Henry James The Aspern Papers -- Henry james Aspern papers Essays

Henry James' The Aspern Papers The Aspern Papers by Henry James illustrates a classic opposition throughout the story: the underestimation of the old by the young. The narrator, Aspern’s publisher, sets himself to the task of retrieving several mysterious â€Å"papers† from a former lover of his idol, and goes in with the easy confidence of a young man who never dreams that anyone, much less an elderly lady, could be not one, but in fact several, steps ahead of him at all times in his hunt for literary gold. The relationship between Miss Bordereau and the narrator is that of the cat and the mouse, with the narrator believing he is the cat, and Miss Bordereau knowing that she has the upper hand by the simple fact of possession. The narrator is certain the love letters exist, but Miss Bordereau has no intention of turning over her private affairs to an impudent stranger who does not even have the decency to be straightforward and ask her about the letters– instead he concentrates on her niece, M iss Tina, and in effect seals his own destiny with that choice, leading to the option of marriage or losing the papers completely. From the first meeting between the narrator and Miss Bordereau, it seems that the old woman has a very clear idea of the character of Aspern’s publisher and knows precisely what he is after. Although the narrator has some doubts as to the success of his admiration for her garden, her niece, and her home, stating that â€Å"She listened to me in perfect stillness and I felt her look at me with great penetration,† overall he never doubts his eventual success until his final defeat at Miss Bordereau’s deathbed (James, 16). He does try to act natural and jovial in her presence, but there is always an underlying t... ...they will willingly hand him the letters with their blessing. In an obvious reversal of this prediction, however, is Miss Bordereau’s response to the narrator’s asking to push her wheelchair from the balcony overlooking the garden– â€Å"Oh yes, you may move me this way– you shan’t any other!† (James, 66). Miss Bordereau is always moving beyond the reach of the narrator, but he does not realize just how far beyond his reach the beloved papers are until the conclusion of the story: Miss Bordereau is dead, Miss Tina is no longer a pliable tool, and the papers have been irrevocably turned into unreadable ash. The relationship that he sought to form between himself and Miss Bordereau through the intermediary of Miss Tina has left him with nothing and has left Miss Bordereau laughing in her grave at the young, overconfident literary who thought he could get the better of her.

Literary Devices Used in Macbe Essay

Imagine how dull a Shakespearean play would be without the ingenious literary devices and techniques that contribute so much to the fulfillment of its reader or viewer. Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is a tragedy that combines fact and legend to tell the story of an eleventh century king. Shakespeare uses numerous types of literary techniques to make this tragic play more appealing. Three literary devices that Shakespeare uses to make Macbeth more interesting and effective are irony, symbolism, and imagery. One technique that Shakespeare uses is irony. Verbal irony is when a character says one thing but means the opposite. When a reader understands the irony of what a character is saying, then he can truly understand the nature and intentions of the character. An example of verbal irony is when Macbeth says to Banquo, â€Å"Tonight we hold a solemn supper, sir,/ And I’ll request your presence† (Macbeth 3. 1. 13-14). The reader soon discovers that Banquo never makes it to the banquet because he is brutally murdered by order of Macbeth. Shakespeare also uses situation irony. This occurs when the results of an action or event are different than what is expected. An example of situation irony occurs when Macduff talks to Malcolm and discusses the tragedies that are taking place in Scotland. Without knowing that his own family has been slain Macduff says, † Each new morn/ New widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows/ Strike heaven on the face† (4. 3. 4-6). Ironically, Macduff comments about widows, while he is completely unaware that he is a widower himself. Irony, a key element to a tragic play like Macbeth, has the ability to make the tragic hero appear more villainous or the down-fall seem even more tragic. The second type of literary device that Shakespeare uses in Macbeth is symbolism. The predominant symbol is blood and is used as an effective method to describe the theme of the play. Not only does blood symbolize bravery, it is also a means of showing treachery and treason and probably most importantly, guilt. One example of bravery occurs when the captain says, â€Å"For brave Macbeth? well he deserves that name–/Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel,/Which smoked with bloody execution†(1. 2. 16-18). Soon after this blood changes into a representation of treachery and treason. Lady Macbeth asks the spirits to â€Å"Make thick my blood,/ Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse† (1. 5. 43-44). She asks the spirits to take away compassion and make her remorseless for the actions she is about to take. Also, when Ross asks, â€Å"Is’t known who did this more than bloody deed? † (2. 4. 22), he tries to figure out who performed the disloyal act of murdering the king. Blood is also used many times to express the guilt-ridden consciences of the characters. For instance, Macbeth says, â€Å"What hands are here? Ha! They pluck out mine own eyes! / Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash the blood/ Clean from my hand? † (2. 3. 58-60). Macbeth obviously feels guilty for killing Duncan in cold blood. Later in the play, Lady Macbeth reveals her guilt while sleepwalking. She walks through the castle carrying a candle. She often sits the candle down and begins to rub her hands as if she is trying to wash them. In her somber state, she cries out: What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our pow’r to accompt? Yet who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him? (5. 1. 38-41). Lady Macbeth feels as though she cannot wipe clean her blood stained hands. This is a bit ironic since earlier she told Macbeth, â€Å"A little water clears us of this deed† (2. 2. 66). Lady Macbeth has many dreams and fantasies about blood, which shows that she cannot clear her conscience of this brutal act. Another literary technique that is used in Macbeth is word imagery. Word imagery is a term for a metaphor, a comparison that does not use the words â€Å"like† or â€Å"as†. One of the best examples of this is clothing imagery. For instance, Ross tells Macbeth that he has been named Thane of Cawdor, and Macbeth says, â€Å"The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress me in/ Borrowed robes? † (1. 3. 108-109). Macbeth asks why Ross is telling him this. This title is like new clothes to him, but this title and these clothes should still belong to the former Thane of Cawdor. Another example of clothing imagery occurs when Macbeth tells his wife that he has second thoughts of killing Duncan. He says, â€Å"I have bought/ Golden opinions from all sorts of people,/ Which would be worn now in their newest gloss† (1. 7. 32-34). Lady Macbeth thinks he is being irrational. Macbeth knows that he is the center of attention now because he saved the country. He also knows that if he kills Duncan everyone would be more interested in the death of their king than in their hero, Macbeth. Shakespeare’s work reveals that he knew how to make a play a work of art. Through his use of irony, symbolism, and imagery he is able to grab the reader or the viewer’s attention and keep it. These elements have contributed to the endurance of his works for centuries, and they will help it to endure for centuries to come. Without the use of these techniques, Macbeth would not be the tragic play that it is. This play would lack very important methods that help idealize the characters in the play.

