly and there as also been an increase in foreign inflows. India’s Infrastructure Sector   The current situation of the infrastructure sector is analysed. It is observed that the sector faces several challenges in spite of long term demand being consistent. The lethargic decision making of the old government has negatively affected the sector. Infrastructure financing need to improve significantly by dealing effectively with internal and external factors. Delays are also observed on 15-20% projects along with rise in number of projects without commissioning date. HCC- Key developments Traditional focus on transportation, power and water supplies has continued. Areas like industrial construction projects, complete engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) have been explored. The improvements implemented in efficiency of project operations, inventory management, structure of the organisation and liquidation of receivables have been noteworthy. The company has also undertaken re-evaluation projects to expedite slow-moving financially challenging projects. Performance Highlights   The company has been successful in maintaining its top line at par with 2012-13 amidst adverse economic, financial regulatory environment primarily due to its thrust on cost control. Revenue from operations stands at Rs. 4113cr up 7.2% while EBIDTA stands at Rs. 641cr up by 64.1%. The company has also successfully paid of its dues from the Corporate Debt Restructuring package availed last year. Investee Companies Includes HCC’s portfolio of business through subsidiaries: Infrastructure: focuses on investment and asset creation through PPPs. During 2013-14, the business focused on executing existing projects and raising capital. Real Estate: The focus area of this business has been the development of complete integrated townships. Total Service Contractor: An extension of engineering construction division driven primarily by Swiss acquisition Steiner AG. IT: Expansion into IT done with Highbar Technologies. Engineering Construction Division   This division is distributed across power, transport, water and industrial sectors. Transport: Two major contracts were won viz. tunnel T49 in Udhampur – Srinagar – Baramulla railway line and RCC Bridge over river Sone in Bihar. In addition progress is satisfactory on Delhi metro projects won earlier. Power: This sector has been affected in terms of new undertakings however projects under execution performed well. This includes Hydro and Nuclear Power projects. Water Supply Irrigation: The company has completed water supply projects in Gujarat. New contracts secured at Yettinahole, Karnataka as well as in Pune. Industrial: Includes civil and fabrication contracts in Hindalco-Orrissa, Reliance-Jamnagar, ISPRL-Visakhapatanam and Padur, Karnataka. Marine Works: A contract for reconstruction of a dry dock and wharves is progressing satisfactorily in Mumbai. Infrastructure Division   HCC’s infrastructure business was handled by its wholly owned subsidiary HCC Infra. Projects were majorly developed either on PPP or on DFBOT mode. The company’s entire portfolio comprises NHAI highways with concession periods ranging from 18 years to 30 years. The asset portfolio of HCC is mature which it plans to monetise to raise capital. The asset portfolio is also briefly touched upon. Real Estate Division The real estate division is further divided into two businesses, Lavasa and commercial real estate. Having received environmental clearances, 2013-14 saw the development at Lavasa go into the next phase. A restructuring meant all employees involved in construction were shifted to Steiner India and Lavasa remained a pure developer. Focus has been on collection and salesat Dasve and Mugaon. Dasve in ready withal operational basic infrastructure. Work on infrastructure and utilities development of the second town Mugaon has gathered pace. Gadle Dam, built to supply water for the construction of Lavasa neared 90% completion. Commercial real estate has also seen satisfactory progress with the work on 247 Business Square and 247 Business Avenue, Vikhroli Corporate Park Phase II and Mean Township Developers projects progressing. The company also won bids for Parleshwar CHS, Mumbai and Charosa Wineries. Steiner AG   HCC acquired the remaining 34% stake in the Swiss company which makes Steiner AG a 100% owned subsidiary. Profit level has been maintained as last year at CHF 8.2million. Key undertakings of the company post acquisitions are described. Steiner launched its new corporate identity and design in September 2013. The brand essence ‘Taking the lead together’ which is being implemented on all channels. Highbar Technologies Focus has been on IT implementation from point of view of business transformation, rather than just technology implementation. 