Hindu Custom of Marriage :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Hindu Custom of Marriage Hinduism began in Ancient India thousands of years ago. Hindu customs differ greatly from the ones we practice in the western world. This paper discusses the Hindu custom of marriage and the expectations of those to be wed. Men are expected to marry in order to carry on the family lineage. Women are encouraged to marry to help relieve their financial burden from their parents (Sullivan 135). A wedding occurs after a man has finished his studies, attained the permission of his teacher, bathed, and performed the ritual for homecoming. The father of the girl dresses and adorns his daughter, and receives 2-4 cows and bulls (O'Flaherty 101). The man and his wife to be walk around a fire seven times while they affirm their marriage vows to the accompanied verses from the Veda (Sullivan 135). The Lawbook of Manu contains a list of characteristics a wife should not have. She should not come from a family that has abandoned the rituals, a family with no boys, one that does not chant the Veda. Some more characteristics that are not acceptable are women with hairy bodies, who have consumption, weak digestion, bad memories, and also leprosy. Women that are redheads, have extra limbs, are sickly, bald, talk too much, are sallow, too fat or too thin, too tall or too dwarfish, past their prime, or lacking a limb or fond of quarreling are also not acceptable for marriage. An offensive name can determine a woman's worth. Bad names include ones that have to do with a constellation, tree, or river, low caste names, names of mountains, and birds or snakes. Slave names and fearsome names are also to be avoided. Women with these types of names are not to be married according to the characteristics that must be met for a woman to be acceptable for marriage. A woman fit for marriage should have complete limbs, a pleasant name, should walk like a swan or elephant, have fine hair on her body and on her head, delicate limbs, and should not have big teeth. A man should take a wife of the same class (O'Flaherty 101-102), but if a marriage does take place across caste boundaries, then it is almost always the woman marrying into a higher caste (Fuller 14).   Marriages are often arranged while the girl is only a child. The Manava Dharma Sastra and other legal texts "envision that a man of thirty marry a girl of twelve" (Sullivan 135).

America Must Destroy the Terrorist Networks Essay -- Terrorism War Ter

America Must Destroy the Terrorist Networks   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When one hears the word â€Å"terrorism,† a thought of a bombing, an explosion, a gunshot, or a hi-jacking comes to mind. How do individuals and organizations justify these acts of terror? These acts can be described as terrorist actions. Terrorism is defined as the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to achieve certain political, economical, or social aims.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I heard about terrorists hijacking airplanes full of civilians and flying them into the World Trade Centers in New York, the Pentagon, and a rural field in Pennsylvania, I didn’t know what to think of all this. It came with no warning, no declaration of war, no goals or sense to these attacks. No one had the courage to claim responsibility for the attacks. But I knew the US would respond with great perseverance and endeavor to remove the scourge of such terror from the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was overwhelmed with sadness and sorrow for the fallen and for their families. The terrorists took from their victims all that they have ever been and all that they ever will be. They left thousands of husbands and wives bereft of their spouse. They took away a parent or parents from thousands of children. They ended the hopes of families to have subsequent generations. They killed off family names, dreams, and futures. They have left parents and grandparents grieving to see their children and grandchildren die before them. They destroyed the lives and ...

