Sunday, January 19, 2020
Gallipoli Essay
A relevant idea in the film Gallipoli, produced by Peter Weir, is that war is a tragic waste of life. Weir made this idea seem relevant in the world today by using film techniques including music, dialogue and symbolism. Gallipoli is the story of a young man who went off to World War One. This particular film narrates the story of an eighteen-year-old from Western Australia who boarded a troop ship bound for Gallipoli. These soldiers fought the Turks in a campaign to capture Constantinople in 1915. It was Archy Hamiltonââ¬â¢s sacrifices that highlighted the main idea that war was a tragic waste of life. Music is the first technique used to show us that war is a tragic waste of life, an idea that is relevant in the world today. Adagio in G Minor was a fitting sad and sombre piece. It was played along with blue lighting and visual effects such as the smoke when the soldiers crossed from Lemnos to Gallipoli. This piece of music really made me feel sad. It really helped to convey the sombre mood. The blue lighting and smoke also helped to add to the tension of the scene. This scene reminded me of animals heading off to a slaughterhouse. The superior officers acted as the humans, whilst the soldiers acted as the animals. It was these attitudes towards life and society that really helped me to understand that war is a tragic a waste of life. The officersââ¬â¢ attitudes showed that they did not seem to care about the soldiersââ¬â¢ lives or personalities. They just wanted to win the war. This idea is backed up by the dialogue between Major Barton and Colonel Robinson. ââ¬Å"If the Turks get back in their trenches weââ¬â¢ll get cut to pieces! â⬠ââ¬Å"I still say you must go. â⬠This attitude of the officerââ¬â¢s also has relevance in todayââ¬â¢s world. There are still people out there nowadays who are so ambitious that they do not care what is in their way or who gets hurt. They are determined to reach their goal, for example a parliamentary race for election or an athleteââ¬â¢s fight for a champion title. Dialogue is a technique used to show us that war is a tragic waste of life, an idea that is still relevant in the world today. In the opening scenes we are shown a tracking shot of Archy sprinting and his ââ¬Ëworld-classââ¬â¢ time. This is showing us a brief snapshot of Archyââ¬â¢s talent. Later in the film Uncle Jack says to Archy, ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢ve got the God-given ability to be amongst our very greatest. â⬠This piece of dialogue really conveyed to me the extent of his talent and that he could go far. This is why I was dismayed to find out that Archy was killed in action. The enemy does not care who is in the firing line or what the oppositionââ¬â¢s personal talents are, they are just there to win the war. So not only is war a tragic waste of life, but a waste of talent too. Eric Bogleââ¬â¢s hit single ââ¬ËAnd the Band Played Waltzing Matildaââ¬â¢ also backed up this idea. In the song he mentioned the ââ¬Å"wounded and maimed. â⬠This refers to those men like Archy, who had the potential to go far but war got in the way. Their talents were wasted or never had the chance to develop, because their countries were fighting over a minor issue that could have been resolved. This idea is also relevant in the world today because everyone has the potential to do or become something great. You just have to look deep inside yourself to find it. That is why it makes me so sad to see people wasting their talent and potential over one silly and stupid mistake and then end up going to jail. Another technique used to show that war is a tragic waste of life is symbolism. Symbolism is also used to show that this idea is still relevant in the world today. One example of this would be the use of watches. We are shown a close up shot of Uncle Jack clocking Archyââ¬â¢s record-breaking time. Later in the film, before Archy goes over the top of the trench, we are shown him hanging up the watch along with his other meagre possessions. This shows us that it means something to him. I believe this is because it reminds him of back home, his friends and family. The watch is also a symbol of Archyââ¬â¢s talent and is something that brings Uncle Jack and Archy closer. I also believe that the use of watches is used to symbolise death and that death runs on itââ¬â¢s own clock. This idea is also relevant in the world today when people face the tragedy of cancer. We cannot control whether we will be alive tomorrow, we just have to let life run its course. It made me really sad to see the watch being hung up on the bayonet because I felt it brought me to the end. Also, when Uncle Jack is saying goodbye, he said, ââ¬Å"Take care of it boy. This is referring to the watch. This statement reinforces Archyââ¬â¢s youth by using the word ââ¬Å"boyâ⬠. It also reinforces the meaning of the watch for him. To conclude, the techniques used to show that war is a tragic waste of life are music, dialogue and symbolism. These techniques were also used to show this main ideaââ¬â¢s relevance in todayââ¬â¢s world. I think the world today has become smarter than the days of world wars. There will still be skirmishes, but mankind has become smart enough to know not to sacrifice everything all over again.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Participation dance Essay
