African American Vernacular free essay sample

Works of the African American Vernacular Culture When thinking of musical genres such as Jazz, blues, and hip-hop, most Americans do not realize that they are the essential components to the evolution of African American Vernacular Literature. In fact, It Is the key factor that brought African American culture Into the limelight In America. Since the first black peoples In America were slaves, and were not allowed to read or write, the African American Vernacular Traditions began as completely oral communications in the form of church songs, blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and hip hop.The African American Vernacular began as Spiritual and Secular works, which portrayed the struggles of the slaves and black population over the centuries. Through the years, African American Vernacular has advanced into the most widely listened to musical genre in Americas youth today. The African American vernacular consists of forms sacred-?songs, prayers, sermons-?and secular-?work songs, secular rhymes and songs, blues, Jazz, and stories of many kinds It also consists of dances (Gates, McKay 6). We will write a custom essay sample on African American Vernacular or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Traits that suggest that a work Is of African American culture consist of : Call-response patterns, dance- eats, and most Importantly, Improvisation. (Gates, McKay, 6). The earliest form of these spoken traditions are known as spirituals. African American slaves are reported to have sung these religious songs since the beginning of slavery. Slaves sang these tunes all throughout the day to provide a mental escape from their current state and to explain their sorrows and hardships (Gates, McKay, 8).The slave masters thought the slaves were singing these songs through their forced belief in the Christian religion, but they actually contained codes that referred to the slaves obtaining freedom. Im trying to make heaven my home is a common phrase in spirituals, as in City Called Heaven (Gates, McKay, 11). After Spirituals came Gospels, which were nearly the same as Spirituals, but more geared to the acceptance of Christianity. They are so similar that some songs can be considered both Gospel and Spirituals.Gospels were very specific toward Jesus rather than broader Like Spirituals, almost Like a communication with God. Gospels became popular in the sasss and introduced the usage of instruments. They were the first to be marketed and are still being written and composed today in modern hurries. Gospels also heavily influenced the development of the blues. . .. To term a poem or work of fiction a blues piece or to note blues influence within it is to associate it with modern black American vernacular expression at its finest (Gates, McKay, 49).The blues originated in Louisiana at the beginning of the 20th century. Although they were derived from Spirituals and Gospels, only one person sings, rather than an entire chorus. An interesting aspect of the blues is the call and response between either the singer and the chorus, and the singer and an instrument. During these call and response sections with an instrument, the Instrument tends to mall not only the tune, but also the tone of the vocalist. They do not mention anything sacred; therefore they are secular, unlike gospel and spirituals.Instead, it explains earthly troubles and hopes for better days. It is a way considered the father of the blues because he compiled the first idiomatic pattern for blues song, which consisted of 12 bar forms, three lines and four beats in each. Ere first and second lines were identical, with the third line completing the thought. Gates, McKay, 48). Although this is a common pattern, it is not required in a blues song, nor does it define a blues song. The blues also has a great deal on Improvisation, which gives it an important African American characteristic. Blues was also one of the major genres that inspired the works of Jazz to be born. Jazz also began in the first few decades of the 20th century, and was not only influenced by the blues, but also ragtime, marching band music, opera and other European classical music, Native American music, Spirituals, work songs (Gates, McKay, 64). Jazz was created to encompass the many aspects of urban America, pacifically the train. The locomotive represented moving away from old slave territories, images of trains from old spirituals, and the Underground Railroad (Gates, McKay, 65). It is also described as Jam-session-like talk that drove people to get up and dance (Gates, McKay, 65). Like the blues, Jazz uses call and response and call and recall between the singer and instruments to create a conversation-like sound. It also uses improvisation, which is characteristic of African American vernacular. Lazy artists understand and base their works off the fact that