Al- Aqsa Mosque Essay -- essays research papers

The Noble Sanctuary is a significant site with a sacred mosque and a sacred shrine within its walls, held in Jerusalem, for the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religions. The Noble Sanctuary, which includes the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque, represents the sacrifices and hardships many people have faced throughout the decades that formed our world in to what it is today. The Jews and the Christians have a special place in their heart for The Noble Sanctuary, but the magnitude and relevance of this place is greatest with the Muslims. It relates to their great last prophet Muhammad, who they believe, was sent from God and established Islam. Al-Aqsa Mosque, the sacred mosque within the Noble Sanctuary, accommodates the Dome of the Rock in commemorating Muhammad and Muhammad’s Night Journey into Heaven. The shrine itself was not a religious place of worship; the Dome of the Rock was solely a shrine. Al-Aqsa Mosque was built to fulfill the religious needs of Muslims. It was b uilt, spatially, near the sanctuary’s closest wall to Mecca, to pay respect to the â€Å"holy city†, where so Muhammad first started preaching and where so much history occurred, contributing heavily to Islamic religion of today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Al-Aqsa Mosque would not have been built if it were not for the building of the Dome of the Rock. The Dome of the Rock was begun in the heart of Jerusalem around 684 C.E and was finally completed in 691 C.E during the Umayyad Dynasty. The ninth Caliph, Abd al-Malik, a successor of the great prophet Muhammad, built the sanctuary to remember the Prophet, who 1 established the Islamic religion.# The Dome of the Rock is the focal point of the Noble Sanctuary. It is an octagonal shaped building with a large dome that rests atop the structure. Spatially, it lies in the very center of the Noble Sanctuary. The Dome is decorated with colorful mosaics that depict the events that occurred in the sixth and seventh centuries before the Dome was created. The inside is a sight of beauty; the beauty that some say only God can show Muslims. It has pillars, arches, and columns that go around the outside of the golden dome. The windows are of stained glass that glistens when the sun shines through them and they project exquisiteness on those pillars, arches, and columns. The Dome also contains Arabic calligraphy all around the inside of the Dome, with re... ... example of destroying a building and an entire group retaliating for the hurt and destruction is September 11th when the Taliban took it upon themselves to suicide bomb the World Trade Centers. All of America was devastated and most Americans wanted to get revenge. The Taliban knew they would upset us by doing that. The Americans found it cruel, and the Taliban succeeded in making Americans mad. Sacred places are held very closely to the heart of those that they are sacred to.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Al-Aqsa Mosque is a place that exemplifies what a Muslim could and should be like. With all the history and fighting in Jerusalem, the Muslims needed a place that glorified their religion, and that is what the Al-Aqsa Mosque does. You can pay your respects to Muhammad at the Dome of the Rock shrine, but you cannot cleanse yourself and pray to Allah there. The Al-Aqsa Mosque teaches you about the history of Islam, the practices, Muhammad and his struggles, 7 and pays respect to Mecca. Values, virtues, and continued ummah were learned and practiced through the Al-Aqsa Mosque, allowing the Islamic religion to flourish into one of the largest practicing religions of today.

Macbeth Relationship Analysis Essay

I found the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth very interesting in the play. In Act I they are completely devoted to each other. Love, respect and trust are the contents of their relationship. The trust in the relationship is revealed right at the beginning when Macbeth sends his wife a letter telling her about the witches and the predictions â€Å"This have I thought good to deliver to thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thee mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee.† (I, v, 10-13). The affection between the two is clearly shown when Macbeth salutes his wife with â€Å"My dearest love† (I, v, 58) and also on the letter where he says â€Å"†¦my dearest partner of greatness†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I, v, 11). The respect comes when Macbeth listens to his wife, which talks about the murder. He respects her opinion and gives her a polite answer â€Å"We will speak further.† (I, v, 71). In Act I, ii we see that King Duncan considers Macbeth a brave soldier and good man â€Å"O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman!† (King Duncan, I, ii, 24). This can be considered a weakness or, perhaps, strength in the relationship, it depends on the point of view. It is a weakness if we analyze Macbeth’s side. He is â€Å"†¦too full o’ the milk of human kindness†¦ that wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I, v, 16 & 21). It is strength if we analyze Lady Macbeth’s side. She has a very strong nature and knows Macbeth’s weak points, therefore manipulating and controlling the relationship. She uses of a great argument in Act I, vii accusing Macbeth for not having the courage to do what he wants â€Å"Wouldst thou have that which steem’ st the ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own steem, letting â€Å"I dare not† wait upon

