Biography of Amedeo Modigliani, Modernist Artist

The Italian artist Amadeo Modigliani  (July 12, 1884–January 24, 1920) is best known for his portraits and nudes, which featured elongated faces, necks, and bodies. The distinctly modernist works were not celebrated during Modiglianis lifetime, but after his death, he achieved great acclaim. Today, Modigliani is considered a crucial figure in the development of modern painting and sculpture. Fast Facts: Amadeo Modigliani Occupation:  ArtistBorn:  July 12, 1884 in Livorno, ItalyDied:  Ã‚  January 24, 1920 in Paris, FranceEducation:  Accademia di Belle Arti, Florence, ItalySelected Works:  The Jewess  (1907),  Jacques and Berthe Lipchitz  (1916),  Ã‚  Portrait of Jeanne Hebuterne  (1918)Famous Quote:  When I know your soul, I will paint your eyes. Early Life and Training Born into a Sephardic Jewish family in Italy, Modigliani grew up in Livorno, a port city known as a safe haven for those fleeing religious persecution. His family suffered financial ruin at the time of his birth, but they eventually recovered. A sickly childhood prevented the young Modigliani from receiving a traditional formal education. He battled pleurisy and typhoid fever. However, he began drawing and painting at an early age, and his mother supported his interests. At age 14, Modigliani enrolled in formal training with local Livorno master Guglielmo Micheli. Modigliani often rejected the ideas of classical painting, but instead of disciplining his pupil, Micheli encouraged Amedeos experimentation with different styles. After two years of success as a student, Modigliani contracted tuberculosis, which disrupted his artistic education and perhaps his entire lifes trajectory: a mere 19 years later, the disease would claim his life. Parisian Artist In 1906, Modigliani moved to Paris, the center of artistic experimentation. He settled in an apartment in Le Bateau-Lavoir, a commune for poor, struggling artists. Modiglianis lifestyle was raucous and arguably self-destructive: he became addicted to drugs and alcohol and engaged in numerous affairs. Biographers have speculated that Modiglianis ongoing struggle with tuberculosis spurred his self-destructive lifestyle. In the early 1900s, tuberculosis was a leading cause of death, and the disease was contagious. Perhaps by burying his struggles under the influence of substances and hard-partying, Modigliani shielded himself from potential social rejection as well as the suffering caused by his illness. Painting Modigliani produced new work at a furious pace, creating as many as 100 drawings a day. Most of these drawings no longer exist, however, as Modigliani typically destroyed or discarded them during his frequent moves. In 1907, Modigliani met Paul Alexandre, a young physician and patron of the arts, who became one of his first steady customers.  The Jewess, painted in 1907, was the first Modigliani painting purchased by Alexandre, and is considered one of the prime examples of Modiglianis work during the period. A few years later, Modiglianis most productive period began. In 1917, with the patronage of Polish art dealer and friend Leopold Zborowski, Modigliani started work on a series of 30 nudes that became some of the most celebrated work of his career. The nudes were featured in Modiglianis first and only solo show, and it became a sensation. Police tried to close the exhibition down on the first day due to charges of public obscenity. With the removal of some of the nudes from a storefront window, the show continued a few  days later.   A photograph depicting Portrait of Jeanne Hebuteme on display in a gallery. Ben A. Pruchnie / Getty Images Modigliani created a series of portraits of fellow artists including  Pablo Picasso  while World War I raged in Europe. Among the most famous of these works is a portrait of the artist Jacques Lipchitz and his wife, Berthe. After beginning a relationship with Jeanne Hebuterne in the spring of 1917, Modigliani entered the final stage of his work. Hebuterne was a frequent subject for his portraits, and they are marked by the use of more subtle colors and elegant lines. Modiglianis portraits of Jeanne Hebuterne are considered some of his most relaxed, peaceful paintings.  Ã‚   Sculpture In 1909, Amedeo Modigliani met the Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi.  The meeting inspired Modigliani to pursue his lifelong interest in sculpture.  For the next five years, he focused on sculpting. A 1912 Paris exhibition at the Salon dAutomne featured eight stone heads by Modigliani. They demonstrate his ability to translate ideas from his paintings to a three-dimensional form. They also reveal strong influences from African sculpture.   Laura Lezza / Getty Images At some point in 1914, at least partially influenced by the rarity of sculpting materials with the outbreak of World War I, Modigliani abandoned sculpture for good. Later Life and Death Modigliani suffered from the progression of tuberculosis throughout most of his adult life. After a series of affairs and relationships, including one with Russian poet Anna Akhmatova in 1910, he appeared to live a life of relative contentment with 19-year-old Jeanne Hebuterne beginning in 1917. She gave birth to a daughter, Jeanne, in 1918. In 1920, a neighbor checked on the young couple after not hearing from them for several days. They found Modigliani in the final stages of tubercular meningitis. He succumbed to the disease in a local hospital on January 24, 1920. At the time of Modiglianis death, Hebuterne was eight months pregnant with the couples second child; she did by suicide the following day. Legacy and Influence During his lifetime, Modigliani was stubbornly idiosyncratic, refusing to associate himself with the art movements of his era, such as  Cubism,  Surrealism, and Futurism. Today, however, his work is considered pivotal to the development of modern art. Sources Meyers, Jeffrey. Modigliani: A Life. Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt, 2014.Secrest, Meryle. Modigliani. Random House, 2011.

