The Identifying Factor Of Azotobacter

The Identifying Factor Of Azotobacter It is all too easy to forget about the soil microorganisms that are so crucial to the health of the flora and fauna of an ecosystem. When speaking of soil microorganisms, this classification can be further broken down into three subcategories: fungi, protista and bacteria, with bacteria making up the largest portion of the microorganisms (Boyle et al., 2007, Pelczar et al. 1993). These soil microorganisms play a central role to the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients such as, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sulphur; elements which are detrimental for the growth and life of organisms (Bastida et al., 2007). In addition to their role in nutrient cycling, soil microorganisms largely contribute to soil structures by breaking down and decomposing organic matters, and are also an important food source for other organisms such as earth worms and amoebae (Bastida et al., 2007). Considering the impact of soil microorganisms on the environment and ecosystem, it is easy to see how soil microorganisms also impact human lifestyle and economy. In recent times, a flood of research has been conducted on the importance of microorganisms on agriculture, with interests in the ability of nitrogen fixing bacteria to substitute for nitrogenous fertilizers (Cakmacki et al. 2006). This lab focused on the bacterial portion of soil microorganisms, specifically, the isolation and identification of a single bacterium from a local soil sample using a number of aseptic laboratory techniques and Bergeys Manual of Systemic Bacteriology (1984). Materials and Methods The following methods were taken from the Biology 203 Lab Manual (Robertson 2008). Two soil samples were taken, the first from forest soil and the second, a coarse woody debris, from compost. These two samples were serially diluted to make solutions from 10E-2 to 10E-7, and from each sample pour plates, slants, streak plates and broths were inoculated using aseptic technique. The colony morphologies were observed and recorded and each plate was enumerated. From these samples 4 bacteria were chosen and subcultured onto streak plates and slants. After preparing and Gram Staining the slides the cell morphologies of the bacteria were observed and noted. The colonies were again subcultured onto streak plates and tested for the ability to hydrolyze starch by adding Iodine. The colonies were also cultured into Sulfide, Indole and Motility (SIM) deeps to test for the presences of the Sulfur cycle and motility. In addition Peptone broths were inoculated and the cultures were tested for ammoni fication. Ammonium sulfate broths and nitrite broths were inoculated and nitrification was tested for as well denitrification was tested for by inoculating nitrate broths. Aerobic respiration was confirmed when catalase tests were carried out by adding H2O2 to a sample of bacterium. Finally cultures were individually exposed to each of several different temperatures, salinities and levels of pH in order to determine their optimal environmental conditions. A single colony of bacteria was chosen to be identified: bacteria 1 from soil sample 2. Results The colony morphology can be described as a glistening opaque white color with a flat and irregular shape. The growth was smooth and soft. The diameter of the colony approximated 15mm. Under 1000x magnification it was revealed that the cells were bacilli, singlet and had a diameter of approximately 2ÃŽ ¼m. The cells stained Gram negative. Table 1: Summary of Results for Unidentified Bacterium 1 of Soil Sample 2 Test Result Starch Hydrolysis Positive H2S reduction Negative Motility Negative Aerobic or Anaerobic Aerobic Ammonification Positive Denitrification (NO3- to NO2-) Negative Nitrification (NH3/NH4+ to NO2-) Positive Nitrification (NH3/NH4+ to NO3-) Positive Catalase Positive Optimal temperature 22Â °C Optimal pH 5 Optimal salt concentration 0% The results of the remainder of the tests biochemical and environmental are summarized by Table 1. It was concluded based on the Iodine and starch reaction that this bacterium hydrolyzed starch as a source of Carbon. The Sulfur cycle did not occur as there was no black precipitate from the combination of Iron and hydrogen sulfide found in the SIM deeps. The SIM deeps did reveal that these bacteria were non-motile, growing only on the stab line. The proteins in the peptone broth were degraded to ammonia signifying that this bacterium is an ammonifer. Nitrification was also confirmed with the bacteria oxidizing the NH3 and NH4+ in the broths to NO2- and NO3. Denitrification however, did not occur; NO3 was not reduced. The addition of H2O2 led to bubbling as it reacted with catalase present in the cells. Optimal environmental conditions were found to be 22Â °C, pH of 5 and 0% salinity. Between the temperatures of 4, 15, 22 and 54Â °C, growth was strongest at 22Â °C, then 15 and wea kest at 37 and 4Â °C . Growth at pH was only slightly stronger than at pH 7 but substantially stronger than at pH 3 and 9 (refer to table 2). Growth in salinity was best at 0% and decreased with .05%, 2% and 5% respectively. Table 2: Growth of bacterium 1 at various pH based on absorbance levels at 580nm pH Bacterial Growth 3 .227 5 .692 7 .510 9 .147 Discussion Each of these steps aided in the possible identification of the bacterium as Azobacteraceae Azotobacter a genera of bacteria found in soil, water and roots (Bergeys Manual, 1984). Due to the thinner layer of peptidoglycan surrounded by a phospholipid outer membrane as opposed to a thick external layer of peptidoglycan this bacterium stained Gram negative (Prescot, Harley and Klein 2005). Of vital importance for identification was the presence of catalase, an enzyme present in aerobic bacteria that breaks down the toxic byproduct of electron transport: H2O2 (Wang et al. 2008). The search to identify Bacterium 1 began with these two broad criteria: Gram negative and aerobic respiration. This particular bacterium was non-motile, the bacterium grew only along the stab line in the SIM deep rather than spreading throughout the medium. This turned out to be an important factor while identifying as it as Azotobacter which contains both motile and non-motile bacteria (Bergeys Manual, 1984). T hese three qualities alone pointed in the direction of Azotobacter; the biochemical and environmental tests served to confirm that Bacterium 1 was indeed Azotobacter by matching the characteristics of this particular genera to the bacterium. Nitrification was a common characteristic between the two and was confirmed to occur in Bacterium 1 when the ammonia broth was oxidized to nitrite and nitrite was oxidized to nitrate (Bergeys Manual, 1984). Denitrification however, did not occur the nitrate was left intact and un-reduced. Ammonification, the breakdown of nitrogen containing compounds to ammonia, was also a common characteristic of Bacterium 1 and Azotobacter (Bergeys Manual, 1984, Roberts, 2008). Although the test for motility in the SIM deep was positive, the sulfur cycle test in the SIM had a negative result. The sulfur containing compounds were not reduced by the bacterium to produce H2S and, this result even as a negative, was an important factor in identification because Azotobacter also does not reduce sulfur (Bergeys Manual, 1984, Roberts, 2008). Bergeys Manual (1984) classifies Azotobacter as a heterotroph and, similarly Bacterium 1 was identified as a heterotroph when Iodine was added to the streak plate con taining starch and no color change occurred in the area under and around the colony. This was an indication of the bacterium breaking down and metabolizing the starch. Finally, the optimal environmental conditions of both Bacterium 1 and Azotobactera were found to be very similar. The optimal conditions were stated as: pH of 4.8 8.5, temperature of 15 37ËÅ ¡C and low salinity (Bergeys Manual, 1984). Bacterium 1 had very similar environmental conditions of: pH of 5, 22ËÅ ¡C and salinity of 0% NaCl. Considering the nitrifying and ammonifiying qualities of the Azotobacter, this bacterium plays an important role in the nitrogen cycle by breaking down proteins and converting the nitrogen into a form that can then be used by other organisms (Butenschoen, Marhan and Scheu, 2007, Cakmakci et al. 2006). Azotobacter, as one of the more common nitrifying soil microbes, is known to produce a great amount of usable Nitrogen, and therefore is closely linked to plant growth and health (Cakmakci et al. 2006, Prescot, Harley and Klein 2005). Interestingly, although many nitrifying organisms hold a symbiotic relationship with plant roots, providing Nitrogen in exchange for nutrients, Azotobacter, in particular, does not (Prescot, Harley and Klein 2005). Azotobacter also carries out starch hydrolysis, and therefore aids in the decomposition of organic matter in soil and the mineralization process (Smith and Smith, 2001). The identification of Bacterium 1 as Azobacteraceae Azotobacter is not definite and several other tests would have required in order to prove this statement as true. One test which would have been very helpful would have been a test for cyst formation; a key characteristic of the Azotobacter (Bergeys Manual, 1984, Prescot, Harley and Klein 2005). The Azotobacter are not rhizobacteria and therefore it would have been appropriate if there were some way of observing the bacteria in their natural habitat. In addition, the tests that were carried out had limitations to the amount of information that could have been gleaned from the results. The nitrification, ammonification, and denitrification tests were based on a simple color change, and there was no way of telling the process by which these functions, if present, occurred, nor were the tests specific to the concentration of the compounds present. All of these tests and techniques could also have been subjected to error, for example, m easurement errors under the microscope, errors in serial dilutions and even, contamination of cultures. From a simple compost soil sample it was possible to isolate and subculture a single bacterium species. Using various biochemical tests such as, tests for nitrification, ammonification, denitrification and the sulfur cycle, it was possible to determine the characteristic metabolic functions of the organism. These results, in addition to observation of cell and colony morphology, especially Gram staining, enabled the identification of the bacterium as Azobacteraceae Azotobacter.