Course Work Essay

As the Vice President of the Sales, it is his responsibility in the first place to handle sales management leadership and sales compensation program according to David J. Cichelli (p. 38) and not the products being sold in the market. Therefore, it is inappropriate for a new Vice-President of Sales to discuss defective wrenches before a CEO meeting especially that he is unaware of the ethical guidelines being practiced by the organization. In this case, he has to take extra care to discuss the matter to the group without appearing discourteous or impolite. In the first place, the newly hired CEO (Vice President of Sales) has the idea of communicating the concept of customer satisfaction that is vital in the growth of sales as well as important in his role as sales management leader to provide the utmost satisfaction. He also wants to ensure that collaboration among members of the team is practiced as he assumes his duty as part of the CEO team. Evaluating the scenario, he has to look into several avenues and prepare materials to support his argument. First, he has to review the policies of the organization as well as a survey on customer feedback of the product conducted previously, from where he will base his argument. Any information about the company’s structure, ethical guidelines, and procedures will help him shape his analysis and proposal to redirect the company’s concept of customer satisfaction. Tactfully, he may present the problem as part of his initial report using the SWOT analysis from there he may initiate actions essential to the growth of sales. SWOT analysis according to Robert Price is helpful in the â€Å"analysis of the external environment†¦ and internal situation† to see the whole scenario of the problem (p. 104). Second, he may suggest innovation of the product to be introduced as a new model through which the customer may perceive the product having good quality that will â€Å"solve critical customer problem† (Rafinejad, p. 208). Product innovation should be carefully planned to attain the best improvement of the product because as Rafinejad stated, â€Å"†¦too many revisions to a product are disruptive to customers’ business operation and create confusion† (ibid). Third, the company may notify the public through a well-developed notification plan which may includes â€Å"customers’ reaction to the planned changed† (Rafinejad, p. 210). Once the customers’ wants finally established, a formal change notification may take place; this involves e-mail notification, advertising, and other public relation tasks. The need for strong sense of business ethics rooted on customer satisfaction must also be emphasized. This generally requires internal streamlining. Bjorn Andersen stated that business ethics has â€Å"a strong motivational effect that can spur individuals and indeed entire organization to unheard-of peaks of performance† (p. 7). This creates basically a true sense of dedication on the part of the employees in the delivery of products to the customers. To realize this goal, the company has to redefine corporate culture and restructure the organization in such a way that supports the objective of the company as part of the innovation process. Redefinition includes identifying corporate social responsibility approach with hands on business practices through transformation process on the operation level. Andersen mentioned that the process involves policy setting, overall image creation, and pointing out direction for the organization’s ethics endeavor (p. 28). To support the endeavor, the company has to evaluate its structure in a way that accountability for success and/or falling is determined. Likewise, certain business activities must be redirected through assigning corporate ethics program. Linda K. Trevino and Gary R. Weaver suggested to â€Å"formalize company values and expectations† in which multiple elements has to look into such as â€Å"dedicated staff, supporting structures and policies, and extensive employee involvement† (p. 91). Conclusion: The new Vice President of Sales with his expertise in the field of business may share his knowledge that will help the business grow. The defective wrenches may cause the business to fall due to customer complaints that are not dealt with properly. Assigning tasks that will save the image of the company will be realized through initiatives for change in products and corporate ethics. This will be done by means of undertaking strategic planning based on research that may include adapting new policies for the company. Reference Andersen, B. (2004). Bringing Business Ethics to Life: Achieving Corporate Social Responsibility. USA: American Society for Quality. Cichelli, D. J. (2003) Compensating the Sales Force: A Practical Guide to Designing Winning Sales Compensation Plans. USA: McGraw-Hill Professional. Price, R. (2007) The Eye of Innovation: Recognizing Possibilities and Managing the Creative Enterprise. USA: Yale University Press. Rafinejad, D. (2007) Innovation, Product Development and Commercialization: Case Studies and Key Practices for Market Leadership. USA: Ross Publishing. Trevino, L. K. & Weaver, G. R. (2003). Managing Ethics in Business Organizations: Social Scientific Perspectives. USA: Stanford University Press.

