Identify and discuss different interpretations of Ophelia Essay Example

Identify and discuss different interpretations of Ophelia Paper Hamlet is the story of a Danish prince whos father, the late king whom he loved passionately, has recently been murdered. Hamlets mourning is unnaturally deep as he suspects the murderer to be his fathers brother, now king, Claudius, who has also just married Hamlets mother, Gertrude. Hamlet seeks to avenge his fathers murder and is constantly seeking to find out the truth behind the suspicious death. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet in early 17th century, with the first print being dated back to 1603, he incorporated ideas from other sources such as Saxo Grammaticus and the history of Denmark. Various themes run throughout the play, the most significant being revenge, as well as death, insanity and suicide. Shakespeare borrows ideas for Hamlet from the story of Saxo Grammaticus, which was written in early 12th century, the outline of both plots are almost one and the same. The protagonist in Saxo Grammaticus is Amleth, also a Danish prince, who again seeks to avenge his fathers murder, it can be said that Hamlet is a contemporary version of this same character. However in Hamlet, Shakespeare goes to great lengths to achieve in-depth characterisation for each protagonist. All the characters are developed and have their own place in the play whereas in Saxo, the characters have small roles to play and have little dramatic purpose, it can be said that they are merely used as devices to help build the bigger picture. All the characters in hamlet have a dramatic purpose. Ophelias being the title characters love interest and being the victim of his revenge. By giving Hamlet a contemporary setting, Shakespeare was able to depict the views and morals of his own society and incorporate them in the play. We will write a custom essay sample on Identify and discuss different interpretations of Ophelia specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Identify and discuss different interpretations of Ophelia specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Identify and discuss different interpretations of Ophelia specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Shakespeare was writing for a modern audience so it made sense giving the play a contemporary setting, as would be easier for them to relate to the themes that run throughout the play. By using Ophelia in one of the sub-plots of the play, although she also plays a major role in the main plot, Shakespeare depicts how women were viewed at that particular time. We see that she is the title characters love interest and also the victim of his revenge and that this leads to her eventual insanity. The only other female character we encounter in the play is Gertude, Hamlets mother, who has married her departed husbands brother only two months after his death. Both these characters are weak and show us that women at that time were seen to be of little importance and were defiantly inferior to men, this is further proven by the fact that the only two women in the play die before the end. Shakespeare depicts both characters as being weak, Ophelia for being unable to handle the rejection of the man she loves, Hamlet, which leads to her insanity and eventual suicide. Gertude is portrayed as being weak as she marries only two months after her husbands death, which shows that she couldnt survive without a man. Her sexual lust also drove her to remarry, which was also seen as a weakness at that time. Ophelias character has always been interpreted in two contrasting lights, one as being an innocent and sexually unknowing and the other as being a reckless but sexually knowledgeable/experienced young woman. Two critics, Rebecca West and Mary Salter, have completely contrasting views of Ophelia. West claims that it would be extremely nai ve to suggest that Ophelias relationship with Hamlet was of an innocent nature. She claims that this interpretation would only suffice in a society that frowns upon sex, something that this society has left behind. She also adds that this interpretations credibility would have been dismissed if it hadnt it been for pre-raphaelite picture by John Millias. She says Ophelia is not a young chaste woman. This is shown by her tolerance of Hamlets conversation. Ophelia is not as inexperienced as she portrays herself to be, she is extremely perceptive and only appears to be obedient to her father she knows that it would be beneficial to her if she were to do so. Her strong character is evident when she challenges Laertes own chastity when he tells her to be careful with Hamlet. Salter on the other hand describes Ophelia as the innocent pawn who is sacrificed during the course of the larger drama which is taking place around her. This is a bold assertion as it claims that Ophelia is merely a device used by Shakespeare to help build the bigger picture, similar to the beautiful young women presented in Saxo Grammaticus. Here she is portrayed as being extremely passive as she apparently agrees with all her brother and father have to say to her and is obedient to their wishes. She is sexually inexperienced and innocent when it comes to that subject, as her relationship with Hamlet is of respectable nature and her chastity is never in