Hamlet Study Guide

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is one of William Shakespeare’s best-known works and one of the most widely-read plays in the English language. Estimated to have been written between 1599 and 1602, Hamlet was one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays at the time of its release, and has remained hugely influential since its creation. Fast Facts: Hamlet Full Title: The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of DenmarkAuthor: William ShakespeareYear Published: Between 1599 and 1602Genre: TragedyType of Work: PlayOriginal Language: EnglishThemes: Appearance vs. Reality; Revenge and Action vs. Inaction; Death, Guilt, and the AfterlifeMajor Characters: Hamlet, Claudius, Polonius, Ophelia, Laertes, Gertrude, Fortinbras, Horatio, The Ghost, Rosencrantz GuildensternFun Fact: Shakespeare’s son, who died at age 11, was named Hamnet; he may have been an inspiration for the tragic character Hamlet. Plot Summary Hamlet is the story of the events that take place after the king of Denmark is found dead. His son, Hamlet, is visited by the kings ghost, who tells him that Hamlet’s uncle Claudius was the murderer. Hamlet resolves to kill Claudius and avenge his fathers death, but he struggles with the morality of his decision and finds himself unable to act. To fool Claudius into thinking he knows nothing about the murder, Hamlet pretends to be insane; however, Hamlet’s actual mental state becomes less and less certain throughout the play. Meanwhile, when Claudius begins to realize Hamlet knows more than he lets on, he plots to kill him. Hamlet, though, is smart; much of the play depicts his brilliant wordplay and cunning outmaneuvers of the king’s courtiers—until, of course, the play’s tragic ending, which sees most of the royal family killed. Major Characters Hamlet. The protagonist of the story, Hamlet is the prince of Denmark and the son of the murdered king. Possessing a melancholy and depressive disposition, he struggles throughout the play with his inability to act on his desire for revenge. Claudius. The current king of Denmark and the brother of the king, Hamlets late father. Claudius murdered the former king and married his wife Gertrude, stealing Hamlet’s right to succeed his father. Polonius. The father of Ophelia and Laertes and advisor to the king. Obsequious, pedantic, and scheming, Polonius is killed by Hamlet. Ophelia. Hamlet’s love interest and Polonius’s daughter. She aims to please her father and is deeply troubled by Hamlet’s madness, but goes mad herself by the end of the play. Laertes. Polonius’s son. He is a man of action, in direct contrast to Hamlet, and is ready to take his revenge as soon as he discovers Hamlet’s hand in the destruction of his father and sister. Gertrude. The queen of Denmark, Hamlet’s mother, and Claudius’s wife. She was married to the old king, but was unfaithful to him with Claudius. Fortinbras. The prince of Norway, who eventually becomes king of Denmark after Hamlets death. Horatio. Hamlet’s best friend from university, who serves as a foil to Hamlet. The Ghost. Hamlet’s dead father, the former king of Denmark. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Hamlet’s childhood friends, whom Hamlet outwits at every turn. Major Themes Appearance vs. Reality. Is the ghost really Hamlet’s dead father? Is Claudius lying? Hamlet must continually grapple with his inability to trust his own interpretation of events, which keeps him in a state of inaction. Death, Guilt, and the Afterlife. Hamlet frequently wonders about the mystery of death. Tied to these thoughts is always the question of guilt, and whether or not his soul—or the soul of another, like Claudius—will wind up in heaven or hell. Revenge and Action vs. Inaction. Although the play is about revenge, Hamlet continually delays the act. Connected to this theme is the question of the afterlife, doubts about which seem to stay Hamlet’s hand. Literary Style Hamlet has had remarkable literary significance from its first performance, which is estimated to have taken place between 1599 and 1602, influencing writers as varied as John Milton, Johann Wilhelm von Goethe, George Eliot, and David Foster Wallace.  It is a tragedy, a genre with roots in classical Greek theatre; however, Shakespeare ignores Aristotle’s injunction for a play to focus primarily on action, not character. Instead, the play follows the twists and turns of Hamlet’s moral struggle much more through soliloquies than plot. The play was written during the reign of Elizabeth I. There are numerous early versions of the play still in existence; each, however, has different lines, so it is the job of the editor to decide which version to publish, and accounts for the many explanatory notes in editions of Shakespeare. About the Author William Shakespeare is arguably the highest-regarded writer in the English language. Although his exact date of birth is unknown, he was baptized in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 1564 and married Anne Hathaway at age 18. Sometime between the ages of 20 and 30, Shakespeare moved to London to start his career in theatre. He worked as an actor and a writer, as well as a part-time owner of the theatre troupe the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later known as the King’s Men. Since little information about commoners was retained at the time, not much is known about Shakespeare, leading to ongoing questions about his life, his inspiration, and the authorship of his plays.

William Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet - 1243 Words

Should one of Shakespeare s most famous plays, Romeo, and Juliet, be removed from the freshman English curriculum? Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare and is a tragic play about two star-crossed lovers. Romeo and Juliet, the two main character, deny their family’s feud and choose to fall in love, but the choices they let others and themselves make lead to their untimely death. The classic play was written in mostly sonnets, a form of poetry and contains most of the English literature devices like figurative language, foreshadowing, imagery, etc... Also, Romeo and Juliet has part of the English curriculum for decades. Romeo and Juliet should still be part of Niles West learning curriculum since it’s still relevant because†¦show more content†¦Lady Capulet enters Juliet s room and thinks that she’s still crying over Tybalt’s death, but Juliet tries to explain that she’s actually grieving over Romeo’s exile in contradict ory words. Juliet says, â€Å"Indeed, I never shall be satisfied With Romeo, till I behold him—dead— Is my poor heart for a kinsman vexed. Madam, if you could find out but a man To bear a poison, I would temper it, That Romeo should, upon receipt thereof, Soon sleep in quiet. Oh, how my heart abhors hearing him named, and cannot come to him. To wreak the love I bore my cousin Upon his body that slaughtered him!† (III.v.93-102). In the quote, Juliet says one thing while her mother hears another showing even parents and children sometimes don t understand each other. Romeo is in Friar Lawrence’s cell after the prince had banished him. He draws his sword to kill himself thinking he had cause Juliet grief but Friar stops him and says, â€Å"Hast thou slain Tybalt? wilt thou slay thyself? And slay thy lady, too that lives in thee, By doing damnà ¨d hate upon thyself† (III.iii.17-18). From Romeo s viewpoint the Friar is unable to understand his grief a nd for the Friar, Romeo is being away to overdramatic. All of the evidence shows the difficult relationships between parents and children. Romeo and Juliet should still be taught since it’s relevant because there still are rebellious teenagers. Juliet thinking that she

Life Imprisonment vs Death Penalty free essay sample

Death Penalty versus Life Imprisonment In the United States, if one is found guilty of a crime of the highest degree, then one faces one of two consequences of utmost severity, the death penalty or life imprisonment. Either way, a life is taken away, literally or figuratively speaking. Through sentencing of the death penalty, life will come to an end by lethal injection, electrocution, the gas chamber, hanging, or firing squad. Through sentencing of life imprisonment, life will come to an end and mere solitary existence within the walls of a prison will replace it until death eventually comes.The magnitude of these two punishments for crimes committed is without question, as are the similarities and differences that exist between the two practices. Capital punishment, also called the death penalty, is the pre-meditated and planned taking of a human life by the government in response to a crime committed by the convicted person. We will write a custom essay sample on Life Imprisonment vs Death Penalty or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The United States has limited use of the death penalty to cases of aggravated murder and on rare occasion to felony murder.On the other hand, life imprisonment can be the sentence for crimes involving not only murder but also high treason, severe or violent cases of drug dealing or human trafficking, or aggravated cases of burglary or robbery resulting in death or grievous bodily harm. Once convicted, an individual serving life imprisonment will remain in jail for the rest of his or her life until his or her death. Prosecutors state that imposing the death penalty is a crime deterrent. Prosecutors are also in support for the death penalty because it gives them a bargaining tool in the plea bargain process.Even if one believes that the defendant deserves life in prison, without the threat of a death sentence, there may be no way of getting him or her to plead guilty. Law enforcement agencies reject the notion of the death penalty being a crime deterrent. They advocate that its cost far outweighs its benefit and consider it to be one of the least efficient uses of taxpayers’ money. Instead, they feel that life imprisonment is among the best ways to reduce violent crime, and if there is no life imprisonment, then crime would become uncontrollable.The death penalty is undoubtedly a permanent solution to stopping a single person from committing any further crime. The death penalty gives closure to the victim’s families and loved ones. Losing a loved one is hard for anyone and for most it is not enough to simply have the perpetrator locked away for life. Family members and loved ones want and need closure in order to move on in their lives. Life in prison is often thought to be a more humane sentence than the death penalty. Death is the end, period. Life in prison may still offer a person chances at reconciliation for their actions, while providing them time to mature and change.This is a part of the problem†¦when a person is kept in prison for life; the person