Ukrainian Wedding

The traditional Ukrainian weddings differ in details, but all of them follow the same pattern in the order of wedding actions. The very first action of the Ukrainian wedding is a formal engagement. The groom invites two married men (they call them starosty) to visit the home of the bride and to request her parents for her hand in marriage. The wedding ceremony starts at least one week after engagement. Usually on Thursday or Friday they bake special wedding ritual bread – korovai. Before the wedding both groom and bride have separate parties with their close friends. At the girl party (divych vechir) they make a ritual tree (giltse). Together with korovai it stays on the wedding table as a symbol of youth and beauty of the bride and groom. Saturday and Sunday are the days of the church service or the main civil marriage ceremony. Before the church ceremony, the bride, the groom and their families meet at the home of the bride's parents for the blessing, the blahoslovenya. At the blessing, the parents express their approval and good wishes for the couple. The most touching and important moment to the couple, their parents, friends and relatives is the church ceremony. The priest blesses the new family for happiness, health, luck, faithfulness, understanding, love and respect for each other. God's blessing is the most important blessing for the new family. After the ceremony the groom takes the bride to her parents home and returns to his own home. Both families have meal with their friends and relatives. After meal it is time for the groom to take a wedding train (poizd) and bring his bride to his home. The most joyful, surprising and unexpected things may happen this evening. There are many fun wedding party traditions involving everybody. Little children adore weddings of their older sister or brothers, because this is the time for them to steal a bride’s shoe and then demand any ransom for it. The party takes place in a restaurant, cafe, at the home of the bridegroom or bride. All the guests come with gifts. The word â€Å"Vesillja† is derived from â€Å"fun†. The wedding (â€Å"vesillya†) was meant to be fun for the young couple too, but the newlyweds in ancient times did not have the right to drink anything bitter. They ate honey, bread and they had a little wine for the evening, but nothing more. There is usually a master of ceremonies, the â€Å"starosta†, who plans the party with toasts, endless jokes and games, making sure that every guest is involved. Dancing continues often until morning. At the end of the wedding party guests sing the song called â€Å"Mnohaya Lita†. It is a song of good wishes and means â€Å"many happy years†. Time changes, so do traditions. But even today every wedding in Ukraine has the elements of the ancient rituals preserved by people memory.