question. From when we first see her in Act 1, Scene 3, Ophelia is a kind; affectionate and loyal to her family she is respectful towards both her father and elder brother and shows much love towards them. Leartes asks her to keep in touch with him once he has left for Paris, she replies by saying do you doubt that? This shows her love for her brother, as she has no doubt in her mind that she will stay in touch with him. In act 1 scene 3, both Laertes and Polonius advise Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet, as the love he declares for her is not true and being obedient she replies by saying I shall theffect keep watchman to my heart. Polonius warns her of the intentions of Hamlet not being dignified and that instead of carrying on her liaison with him she should take on the role of dignified young woman. Polonius then advises her against any form of relationship with Hamlet due to his disreputable motives. However she does try to convince Polonius that Hamlets love for her is more than a mere act of lust but of true love, she says the love they share is honourable and is nothing to be frowned upon, my lord, he hath importuned me with love in honourable fashion. After this comment she fails to defend her relationship with Hamlet and appears to become subservient to her fathers orders and eventually replies to him I shall obey my lord. This interpretation of Ophelia supports Mary Salters view of Ophelias passive nature and that her relationship is of an innocent and honourable fashion, a relationship not of a sexual nature but one of the bond of love. To counter this interpretation of Ophelia we see the contrasting view that she is sexually aware. Rebecca west interprets Ophelia as being sexually active and not as passive as she may portray herself to be. When reading Act 1, Scene 3, we see this when she retaliates to Laertes assertions about her relationship with Hamlet by saying, Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven, While, Himself the primrose path of dalliance. This show shows that she is not as submissive as some critics may suggest, as she clearly defies that assertion by questioning her brothers own integrity. It also shows her strength of character, as it would take some valour to question her elder brother. The metaphor she uses and the comfort with which she uses it also suggests her sexual knowledge, which supports the idea that her relationship with Hamlet is of a sexual nature. It would be cynical to believe Ophelia was an innocent and chaste young woman, these interpretations take all that Ophelia says and does in Hamlet at face value and fail to realise the deeper meanings of what is being said by Shakespeare. The actress Francis Barber played Ophelia in a stage version of the play in 1984. Barber initially had a fairly traditional view of Ophelia but to make the character her own, she searched for a hidden trait within the text that would distinguish her portrayal from any previous actresss. However Barber pursuit to find that hidden characteristic was soon neglected and instead she chose to portray her as acutely intelligent and highly perceptive. Barbers Ophelia disregards her fathers counsel and comes across as more argumentative than Mary Salter would suggest. Barbers portrayal was an alternative to previous depictions of the character, in that she was not sexually active nor was she nai ve and passive. In recent productions of hamlet, notably Brannaghs film, Ophelia is portrayed as a complete contrast to the pre-Raphaelic image. Brannaghs interpretation throws out any notion of Ophelia being a virginal young lady, as we see erotic flashbacks of her and Hamlet, during her conversation Laertes and Polonius. She is portrayed as being a victim of the patriarchal society she lives in, her sexuality is suppressed and she also suffers psychologically, as we see when she loses sanity. Ophelia is also given more of a role in recent productions such as in the Ethan Hawke, Mel Gibson and Brannagh productions. As women now play a more pivotal role in society, it has become easier giving them larger more significant portrayals, as would not have been the case in the Shakespearean era. Directors can now afford a more in depth characterisation of Ophelia instead of just using her as a device to build the bigger picture. Each portrayal of Ophelia closely relates to the view of women in society at that particular time. These depiction stretch from the 17th century to present day and during that time period there have been many differing views of Ophelias character traits. Productions before the 20th century depict Ophelia as being the passive, nai ve and sexually inexperienced woman that the sir John Millias pre Raphealite image represents. Elaine Showalter supports the view that women were seen as being innocent and having little status in society and were merely objects for male lust, she says that this is why Ophelia was portrayed in this light during that period. The change in portrayal happened post feminist movement, after which woman were seen to be of equal standing with men in society. Showalter states that the fact that attitudes towards woman have changed has allowed for an intelligent and sexually knowledgeable Ophelia to be portrayed. The most notable example being Kate Winslets portrayal in the Brannagh production.