Adolf Hitler Leading The Genocide - 1182 Words

Adriana Flores Mrs.Harrington English 2; Per. 5 23 March 2015 Adolf Hitler: Leading the Genocide The Holocaust was the mass murder of Jews under the German Nazi regime in 1941 to 1945. There are many components of this significant event. One important component was Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi Party and Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945. Hitler contributed to the execution of Jews during WWII through his ideology, his dictatorship, and his leadership of the Nazi Party. To initiate, Hitler’s early life had a great impact on his ideology and generated resentment towards Jews. Hitler’s father, Alois Hitler, who was a civil servant, disagreed with Hitler’s hobbies and interests throughout his childhood (Adolf Hitler). Chris Trueman claims in his article â€Å"Adolf Hitler,† â€Å"[Alois Hitler] was shocked and totally disapproving when the young Hitler told him of his desire to be an artist† (Adolf Hitler). This is significant, since this acknowledges that Hitler had hate towards his father, due to h is father’s rejections of his artistic talents. In addition to the fact that, Hitler had hatred towards his father, who was half-jewish, Hitler mentally blamed Jews for all of Germany’s problems leading him to the Holocaust, where he attacked all Jews (Hans Frank). Throughout his years in Vienna, Hitler went through a rough upbringing and established more anger issues. In 1907, Hitler considered himself as a failure, considering that he had been turned down twice from theShow MoreRelatedGlobal Genocides And The Holocaust1324 Words   |  6 PagesGlobal Genocides Understood by Sociology It is made known that before 1944, the term â€Å"genocide† did not exist. A Polish-Jewish lawyer named Raphael Lemkin wanted to describe the acts of the Nazi policies, in regards to the mass murders of the European Jews. Using the Greek word â€Å"geno-â€Å", meaning race or tribe, as well as the Latin word â€Å"-cide† for killing, he formed the word â€Å"genocide† (History.com Staff). According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the term holocaust means, â€Å"Any ofRead MoreI First Visited The Virtual Holocaust Museum Website And Researched The Bodies Of The Holocaust871 Words   |  4 Pagesbodies of the site it represented discrimination and bigotry. The action taken upon the innocent the dominant leader Adolf Hitler and the members of his group carried out Jews. The website classified the term Genocide to commit violent crimes against groups with the intent to destroy the existence of the group. The central issue raised by the site is i nforming people the awareness of Genocide. When I was looking into the cases mentioned on the website many of the cases are â€Å"racial profiling† against cultureRead MoreThe Persecution Of The Jewish People1105 Words   |  5 PagesNazis, this often fuelled by ‘intentionalists’, who believe Genocide was indeed the intention of one man from the beginning, rather than the theories of the ‘moderate functionalists ‘, that reason that the persecution of the Jewish people was a progression of radical policy ,of an entire group of people, due to the perceived failings of the Nazis previous racial policies. Section 2 Introduction - Nazi Regime began in 1933 when Adolf Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany - 6 million Jews had beenRead MoreWhat Was It Like To Live In The Time During The Holocaust?1247 Words   |  5 PagesWhat was it like to live in the time during the holocaust? What made the holocaust so revolutionary? Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler had a masterplan to eliminate the jews in Germany, the Nazis became powerful in a way that they saw the Jews as inferior. Through 1933 till 1945, roughly more than 11 million people were murdered. During the holocaust 1/3 of all Jewish people alive were persecuted. They created transit, concentration camps to monitor the Jews during the war. The concentration camps took awayRead MoreThe Nazi Observatory 1093 Words   |  5 Pagesthe second Adolf Hitler become chancellor Germany become a darker place. Germany was humiliated after WWI and Hitler wanted the world to see that Germany isn’t weak and they weren’t to blame for their troubles. Hitler blamed the Jews and those who didn’t fit his â€Å"elite race†. He star ted a genocide and when the world reacted all they could do was save as many lives as they could for so many had already been lost. The nations of the world could have done so much more to prevent the genocide and if theyRead MoreThe Rise Of Nazism And The Holocaust1668 Words   |  7 Pagesdirectly altering the course the world takes. Adolf Hitler is one of these individuals. Hitler, the figurehead of the Nazi regime that led Germany to World War II, and instigated one of the most infamous genocides in history, the Holocaust. The impact Adolf Hitler had on history, namely, the rise of Nazism and the Holocaust is also due to a favourable set of circumstances that without them Hitler himself would not have been enough. There is no denying that Hitler was not ‘Charismatic’, a leader that broughtRead MoreWhy Adolf Hitler Was A Great Leader1200 Words   |  5 PagesLepsig English IV 31 March 2015 Why Adolf Hitler Was A Great Leader. Can you really call a Murderer a Great Leader? A â€Å"Great Leader† Can be define as a leader who is self aware, self direct, socially aware, visionary, and having the ability to motivate one. Adolf Hitler is self aware, self direct, socially aware, visionary, and having the ability to motivate. From what we know for being a Great Leader we can say Adolf Hitler was a Great Leader. I believe that Hitler was a indeed a â€Å"Great Leader†. Read More Adolf Hitlers Leadership and the Government that Follows Essay1163 Words   |  5 Pagesrich exploit the proletariat.