The Nature of Evil in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Society has been preoccupied by the concept of good and evil since the emergence of civilization and, just as humankind has evolved over time, so has the definition of evil. Evil was first used to describe someone who placed themselves above others and it wasn't until the Old and Middle English period that evil became associated with wrong-doing. As time passed, the definition continued to become increasingly more specific until it reached its modern day definition: â€Å"extreme moral wickedness. (www. etymonline. com/index. php? term=evil) However, what one ultimately defines as evil depends on one's personal experiences, frame of reference, and culture. For instance, during World War II, the Americans believed that dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima was an act of good as it ended conflict with the Japanese. On the other hand, the Japanese viewed it as an act of evil as the bombings resulted in the deaths of thousands of people.This proves that good and evil cannot always be see n as simply black or white, but also as shades of grey making it difficult to label characters in various literary works, especially those of William Shakespeare. The ambiguity of evil in William Shakespeare's Hamlet forces spectators to interpret each character's thoughts, actions, and personality in order to place them properly on the gradient of evil. Regardless of one's personal idea of evil, Claudius can be seen as a villain from many standpoints.He constantly performs actions with malicious intent and expresses true love only for himself. The first and most important act that Claudius commits is the murder of his own brother, which he does to obtain the crown of Denmark, as described by King Hamlet's ghost: Now, Hamlet, hear. ‘Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, A serpent stung me – so the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forged process of my death Rankly abus'd – but know, thou noble youth, The serpent that did sting thy father's life Now wears his cro wn. (I. v. 34-40)The ghost's speech shows the true nature of Claudius' evil as he allows himself to kill his own brother. However, this is not to say that Claudius does not understand the nature of his sins. Following ‘The Murder of Gonzago', a test of his conscience set up by Hamlet, Claudius feels overwhelmed with guilt and self disgust; he attempts to repent for his sins and expresses that he realizes the magnitude of what he has done: O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven; It hath the primal eldest curse upon't– A brother's murder. (III. iii. 37-39)This is the first and only time that the readers or spectators see Claudius acting as a normal human being and showing or recognizing his emotions. This is very important as many people believe that repentance leads to mercy. However, Claudius finds himself unable to properly do so as he comes to realize that he does not feel remorse for what he has done since he continues to reap the rewards of his deed: Pray can I not, Though inclination be as sharp as will, My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent†¦ My fault is past – but O, what form of prayerCan serve my turn? ‘Forgive me my foul murder? ‘ That cannot be, since I am still possess'd Of those effects for which I did the murder– My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen. †¦ My words fly up, my thoughts remain below. Words without thoughts never to heaven go. (III. iii. 36-40, 51-55, 97-98) If Claudius had successfully repented for his sins, he would no longer be labelled as an evil character. He is, however, unable to do so. Despite Claudius' callousness, the fact that he even attempts to repent is honourable.However, by continuing to manipulate, destroy, and murder he voids any chance of forgiveness. He uses his â€Å"son† as a scapegoat by focusing all of the negative attention on him and thus avoids negative attention himself, marries his brother's widow, turns Hamlet's childhood friends against him, and ultimately causes the deaths of all the main characters in the play. He uses his charm and political power to unleash increasing amounts of chaos proving that, â€Å"One may smile, and smile, and be a villain! † (I. v. 07) In the end, it is Claudius who is responsible for trapping otherwise innocent characters in a chain of deception, deceit, and destruction which is escapable only by death. Hamlet is the primary victim of Claudius' malevolent deeds, causing a dramatic shift in his nature. He becomes a slave to misfortune and feels the need to right the wrongs in his life, specifically the murder of his father. Upon hearing the truth about the nature of his father's death, Hamlet becomes a vital part in the cyclical pattern of evil as he vows to take revenge on his uncle, Claudius: Haste me to know't, that I with wings as swiftAs meditation or the thoughts of love May sweep me to my revenge. (I. v. 29-31) Although Hamlet is â€Å"a victim† of Claudius' deeds, the reader is unable to sustain any feeling of heightened pathos once he seeks justice by exacting revenge. However, one must take into consideration the common thought processes of the time. It wasn't until recently that society began to view retributive justice as unacceptable and morally wrong. Therefore, Hamlet would have been justified in his attempts to get revenge for his father's murder.In addition, getting revenge gives Hamlet no personal gain except the redemption of his father's name, while Claudius kills with power in mind. Furthermore, Claudius is responsible for the death of an innocent while Hamlet is only concerned with killing those who are guilty, particularly his uncle. Hamlet even takes precautions, such as arranging the performance of ‘The Murder of Gonzago', to prove his suspicions and keep a clean conscience: I'll have groundsMore relative than this—the play's the thingWherein I'll catch the conscience of the King. II. ii. 603-605) By trying to f igure out whether or not Claudius is guilty, Hamlet shows that he is trying to cause the least damage possible and does not want to kill those who do not deserve it. A truly evil person would not care whether or not their victim was innocent, as is the case with Claudius. Unfortunately, Hamlet becomes tangled up in his thoughts and emotions and causes more problems than he intends to; primarly when Hamlet and his mother are talking and Hamlet attacks Polonius who is hiding behind an arras.The attack kills Polonius, who Hamlet initially thought was Claudius. While some may consider this to be evil, Hamlet recognizes the event as a tragic accident: A bloody deed. Almost as bad, good mother, As kill a king and marry with his brother†¦ Thou wretched, rash intruding fool, farewell. I took thee for thy better. Take thy fortune. (III. iv. 28-29, 31-32) By comparing the murder of Polonius to the murder of his father, Hamlet acknowledges that what he has done is wrong but unfortunately this does not allow him to escape the repercussions which follow.Killing Polonius is the biggest mistake that Hamlet makes in the play, turning Laertes against him and leading to the death of both himself and Ophelia. Although Hamlet can be seen as unnaturally cruel many times throughout the play, he is not evil. Hamlet is simply trying to play the cards he has been dealt in life. Throughout Hamlet, Laertes is described as a very loyal and noble gentleman. Unfortunately for Laertes, he suffers the same fate as poor Hamlet. He loses his father and his sister, just as Hamlet loses his father and mother.Following his father's death, Laertes feels the need to kill to uphold his family's name. At first Laertes believes the murderer to be Claudius but when Claudius convinces him otherwise, Laertes shifts his attention towards Hamlet. In order to get Laertes to do this, Claudius manipulates him into thinking that Hamlet is the root of all evil and must be taken care of. Laertes agrees to d o so and even contributes his own ideas: I will do't. And for that purpose, I'll anoint my sword. I bought an unction of mountebank So mortal but dip a knife in it, Where it draws blood, no cataplasm so rare,Collected from all simples that have virtue Under the moon, can save the thing from death That is but scratch'd withal. I'll touch my point With this contagion, that if I gall him slightly, It may be death. (IV. vii. 139-148) Similarly to Hamlet, it is not evil that gets the best of Laertes, but his emotions. His anger and sadness cause him to react drastically and he makes decisions at a time where he is unable to think straight. Laertes later comes to realize this as he reflects upon his plan to kill Hamlet: And yet it is almost against my conscience. V. ii. 288) At this point in the play, it becomes evident that Laertes' â€Å"evil† is not of his own creation but of Claudius'. It is not only Laertes who realizes this but Hamlet as well, allowing the men to see the simi larities in their situations and apologize to one another: He is just serv'd. It is a poison temper'd by himself. Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet. Mine and my father's death come not upon thee, Nor thine on me. (V. ii. 321-325) Unlike Claudius, the men are forgiven for their sins and are able to die as heroes rather than villains.This final act of nobility is what truly defines the characters of Hamlet and Laertes, not their mishaps. William Shakespeare's Hamlet exemplifies how it is not what a character does but who a character is that determines whether they are truly evil or not. Nevertheless, that is not to say that the character's do not fall victim to temptation or evil. It is the way that they handle themselves once they have done so that allows spectators an insight into their true nature. As Hamlet says, â€Å"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking it makes it so. † (II. ii. 245-246)

