William Godwins Attack on the Law :: European Europe History

William Godwin's Attack on the Law Laws: We know what they are, and what they are worth! They are spider webs for the rich and mighty, steel chains for the poor and weak, fishing nets in the hands of government. - Proudhon1 On the surface, William Godwin's Caleb Williams (1794) is merely an entertaining murder mystery and detective story. The tale of an unfortunate servant who learns the truth of his master's past and flees for fear of his life, it has thrilled generations of readers. However, Godwin designed the work "to answer a purpose more general and important than immediately appears on the face of it."2 Written immediately after the publication of Godwin's first and most famous work, Enquiry Concerning Political Justice (1793), Caleb Williams serves as a vehicle for Godwin to introduce his philosophy to the general public. The issue he addresses in the novel is that of "things as they are... While one party pleads for reformation and change, the other extols in the warmest terms the existing constitution of society."3 There can be no mistaking Godwin's position. He uses Caleb Williams to launch a full-scale attack against things as they are and "the modes of despotism by which man destroys his own kind - principally through prisons, law, and wealth."4 The law plays a particularly important role in the novel. It affects almost every major character, always aiding the oppression of the weak by the mighty and serving as a tool of tyranny. Godwin's opinion of the law is as interesting as it is extreme. His goal is to force the reader to "conclude universally that law is an institution of the most pernicious tendency," as he argues in his Political Justice.5 In his attack on the law, he makes use of common criticisms of the law from the late eighteenth century that were more often used as a call for its reform than for its abolition. In addition to these, however, he introduces arguments that successful reform is impossible and that the law by its very nature will inevitably serve as a tool of injustic e, tyranny, and oppression. Godwin's attacks on the law occur continuously throughout Caleb Williams, as its complex plot slowly evolves. The first victim of the law is the tenant farmer Hawkins, whose pride leads him imprudently to offend his landlord, Mr. Tyrrel. When Tyrrel orders him to abandon his farm, Hawkins's pride again gets the best of him and he refuses: "I have got a lease of my farm, and I shall not quit it o'thaten.

Academic Criticism Graphic Organizer Essay

Lady Macbeth was being haunted in her dreams because of the actions her and her husband had carried out. Characterizations was also revealed because it showed Lady Macbeth was not cold hearted and that she had a conscience. Lady Macbeth is wearing a white dress to show her true innocence but her hair is black to show the darkness within. The people were in the corner because they wanted to listen what she was saying while she was sleep walking The doctor and lady Macbeth are in this scene. There is also another woman is wearing old clothing. The doctor is a woman in this stage adaptation but is described as a male in Shakespeare’s writing. Again, Lady Macbeth is wearing a white dress and has black hair implying her guilt ridden conscience. Step 2: Question Why was it chosen for Lady Macbeth’s character to experience such guilt when she was such a cold hearted character in the beginning? How did this  contribute to the outcome of the play? Why was Lady Macbeth in all white? Why was the doctor remaining in the corner instead of helping Lady Macbeth back to her bed? Why in this adaptation did Lynch have the doctor as a woman and not as a male like the play had portrayed? Step 3: Analyze Lady Macbeth starts to feel guilty because it shows the darkness that is slowly going to start taking over Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s relationship and not in a good way. The doctor stayed in the corner with the woman to show their interest in what Lady Macbeth was saying and how they were whispering to each other. Lady Macbeth was put in all white to show she still had a sense of innocence to her Lynch possibly made a woman play as the doctor because earlier in the play the doctor states that all men are born of women. Step 4: Evaluate The author accomplishes the theme that Darkness is Dangerous because showing how the evil actions that Lady Macbeth had did left a darkness in her that she could not handle. Therefore, haunting her through many nights and eventually leading to her own downfall. The painter accomplished the portrayal they wanted the viewer to see of the guilt ridden soul that Lady Macbeth had obtained and how she in fact was remorseful for the things she did, showing her pure innocence that she has  always, shown just by simply wearing a white dress and the people in the corner whispering showing how her thoughts that were being spoken must have been of high importance and depth. The director accomplished a portrayal of the doctor in his own words. â€Å"All men are born of women.† I also feel that a male doctor might not have been more likely to stay ease drop on Lady Macbeths sleepwalking like a woman would. Critique: Shakespeare’s original text of Lady Macbeths sleepwalking scene which had shown the toll that was taken on Lady Macbeth after the murder she had taken part in, was and inspiration not only for painters but for other directors to remake the play in their interpretations. Both the painting and the Theater production captured the sole purpose of the scene that Shakespeare originally had wrote and they were both similar in character with only a slight difference. The painting by Artus Scheiner, had captured Lady Macbeth’s innocence but also accomplished making the scene seem a bit â€Å"spooky† with the lighting. In similarity to the theater production it was also dark and Lady Macbeth walked in lighting. Lady Macbeths true mentality was shown in the production when she sat on the floor and started to rub her hands together vigorously to wash off the imaginary blood she sees on her hands. The painting shows Lady Macbeth walking calmly but in the production she screams with frustration unable to let anyone what she has done, so she is left with having to keep the secret forever. However, Scheiner’s painting captured the main purpose of this scene in one picture, all by contrasting the lighting and choosing the clothes that she wore to represent her personality with no words. Lynch’s adaptation of the play also took advantage of the white dress and black hair appearance to vaguely brush on Lady Macbeth’s true inner self being taken over by evil deeds.