things Just might not urn out how they want them to, yet they still celebrate life and possibilities (Gates, McKay, 65). Rhythm and Blues came onto the scene thanks to the marketplace rather than musicians.After World War II, black dance music became popular and began to appear all over the world in dance halls and even variety shows. By the sasss, records were being produced and even worked up for cross-over marketing to white audiences (Gates, McKay, 69). RB music combined blues, Jazz, Latin and gospel, and was influenced by blue-mood crooners, gospel and blues stoppers, and a chapel singers who created a style called dodo-hop (Gates, McKay, 69). The Mouton label developed a group of singers in the sasss to increase record sales to teens.This group of talented artists included The Jackson 5, the Temptations, and Martha and the Vandals. As many know, Michael Jackson from the Jackson 5 would go on to be a mega pop artist, possibly the most influential of his time. RB can be described as blues like with sentimental songs, or upbeat and cheerful, such as Martha and the Vandals, Dancing in the Street. Another highly famous singer, Retreat Franklin was influential in the Rhythm and Blues frenzy. With her song, Respect, came a complete protest to the man as well as men in relationships. With songs and groups such as these, Rhythm and Blues shed even more light on the African American vernacular culture. The most recent African American influenced craze is Hip Hop. It is inspired by many of the same cultures such as Native Americans Caribbean and Europeans. Otherwise known as rap, hip hop is a type of stylized talk between verses that is characteristic of blues and rhythm and blues song forms (Gates, McKay, 78). It can be traced back everywhere from black preachers sermons, to game chants, to barber shop arguing.It also derives from the banter of disc Jockeys who spoke over the recording they were spinning (Gates, McKay, 78). It also has traces of scat singing In the late asss hip hop became popular underground in New York City, and finally it was recognized by producers. Its unique way or using sound systems as instruments by scratching and spinning records made it highly marketable. The first song ever released was Rappers Delight by Sugar Hill gang (Gates, McKay, 79), which traveled all over the world, creating a sensation. This is where the title rapper came from, although most artists still prefer hip hop or M.C. Hip hop today influences violence, verbal and physical, and can be crude and Lugar at times as well. Hip hop artists argue that these themes only echo current Issues in the U. S. Culture. Political agendas and views are also placed into these Norms such as racial profiling and other forms of harassment that our nation is still struggling to address (Gates, McKay, 79). Rap also supports graffiti, as well as sets new trends for dress, hairstyle and formal writing (Gates, McKay, 80). Hip Hop explains the struggles of African Americans in America, Just like spirituals and work songs did for the slaves.For instance, in 1982 Grandmaster Flash Ere Furious Five recorded The Message, which depicts the hard life of a young African American man trying to survive in America. l cant walk through the park cause its crazy after dark/Keep my hand on my centaurs they got me on the run/ feel like an outlaw/Broke my last glass Jaw/Hear the say, Mimi want some more? /Living on a seesaw/ Dont push me cause Im close to the edge/lam trying not to lose my head/ Say what? /lets like a Jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder/How I keep from going under (Gates, McKay, 84). This verse vi vidly shows what disadvantaged AfricanAmericans have to struggle for safety and even survival in their neighborhoods. He goes on to explain how it is hard to be stay sane while in a situation he has no way of getting out of. This song has become widely popular again since the release of Happy Feet, the movie, released in 2004. In the movie, the baby penguins are supposed to sing a song that comes from their heart, which their mates will be attracted to. One baby penguin sings The Message as his mating call. Ludicrous released a song in December 2004 called The Potion. He incorporates his own verses, as well as a work song from when the slaves were working in the fields. Is song is called Pick a Bale of Cotton. Ludicrous uses the work song, Jump down, turn around to pick a bale of cotton. /Jump down, turn around, pick a bale a day. Oh Lordly, pick a bale of cotton! /Oh Lordly, pick a bale a day! (Gates, McKay, 40). Then he comes in with his own verse, Still working like a slave/ Learning tricks in the trade in the ghetto state of mind till Im rich and Im paid [picking records/Like cotton in the thick of the day Ludicrous is comparing his life of producing records and earning his living in a competitive industry to the slaves working in the cotton and hay fields.

