Discuss the emergence of realism in theatre

Theatre and Performance Lecturer: Ms Marcelle Theuma First term Discuss the emergence of realism in theatre at the turn of the 20th century and how you think it influenced playwrights like Anton Chekhov, Henrik Ibsen, August Strindberg and George Bernard Shaw. Miriana Borg Second year Group: 2A Realism in the theatre was a general movement in the later 19th century that steered theatrical texts and performances toward greater fidelity to real life.The realist dramatists Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg in Scandinavia and Anton Chekhov in Russia, and George Bernard Shaw, rejected the complex and artificial lotting of the well-made play and instead treated themes and conflicts belonging to a real, contemporary society. Henrik Ibsen was born in Norway in 1828. His mature work may be read as an effort to come to terms with reality, the reality of his early life and the reality of society as a whole. Ibsen is perhaps best known for eight plays he wrote in Italy and Germany. By separatin g himself physically from his homeland, he gained the freedom and perspective to criticize it.Ibsen embarked on a series of realistic prose plays exposing contemporary problems in contemporary Norwegian settings. Concentrating directly on Norwegian society, he addressed universal concerns, for the social problems that provide the context for these plays were instantly recognizable to audiences. Among them the question of women's rights in ‘A Doll House' (1879), hereditary syphilis in ‘Ghosts' (1881), and municipal corruption in ‘An Enemy of the People' (1882). Ibsen's realistic plays take place in three-dimensional rooms, rather than against tlat painted or architectural backdrops.Strindberg, and Chekhov each found a different dramatic model potential in the realistic mode evolved by Ibsen. Of the three, the Irish-born George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) most fully acknowledged his debt to Ibsen. Shaw believed that Ibsen fundamentally had transformed the theatrical for mula drawn from the French Boulevard plays by incorporating a new intellectual vigor in them. George Bernard Shaw was born in 1856 and he was know for his witty humor. He made fun of societes notion using for the purpose of educating and changing. His plays tended to show the accepted attitude, then demolished attitude while showing his own solutions.Some of his works include ‘Arms and the Man' (1894) which is about love nd war and honor and ‘Pygmalion' (1913) which shows the transforming of a flower girl into a society woman, and exposes the phoniness of society. Chekhov is known more for poetic expiration and symbolism, compelling psychological reality, people trapped in social situations, hope in hopeless situations. He claimed that he wrote comedies; others think they are sad and tragic. Characters in ChekhoVs plays seem to have a fate that is a direct result of what they are. His plays have an illusion of plotlessness.