14 new customer added to make the count of customers 78. Multiple awards have been won. Expertise developed in areas of ERP, business intelligence and CRM. Operations Support   The operations of the different divisions are supported by Management Systems, Intellectual Property Rights, Branding and Human Resources. Integrated Management System (IMS) adopted based on standards based on standards stipulated by ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007 to streamline processes. Re-certification audit for ISO 9001: 2008, ISO 14001:2004 and BS OHSAS 18001:2007 conducted to confirm compliance. HCC continued to create and protect intellectual property through multiple mediums. On the branding front, HCC continued with it brand enhancement initiatives in both external and internal mediums. Brand value was enhanced by standardised brand practices and delivery of big and complex infrastructure. Awards won by HCC During the year the company won CIDC Vishwakarma Award 2014 for Best Project for Pir Panjal Tunnel, Dun Bradstreet Award for ‘Social Impact’ project of the year 2013 for Nimoo Bazgo Hydel Power Project and Construction Week Award. Human Resources Substantial improvement initiatives like annual turnover per employee, upper ceiling on indirect/ preliminary expenses at the sites and Head Office cost being limited to a percentage of turnover were undertaken. The organisation structure, work and people allocation was re-calibrated to further improve efficiency and focus on various business areas. The company is also working towards implementing performance-oriented culture. Financial Review   In this section the abridged profit and loss accounts have been illustrated. Key financial aspects have been highlighted along with key financial ratio. A detailed analysis of the financials has been included in the later part of this report. References: Annual Report AY 2013-14 –  http://www.hccindia.com/pdf/HCC_Annual_Report_FY2013_14.pdf http://makeinindia.com/sector/construction/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Construction_industry_of_India https://www.equitymaster.com/research-it/sector-info/construction/Construction-Sector-Analysis-Report.asp http://www.indiainfrastructure.com/reportpdf/research_catalogue.pdf K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Page | 1

Metaphors That Justify War :: essays research papers fc

Metaphors that Justify War Truth Uncloaked Do you think we had all the information that was at the President's disposal when he made the decision to deploy our troops in the Gulf? Do you think having that information might have made you feel more comfortable about our involvement? Should our government decide what we get to know and what we don't? By in large, we hear exactly what our government wants us to hear. Knowing this, at no other time paralleled in history, we want the truth; we thirst for it like those traveling through the desert without water and we are tired of being manipulated and deceived by those we elect to serve our interests. However, more often than not, we settle for what is given to us. Our truth is wrapped by the media and promoted as gospel without hesitation or moral reservation. Our acceptance of and reliance upon the media for sensitive, truthful, information brings a sense of security and knowledge of world affairs that satisfies our internal push for social involvement (even if it is at the point of acknowledgment only). We are happy with the knowledge because there is no discernible contradictions and seldom question its relevancy, focus or content. Then later, a contradictory report erupts in the media and we begin to question even what we see. The short footage shown by the media concerning the beating of Rodney King was out of context. Who is responsible for the disparity? The media. They decide what we hear and see. They manipulate to dramatize for the dollar. Gossip, murder, rape, political espionage, treason, drug deals, incest, wife battering, muggings, immoral behavior of all sizes shapes and volumes seem to appeal to human interest and the Networks use it to build their ratings while claiming they proclaim truth for all (double effect). These people and their focus gave us the Gulf War everyday, around the clock. Would it be surprising to know that the media not only reports the news they help facilitate public approval that could justify a war through the use of metaphors alone? The use of metaphors in war and everyday life is common and an important method employed to eventually arrive at a position of approval for military action. Before the use of metaphors is discussed it is necessary to understand specific conditions in which any war is justified. Conditions Necessary to Justify a War Two specific conditions are necessary to justify war. First, direct aggression against the United States, our allies, or those who are unable to protect themselves against direct aggression.

