Jefferson About Education Essays - Randolph Family Of Virginia

Jefferson About Education Thomas Jefferson believed that universal education would have to precede universal suffrage. The ignorant, he argued, were incapable of self-government. But he had profound faith in the reasonableness and teachableness of the masses and in their collective wisdom when taught. He believed that the schools should teach reading, writing, and arithmetic. Also, the children should learn about Grecian, roman, English, and American History. Jefferson believed the nation needed public schools scattered around, for all male citizens to receive free education. By 1789, the first law was passed in Massachusetts to reaffirm the colonial laws by which towns were obligated to support a school. This law was ignored. Private schools were opened only to those who could afford to pay them. In the middle states religious groups opened most schools. Not many schools or institutions were opened to the nonwealthy people. The women, blacks, and Indians were not able to go to school. It was not until the early 1900's that the Nation began making academies for females, because government thought that they needed to be educated mothers to educate their children. Jefferson believed in the "Republican Mother". Later, many 19th century reformers believed in the power of education to reform and redeem- to release a blame or debt, to buy back- "backward" people. As a result, they generated a growing interest in Indian Education. Jefferson and his followers believed that the Native Americans were "noble savages", they hoped that schooling the Indians in white culture would "uplift"- to improve the spiritual, social, or intellect condition- the tribes. But the states and local government did little to support education. Unlike the women and Indians, blacks had no support at all. There were no efforts to educate enslaved African Americans, mostly because their owner preferred that they remain ignorant and this presumably less likely to rebel. By 1815 there were 30 secondary private schools in Massachusetts, 37 in New York, and many others scattered all around the nation. They were mostly aristocratic; they were not many that were public. Higher education similarly diverged from Republican ideals. The number of colleges and universities in America grew substantially; they went from nine of the time of the Revolution, to twenty-two in 1800, and after that increased steadily. Scarcely more than one white man in a thousand, had access to any college education, and those few who did attend universities were almost without exception members of prosperous, propertied families. Jefferson strongly believed that the nation's future depended, in great part, on the nation's education. He said in 1782, "Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories. And to render even them safe, their minds must be improved to a certain degree". He believed that in order for people to trust the people who are in charge of their government, they need to have some kind of education, to be able to make decisions based on their knowledge. Jefferson also believed that there wasn't any freedom without education. He said, " If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a civilization, it expects what it never was and never will be". By this, he means that in order for the people to want a free nation and expect for great things to happen, they need to have some education. If they don't want an education, then they are just going to always dream and never get anywhere. The Connecticut school master and lawyer Noah Webster, said that the American schoolboy should be educated as a nationalist. "As soon as he opens his lips", Webster wrote, " he should rehearse the history of his own country". Every citizen was to be educated to some degree. For the less wealthy people, to also have some education. Jefferson believed that the nation really needed to have schools. He wanted for the poor and rich to have some kind of Education, not only for themselves, but also for the nation's future.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis essays

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis essays The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe are C.S. Lewiss second book of the Chronicles of Narnia. In this book, four characters embark on an adventure after they discover a way into Narnia from a secret wardrobe. Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy embark on many adventures while they were staying at a huge mansion due to the war in London. Edmund meets a wicked witch whom he sides with, and the rest of his brothers and sisters desperately try to rescue Edmund for the sake of all their lives. The plot of the novel is first started when the four children have been staying at a country mansion because of the war in London. Lucy, the youngest of all, explores the house one day to uncover the secret wardrobe. She decides to get inside the wardrobe to see what is in it. To her surprise, there is no back wall to the wardrobe, and as she travels further into it, she eventually ends up in a forest full of snow. She then meets a faun, half man, and half goat, whom she visited with and then returned home. When she arrived back in the room, she realized that no time had passed by so she went to talk to her friends. No one believed Lucy about the wardrobe and the forest, so she was made fun of the whole day. Edmund, the youngest of the boys, decides to see if Lucy is right so he heads into the wardrobe and even he ends up in the forest. Well, he travels around and meets the bad witch who tells him to bring all of his brothers and sisters back to the forest so she can take them to the stone table. Edmund goes back and tells everyone that Lucys story was a hoax because he made fun of her for the story being fake. Everyone was tired of all the lying, so they all hid in it one day from the grownups and ended up all being in the forest. While they were there, they met up with a family of beavers whom they stayed with. While with the Beavers, Edmund sneaks out to find the Witchs home because she told him to meet her there next time he...