On Thursday October 28th at Cardinal Carter Academy of the Arts the grade twelveââ¬â¢s performed their ISU pieces in the theater. It was 3:30p. m after school hours. The piece I chose to critique was called, ââ¬Å"Beyond the Reflection. â⬠This piece was done to the song called Primavera. Adelaide Batuk, Julianna Bissessar and Jacalyn choreographed this piece. The dancers were Josephine Di Cosmo, P. J. Elisha, Melanie Ferrara, Lauren Paul and Chelsea Santoli. In the piece Beyond the Reflection, most of the choreography was contemporary style of dance. The female dancers wore white dresses with their hair down, each in a slightly different way. The male dancer wore a white shirt and black bottoms. This group used mirrors that hung from above the stage and hovered across centre stage. They also used black curtains that were hung over the mirrors at different times in the dance. This contemporary piece had five dancers; four girls and one boy. The piece had white lighting for most of the dance. It also has some blue lighting. The choreographer chose to use top lighting and side lighting, as well as floods and spot lights. The choreographers used many of the elements in their creative piece. They used energy, time, space and shape throughout their dance. The energy of this piece was calm but fierce. The music (primavera) was slow and soft but the dance moves were strong and powerful. The choreographers used a mixture of energy qualities. They used suspension various times in their dance. For example, the dancers did a grand battement to the front and held it in a continuous motion to second, where it then grew and was lowered. Another energy type that was used was swing. The dancers used this motion as they ran across the stage swinging their arms back and forth like a runner. They raised their arms and then used a fast motion on the way down due to gravity. Sustained was another energy quality used in this piece. One of the dancers forcefully threw her arms up high in front of her and then smoothed out the motion that continued to reach forward with a sudden burst of energy. Percussive moments were also shown through out the piece, with sharp arms and legs extending. Collapse was also used in this dance. When the dancers dropped to the floor and dropped their heads they were doing a collapsed movement. In the dance another element was used; this was time. The dance was completed in a 4/4 time signature and had accents on the down beats. The music was steady like a pulse in sections of the song and sub-diving pulse in other sections. The third element used in this piece was space. The dancers used many levels. High levels when they did a split leap, medium levels when they were standing straight and low levels when they dropped to the floor. The dancers were also given small movements such a hand rolls. They were also given medium and large movements when they ran across the stage and did various jumps. The last element that was used in the piece was shape. Many shapes were used. Spacing was either lines, scattered, or groups. The movements the dancers demonstrated were straight, curved, angular, symmetrical and asymmetrical. They used straight lines and straight legs on kicks. They used curved arms on pirouettes. Angular legs when they were bending low to form a strong stance. They also showed symmetrical positions in side jetes and asymmetrical movements as they ran across the stage. The piece Beyond the Reflection had many different ways of interpreting the piece. The choreographers demonstrated the struggles and hardships in a persons life. They choreographed movement that showed the battle of their insecurities and the people that will help them along the way. They wanted to do this piece because dancers struggle with this situation all the time. They never believe their good enough or can truly make it big, but the reality is that everyone can conquer through hard times and achieve miracles. The mood of this piece was powerful and uplifting even though the song was slower. The dancers used strong movements to show they can achieve anything and come threw and recognize the positive qualities they have. I thought this piece was presented beautifully. The dancers had great technique and also strong and passionate emotion, threw their steps and in their performance. The choreographers did a fantastic job with the choreography and the staging of the performance. I thought the costumes suited the piece and the mirrors were used apparently. The energy behind the piece and was incredible. I also really enjoyed the use of the male dancer. The three choreographers used him to his advantage and showed both males and females have life struggles and both can conquered them. This piece was very well done, and I think it was a strong and deep story line to perform apiece on. The lighting and staging was effective, as well as the movement used in this piece. I really enjoyed this piece and saw many creative movements throughout it.