† This is the exact idea that Adolf Hitler had. If the people knew just how much strength they had as a whole, it was enough to over throw the power of one man. In Animal Farm, the pigs didn’t feel as if they were being treated equally and were able to over throw one leader who just so happens to be Mr. Frederick, the tough owner of Pinchfield who portrays Germany, or in finer terms, Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler was a dictator of the German Nazi movement. He was born AprilRead MoreSpenser Larson. Katelyn Osterman. World History 20Th Century.1525 Words   |  7 Pagesthe wars that have claimed millions of life. The war which has taught us the most is World War II with the many advancements and modern warfare still used today. Two of the most renowned leaders from this horrendous war were Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler. There were also two major battles that occurred throughout the European and Pacific Theater: the Battle of Normandy and the Battle of Midway. Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of Britain during World War II. He began life with a humbleRead MoreAdolf Hitler and The Holocaust Essay729 Words   |  3 Pageshandicaps. This geonocide, led by Adolf Hitler, who was the chancellor and future dictator of Germany, resulted in the death of six million Jews and thousands of other innocents. The Holocaust is arguably the worst thing that has happened in our history. In our modern world we still have racist and religious problems accross the world particularly in the Middle East and Africa. By studying the Holocaust we can learn many things and gain a perspective on our lives. Adolf Hitler, leader of the Nazi political

Economic crisis in Nigeria free essay sample

The evolution of Nigeria was from about 1849 until it attained independence in 1960. During this period a lot of events occurred, and is largely the story of the great impact of the British on the Nigerian people. The colonial authorities (British) sought to define, protect and realize their imperial interest in the portion of West Africa because of its endowment with natural resources, apparently this occurred about hundred years ago. The British was very determined to pursue their goals which were largely economic and quite strategic. The British was involved deeply with the economic life of their colonized people. In this period the British found a huge amount of crude oil in the coastal regions, and the Greyne Goldie’s National African Company (1888) which had successfully squeezed out rivals but was later changed to the Royal Niger Company, chartered and limited. The name Nigeria sprang up in 1914, which was the amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates by the then colonial secretary Flora Shore. We will write a custom essay sample on Economic crisis in Nigeria or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As time swept past, constitutions were made such as the Sir Hugh Clifford constitution of 1922, the Richards constitution of 1946, the MacPherson constitution was promulgated in 1951 and so on. From this point, the Nigerian state moved on until its independence in 1960. Now with concentration on the economy of Nigeria, it has been petroleum-based, the economy has suffered some lapses such instability, corruption, and poor macro-economic management, the economy has however strongly proven that despite all odds it is a promising one and may develop the largest economy in Africa competing with South Africa. HISTORY OF NIGERIA’S ECONOMY. (history)This a brief evaluation of Nigeria’s economy the pro-oil boom (1960-1970), the period of oil boom (1971-1977), the period of structural modification and stabilization, and the period of guided deregulation. The Nigerian economy has had an abridged history. In the period 1960-70, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) recorded 3. 1 per cent growth yearly. During the oil boom era, roughly 1970-78, QDP grew positively by 6. 2 per cent yearly an impressive growth. However, in the 1980s, GDP had damaging growth rates. In the period 1988-1997 which constitutes the period of structural adjustment and economic liberalization, the QDP responded to economic amendment policies and grew at a positive rate of 4. 0. In the years after independence, industry and manufacturing zones had positive growth rates except for the period 1980-1988 where industry and manufacturing grew negatively by 3. 2 per cent and 2. 9 per cent respectively. In the early 1960s, the agricultural sector suffered from low commodity prices while the oil boom contributed to the negative growth of agriculture in the 1970s. The boom in the oil sector lured labor away from the rural sector to urban centers. The impact of agriculture to GDP, which was 63 percent in 1960, deteriorated to 34 per cent in 1988, not because the industrial sector increased its share but due to neglect of the agricultural sector. It was therefore not surprising that by 1975, the economy had become a net importer of basic food items. The apparent increase in industry and manufacturing from 1978 to 1988, was due to activities in the mining sub-sector, especially petroleum. Capital formation in the economy has not been satisfactory. Gross domestic investment as a percentage of GDP, which was 16. 3 per cent and 22. 8 per cent in the periods 1965-73 and 1973-80 respectively, decreased to almost 14 per cent in 1980-88 and increased to 18. 