Energy and Life Essays - Photosynthesis, Chloroplast, Thylakoid

Energy and Life Essays - Photosynthesis, Chloroplast, Thylakoid Energy and Life Plants and some other type of organisms are able to use light energy from the sun to produce food. Organisms such as plants, which make their own food, are called autotrophs. Other organisms, such as animals, cannot use the suns energy directly, these are known as heterotrophs. They obtain energy from the foods they consume. One of the principal chemical compounds that living things use to store energy is adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The energy released when ATP is released when ATP is converted into ADP and a phosphate group. The characteristics of ATP make it an exceptionally useful molecule that is used by all types of cells as their basic energy source. ATP also powers movement within the cell. Cell organelles are moved long microtubules by motor proteins that use the energy of ATP to generate force. A single molecule if the sugar glucose stores more than 90 times the chemical energy of a molecule of ATP. In the process of photosynthesis, plants use the energy of sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and high-energy carbohydrates sugars and starches. In the 1600s, the Belgian physician Jan van Helmont devised an experiment to find out if plants grew by taking material out of the soil. Many scientists have contributed to understanding how plants carry out photosynthesis. Early research focused on the overall process. Later researchers investigated the detailed chemical pathways. The experiments performed by van Helmont, Priestley, Ingenhouz, and other scientists reveal that in the presence of light, plants transform carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates and release oxygen. Photosynthesis is a series of reactions that uses energy from the sun to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars and oxygen. Photosynthesis takes place in a plant organelle called the chloroplast. Photosynthesis uses the energy of sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and high-energy sugars. Plants then use the sugars to produce complex carbohydrates such as starches. Plants obtain carbon dioxide from the air or water in which they grow. In addition to water and carbon dioxide, photosynthesis requires light and chlorophyll, a molecule in charge of chloroplasts. Plants gather the suns energy with light absorbing molecules called pigments. The plants principal pigment is chlorophyll. In plants and other photosynthetic eukaryotes, photosynthesis takes place inside chloroplasts. The chloroplasts contain saclike photosynthetic membranes called thylakoids. Thylakoids are arranged in stacks known as grana. Thylakoids contain clusters of chlorophyll and other pigments and protein known as photosystems that are able to capture the energy of sunlight. The stroma is the region outside the thylakoid membranes. Light Dependent Reactions: Take place in the thylakoids, and takes water, and uses the suns energy to make ATP and NADPH. Also gives off oxygen. NADPH: Carries high energy electrons. NADP^+ + H NADPH. Light Independent Uses ATP and NADPH to turn carbon dioxide into glucose.

Select an international organization with subsidiaries and examine the Essay

Select an international organization with subsidiaries and examine the operations of the firm in at least two different countrie - Essay Example Seattle, USA is the headquarters of Starbucks Coffee Company. The company operates in more than 60 countries where it has more than 18,000 stores and recording immense growth (â€Å"Starbucks Corporation† 1). The company has a corporate mission â€Å"to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time (Bruhn-Hansen 19). Starbucks Coffee Company offers various products and services, which include coffee, warm, and cold beverages, premium and sell salads, books, gifts among other accessories (â€Å"Starbucks Corporation† 1). The company enjoys a huge competitive advantage and positive going concern because it has a wide market network, provides a wide range of products, and abhors quality in its operations. More so, Starbucks Coffee Company is a significant player and has a wide customer base in the coffee other blend- drinks industry. The company appreciates corporate social responsibility through its strategy and practice s (Bruhn-Hansen 19). In addition, since the company operates in various countries, it is prone to cultural influence and affects the lives of many people across the globe. Starbucks Coffee Company operates in the global business environment where it specializes in the coffee other blend- drinks industry. ... Indeed, Starbucks Coffee Company has a corporate social responsibility that seeks to attain sustainability and enhance the lives of its immediate society. For instance, the Starbucks Foundation promotes literacy levels among children by building schools for the Starbuck’s community (â€Å"Starbucks† 1). Furthermore, the company has an environmental strategy that seeks to conserve the environment that holds the operations of the company (Bruhn-Hansen 42). In the global business environment, Starbucks adopts market segmentation where it prefers to compete on comfort rather than on convenience in the upper-scale of the