Beowulf: Symbolisms of Masculinity and Heroism

Beowulf: Symbolisms of Masculinity and Heroism Germanic warrior culture replaced the Romans as the dominant force in Western Europe beginning in the fifth century AD. They deposed merely all roman traditions and customs, superseding them with their own beliefs. The whole empire was ruined by people, who most of all praised war, manhood, and dignity. Cultural peculiarities of those people are widely reflected in the archaic epos of Anglo-Saxons, written by an unknown poet around 700AD. Beowulf is an amazing unity of motives, topics, views of various ages merged in one integral masterpiece. We could find the elements of different epic genres: elegies, other heroic stories (song about Sigmund), religious epos (song about the creation of the world). The views of tribal society are combined with feudal ethics; heroic image of a warrior is combined with the image of wise and fair ruler. The action of the poem takes place before the great migration of Germanic tribes somewhere around 500AD. The descendant of famous ancient ruler Shield Sheafson king Hrothgar of Danemark suffers from the attack of a powerful and horrible demon named Grendel. For 12 years he has been killing noble and brave men in Heorot, a great mead-hall of Hrothgar, terrorizing Danes every night, giving them no chance to fight back. â€Å"Long was the time: Twelve winters time suffering endured The friend of the Scyldings, each one of woes, Of sorrows extreme† (Beowulf, 146-149) Eventually, help comes from Geatish warrior Beowulf, who sails to the land of Danes with a company of devoted men. His help is gladly accepted by Hrodgar and they happily celebrate till the night. In the night Beowulf fights Grendel unarmed and tears his arm off. Grendel creeps back to his swamp and dies there. His horrible mother wants to revenge but she is much weaker and kills only one man, who is the most respectful in Hrothgars kingdom. Beowulf volunteers to kill Grendels mother. â€Å"Arise, kingdoms guardian! Let us quickly go to view the track of Grendels kinsman.†(Beowulf 1390-91).He fights her in deep waters and in her lair. He kills her with a special sword, made not for ordinary humans, finds Grendel and takes his head off. When he returns, he is praised by everyone, given a lot of treasures and fame. Afterwards he returns to his land and gives all his treasures to his ruler. Beowulf becomes the co-ruler and after the death of king, he becomes the ruler for 50 years. A terrible dragon attacks his land, because one of his men robbed the treasury guarded by that dragon. Beowulf fights the dragon, kills him but gets mortally wounded. The dragons treasury is burned together with Beowulfs body. The era of wars comes to the land, when Beowulf cant unite the people anymore with his strength and wisdom. Beowulf is a treasury of historical information. It presents the major social characteristics of medieval warrior society; depict their beliefs, standards of living, relations with other nations, etc. Merely absolute domination of men in all the spheres of life was a characteristic feature of early medieval times. Women characters are mentioned only several times as wives or daughters of kings. Even strong and powerful queen Modthrytho, daughter of Herod obeys to her fathers command to marry King Offa. She tortured and killed people who she imagined were offending her. â€Å"Such is not queenly custom For a woman to practice, though she be peerless, That a peace-weaver of life should deprive, On account of fierce anger, any dear man†(Beowulf, 1940-43). After marriage her character improved. Thats why all the material and spiritual values of the medieval society represent men views upon the reality. Every man was a warrior. A good warrior should be strong, successful, respected, rich and lucky. The description of king Shield Shiefson is merely and ideal image of mans life. Being an infant he rose under the sky and became true warrior and king. He had decent life, decent deat h and his treasury was vast.â€Å"The earl caused terror since first he was found thus forlorn: gained he comfort for that, grew under the clouds, in honors throve, until each one of those dwelling around over the whale-road, him should obey, should tribute pay: that was a good king† (Beowulf, 6-11). King always should be honored and respected. The idea of ultimate loyalty is very strong in the hearts of medieval people. The desire to be praised by chieftain, lord or king is very strong, because for the society of warriors king is the strongest, wisest, most powerful and honored man. He generously gives prosperity to eminent warriors and judge inexorably dishonorable men. Beowulf comes home and gives merely all his treasures to his king. â€Å"To Hygelac was,in battle brave, his nephew devoted. And each to the other mindful of kindness† (Beowulf 2169-71). The leader provides all necessary things. Kinsmen have their own property, land and money. All that is given for good military service. Warriors feast in big halls, where they praise their ruler, theirselves, their achievements and famous battles and plan future war campaigns. â€Å"in time it befell Quickly with men, that it was all ready, The greatest of halls: Heort as name gave he it†(Beowulf 76-78) â€Å"the warriors were living in joys Happily then† (Beowulf, 99-100). Beowulf is an image of ideal hero, whose deeds are honored and praised. He has all features that are valued in medieval warrior society strength, courage, wisdom, loyalty, leader and military skills, dignity, self-sacrifice and devotion. He respects his comrades and treat them as equals, he is fair and zealous. â€Å"do not thou refuse me, defender of warriors, Dear friend of the people, now thus far am I come,- That I may alone and my band of earls, This company brave, Heorot cleanse. (Beowulf 429-32)   This prominence is leaded by inner qualities, the strength and beauty of the soul leads to prominent deeds. â€Å"Then the chief me by thine own life Adjured, sad in mind, that I in the seas flood Should do valiant deeds, should risk my life, Should honor gain; he promised reward† (Beowulf, 2131-2134). If a person is not active, successful or determined, he might not be respected. â€Å"Long he was despised, As him the Geats children did not reckon good, 2185Nor him at th e mead-bench as worthy of much†(Beowulf, 2183-86) One can be considered as a lucky and successful person, but this luck and success if always reached by hard work and inner aspiration. Religion also plays an important role in medieval society. In â€Å"Beowulf† a certain merge of religions is presented. From one hand, there are certain pagan beliefs of German tribes. From the other hand Christianity, that is revealed for example in the characterization of Grendel, who is named Cains son. â€Å"Upon Cains kin that crime avenged The Lord eternal, for that he slew Abel: Joyed he not in that feud, but him afar banishedFor that crime the Creator away from mankind: Thence evil demons all were produced† (Beowulf, 107-111). Endlessly violent, illiterate and rural culture of medieval Europe contrasted greatly with literary, politically specified urban culture of Athens. There was no place for philosophical thoughts or developed political intrigues Beowulf claims that an aggressive approach to vengeance is the real warriors response .and fundamental value of warrior culture are true love and loyalty. â€Å"It is better for each that his friend he avenge than that he mourn much† (Beowulf, 1384-85). Another obvious difference is attitude to religion. Beowulf and his nation praise God, he could give blessings and inspire people. They need to be brave and act with dignity for God to take them in better world. But the only thing that will remain after warriors death is his glory and this glory is fought for the whole life. â€Å"Each of us shall the end await of worldly life: let him who may gain honor ere death. That is for a warrior, when he is dead, afterwards best† (Beowulf, 1386-89). The artists of that period were illiterate bards, who sang the poems about ancient heroes and epic battles in vast and rich halls of noble men and in small and dirty wooden halls of leaders of small