International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

International Marketing - Essay Example these methods help to identify the efficiency of marketing strategies developed and implemented by the companies (Cateora, Gilly & Graham, 2009, p.7). On the other side, evaluation of the effectiveness of marketing strategies will be done through cost effectiveness business operation and growth of revenue of the companies. Before starting in-depth analysis of marketing strategies, brief overviews of the two companies need to be discussed. Overview of the two companies Procter and Gamble Procter and Gamble or P&G is one of the leading multinational consumer goods company based in America. The company headquartered in Ohio, USA and listed in New York Stock Exchange. It has successfully developed a diversified portfolio of popular brands of consumer durables. There are numbers of products in each brand and most of the products are very much popular worldwide. According annual financial report of 2011, P&G has reported revenue of $82.6 billion. Based on this performance, the company was ranked fifth position in the list of World’s most admired company by Fortune magazine. It was in sixth place in 2010. Procter and Gamble was established in 1837 by William Procter and James gamble. Throughout this glamorous history of more than 170 years, the company has grown by revenue and market share in consumer durable industry. Unique organizational culture of P&G stands for its purpose, values and principles. P&G people and P&G brands are the key foundation of P&G’s success whereas P&G consumers drive this success. Global brands of the company can be categorising in two parts. One is beauty and grooming and another is households care. In beauty and grooming categories most popular global brands are Camay, Gillette, Olay, Pantene, Old Spice, Secret etc. On the other side, Ariel, Tide, Mr. Clean, Swiffer, Febrize, Duracell, Charmin etc are most popular brands in households care category. P&G ranked 25th position in â€Å"World’s Most Innovative Companiesâ €  by Bloomberg. It is also listed in Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations by Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. Nestle Nestle S. A. is one of the leading multinational consumer durables company in the world. It offers nutritional and health-related consumer goods. The company headquartered in Vevey, in Switzerland. Nestle is the world’s largest food company in terms of revenue and market share. Nestle has wide portfolio of popular food brands. This product portfolio includes baby food, breakfast cereals, bottled water, dairy products, coffee confectionary, ice cream, snacks and pet foods. The company has production unit in most of its foreign markets. It has more than 450 production units in 86 countries. 29 most popular brands of Nestle have contributed annual sales of more than 1.1 billion in 2011. These include Nespresso, Kitkat, Nescafe, Nesquik, Vittel, Smarties, Vittel and magi etc. Nestle is one of the largest shareholder of L’Oreal which is the largest c osmetics company in the World in terms of revenue and market share. Nestle was the merger of Anglo-Swiss Milk company and Farine Lactee