The Lost World, Michael Crichton. Explains the book and gives a personal critique of it

The Lost World, Michael Crichton. Explains the book and gives a personal critique of it I read Michael Crichton's The Lost World. ‚Â ® In the following paragraphs, I will not only explain the book, but also give my critique of it. I will also give a paragraph that was probably the best paragraph in the book, in my opinion.The book starts out with Ian Malcolm, a mathematician who had already had an experience with live dinosaurs a couple of years ago on another island. He has pretty much blocked that experience from his mind. Anyway, it also talks about a man named Doctor Levine. This man talks at a lecture that Malcolm is watching about the theory of there being a lost world, an island, undiscovered, that has extinct animals on it, particularly dinosaurs. Malcolm dismisses this idea saying that is the dumbest thing he ever heard. After the lecture, Levine talks to Malcolm to help him in finding this 'Lost World.' Malcolm again dismisses him.The Lost World (Crichton novel)After a couple weeks of Levine nagging him, he sort of gets more into the idea, and starts to b elieve it. Levine Narrows it down to one island, Isla Sorna, and just leaves without telling anyone.Two of Levine's students, Kelly and Arby, get worried when he wasn't there to teach their class, because they were supposed to go on a field trip with him that day. They go to a guy named Doctor Thorne, a guy that was making specialized equipment for their trip. He said that he didn't know what was going on. They contact Malcolm and they go to Levine's apartment. They go to his computer room and see all this stuff on the wall about site B. They go onto the computer and Arby gets all this stuff about site B on it. Malcolm then finds out that the island that Levine...

CITI business case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

CITI business - Case Study Example Increased competition for capital continues to force banks to innovate (Citibank, 2008). In order to differentiate its e-business products from those of its competitors, Citibank took several measures(Citibank, 2008). First, the bank developed a strategy for its corporate banking division where its target corporate clients included multinational corporations (MNCs), financial institutions, government agencies, local enterprises and SMEs. The bank understood that each of these corporate client categories had unique needs. The bank realized to need to go the extra mile to package its products to meet the unique needs of every customer (Citibank, 2008). Citibank also differentiated itself and its products from those of its competitors through an improved, comprehensive customer service. The customer service includes telephone hotlines, relationship managers who take their time to comprehend the individual customer’s needs and product advisors whose role is to advise customers on the product or products that most suits its needs. Finally, the bank continues to invest heavily in technology in order to promote both the front- and back-end electronic banking systems. Besides, the bank seeks to make itself more accessible to its customers through what is calls its unified platform. The platform uses a teamwork approach that allows the bank to work with every function in the organization of the client (Citibank, 2008). Grow its global reach: As at the time of developing this strategy in 2008, Citibank had operations in 100 countries of the world and employed over 268,000 people. This global presence, the bank believes, puts it in a strong position to meet the global needs of its customers. This being the case, the bank should continue its global expansion drive. Strengthen its brand: The bank believes that it has built a strong brand

Compensation Plan Outline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Compensation Plan Outline - Essay Example In addition to providing its employees with competitive salaries, the company undertakes regular review of the pay thus ensuring that the workers are equally compensated for their hard work. To ensure that the company gives competitive salaries, it benchmarks the pay against similar positions in the competing companies. Another aspect that makes PepsiCo compensation policy appropriate is the annual incentive compensation. By providing performance-related annual incentive compensation to the executives, their performance is enhanced thus increasing the profitability of the company. The 2004 EIC Plan is a policy that is adopted by PepsiCo in its executive compensation. During the compensation, the company considers financial position of the company, the company strategic position and the extent to which the managers motivate and manage other employees. Additionally, the company uses pre-approved earnings per share target to compensate its executives. Pepsi compensation philosophy entai ls long-term incentive compensation. According to the management team, the interest of company shareholders and those of the executive can be effectively aligned by providing stock-based incentives as well as stock ownership awards (Heneman, 2002).   . With a history of linking stock-performance to the employees pay, PepsiCo has benefited from effective compensation policy that is fair. In the same way, the company offers target grant to the executives once they meet their goals. Based on the stiff compensation in the soft drink industry.... Another aspect that makes PepsiCo compensation policy appropriate is the annual incentive compensation. By providing performance-related annual incentive compensation to the executives, their performance is enhanced thus increasing the profitability of the company. The 2004 EIC Plan is a policy that is adopted by PepsiCo in its executive compensation. During the compensation, the company considers financial position of the company, the company strategic position and the extent to which the managers motivate and manage other employees. Additionally, the company uses pre-approved earnings per share target to compensate its executives. Pepsi compensation philosophy entails long-term incentive compensation. According to the management team, the interest of company shareholders and those of the executive can be effectively aligned by providing stock-based incentives as well as stock ownership awards (Heneman, 2002). . With a history of linking stock-performance to the employees pay, Pepsi Co has benefited from effective compensation policy that is fair. In the same way, the company offers target grant to the executives once they meet their goals. Based on the stiff compensation in the soft drink industry, offering a target grant to the executives is an essential policy since it result to the attainment of the corporate goals. In this way, the company is able to effectively compete with Coca-Cola Company despite the latter being a market leader. To ensure that all the employees are motivated, it is imperative for employers to come up with appropriate beneficial ratio in their compensation system. Internally, Pepsi should ensure that employees in all the department earns three quarter of what the departmental mangers are earning. Through the ratio of 3:4,

Analysis of Service Quality Level

Analysis of Service Quality Level Introduction The success of organisations relies heavily on the management of quality (Zeithaml and Bitner, 2003 or 2006) Managing customer care and service quality are fundamental for the achievement of any organisation (Ko and Pastore, 2004). Service suppliers that deliver a high level of service quality and customer care are more likely to achieve higher levels of customer satisfaction (Saravanan and Rao, 2007). As a result satisfied customers will be more encouraged to re-use the services; this will usually impact on the financial success of the organisation (Howat, et al., 1999). General principles of quality The fundamentals of the word quality presented in the work of Deming in the late 1980s create a basis for further study into the area. As a result, a number of definitions of quality have been proposed by researchers. Mills, (1992, p.2) stated that quality was the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy or implied needs. Further research into quality has indicated that a more useful definition has been defined as meeting the agreed requirements of the customer (Kelly, 2004, p.33). Both definitions of quality are connected to both goods and services with emphasis on the features of the product or alternatively focus on the customers needs and expectations (Chang and Chelladurai, 2000). Goods are defined as tangible; these are physical products that offer benefits to consumers, in contrast services are defined as intangible, and represent non-physical products (Shank, 2009, p.16). Services have five main characteristics that are unique to service markets; these are intangibility; perishability; inseparability; heterogeneity and lack of ownership (Kotler, 2005). Heterogeneity indicates that each service experience is likely to be different as factors such as the time and location change, also the interaction phase with customers differs (Kotler, 2005). To reduce the impact of heterogeneity, management must focus on the operating systems, procedures and staff training in order to ensure consistency (Brassington and Pettitt, 2007, p.465). Furthermore, the quality of staff is becoming increasingly essential in the public service industry, with managers indicating their expectations of staff in terms of their attitudes and competencies when delivering the service to cust omers (Swarbrooke, 2002; Brassington and Pettitt, 2007) Managing the quality of goods and services primarily involves benchmarking, this is the measurement of an aspect of an organisations performance against an internal or external target (Beech and Chadwick, 2004, p.256). Two other key terms associated with quality include quality assurance and quality control, Mills, (1992, p.3) states quality assurance provides adequate confidence that a product or service will satisfy given requirements of quality. In contrast (Dale, 2000) suggests that quality control aims to achieve and monitor service quality, by identifying and addressing quality problems. Researchers have recognised that there are several issues with the conceptualization and measurement of quality in relation to sport services, for example (Tsitskari, et al., 2006) suggests that there is a degree of uncertainty and disagreement regarding parts of the criteria including the conceptual model of quality. Previous literature (such as Ko and Pastore, 2004; Tsitskari, et al., 2006) have focused on the concept of service quality and acknowledged that there are several definitions of service quality. However (Parasuraman, et al., 1988, p.2) defined service quality as an appropriate approach for assessing the quality of a firms service is to measure consumers perceptions of quality. In other words service quality is the comparison of consumer expectations with the actual service performance (Parasuraman, et al., 1988). The concept of service quality is based upon the customers perception of the characteristics and