Five challenges of human resource manager Essay

1.2. Finding and Retaining Talent Human resource is an important resource of a company as important as capital. It could be pivotal for a company in enhancing the company’s competitive advantage. This is because the most challenging task of human resource manager is to retain recruit and the right people for a suitable position and having such people in the time they need it. Hiring of appropriate personnel is one of the key determinations in making the company difference from others. In current environment, the talent that needed by the company is limited even the labour available is usually more than the position available in the market. This make the human resource faced with challenges as they are indirectly competing with other companies’ human resource in  order to attract and retain the talent in their company. To stay outstanding from other companies, it is depending on the ability of the human resource to continuously finding new ways to maximize the level of talent in their company especially the knowledge-centric companies. But, such task is not easy to accomplish in the current competitive market. Besides that, retaining existing talent is also one of the challenging tasks for human resource manager. Again, due to the increase in competitiveness of the market, some companies may offer better benefits for the employees that they wish to hire in order to attract those employees to quit their current job and work for the new company. Hence, the human resource manager needs to put effort and find new creative ways in order to retain talent in their companies. To solve such challenges mentioned above, the human resource manager may offer a custom-made or more liberalized system that less restricted the employees. For example, decentralized the company so that those employees are empowered and allowed to give suggestion and made decisions which in turns made them feel they are appreciated by the company; add creativity to their job design so that they feel motivated to come across different challenges; offering additional benefits such bonus or voucher that is out of their expectation; providing them better working conditions by designing a healthy entertainment area (such as gym) for employees to relax themselves; and others. 1.3. Change Management One of the functions of human resource is to improve the position of business or to assist the business to achieve certain improvement. In order to carry out the improvement activities which conducted to adapt with the changing business environment, certain changes may be made to the corporation, especially technology changes. In managing such changes, the employees may resist to change as they are afraid that their responsibilities and their positions will be replaced by the new technology that is introduced into the company where such new technology may improve the efficiency and effectiveness of work. Hence, the role of human resource manager is to deal with this resistance issue. However, it is not easy to change people mind. This issue has becoming one of the biggest challenges face by the human resource manager. To reduce or overcome this issue, before the corporation implement any new changes, the human resource manager shall communicate to  the employees to explain the reasons to change and benefits that could gain through the change as well as the constrains so that the employees may have proper mental and physical preparation before they approach to the changes in the corporation. Besides that, the human resource manager may also emphasize that the technology will only assist rather than replace the employees to eliminate employees’ anxiety in facing with the changes. And, at the same time appreciate the employees so that the employees know their worth to the corporation which helps increase their sense of security of their positions. 1.4. Investigating Employee Complaints In a working environment, some frictions may occur between the employees and supervisors, which resulting in employees’ complaints. This is because the supervisor always being over-confidence with their management style that they didn’t realize that it had affected the employees. And, certain employees also do not realize own problems but always assumed the problem is come from the supervisor. The Human Resource Department is responsible to handling such conflict and employees’ complaints. They need to investigate the reasons behind the complaint and find the best solution to the problem. However, it is not easy to solve the conflict as those significant complaints usually come when it reach a critical situation. Human resource manager tends to end up coaching both sides without giving a solution due to lacking of experience or knowledge on how to deal with conflicts. In fact, improvement comes after conflict being solved. However, handling employees in the best possible way is a big challenge for the human resource manager. To solve this challenge, the human resource manager may attend certain training regarding human resource management on how to deal with conflicts in the companies. They also need to be neutral in handling the complaints, but not only listen to one party word. They should not only comfort, but to communicate with the related party regarding the problem, so that the problem may solve rather than only curb in order to prevent it happened again. 1.5. Relationship Management Human resource department is a place for employees to voice out their  concerns. Hence, human resource manager is responsible to communicate with the employees to deal with any problems or issues raised and at the same time ensuring employees’ human right is protected. To carry out these tasks effectively, human resource manager is encouraged to maintain neutral relationship with the employees to avoid discrimination, bias or unfair treatment being given to different employees. However, this had becoming a big challenge for the human resource manager because as a human being, it is not easy to remain unswervingly when a great concern, which might affecting him or someone he care, has approach to him. A good relationship management may comfort the employees and increase employees’ trust and loyalty towards the company; while a poor relationship management may fail to solve the issues raised and demotivate the employees. To improve such relationship management skill of the human resource manager, training regarding relationship management may provide to the manager so that he place the organization benefits as the priority. The human resource manager should also listen to the employees concern first without prejudice to ensure fair treatment will be given to the employees. Besides that, communication is a main element in relationship management where effective communication builds trust while poor communication causes uncertainty. Hence, the human resource manager shall improve his communication skills in order to maintain proper relationship with the employees. 1.6. Managing Cultural Diversity Managing diversity is a significant challenge that most companies do not recognized or realized. It is actually important and need to pay attention on due to the globalization that resulting in internationalization nowadays. In today environment, the labor involving many people from different cultures and this including those that come from different countries, possessed different education background, working experiences, religious beliefs, different maturity of thinking level and perception, abilities and talent, etc. The challenges of human resource manager are to manage such cultural diversity and ensuring the people can work and cooperate together harmoniously. Human resource manager also need to revise the corporate culture to ensure that it appropriate to all individuals according to different cultural sensitivity. However, the more the employees from  different cultures being hired, the more difficult the human resource manager to reconcile everything in order to comfort everyone in the company. To resolve this challenge, the human resource manager needs to maintain a good relationship with all employees. He shall understand every culture well and always communicate with the employees so that he can solve any problem raised as soon as possible before the problem being expanded and causing un-retrievable situations. 2.0. REFERENCES Human Resource Management Challenges. Villanova University. Retrieved from: http://www.villanovau.com/human-resource-management-challenges/. Accessed date: 17/6/2014 Challenges Faced by Human Resource Managers Because of Technical Changes . Jeremy C Bradley, Demand Media. Retrieved from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/challenges-faced-human-resource-managers-because-technical-changes-61058.html. Accessed date: 17/6/2014 Major Challenges Affecting a Human Resources Manager. Jeremy C Bradley, Demand Media. Retrieved from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/major-challenges-affecting-human-resources-manager-57675.html. Accessed date: 17/6/2014 Facing Modern HR Challenges Head-On. N Nayab, Michele McDonough. Retrieved from: http://www.brighthub.com/office/human-resources/articles/83254.aspx. Accessed Date: 21/6/2014 Major Challenges Affecting a Human Resource Manager. Ralph Heibutzi, Demand Media. Retrieved from: http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/major-challenges-affecting-human-resource-ma nager-29113.html. Accessed Date: 21/6/2014

