Mythical Object Outline Essay Example for Free

Mythical Object Outline Essay Blood is the one thing in all human beings that symbolizes life itself and although the history of vampirism is not conclusive, there are many images in history that reflect the fear of blood-sucking agents. At a stage in history, vampirism may have been a deeply feared faculty from beyond the grave, but today it is embraced in some cultures in terms of the Goth culture which is an historically inaccurate description of a culture that had existed long before modern memory. We explore these beliefs in an attempt to ascertain where the myth of the vampire began and how it is viewed in modern terms with the knowledge we now have about spirituality and physiology. We also explore the myth in modern media culture with reference to popular film and literature and explore modern beliefs about this ancient entity. 2. The Origins of Vampirism. One belief about the origins of vampirism stems from the oldest cultures in the world, that of Persian and Aramaic world. The Persian history has only a vase unearthed revealing a blood-sucking creature struggling with a man while the Hebrew belief is one of a woman named Lillith who sucked the blood from infants (VAU, date unknown). This had been a Babylonian myth believing that she had been the wife of Adam who had left him due to unfulfilled sexual appetites (VAU, date unknown ). If the films such as Blade and Interview with a Vampire are taken into account, we see that sexuality and the myth of vampirism are entwined deeply, making it all the more sensational. With numerous historical artifacts leaning towards vampirism, tow are extremely interesting but only one is founded on actual evidence. They are Lilith and the Elizabeth Bathory. The Rabbinical myth of Lilith is complicated but loosely translates to the opposition of good, which is naturally evil. She is believed to be the ‘other’ half of Adam, the very root of creation of humanity itself (Smith, date unknown). Some even believe her to symbolize Babylon in its entirety but either way she is interwoven with infancy and child-bearing, hence the belief that she fed off the blood of children. Furthermore, Lilith or Lilit as Adam’s shadow bears his children as demons and evil spirits while Eve produces children that are good in the eyes of God. She is not impregnated by normal means but by unclean thoughts of men (Ibid). We see a number of reasons for this, including that since her children are not born of flesh and blood, the need to for blood would make it necessary for them to feed off of it. Elizabeth Bathory or Erzsebet was known as the ‘Blood Countess’ and her story comes much later in history than Lilith probably around (1560-1614) (Monstrous, 2008). She was of a wealthy family, owning vat expanses of land and she was inextricably related to the famous Vlad Dracula of Transylvania who later became the subject of vampirism himself, but it was Elizabeth who truly exemplified the legend (Ibid). Extraordinarily beautiful and known for her complexion, it was this beauty that led to the blood-lusty narcissism. She was sadistic and also had lesbian tendencies (Ibid). known to have murdered and tortured anyone from peasant girls to nobility, and it was believed that upon seeing the effect of blood on her skin, the Baroness began to bath in the blood of her victims (BBC, 2001). This is not proved, but her innumerable crimes against humanity are well documented. She is known to have tortured her young victims to the point where pools of blood were gathered on the floor (Ibid). She may well have used this blood to bath it but it is known that she bit some of her victims when too ill to torture them herself (Ibid. ). 3. Vampires Examined in Today’s Society The two stories above are disturbing in the extreme, but modern explanations may pass off vampirism as a form of chemical imbalance or psychosis and not being more than psychopathic behavior rather than lending to the perception that vampirism is supernatural. In more modern terms the idea of vampirism was explained in terms of the dead returning to seek revenge for injustices (Richardson, 2008). It was also likened to rabies which causes excessive thirst, but one noblewoman of Austria Empress Marie Theresa forbade the opening of graves or the desecration of bodies and the attacks in that area appeared to cease (Ibid. ). We do know a lot more about human functioning today and we know that to human beings blood is indigestible, causing toxicity inside the body. This would mean that no normal human would be able to survive the drinking of blood for any length of time. We know that blood ‘rusts’ or oxidizes within the body making it useless to the body if consumed in raw form. Porphyria, a rare blood disorder was put forward as a possible reason for vampirism, and that is could be treated with blood in order to alleviate symptoms (Wikpedia, 2008). 4. Vampire Domestication Modern films make it seem possible that the diseased person can be treated and therefore rehabilitated into society. Blade and Underworld see outright war between ‘good’ vampires and ‘bad’ vampires and Interview with a Vampire inspires the belief that vampires are trapped within their fate of living forever on blood but that they only really seek to be normal. A ‘domesticated’ vampire would indeed be one that can function normally in society under the influence of special (fictional) drugs that suppress the blood-craving in the same way nicotine patches suppress cigarette cravings. Innana Arthen explains the difference between blood-sucking and true vampirism. Vampirism according to Arthen is a person is extraordinarily endowed by the planet’s cosmic resources and it is their bio-rhythms that cause them to function better at night (Arthen, 2008). Rehabilitating or taming the ‘true’ vampire is not only unnecessary but also irrational in terms that they are not psychotic serial killers who torture animals and humans for stimulation. 5. Fictional Stories We all grew up with Count Dracula and Frankenstein as classical stories. We also studied the Portrait of Dorian Gray and Wuthering Heights as so-called Gothic horrors, but what influence if any have they had on the way we view myths such as vampirism? Previously it was believed that vampires simply bit and sucked the blood from victims. Now it known that if indeed vampires exist, then they are people with heightened psychic senses, are highly photosensitive and have a greater need for blood than others. We also believe that vampires are immortal, but again, if they exist this would simply mean a longer lifespan but not immortality (AngelFire, 2008). Films such as Blade and Near Dark purport that vampires can be treated with some form of ‘serum’ to reduce blood-lust. Bram Stoker’s famous Dracula was based on the relative of the formerly discussed Elizabeth Bathory, and the man in question was known for severe cruelty and torturous actions but not for drinking blood itself. 6. Traditional and Modern Vampires Modern vampires are almost culturally defined. They are often perceived as being Satanic or evil and in terms of the modern Goth culture, they are almost counter-cultural. They openly flout the norms of society, attempting to be everything that society tells us is bad and unhealthy. Religious Tolerance websites explain that due to their black clothing, obsession with bondage and strange make-up allow them to be seen as violence and death-obsessed but this is untrue (Robinson, 2007). In most cases their appearance belies a devout religious belief, Christian or otherwise and express a profound interest Medieval history which would include the Germanic Gothic era from which many of the most beautiful Cathedrals in history (Ibid). Contrary to the popular belief that they try to be vampires, it is not necessarily part of the equation (Ibid). In other words, being Goth does not mean they are part of any particular sect or group, they merely express themselves differently. 7. Vampires and Family The Interview with a Vampire showed a ‘family’ life not dissimilar to our own. The definition of family in these terms was a convergence of people with common needs and common problems. All three of the ‘family’ members were vampires by default or by fate and having no other group into which they fitted, came together to support and understand one another. They were simply a group of outsiders that formed their own little family. The film itself also relates to the above section on Goth’s where they come together out of common beliefs and situations. When we are children we are inducted into a common vein of thought, we give them ideals, norms and values that are the same as the group into which we are born. For instance, if you are born in Spain, you grow up with bull-fighting and annual bull-runs, however if you are born in Sweden this practice may seem abominable. Family is not only something we are paternally or maternally related to, but a common thought particularly surrounding differences that the outside world does not understand. 8. Conclusion Vampirism is shrouded in misconception, misunderstanding and fear, and all this when the world is not even certain that they exist. Modern films have created somewhat of an enigma surrounding out ‘bloodsucking’ kin, but the fact is that evil people such as Elizabeth Bathory and Count Vlad Dracula exist among us not necessarily making them super-human or abnormal beyond mere psychosis (BBC, 2001). There are evidently people who believe themselves to be vampires, but they don’t run around biting other people; there are people with rare blood-disorders causing them to behave in strange or violent ways but they too are not vampires. Humans have this innate and complicated relationship with fear, both hating it and needing it. This is why we create these unknown creatures and terrifying realities, to feed our imagination and sometimes†¦to alleviate boredom. References Angel Fire. (2008). FAQs About Real Vampires. Retrieved June 27, 2008, from http://www.angelfire.com/biz4/vampyreresearch/faq.html Arthen, Inanna. (2008). Real Vampires. Retrieved 8 July 2008. http://www.earthspirit.com/fireheart/fhvampire.html