tribes. The whole situation of the nation was frightening constant fights for lands, money and military power, poor social and medical condition, low level of culture , but the ideas spoken about in those epic tales were inspiring for every man. Strength to be able to protect own land and family, dignity to behave a real warrior, personal swords and armory that protects him from death and play the role of   the most important warriors property and characteristic. Medieval times were not good-looking or pleasant. In the hard fight for new lands and freedom suffered a great number of people. The world was primitive but this unbearable spirit of manhood survived and built modern European society with its emphasis on personal liberty and the rule of law. Commentary on Luke 23:32-43 Commentary on Luke 23:32-43 SERMON COMMENTARY ON LUKE 23:32-43 Reflecting on the commentary of my sermon preached as a part of an assignment at Spurgeon College on 12 May 2014. I will be taking into account and reflecting on the hermeneutical and homiletically issues that came up both in the preparation and after the sermon. Taking a closer look at the preparation, the sermon and comments from both lecturers and fellow students, I will want to start with discussing how I came to decide on the title of sermon The three men on the cross at Calvary. As part of my commentary, I will be reflecting on how different Bible commentaries were access and utilized in the preparation for the sermon. In addition, I will be discussing on how I picked the particular structure I employed, in addition I will be reflecting on the delivery of the sermon and what I learnt from my delivery. Finally, I will reflect on what I might do differently in the future. Whenever I have the privilege of preaching to others either in a short sermon or to a large congregation, my aim as always been to be able to take my listener to a journey of connecting to the love of Christ and their rediscovery of the path that is lay before them; the path of perseverance, faith, mercy and kindness. Paul speaking to the Galatians summaries it like this, let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary[1] For an effective preaching, I believe it must come from the leading of the Holy Spirit who is also the Godhead. He inspires, teaches and guides us in the way of God the father. The aim of any preaching is to show the audience the mind of God as regarding his love and justice[2], which further passes on to the community then back to God in thanksgiving and adoration. HERMENEITICAL ISSUES The passage was to preach on was Luke 23:32-43, a very popular passage of the bible with very great event story. I took time to read the text from several other synoptic to help in understanding other writers view of the event. I took time to reflect carefully on all the other writers writings on the event. Ordinarily when looking at the passage, very strong topic will easily come to mind, which is about the sacrifice and suffering of Jesus but I believe that the Holy Spirit did not want me to take that route of preaching the sermon at this instance rather consider other importance of the event on the cross. Most of the sermons on this passage always focus on the Jesus death on cross, a very significant event that form the core of our faith but there are other lessons I believe God wants us to learn from the cross at Calvary.[3] These shape my reading in preparation for the sermon. Although the cross is the main centre of our Christianity, the cross is at the heart of the Christian faith. That is why it isthesymbol of the church. Buddhism has the lotus flower a symbol of beauty and harmony. Islam has a crescent an ancient symbol of sovereignty and power. Marxism had the hammer and sickle a symbol of industry and agriculture. Christianity has the cross. The bible is always interested in all other things of life but more important than beauty, power or the economy is the death (and then the resurrection) of Jesus. This is at the heart of everything.[4] However, God always wants to show us much more on his mysteries, he always want us to learn more about his readiness to answer our requests even at the heart of our storms and pain like the cross where three men with different situation were hanged hence the topic for the sermon, the three men on the cross at Calvary. I felt that speaking on this topic I would be more able to speak on something I am familiar with a nd a deep reflection of what I personally has experienced as relating to Gods love and answer to prayer in the face of deep pain and trials,[5] Robinson stated that the preacher cannot be separated from the message.[6] Finally, considering my audience in the instance of this sermon (fellow students and lecturers), I sensed that the topic will be relevant having listened to some of the students challenges and struggles during several of our pastoral group discussions. Clifford quoted Kelly saying, our present hope in the face of all challenges of life, suffering and death, is an effect of the resurrection[7] (the cross, death and resurrection of Jesus. He further said, if resurrection had not happened, hope would be best be a repressive optimism, or an accommodation to routine despair.[8] In a setting like our school, a theological college, sometimes the concept of God can be very technical and distant through many lectures and lot of discussions. However, focusing on my topic on the God of love who answered in desperate situation if we will look up to him in our hours of needs can be of great encouragement to my hearers and remind they that all hope is not lost regardless of the cross they are bear ing in live, family or ministry. Reading couple of commentaries and books related to the cross, I was assure that going the path I was taking regarding the cross was a possibility and it will serve as either warming or encouragement to people. Howard Marshall writes, The story contrasts the two attitudes which lead to condemnation and salvation, although it is improbable that they are meant to mirror the attitudes of Jews and pagans respectively to Jesus.[9] Crysdale writes, there is a drama as it plays itself out in the life of Christians, who confronted with Jesus crucified, finds all the evil in crete for him in a man on the cross.[10] The central focuses of the sermon are the three men on the cross representing the Christian who is going through challenges because of the faith, the two criminals on the cross and the cross. Crysdale further explains that the process of acknowledging our own self-destruction, mediated through the crucified Jesus, leads to insights into how we are not only crucifiers but also the c rucified. The more we can see the ways in which we sabotage our own flourishing, the more we are able to see how we ourselves are victims, are objects of crucifixion.[11] Luke 23:32-43 highlights numerous themes such as Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary (Luke 23:32), the forgiving Saviour (Luke 23:34), the sinners advocate (Luke 23:34), the crucified king of the Jews (Luke 23:38), A prayer of remembrance on the cross (Luke 23:43) and many more. Due to the short time given, I felt it was appropriate to focus on one rather than several. However, I am aware that Jesus Christ went to the cross to redeem the world, as Paul puts it, He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him[12] (1 Cor 5:21). I felt that naturally everyone would expect a sermon on such a very crucial topic because that is the core of our faith. In preparation for the sermon, I came up with different titles for the sermon.[13] In the end I resolved to give a title that will help my audience to listen, carefully in order to discover what is the main theme of the sermon themselves. All through the process of the preparation, I regularly remind myself to make sure I do not give the wrong meaning to the passage.[14] Base on my understanding of the passage through consultation of commentaries, reading of scholarship articles, journals and books on Luke 23:32-43 in general, I felt very confident that choosing my topic for the sermon, and by speaking on it , I should do justice to the passage. HOMILETICAL ISSUES Having decided on what I am communicating across, I then reflected on how to deliver the sermon. I am very much aware that sermons are present in different ways.