My Leadership Style Essay

Abstract Leadership is defined as a social influence process in which an individual seeks the participation of subordinates in an effort to research organizational goals. (Kinicki-Kreitner (p.346). My personal leadership style is based on the situational theory of leadership. Based on the type of situation my ability to adapt my leadership style is what makes me an effective manager. My Leadership Style Leadership is defined as a social influence process in which an individual seeks the participation of subordinates in an effort to research organizational goals. (Kinicki-Kreitner p.346) Being a leader in today environment is even challenging than ever. This is due to the pressure for increased transparency due to corporate greed, government pressure and individual corruption. There are great leaders throughout our history such as Martin Luther King, George Washington, and Jack Welsh. However, great leaders don’t have to be good. Barbara Kellerman notes that â€Å"leaders are like the rest of us are: trustworthy and deceitful, cowardly and brave, greedy and generous†. (Kinicki-Kreitner p.346) Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin are examples of great leaders that use their influence for their own personal gain. Kinicki-Kreitner states that â€Å"to assume that all leaders are good is to be willfully blind (p.346). There are many different leadership styles and different leadership theories that individuals and corporations use. My personal leadership style is based on the Situational Theory. It is also transactional and adaptive compassionate and open. The situational theory of leadership is based on the effectiveness of a particular style of leader behavior depends on the situation. As the situation changes, so does the leadership style of the leader. As a retail manger managing 103 employees, my leadership styles changes on a daily basis. Things are always changing in this fast pace environment. Rules,  regulations, personal challenges, customer issues, are some of the many challenges that my managers and I face on a daily basis. I relate very well to Fiedlers’ situational model of leadership. His model is based on two factors. The first factor is that the degree which the situation gives the leaders control and influence is the likelihood the leader can successfully accomplish the job (Kinicki-Kreitner p.352). The second factor is based on how the leader is motivated. Is he or she motivated for accomplishment of the task or for close and personal relations? (Kinicki-Kreitner p.352) Based on these assumptions, my leadership style is based on build relationships. I value building relationships with people. I believe that building structured relationships with my employees will give them confidence in me and my ability to lead them. Making hard decisions such as hours reduction was easier to communicate to my employees because of the relationship that I built with them. They were able to understand and accept that this was necessary for the greater good of keeping the store open and profitable. This leads me to believe that I have a high amount of situational control within my environment. Situational control refers to the â€Å"amount of control and influence a leader has in his or her environment† (Kinicki-Kreitner p.352) There are three dimensions of situational control. They are Leader member relations, task structure and position power. I relate to all three dimensions with leader-member relations being the highest. Due to the relationships that I have built within my organization, I have the support, loyalty and trust of my assistant managers and my hourly employees. Leaders in today’s economic and political conditions must me servants and not dictators. Robert Greenleafs servant-leadership approach emphasizes â€Å"increased service to others† through a holistic approach.(Spears p.1) Larry Spears in â€Å"Practicing Servant-Leadership† states that the â€Å"great leader is first experienced as a servant to others work, promoting a sense of community, and a the sharing of power in decision making† (p.1) Being a servant-leader is a approach that I use within my organization. By holding daily huddles and having my employees state their opinion on any issues allows them to feel involved in the daily operation of running the store. Having an open heart is also an important aspect to my leadership ability. Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky in â€Å"Leading with an Open Heart†, states that  if we â€Å"lose our capacity for innocence, curiosity, and compassion. Our innocence turns to cynicism, our curiosity turns into arrogance and our compassion turns into callousness†. (p.2) Being a leader in my organization is very challenging. However, the situation theory allows me to adapt to each and every challenging situation on a daily basis. Managing with an open heart and being a servant leader will allow me to take on any challenges without becoming a dictator or being resentful in the decisions that I make. The ultimate key to my leadership style is building relationships. Building structured relationships allows loyalty, respect and confidence that I get from my employees knowing that I will lead them in any situation. References Kinicki, A., & Kreitner, R. (2009). Organizational Key concepts, Skills, & Best Practices. (4th ed.). Ashford University Heifetz, R. & Linsky, M (2002) Leading with an Open Heart. In the Leader to Leader Journal Retrieved February 10, 2010 from http://www.leadertoleader.org/knowledgecenter/journal.aspx?ArticleID=127 Spears, L. (2004 Practicing Servant-Leadership. In the Leader to Leader Journal Retrieved February 10, 2010 from http://www.leadertoleader.org/knowledgecenter/journal.aspx?ArticleID=51.