The Molting Process for Insect Growth

Molting,  known technically as ecdysis, is literally a period of growth for insects. In humans, an analogy can be drawn to molting as a period of personal transformation, such as the shedding of ones old self and the emergence of a new and improved person. Insects grow in increments. Each stage of growth ends with molting, the process of shedding and replacing the rigid exoskeleton. People often think molting is the simple act of an insect breaking out of its skin and leaving it behind. In truth, the process is complex and involves several parts. When Insects Molt After egg hatches, the immature insect feeds and grows. Its exoskeleton is like a shell. Eventually, the larva or nymph must shed its unyielding overcoat to continue its development. The exoskeleton which serves as its  external backbone is used for protection and support. Without an  exoskeleton, the insect could not survive. An old exoskeleton is shed when a new one is ready underneath, a process that can take days or weeks. Understanding the Exoskeleton To understand how molting occurs, it helps to know the three layers of the insect exoskeleton. The outermost layer is called the cuticle. The cuticle protects the insect against physical injury and water loss, as well as provides rigidity for muscle. It is this outermost layer that sheds during a molt. Underneath the cuticle is the epidermis. It is responsible for secreting a new cuticle when it is time to shed the old one. Underneath the epidermis is the basement membrane. This membrane is what separates the insect’s main body from its exoskeleton. The Process of Molting In molting, the epidermis separates from the outermost cuticle. Then, the epidermis forms a protective layer around itself  and secretes chemicals that break down the insides of the old cuticle. That protective layer becomes part of the new cuticle. When the epidermis has formed the new cuticle, muscular contractions and air intake cause the insect’s body to swell, thus splitting open the remains of the old cuticle. Finally, the new cuticle hardens. The bug squeezes out from the outgrown exoskeleton. The insect must continue to swell and expand the new cuticle, so it is large enough to allow room for more growth. The new overcoat is soft and much paler than the former one, but over a few hours, it becomes darker and begins to harden. Within a few days, the insect appears to be a slightly larger copy of its former self. Pros and Cons of Molting For some insects, a  big benefit to having a system of molting for growth is that it allows damaged tissue and missing limbs to be  regenerated  or substantially reformed. Complete regeneration may require a series of molts, the stump becoming a little larger with each molt until it is a normal or nearly back to normal size. A  major disadvantage to having to molt  as a system of growth is that the animal in question is entirely incapacitated during the process. An insect is completely vulnerable to a predator attack while undergoing molting.