[15] My aim was that my hearers would take away God as a loving God who can answer prayers if we come to him regardless of the state and time of the challenge. (Luke 23:43). My aim is to filled them with ideas and images that paint a picture of God, that answers in desperate time and desperate situation if one looks up to him and not shift the blame on others.[16] This I do, using dramatic narrative preaching with some inductive method of sermon preaching.[17] I hoped achieve this by starting with the story of betrayer of friendship, ingratitude and the pain associated with it.[18] I tried to make my hearers to look at when they were letdown, the disappointment and pain they went through. This was to get to look at Jesus though God yet a man with all the emotions and disappointment of been letdown by friends and neighbours. T he motivation was that the sermon would be pastoral sermon that is communicating the essence of the subject effectively.[19] After brief introduction on Jesus journey to Calvary with the cross and pain, I went back to the main passage (Luke 23:32-43) to lay a foundation on historical context using contemporary description of the event. Brindley states that the pastor preacher moves from hearer to the Scripture.[20] Getting to the end of my sermon, I related the sermon to our contemporary day with additional illustration and description using Matthew 7:1-4 and Hebrew 12:2. I tried not to allow the sermon to be too pastoral in other to avoid making it individualistic, which could conflict with the passage itself. Luke 23:32-43 is a message for the church today and the text can be applicable to both corporate and individual setting both back to the day of the event and to our contemporary day. REFLECTION ON THE PROCESS From feedback from both lecturers and fellow students, I felt the preaching went well because the feedbacks were positive. I was confident that I will strive in the delivery but was less confident looking at the importance of the passage and the angle of approach. I know the passage was so important that the hearers would be expecting so much particularly relating to deity of Jesus Christ on the cross instead of his human nature. I know I could stay within my text but going by the time limit, I was not sure I could stay within the allocated time given for the message. As I did not want to be rushed or be in a hurry, I decided to cut down my sermon significantly. Reflecting on how I felt it went, the feedback of both the lecturers and students, I believe that the message was well communicated to the hearers. Based on the lectures of this module as well as this particular preaching opportunity, I have learned the importance of spending time in preparing myself considering the various preaching methods accessible to me as a preacher. Reflecting on who I am preaching the sermon to, I need to be more ready to give good exegesis to the congregation I speak to in order to make the message more applicable and relevant to them. Just as in this exercise of reflecting on the sermon I gave at Spurgeons College, I have learnt that giving time to reflect on every of my sermon preach is very important and essential. Doing this helps to improve my skill of preaching and communication. CONCLUSION: It is a wonderful speaking to lecturers and students who themselves are preachers. The experience I had strengthen my confidence especially speaking to a multicultural group of different denominations. The three men on the cross of Calvary is a very wonderful and passionate message that cut across all groups of people both in the church and in world at large. In conclusion, I hope to be able to apply what I learnt both in the module and the preaching exercise constantly to my regularly preaching in my ministry. BIBLIOGRAPHY Brindley David, Story, Song and Law: The Craft of Preaching in Todays Church, (Stonehill Green: England,Bible Societies/HarperCollins, 1996) Clifford Ross, Johnson Philip, The Cross is not Enough: Living as Witnesses to the Resurrection (Grand Rapids, Michigan: BakerBooks, 2012) Crysdale Cynthia S.W., Embracing Travail: Retrieving the cross Today (Continuum: New York, The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc., 2001) Marshall I. Howard, The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Luke (Grands Rapid, Michigan: W.B.EErdmans Publisher, 1978) Robinson Haddon W., Expository Preaching (Leicester: IVP. 1986) Latham Steve, Preaching Practice, Lecture at Spurgeons College, week 8 28.04.2014 Holloway David, The Two Criminals, A Sermon Preached on Luke 23:39-42, Mar 29, 1998 at Jesmond Parish Church. P. 2 Luke 23: 32 43 The three men on the cross at Calvary 32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said,â€Å"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.†cAnd they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, â€Å"He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.† 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, â€Å"If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.† 38 There was a written notice above him, which read:THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: â€Å"Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!† 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. â€Å"Don’t you fear God,† he said, â€Å"since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.† 42 Then he said, â€Å"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.† 43 Jesus answered him,â€Å"Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.† The book of Luke generally known as the Gospel according to Luke is one of the synoptic Gospel that account for Jesus birth, death, resurrection and ascension. Chapter 23:32-43 give account for the death of Jesus. Jesus after been betrayed by Judas Iscariot and concluded for crucifixion was hanged on the cross like a criminal with two thieves. The death of the cross to the Romans was a capital punishment for criminals and is likened to death sentence in today’s system. Jesus as God came to earth in form of man was subject to shameful death. 1 Peter 2: 22 said, He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. Paul further said in Phil 2:5a said He humbled Himself and lived among them, helped, fed and healed them yet he was chosen for condemnation and death instead of the criminal (Barabbas). Finally, on the cross were with Him two thieves, one on the right and the other on the left. Hence, I titled this message, The three men on the cross at Calvary. In this message, it is important to understand the role played by individual on the cross. First, Jesus knew no sin yet He went through shame and humiliation to the point of praying to the Father asking why the Father had abandoned Him. As a Christian, sometimes we feel abandoned by God especially when circumstances around us are like the cross Jesus was upon. We hardly think of the reward God might be having in mind for us in such situation, Jesus after death and resurrection is now seated at the right hand of the Father. We need to understand that every good thing have a price to pay. The Father (God), paid a price for wanting to restore man back to his rightful position and the only price was to sacrifice His only begotten son (Jesus). We all have needs and wants but do not want to pay any price. Life is not all about bed of roses, obstacles are there but the truth is these obstacles are stepping stone to success in life. See any successful man today you will realise that the road towards success is not any road, very narrow and full of discouragements but only the strong get through. Jesus was betrayed, denied, rejected and despised yet in all He brought salvation to mankind. Do you want to make it in life? You might be going through rejection by families, friends and even those that are in the same situation with you. Looking at the thief on the left hand side of the cross, it shows that people in the same situation as you can sometimes look for ways of mocking, challenging or prejudging you testing your faith instead of facing their situation. If these people will take moment to consider the fact that for every cross, there is glory if they will seek the king of glory who is the saviour regardless of their situation even if they were the cause of the situation like the thief on the right side. Gods love and kindness is always available. The thief on the right side of the cross realised that he deserved to be in the situation he found himself (to die) but saw a way of escape by grasping the opportunity of salvation without procrastination and he was saved. We might sometimes find ourselves in bad and terrible situation not because God is testing our faith but due to our sins, misdeeds or stupidity. If we will come to the redeeming grace like the thief on the right side on the cross, there is assurance of salvation, peace and joy overflowing. 