2 per cent in 1991 -98. Gross National Saving has been low and consists mostly of public savings especially during the period 1973-80. The current account balances before official transfers are negative for 1965-73, 1980-88 and 1991-98. Unemployment rates averaged almost 5 per cent for the period 1976-1998. However, the statistics especially on unemployment, must be interpreted with caution. Most job seekers do not use the labor exchanges, apart from the inherent distortions in the countrys labor market. Based on some basic indicators, it appears that the economy performed well during the years immediately after independence and into the oil boom years. However, in the 1980s the economy was in a recession. The on-going economic reform programmer is an attempt to put the economy on a recovery path with minimal inflation. The analysis that follows tries to discuss the developments in the economy for different periods. YearsPercent 1960-703. 1 1965-7816. 3 1970-786. 2 1973-8016. 3 1980-886. 1 1988-974 Figure 1 history of Nigeria’s economy This graph explains the above History. CURRENT STATE OF NIGERIA’S ECONOMY (142)Failure of the military to diversify the economy, Nigeria’s economy has overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which in real sense actually provides less than 25% of the GDP despite providing 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and also about 65% of government revenues. Although it’s a large exporter of raw food produce and also a larger importer of it’s already processed food and therefore the agricultural sector has not been able to keep up with its rapidly growing population. Because of the crushing poverty, the Nigerian economy is struggling to leverage the country’s vast wealth in fossil fuels. The term â€Å"resource curse† is tagged on countries that although has vast wealth is still struggling with extreme personal poverty, such as Nigeria. Reportedly, 80 percent of the revenue flows to the government, another 16 percent cover operational cost whilst the 4 percent left goes to the investors but the World Bank has proven this wrong as 80 percent is for the government and 1 percent for its population. TRENDS OF NIGERIAN ECONOMY. (trends)According to the trading economy of Nigeria it gives a brief review of the recent trends in Nigeria, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Nigeria elongated 7. 67 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 over the same quarter of the previous year. GDP Growth Rate in Nigeria is reported by the Central Bank of Nigeria. From 2005 until 2013, Nigeria GDP Growth Rate be an average of 6. 8 Percent reaching an all-time high of 8. 6 Percent in December of 2010 and a record low of 4. 5 Percent in March of 2009. Nigeria is one of the most technologically advanced countries in Africa. Agriculture is the largest sector of the economy, accounting for about 42 percent of total GDP. Yet, the fastest growing segments are Wholesale and Retail Trade and Telecommunication and Post. Together they account for almost 35 percent of total output. The third most important sector is Crude Petroleum and Natural Gas which institutes 13. 5 percent of total weight, but its influence to GDP have been diminishing over the last two years. Industry and Construction account for the remaining 9. 5 percent of the GDP. This page provides Nigeria GDP Growth Rate actual values, chronological data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. The economy trend of Nigeria also drew some attention to its agricultural sector and also according to intercontinental food policy research institute it has stated the following Agriculture is the economic mainstay of the majority of households in Nigeria (Udoh, 2000) and is a significant sector in Nigeria’s economy (Amaza, 2000). (tradingeconomics. com) FUTURE OF NIGERIAN ECONOMY. (google)Nigerian economy has a bright end ahead of them as the already have the aim of becoming Africa’s largest economy after the leading country South Africa. The future of the Nigerian economy has been visualized by the nation’s encyclopedia Nigerias prospects for sustainable economic growth are mixed. Despite current hardships, Nigeria represents an essential market in Africa with its vast human and natural resources. Its revenues from both the recent and ongoing reclamation in oil prices and the export of liquefied natural gas should help to rebuild the nations traumatized socio-economic infrastructure. The anti-corruption legislation, rigorously enforced, should help to reestablish transparency and responsibility into economic decisions, which would boost national and international investor confidence in the nation. Nigeria has many impediments on its road to sustainable development. Earnings from non-oil exports are unlikely to improve significantly because of the high cost of production. Acrimony between the administrative and legislative arms of the government continue relentlessly to the detriment of collective and decisive action. Throbbing and costly fuel shortages, caused by the inability of Nigerias dilapidated refineries to produce anywhere near capacity, restrain the nation. Inter-ethnic and religious conflicts continue to take their tolls in human lives and physical assets of the nation. Unemployment, especially among college graduates, has reached excruciating levels. Armed robbery and crime constitute a present hazard to the economy. These impairments must be more determinedly addressed to enhance Nigerias chances for growth and development. CONCULSION Scott Rogers, IMF Mission Chief for Nigeria, issued today in Abuja the following statement: â€Å"The Nigerian economy weathered the global economic