Thursday, January 2, 2020
Discipline And Punish The Birth Of The Prison - 1105 Words
French scholar Michel Foucault, in chapter 20 of Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, titled ââ¬ËPanopticismââ¬â¢ discusses his position on the panopticon ability to be a form of surveillance. The following piece will summarize chapter 20 of Foucaultââ¬â¢s work, and discuss the creation of panopticism as a figure of societies transition into disciplinary forms of surveillance. Additionally, providing contemporary examples with the creation of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV), and employ monitoring programs. Foucaultââ¬â¢s work is built off the design of Jeremy Benthamââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëpanopticonââ¬â¢, referring to it as the perfect or architectural figure of power in modern society (1979: 4). This design, encompasses a tower at the center from which isâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Whether it be, in the penal system, where inmates are plotting an escape, creation of future crime plans, or in education, where schoolchildren are monitored for cheating, loudness, excessive chatter, or just day dreaming (Fludernik 2017: 6). Though, no one may be monitoring the subject at the time of a possible deviance, the possibility of it both eliminates the thought of doing so and maximizes the efficiency of the institution (Wood 2017). Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV), uses video camera technology in predominately urban areas to transmit and watch over specified locations to a monitoring station (Liu and Chen 2011: 1075). The principles of Benthamââ¬â¢s work the ââ¬Ëpanopticonââ¬â¢, are visible in the design and operation of CCTV, with the main premise being, to discourage people from wrong doing through the threat of constant surveillance. The cameras become internalized, as individuals become frightened of the possibility that someone at that moment is watching them, thus they self police themselves. Foucaultââ¬â¢s, argument that disciplinary power can be extended to every aspect of society, and not only the penal system is evident through the use of CCTV. Similarly, to the ââ¬Ëpanopticonââ¬â¢, whose primary intended usage was installment as a prison, CCTVââ¬â¢s was to fight crime, being initially installed in September of 1968 in Olean, New York (Zhang 2015:7). Receiving constant support fr om policy creators andShow MoreRelatedDiscipline And Punish : The Birth Of The Prison1345 Words à |à 6 PagesMichel Foucault- Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison Michel Foucault is a very famous French intellectual who practiced the knowledge of sociology. Foucault analyzed how knowledge related to social structures, in particular the concept of punishment within the penal system. His theory through, Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, is a detailed outline of the disciplinary society; in which organizes populations, their relations to power formations, and the corresponding conceptionsRead MoreEssay on Foucaults Discipline and Punish: The birth of the prison2301 Words à |à 10 Pagesdisciplinary society can be used to understand the body in the society, I would like to begin this essay by returning to Foucaultââ¬â¢s book ââ¬â Discipline and Punish: The birth of the prison. This book deals with the disciplinary institutions and practices that emerged in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. While discipline and punish is concerned with the birth of the prison in modern Europe, it has far wider implications for the everyday lives of ordinary citizens. Notions such as micro-power, disciplinaryRead MoreMichael Foucault s Discipline And Punish : The Birth Of The Prison Essay2061 Words à |à 9 PagesMichael Foucaultââ¬â¢s chapter Panopticism from his book Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, analyzes how power has advanced through the use of surveillance. The chapter explores how surveillance first evolved when the King was the overall dictator and enforcer. The King held all the power; he decided which rules must be followed and the consequences or punishments that were applicable when these rules were disregarded. The idea of observation and surveillance first evolved when the plagueRead MoreFoucault and Punishment Essay1172 Words à |à 5 Pageschanged to a more psychological approach compared to a public embarrassment/torture approach. The following paragraphs will discuss the development of prisons and what in fact gives people gives people the right to punish; as well as the overall meaning and function of prisons. The work by Michel Foucault in Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison will help with the arguments at hand. The first thing to be looked at is the change from a medieval concept of punishment to a more modern conceptRead MoreBiographical Paper Of Michel Foucault1272 Words à |à 6 Pagesdââ¬â¢information sur les prisons He wrote ââ¬Å" Introductionâ⬠to Dream and Existence by Ludwig Binswanger who was a Heideggerian psychiatrist and wrote ââ¬Å"Malasle mentale et