1 John 1:9 says, Butif we confess our sinsto him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness Regardless of your state at the cross, God is doing something even if you do not see it. It is good you look carefully within your condition. Search why God is doing what is doing, or saying in the circumstance you are in now, stop looking for the spike from others eyes neglecting with the log on yours. Then you can be sure of a ray of light at the end of your tunnel for salvation and eternal rewards as the case of the criminal who cried to Jesus for salvation. 1 [1] Galatians 6:9 NASB [2] David Brindley, Story, Song and Law: The Craft of Preaching in Todays Church, (Stonehill Green: England, Bible Societies/HarperCollins, 1996), P.2 [3] Ross Clifford, Philip Johnson, The Cross is not Enough: Living as Witnesses to the Resurrection (Grand Rapids, Michigan: BakerBooks, 2012), P.20 [4] David Holloway, The Two Criminals, A Sermon Preached on Luke 23:39-42, Mar 29, 1998 at Jesmond Parish Church. P. 2 [5] Ross Clifford, Philip Johnson, The Cross is not Enough: Living as Witnesses to the Resurrection (Grand Rapids, Michigan: BakerBooks, 2012), P.85 [6] Haddon W. Robinson, Expository Preaching (Leicester: IVP. 1986), P.24 [7] Ross Clifford, Philip Johnson, P.29 [8] Ross Clifford, Philip Johnson, P.29 [9] I. Howard Marshall, The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Luke (Grands Rapid, Michigan: W.B.EErdmans Publisher, 1978), P.870 [10] Cynthia S.W. Crysdale, Embracing Travail: Retrieving the cross Today (Continuum: New York, The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc., 2001), P.8 [11] Cynthia S.W. Crysdale, P.9 [12] New International Version Bible [13] Such as; This is the king of the Jews [14] Steve Latham, Preaching Practice, Lecture at Spurgeons College, week 8 28.04.2014 [15] David Brindley, P.52 [16] David Brindley, P.30 [17] David Brindley, P.52 [18] Cynthia S.W. Crysdale, P.11 [19] David Brindley, P.48 [20] David Brindley, P.63

Poets’ Childhood Relationships with Their Fathers Essays -- literary A

Modern poets often reflect back on their childhood relationships with their fathers. Some poets see their fathers with a new found appreciation, some may look at them with acceptance, and still others are trying to move past the emotional grip a father may have had on them. Some poets see their father with a new found appreciation. For example, in Robert Hayden’s â€Å"Those Winter Sundays,† the narrator expresses his appreciation for his father when he poses the question: â€Å"What did I know, what did I know / of love’s austere and lonely offices?† (Hayden 13-14). As a child, it is hard to gain an appreciation for one’s father because one does not think about how much a father does for his child. When the speaker grows older, he reflects on his childhood and realizes how much his father has done for him. Everything that the father did for his son and family was done out of love, and the father did not gain any recognition at all. One example of the father helping his family is when he builds the fires to keep the household warm: Sundays too my father got up early / and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold / then with cracked hands that ached / from labor in the weekday weather made / banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him. (Hayden 1-6) The first line explains how on Sundays his father got up early. Sundays were known as a day of rest, but the father still got up and continued to work hard even though he did not have to. Line two simply states how cold it was outside, the word blueblack meaning that it was still dark outside. Lines three through five explain how the father had sore hands from working in the extremely cold weather making the fires and how nobody had ever thanked him for doing this. Another example of... ...the death of her husband and father, she finally decides to move on and forget about her husband and father completely. She succeeds in doing so for awhile, but five months after writing the poem, the speaker commits suicide, leading the reader to believe that she had some sort of a mental issue and was never able to completely, like she thought she would be able to. It is sad that the narrator had such a hard time moving on and was majorly depressed, but sometimes it is better to move on life and not dwell on the past. Consequently, some poets may see their fathers with a new found appreciation, some may look at them with acceptance, and still others are trying to move past the emotional grip a father may have had on them. Although each poet had a different childhood relationship and different viewpoint of his or her father, they all loved their fathers deeply.

Joseph Contrads Heart of Darkness :: essays research papers

“The Horror! The Horror!'; Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness'; is not just a suspenseful tale of a man’s journey to one of the Earth’s few remaining frontiers, the African Congo; it is a psychological insight into the true pits of the human mind, in search of the true “heart of darkness';, which resides not geographically, but is a part of all of us, living under the restraints of society and civilization. Conrad explores the idea that under the taboos and societal mandates, there is a potential for actions and beliefs that are shocking to the common individual. Yet, if a man is released to do as he wills, without society to judge him, he can cross into a state-of-being that we consider primal and non-human. Without civilization, one would become an agent free to do whatever he chooses, and will do it willingly. Conrad demonstrates and hints at this conclusion using several literary devices, ranging from symbolism to the subtle changes in Marlowe, the narrator, that represent his growing distance from civilization and reality. The strongest device and example of this phenomenon is the transformation of Mr. Kurtz, the director of the Inner Station. In this essay, I will explain and analyze Kurtz’s “de-humanity';, and how effective it is in achieving Conrad’s goal. This “deconstruction'; of Kurtz culminates with his utterance of the phrase, “The horror! The horror!';, as he lay dying. Yet, first we must explain what Kurtz was before he stepped over the edge. From the moment Marlowe arrives on the coast of Africa, he hears tales of an incredible man, who runs a trading post deep in the Congo. The accountant at the first station said, “He [Kurtz] is a remarkable person.... Sends in as much ivory as all the others put together....'; (Conrad 33-34) The bricklayer at the second station calls Kurtz an “universal genius'; (43). Marlowe himself tells us that Kurtz is an educated man, who had originally been commissioned to bring civilization and light into this, one of the darkest and vilest places on the Earth. Furthermore, the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs has asked to Kurtz to submit a report, for the future reference of the Society. Marlowe, himself, has reads the report and refers to it as a “beautiful piece of writing';; yet, through Kurtz’s rhetoric on how the superior white man has a responsibility to civilize and help the primitive natives, the report ends with a phrase scrawled in unsteady handwriting and it reads, “Exterminate all the brutes!'; (66) The last entry into his report gives a hint at what has become to the “remarkable'; Mr.