who is sentenced is not the person that’s in prison 20, 30, or even 40 years later. People change, regardless of where they are. Some individuals believe in the old saying, â€Å"Eye for an eye. † It is often said that the punishment should fit the crime and the death penalty is a clear illustration of that belief especially in regards to murder. However, some individuals believe that the death penalty is nothing but an act of revenge that has nothing to do with justice. For them, the assertion is that life imprisonment offers the best resolution for the crime itself, the person responsible for of the crime, and the victims of the crime. Reported costs of the death penalty and life imprisonment differ depending on the source. Some estimates claim that each execution of the death penalty costs about 2 million dollars to that state’s taxpayers. The assumption is that life in prison is more expensive than the death penalty. If a person is dead, then there’s no charge to feed them, house them, or to deal with their medical problems.Their account is closed and they’re no longer a burden on the system. The most alarming difference between the death penalty and life imprisonment emerges in the cases of failure to convict the right person for the crime. In a variety of capital crimes in the United States, it’s been seen that people have been unjustly imprisoned for years. This being said, the fact that some people may be unjustly charged with the death penalty is not far fetched. Only with the recent advance of technology has evidence been uncovered that proves these people didn’t commit the crimes they were going to be sent to prison or put to death for.So this is really the crux of the question of the death penalty versus life in prison question. Are we as a people ready to admit that our system will be sending at least some innocent people to death? Or would we be willing to shoulder the financial burden of caring for prisoners, some of whom may still be innocent of any wrong doing, for their entire lives? Is there a way to fix the system so that this uncertainty can be eliminated from the equation? These are questions that people should be asking, as well as whether or not either of these two options is serving th e goals of both punishment and fairness.

Terrorism in Political Protest

Terrorism can be defined as a premeditated, politically motivated violence directed against noncombatant targets, by sub-national groups to achieve political, economic or religious ends.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Terrorism in Political Protest specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More International terrorism can be considered as the one which involves citizens or a territory of more than one country (Cottle 34). In many instances, the aims of terrorists are similar to those of political groups whose views have to be dominant over those of their opponents. Terrorism is used to achieve progress within a short time than the pace in their current political atmosphere. It can also be said that terrorism is a more advanced stage of failed political process that starts with inequities and injustice. It moves from frustrated attempts of reform that breeds fear and temper, to confrontations related to politics that erupts in violence. They can be used to rationalize the use of any type of violence against any target (Sanders 95). Flashpoint (para.3) states that there are several forms of terrorism in existence. In urbanized countries, the traditional guerrilla warfare is mostly not appropriate. The reason behind is that rebels when attacked by superior forces cannot achieve and get hold of control over territory. In addition, they can not manage employing hit and run attacks effectively without having large losses. This resulted to formation of a new doctrine known as the urban guerrilla warfare which used terrorist tactics. In the 1990s a new form of international terrorism was formed. The group appeared to be less rational, not focused, deadly, and more international. This form of terrorism was known as Islamist Terrorism (Flashpoint para.4). An example of a recent terrorism attack is the one that happened in Southeast Asia in the year 2005. Since September 2001, the Australian prime minister had dra wn significant political progress. The political progress was a result of well-worn clichà © that changed the world on that tragic day (Club De Madrid para4). Force was needed to do away with the growing frustrations in politics, existential temper, and logistic ability for the hijackers to plan and implement the plots that had been evident for long. This was growing incrementally to anyone who was prepared to listen to the voices ignored from official avenues of political authority. The modern international politics took very little attention on the marginal voices (Club De Madrid para.8).Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Australia’s commitment to Southeast Asia rose up to governmental level since 1970s. Even after the rise, contacts were only confined to the elites. Out of fearing antagonizing authoritarian regimes, Australian governments and diplomats cut their rela tionships with groups and individuals who were not from their regional political establishments (Club De Madrid, para.9). Taking advantage from the observations, a wider set of affairs which constituted formal and informal voices from the opposition reduced the distress which was as a result of attacks by terrorist in Bali after 11th September 2001. Club De Madrid asserts that the of effects of the attacks on September 11, and attacks at Bali which left many people dead was the beginning of a deep feeling of insecurity within Australian society (para.12). The conservative government of Howard preyed on public confusion that was caused by attacks on September 11 and the attacks at Bali. Their intention was to demonize seekers of asylums who came to Australia from Muslim countries (Club De Madrid, para.13). Works Cited Club De Madrid. Terrorism in Southeast Asia: Australia as part of the problem. 22nd Feb 2005. Web.13th Mar 2011. Cottle, Sarah. Reporting demonstrations and protest: pu blic spheres, public screens, in: mediatized conflict: developments in media and conflict studies. Berkishire: Open University Press, 2006. Print. Flashpoints. ‘Terrorism political violence: Guide to world conflicts. N. d. Web.13th Feb 2011.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Terrorism in Political Protest specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sanders, Karen. communication in opposition, protest and violence, in: communicating politics in the twenty-first century. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, Hampshire, 2009. Print. This essay on Terrorism in Political Protest was written and submitted by user Angelica Wilkerson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Italian For Travelers - Common Phrases and Expressions

Italian For Travelers - Common Phrases and Expressions Taking a trip to Italy and want to learn Italian? If you want to have an incredible experience (not like all of those typical tourists) with the language tour to Tuscany you booked or the relatives in southern Italy you’re visiting, learning to speak basic Italian is a must. Its not enough to fare la valigia (pack your suitcase) and watch Italian language movies before you arrive. Whether youre sightseeing in world-famous cities like Florence, Rome, and Venice, on a business trip in Milan, or reuniting with family, there are a multitude of ways to improve your Italian before traveling to Italy. Â   Italian Survival Phrases Your first objective should be to learn Italian survival phrases. Greetings and farewells will earn you goodwill, and ones related to train travel and your hotel will help you solve problems quickly. Plus, remembering a few phrases related to dining out can make the difference between a good meal and a memorable one. After all, if you dont know the difference between a pesca (peach) and pesce (fish), you might go hungry. Â   The Basics If youre pressed for time, focus on the fundamentals. Study the Italian ABCs and Italian numbers, learn how to pronounce Italian words and ask questions in Italian, and brush up on the euro (after all, youll have to reach into your portafoglio- wallet- eventually). Â   How Tos Dont want to miss the next train to Venice? Have tickets to La Scala for 20:00 and arent sure when that is? Here are quick, step-by-step instructions on how to tell time in Italian that will help you avoid missing curtain call. Michelangelos is around the corner. Or so you thought the sign said. Avoid missing the highlights of Italy with simple instructions on how to ask for directions in Italian. Travelers to Italy might also want to know , how to pronounce Italian words, and how to conjugate Italian verbs like a native. Â   Its All in the Hands When all else fails- your is buried deep in your suitcase and you can’t even begin to think in Italian- try to speak Italian with your hands. Its not just pointing and grunting when ordering your favorite , either. Italian hand gestures are a way to convey emotions and passions that Italians will understand implicitly. What might seem at first to be physical theater or a scene in an Italian comedy will actually be a way to connect that will be much appreciated. Â   Buon Appetito! One of the primary reasons for traveling to Italy (besides the magnificent art, the incredible history, the amazing archeological sites) is la cucina italiana. One challenge is since dishes are usually served on separate plates in a specific order. include the autogrill, or roadside snack bar; the osteria, an informal place; the trattoria, which is a medium-priced, often family-run eating establishment; and the paninoteca, a place where sandwiches and salads are often available. Travelers are often puzzled about tipping in restaurants in Italy, and for good reason. Il coperto (cover charge for bread and water)- but not the service charge- is usually included in il conto (the bill). Italians tend to tip minimally. Â   Divertiti - Have fun! One of the best ways to pass time like an Italian is to spend a day (or a month) at the beach. Here are phrases to help you do that. You’re going to see incredible sights, so you’ll want to have suitable vocabulary to express how incredible whatever you’re seeing is. Plus, you’ll find some of the best shopping in the world in Italy. You better be prepared for it. If you’re interested in learning Italian and becoming fluent, read this. And if you’re feeling really brave, you can visit these places that aren’t on the typical tourist’s itinerary. Buon viaggio!