delivery of services (Ko and Pastore, 2004). Further research by Zeithaml and Bitner, (2006) suggests that the concept of service quality is a significant issue, as service quality perceptions are related to customer satisfaction and customer retention. Other researchers such as (Kim and Kim, 1995) have had varied perceptions on the measurement of service quality. However the main use of measuring service quality has been through the instrument, SERVQUAL, a 22 item scale founded by Parasuraman, et al., (1988). Recent research by (Tsitskari, et al., 2006) indicates that the majority of researchers accept that the 22 items in SERVQUAL are sufficient indictors for the overall measurement of service quality. However a study by Murray and Howat (2002) demonstrates that there is a lack of agreement on the exact nature of service quality dimensions. For example, (Parasuraman, et al., 1988) formed five dimensions of service quality: responsiveness, assurance, tangibles, empathy and reliability, through using the SERVQUAL scale, mainly focusing on the human aspects of service delivery. However (Chang and Chelladurai, 2000) suggest the variability in dimensional structure can be modified and tailored for specific industries. For example, Howat, et al., (1999), used only three dimensions for 17 service quality attributes in their study of 30 Australian sports and leisure centres. The three dimensions used in the study were (a) core service, which included a range of activities with programme information, (b) personnel service, which included the quality, knowledge and responsiveness of staff, (c) peripheral service including secondary services including services for food and drink. The observations suggest that a comprehensive conceptual model needs to be developed for a better understanding of the nature and meaning of service qual ity (Ko and Pastore, 2004). Robinson, (2004) identified three frameworks for managing quality, these are: total quality management (TQM), the EFQM Excellence Model and Quest, as all these frameworks emphasise performance management and continuous improvement. Firstly TQM is a framework for quality management and is a process from top to bottom, bottom to top, which involves every person in an organisation, in order to ensure customer satisfaction at every stage (Torkildsen, 2005, p.382). The three main principles of TQM are customer focus, continuous improvement and teamwork (De Knop, et al., 2004). The EFQM Excellence Model is the most widely used organisational framework in Europe while becoming increasingly popular in the sport industry as it created the basis for QUEST (Robinson, 2004). The key principles of the model include results orientation; customer focus; leadership and constancy of purpose; management by processes and facts; people development and involvement; continuous learning; innovation and improvement; partnership development; and corporate social responsibility (Beech and Chadwick, 2004, p.257). Quest is a sport and leisure specific quality framework, and is a tool for continuous improvement; Quest also defines industry standards and good practice and encourages high quality delivery to customers. (Quest, 2009) Two models are associated with Quest, one model focuses on the management of leisure facilities and the other focuses on sport development, (Quest, 2009). Quest is funded by a wide range of organisations with the majority of the support coming from the four home country Sports Councils (Torkildsen, 2005). The Quest scheme for facility management identifies four essential sections; these include facilities operation, customer relations, staffing and service development and improvement, all of which are examples of best practice in the leisure industry (Wood, 1997). Organisations have recognised the importance of the quality programme of ISO 9002. This quality programme ensures that the operations of the service are displayed through a consistent approach, recognising that customers can expect the service to be similar from day to day and between service deliverers (Robinson, 2004). Literature has demonstrated that there are many challenges and issues for managing quality in the public sector industry. For instance, Doherty, et al, (2002) suggests that that external issues for concern include, increasing complaints about the declining level of quality in areas such as transport, education and health. In contrast, (Doherty, et al, 2002) also recognises internal challenges for organisations, with the current growth of internal assessments, and issues around quality and value for money. Beech and Chadwick, (2004) identify specific challenges for managers managing quality in the public sector; these primarily include recognising and acknowledging their main customer groups and then managing these customers experiences by improving the service delivery through performance measures. However, managers who dont prioritise their customer groups will run the risk of delivering services that do not meet any expectations of quality (Robinson, 2004, p.141). Additionally it is important for managers in the sport industry to understand and identify participation motives and customers problems because this determines not only the level of service quality, but also the level of customer satisfaction (Ko and Pastore, 2004, p.162). An earlier study by Schvaneveldt, et al., (1991) indicated that three key factors affected the delivery of service quality in sport organisations. The three factors were associated to the core service, the physical context and most importantly the interpersonal interactions