personaliteâ⬠which was a short book on mental illness. He supported structuralist and poststructuralist movements and also protested on behalf of homosexuals. Some of the things he studied and wrote books for was Discipline and Punishment, The History of Sexuality, Madness and Civilization, The Order of Things, The Archaeology, The Birth of The ClinicRead MoreSystem And Oppression Of The Panopticon1631 Words à |à 7 Pageslugubrious atmosphere of a prison or a mad-houseââ¬â¢ where the clowns demonstrate a ââ¬Ëwilled and terrible of a prison of beingââ¬â¢ (pt. III, CH. 4, P. 116), the text gives a chanc e to two of the most influential studies of Foucault such as Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison (1975) and Madness and Civilisation: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason (1965). The shape of panopticon comes from the British philosopher Jeremy Benthamââ¬â¢s (1748-1832) design for a prison. Carter used the same structureRead MoreThe Digital Panopticon: Foucault and Internet Privacy Essay example1314 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Digital Panopticon: Foucault and Internet Privacy In 1977, Michel Foucault wrote in Discipline and Punish about the disciplinary mechanisms of constant and invisible surveillance in part through an analysis of Jeremy Benthams panopticon. The panopticon was envisioned as a circular prison, in the centre of which resided a guard tower. Along the circumference, individuals resided in cells that were visible to the guard tower but invisible to each other. Importantly, this guard tower was backlitRead MoreThe Weight Of Social Awareness1025 Words à |à 5 Pagespeople who commit serious crimes. Their focus has always been to punish these individuals beyond the deprivation of their freedom and not much effort is put into treating these individuals and preparing them to get back into their community. Punishment is viewed as a way of discouraging other members of the community from committing crimes and reducing recidivism. Society often refers to prisoners as separate from their communities. Prisons serve as a physical remainder of this distinction and to reinforceRead MoreFoucaultââ¬â¢s Panopticism and Its Application Within Modern Education Systems1697 Words à |à 7 PagesBenthamââ¬â¢s Panopticon and developed by Michel Foucault describes a disciplinary mechanism used in various aspects of society. Foucaultââ¬â¢s Discipline and Punish discusses the development of discipline in Western society, looks in particularly at Bentha mââ¬â¢s Panopticon and how it is a working example of how the theory is employed effectively. Foucault explains, in Discipline and Punish that ââ¬Ëthis book is intended as a correlative history of the modern soul and of a new power to judgeââ¬â¢ (Foucault, 1977) and opensRead MoreMichael Foucaults Panopticism879 Words à |à 4 PagesSociety: Comparison to the Panopticon According to Wikepedia, a panopticon is a type of prison where the observer is able to watch the prisoners without the prisoner knowing when they are being watched. The concept of the design is to allow an observer to observe (-opticon) all (pan-) prisoners thereby conveying what one architect has called the sentiment of an invisible omnisciece. The panopticon was invented by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham in 1785. Bentham himself described the Panopticon
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Reconstruction North And South - 1439 Words
Chapter 17 - Reconstruction: North and South America after the Civil War The War s Aftermath the fate of the former Confederacy, newly freed slaves, and the reforming US were all hot topics post war Development in the North the civil war was a social revolution in many ways; allowing great social and political reform and a flow of thoughts that were usually tided Morrill Tariff - doubled the average import duties National Banking Act - created a uniform system of banking and kanknote currency to help finance the war Subsidies for transcontinental railroad - Congress decided the rail would take the north-central route and donated public land and sold bonds to finance it Homestead Act of 1862 - Congress provides federal homesteads of 160 acres to settlers in exchange for their occupying the land for 5 years to gain title Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862 - gave each state 30,000 acres of federal land per member of congress of the state Devastation in the South Property destroyed in the wa ke of the war, mostly due to Sherman, leaving huge amounts of property destroyed or worthless Confederate currency and bonds worthless; railroads damaged and destroyed Loss of $4 billion that had been invested in laborââ¬âthe slaves Problems of postwar agriculture as the various crops struggled to wriggle their way out from infancy once more, leaving all production lacking A Transformed South with so much of their previous infrastructure gone, their workers and their familiesShow MoreRelatedNorth or South: Reconstruction after the American Civil War Essay1762 Words à |à 8 Pagescasualties and the North winning and