Exploring How State of Matter Affects the Rate of Diffusion Essay

Introduction Diffusion is the random process by which particles distribute themselves within a container or medium. There are two factors that distinguish how substances move passively through membranes. The first factor is hydrophobic , a nonpolar molecule that can dissolve in a lipid bilayer and freely move through the membrane. However a hydrophillic molecule consisting of ions and polar molecules inhibit in their movement through the membrane making it a slower diffusion process. Selectively permeable, moreover, are charged atoms and molecules that are mostly blocked from traveling through the membrane due to the hydrophobic center. The purpose of this experiment was to test how the state of matter affects the rate of diffusion in a semi-solid vs. a liquid state. If the Potassium Permanganate crystals are placed in Petri dishes filled with water and 2% agar, then the crystals will diffuse at a faster rate in water than in the agar. The addition of the Potassium Permanganate crystals to the water and agar, there will be a result of more diffusion and more obvious color change in water compared to agar which will result in a slower less obvious diffusion. Materials The materials needed for this experiment are: One Petri dish with 2% agar and one Petri dish of water filled half way up to test the rate of diffusion. Also, two small crystals of potassium permanganate and one pair of forceps will be needed to place in the Petri dishes. One metric ruler will be need as well to measure the change of color in diameter and one 8 x 11 piece of white paper will also be used for safety precautions. Methods First, a member of the group will gather all the materials including the Petri dishes filled with tap water and 2% agar, forceps, ruler, 8X11 piece of white paper and the jar that contains the potassium permanganate crystals, and bring the materials back to the designated area. Then the experimenter will start to conduct the experiment. Then the experiment will consist of placing the empty Petri dish and the agar Petri dish on top of the white paper side by side. Second, Tap water will be added to a half way point in the empty Petri dish until it is approximately the same level as agar in the other Petri dish. Before continuing, wait for the water to stop moving to get an accurate measure of the diffusion. After that, have lab partner assist with placing potassium permanganate crystals into the agar Petri dish, while at the same time, the primary experimenter places the other two potassium permanganate crystals into the tap water. Be sure not to splash water in the aqueous dish. The moment that each crystal has been lowered is Time Zero. A purple color will be obvious immediately. Next have the experiment observe the diffusion rate for every 3 minutes for the next 15 minutes. For every 3 minutes, measure the diameter of the diffusion circle in millimeters (mm) and write down the measurement on the chart given. Be careful not to disturb the aqueous Petri dish. Discussion The results show that there a major difference in the rate of diffusion between 2% agar and tap water. Immediately, when the potassium permanganate crystals were dropped at 0, there was already an instant diffusion of 2 mm, compared to agar which was 1mm. Because water is a polar molecule, diffusion across membranes travel quicker compared to a nonpolar substance like agar that diffuse though the lipid part of a membrane. At the first 3 minute mark, it shows that the crystals have diffused relatively fast at 15 mm, compared to the diameter in agar which has slowly diffused to 5 mm. for the next 12 minutes, results have show that the diameter in water has increase about 8 – 10 mm every 3 minutes and agar has stayed the same throughout. Due to passive transport, the movement of molecules from the potassium permanganate have a higher concentration, and are then added to water which diffuses from that high concentration to a lower concentration. This was the expected result. Since water is polar, the crystals can easily diffuse through the gradient. Furthermore, with agar being a nonpolar molecule, it maintained a state of dynamic equilibrium because it diffused slower but was diffused evenly. However since other factors do play a role in the rate of diffusion, maybe temperature could have changed the rate of diffusion for the two Petri dishes. Also had the allotted time been different there may have also been a change in the results. There were no negative results or errors made during this experiment. Based on the results it can be concluded that dropping potassium permanganate crystals into water, diffuses across the gradient faster compared to 2% agar. This does support the initial hypothesis and the predictions were accurate.