recession and domestic banking crisis remarkably well. Real Gross Domestic Product growth this year is expected to be exceptionally high on the back of a strong recovery in oil production and continued strong growth in other sectors. However, inflation remains stubbornly high and international reserves continue to fall as the authorities support the exchange rate. â€Å"â€Å"It recommends that expenditures be reallocated from recurrent to capital projects to support economic growth. The medium-term fiscal policy for all levels of government should be anchored by a strong oil-price rule which would align government spending with available resources. â€Å"The team recommended that the CBN conduct monetary policy with a view to reducing inflation to a single-digit level. In this regard, the team supported the recent increase in the monetary policy rate, but noted that the CBN needs to make better use of open market operations to make its policy rate effective. The team understood the concern about the stagnation of aggregate credit to the private sector. Slower growth in credit is not unexpected in the aftermath of the unsustainable credit growth driven by equity-related lending. Efforts to boost lending to small businesses should be promoted through targeted reforms, such as an effective credit risk bureau, better collateral execution and bankruptcy procedures, and improved land tenure system. â€Å"Key target in the Vision 20:2020 strategy is to transform Nigeria into a one of the world’s top 20 economies by the year 2020. However, achieving the high level of public investment outlined in the strategy will require a major shift in public resources from recurrent to capital spending, substantial increase non-oil revenue, and substantial expansion in budget implementation capacity. It will be very important, therefore, that the public capital projects be clearly prioritized in the event that fiscal resources are inadequate to fully implement the Vision. †

The relationship between God and human beings, use the example of Rabia al-Adawiyya and al-Hallaj Essay Example

The relationship between God and human beings, use the example of Rabia al-Adawiyya and al-Hallaj Paper Mysticism, according to Evelyn Underhill is The great spiritual current that goes through all religions1. Mysticism seeks to understand the nature and relationship of the human soul and God. The mystical aspect of Islam is known as Sufism (tasawwuf) and in practice is the seeking of an intimate relationship with God through meditative practice or the behaviour of self-denial, the ultimate aim, to achieve union with God. Sufis want to know God in the heart, as a lover and a friend and, as God is an immaterial entity the union can only be achieved emotionally. In the mystical idea, humans gain knowledge of God not through rational thought or religion but with the fusing of the soul to the divine world. Thirteenth century prophet, Jalal al-Din Rumi explains, All the hopes, desires, loves, and affections that people have for different things fathers, mothers, friends, heavens, the earth, gardens, palaces, sciences, works, food, drink he saint knows that these are desires for God and all those things are veils. When men leave this world and see the King without these veils, then they will know that all were veils and coverings, that the object of their desire was in reality that One Thing They will see all things face to face. 2 In order to embrace the love of God, Sufis must disregard the material world that the rest of us so readily and unquestioningly inhabit. We will write a custom essay sample on The relationship between God and human beings, use the example of Rabia al-Adawiyya and al-Hallaj specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The relationship between God and human beings, use the example of Rabia al-Adawiyya and al-Hallaj specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The relationship between God and human beings, use the example of Rabia al-Adawiyya and al-Hallaj specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Sufi mystical path has several stages and is open to each and every Muslim who wishes to connect their soul with the divine. The whole of life is spiritually one in its source, goal, beginning and end, with the divine manifest in all our souls (though the soul was created before, and is separated from the body). The attempt to attain unity with God is all the more desirable when earthly matter is deemed evil; no incentive is left, other than for anything other than mystical behaviour. Sufis take the For man was created weak3 aspect of the Quran seriously; scripture like it proves to Sufis the evil status of matter. There are contradictions though in other parts of the Quran: Thy Lord said to the angels: I will create a vicegerent on earth4. Although this is an inconsistency within the Quran, rather than within Sufism itself, it doesnt give Sufis a clear textual backing. We might bear in mind though that if this is the case for Sufis then it will be the case for the Orthodox Muslims too. So, bearing this in mind, a key understanding for the mystics may be that We are nearer to him than the jugular vein5 Such revelations are of great importance to Sufis in giving them an insight into their relationship with God, though they too are also good at expressing themselves: thirteenth century mystic Jalal al-Din Rumi explains that, All the hopes, desires, loves, and affections that people have for different things fathers, mothers, friends, heavens, the earth, gardens, palaces, sciences, works, food, drink the saint knows that these are desires for God and all those things are veils. When