How and why does ethnic identity affect the beauty cross-culturally Research Paper

How and why does ethnic identity affect the beauty cross-culturally - Research Paper Example Often, it is the financial imperatives of mass consumerism that gains the upper hand. As a consequence, ethno-cultural idea of beauty is in a process of losing its prominence. This essay will further substantiate this claim, namely, that ethnic identity mediated notions of beauty is challenged and weakened in contemporary America. To begin with, let us take the case of the United States which has evolved as a melting pot of cultures, races and ethnicities. As a result, American society has developed the aesthetics that is based on inclusiveness as opposed to exclusiveness. While this inclusiveness is a sign of racial equality in one sense, it has less noble connotations, too. In other words, the assimilation of African Americans into mainstream culture is as much a reflection of social progress as it is a measure of commercial opportunity. â€Å"As minority spending power and social interactions of different racial groups in America have increased over time, advertisers have increas ingly been concerned with reaching minority ethnic groups through visual inclusion. With minority purchasing power increasing, this contingency could no longer be ignored by marketers. However, many companies were initially leery of offending the White majority that was their consumer base. In a 1953 study, only 0.6% of ads contained African Americans. By 1980, that frequency had increased to approximately 5.7%, indicating that the country was becoming more comfortable with the use of Blacks in advertisements.† 1 One of the key features of ethnic identity is skin tone. It is also a key factor in racial classification. Skin tone is not merely a statistical or academic detail in practical life. For an individual, his or her skin tone has implications in all realms of life – be it social, official or political. Skin tone is also identified as a specific variable at the root of racially related issues. Hence, while universality of beauty is a laudable idea, the flip side of it is discouraging. For example, researchers have correlated skin tone with â€Å"feelings of self worth, attractiveness, self control, satisfaction, and with quality of life.† 2 The theory of ‘colorism’ is of salience here, which states that people of lighter-skin tone (across ethnicities) are given privilege over dark-skinned members of the same community. The interesting finding here is the applicability of this concept across and between ethnic groups. For example, â€Å"African American's tend to feel more favorable towards Black models with a lighter skin tone. This phenomenon is not exclusive to African Americans because colorism is concerned with actual skin tone, as opposed to racial or ethnic identity. Research done by Shyon Baumann (2008) has shown that people within our culture, regardless of race, have a set of ideals about how people should ideally look, including judgments regarding skin color. Lightness and darkness of skin tone have specific me anings attached to them and we subconsciously relate those meanings to those we encounter.† 3 The statistical veracity of the theory of colorism is a setback to ethnically identified notions of beauty. It is a serious dent to the preservation of authenticity and nativity in an atmosphere saturated with uniformity and conformity. There are qualifications to the theory of colorism though for people with strong ethnic identification feel more affinity towards a model which resembles their own features. Likewise, black consumers generally respond

Questions of the Philosophy Ideas Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Questions of the Philosophy Ideas - Assignment Example This means that a human has very limited and concise knowledge, wisdom and morality and no matter how much one tries to grasp all the knowledge, it is not possible as a person to absorb everything. Thus, Socrates believes that irrespective of all the knowledge he possesses, he still does not know anything. This leads to self-questioning and judging one's self whether what we assume is actually true or just a vague illusion. Nothing was completely pure and perfect for Socrates. He believed that there was more to explore. Another perspective can be that Socrates was so ignorant that through this statement he meant that he at least he knew something if not everything (Miles 165) This is a very contradictory statement, and it is quite difficult to ascertain what he really wanted to convey; personally I think that he knew a lot and wanted to learn more. 2. What did Descartes mean when he said, â€Å"I think, therefore I am.† "I Think Therefore I Am" is a very renowned quotation or one of the most popular phrases ever said. This phrase was written by famous Rene Descartes in the 1600s in his book Meditations II. Earlier in his first book Meditations I, he completely destructed the belief of anything that occurred. He justified his statement by saying that there was not any way to be certain about his thoughts which were apparently mistaken or misleading, which is the misconception of human beings. Few examples he gave were that one cannot change the fact that there is a supreme power that exists and which plays and tricks the human brain or the very common optically seen illusions that baffle the human brain. Later in his book the Meditations II, he states that there is only a singular thing he can be sure of - that he is present. His justification lay in the fact that the ambiguity of certainty was due to the thoughts which were deluded. Deluded thoughts, if there are any, thoughts apparently do exist, and Descartes is a person who thinks that he exists. â₠¬Å"I think, therefore I am† is the initial and the most accurate statement which states itself to those who take philosophy in a very systematic manner: one should initially know what thought, existence and certainty are, and that one needs to exist in order to think. But we have so many ways of gaining knowledge that we do not know what exactly would enumerate us (Ariew 306). 3. What is the primary goal of Vipassana meditation? How is this goal achieved? The primary goal and the purpose of Vipassana meditation is the internal purification of the mind. It is apparently the most top level of enlightenment. True nature is the entire form of mind-matter theory. The reason of this meditation is to see the world as it is without being judgmental about it. Vipassana meditation focuses on the basic goal required to build in a composed targeted approach of the self and the surrounding world (Dockett 25).  