coffee market (Mourdoukoutas, 2013, p. 1). The company has various stakeholders, which fall into three categories that include primary stakeholders, secondary stakeholders, and public stakeholders (Bruhn-Hansen, 2012, p. 19). Specifically, the stakeholders are the shareholders, governments, and government agencies in host countries, customers, suppliers, emp loyees, franchisees, and non-governmental organizations. The stakeholders define the company’s operations in the global business environment. Nevertheless, Starbucks Coffee Company faces many challenges in the global market just like other international organizations. Starbucks suffers and is yet to recover the huge losses accrued from the recent financial crisis in Europe (Cameron 1). Moreover, the company has been facing the challenge of closing various stores in 2008 where it estimated the closure of 600 stores in the United States (Cameron 1). This affected the goodwill and operations of the company. Most of all, Starbucks Coffee Company faces the challenge of significant competition in

Small business use of electronic commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Small business use of electronic commerce - Essay Example In an environment in which time is precious the advantage to the consumer is undeniable. Not only that, but the concept can reduce costs too. For instance, Pea Pod that stores the goods which a customer wants can sort and pack these goods considerably more efficiently than the store and can be located out of town in an industrial park or other area where cheap rents are available. Moreover, staffing requirements are lower, the incidence of in-store theft is reduced, and the hours of operation can be extended. For small business companies like KOA MART, the opportunities of Internet-based commerce seem considerable, but few companies have yet succeeded in exploiting them profitably. Such success is dependent on acquiring an in-depth understanding of the characteristics of the Internet and matching these with the characteristics of existing products or services. In contrast to Pea Pod, KOA MART proposes better catalogues and more vivid visual representation of its products. It is easy to find a product and its price. Pea Pod has poor design and simpler structure; it is difficult to navigate and use this site. The majority of sites linked to "small business +electronic commerce" are devoted to potential online resources and analysis of the market opportunities. Some of the sites propose technical assistance for small business while others highlight the main trends and e-news about developments within the industry. This information can also be used by small business organizations that want to sell as well as buy (Demery, 2007). Small business companies may see that competitor's price reduction appeals only to a certain type of customer (those, for example, who have easy access to the competitor's products; in other words, the discount is not sufficient to attract customers who do not have this access). In this case, proposal would be to restrict their own price reduction so that it applies only to those customers who have easy access to the competitor products. By doing this, they can minimize the impact of competitor's actions on overall margins (Demery, 2007). Thus companies may identify that if one of competitors reduces the price of a product, volume of sales will go down; if companies reduce price at the same time, volume of sales will remain static (assuming that companies also match competitor's price promotion or other marketing tactics). One of the key characteristics of the goods and services that are capable of being traded successfully on the Internet, therefore, is that they are recognized and understood by the consumer (Howlett, 2007). This means either that they must have a strong brand (so that the consumer knows what to expect) or that the goods must be of such a nature that the consumer knows what they will receive. There are many thousands of sites on the Internet, which makes it considerably more competitive than local shopping mall or high street. Getting people to enter a site is as difficult as, if not more difficult than, getting people to purchase goods from a retailer (Howlett, 2007). The Internet did not level the playing field between large and small businesses because large companies receive great opportunities to reduce prices and tattract global target audiences. While one of the major advantages offered by the Internet is that - as a manufacturer, for example - a small company no longer has to do battle with retailers and competitors to obtain the

A View from the Bridge Essay Example for Free