How Stevenson Explores the Nature of Good and Evil in the Strange Case

How Stevenson Explores the Nature of Good and Evil in the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde The story is about a doctor called Jekyll who has an alternate identity called Hyde. Until the last two chapters it is told from the view point of Mr Utterson; a friend of Jekyll’s who is trying to piece together the story. It uses features of gothic novels such as doppelganger which is an alternate identity. It also uses multiple narratives to make the reader think, it also helps the reader solve the case themselves, and piece the story together, from the evidence given. To a certain extent Stevenson also uses the monster feature in the form of Edward Hyde. In this novel, Stevenson was trying to show that good and evil are not separate within us but are a combined part of us so instead of trying to split them we should except the unity and only then will we be able to make our good side prevail in the struggle of good and evil. One of the features of a gothic novel used is the haunted house. Authors of gothic novels use a character’s house to reflect the characters psychological manner. In this story Jekyll’s house is described as being â€Å"grand and having an air of wealth and comfort†. This mimics Jekyll’s personality as he is portrayed for the reader,† a large, well-made, smooth-faced man†. The description â€Å"smooth-faced man† gives the impression that he is not only hiding his age but also the secrets that come with age. We get the impression that he has something to hide right at the beginning of the story; I believe that through this Stevenson gives us a hint that Jekyll has some thing that he wants to keep hidden. His house however has a backdoor which is described as â€Å"blistered and distained†. This, .. ...mic society by using the split personality of Jekyll and Hyde, which is emphasized by the two entrances to his house, to show the mixed views of people from that time period. He also voiced the fear of most of the society through his monster Hyde, who is created through science but cannot be controlled. I believe not only does he express the fear of science going wrong, he also expresses the view of not playing God, by showing that man might not be able to permanently control what he creates, which is shown by Jekyll loosing control of the transformation to Hyde. He also tries to explain that the good and evil parts of us are what make us who we are and instead of trying to separate them and risk losing control we should embrace them and try through our actions, to let the good side prevail instead of using science to destroy us while trying to do well.

Letter to Shakespeare Essay

Having studied the play, â€Å"Macbeth†, imagine that letters can be sent to the past and that Shakespeare is living in retirement at Newplace, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. You decide to write him a letter telling him about the success of his play, â€Å"Macbeth†, in the 21st century and this play is still being read and performed and filmed. Dear William Shakespeare, I am writing to you from the 21st century as we have developed a new way which allows us to write letters to people in the past. I am very glad to tell you that your play, â€Å"Macbeth†, has become very successful. People admire what you have done in Macbeth. Macbeth is very relevant today for example we have women like Lady Macbeth, as well as men plotting evil crimes. Macbeth has something we call timeless themes, timeless themes are things that are written about in the past but still occur in every day life and are relevant to people now. The people of the 21st century are very fond of the characters you put into Macbeth. They like how Macbeth changed from a noble character to an evil villain. The thoughts that go through his mind interest them a lot. The way Macbeth’s conscience takes a hold of him and grows to be a hurdle as he progresses through the play. The social and cultural attitudes of people of my time have changed vastly. People in the Elizabethan time respected and feared the monarchy for example in act 5; scene 7, Macbeth’s soldiers were fighting not because they loved him but because they were afraid that he might kill them. The monarchy also had all the power. I am not saying that everyone does not respect the monarchy but the majority of people do not. The people of our time are not scared of the monarchy now either as the people have realised that the parliament have the most power now. The monarchy is more of an iconic figure that shows the heritage of Britain and has a less important role in the running of the country. Macbeth emphasised witchcraft in numerous ways but the thrill for witchcraft has died down in our time. Witchcraft was very popular in your time. Witches were seen as evil creatures e.g. Banquo says â€Å"The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, and these are of them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This shows that Banquo does not trust the witches and as the general public would think in your time Banquo classes the witches as rare and evil. Most people now do not believe in witchcraft but are still intrested when they read about it in your play. I was intrigued by the witches in the first scene when they started chanting because it grabbed my attention and got the play to a great start. People are now going to the cinema more than they go to the theatre as the theatre is seen as old fashioned now. However you will be pleased to know that you movie is being broadcasted on TV and cinema too. As I said before, your play uses something we call timeless themes. People of our time still enjoy reading all your plays. They love the humour of Midsummer Night’s Dream and cannot get enough of the romance of Romeo and Juliet. They enjoy these plays as they have incidents which are still relevant to us know. Personally I think the reason Macbeth is so popular is because of its successful structure. The structure is simple but very effective. I have realised that you introduced the witches in the first scene to grab the readers’ attention and to keep them interested through the whole play. The witches at the end of the scene say, â€Å"Fare is foul and foul is fare, hover through the fog and the filthy air†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I think you put this bit in to confuse the people watching and make them think about what has been said and keeps the audience’s attention through the rest of the play. Act 3 Scene 5 is the next big scene where the witches get a lot to say. In that scene you have made the witches talk about Macbeth once more. This shows that the witches are intrigued by Macbeth, â€Å"†¦to trade and traffic with Macbeth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The witches have mixed feelings about what they have done to Macbeth. The witches conversation about Macbeth makes the audience think about what the witches plan on doing next. I was interested and got into the play most when you created dramatic irony in the play for example when the audience knew Macbeth was plotting to kill Banquo. However he was being very nice to Banquo and Banquo had no idea he was walking into a trap. â€Å"Here’s our chief guest† Macbeth said as he talked to Banquo and Lady Macbeth, although he was actually plotting to kill him. You also added in soliloquies into the structure, mainly Macbeth’s. The soliloquies focused on a fight between Macbeth’s guilt and Macbeths ambition, â€Å"Our fears in Banquo stick deep, and in his royalty of nature reigns that which could be feared†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In almost all of the cases Macbeth’s ambition came ahead of the guilt he had. You had put in some very strange characters but managed to fit them in magnificently well. People in your time must have been amazed to see a woman (Lady Macbeth) committing a crime. However, in the 21st century we have women committing crimes almost as frequently as men. Lady Macbeth in your time was unique as she was a villain. It fascinated people then and even though women committing crimes is not rare it still fascinates us now. Witches were very popular in your culture, I understand that King James even wrote a book about them called Demonologie! The witches that intrigued people on your time still have an impact on us even thought it is not the main talking point in our culture. The character of Macbeth is really complicated. His character is what we call a tragic hero. Macbeth was introduced as a brave fighter which really caught the eye of the audience, â€Å"Hail, brave friend†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The evil of the witches changed him completely into a criminal. His ambition to be the king was his downfall and that really shocked the audience. Who would have thought that ambition was a bad thing? The ambition came from the witches’ prophecies which portray them as evil once more. The witches talk in rhyming couplets. The language you used was amazing. You had to describe the surroundings using only speech for example â€Å"How goes the night boy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It worked very well and it shows that you do not need props to describe the surroundings. I have realised that you have used a lot of imagery in your play as well in the form of similes and metaphors, â€Å"like a rat without a tail† It is very effective and adds something new to the plain language in a normal conversation. The Duncan murder scene which you left out was a good decision. I believe that you did not have props to show the murder and also that you thought it would have been disrespectful to the monarchy if you put the scene in. However, people have been making new versions of your play with Duncan’s murder added into it. A man called Roman Polanski made a version of Macbeth with scenes added into it. In Act 2 Scene 1 Polanki puts in different camera angles to portray what certain characters are doing at the time. The castle is full of stair cases and long corridors. When the dagger appears there is strange music going on in the background suggesting Macbeth is going to do the unnatural by killing Duncan. In the same act he also uses a lot of silence to create tension and suspense. He puts a close up on Lady Macbeth to show that she’s trying to keep out of sight from Banquo and Fleance. Polanski uses a great technique to show who is hiding or not. He puts the characters in dark light to show they are not prepared to show their face. Polanski adds extra bits in Scene 1 and Scene 2 of Act 2. He added these bits as it would be easier for the viewer to make sense of the whole play. When Macbeth approaches Duncan’s room, you notice white light coming from it which is to show that he is innocent. As Macbeth gets closer to the room the light begins to flicker showing that Duncan is in trouble. Polanski shows Duncan’s murder in a gruesome manner. Duncan’s death is emphasised by his crown falling to the ground, thus showing that the King is no more. In conclusion as I have mentioned before, your play is very successful. My favourite character is Banquo. I like him as you have portrayed him as an innocent and a noble man. I feel that he is one of the few innocent people all the way through the play because the other characters are changed by evil around them. I loved the moment when Banquo’s ghost came back to haunt Macbeth as it seemed very unnatural. In that moment people at the banquet, including his wife, see Macbeth as cowardly and insane. This was in contrast to the impression people had before when they thought of him as a brave, fearless and noble soldier. Overall the popularity of your play has not died down over the years and your play has been transformed into movies and TV programmes with great success.