Five Forces Anaysis Of Dell Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Five Forces Anaysis Of Dell Inc - Essay Example This research paper presents five forces analysis of Dell Inc to analyze major factors and competitive elements and to assess how successful and effective is the company. The five force analysis, introduced by Michael Porter, can be used as a tool to measure the competitive rivalry and to assess whether the company has achieved sustainable competitive advantages or not. The five force Model The modern economy and international business environments have recently been largely influenced by various critical factors including globalization, fierce competition and advanced technology etc and therefore, as Michael Porter argued, business strategy equates to how a firm competes with other firms in the industry. According to his findings, strategy is not just a series of models and methods at corporate level, but rather it includes analyzing potential entrants, suppliers, buyers, substitutes and competitors (Stahl and Grigsby, 1997, p. 145). The five forces model has widely been applied as an important functional area of management and business academics. Almost all managers and large companies depend on porter’s five force analysis to find their marketing strengths and competitive advantages. Harvard professor Michael E. Porter has developed Five Force model in 1980s to help companies identify what specific forces determine the profits in an industry. Any particular firm in an industry faces various forces within the industry affecting the profitability significantly. Some of such determining factors are competitive rivalry, potential entrants, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of buyers as well as suppliers. If a business is able to understand and analyze all these factors, then it would also be able to develop a business-level strategy to allow business either to take advantage or protect the business from these forces (Ahlstrom and Bruton, 2009, p. 131). Porter argued that each of the five forces determines how the firm would be able to perform in its marketing landscape. The stronger each of these forces is, the more limited is the ability of well-established companies to increase prices and earn greater amounts of profits. Competition rivalry, substitutes, pot ential entrants, power of suppliers and buyers thus directly impact the profitability as well as effective and smooth functioning of the business (Hill and Jones, 2007, p. 45). The five factors can greatly influence various aspects of the strategies of a company. for instance, if consumers of the company have considerable bargaining power, it will largely impact the business strategy of that company. Similarly, if more number of suppliers are available and there is increased possibility of getting better supplies for comparatively cheaper amounts, the company will be more likely to achieve relatively better competitive advantage as well (Kurtz, MacKenzie and Snow, 2009, p. 57). Competitive rivalry is one of the five forces and is influenced by the other four forces. A company that operates in a market where there are larger numbers of substitutes, more powerful buyers and suppliers and there are chances for new entrants faces relatively more severe competition. A company would be ab le to flourish if it is able to fence off new entrants and substitutes. Dell Inc: Company Profile For several

The Dogon Tribe Of Mali Cultural Studies Essay

The Dogon Tribe Of Mali Cultural Studies Essay Due to the history of African slavery in the United States I am unable to find out my ethnicity so I have decided to do an anthropological analysis on the Dogon tribe of Mali. Most of the Dogon inhabit the southwestern part of Mali near the southern bend of the Niger River. There are some members of the Dogon tribe that live in northern Mali, but this group of people consists of pastoralists because the land is arid and barren. The Dogon people are internationally known for their art work. It must also be noted that the villages of the Dogon people vary in name, and that there exists minor differences from village to village. An example is the Dogon village of Bondum who are descendants of a warlike people compared to the Arou and Dyon tribes who despite their tribal origins still jointly use the surname Dolo. The origins of the Dogon are not concrete, but the myth is that they were created by the gods who came from the skies in a space ship. The most notable account is that they migrated from Libya into Guinea, and then Mauritania due to Muslim conquests that were trying to convert them to Islam. Oral tradition states that somewhere around the 15th century the Dogon settled near the Sanga region which is west of Bandiagara. Due to their forced migration the Dogon settled in the Cliffs of Bandiagara because it offered a defensive position from their Muslim neighbors. The Dogon also moved near the Niger River simply because of its water resources. The areas in which most of the Dogon live i.e. the Cliffs of Bandiagara, Bongo Plains, and the Dogon Plateau are made up of cliffs of sandstone, and hot and dry desert where rain is rare. The areas in which the Dogon live receive offshore wind currents that bring fog and dew. The neighboring countries around Mali are Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the west, Burkina Faso to the south, and Niger to the southeast. The climate ranges from subtropical to arid; hot and dry between February and June, rainy, humid, and mild from June to November, and cool and dry from November to February. Their land resources in terms of arable land and availability of water are scarce with only 3.76% land that