in the performance of the service. These observations have major implications on customer care as the quality of the encounter is an essential element in the overall impression of the quality of service experienced by the customer (Dale, 2000). In addition, Swarbrooke, (2002) suggested that observing quality in public services primarily focused on issues such as the cost of the service and perception on value for money from the service. There are a number of issues and challenges associated to managing quality in the public sport sector. For example MacVicar and Ogden, (2001) suggests that managers in the public sport sector are more inclined to use peripheral workers due to the competitive environment and budget pressures. Peripheral workers are primarily on non-standard contracts and carry out services and duties that are delivered to customers. The challenge managers face is that they have to develop strategies to motivate an insecure, low commitment workforce to ensure good customer care is provided. (MacVicar and Ogden, 2001, p.129) Another issue in managing quality in the public sport sector industry is that expectations are either so unrealistic that it is not possible to deliver services of such a high standard, or it is financially very costly to do so, given the levels of resource constraint (Robinson, 2004, p.178). Recent research by (Alexandris, 2008) demonstrated the importance of identifying performance indicators in order to test the success of the managers strategies, and goals and reflect on the quality delivered to customers. Research by (Lentell, 2000, p.2) has indicated that customer satisfaction in sport services can be affected by factors such as the robustness of the bookings system, the promptness of the service delivery, and the way customers are treated by staff, or by the cleanliness of the service outlet. However recent research by (Tsuji, et al., 2007) suggests that managers should continuously develop and adopt procedures to understand, evaluate, and improve on the quality of services provided to their consumers in-order to improve customer care. The current state of golf, is that it is a $60 billion industry, with 30,730 courses worldwide and over 57 million golfers.(Golf Research Group, 2009 ) The Royal Ancient (RA) is golfs governing body, it operates with 136 organisations from the amateur and professional game and on behalf of over thirty million golfers in 123 countries (R A, 2009). The R A identify that the implementation of best practice throughout a golf club can be demonstrated firstly through ensuring that the management structure is capable of setting policy objectives which maintain and improve the quality of the golfing facility (R A, 2009). In addition the RA, recognise the importance of monitoring and reviewing the policy objectives as well as focusing on the efficient and effectiveness of service delivery to customers (RA, 2009) The governing body of male amateur golf in England is the English Golf Union, looking after the interests of over 1,800 golf clubs and 740,000 club members (English Golf Union, 2009). The governing body specifically addresses the management of quality at golf clubs in England. Providing assistance and support, in specific areas such as club adminstration, golf course management, as well as assisting staff in the day-to-day operations of the golf club and course (English Golf Union, 2009). The majority of research on the management of quality in golf has come from the US golf industry. For example a US golf study on managing perceived quality has indicated that golf club managers that modify the price of green fees depending on the time of day, time of booking or condition of play may impact customer satisfaction (Kimes and Wirtz, 2003). A further American study investigated how golfers choose a golf course. The findings indicate that American golfers are most influenced by the cost of green fees, followed by the quality of course conditions, availability of tee times, and lastly the location of golf course (Richard and Fairclough, 1994). However recent research by (Won, et al., 2009) suggests that committed golfers care more about the core elements such as the quality of course conditions rather than the cost of green fees. The research suggests that golf club managers that are providing a quality service primarily need to improve the core elements such as course main tenance as well as operating the golf facility (Won, et al., 2009). Other research surrounding the management of quality in golf has come from Korea, and Australia. For example a Korean study based on service quality and customer satisfaction suggested that managers of private golf clubs that focus on providing and improving service quality to customers can impact the profitability of golf clubs (Kim and Lough, 2007). Furthermore a study from the Australian golf industry identified twenty one service attributes. These attributes measured the perceptions of the golf facilities performance against the golfers expectations of the facility. The study specifically researched into areas such as the appearance of the facilities, course quality, staff responsiveness, customer behaviour, etiquette and value for money (Crilley, et al, 2002, p.374) Further research into issues in managing quality in the context of golf, has reflected that an increasing number of American golf courses are being built annually, while the number of golfers in America remains stagnant (Petrick, et al., 2001). As a result it is important that golf club managers identify the factors which attract and retain golfers. The