A View from the Bridge Essay Catherines response is immediate denial and hurt at his allegation. She â€Å"sobs†, demanding that he â€Å"stops† as they enter the house. This scene is a turning point in their relationship. For the first time, Catherine is defying Eddies superiority, choosing instead not to believe his claims. Being in a serious relationship, she has begun to grow apart from Eddie and not depend on him as much, which in turn upsets Eddie, who attempts to regain her adoration. Though in the past, Catherine may have trusted Eddies impeachments, her defiance is an act of choosing Rodolpho over Eddie, illustrating her shift from a child to a woman. For the remainder of Act One, Catherine continues to mature through her relationship with Rodolpho, causing her interactions with Eddie to become exceedingly stilted and tense. During this period, Catherine portrays her willingness to cooperate when Eddie makes the effort. Catherine becomes â€Å"nervously happy† when Eddie invites Marco and Rodolpho to watch a fight. She asks Eddie if she should â€Å"make coffee†, aiming to please him for his attempts to make peace with Rodolpho. After Eddie â€Å"lands a blow† on Rodolpho, Catherine begins to realize that the previous invitation was merely a ruse, and thus acts audaciously, discreetly challenging him by dancing with Rodolpho. Act Two begins with a discussion between Catherine and Rodolpho. Catherine confesses her fear of Eddie, a dramatic adverse to her initial loving attitude. When Eddie arrives home obviously drunk and demands that Rodolpho â€Å"packs it up†, Catherine announces that she too, will leave, causing Eddie to erupt in fury at her support for Rodolpho. This further hinders their relationship and Catherines finality is yet another act of defiance. Though Catherine is not outrightly furious, she portrays an air of resignation that simply illustrates her will to be with Rodolpho, including choosing him over Eddie. She still loves and accepts Eddie, however her love for Rodolpho is greater. After Eddie informs the authorities of illegal immigrants, Catherines demeanor changes yet again to complete abhorrence. On the day of her wedding, Eddie gives Beatrice an ultimatum, to be on his â€Å"side† or â€Å"their side†. At this, Catherine loses her temper and insults Eddie, comparing him to a rat that â€Å"belongs in the sewer†. Though her words are aggressive and callous, Catherine â€Å"weeps† as she says such, illustrating her upset at the way in which their relationship, among other factors, turned out. Catherine tells Eddie, after he has been stabbed that she â€Å"never meant to hurt† him, imploring him to understand her situation before his demise. This conveys that although she may have matured and become her own person, Eddie will still always remain a key influence in her life. Throughout A View from the Bridge, Catherines relationship with Eddie seems to digress rather than develop, as she grows and appreciates love. However, underlying their tension and her need for independence, Catherine is portrayed as always desiring Eddies approval. Initially, this is very obvious, but is still apparent when Eddie makes an effort to include Rodolpho, and yet again at the end of the performance, when she begs Eddie to comprehend her perceptions. Though Catherine is less apparent of her love for Eddie, she continues to love him, and crave his love for her. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.

The Holocaust Essay -- Nazi Germany Papers

The Holocaust All throughout history, Jews have been persecuted. The Jews were blamed for killing Jesus and the idea of anti- Semitism has been around centuries before Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. Adolf Hitler led the Nazis to power in 1933 promising to make Germany powerful and respected by the rest of the world. He promised to fight Communism, to find jobs for the six million unemployed workers in Germany, to restore law and order, and to get rid of the â€Å"Jewish influence† in Germany. Hitler’s speeches were full of hatred for the Jews and this encouraged his followers to attack Jewish people. The Nazis controlled the police. The Nazis controlled the law courts, and Jews soon discovered that they would have no protection against Nazi attacks. In April 1933 Nazis called for Jewish shops to be boycotted. Storm-Troopers stood outside shops and stopped Germans from going in. Slogans were painted on shop windows. These boycotts were not very effective so the Nazis needed more effective methods. Joseph Goebbles, who controlled propaganda, produced many anti Semitic books and In 1933 Jews were also banned from some professions such as: doctors and the civil servants. Hitler wanted a racially pure Germany this is why the Jews were banned from these professions because they didn’t want their influence to spread. Source A is an extract from the Nuremberg laws; in September 1935 it starts by saying, â€Å"A Jew may not be citizen of the Reich†. This Shows that the Jews where stateless and they had nowhere to go. After it says, ‘Jews have no vote; they may not fill any public office’. Thi... ... face. The killing centres were, isolated areas, moderately well hidden from public view. They were located near major railroad lines, allowing trains to transport hundreds of thousands of people to the killing sites easily. The deportations required the help of many people and all parts of the German government. The victims in Poland were already imprisoned in ghettos and totally under German control. The deportation of Jews from other parts of Europe, however, was a far more complex problem. The German foreign minister was successful in persuade German occupied nation to assist in the deportations. The introduction of the Auschwitz extermination camp meant that the Jews could be killed efficiently. Unlike other death camps which were build solely to kill Jews, the Auscwitz death camp had a work camp attached.