Soliloquies of Shakespeares Hamlet - The To be or not to be Soliloqu

Hamlet -- the â€Å"To be or not to be† Soliloquy  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   In William Shakespeare’s dramatic tragedy Hamlet the fourth of the seven soliloquies by the hero is generally considered exceptional and more famous than the others. This essay will examine and analyze this soliloquy, and explore the reasons for its fame.    This famous soliloquy manifests the expression of very deep and conflicting emotions. Ruth Nevo in â€Å"Acts III and IV: Problems of Text and Staging† explains the basic conflict within the hero’s most famous â€Å"To be or not to be† soliloquy:    Since we know what Hamlet’s obligatory task is, we cannot but register the possibility that the taking of arms and the â€Å"enterprises of great pitch and moment† refer to the killing of Claudius, though the logic of the syntax makes them refer to the self-slaughter which is the subject of the whole disquisition. And conversely, because self-slaughter is the ostensible subject of the whole disquisition, we cannot read the speech simply as a case of conscience in the matter of revenge – Christian revenge and the secular sanctions and motivations of honor. (46)    Is the fourth soliloquy addressing only the prince’s specific situation? Or is it applicable universally to humankind? Lawrence Danson in the essay â€Å"Tragic Alphabet† discusses the most famous of soliloquies as involving an â€Å"eternal dilemma†:      The problem of time’s discrediting effects upon human actions and intentions is what makes Hamlet’s â€Å"To be, or not to be† soliloquy eternal dilemma rather than fulfilled dialectic. Faced with   the uncertainty of any action, an uncertainty that extends even to the afterlife, Hamlet, too, finds the â€Å"wick or snuff† of which Claudius speaks: â€Å"Thus conscience† – by... ...ons: Hamlet. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Rpt. from The Motives of Eloquence: Literary Rhetoric in the Renaissance. N.p.: Yale University Press, 1976.    Levin, Harry. â€Å"An Explication of the Player’s Speech.† Modern Critical Interpretations: Hamlet. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Rpt. from The Question of Hamlet. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1959.    Nevo, Ruth. â€Å"Acts III and IV: Problems of Text and Staging.† Modern Critical Interpretations: Hamlet. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Rpt. from Tragic Form in Shakespeare. N.p.: Princeton University Press, 1972.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html No line nos.            

The Rumba Dance Essay examples -- Afro-Cuban, Cuba

The rumba is a dance that rivets its image on the mind. Holding much history, it has been and is a dance of oppositions: love and hate, hostility and harmony, sensuality and prudence. Musically, it taps into the realms of technicality and improvisation. The dance and music is a marvel, leaving a lusty taste in its trail so that a natural tendency towards it never fades. The origins of the rumba stem from Africa. The steps and song of traditional rumba may have begun as remembered pieces of dance from the Ganga or Kisi people in Cuba, generalized groups of West Central African descent. Some prospect that the Sara peoples of northern Nigeria are the originators of rumba, a similar dance is of rows of boys in front of rows of girls, approaching one another in movement and then separating. In present-day Zaire, a traditional BaKongo dance called vane samba appears to directly link to rumba’s progenitors. A characteristic highlight occurs when the bodies of a dancing pair meet, or almost meet at the navel. This movement mirrors the rumba’s vacunao, a prominent feature in some forms of rumba. The name rumba possibly derives from the Spanish language, the word rumbo translates to route, rumba translates to heap pile, and rum is of course the liquor popular in the Caribbean. Any of these words might have been used descriptively when the dance was being formed. The name has most often been claimed to be derived from the Spanish word for carousel, or festival. Rumba developed in the 1850s and 1860s among free black slaves gathered to express their struggles with one another. Following the abolition of slavery in Cuba in 1886, poor Cubans dealt with a society still emphasizing color and class, by... ...national dance. As a native Afro-Cuban simply put, â€Å"This will never die. Nothing can stop it† (Farr 80). Works Cited Pà ©rez Jr., Louis A. On Becoming Cuban. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1999. Daniel, Yvonne. Rumba: Dance and Social Change in Contemporary Cuba. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1995. Farr, Jory. Rites of Rhythm. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2003. Shepherd, Verene A., and Hilary McD. Beckles., ed Caribbean slavery in the Atlantic world. Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle, Oxford: James Currey, Princeton, NJ: M. Weiner, 2000. Moore, Robin Dale. Nationalizing Blackness: Afrocubanismo and Artistic Revolution in Havana, 1920-1935. Diss. U of Texas at Austin, 1995. Ann Arbor: UMI, 1995. 9534899. Roy, Maya. Cuban Music. Trans. Denise Asfar and Gabriel Asfar. London: Latin America Bureau, 2002.