is capable of farming. National figures for the state of Mali put irrigated land mass at 2,360 sq km with a renewable water amount of 100 cu km. The amount of drinkable water per domestic/industrial/agricultural is a total of 6.55 cu km/yr (9%/1%/90%) with a per capita average of 484 cu m/yr . The Dogon number anywhere from 400,000 to 800,000, and they make up 0.02% to 0.05% of the total population of Mali which numbers 13,443,225 (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ml.html). The Dogon people have undergone a social cultural shift since the past century primarily due to the Dogon region being a popular tourist destination in Mali. The Dogon are mainly known for their mask dances, wooden Tellem sculptures, architecture, and being called peasant warriors in the past that dwelled in secluded and separated villages (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogon_people). Given the physical nature of Malià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s land, and due to the issues of desertification, soil erosion, and inadequate access to water the Dogon tribe are faced with providing food. For the most part the Dogon peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s subsistence strategy is that of agriculture with a small minority in the north who are pastoralist, some who may arguably be classified as gatherers, and a percentage that use industrial type techniques in making arts and crafts. HUNTER/GATHER Villagers use the subsistence strategy of gathering not food, but bat guano on the Cliffs of Bandiagara. The guano is used as fertilizer for their crops like cotton, papayas, onions, rice, beans, tobacco, and it is also sold in the market for 4 dollars per sack. Another gathering technique that is used which may be considered as economic, but also as a strategy to subsist is that some males of a Dogon village will climb the top of the Bandiagara Cliffs looking for Tellem artifacts which they in turn sell to west antique collectors. The Dogon use the technology of rope made out of Baobab bark to climb and retrieve both bat guano, and Tellem artifacts on top of the Bandiagara Cliffs. PASTORALISM The subsistence strategy of pastoralists in Dogon country is relatively small in comparison to other subsistence strategies. This practice is conducted in the arid and barren land of northern Mali where only pastoralists can make a living. The most common animals raised are sheep, goats, chickens, and some cows. There are even some who raise bees in their villages. Nowadays having animals is not used for subsistence, but is a sign of economical status. It is highly likely that the pasotralists use simple herding tools such as fences to keep their animals safely together so that they do not escape HORTICULTURE The subsistence strategy of horticulture makes up 90% of the Dogon peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s subsistence strategy. The Dogon peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s main crops are millet, sorghum, rice, onions, beans, tobacco, and sorrel, sesame, maize, peanuts, yams, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, okra, watermelons, papayas, some figs, gourds, and cotton. In the village of Sangha, onions are grown, and in the village of Kani Kombal millet is their main crop. The division of labor is carried out by the people of the various Dogon villages. I would imagine that the males do most of the hard physical labor like planting, constructing make shift farm land and the like, and the females most likely take the crops that are harvested and store crops in granaries, pound millet, etc. I could not find an amount of how much is produce by the Dogon people in my research, but I assume that it is enough to feed themselves, and an ample supply to sell in the local markets. Given the nature of the land some of the farming techniques are unique to grow crops on what little ground is fertile. One technique that they use is called hillside terracing is small stones that hold pockets of earth in place. The Dogon use their bare hands to construct these terraces which are normally built on stony slopes, and the Dogon even make their own sections of fertile land by building these terraces, and bringing in soil from the outside. Another technique that the Dogon use is what is called transported earth gardens. This involves the creation of farmland on bare rocks using small stones, and building an intricate network of plots. As stated earlier the Dogon use soil found elsewhere, and use this with other things like compost or guano as fertilizer to make these plots fertile for growth. I cannot tell you what tools are used besides their hands because I could not find any information on it. I do know that the Dogon severely lack tools in order to improve their farming techniques on such barren land, but they are able to grow something out of what little they have and have been doing so for centuries. I would imagine that due to the lack of modern day tools that are used in more economically developed countries the Dogon use their bare hands, sticks, and any other means to dig holes, setup farm areas, and possibly animals to move large amounts of crops in order that they can survive. All of these subsistence strategies are intertwined to sustain the Dogon population, and work for the benefit of the whole. POLITICS The politics of the Dogon are very simple in the fact that real power lies with the Mali government. Granted there are minor things that the Dogon may have control over within their villages, authority rest on the central government. The political system within the Dogon community is organized on social status that a male has acquired within the