men leave this world and see the King without these veils, then they will know that all were veils and coverings, that the object of their desire was in reality that One Thing They will see all things face to face. Our earthly desires are fanciful yet are always seeking a truth that is God. Sufi mystics are highly regarded and specially remembered and revered long after their deaths. Rabia Al-Adawiyya and Al-Hallaj provide us with very interesting examples of how mystical experience had so overcome them that to Sufisms logical extent, existence came to have no meaning for them. Their experience explains a lot about the ideas and ideology of the mystical tradition. Commentaries on Rabbia and her works have been passed down through devotees, historians, translators and commentators for almost thirteen centuries. Our picture of her is created by these scholars and coupled with the passage of thirteen centuries; the picture may well be an accordingly anachronistic one. Her work that was not already poetry seems, through these mediums and the refinement of re-telling 6 to have become such. In this instance however, we might suggest that the accounts of how talented or prolific she was as a writer are greater affected than our understanding of the mystical path which she followed, it being easier to alter what she left us than what she did. Our understanding of Rabbia doesnt suffer through our appreciation of her relative poetic merits but it does if she didnt write them. For our purposes it is necessary to take what we know of Rabbia subjectively and in doing this, we might come to recognise her as a brilliant proponent of Sufi mysticism. Through her poetry, ethic of self-discipline and emotional devotion to Allah she created in herself an icon of Sufi devotion, highly regarded throughout Islam. Islam has embraced Rabia, despite frowning on, not so much the fact that she was a woman, but unmarried life and withdrawal from society as a path to God. Rabbia was a slave who, was seen by her master praying one night (after a hard days work, at the expense of her sleep) and who saw a bright light above her head, so the story goes. He released her immediately and she, in turn, moved to the desert. As people became aware of her and her holiness, they began beating a path to her door in search of spiritual direction. She was the recipient of numerous marriage proposals. Upon receiving one of them she replied, Im not interested, really, in possessing all you own, Nor in making you my slave, Nor in having my attention distracted from God even for a split second. 7 Even love on earth was incomparable to the love she shared with God. The love expressed in her verse, whether it existed or not (why should we be disinclined to believe her? ) is the essence of this mysticism. If I die for love, before completing satisfaction, Alas, for my anxiety in the world, alas for my distress, O Healer (of souls) the heart feeds upon its desire, The striving after union with Thee has healed my soul8 The love and devotion expressed in this verse is the essence of the mystical. There is no rational or formal relationship with God, just love. Love rarely reconciles itself with rational thought and interestingly, in his incomprehensible nature, neither does God. It is romantic for us to think of this (unconventional female) mystic completely absorbed in her love for God, and expressing this through beautiful poetry. Poetry is one of the most highly esteemed vehicles for expressing emotion, what better way for Rabia to get her message across? Rabia helps us see that the Sufi tradition is not about the regularity with which Muslims pray or how closely they follow the rules extracted from the Quran, but is about the raw emotion Sufis feel for God. Al-Hallaj, another prominent Sufi was killed for his devotion to the mystic quest. Louis Massignon gives us an authoritative account of Al-Hallaj in his book of the same name. He was one of Islams most controversial writers and teachers. Because he was the embodiment of the Muslim experience, Mansurs life and death represent to many, a reference point in Islamic history. Al-Hallaj was fascinated with the ascetic way of life, in his teens he memorized the Quran and began retreating from the world to gather with other like minds to study Islamic mysticism. He travelled and soon apprentices began to follow him. The situation in which al-Hallaj taught and wrote was shaped by social, economic, political, and religious stress, which eventually led to his arrest. Sufism was new at the time, and provoked extensive opposition from the Muslim orthodoxy. Sufi masters considered his sharing the beauty of mystical experience with the masses undisciplined at best, disobedient at worst. It wasnt long before the political leaders made a case against him. Al-Hallaj was considered an intoxicated Sufi, who became so enraptured in ecstasy by the presence of the Divine that he was prone to losing his personal identity, blurring the lines between the Divine and the Man. During his arrest he experienced one of these breaks and uttered: Ana al-haqq, or I am the Truth (or God). An inappropriate statement to make in the Islamic tradition. He spent 11 years in confinement in Baghdad, before being brutally tortured and crucified. Witnesses were believed to have stated that al-Hallaj was strangely serene while being tortured, and sincerely forgave his persecutors. He is referred to as Loves Prophet. Al-Hallaj is one of the most influential Sufi writers and an important character in Islamic history. I saw my Lord with the eye of the heart. I said: Who art Thou? He answered: Thou. 9 By proclaiming, I am the truth he had achieved the Sufi goal in that he felt himself to be God incarnate in the world10. He was so overcome with his mystical existence that he felt, to the logical Sufi extreme that he was God. There has been a certain tendency for Christians to view Sufism as an Islamic derivative of Christian mysticism. Islam appears to be sensual, physical an d practical these aspects all being manifest in Islamic law. How can Sufism reconcile itself with this? The Christians seemed to think that it couldnt and mysticism within Islam could trace itself back to the sophisticated Christian tradition and the Holy Ghost. 