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Welcome, class of 2012. Today I'm earning my Associate of Science degree [and let me tell you it feels great]. This fall I'll be studying physics at State University. I'm so proud to be graduating with you here at Northern Community College. Tonight, we're here to celebrate our accomplishments [and you know we deserve it!] May we not forget how far we have come, and let us look to the future and continue to push ourselves to reach for our dreams and goals. Some time ago we took that all so important first step. We recognized the VALUE and significance of our educations and determined to better ourselves, and today each one of us has achieved an important goal. Congratulations to all of you. I know that it was not easy. Many of us had our doubts when we came to this campus. We worried that we were too young or too old. We may have been afraid because it was the first time we'd ever been on a college campus. Maybe we didn't think we could handle the math, or the writing or the computers or what ever it was we told ourselves we could not do. However, we took the first step and came here to Northern Community College because we saw an opportunity: to learn, to grow, to stretch ourselves in order to improve upon our abilities and rise to that next level. Today, Northern will award approximately 1900 degrees or certificates. These students reflect a great diversity, something we should be very proud of here at Northern. We have students graduating tonight that represent many different cultures, and the one thing we all have in common is that we all had hopes of a better life for ourselves and our families and we knew that self-improvement was the only way to achieve this goal. And we stuck with it. We overcame; we so... ...orth your precious time to do what you love. So what is it that you're passionate about? Are you pursuing your passions? Are you passionate about what the future holds for you in your new career? Only you can answer this question. I have agonized for quite some time over this and have concluded that I will NEVER, ever, regret following my heart. In closing, I want to acknowledge that we could not have done this without the instructors and staff here at Northern Community College or our family and friends. So, thank you to all those people on campus who gave us their time. Thank you to friends who believed in us. Thank you to family members who encouraged us. Thank you to community members who supported us with scholarships and other opportunities. Thank you all! Again, Congratulations to the 2005 Graduating Class of Northern Community College!