group, and this is further defined by descent and/or locality. As with many other nations around the world who are primarily democratic in practice the Dogon do not have this type of political system. I assume this is because that given such a small group of people who know one another, and that their culture emphasizes a great level of respect towards their elders the Dogon seem to view their chief like those of Bhutan who see their king i.e. great admiration and respect. The Dogon tribes are a large chiefdom of patrilinealy organized villages where the power lies with the oldest male with social status, and at times the one who is also a descendant of someone in his family that previously held power. Legitimacy and power is based upon social status, age, descent, and authority is decided by this head chief. Their whole political system is something that is rarely found because they are a secluded group of people, very homogeneous in culture, and work together for the benefit of one another so there is not that need for some form of centralized organization as the West has in which power lies in the hands of a few, and where they have supreme authority to do as they will. I could not even find anything on conflict resolution, and this is not to say that they do not have their problems with one another or other villages, but it seems that the Dogon do what it is that they do and they are at harmony. I think this way of how the Dogon do things is deeply tied into their religious beliefs which I will discuss later. ECONOMICS The Dogon use negative reciprocity in the market places which they frequent five times a week with others outside the ethnic group, and western travelers in search of Dogon antiques. They also use generalized reciprocity like the trading of bat guano, or tobacco in exchange for other items from village to village which creates a level of cooperation and alliance with their neighbors. The Dogon use market exchange to exchange what they have grown with other people, and sell arts and crafts to foreign tourists. As stated earlier the Dogon produce various agricultural products mainly to sustain themselves, and there are no numbers available to me to determine how much of this is produced and sold. Many art collectors come in search of ancient Dogon tellem artifacts which are sold in the market place to would-be Indiana Jones westerners. Another aspect of the Dogon economic sector is that in recent decades they have been opening up lodges for tourist to stay at that even offer air conditioning and hot showers. The tourism industry has brought some economic growth, but this subsistence strategy is extremely small in comparison to their main strategy of horticulture. I could not find out the type of currency that they use, but I do imagine that it is at least a European based currency that is traded seeing as there are only twenty global currencies used which mostly consist of European based economies. The Dogon do not have an import/export system in place. In terms of what they sell they are mostly known for their large masks, and they are also known for their onions which are sold as far as the markets of Sangha. Most trading that takes place is usually between other villages, different ethnic groups, and tourists. SOCIAL ORGANIZATION Contemporary marriage in Dogon tribes is monogamy, but within the patrilineal system of the Dogon tribe polygyny can occur. Marriage is important to the Dogon people, but not necessarily for the marriage itself which is not played down, but the bonds that are created from one family to the. The Dogon people find divorce to be a serious matte that the entire village gets involved if there exists those who wish to divorce from their spouse. The Dogon people focus on harmony not just in their villages, but also in their marriages. Partners are setup in arranged marriages by their parents, and in the event that a divorce is permitted and the individual wants another partner it is up to that person to choose without parental involvement. Post marital residence is based upon the timing of the first child. Before the birth of the child the wife stays with her parents while the husband lives in a bachelors residence until the baby is born. After this the married couple moves into a vacant quarter which normally is within the settings of an extended family. As stated above family is important to the Dogon people, and they strongly orient themselves on harmony. As stated, the Dogon trace lineage, and base kinship on a patrilineal system. RELIGION The religion of the Dogon people is COMPLEX and highly INTRICATE that a book of exceptional proportions could be written. Within the Dogon community most believe in animism, and their belief is focused on spirits called the Nommo that were with their ancestors centuries ago as they fled their Muslim oppressors. There also exists a minority of the Dogon who practice two monotheistic religions i.e. Islam and Christianity. Their religious practices vary greatly due to some of the cults the Dogon associate themselves with. One called, the Awa, are a cult of the masks who are a major part of the religious worship in Dogon society. The Awa have a ritual that I find interesting where only the men are allowed, and their society has strict obligations, etiquette, and a secret language. Within this group certain young men called the olubaru undergo a rite of passage, and it is their job to preserve the traditions of the Awa. The olubaru are initiated into what is called the Sigi ceremony which is held every once every sixty years. The ceremony involves namely the large ornate masks, chants, and dancing which happens four weeks before the sowing festival of the Sigi