11 This may be true in certain instances, Al-Muhasibi, for example, has been shown to have borrowed heavily on the new testament for various sayings and commendations of the Sufi life the practice of wearing woollen garments is said to have been done in imitation of Christian hermits, though how recognition and borrowing of ideas can make a religion inferior to the lender is odd. The examples we have looked at of Rabbia and al-Hallaj serve to discredit this idea, in fact the Sufi idea stands up very well on its own: In a human being is such a love, a pain, an itch, a desire that, even if he were to possess a hundred thousand worlds, he would not rest or find peace. People work variously at all sorts of callings, crafts, and professions, and they learn astrology and medicine, and so forth, but they are not at peace because what they are seeking cannot be found. The beloved is called dilaram because the heart finds peace through the beloved. How then can it find peace through anything else? 12 To treat Sufism as a derivative of Christianity deprives Islam of an integral part of its spiritual nature. Sufi practice seeks to achieve a goal of oneness and absorption into God. They seek to attain the state humanity was in before creation13. To achieve this as Rabbia and Al-Hallaj claimed they did, it is necessary to regard emotion, love and spirituality as all-important and all else irrelevant. Few, if any people will deny the existence of emotion despite its un-quantifiable nature and its defiance of physical definition. Many people, regardless of their religion believe that God is emotion or our collective spirit, in that idea and especially in the examples we have looked at, the heart and love are the keys to understanding, despite their un physical nature For the reality that is the goal of the mystic, and is ineffable, cannot be understood or explained by any normal mode of perception; neither philosophy nor reason can reveal it. Only the wisdom of the heart, gnosis, may give insight into some of its aspects. 14 To share in the love of God and to attain existence on a spiritual plane where it is possible to interact with him, the role of the heart is obviously crucial. Another important point to remember is that in the world, of evil matter, all that is then not evil, is emotion. Perhaps the legacy that Rabia and Al Halaj have left us with, is of love and emotion. They did not teach us practical lessons or how to do our best, but simply, how to feel; perhaps this is why they are still so well regarded. Our hearts and souls are individually and collectively the sources of our love. By feeling their relationship with God emotionally, at the expense of all else, the Sufis are quite radical in their approach to him. It is a kind of religious anarchism; the only necessities are the heart and the soul, whilst nothing else matters. Sufis use their hearts to direct their emotions towards God; its importance is not partial but total.

The Roaring Twenties and the Illusion of Prosperity essays

The Roaring Twenties and the Illusion of Prosperity essays The Roaring Twenties had the illusion of prosperity for all. This was the result of the new advancements in technology of that time. The economic transformations brought about changes in all aspects of society and seemed to push the nation into an age of modernism and prosperity. However, beneath the success that seemed to permeate during the 20's, immigration, urban growth, and social tensions remained polemic issues. Like any other time of prosperity experienced before, people attempted to counter the new way of life. Many new organizations and ideas arose in response to the original values and attitudes. The Ku Klux Klan, fundamentalism, and prohibition all aimed to reform society. Though the 20's experienced economic success, the issues that came along with that success and the changing times evoked social conflict from different peoples. The conservative political and cultural values that were being espoused threatened to tear the social fabric. The KKK, fundamentalism, and pr ohibition struggled to limit the extent of change. Many felt that immigrants, blacks and new beliefs were tainting the American way of life. The Ku Klux Klan hoped to act as a catharsis to filter out alien influences and other impurities that had corrupted traditional American values. The KKK opposed the theory of evolution and supported traditional Protestant values and restriction on immigration. The hope ban the immigration of inferior peoples came in response to the nativism of the Klan. Jews, Catholics, and most of all, blacks were the main targets of the Klan. In response to the new values of the 20's, they denounced the Flapper lifestyle and the "demon rum." Traditional family values and ethnic, moral and religious purity that the Klan advocated appealed to many. Also, there was the excitement and cohesion that the Klan provided which led to increased membership. One member wrote, "Who can look upon a multitude of white-robed Klansmen without th...