the South losing. Southern soldiers returned from the war and found their home in ruins. Lots of people lost their homes, land, businesses, and their way of life. Many Southerners faced starvation due to the high food prices and the widespread of crop failure. The Confederate money that was used by Southerners was now useless. Numerous banks collapsed, and the merchants went bankrupt because people couldnââ¬â¢t pay their debts. The people of the South were penniless andRead MoreWhy Was Responsible For The End Of Reconstruction?1282 Words à |à 6 Pagesperson. The question is, who was responsible for the ending of Reconstruction (To rebuild/fixing after war): Northern Neglect or Southern Resistance? Though there is no question. The Nor thââ¬â¢s neglecting to the south was a primary reason for the ending of reconstruction because during that era a large percentile of the North made up the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), which that specific group was largely opposed to the reconstruction of the South as well as they were supremacist; which means, ââ¬Å"an advocate ofRead MoreWhy the Reconstruction Stopped After the Civil War Essay678 Words à |à 3 PagesReconstruction has been brutally murdered! For a little over a decade after the Civil War, the victorious North launched a campaign of social, economic, and political recovery in the former Confederacy and to readmit the land in the former Confederacy back into the United States as states. Reconstruction yielded many benefits for African Americans. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments freed African Americans, made them citizens, and gave them the right to vote respectively. The Freedmenââ¬â¢s Bureau alsoRead MoreWhat Caused The Civil War? Slavery? Politics?Social Conflic ts?Maybe1628 Words à |à 7 Pageshappened. It was called the Civil War. The Civil War was between the North and the South about slavery. The North was antislavery, but the South was all for slavery. The North wanted to free the slaves to help fight the war, but the South was not fond of that. Some would believe that they would talk it out; however, they both decided to have a four-year war about it. Although many feel that slaves were only used to help the North in the Civil War, in reality, they determined how it came about. Read MoreTo What Extent Did The South Kill Reconstruction?1152 Words à |à 5 Pages To What Extent did the South Kill Reconstruction? Reconstruction was a time of great change for the now-unified United States. It started in 1865, coinciding with the Union win of the Civil War. Reconstruction is defined as ââ¬Ëthe process by which the states that had seceded were reorganized as part of the Union after the Civil War.â⬠This means that the Northern states were given the task of trying to decide what to do with the states that left the Union before the war. Deciding what to do withRead MoreReconstruction Of Reconstruction During The Civil War883 Words à |à 4 Pages Describe and analyze Reconstruction. Did Reconstruction have any successes? The end of civil war in the United States of America brought about many problems, in particular for the South. Some of the problems were political, economic decay and social disorder. The war destroyed the plantations and crops thus causing many to starve to death while others became homeless. The reconstruction became the only hope for the people. Radical reconstruction began in 1867, which enabled the freed black menRead More Characteristics and Impacts of American Reconstruction Essay1548 Words à |à 7 PagesCharacteristics and Impacts of American Reconstruction The key goals of Reconstruction were to readmit the South into the Union and to define the status of freedmen in American society. The Reconstruction era was marked by political, not violent, conflict. Some historical myths are that the South was victimized by Reconstruction, and that the various plans of Reconstruction were corrupt and unjust. Actually, the plans were quite lenient, enforcing military rule for only a short periodRead MoreWhy Did Reconstruction Fail870 Words à |à 4 PagesWhy did Reconstruction fail? Reconstruction in the United States is historically known as the time in America, shortly after the Civil War, in which the United States attempted to readdress the inequalities, especially of slavery and many other economic, social and politically issues including the poor relationship between the North and the South of America. These problems were highly significant in America, and a variety of groups in government tried to resolve these problems, but this only ledRead MoreOrigin Of And Role Played By Manifest Destiny1323 Words à |à 6 Pages1845. Since then, scholars have used the term to refer to the expansionistic excitement that defined the 1840s. During that time, the United Statesââ¬â¢ population had more than quadrupled and Americans believed God had destined that they span the entire North America from one coast to the other. Although the term ââ¬Å"Manifest Destinyâ⬠was used to typify the 1840s American expansionistic exuberance, it can be broadly used to chara cterize any countryââ¬â¢s imperialistic thrusts (Harriet). In this regard, Utah, theRead MoreReconstruction Era1650 Words à |à 7 PagesReconstruction 1 The Reconstruction Era Jessica Onken American History Since 1865 Professor Tim Johnston August 2, 2010 Reconstruction 2 The Reconstruction Era The reconstruction era was a difficult time for the African American slaves from 1865 to 1877 because the slaves were freed and there were no jobs for them, had very little or no education, and had very limited opportunity in the south. Reconstruction was one of the most critical periods in American History. The Civil