The Rise of the Modern American Presidency

To begin, an anecdote that many are sure to recall and relate to is presented: as the United States found itself in a war, the likes of which it had never seen before, the President found himself at a crossroads of policy, power and the consequences of his actions, for whatever course he took, there would be political fallout. All of his advisors had something to offer, and of course, his critics and political enemies all stood ready to witness his downfall should he falter in his resolve or fail in his judgment.Ultimately, com/unit-3-our-government-today-the-legislative-and-executive-branches/">the President took full advantage of his powers- granted and implied- and set forth with his course of action, touching off a firestorm of disputes over the level of power he actually possesses, how much input such governmental bodies as the US Congress has in times of presidential posturing, and the like. The scenario presented sounds as if it could have been torn from the current headlines, as President George W.Bush is engulfed in controversy and opposition for his exercise of power in the midst of the modern war on terrorism, but a quick glance backward into the annals of history shows that this same scenario, albeit with some differences in circumstance here and there, could apply to Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II, and certainly could apply to any number of other presidents.The point to be made is that the increase and exercise of presidential power is one of the most critical issues and points of contention in American politics. Even in light of past (and present) poor decision making on the part of American Presidents, and the scandals that have rocked the presidency to its core in the past, every indication is that presidential power will only continue to grow as the 21st century unfolds and the complexity of the American political system grows (Shafritz, Weinberg).In this research, the different conceptions of th e proper role of the President in the American political system will be presented and discussed, with an ultimate goal of tracing the rise of the modern presidency, when/why the President became so powerful, why this power has endured, and whether or not the researcher favors and alternative, as well as the advantages/disadvantages of such powerful leadership. The Rise of the Modern American Presidency As this paper began, an anecdote was presented that in fact applies to every generation of presidential leadership in America.The existence of such power begs the first question of when this power first began to emerge. By design, the presidency of the United States was constitutionally intended to be of course an executive leadership role that was ultimately independent of the Congress that was also originated by the same Constitutional mandates (Lowi, et al). Therefore, from the beginning of the US itself, the President was placed in the position whereby he would have assert the pow ers of the presidency if he were to be able to gain/sustain any sort of assertive power during his years as chief executive.Throughout American history, there have been examples of passive and aggressive, weak and strong presidents, all because of their ability-or lack of ability- to successfully establish a power base within their administration. This power base can be gathered through a variety of means, such as the assembly of a powerful cabinet of advisors who in themselves possess the fortitude and connections to make their boss a more formidable chief executive, through holding the favor of Congress, such as when Congress is controlled by the political party of the president in question, or through his own cunning, skills or outright deception.Whatever the case may be the net effect over the past two centuries plus has been that the presidency has risen to a pinnacle of varying degrees of power, depending upon the person holding the office. When/Why the American President Gain ed Such Power The power that the President has the option of exercising or relaxing, according to most sources, has its modern roots in a specific administration and period of American history.The President was FD Roosevelt, and the time was immediately upon his assumption of office in 1932, through World War II, and up to the time of Roosevelt’s death in office in 1945 (Shafritz, Weinberg). In fact, the precedent that Roosevelt set with his administration seemed, in retrospect, to have taken the presidency to a new level of modern power. There are a few possible reasons for this. One reason that is frequently cited by many historians is the dawn of the development of the nuclear weapon- often called the dawn of the Atomic Age.With the existence of technology that could literally destroy the planet in a matter of moments put forth an interesting dynamic for the political landscape of America- first, although it was a highly guarded secret at the time, prior to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan in 