Girl in the Window Analysis Paper

Brittaney Doss ENG 303 November 15, 2012 Girl in the window Response Questions 1. What is your initial reaction to this piece? Use descriptive language to describe how you felt while reading this. * I endured several emotions while reading this piece. It was an emotional roller coaster for me. Emotions of sadness, hopefulness, and happiness came over me while reading this piece. I was floored when reading the conditions of the home in the beginning of the piece; I couldn’t believe that people could live in such conditions, yet alone with a baby. I also was taken for a loop when I read the consequences that the mother received.I was extremely upset with the protocol of Child Protective Services. The testimonial from the mother made me angry. I too grew up in a toxic situation for most of my childhood. Although my conditions were not comparable to the environment that Danielle was in, I could feel that look that the writer described as pain and hopelessness. I could not have sym pathy for this woman and I couldn’t accept how she could justify her actions. 2. What is investigative journalism? * The journalist investigates and researches a specific topic for a long period of time.They use the newly found information and older facts to create the story. Their job is to uncover facts that have not been revealed. 3. Lane DeGregory (woman) wrote this piece. What can you find out about her online? * When I searched Lane I found links to her social network accounts, videos and personal website. I also found several articles about â€Å"Girl in the Window. † There was additional information on the journey that he endured while investigating Danielle’s story. Her copartner Melissa, who was a photojournalist, revealed information about Lane.I found information on how to contact and book her for group talks and information about other pieces in which she has written. 4. Discuss Lane DeGregory’s style in your own words. What’s working in this piece to make it a Pulitzer Prize winner? * She was able to incorporate imagery using descriptive words and placed quotes within the piece that added emotion and sensory. The chronological arrangement of the piece was done differently she started from beginning to end and kept it in order but also added known facts and interview questions that flowed and the transitions where very easy to follow.I thought the sub headings with in the story also created a change of scene almost. She incorporated all sides of the story from the social worker to the law enforcement to the doctors to the teachers to the adopting family and to the mother. It was like reading a documentary. After reading this peace I had no questions about what was next I felt that Dani was in great care and I had no doubt that she would get better. She didn’t leave a hanger for the reader. I was complete at the end of the article. That to me made it Pulitzer Prize worthy. 5.How does â€Å"Girl in the Wind ow† differ from other articles we’ve read? * The Girl in the Window reads like a story rather that an article. It has a rising action and a resolution. Normally articles don’t end with the happy ending; you have to research or follow up to find out more information. Lane included a start middle and ending to the piece. At the end of the article I felt like I was closing a book or there would be credits following the last word. 6. What qualities does it share with other articles we’ve read? * The very first article we read about James Cameron shares similar qualities.Both writers had to endure a long journey to collect information for these pieces. You can compare the on-site time spent by both authors. The two articles couldn’t have been written with dedicating the proper time. 7. What techniques were utilized and how did this article come together? * Lane used details and ravishing quotations throughout the piece. It was a timeline piece use great transitions and subheading to help the reader keep up. She used descriptive words and did a amazing job setting the scenes as she wrote about them. 8. How did Lane DeGregory build her characters in the story? Lane gives us background information about the Lierows and then at the end she lets us into the background of Dani’s birth mother. She lets the readers know about the characterictics of the Lierows by sharing their daily activities and there at home lifestyles. 9. What did Oprah do after she learned/read this article? * Oprah did a segment on Dani’s story and the exposure lead to strangers donating over $10,000 to fund her long term care cost. Later her parent released a book this year called Dani's Story: A Journey from Neglect to Love.