Comparing the revengers Fortinbras Essay

For this essay I will be comparing the revengers Fortinbras, Laertes and Hamlet. They each have their own roles as separate characters in the play and each have similarities and differences. All have strong reasons for wanting revenge. Fortinbras’ being a combination of political reasons and vengeance for his fathers’ death, whist Laertes and Hamlet are both avenging their fathers’ deaths. Nevertheless, the way in which each character goes about each of their revenge strategies is completely different. To show this I will be analysing how each react to various events within the play, starting with Hamlet himself. Revenge tragedies became very popular during 1600 at a time when theatre was of an unstable popularity and required the backing of men of influence to ensure it would continue. The theme of earlier revenge tragedies was the punishment of an evildoer through someone who had suffered because of him. The story source on which Hamlet was based had a dominating revenge theme. One of the basic elements of the revenge situation came to be the ghost: ‘A clear image of a spirit left restless through waiting for vengeance against the person who had inflicted suffering’. Its role being to urge the avenger to action and vengeance then to be sought and carried out in a series of dramatic episodes. Hamlet has clear links with this type of revenge tragedy. Other plays relating to the revenge tragedy such as Kyd’s ‘The Spanish Tragedy’ 91587) and the anonymous ‘Locrine’ (1595) have characters avenging deaths of close relatives. But in both these plays material considerations prevent fulfilment whereas in Hamlet, conscience is what stops the vengeance taking place. Shakespeare chose a theme, which deals wit a duty higher than the others, a son’s revenge for the murder of his father. Shakespeare humanizes the play, gives the audience something to relate to – loyalty between father and son. This is perhaps a component, which contributes to the success of Hamlet. Hamlet first learns of the real situation behind his fathers’ death when the ghost of his father visits him in Act 1, Scene V. He is told that his father was murdered. This confirms the suspicion Hamlet had before, and spurs him into thoughts of revenge straight away. ‘Haste me to know’t, that I, with wings as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge. ‘ (Lines 29-31). This statement from Hamlet quite early on is a complete contrast to what action Hamlet does actually take and the time it takes him to act. He speaks here of wanting to take quick revenge but in fact Hamlet waits and seeks evidence to prove that Claudius was responsible for his father’s death. He spends the next four and a half acts deliberating over how and when he should take revenge, and seeks confirmation for himself of Claudius’ guilt by the use of the ‘Mouse-Trap’. This takes place in Act 3, Scene 2, when Claudius asks for light during the play at the point where, Gonzago pours poison into the King’s ear. As Hamlet knows, this is very similar to the situation in which his father died. Claudius realises this as well and rises dramatically. This is confirmation enough for Hamlet and brings him to true recognition of his fathers’ death, yet Hamlet still hesitates to kill him. Hamlets’ revenge plan is hidden from the rest of the court. It is very much behind closed doors and it is only Horatio to whom Hamlet tells the whole story. The other two main revengers – Fortinbras and Laertes are a great contrast to Hamlet in this way. Laertes and Fortinbras’ vengeance is discussed throughout the play, and both are very open compared to Hamlet, although Fortinbras does hide his motives from his uncle. Both these characters have similarities in their situation to Hamlet but both go about their revenge in very different ways. Even after Hamlet is sure beyond any doubts that Claudius is the murderer, he hesitates to kill him. Fortinbras, on the other hand, has been taking action even before the play begins. When the play does begin we learn that Demark is in a state of alert. The audience learn that the country has been preparing for a war, and from Horatio, the audience also learns that the young Fortinbras is getting ready for action against Denmark for the killing of his father and for the return of lands previously owned by Norway. This provides the audience with a lot of the background for the revenge theme and also suggests later events in the plot. From this introduction to Fortinbras we already get the impression that he is a soldier, a man of action, he doesn’t delay his