Work and Adolescence in the Middle Ages

Work and Adolescence in the Middle Ages Few medieval teenagers enjoyed a formal education as it was rare in the Middle Ages. As a result, not all adolescents went to school, and even those who did were not wholly consumed by learning. Many teens worked, and just about all of them played.   Working at Home Teens in peasant families were most likely to work instead of attending school. Offspring could be an integral part of a peasant familys income as productive workers contributing to the farming operation. As a paid servant in another household, frequently in another town, an adolescent could either contribute to the total income or simply cease using the family resources, thereby increasing the overall economic standing of those he left behind. In the peasant household, children provided valuable assistance to the family as early as age five or six. This assistance took the form of simple chores and did not take up a great deal of the childs time. Such chores included fetching water, herding geese, sheep or goats, gathering fruit, nuts, or firewood, walking and watering horses, and fishing. Older children were often enlisted to care for or at least watch over their younger siblings. At the house, girls would help their mothers with tending a vegetable or herb garden, making or mending clothes, churning butter, brewing beer and performing simple tasks to help with the cooking. In the fields, a boy no younger than 9-years-old and usually 12 years or older, might assist his father by goading the ox while his father handled the plow. As children reached their teens, they might continue to perform these chores unless younger siblings were there to do them, and they would most definitely increase their workloads with more demanding tasks. Yet the most difficult of tasks were reserved for those with the most experience; handling a scythe, for example, was something that took great skill and care, and it was unlikely for an adolescent to be given the responsibility of using it during the most pressing times of harvest. Work for teenagers was not limited to within the family; rather, it was fairly common for a teen to find work as a servant in another household. Service Work In all but the poorest medieval households, it would not be surprising to find a servant of one variety or another. Service could mean part-time work, day labor, or working and living under the roof of an employer. The type of work that occupied a servants time was no less variable: there were shop servants, craft assistants, laborers in agriculture and manufacturing, and, of course, household servants of every stripe. Although some individuals took on the role of servant for life, service was frequently a temporary stage in the life of an adolescent. These years of  labor- often spent in another familys home- gave teenagers the chance to save up some money, acquire skills, make social and business connections, and absorb a general understanding of the way society conducted itself, all in preparation for entry into that society as an adult. A child might possibly enter service as young as age seven,  but most employers sought older children to hire for their advanced skills and responsibility. It was far more common for children to take up positions as servants at age ten or twelve. The amount of work carried out by younger servants was necessarily limited; pre-adolescents are rarely if ever suited to heavy lifting or to tasks that require fine manual dexterity. An employer who took on a seven-year-old servant would expect the child to take some time learning his tasks, and he would probably start with very simple chores. Common Occupations Employed in a household, boys might become grooms, valets, or porters, girls could be housemaids, nurses, or scullery maids, and children of either gender could work in the kitchens. With a little training young men and women might assist at skilled trades, including  silk making, weaving, metalworking, brewing, or winemaking. In  villages,  they could acquire skills involving clothmaking, milling,  baking, and blacksmithing as well as help in the fields or household. By far, the majority of servants in town and countryside came from poorer families. The same network of friends, family and business associates that provided apprentices also yielded workers. And, much like apprentices, servants sometimes had to post bonds so that prospective employers might take them on, assuring their new bosses they would not leave before the agreed-upon term of service was up. Hierarchies and Relationships There were also servants of nobler origins, particularly those who served as valets, ladies maids, and other confidential assistants in illustrious households. Such individuals might be temporary adolescent employees from the same class as their employers or long-term servants from the gentry or urban middle class. They might even have been educated at a University before taking up their