Personal life Essay

Dance; a body of expression, a medium of communication, happiness and love. Dance is my passion. I am a trained Bharata Natyam dancer. I am proud to be an Indian because of its rich culture and heritage. In Bharata Natyam Bha i. e Bhaava (expression), Ra i. e Ragha (rhythm) and Ta i. e Taal (beat) are the basic components of a dance. There are seven different classical dance forms in india – Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Odissi, Mohiniattam, Manipuri and Kathak. I am blessed to be a part of this culture. It is my mother who developed this art in me. I have also learnt other dance forms such as Western and Folk. It is through dance that I find inner peace and true happiness. This art form gave me beautiful opportunities. I have represented my country in Dubai, France and Finland International festivals. Being a part of these festivals made me realize even if we have language barrier the language of dance bridged the gap between us. I’ve explored many cultures, their way of living, their way of life through this art. Dance needs no interpretation. Dance is also one of the strongest medium to pass a message. I believe one must use this art for a good cause. Famous dancers such as Hema Malini, Helen, Vayjantimala, Shri Gopal Krishna, Smt Rukhmani Devi, Shri Birju Maharaj are respected for their contribution. Dance taught me to correct myself. It has developed in me the ability of working towards excellence. I’ve acquired certain skills from this art which I believe are my competencies as a manger such as confidence, self-presentation, and an ability to cope with criticism and learn from it. As a performer I have an open mind and the ability to move beyond boundaries and experiment with different ideas. Every human being has a purpose for his existence. I believe my purpose is to spread love and happiness and do my bit for the society. I wish to make my parents proud. I wish to make this world a better place in my own little way. I wish to stay in your hearts forever!!

Family Resilience Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Family Resilience Assessment - Assignment Example This research will begin with the statement that family resilience and the concept behind it range beyond our comprehension of healthy family functioning to circumstances of adversity.  The assumption, however, is that there is no universal model that adequately fits all families and their situations due to their unique nature. The fact that some situations strengthen some families and increase their resourcefulness, while others crumble under the stress and pressure associated with the crises, serves to prove that there is no universal reaction that is guaranteed when faced with adversity. A family is a structure where there are rules to adhere to and specified roles to play by each of the members of the unit. There is a certain expectation as regards how the members of the system respond to each other with respect to their roles and are defined by the agreements of their relationships. Within the confines of the system, the development of patterns is seen in scenarios where a par ticular family member causes predictable behavioral influences in other family members and is also influenced by the behavioral traits of the rest of the family. Continuing the same trend of behaviors within a system may bring about balance in the family system, but also there is the risk of growing dysfunctional. For instance, if a spouse is forced to assume the responsibilities of the other for one reason or the other, the shift in roles could have adverse effects on the family system brought about by the equilibrium shift as a result of overreaching roles. My current nuclear family is characterized by a system of genuine family support, and mutual responsibilities in our respective roles. My live-in girlfriend, who we have been together for three and a half years, has three kids whom I absolutely adore, despite the fact that am not their biological father. Thanks to her kids, I have received a new lease in life by becoming a grand daddy-by-girlfriend. This has given me the chance to see a child grow, and I am grateful for this especially since I miss out on raising my own daughter and see her grow up. My relationship with my ex-family is nothing to write home about as no special bond exists. The quality of life back when I was still married to Sonia was horrible. The infidelity by my wife, now my ex-wife, nearly drove me to ruins, and the fact that she abandoned me while bedridden in the hospital and took off with our daughter did not make this easier. It actually made things worse, and this experience coupled with the horrible and abu sive childhood I had, was a suicide in waiting. Growing up surrounded by a mother who hated men, and two sisters who had been taught to loathe men, my childhood was doomed from the start. The fact that I did not have any functional relationship with any of my relatives from either side of my parents families meant that I was stuck with the only family I knew. Describe and discuss the key processes of family resilience: Belief Systems, Organizational Patterns, Communication Processes as they apply to yourself and your family. Belief Systems The members of a family are able to derive some meaning from circumstances of crisis, and therefore foster a positive and a hopeful outlook. This is, however, dependent on the family’s attitude towards the suffering, crises and the options available to them. In my case, making the best out of hard situations was not easy, not that it was expected anyway. It took me a while before I could see clearly that I had to change my attitude towards living a better quality life. Initially, before I got my act together, I dwelled on the issues that faced me instead of trying to find a way to stop myself from suffocating. Once I understood that the only way to move on was to accept my