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

â€Å"In time we hate that which we often fear† – William Shakespeare. Shakespeare understood what most do not: the true nature of hatred. Since most people do not realise that their hatred simply masks their fears, they   never confront the real problem. Consequently, hate continues to ruin countries, cities and families. This notion of hatred is never more evident than in Shakespeare's tragic play, Romeo and Juliet. In this play, the characters' hatred masks their fear of being powerless and drives them to prove their superiority, but this only causes their destruction. First, characters identify with imaginary labels such as power and courage to mask their self-doubt and to feel belonging. For instance, Tybalt tries to prove his superiority over the Montagues by projecting himself as powerful and socially dominant. When he sees Romeo intruding on the Capulet feast, he insults him as a â€Å"slave† (1.5.54) that he should â€Å"†¦by the stock and honour of [his] kin / To strike him dead [he] holds it not a sin† (1.5.56-58). Tybalt belittles the Montagues as worthless slaves that he should punish and kill without guilt. Therefore, he will rid Verona of their filthiness and prove his social power. Likewise, Sampson pretends to be a courageous warrior to improve his reputation and social standing. To Gregory, Sampson can easily portray himself as â€Å"†¦a tyrant† (1.1.19) that after having â€Å"fought with the men, †¦ will be civil with the maids; / [and] cut off their heads† (1.1.20-21). In short, they use their illusions of power and courage to deceive others and themselves into welcoming and accepting them.However, when humiliated, their illusions are destroyed and their insecurities are threatened to be revealed which leaves them defenceless to exclusion. In fact, when Tybalt is stripped of his power and forced into submission, he runs away ashamed to hide his inferiority. After arguing with Capulet, Tybalt is forced to leave his own banquet which with his â€Å"patience perforce with wilful choler meeting† (1.5.88) makes his â€Å"†¦ flesh tremble† (1.5.89). Tybalt trembles with rage and shame due to his forced submission to Capulet which proves he has no true social power as he must obey orders not command them. Similarly, Sampson quickly shies away from a fight when confronted by the Montague servants to hide his cowardice. Sampson urges Gregory to fight as he â€Å"will [supposedly] back thee† (1.1.35) and to â€Å"take the law on [their] sides, let them begin† (1.1.35) although he proclaimed himself a merciless tyrant. When he is confronted with a fight, Sampson backs away and encourages Gregory to take the lead which proves he is just a narcissistic coward. In other words, when the inferiority and cowardice of characters are exposed, they scramble to hide their true identities.As expected, to regain their lost status, characters resort to aggression to distract others from their vulnerability. For example, Mercutio, feeling offended and disgraced, quickly belittles Tybalt to regain control of the situation and his social power. Angered by Romeo's â€Å"†¦ calm, dishonourable, vile submission† (3.1.70), Mercutio disgraces Tybalt as a â€Å"rat-catcher† (3.1.72) and challenges him to a fight so â€Å"‘Alla stoccata' carries it away† (3.1.71). Mercutio challenges Tybalt to a fight so that people will fear him, remember him as a strong, brave fighter and remember Tybalt as a ‘rat-catcher'. In the same manner, Romeo immediately challenges Tybalt to a duel to avenge Mercutio and justify that he caused his death. Romeo decides that someone needs to â€Å"keep [Mercutio] company: / Either thou or [Romeo], or both, must go with him† (3.1.124-125). Romeo, infuriated, allows his emotions to take control and seeks revenge to justify and compensate for his cowardly submission which caused Mercutio's death. In other words, characters that lose their illusions of power and courage struggle to feel accepted due to their fear of rejection, so they violently and desperately defend themselves.Undoubtedly, they do not achieve their goal of self-redemption and only continue the cycle of hatred which creates a never-ending path of destruction. In fact, Mercutio's violent attempt to gain social power blinds his reason and brings about his social and physical downfall. After being struck, Mercutio exclaims â€Å"I am hurt† (3.1.86) while his opponent-Tybalt- has â€Å"gone and hath nothing† (3.1.88). Mercutio's attempt to prove himself powerful ends with his death not Tybalt's. This proves that aggression is not the solution and only ensures self destruction. In contrast, Romeo's mother-Lady Montague- pays the consequence of death for Romeo's rash decisions. Before discovering his dead son, Montague declares: â€Å"†¦my wife is dead tonight / Grief of my son's exile hath stopp'd her breath† (5.3.210-211). Romeo's impulsive actions, which lead to his exile, causes his mother's death which proves that when characters resort to violence, they not only unintentionally destroy themselves but take down others too. In other words, when characters project their self-hate unto others through aggression, they cause their own destruction and collateral damage.