1945, the corridors of American presidential power undoubtedly came to the realization that they not only had an awesome responsibility to wield nuclear weapons in a careful manner, but also that there were likely other powerful nations, such as the USSR, who also held in their possession nuclear weapons that could likewise destroy the planet as we know it.Therefore, the American President became not only in a sense the judge, jury and executioner for the nation and the rest of the world, but also a sort of protector for all of the peaceful people of the world. From that point forward, international relations, technology and the deterioration of the state of peace in the world has galvanized the power of the American President.Why the Power Endures The endurance of the power of the President of the United States, it now appears, is essential to endure because of the dangers that lurk in the nations of the world, making it necessary for the American President to be a sort of watchdog for the entire planet. Additionally, there are other, more transparent but nonetheless significant reasons why presidential power endures.Whether anyone would care to admit it or not, the President of the United States is in many cases kept as a powerful individual due to the fact that the major political parties of America use the presidency as a central source of influence and clout for their party when a President from their particular party holds the office; therefore, it is of mutual benefit for the President and his party to work to support each other, and a key ingredient that is needed to make the coalition work is the gathering and retention of power.Elected officials likewise will help to make the President more powerful in exchange for his support in their political activities and aspirations. Literally, it must also be acknowledged that the President of the United States is explicitly granted certain powers by the US Constitution (Lowi, et al). Some of these-what are known as expressed powers- are somewhat automatic for the President. Others- known as delegated powers-many times require the consultation of Congress and others in order to be exercised.This being said, however, one only needs to look at today’s headlines to find countless examples where the current President has overstepped the boundaries of what is traditionally permitted on the President’s own initiative. Many claim that this is literally illegal-others are simply outraged- some take both stances. Therefore, what we see is that the President of the United States has acquired some powers, has some powers that are constitutionally built-in, and has other powers that have simply been grabbed without permission.Pros/Cons of Presidential Power Presidential power has its advantages and disadvantages- in many cases, the difference between the two lies in political affiliation and/or personal opinion. On the positive side, few would argue th at a President with the ability to defend the nation successfully from enemies, keep the economy going strong, and provide for the welfare of the people through the acquisition of power would be an unfavorable scenario.On the other hand, the â€Å"cons† of presidential power include possible abuses of that power, unfavorable consequences of the wielding of that power, etc. In any case, there will never be a perfect balance of presidential power, but perhaps there are ways to keep the power in check while still keeping the President as a strong leader for the good of the people. Researcher’s ViewsThe result of this research, in the mind of the researcher, has been to come to the realization that absolute presidential power is not a favorable situation, nor is the situation of a weak President who has to seek permission and motivation to accomplish anything. Therefore, the researcher herein puts forth an opinion that the issue of the appropriate level of presidential pow er cannot be answered with a political debate, election or document.It can, however, be balanced with presence of politically active citizens who speak out when the president oversteps his boundaries of authority, works to improve the nation, and constantly holds the President to a high standard of accountability and responsible use of power. Then, and only then, can presidential power be correctly held and utilized. Conclusion The President of the United States, even centuries after the foundation of America, remains an enigmatic contradiction- he needs to be powerful, yet that power needs to be regulated and monitored.Therefore, in closing, let this point be understood- blind faith in any leaders will inevitably create chaos. As such, every American has the responsibility to express their opinions, be heard, and fight to keep the presidency what it was intended to be- the voice of the people. Works Cited Lowi, Ginsberg, Shepsle (2005). American Government: Power and Purpose. 9th e d. New York: WW Norton and Company. Shafritz, Weinberg (2005). Classics in American Literature. 3rd ed. Pittsburgh, PA: Wadsworth.