posts. By the 15th century, several advice manuals for such esteemed servants were in circulation in London and other large towns,  and not only noblemen but high city officials and wealthy merchants would seek to hire individuals who could perform delicate duties with tact and finesse. It was not unusual for a servants brothers and sisters to find work in the same household. When an older sibling moved on from service, his younger sibling might take his place, or perhaps theyd be employed simultaneously at different jobs. It was also not uncommon for servants to work for family members: for example, a childless man of prosperity in a town or city might employ his country-dwelling brothers or cousins children. This might seem exploitative or high-handed, but it was also a way for a man to give his relatives economic assistance and a good start in life while still allowing them to keep their dignity and pride in accomplishment. Terms of Employment It was  common  procedure to draw up a service contract that would outline the terms of service, including payment,  length  of service, and living arrangements. Some servants saw little legal recourse if they encountered difficulty with their masters, and it was more common for them to suffer their lot or run away rather than turn to the courts for redress. Yet court records show this was not always the case: masters and servants both brought their conflicts to legal authorities for resolution on a regular basis. Household servants almost always lived with their employers, and to deny housing after having promised it was considered a disgrace. Living together in such close quarters could result in terrible abuse or close bonds of loyalty. In fact, masters and servants of close rank and age were known to form lifelong bonds of friendship during the term of service. On the other hand, it was not unknown for masters to take advantage of their servants, particularly teenage girls in their employ. The relationship of most teenage servants to their masters fell somewhere in between fear and adulation. They did the work that was asked of them, were fed, clothed, sheltered and paid, and during their free time sought out ways to relax and have fun. Recreation A common misconception about the Middle Ages is that life was dreary and dull, and none but the nobility ever enjoyed any leisure or recreational activities. And, of course, life was indeed hard compared to our comfortable modern existence. But all was not darkness and drudgery. From peasants to  townsfolk  to gentry, people of the Middle Ages knew how to have fun, and teens were certainly no exception. A teenager might spend a large part of each day working or studying but, in most cases, he would still have a little time for recreation in the evenings. Hed have still more free time on holidays such as Saints Days, which were fairly frequent. Such liberty might be spent alone, but it was more likely to be an opportunity for him to socialize with coworkers, fellow students, fellow apprentices, family or friends. For some teenagers, childhood games that occupied the younger years such as marbles and shuttlecocks evolved into more sophisticated or strenuous pastimes like bowls and tennis. Adolescents engaged in more dangerous wrestling matches than the playful contests theyd attempted as children, and they played some very rough sports like football- variations that were precursors to todays rugby and soccer. Horseracing was fairly popular on the outskirts of London, and younger teens and pre-teens were frequently jockeys due to their lighter weight. Mock battles among the lower classes were frowned upon by authorities, for fighting rightfully belonged to the nobility, and violence and misconduct could ensue if youths learned how to use swords.  However,  archery  was encouraged in England due to its significant role in what has come to be called the  Hundred Years War. Recreation such as falconry and hunting were usually limited to the upper classes, primarily due to the cost of such pastimes. Furthermore,  forests, where sporting game might be found, were almost exclusively the province of the nobility, and peasants found hunting there- which they usually did for food rather than sport- would be fined. Games of Strategy and Gambling Archaeologists have discovered among castle remains intricately carved sets of chess and tables (a precursor to backgammon),  hinting at some popularity of board games among the noble classes. There is no doubt that peasants would be unlikely at best to acquire such costly trifles. While it is possible that less expensive or home-made versions could have been enjoyed by the middle and lower classes, none have yet been found to support such a theory; and the leisure time required to master such skills would have been prohibited by the lifestyles of all but the wealthiest folk. However, other games such as  merrills, which required only three pieces per player and a rough three-by-three board, could