Raphael

Raphael Visual analysis assignment, discussing Raphael and the fresco, The School of Athens, (1510-1511). It measures 5. 79 x 8. Mom and is housed in The Stanza Della Signature, Vatican, Rome. Rafael Sansei or Saint (1483 – died Rome 1520) was a major art figure in the age of the Renaissance. He was â€Å"one of the greatest portrait artists of all time and one of the greatest painters of classical figure groups†l Gerard El grand in his studies of Renaissance Art agrees with this statement. â€Å"He helped to define the Italian High Renaissance. † 2 Repeal's artistic education began early.His father Giovanni Saint was a painter in the Montenegro court. Raphael in subsequent years trained as a painter and gradually surpassed his teachers. Raphael was possibly a student of Perusing as their painting style was very similar but as Raphael progressed in his studies; his compositions superseded his teacher's works. â€Å"He surpasses his influential mentor Perusing in the ren dering of tender yet powerful beauty. † 4 It was in 1508 that Raphael was summoned by Pope Julius II to work for the Vatican and it is where Raphael created the monumental work, School of Athens. In 1508 Raphael was summoned by Pope Julius II to work for the Vatican, where he produced his elaborate frescoes and established his own workshop. â€Å"5 The age of the Renaissance needs to be understood in order to study and comprehend the School of Athens fresco and its underlying meanings. The ideas and knowledge of Ancient Greece were of paramount importance at this time especially in regards to the practice of art. â€Å"It was an era when ancient practices were given a new birth. The name Renaissance was commonly used as well as other definitions, renovation and restitution.This also explains why the artists saw themselves as revolutionaries. They saw their own potential; they had a desire to exist. It was a remarkable feat of self assertion. â€Å"6 The humanist ideology an d followers of this movement helped to reinvent Classical Greek culture. Patriarch was the most famous of the humanists and was the first to put forward the idea of returning to Classical Antiquity. â€Å"That this return could only be a new beginning and not simply a matter of blind faith. â€Å"l The humanists were involved in translating ancient texts, such as Plat's Times and Aristotle Mechanical Ethics. â€Å"They also wanted to reconcile Platonism with a well assimilated Aristotelian but also with the three main religions Christianity, Judaism and Islam. 3 These rediscovered ancient texts â€Å"could restore man to a place in a cosmos that was ordered differently from the Aristotelian cosmos†. 4 Humanism and its influence transformed the Renaissance artists' practice, their methods of painting and the subjects expressed. â€Å"The ideas of the Ancient Greeks transformed the fields of philology, medicine and theology. 5 The reinterpretation of the sciences, mathemati cs and physics can be seen with the new developments in painting at this time. â€Å"To talk about ‘renaissance art' is to talk first and foremost about the broader cultural phenomenon of the Renaissance itself. 6 The Renaissance was not a time whereby the ideals of Classical Greece were Just regurgitated. It was â€Å"the imitation of antiquity which must not be interpreted as a rigid concept. â€Å"7 Certain inventions were being introduced in relation to painting during the Renaissance.Elegant gives a chronology of events in relation to the theory of perspective. 8 â€Å"In 1300 Ghetto introduced elementary rational perspective. It is legend that Ghetto drew freehand a perfect circle, firmly establishing the art of draftsmanship even though he had no grasp of mathematical science underlying it. In the 1330 and 1400 artists came aware of measurement, using guide marks to help paint the surface of the walls for frescoes. In 1342 – 4, Imbroglio Lorgnette understood the near approximation and definition of a vanishing point.It was also understood that the ancients had developed some kind of systematic perspective method, (at least in stage design). In 1425 Brucellosis ‘peepshows' demonstrated the possibility of exact coincidence of natural vision and pictorial vision in a determined space. In 1435-6, painting could be defined as a kind of window circumscribing the intersection of a flat surface with the pyramid of visual rays. In 1450 experiments in Ariel respective by Flemish painters created recession in landscape backgrounds through a series of increasingly cool and pale color zones.During 1450 – 60, there was evidence of a mixed perspective system sometimes bifocal in appearance, sometimes in separate planes, sometimes legitimate but usually based on complex calculation. In 1498 the manuscript On Divine Proportion by Luck Piccalilli was published. Historians have suggested that the diagrams within this manuscript are attributab le to Leonardo dad Vinci. â€Å"l The knowledge gained by artists through these new principles of mathematics and physics were integral in their understanding of the satirical space. The application of perspective was no longer a rudimentary affair but based on legitimate constructs according to certain laws which led to recognition of pictorial space. â€Å"2 Renaissance artists rediscovered human anatomy with the study of Classical Greek and Roman statuary. â€Å"To reproduce the third dimension of space and life of the figures by representing mass in terms of perspective, this optical realism in relation to the material world with correspondingly tonal realism. The pictorial space required the construction of perspective called oceanography which rejected the undefined representation of space in Byzantine and medieval frescoes.Based on the idea that space was homogeneous, it was conceived of as axial and could be applied to a flat surface, devised by theoreticians of art, it a imed to be natural before becoming artificial that is to say based on geometry. â€Å"3 Valley Reese describes the fresco School of Athens as â€Å"sumptuous, a vibrant and vivid intellectual scene. It has vaulted architecture, three Greek arches leading to the beautiful sky beyond. Raphael has put great effort into the space of this painting. There are echoes of the pantheon structure. The edifice is a large space and is placed in genuine antique style. 