Colorism: Black People and African American Community Essay

Colorism is an issue amongst African Americans that is slowly disunifying the culture. The idea that is constantly reiterated in the African American community is that if you are light skinned you have a better job with more income, more successful, have more relationships, and are deemed less of a threat, essentially living the â€Å"best of both worlds†. If are darker skinned you are jobless or at a job that is not moving you into the future, less successful, passed by a potential mate, and is labeled as a common crook. The ideas about color pigmentation in the African American community all goes back to the original argument made numerous of times: â€Å"White is good, Black is bad†. Slavery is a primary reason why African Americans have this state of mind. During this cruel and demoralizing era, African Americans were subjected to beatings, hard labor, and for some of the women, rape. The results of these malicious rapes led to pregnancy and the women bearing children of the masters. The offspring of the women were still slaves but were offered an education and lived in the master’s house because of their lighter skin. The media frequently reinforce these ideas by what is shown on television. On the news, it is always the dark African American man who is the subject for a manhunt for committing certain crimes. There are just as many white people committing the same crimes yet it is not news because it is not what the media wants the general public to believe. In the movies a lighter skinned African American is more likely to get a more serious role in a movie along a white person, while a darker skinned African American is left to play the evil and more â€Å"ghetto† roles which whites think should be natural for them. In African American music videos it is the much more lighter females who actually get their face seen on a video next to the rapper. The darker skinned female is the one with their back turned to the camera shaking their â€Å"booty†. Relationships in the African American community are also in disarray. More black men are shying away from the darker complexioned females in hopes of finding a light skinned or white woman. To the African American male, a lighter skinned female may be able to bear better-looking children with white features. They are also seen as easier to get along with. The continued success of the light skinned African Americans has created a prejudice against lighter skinned individuals in the culture. Dark skinned males and females are raged because of the fact that they get hired for good jobs. Dark skinned females are mad at lighter skinned females because they are not approached as much as they are. This is a real issue because it is causing bitterness towards one another I the African American culture. The simple fact is that no matter whether one is light skinned or dark skinned, they are still African American. However, because of the features in which a light skinned individual processes, helps them get more ahead, therefore, light skinned African Americans have easier lives than dark skinned African Americans. In order to fully understand why light skinned individuals have easier lives than dark skinned individuals, one must look understand how colors register in the human mind. When a person looks at a color it creates a certain feeling within them. In Ellis Cose’s Rage of a Privileged Class, color plays a very significant role. Cose explains that because of color a white man is likely to be helped more, quoted lower on purchases, shop without harassment, and offered more jobs as opposed to an African American who receives the exact opposite. According to psychology researchers, â€Å"white represents innocence, purity, clean, and good†¦ black symbolizes death, mystery, evil characters, and criminal activities†(Wu 1). Knowing the true meaning of colors explains why many African Americans of a darker skin color are less favored than those of a lighter one. The history of this favoritism for lighter skinned individuals can be dated all the way back to the days of slavery. Slave masters in this era were cold hearted human beings. They would rape unsuspecting female slaves at their own leisure. The outcome of these rapes led to the pregnancy and birth of other slave babies. The children of the salves and masters, often called mullatos were treated better than all the slaves.

Protocol numbers Essay