ceremony, and the Dama festival which is a ceremony held towards the end of the mourning of those who have passed away (http://dickinsg.intrasun.tcnj.edu/diaspora/dogon.html). OTHER THINGS OF INTEREST One thing that interested me is the complexity of their religion. Their three main cults: the Awa, the Lebe, and the Binu. All of which tie themselves into the Nommo, but which all have little differences in their rituals. The Awa is known for being a cult of the dead, the Lebe are focused on the agricultural cycle, and the Binu who are totemic. All Dogon believe in God which they call Amma, and they give prayers and supplications to Amma, but most religious practices are around the Nommo who are considered to be the offspring of Amma. The Dogon believe in other smaller spirits who inhabit the trees, water, rocks, and other things in nature which makes me believe that the Dogon have a close tie to the naturally world because of their daily interaction with nature in order to survive. As stated above, the Dogon religious beliefs are complex and vary greatly from age and social status. What I also found out about religious practices which may be in other aspects of their culture as a w hole is that the women do not have such complex rituals as do the men especially the Awa. Something else that interests me is that they drink beer that is made out of millet. I could not find anything on how it is made, but I would like to try some of it. There was a video that I watched which showed the millet beer as a milky white substance, and it is served in large salad type bowls before groups of Dogon men. It seems to be usually consumed during an event, and it surprises me that a group of people undergo this with such similarities to other cultures i.e. United States Super Bowl Sunday. There is not really much else that interested me, but I will say that I like the perceived simplicity of the Dogon people. They are a homogeneous bunch of people do what it is that they do, and for the most part are cut off from the rest of the world. A group of people who live in harmony with one another, are centered on their religious beliefs and practices, and carry on with their lives whereas in the United States we live in a continual state of noise, aggressiveness, and spiritual pain. ARTICLE I have chosen to use an article that is dealing with terrorism in the region. I believe this has an impact on not just the Dogon people, but also the people in the region because Islam has grown in the past years in the area. I do not know the number of Muslims among the Dogon, but Mali does posses a great number of Muslims, and those that choose to use Islam as a means to further their own political agendas can cause regional conflict within Mali and other sub-Saharan Africa countries. Seeing as the Dogon mostly live near the Niger River most people naturally live near a source of water, and coupled with the extreme levels of poverty that are rampant it can become a hotbed for new terrorist activity.

King Lear :: essays research papers

King Lear Assignment 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Betrayal, Reconciliation, Authority versus Chaos, and Justice are different issues or themes that Shakespeare presents to his audience and asks them to battle and wrestle against. The first issue is the betrayal of the king and of Gloucester, and the reconciliation between them and their loved ones in the end, and the authority versus the chaos in the city on England and finally the Justice issue in which both the bodies of the good and the bad lay next to the each other in the end of the play. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shakespeare implies a parallel between the two themes of Blindness and Madness. The two characters who suffer the most in the play are Lear and Gloucester. Their stories are similar in many ways; however, while Lear slowly goes mad, Gloucester is blinded but remains sane. Lear and Gloucester both seem to be able to perceive certain things more clearly after they lose their faculties. Lear realizes only as he begins to go mad that Cordelia loves him and that Goneril and Regan are flatterers. He comes to understand the weakness of human nature at the same time when Gloucester comes to understand which son is really good and which is bad at the very moment of his blinding. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Betrayals play an important role in the play and show the workings of wickedness in both the familial and political realms. Brothers betray brothers and children betray fathers. Goneril and Regan’s betrayal of Lear raises them to power in Britain, where Edmund, who has betrayed both Edgar and Gloucester, joins them. Also Reconciliation has an important role between Lear and Cordelia as a dramatic personification of true, self-sacrificing love. Rather than hating Lear for banishing her, Cordelia remains devoted to her king and father who meanwhile, learns a cruel lesson in humility and eventually reaches the point where he can reunite joyfully with Cordelia. These two issues of betrayal and Reconciliation have a clear relevance to our world today where there are lots of betrayals and reconciliations between families. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  King Lear wanted to divide the kingdom among his three daughters. He intended to give up the responsibilities of government and spend his old age visiting his children. He commanded his daughters to say which of them loved him the most, and promised to give the greatest share to that daughter. Lear’s two older daughters, Goneril and Regan, responded to his test, telling him in exaggerated terms that they loved him more than anything else.