findings also recognise that by understanding golfers experiences, this will enhance the facility operations, leading to a higher quality of service delivery (Petrick, et al., 2001). According to a report by the golf research group, (2002) based on UK golf courses this found that since the beginning of 1990, 603 new golf facilities have been built. This increase was initiated by the report called The Demand for Golf created by the RA. However from 2000, the growth of new golf facilities has been limited and only 10 new golf facilities were opened from 2000 to 2002, due to financial constraints and the lack of demand in the golf industry. (Golf Research Report, year) The current recession has affected the golf industry, according to a report from the English Golf Union they have found that memberships are declining in many golf clubs in the UK. Also the majority of golf clubs in the UK are not implementing joining fees in-order to attract new golfers (Mintel, 2009). In the UK, in 2008 there were 1.225 million members of golf clubs, and there are 2,630 golf courses, 72% of these golf courses are located in England (Mintel, 2009). According to a study by Mort and Collins (2001) they highlighted that 11% of golf courses totalling 210 in England, are classified as municipal golf courses, and stated that the objective of municipal golf courses is to maintain low green fees and attract the local population. Mowsbury Golf Club in Bedfordshire is a municipal golf course and is run by the local authority. According to a report by the Golf Research Group, (year) on municipal golf courses in 2002, there has been a substantial decrease in the number of rounds played per year especially between the years of 1995-2001. For example in 1995 around 45,000 rounds were played, however by 2001 only 35,000 rounds were played on the municipal courses, reflecting a huge decrease of 10,000 rounds played. Over the 6 year period this was a 23% reduction in UK municipal rounds in the UK. (Golf Research Report, year) Literature has acknowledged that there are a limited number of UK studies that have focused on service quality and customer care at golf clubs. However one study focused on the management of quality at municipal golf courses and highlighted Best Value. Stevens and Green, (2002) indicate that Best Value primarily focuses on local authorities, ensuring that the quality and cost of services meet the needs of the local population, and that the efficiency and quality of services continually improve. The study indicated that the introduction of Best Value has contributed to an improvement in the operations of municipal golf courses, primarily through the process of benchmarking with the objective of improving service quality (Mort and Collins, 2001). The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of service quality and customer care as perceived by members and non-members at Mowsbury Golf Club, Bedfordshire. The rationale for the study recognises that previous research reflects that are a limited number of UK studies on the customer care and service quality at golf clubs. Also previous researchers such as (Tsitskari, et al., 2006) have reflected the importance of service quality to the mission of sport and emphasises that further research towards service quality should be a primary concern. References http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=394687/display/id=448545?select_section=448543

Ted Hughes ‘Wodwo’ and ‘Crow’s Account of the Battle’

Hughes's poetry constitutes a moral project. It demands that we see our world and ourselves differently. Discuss. Together, ‘Crow’s Account of the Battle’ and ‘Wodwo’ by Ted Hughes detail aspects of human nature that Hughes is calling the readers to reflect upon from external viewpoints. Hughes is asking a generation exposed to the horrors of war, the destruction caused by the atomic bombs and the Nazi holocaust to consider such pointless destruction and how so much of it is caused by our alienation from the complete being of the universe.He demands that we understand what it is all conscious beings feel we are missing, and fill that void by connecting to the natural world and through art and poetry. ‘Crow’s Account of the Battle’ shows the effects of our alienation and its disastrous consequences, but also asks us to examine these from the outside perspective of Crow. ‘Wodwo’ is a poem showing the first stages of alie nation caused by self consciousness and its possible dangers.Finally, together these poems allow us to examine ourselves objectively, and understand what it is that Hughes is demanding we must do to survive our dangerous hubris. ‘Crow’s Account of the Battle’ is a disturbing picture of human coldness told from the neutral perspective of Hughes’s ‘Crow’. While the Crow figure features in many of Hughes’s poetry in order to provide an objective viewpoint, we can still see in this poetry Hughes’s own disapproving feelings about war in the tone of the poem, â€Å"This had happened too often before/ And was going to happen to often in the future†.The nature of the word â€Å"Account† in the title is very scientific in itself, and the lack of metre in the poem accentuates the tone of a report. There are no agencies in this poem, we encounter human parts such as ‘ear’, ‘eyes’, ‘intestinesâ⠂¬â„¢, ‘brains’, ‘hair and ‘teeth’ but there are no sides, all Crow sees are humans at war. Also, the verbs have no subjects attached to them, â€Å"cartridges were banging off†¦/the fingers were keeping things going†.This lack of human presence also helps to remove any emotion, as Hughes