Protocol numbers are used to configure firewalls, routers, and proxy servers. In Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4, Request for Comments [RFC] 791I), the protocol number can be found in the Protocol field of an IP header.ICMP Echos are used mostly for troubleshooting. When there are 2 hosts which have communication problems, a few simple ICMP Echo requests will show if the 2 hosts have their TCP/IP stacks configured correctly and if there are any problems with the routes packets are taking in order to get to the other side ICMP Echo Information Type Name Reference Echo Reply [RFC792] Codes No Code 1 Unassigned [JBP] 2 Unassigned [JBP] 3 Destination Unreachable [RFC792] Codes 0 Net Unreachable 1 Host Unreachable 2 Protocol Unreachable 3 Port Unreachable 4 Fragmentation Needed and Don’t Fragment was Set 5 Source Route Failed 6 Destination Network Unknown 7 Destination Host Unknown 8 Source Host Isolated 9 Communication with Destination Network is  Administratively Prohibited 10 Communication with Destination Host is  Administratively Prohibited 11 Destination Network Unreachable for Type of Service 12 Destination Host Unreachable for Type of Service 13 Communication Administratively Prohibited [RFC1812] 14 Host Precedence Violation [RFC1812] 15 Precedence cutoff in effect [RFC1812] 4 Source Quench [RFC792] Codes No Code 5 Redirect [RFC792] Codes Redirect Datagram for the Network (or subnet) 1 Redirect Datagram for the Host 2 Redirect Datagram for the Type of Service and Network 3 Redirect Datagram for the Type of Service and Host 6 Alternate Host Address [JBP] Codes Alternate Address for Host 7 Unassigned [JBP] 8 Echo [RFC792] Codes No Code 9 Router Advertisement [RFC1256] Codes 0 No Code 10 Router Selection [RFC1256] Codes 0 No Code 11 Time Exceeded [RFC792] Codes 0 Time to Live exceeded in Transit 1 Fragment Reassembly Time Exceeded 12 Parameter Problem [RFC792] Codes 0 Pointer indicates the error 1 Missing a Required Option [RFC1108] 2 Bad Length 13 Timestamp [RFC792] Codes 0 No Code 14 Timestamp Reply [RFC792] Codes 0 No Code 15 Information Request [RFC792] Codes 0 No Code 16 Information Reply [RFC792] Codes 0 No Code 17 Address Mask Request [RFC950] Codes 0 No Code 18 Address Mask Reply [RFC950] Codes 1 No Code PORT NUMBERS Service names are assigned on a first-come, first-served process, as documented in [RFC6335]. Port numbers are assigned in various ways, based on three ranges: System Ports (0-1023), User Ports (1024-49151), and the Dynamic and/or Private Ports (49152-65535); the difference uses of these ranges is described in [RFC6335]. System Ports are assigned by IETF process for standards-track protocols, as per [RFC6335]. User Ports are assigned by IANA using the â€Å"IETF Review† process, the â€Å"IESG Approval† process, or the â€Å"Expert Review† process, as per  [RFC6335]. Dynamic Ports are not assigned. The registration procedures for service names and port numbers are described in [RFC6335]. Assigned ports both System and User ports SHOULD NOT be used without or prior to IANA registration.

How does Macbeth’s and Lady Macbeth’s relationship change throughout the course of the play? Essay

Witches nowadays are seen as a bit of a joke and a laugh since they are used for entertainment like in the ‘Harry Potter’ novels, or when it is Halloween and children (and sometimes even adults) dress up as witches for fun or for trick and treating. Overall, Witches in modern times are not taken seriously but people were a lot more superstitious back when Queen Elizabeth I reigned as Queen of England; people in those times had a real fear and belief of witches. Their superstition was the product of the church’s teachings, yet, when Queen Elizabeth died and the new King James I of England and Scotland, succeeded to the throne; he was someone who was both obsessed and intrigued by witches. This new King was fascinated by the subject, a fact that William Shakespeare had to take on board. Shakespeare had to impress King James in order to enter his good books and keep his high status and wealth. This is because William Shakespeare was Queen Elizabeth’s official playwright and when she died, he risked losing his living and high social status. By using his playwright’s talents, some background research on the King’s ancestors and his fascination of witches to his advantage, he created his infamous play, ‘Macbeth’, which captured King James’ attention and kept Shakespeare as the official playwright. Macbeth was a successful soldier in the army of King Duncan. After the battle, Macbeth meets three witches who tell him that he is to become Thane of Cawdor and King. As part of the same prophecy, the Witches predict that future Kings will be descended not from Macbeth but from his fellow army captain, Banquo. â€Å"(First Witch) All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Glamis. (Second Witch) All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Cawdor. (Third Witch) All hail Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter†. Banquo also receives a prophecy from the witches, â€Å"Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none†. Shortly after, Macbeth receives news that King Duncan has honoured him with the title, Thane of Cawdor. Although initially prepared to wait for fate to take its course, Macbeth is ambitious and sudden confusion arises when King Duncan nominates his son Malcolm as his heir. Macbeth is tempted and writes to his wife giving her the news. Lady Macbeth, upon hearing Macbeth’s promotion, calls upon evil spirits to help them achieve greatness; she dabbles with the dark arts and performs witchcraft in order to help her and her husband make the witches’ prophecies come true. It is here that we see Lady Macbeth’s true colours, it shows us that she is the more ambitious of the two as she has immediately taken steps to fulfill the prophecy and that she is the one who is more dominant in her actions. â€Å"Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promis’d: yet do I fear thy nature, it is too full o’ th’ milk of humane kindness, to catch the nearest way.