Applying the five stages of grief to a case study of a 83 year old Term Paper

Applying the five stages of grief to a case study of a 83 year old woman - Term Paper Example Grief is a difficult issue at any time in a person’s life, but when the adult is older, there tends to be other challenges that happen because of their age. As an example, many older people will lose spouses, friends, and family as they age. This often forces them to think about their own longevity and they may be met with physical, emotional, and psychological crises (Gibson, 2012). Just as anyone else, elderly people have to adjust to the individual’s death and understand that their life goes on. Brief Background of Case Study The case study for this paper is an 83 year old woman who will be referred to as Mrs. X. Mrs. X has lost many people in her life. The first person she lost was her husband. In some respects, the husband’s death was more of a relief because of his constant fighting with Mrs. X. Mrs. X was left with a house payment, taking care of the house, and finding benefits she could use to sustain her home. Mrs. X was able to pay off her house eventua lly, and since her husband’s death, several friends and close family members have died. Mrs. X has never really dealt with any of these situations and she never attends their funerals because she does not like to see people in their coffin; she says this makes it feel too real for her own death. Mrs. X currently lives in a small town with her middle child, a daughter, whom she has a passive aggressive relationship with – the daughter takes her to doctors’ appointments and shopping, but basically Mrs. X is left at home to sit and watch television. Mrs. X has pretty much ignored grieving for any of these people, except for her oldest sister who died last year. Mrs. X still thinks of her sister because she was the last person that Mrs. X had to talk to in her family. In exploring the stages of grief, the stages will be applied to what might have happened if Mrs. X had allowed herself to grieve her friends and family. The Five Stages of Grief Kubler-Ross (2013) crea ted a model that explains the various stages that people go through to come to terms with grief. Although Kubler-Ross applied these stages to death, these stages can also be used to understand any type of loss a person moves through. Although she has arranged the stages in a certain way, she acknowledged that each person’s grief is different, and each person may go through the stages in different ways; in fact, they may also go through the stages in more than one way. In the next section, the five stages that Kubler-Ross created will be discussed and applied to Mrs. X. Stage 1: Denial Denial is the first stage of grief in which the individual denies that the individual has died. Kubler-Ross (2013) states that this is a natural part of grief because the individual often dies unexpectedly. Some people can become stuck in this stage when the grief is particularly traumatic. Mrs. X has been in this stage, particularly with her sister. She often states, â€Å"I just can’t believe she’s gone†. She also talks about wanting to call her for her birthday and so forth, and then remembers she is dead and calls. Mrs. X has had the most difficult time adjusting to her sister’s death. Gibson (2012) states that for older people, the idea of their loved one dying is known, but it can take time to be realized. Gibson points out that when two people have been in a relationship for a very long time, when one part of the relationship dies. The one who did not die (in this case Mrs. X) may feel more vulnerable in their functioning and emotionally. Perhaps this is one reason that Mrs. X is content to watch television instead of going on with her life. Stage 2: Anger Many people become angry when someone the love dies. They can be upset with themselves for not doing what they could have done, or they can be mad at God for taking their loved ones. Often, the individual may lash out at family members or friends

Latin America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Latin America - Essay Example The human population has changed and continues to change the landscape from natural to the cultural landscape in various ways. One of the significant ways that have seen a transformation of the landscape is through increasing agricultural activities. This has been intense especially with the rising human population. Humans have cut, cleared, and burned forest for agricultural activities (Erickson, n.d.). An example of human built landscape is the area next to Lake Titicaca (Erickson, n.d.). In this area, there have been heightened agricultural activities. In the last eight century, the environment in the basin has been changed into an artificial landscape (Erickson, n.d.). This has been mainly due to raised fields, terracing, and irrigation activities that are related to agriculture. The other factor that leads to change of landscape is clearing of forest. The region has witnessed a massive loss of forest cover for a long period. In fact, the region is noted to have the world’s highest loss of forest cover in the recent past (Pacheco et al., 2011). However, extensive forest transformation has been witnessed in the Amazon basin (Pacheco et al., 2011). As the authors note, huge population in the region relies on forest resources to support their livelihoods (Pacheco et al., 2011). The population also comprises of ranchers and farmers that continue to clear forest to create space for their activities. As a result, most of the land that was previously occupied by trees is left bare. The changing geography in the region has a profound impact on regional political future and institutions. One of the issues related to change is the rise in conflict between people, countries, and region in the area. For example, there has been increasing conflict over the use of resources such as those that come from the forest. On the other hand, failure to guard