can refer to not just the world wars, but any war in history, and therefore emphasise and demonstrate to us the cycle of destruction into which humans alone created and will continue to fall in to. ‘Wodwo’ is a stream of consciousness poem detailing a creature’s first moments of conscious being. As the creature becomes aware of itself and it’s surroundings, it also becomes alienated from it’s environment, â€Å"Do these weeds know me†¦ do I fit in their world? Hughes constantly suggests, but particularly in ‘Wodwo’, that our consciousness causes us to be alienated from our surroundings and that we will immediately begin searching for this sense of belonging. We can clearly see this in the Wodwo, and in the final line â€Å"again very queer but I’ll go on looking† ending with no full stop, suggests that like humans it will now spend its whole life searching for what it feels is missing. However, in relation to ‘Crow’s Account of the Battle’, he also suggests this brings danger as we begin to perceive our world as beneath us since we have been given freedom of thought.The early stages of this danger are shown in ‘Wodwo’, â€Å"I seem to have been given the freedom of this place† and â€Å"I suppose I am the exact centre†, while the final, cataclysmic stages of it are demonstrated in ‘Crow’s Account of the Battle’. While the Wodwo has appeared to have only recently stopped ‘existing’ and started ‘being’, Hughes demonstrates the catastrophic moral consequences this alienation can have, which are further examined in ‘Crow’s Account of the Battle’.While ‘Crow’s Account of the Battle’ is presented as the probable future of the creature in ‘Wodwo’, both poems still contain explicit references to the fundamental existential questions that we are constantly trying to explain. ‘Wodwo’ is the very example of such questions, the very word Wodwo sounds like an interrogative because of the ‘w’ sounds and the first line is a perfect example of a conscious beings’ fundamental question- â€Å"What am I? Again, ‘Crow’s Account of the Battle’ is the evolution of such thoughts, but instead of asking these questions, the beings have started trying to explain them. We have a reference here to â€Å"Universal Laws†, â€Å"traps of calculus† and â€Å"theorems† (i. e. science) but also â€Å"pocket-books†, â€Å"life-mask† and â€Å"many prayers† (i. e. religion). However, since both of these explanations have been reached, and they are still in the middle of a pointless and immoral war and therefore are still trying to find what is missing, Hughes asserts that neither of these is the answer. If we return to the Wodwo’s origins, efore it became conscious, its surroundings are those of nature- we have leaves, rivers, weeds and roots rather than anything artificial. This, then, is what Hughes is suggesting is the answer. That we return to nature and try to reconnect with the whole being of the universe. He suggests that it is only then that we will discover what is missing and rediscover our potential to exist in harmony with all of the forces of nature. In conclusion, Hughes writes such poems as ‘Wodwo’ and ‘Crow’s Account of the Battle’ to warn us of our inherent hubristic view of the natural world.He asks us to step outside ourselves and consider the reasons that we ha ve become alienated, and how we have further extended our alienation by seemingly chronically searching for answers in the wrong places. Hughes is critical of both science and religion, of how we have used fundamental universal laws to our own advantage; almost always for destruction, and of how religion persistently places humans over all other beings. He instead asks us to connect with nature, or â€Å"The White Goddess† (the original Goddess, worshipped under many names, who encompassed the whole being of the universe) in order to rediscover that which we have lost.

Analogy of Poetry Essay

The poem There Is Another Sky by Emily Dickinson was a poem written for her brother Austin. Emily uses nature to explain the message she is trying to provide for him. The poem provides a hopeful and positive feeling. The poem is full of optimism and inspiration. The pint of the poem is to provide encouragement and offer guidance. The lines â€Å"Here is a brighter garden† and â€Å"And there is another sunshine† demonstrate the optimism she is trying to portray. There are no stanzas or major events in the poem. The order that the aspects of nature are presented in provides. The last few lines of the poem further enhance the message. The poem ends with an open invitation for Austin to leave his gloomy state. Dickinson shows a sincere concern while providing inspiration for both the readers and her brother. She describes a utopia throughout the poem and uses words to describe a better place such as serene, fair, brighter, and unfading. The title there is another sky provides the since that there is an alternative option instead of a consistent negative outlook on life. There is a change in tone after the dash. Before the dash Dickinson states that there is a negative place and recognizes that everything in life doesn’t always work in your favor. She also uses â€Å"there is† creating distance. After the dash Dickinson implies that there in fact is another sky. She uses â€Å"here is† which implies that she can provide a better situation. Knowing that the poem is for her brother almost obligates you to feel sympathy for him and makes her message even stronger. Overall, Emily is trying to say that entering a new mind set and believing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel can provide you with a new attitude.