† (Act 1, Scene 5) Returning to his castle, Macbeth’s ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth, tells her husband of her plan to murder Duncan and persuades Macbeth. It is here that we see the status of their relationship and realize that Lady Macbeth is â€Å"wearing the trousers† in this relationship. She is in control and can easily manipulate her husband. Macbeth realises that the murder of the king is the quickest way to achieve the destiny that her husband had been promised and when King Duncan pays a royal visit to Macbeth’s castle, Lady Macbeth sees this as the perfect opportunity to bring the prophecy to life. It is here that we see the dramatic irony take place. Both Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and the audience know that King Duncan will die once he stays over at Macbeth’s, but King Duncan himself does not know that his fate has been sealed. Here, we see the couple call each other endearments, for example, Macbeth calls Lady Macbeth â€Å"My dearest love† (Act 1, Scene 5), which suggests that they are a loving couple but at first Macbeth hesitates about killing King Duncan and Lady Macbeth is outraged, she takes control and scolds him, prevailing upon him again and again, which shows us she pushes and blackmails him revealing the positions in their relationship. She questions his manhood, â€Å"When you durst do it,† she says, â€Å"then you were a man†. Lady Macbeth wins out, she drugs the guards of the king’s bedchamber; then, at a given signal, Macbeth ascends to the King’s room and murders him while he sleeps. Lady Macbeth says she could not have killed King Duncan because he resembled her father, a figure which Lady Macbeth loved and cared for. â€Å"Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done’t†. Haunted by what he has done, Macbeth is once more scolded by his wife. It is here that we see Macbeth weaken and Lady Macbeth take almost complete control of their relationship. Suddenly, both are alarmed by a loud knocking at the castle door, but again, it is Lady Macbeth who takes control. The drunken porter of Macbeth’s castle opens the door to Macduff, a loyal follower of the king, who has been asked to awaken Duncan in preparation for the return journey. Macbeth, concealing the bloody truth, signals the location of the King’s room and Macduff heads towards it. He discovered the King’s body. When the murder is revealed, Macbeth kills the prime witnesses, the sleepy guards of the king’s bedchamber, and Lady Macbeth faints. The lords of Scotland present, including Macbeth, swear to avenge the murder. The King’s two sons flee in fear that they might be next, and this action raises suspicion that they might be the culprits. Donalbain flees to Ireland and Malcolm flees to raise an army in England. Macbeth is crowned the new king of Scotland, but, because of Banquo’s knowledge of the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth sees no other choice but to kill his friend, Banquo and his son Fleance, as he will be the successor after Macbeth. They both pose a threat to Macbeth but Macbeth does not tell Lady Macbeth of his plans this time, this shows he still cares for her and does not want her hands to be covered in blood anymore, thus taking on a more dominant role in their relationship. The hired murderers kill Banquo but Fleance escapes. At a banquet that night, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost at the dinner table and the audience see Macbeth weaken greatly as the ghost appears. Again, his wife tries to strengthen Macbeth. We see Lady Macbeth showing some of her irritation towards Macbeth, she is genuinely worried about him as she cannot see what he can and is trying to calm him, but on the other hand, she is also scolding him, desperate to save her neck and his, as she is trying to stop him from confessing Duncan’s murder. â€Å"O proper stuff: This is the very painting of your fear: This is the air-drawn dagger which you said Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts (Imposters to true fear) would well become A woman’s story, at a winter’s fire Authoriz’d by her grandma: shame itself, Why do you make such faces? When all’s done You look but on a stool.† (Act 3, Scene 4). In the next scene, Macbeth returns to the Witches. The Witches not only confirm that the sons of Banquo will rule in Scotland, but they also add a new prophecy: Macbeth will be invincible in battle until the time when the forest of Birnam moves towards his stronghold at Dunsinane, â€Å"Macbeth shall never be vanquish’d be, until Great Birnam Wood, to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him.† (Act 4, Scene 1). They also predict that no man born of a woman shall hurt Macbeth, â€Å"Be bloody, bold and resolute: Laugh to scorn The power of man: for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.