Gaining Leverage in Negotiations Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Gaining Leverage in Negotiations - Coursework Example French and Raven’s five sources of power (1956) refer to a research of where power comes from conducted by social psychologists John R. P. French and Bertram Raven (Changing Minds, 2015). French and Raven derived five bases of power that include legitimate power, coercive power, reward power, referent power, and expert power (Raven, 1990). Legitimate power manifests in kings, police officers, and managers and can achieve effective negotiations by taking advantage of the position to influence people since it is the position they obey and not the holder (Changing Minds, 2015). Coercive power possessed by dictators and bullies can achieve effective negotiations by demonstrating physical harm to the other party. Reward power is often evident in work places and can achieve effective negotiations by offering a reasonable reward to the other party in order to compel him or her to do as your wish. Referent power can apply in celebrities and social leaders who influence those who want to be like them by excluding them from the negotiations. Lastly, expert power can achieve effective negotiations by influencing others to demonstrate or boycott an

How important are the opinions of experts in the search for knowledge Essay

How important are the opinions of experts in the search for knowledge - Essay Example Most of the time, such claims can invite a long list of counterclaims. In search for the truth, many people often consider the personal opinion of the experts as a valid idea which forms and contribute to our development of knowledge. The problem with heavily relying on the personal opinion of other people is that opinion itself is highly dependent on each person’s upbringing, reasoning, and emotions which could adversely affect the validity of other people’s personal opinion. Even though the personal opinions coming from the experts could significantly affect our search for knowledge one way or the other, this report will discuss the reasons why we should not fully rely on the personal opinions of the experts when searching for new and valid idea which forms our knowledge. As part of going through the main discussion, this report will discuss TOK in relation to the study of human sciences, history, and ethics. TOK in Relation to the Study of Human Sciences, History, an d Ethics Human Science Sociology is basically the study on how people within the society would function as a whole. Aiming to improve the social relationship, confidence level, personal productivity, and overall experiences in the life of young individuals, the Landmark Education is offering the opportunity for young individuals to participate in Landmark Forum (Landmark Education 2011). As a non-expert in the field of psychology, it is not easy to comprehend how the Landmark Education could encourage the young individuals to improve their quality of living by merely joining the Landmark Forum. Therefore, a lot of people often misunderstood that Landmark is just a form of cult which influences a large group of people (Bralliar 1996; Lowell 1996). To enable the non-experts to gain better understanding with regards to this matter, several psychologists, psychotherapists, and psychiatrists were invited to share their personal opinions on how the Landmark Forum could serve as a communic ation link between the young individuals and the experts (Landmark Education 2011). According to Edward H. Lowell (1996) who is a medical doctor specializing in psychiatry, the Landmark Forum and other related programs offered by Landmark Education provides the young individuals and the medical professionals the opportunity to learn from one another on how one can gain independence and higher self-confidence as a result of each individual’s accomplishments in life (Bralliar 1996; Lowell 1996). Because of Lowell’s and Bralliar’s personal experiences with the Landmark Forum, these two experts were able to provide solid evidences why people should not classify Landmark as a form of cult. Considering the professional and education background of Bralliar and Lowell in psychiatry, people who reads his personal statement concerning how Landmark Forum works is enough evidence to convince the people that Landmark is not a cult. History The study of history focuses on ana lyzing and interpreting what happened in the past. Since each individual has their own way of expressing how they understand what took place in the past, there is a risk for historical experts to encounter conflicts with regards to their opinions based on what they understood about the past events. Medical history is one subject that commonly encounters discrepancy between scientific-based evidences and personal opinion of the medical experts. The problem most of the