Monday, December 9, 2019
Education Today free essay sample
The education system today is a system that is solely based on a teacher-student relationship. In todays system, its more schooling than educating. Teachers teach and students learn because they are taught that teachers are always right. Students are taught not to question, and not to challenge the system. Paulo Freire in Pedagogy of the Oppressed goes into much detail about some of the challenges that the system of education faces. Some challenges that the education faces are concepts of, Fear of Freedom, Oppressed versus the Oppressor, and Culture of Silence. In the system of education, there is a fear of freedom, where the educators are afraid to challenge the curriculum of those in higher authority in the fear of losing their careers; they teach what they are told to teach their students. Some educators want to challenge the system but if the majority do not act along with them, how can they challenge and change the ways of teaching. We will write a custom essay sample on Education Today or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They have to follow the instructions of the administrators. Any act that is of their own can jeopardize their career. Freire also talks about the Fear of Freedom (46). He states that because there is no sense of freedom teachers become oppressed. He says that, freedom is acquired by conquest not by gift (47) They do not attempt to challenge the status quo. This concept is the Freirean Flip. The concept of the Freirean Flip is ironic because the oppressed becomes the oppressor. In the education system or in the classroom the teachers become both the oppressed and the oppressor. They are oppressed by the administrators about the curriculum. Due to them being oppressed they in turn become the oppressors in their classroom. This is where the irony comes in; the teachers who were once oppressed begin to oppress their students, making them the oppressors. In other situations when the teachers gain promotions and become part of the administration they sometimes forget where they originated from and they oppress other teachers that they once worked with. Instead of causing a change when they become part of the administration, they forget their previous circumstances and become a part of the Oppressed-Oppressor system. In comparison with Fear of Freedom, Culture of Silence is also an issue in the education system. In the culture of silence, the ones who are being educated are told not to speak, they are told not to challenge the system. Because of this, it is hard to think critically and to think on their own. There is also a lack of Critical Consciousness, or in Freires term Conscientizacao. They do not think beyond what they are taught, they do not question the concepts that they are being taught. Its whatever the teacher says that goes. Also in Culture of Silence, the students are educated in a way that they are aware that things are the way that they are, but nothing can be done about it. In a way they are enslaved, and are told what to think and do. In conclusion, our education system had to have a balance, where the role of the teachers and students are equal. Teachers do not always have to be teachers and in the same way students do not always have to be students. There should be a balance where the roles can be switched, students can be the teachers and teachers can also be the student.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
The witch-hunt in Early Modern England Essay Example
The witch-hunt in Early Modern England Paper There has been long established belief about witchcraft, which has never been disputed. The belief in maleficium, which is the practice of harmful magic, has been entrenched in popular belief since before the Middle Ages. However, the idea of diabolism didnt really arise in English popular fear, because there was no specific torture involved in the prosecution of witches in England. With European elements, such as diabolism and Sabbath missing, it can be assumed by the process of elimination that the English public themselves were at the heart of the witch-hunts and this was down to superstition mainly, although the witch-hunt was multi-causal. The first piece of literature that provided information on the witchcraft on a large scale on witchcraft was the Malleus Maleficarum. It was first published in 1486 and was written by two Dominican monks, Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger. It