† (Act 4, Scene 1). Ignoring both of these predictions because he thought they were nonsense, Macbeth prepares for invasion. When he is told that Macduff has deserted him, Macbeth begins the final stage of his tragic descent. His first move is the destruction of Macduff’s family; his wife and children. In England, Macduff receives the news at the very moment that he swears his allegiance to the young Malcolm. Malcolm persuades him that the murder of his family should act as the spur to revenge, â€Å"Be comforted. Let’s make medicines of our great revenge, To cure this deadly grief.† Meanwhile, in Scotland, Lady Macbeth has been taken ill: She walks in her sleep and seems to recall, in fragmentary memories, the details of the murder. It is here that she has no control over their relationship, moreover, her own sanity. Macbeth hears of her sanity deteriorating, yet he does not sound like he cares in the slightest, he sounds cold, emotionless, all he does is tell the doctor to â€Å"Cleanse the stuff’d bosom, of that perilous stuff Which weighs upon the heart†. In the end, she eventually falls to her death from the castle’s battlements. We do not know whether it was her insanity that caused her suicide, or the evil spirits that consumed her soul. Macbeth hears her scream, as he is informed of Lady Macbeth’s death, he acts as if he doesn’t care, he cold-heartedly said â€Å"she should have died hereafter†, his speech is pessimistic and full of despair which spells the end of their once loving relationship. Malcolm’s attacking army is advancing while Macbeth’s defenses are preparing. When Malcolm’s army disguise themselves with sawn-off branches from Birnam Wood, Macbeth sees what appears to be a wood moving towards his stronghold at Dunsinane. When he finally meets Macduff in single combat, his sworn enemy reveals that he came into the world by caesarean section; he was not, precisely speaking, â€Å"of woman born†, (Act 4, Scene 1). On hearing this news, Macbeth rejects one final time the Witches’ prophecy. With a loud cry, he launches himself at Macduff and is slain thus revealing the final twist to this tragedy. In the final scene, Malcolm is crowned as the new king of Scotland, to the acclaim of all. At first, Macbeth had a casual, loving relationship with Lady Macbeth. However, both their ambitions led them astray. Firstly, the relationship began to change when Macbeth became more dominant. This was when he ordered Banquo and his son Fleance murdered. â€Å"Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck†, by saying this, not only is Macbeth protecting his wife, he is also taking on a more dominant role in their relationship. Clearly, he still loves his wife as he is protecting her. However, there is another twist in their marriage. In act 3 scene 4, we see the appearance of Banquo’s ghost at the banquet which only Macbeth can see, because of this; Macbeth is reduced to a weak, helpless man. Meanwhile, his wife, unsure of what is going on, appears to be sure footed and most definitely stronger than her husband. She scolds him and questions his manhood, â€Å"Are you a man?† Drawing to the end of the play, we see Macbeth take control again, while Lady Macbeth is slowly deteriorating along with her relationship to Macbeth, her mind is flooded with guilt and paranoia. We see the end of their relationship when Lady Macbeth falls off the battlements of the castle to her death. We do not know whether it was her guilt that caused her to commit suicide, or the evil spirits consuming her soul and driving her to die. Macbeth feels no emotion upon hearing of her death; instead he says life is meaningless and has no purpose, â€Å"is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.† This is the end of their relationship. The audience initially has a good impression of their relationship. They called each other endearments and protected each other. In act 3, scene 2, we see Macbeth protecting his wife from finding out the bloody truth, even though he had performed evil deeds, the audience would’ve thought of him as a ‘good person’ or a loving husband beneath the blood stained ambition. In act 1, scene 5 however, Lady Macbeth reveals her true colours by calling forth evil spirits to aid her ambition to kill Duncan. Also, in act 4, scene 1, we see Macbeth’s true colours when he meets the witches for help. The audience now sees him as too deep in the blood for him to carry on, his time will come. When Lady Macbeth dies, he shows coldness, which creates hatred from the audience towards Macbeth. Indeed, his time comes, when he faces Macduff, and is slain. The audience now sees the classic victory over evil, performed by the good. In conclusion, Macbeth’s relationship with lady Macbeth slowly deteriorates throughout the course of the play, it seems that the more blood drenched onto Macbeth’s hand, the more dominant he grew and this weakened Lady Macbeth’s mental state. The audience sees them as a loving couple at first, calling each other endearments protecting each other, but their actions caught up with them, and they faced the consequences of meddling with the evil spirits. Their relationship is like a candle, slowly burning, burning through the wax, slowly deteriorating, until there is nothing left.