4 Wisped states that â€Å"The architecture contains roman elements but the general semi circular setting having Plato and Aristotle at its centre might be alluding to Pythagoras circumspect† 5 Jill Grayer comments that Raphael â€Å"deliberately romanticists Greek space. That he intellectualized it for a purpose. It echoes or imitates the grandest buildings in Rome the golden house of Nero' and it makes references to famous paintings. It does not represent a type of pagan worship but has a rhetorical importance. It is rhe torical fantasy. L Elegant also comments on the paintings mythical capacity. It was not a time of illusion, if myth did come into it, it was defining vital myth. â€Å"2 The Renaissance can be defined by its difference to the previous historical era, The Middle Ages. Elegant states that the â€Å"The Middle Ages was an era entirely steeped in darkness followed by the radiant dawn of the Renaissance. Although the eminent art critic, John Risking saw the Renaissance as no more than the decline of the middle ages and having at its core puritanical origins. â€Å"3 John Risking was not alone in this view as Elegant states that the Nazarene painters ND the Pre-Reappraises also saw the Renaissance in this way.In the 13th Century, the artist Ghetto represented life and used painting methods that differed from the religious art of the Middle Ages. â€Å"He still presented his figures as in a frieze but he was interested in the different contours and relief of the face and delineated the se. He introduced the everyday life into tragic or fantastical scenes not so much as the coded legend as the active life of the legendary beings depicted. â€Å"4 Elegant emphasizes the difference between these two periods of history. â€Å"The Middle Ages was â€Å"stuck in a rut of using tired old Byzantine motifs.Tuscany was virtually a cemetery of classical ruins. The Renaissance was a time when painting broke free from religious decoration. Its purpose was to no longer educate or to elicit an emotional response from the faithful but to make them participate, through their own personal experiences, in a reconfiguration of sacred history. â€Å"5 Jeanie Anderson acknowledges that religious themes still played a major role in art, during the Renaissance. â€Å"Religious art remained the most important subject matter in the Renaissance as it had been in medieval art, but now portraits and stories fromClassical Antiquity were introduced into the artists' repertoire. â€Å"6 El egant also states â€Å"that this was a time when old theoretical frameworks were demolished when the Christian universe, a strained compromise between Ptolemaic astronomy, Aristotelian cosmology and the literal teachings of the bible collapsed. † 1 The fresco School of Athens was housed in the public library of Pope Julius II. It had been a tradition during this time of the Renaissance to divide books into subjects and classification. The books in the library were divided between subjects such as philosophy, law, poetry, and theology.These books were housed underneath the frescoes. â€Å"The image above would reflect the range of books underneath. It was known that Pope Julius II used or read very few philosophical books and only read law and theology. â€Å"2 Angier Hobbs comments that â€Å"the Christian religion is taking into account and adheres to the religious and philosophical thought of the past and embraces it. † Melvyn Bragg states that â€Å"the truth is sought by philosophy and found by theology and kept by religion. â€Å"4 This painting was an expression of the time. It denounces authoritarian dogma and all religions and philosophies are being abated. They are influencing each other, a spirit of curiosity which was constantly active. The classical world chimed with a new sensibility one which was totally free of dogma. There was a lack of distinctive Judgment during this time and the opening up of thought. â€Å"5 In Repeal's painting School of Athens, the figures are identified as having different ideas. â€Å"An energetic debate is being practiced and the scholars are discussing law, astronomy, physics, philosophy, theology, mathematics, and poetry including music. â€Å"6 The Vatican library consisted of classical references, and it protected Greek culture.It was a refuge of Greek learning, as the scholars of Classical Greece had been forgotten in the intervening years before the Renaissance. â€Å"7 Jill Grayer discusse s the figures in the painting, School of Athens. â€Å"Hypoxia, a Greek Manipulations philosopher in Roman Egypt can be seen and Heron of Alexandria represents an ancient Greek mathematician and engineer. Penalties, a stoic philosopher represents poetry and Diatom of Matinee is a female philosopher who plays an important role in Plat's Symposium. She is giving Socrates the teaching of love.It is unusual to have women centrally viewed and to be given such status. Inspirational poets and painters are depicted. Euclid is represented and there are great Christian philosophers, theologians and on the other side of the room are poets and lawyers. The central main figures in the painting are of Aristotle and Plato. Plato is pointing to the sky and Aristotle is pointing towards the ground. Egyptians are personified, as well as Zoroaster who was before the time of Abraham's teachings. Statues of Greek gods are seen on either side, Apollo and Athena.Classical, pagan, Renaissance scholars and religious leaders are represented. In this painting we have the cream of intellectual thought. There is a harmonious aspect to this world as conflict is left out of the frame. (Who is better than another? ) There are plenty of philosophers not paying attention to Plato and Aristotle. It has the complexity of intellectual thought and represents the time. â€Å"l Herbert Read in his book The Meaning of Art reinforces this idea. The Renaissance was a time â€Å"where minds were consumed by intellectual curiosity. 2 Wisped suggests that â€Å"nearly every Greek philosopher can be found within the painting but determining which are depicted is difficult since Raphael made no designations outside possible likenesses and no anthropometry documents to explain the painting. Raphael had to invent a system of iconography to allude to various figures for whom there were no traditional visual types. The identities of some of the philosophers in the picture such as Plato or Aristotle are unde niable. Beyond that identification of Repeal's figures have always been hypothetical. 3 Jill Grayer states that â€Å"not a lot of people knew about Greek architecture. â€Å"4 She goes on to say that â€Å"he would not have known these texts†¦ Plato and Aristotle. He was only interested in basic knowledge of tradition. He was not a scholar but a painter. There was no evidence that Raphael had a formal education, or knowledge of Plato and Aristotle philosophy. â€Å"l Although Jill Grayer later mentions that these ideas would have been talked about and debated continuously during the â€Å"Raphael had moved to Florence in 1504 and then to Rome in about Renaissance. 1508. Both cities were major centers for High Renaissance Art.Other artists who worked in Florence were Botanical and Michelangelo and they all relied heavily on strong draftsmanship. Drawing was the basis of their paintings which is confirmed by present day x- ray bibliographic analysis which shows strong drawi ng beneath the minted surfaces†2 It was said by one of his friends, Elegant states, that it was â€Å"Repeal's greatest Joy to be taught and to teach. â€Å"3 With such changes and developments in painting and knowledge being disseminated it is unlikely that Raphael would not have been influenced by these new inventions and new discussions.Giorgio Vassar who was a close friend and contemporary of Raphael claims that he was ‘angel like'. â€Å"Raphael was modest and good. Gentle and always ready to conciliate, he was considerate of everyone. â€Å"4 Herman J Heckler introduces Vassar as a man who knew and admired Raphael. â€Å"He writes with an assurance of a an he knew, respected and loved. â€Å"5 Although Elegant states that such a description is disappointing and uninteresting. Vassar describes him like a professor. â€Å"6 Artists during the Renaissance were perceived as heroic and were Just as important as statesmen, 7 so Vicar's comments were not wrong or m ade out of context.