Loose Control

Lily walked into the crowded cafà © and was greeted by the warm smell of freshly baked bread. Mrs Austell always made the most delicious bread, not that she had eaten much of it lately. The mouth watering smell of Mrs Austell's home made loaf brought back bitter-sweet memories for Lily. Memories of when her life was happy. In control. Lily walked over to the cashier and began to place her order. â€Å"Can I have a bottle of mineral water and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she stared longingly at the array of chocolate bars on display. If she was really good for the rest of the day†¦ She shook the thought from her mind. Four hundred calories per bar, even if she was good for the rest of the day, it would still take ages to burn off. â€Å"†¦um, yeah that's all thanks,† she finally said as she handed the cashier the money and went over to sit at the circular wooden table by the window. She had just started reading her favourite book when someone sat down next to her. She looked up to see a girl with greasy, peroxide blonde hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. Her ears glittering with fake gold hoops and playboy studs. â€Å"Awright orphan girl?† she asked, tauntingly. â€Å"Leave me alone Olivia,† answered Lily quietly. She tried to concentrate on her book. It was one of her favourites, and although she knew it back-to-front, it was still completely engrossing. It had been a present from her aunt that Christmas when†¦ She tried to hold back her tears, but it was too late, a lump had formed in her throat. She didn't want to cry in front of Olivia, she was bad enough already. Just as Lily began to feel the first mournful tears form, a voice called her above the chatter of the cafà ©. Lily looked up to see Darcey striding through the cafe, her long fiery hair swishing behind her making her look as if she'd just stepped off the catwalk. â€Å"Oh.My.Gosh!† said Darcey as she sat down. â€Å"What?† asked Lily cheerfully, feigning a smile. â€Å"I got the contract!† â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"I've signed with a model agency, Models one to be exact!† squealed Darcey. â€Å"Damn

Enlightenment Attitudes Towards Religion Essay - 654 Words

Enlightenment Attitudes Towards Religion Scientific and philosophical innovations during the 18th century brought about a new breed of thinkers. Their driving forces of rational and reason shifted the religious temperament of the elite from â€Å"enthusiasts† to intellectuals. â€Å"They argued that there was no divine standard of morality, no afterlife to divert humanity from worldly concerns† (The Western Experience, pg. 657). They were radicals who sought to displace the authority of religion. Driven by reason, enlightenment thinkers naturally opposed superstition and attempted to replace religious mysticism with philosophical standards and scientific formulations. Their shift of focus highlighted reverence for the Creator and moral teachings†¦show more content†¦660). Dennis Diderot echoes this sentiment in his encyclopedic definition of the term â€Å"irreligious† stating that morality is â€Å"the universal law that the finger of God has engraved on all our hearts,† and that  "consequently we should not confuse immortality and irreligion. Mortality can exist without religion; and religion, perhaps, even exits frequently with immortality† (Course Pak, Chapter 2, pg. 157). Further Diderot sites the Fathers of a council of Toledo in his definition of â€Å"intolerance† where they state â€Å"do no violence of any kind to people in order to lead them back to faith, for God is merciful or severe to whomever he chooses† (Course Pak, Chapter 2, pg. 156). By siting the fathers, Diderot masterfully escapes censorship while fighting the churches belligerence with its own words. Catholic Habsurg emperor Joseph II championed the philosophy of tolerance in 1781 in the Edict of Toleration. The Edict granted Jews and Catholics the same religious and civil rights, this was the first time such an act was condoned by a Catholic Habsburg ruler. In addition it also tried to limit the power of the Catholic Church by ordering the dissolution of numerous mo nasteries which were useless and corrupt. (The Western Experience, pg. 660). While tolerance proved to be an important concept of the enlightenment, deism was indeed the primary religious doctrine. Voltaire, one of the Enlightenment’s most prolific writers was anShow MoreRelatedBuddhism : Buddhism And Buddhism1009 Words   |  5 Pages Zen Buddhism isn’t exactly a â€Å"religion†, but a way of living. It creates peace within the human mind that allows one to grow, develop and look at the world more positively. Originating in China in 650 C.E., Zen Buddhism is a combination between Indian Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. Mahayana Buddhism promotes bodhisattva, which is practicing the way of life in the direction of Buddha. 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