easily have been enjoyed by anyone willing to spend a few moments collecting stones and roughing out a crude gaming area. One pastime that was definitely enjoyed by city teens was dicing. Long before the Middle Ages, carved cube dice had evolved to replace the original game of rolling bones, but bones were occasionally still used. Rules varied from era to era, region to region and even from game to game, but as a game of pure chance (when honestly played), dicing was a popular basis for gambling. This prompted some cities and towns to pass legislation against the activity. Teens who engaged in gambling were likely to indulge in other unsavory activities that could result in violence, and riots were far from unknown. In hopes of heading off such incidents, city fathers, recognizing the need of adolescents to find release for their youthful exuberance, declared certain saints  days  occasions for great festivals. The celebrations that ensued were opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy public spectacles ranging from morality plays to bear-baiting as well as contests of skill,  feasting, and processions. Sources: Hanawalt, Barbara,  Growing Up in Medieval London  (Oxford University Press, 1993).Reeves, Compton,  Pleasures  Ã‚  (Oxford University Press, 1995).and Pastimes in Medieval England

An integrative review on, The Early Signs and Symptoms of Necrotizing Research Paper

An integrative review on, The Early Signs and Symptoms of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in the neonate - Research Paper Example Integrative review is considered as the most appropriate for the research undertaken because it can present a holistic and encompassing view of the disease. Discussion. Through the integrative review conducted, different issues related to the signs and symptoms of necrotizing enterocolitis came into focus. Parameters in the different articles such as the gestational age of the neonate, the feeding start, the onset of signs and symptoms of NEC, the interventions and the management method for the condition, and the outcome of the neonate were given attention. In addition, the strengths and limitations of each research process had also been identified. Early Signs and Symptoms of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Neonate Introduction Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is defined as a disease that can be acquired by preterm or sick neonates described to have mucosal or even deeper intestinal necrosis (Merck, 2007). The condition is considered as the most common cause of gastro intestinal medical or surgical emergency in neonates affecting approximately 10 percent of the infants with the weight of less than 1500 g. The vague etiology of the disease is related to the rate of mortality which is 50 percent mortality depending on the severity of the case (Springer and Rosenkrantz, 2011). Background of the Study Based on empirical evidences, NEC affects 2 to 5 percent of the total preterm infants. Majority of the cases occurs in less than 36 weeks of the gestational age. In addition, there are different risk factors that are related to the disease based on records such as history of hypoxia, asphyxia and the introduction of enteral feeding. Another condition which can increase the risk of NEC based on different studies is cyanotic heart disease (Puri and Hollwarth, 2009, p.435). In addition to the said risk factors, the presence of the 3 intestinal factors such as preceding ischemic insult, bacterial colonization, and intraluminal substrate can also contribute to the prevalence of NEC (Merck, 2007). For the purpose of the study, such risk factors and related parameters were considered as the focal points of the study undertaken. The said factors were considered as early indications of the possible onset of the disease. Other factors such as geographical origin, ethnicity or gender have no proven effects on the prevalence and occurrence of NEC (Puri and Hollwarth, 2009, p.435). Determining, presenting, and discussing the early onset of NEC is important for possible prevention of the fatal effects of the disease. The study was able to achieve its objectives based on chosen empirical and primary researches focused on the early signs and symptoms of necrotizing enterocolitis. The determination of the onset of the disease can be considered as the most important method to lessen mortality and to resolve the problem on the lack of effective treatment to NEC. Study Design and Data Sources The primary phase in the integrative review of the early signs and symptoms of NEC is the search for data sources which will be included in the study. Different databases such as CINAHL, EBSCOHost and PubMed were used to find five journal articles that explored NEC in different perspectives and with a focus on the diagnosis and clinical signs and symptoms of the disease. In the search for the data sources, there are factors considered for inclusion and exclusion of journal