Monetary Policy and the Federal Reserve essays

Monetary Policy and the Federal Reserve essays Money doesnt grow on trees. How often has one heard that cliche? But if horticulture cannot produce dollars and cents, then how is money created? One rather flip answer might be that moneys value is created because the government says so. Despite the sarcasm inherent in this comment, there is a trace of accuracy to the statement. Money is essentially an empty thing, a placeholder rather than a substance of actual value. Once upon a time, the gold standard held sway, meaning that all U.S. funds were backed by gold held in the vaults of Fort Knox. However, this is no longer the case. The abandonment of convertibility of money into a commodity since August 15, 1971, when President Nixon discontinued converting U.S. dollars into gold at $35 per ounce, causing most other nations to follow suit, has made the U.S. and other countries' monies into fiat money-money that national monetary authorities have the power to issue without legal constraints. (Schwartz, 2002) To prevent the willy-nilly printing of money and inflationary growth, the Federal Reserve enforces certain constraints upon the circulation of money. For example, the Federal Reserve requires commercial banks and other financial institutions to hold as reserves a fraction of the deposits they accept. Banks hold these reserves either as cash in their vaults or as deposits at Federal Reserve banks. (Schwartz, 2002) This policy was put into place partially to prevent bank runs, or the phenomenon of people being unable to borrow money because the bank had lent such a wide percentage of available dollars to other patrons. To manipulate the amount of circulating currency in the economy, the Federal Reserve can either raise or lower the national reserve requirement for member banks. If banks must hold a higher level of funds in reserve, the banks will have less money to lend, thus the money su...

Herodotus Historiography Essays

Herodotus Historiography Essays Herodotus Historiography Essay Herodotus Historiography Essay Even though in the text we often read Herodotus saying things like, in their view or this according to the Persian account was we cant help but question the reliability of it or whether he wrote it from a bias point of view, while, yes, Herodotus may have written it from many point of views and necessarily a bias one there is always the chance that he was influenced by someone or something to take a side and record the stories in one persons or in one groups favor. The reliability of the source can also be questioned greatly as Herodotus says, l prefer to rely on my own knowledge While he may acknowledge the fact that he was relying a lot on his own knowledge when It came to writing this text, his own knowledge may have become very limited at some points or if he was writing from a bias point of view, may have again favored one group of people.

Zirconium Oxide Manufacturing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Zirconium Oxide Manufacturing - Essay Example The essay "Zirconium Oxide Manufacturing" talks about the zirconium oxide characteristics that allow it to be a refractory insulating material, industrial manufacture of crucibles and production of alkaline zirconate. The essay also describes the process and routes for industrial manufacture of Zirconium oxide including chlorination, alkali decomposition, lime fusion and precipitation of the acidic reagents. Zirconium is usually obtained from sand as a raw material for the production of zirconium oxide. The zirconium sand is calcined with either lime or a mixture of lime and magnesia. The resulting product is an alkaline earth zirconate and sodium silicate and zirconium oxide can be recovered from sodium zirconate free from alkalis to obtain it in its pure form, the impurities must be removed first. Water is added to the mixture of Sodium silicate and sodium zirconate which are in solid form and this result in the formation of a complex hydrated zirconium hydroxide with a high level of alkalinity. In order to separate the salts, the process of precipitation is conducted using sodium either sodium oxide or sodium carbonate and these results in the formation of zirconium hydroxide and from the hydroxide of zirconium, zirconium oxide can be obtained. Therefore, it's possible to achieve an energy efficient system that can be used to manufacture Zirconium oxide in and industry and this requires that the proper temperature and time period is maintained for the reactions to take place effectively.