defined the crimes of a witch, but it didnt include diabolism, which was to make a pact with the devil. We will write a custom essay sample on The witch-hunt in Early Modern England specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The witch-hunt in Early Modern England specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The witch-hunt in Early Modern England specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer However, there was no English translation of the Malleus until modern times, and therefore this shows why European ideas may have been very slow to take effect on the English people. Also literacy in England was very low and the only real way of European ideas reaching England, would have been the elite, who were not really that keen to promote witch-hunts on the basis of diabolism. Therefore the accusers of a witch could not try her solely on suspicion and in England more evidence was required for proceedings to go ahead. This meant that in England there wee less cases of witchcraft of witchcraft and lower conviction rates than compared to Europe. In England, there were no legal reforms like the ones in Europe. If a person was accused of a crime, the lay-jury would intiate the proceedings and the trial jury would dwell over the facts, and the judge focussed at the evidence, before making decision. It was an accusatorial system in England, where victims had to prove the crime had been committed and provide witnesses, who were themselves open to prosecution if the accuse was acquitted. There was no legal excuse for the use of torture and therefore it was difficult to extract confessions, from the witches about their activities. This way the idea of diabolism never really penetrated the mind of the English people, and maleficium remained the main crime of performing witchcraft. In 1468, the Papacy ruled that witchcraft was a crimen exceptum, which means an exceptional crime. This legalised the use of torture and basically permitted the use of any methods to deal with the witchcraft crimes. However, King Henry VIII had broken away from the Roman Catholic Church and had formed the Church of England. This meant that the ideas were being devised by the Papacys intellectuals for prosecution, were not implemented in the English legal system and witchcraft was not an exceptional crime in England. In England, witchcraft for most people was still an activity, which was doing harm to others by supernatural means and so it wasnt heresy. The Acts of Parliaments verify this, when the first two statutes were passed. In 1542m it was made a felony to conjure spirits or to practice witchcraft, in order to find treasure along with other activities. The Act clearly treated the crime of witchcraft as consisting in positive acts of hostility against the community, rather than forming relations with the devil. The first act was repealed and a second statute was passed in 1563. The second statute was more severe in punishment and using maleficium for any means was a serious offence. The level of the offence depended on how seriously the victim was injured. However, in the third witchcraft statute in 1604, there was some element of Continental belief. It was felony to perform maleficum that resulted in anyones death and it also banned evil spirits. On of the reasons that the third statute, included diabolism was because of Englands monarch, James I, who was Scottish and had Continental view on witchcraft. The statute was repealed in 1736 and this showed how far English Law on witchcraft could go, in order to be aligned with Continental doctrines. The English witch-hunt claimed very few lives, compared to the rest of Europe, but it does have some statistics to be aware of and one of the reasons was Mathew Hopkins. He was professional witch-hunter, who assisted in the prosecution of many cases. In 1645, under his influence, there were sixteen people convicted for entertaining evil spirits, but seven of them were accused of killing other people. The Essex Circuit had 492 indictments for maleficium and eighteen were for entertaining evil spirits, which were influenced by Hopkins. English judges, such as Sir Robert Filmer, said that the were unlikely to condemn, unless murder was involved. The only notable exception to this practice was during Hopkinss campaign. Between 1645 and 1647, some 200 people were most likely to have been convicted, because of Hopkinss assistance. During the late sixteenth and seventh centuries, the courts were slowly treating cases along the Continental lines. This was due to the fact, that when an allegation of maleficium reached the courts it could easily be turned into one of devil worship and it was easier for the prosecution if there was a clear confession of a link with the devil. However, despite the increasing bias in the courts, the popular concept of witchcraft was restricted to maleficium. Therefore the judicial machinery was gradually becoming available, but there seemed to have been no desire by either the Church or people to take advantage of it.
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