revenge but plots it and takes his opportunities whenever they arrive. His character is a contrast to Hamlet and Hamlet realises this. In Hamlet’s Soliloquy in Act IV Scene IV, Hamlet is thinking about all the time he has wasted in not taking action. He sees how everything around him is taking shape, all except his own actions. The sight of Fortinbras’ determination to go against the Polish army for the honour of gaining such a small and trivial piece of land makes Hamlet annoyed with himself. After all, he is avenging the murder of his father and the disgracing of his mothers’ name, something much more important than a piece of land, yet he has not carried out his revenge, and has in fact, it seems, been putting it off. ‘How stand I, then, That have a father killed, a mother stained, Excitements of my reason and my blood, And let all sleep? ‘ (Lines 56-59). Hamlet is questioning himself and most importantly his actions, why has he just let things go? He knows he has had the opportunities, especially in Act III Scene III where he is in the position to kill Claudius. Hamlet finds the King kneeling-praying, and so has him at his mercy; but he does not kill him. Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; And now I’ll do’t – and so he goes to heaven; And so am I revenged – that would be scanned. A villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. ‘ (Lines 73-78). At the beginning of his speech Hamlet is very dramatic, he has the confidence to kill Claudius on the spur of the moment. But as soon as there is time for him to think about what he is doing, like in this situation, his resolution fails and he makes excuses for himself. Hamlet feels his revenge will not be fulfilled if, murdering the King while he is praying sends his soul straight to heaven. However, we can see this as just another reason for Hamlet to put off taking his revenge. It is the event taking place that turns Hamlet’s thoughts. He is ashamed, before his eyes are twenty-thousand men willing to fight and die for a piece of land virtually worthless, when he himself is unable to kill his fathers murderer even when presented with the perfect opportunity. It is this event that turns Hamlet, makes him form decisions and turns his thought into revenge. ‘O, from this time forth My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth! ‘ (Lines 65-66). At the end of this soliloquy Hamlet decides that all he will think about is his revenge against anyone that has done injustice towards him, it is time to act. Though we as the audience perhaps see this as ironic as Hamlet’s actions often contradict his words, we perhaps still wonder whether he will actually take his revenge. This scene makes Hamlet’s personality clear to the reader. He is shown against another Prince who is the exact opposite of him in the same situation. Hamlet is not an impulsive character, if he had been he would have committed murder straight away, but this would have meant there would have been no play to speak of. Hamlet cannot bring himself to do it, until now. Fortinbras’ pursuit of his goal has given Hamlet the example on how to act if an opportunity presents itself. Hamlet is so determined to do something he doesn’t want to think about the consequences anymore. This eventual attitude of Hamlet is similar to how Laertes has been throughout the play, he acts almost immediately when finding out that his father has been killed, he is almost irrational, he is passionate with his accusations and threats, and like Hamlet a menace to Claudius at this stage in the play. Unlike Hamlet, much like Fortinbras, Laertes is a man of action; he has no scruples and needs no corroborative evidence to support his courses of action. On his return to Denmark he is quickly standing before the King, accusing him of the death of Polonius. He wants immediate action and is determined to take revenge. ‘How came he dead? I’ll not be juggled with. To hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! ‘ (Lines 127-128). Here Laertes speaks boldly and passionately – he will revenge! He uses curses – ‘To hell, allegiance! ‘ that would have appeared very evil to Shakespeare’s audiences. Laertes goes on to say that as long as he avenges his father’s death he doesn’t care what happens to him in life – or death. This emphasis the strength in Laertes’ character, he is determined to take revenge straight away and speaks of it in a similar way to Hamlet when Hamlet learnt of how his father was killed in Act I, Scene V. ‘O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain; smiling, damned villain! (Lines 105-106).