Power of Sina Weibo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Power of Sina Weibo - Essay Example The Sina Weibo case in China is just one example of how popular social media celebrities exert influence on their followers and how this can have detrimental impact on the government in terms of policy changes. Charles Xue more commonly known by his Sina Weibo screen name Xue Manzi confessed to having made mistakes pertaining to his online posts on the social network (Zhai 2013, n.pag.). Xue confessed to his crimes as a micro blogger on Sina Weibo where he presumably spread rumors (Custer 2013, n.pag.). A charge was filed against Xue along with other micro bloggers. However, Xue has set himself apart and is acting as an example to admit to his blogging crimes thereby helping the government to regulate the internet. At first, this might seem quite trivial however the impact of social networks on a country’s interest and government policies cannot be undermined. According to Shirky, the internet and social media is a place of varied players including citizens, activists, NGOs (N on Governmental Organizations), telecom companies, software houses, governments, and so on (2011, 1). The presence of various actors on the internet and social media has raised concerns regarding its ability to influence a particular country’s interests and government policies. ... However, his actions and confession sends out a completely opposite message to his millions of fans and followers and Xue now seems to be remorseful. He hopes to set an example by admitting his online crimes and helping the government to regulate the content on the internet. Much of the concern regarding the regulation of internet in particular social websites like Sina Weibo arises from the fact that pressure fuelled up by public opinion communicated over Weibo resulted in a change in government policy regarding air pollution. Also, the government was forced to start reporting the PM 2.5 levels in a timely manner (Custer 2013, n.pag.). Not only this, but public opinion regarding corrupt and inefficient government officials over Sina Weibo resulted in the removal of these officials from office. The spread of rumor online has caused the government to censor online content particularly on social websites like Sina Weibo. As of now, several posts and images have been removed and deleted from Sina Weibo website as a result of censorship (â€Å"China’s Memory Hole† 2013, n.pag.). Unlike the United States, the social media in China is highly decentralized which is why the responsibility of censorship falls under numerous internet service providers (King, Pan, and Roberts 2013, 1). Thus, the government has employed a method which fines or takes other actions against them is they fail to comply with the government requirements regarding censorship. This step, as King, Pan and Roberts explain, has been taken â€Å"to limit freedom of speech† and therefore restricts the expression of public opinion. The censorship efforts have been great even though China is not a top inhibitor of press freedom. Xue, who is considered to be a strong opinion leader

Analyze how Nguyen Du uses an element of literature to develop a theme Essay - 1

Analyze how Nguyen Du uses an element of literature to develop a theme in THE TALE OF KIEU - Essay Example People are compared to some objects belonging to nature and the world around them. This helps to understand the epic better and see the inner soul of its characters. So, if there were no connections between people and nature in The Tale of Kieu, it would not be so readable and interesting for the public. Even the first lines of the text under consideration remind the readers of their dependence upon nature. Thus, Nguyen Du writes that: â€Å"Blue Heaven's wont to strike arose from spite. By lamplight turn these scented leaves and read a tale of love recorded in old books† (Du 3). The first lines of this quotation hint that people live under the sky and it seems to be a living being for them, because only something that can breathe is able to ‘strike’. The major characters of the epic are compared to nature. For example, Chia-Ching had two beautiful daughters whose beauty is described with the help of this comparison. The daughters were named Van and Kieu. The firs t daughter is compared with flowers, plums, clouds and snow. This is easily proved by the following lines: â€Å"her face a moon, her eyebrows two full curves; her smile a flower, her voice the song of jade; her hair the sheen of clouds, her skin white snow† (Du 4). Another daughter – Kieu has much in common with autumn and spring. Her eyes looked like autumn streams. It was possible to see brows like spring hills above her eyes. Resorting to the use of these comparisons seems to be the best way for the author to describe the beauty of these girls. People are the part of nature; that is why no wonder that Nguyen Du creates the above-mentioned comparisons. It should be noted that people described by the author of The Tale of Kieu seem to live in harmony with nature. For example, when Nguyen Du gives more information about Kieu and her life, he mentions nature again. The connection between nature and Kieu is proved by the following lines: â€Å"She calmly lived behind d rawn shades and drapes, as wooers swarmed, unheeded, by the wall. Young grass spread all its green to heaven's rim; some blossoms marked pear branches with white dots† (Du 4). The grass mentioned by Nguyen Du is a symbol. It stands for Kieu’s youth. She is not experienced yet and the most important events in her life are still in the future. The protagonist likes sun and the earth the same way as grass. They seem to have much in common with each other; that is why it is one of the best images of nature applied by the author of the epic under consideration. The author of the epic resorts to the use of the image of moon very often. In the beginning of The Tale of Kieu it is used in order to describe Van’s appearance. Then, this very image is applied in order to show Kim and Kieu’s love. Why does Nguyen Du decide to use moon one more time? The moon is not affected by the spots that constantly appear on it. This does not prevent it from shining. The same situa tion occurs to Kim and Kieu. They love each other despite all the problems and people who are trying to stop them. Moreover, the image of moon occurs when Kim has to look for his beloved. Thus, here the reader may find the following line: â€Å"to fall in love, to part, to reunite – both felt mixed grief and joy as rose the moon† (Du 45). In fact, moon always was a symbol of love and romance; however, a few poets resorted to its use in order to describe tragic events. Nevertheless, it is successfully done by Nguyen Du.