Organizational culture Essay Example for Free

Organizational culture Essay For a company, organizational culture is very important because the culture is like something that the employee can be based for. In addition, the organizational culture is defined as a system of shared meaning and beliefs within an organization that determines, in a large degree, how employees act (Robbins, et al., 2003, p. 70). Founders of new organizations and managers play an important role in creating and maintaining organizational cultures. However, ethical organizational cultures are those in which ethical values and norms are emphasized. As Jones and George (2003, p. 350) argue that ethical organizational cultures can help organizations and their members behave in a socially responsible manner. Some might believe that if they do the ethical corporate culture, they will be able to get much profit. Meanwhile, Arnold and Lampe (1999, pp. 1-19, cited in Robbins, et al., p. 154) claim that the content and strength of an organizations culture also influences ethical behavior. Nevertheless, a strong culture will have a very powerful and positive influence on managers decisions to act ethically and unethically. whereas, in a weak organizational culture, managers are more likely to rely on subculture norms as a behavioral guide. Work groups and departmental standards will strongly influence ethical behaviour in organizations with weak overall cultures. Alongside with organizational culture, there are two more things that have strong correlation with it. The first one is ethics. Ethics is the code of moral principles and values that govern that behavior of a person or group with respect to what is right or wrong (Robbins, et al., 2003, p. 150). The second thing that has strong correlation with culture is social responsibility. It is a managements obligation to make choices and take action that will contribute to the welfare and interest of society as well as to the interest of the organization (Robbins, et al., 2003, p. 138). Nevertheless, managers who have ethical behavior and social responsibility can build a good reputation for their company. As Donaldson and Werhane (1993, pp.249-254) argue that having a good reputation of a company can increase profit. In addition, Robbins (et al., 2003, pp. 161-165) defines social responsibility is an obligation, beyond that required by the law and  economics, for a firm to pursue long-term goals that are good for society. However, social responsibility is the duty of manager to make decision consider with well-being of stakeholders and society. In fact, there are two main views of managements social responsibility, which are classical view and socioeconomic view (Robbins, 2003, p. 407). Additionally, classical view aims to maximize profits, whereas socioeconomic view is that social responsibility goes beyond the increasing profit to improve the welfare of society. It is very important that managers support and develop an ethical culture because employees more likely to act ethically if their leader work having an ethical role model (Jones, George, 2003, pp.101-103). Working ethically is a responsibility to the society. Nevertheless, this is very important as it can avoid harming stakeholders and also enhance the well-being of society as a whole. Stakeholders including employees, customers, suppliers, competitors, governments, media, union, communities, social and political action groups, etc (Robbins, et al., 2003, pp. 92-93). There are still some examples for the reference of socially responsible behavior such as providing training for workers, eliminating discrimination and reducing pollution (Robbins, et al., 2003, p. 407). Providing training for workers can enhance their skills and techniques for work and it can improve the productivity and efficiency. Workers will not be obsolete by the changes of technology so it benefits employees as well as the company (Tsang, 2003, p. 25). Social responsibility and economic growth is related sometimes. At first, the profit may be reduced by the costs of training workers, however, when the trained employees can work efficiently, the productivity will be increased followed by increasing profit at last. Eliminating discrimination is a social responsibility of managers. Some companies would like to employ a specific kind of person but not the others and cause inequality is known as discrimination. For instance, some companies would prefer employ a local student to an international student or they prefer employ man to woman (Pagan, 2000, p. 619). It is harm to firm if they refuse to employ some other races people since they can provide some  new ideas to the company for reference. These new ideas may not be gained from local employers as foreigners have different culture from the local and they can offer some useful information from the other view for the decision making. This is why an organizational culture which has formally adopted a specific position, philosophy, or set of beliefs regarding the fundamental values or principles, is an important thing to be used as the basis for business decision making. Moreover, if managers keep labor Market discrimination, it would lead to society chaotic and harm the society. Therefore, managers should bear the social responsibility to reduce discrimination. Another point that supports an organization to become socially responsible is that when a company being socially responsible, which means that the company has long-term goals. Company should higher the quality of a product to benefit customers to provide a better quality of life (Samli, 1992, p.12). The real example about this is The Body Shop. Although The Body Shop is looking for the profit, they still very concern about the environment. They use goods that not give bad impact on the environment. The product that the body shop sells is more expensive than others because they use the materials that do not give bad impact to the environment. As a result, people still buy their product because people know that they choose the right product. More expensive but in their product, it cant be found anything that can damage their self and more important damage the environment. As we have seen, by being socially responsible, the firm can gain long-run profit and improve the companys public image (Davis, et al., 1988, p. 37). In short, it can be seen that being socially responsible and following ethical corporate culture is much more profitable. But, since not all the companies have ethical corporate culture, there are some policies or practices that can be worked to encourage it. Firstly, the company should provide some training for the new and current employee because with the training activities it will make all the employee know about the culture and can adapt with the organizations culture. Secondly, the company should punish the person who do not obey or perform appropriate with the culture and give respect to the person who perform and do the culture. With that  punishment and respect the employee will think that obey the culture is important. Third, the leaders in the company have to do the culture, so the employee can follow the leader to do the culture. Senior management needs to zealous avoid any decision or action that could reasonably be expected to communicate selfish motive for imposing a n ethics philosophy, system, or measurement on employees (www.centeronline.org/knowledge/article.cfm?ID=2431). In conclusion, social responsibility is an important element for a company to success. Social responsibility brings company reputation followed by higher profit. Those firms having social responsibility can improve peoples quality of life and their health. It can also stable the society from chaotic. Therefore, managers should follow regulations and work ethically with the consideration of societys well-being. Briefly, if one company is concerned about the ethical corporate culture which means that the company and the employee know what is right and wrong and know how to behave in the company. Thus, in one company it is very important to have ethical corporate culture.

Architectural Style of the Rockefeller Tower

Architectural Style of the Rockefeller Tower Abstract Skyscraper is a vertical small town rising in the sky with thousands of people who work in. And hundreds of thousands more who experience it and subrogate every day. According to (Renzo Piano 2000) tall buildings are firm and cocky symbols of power and ego. The Rockefeller had almost the same approach as Piano 90 years ago. John D Rockefeller had a vision to build a top of the rock monument to Manhattan, and to be his greatest gift for the people of New York. His vision began in 1928 when he least a land from Colombia University in the heart of Manhattan. The land intended to house the metropolitan Opera House. But unfortunately in 1929 a disaster struck in the nation economies. Thousands of men and women lost their savings and their jobs, and people were desperate for work. John D Rockefeller was the resolver, he decided to build the tower and the city he called his own will rise again. In 1930 the construction of the Rockefeller center began, and the project has engaged 75000 men a nd women to work to support their families. Upon its accomplish in 1939, the Rockefeller center became the largest private structure in the modern history. It lives in legend, the mark of a civilization greatest achievement at this time. The tower is no longer a dream center of the art, its a complex were all New Yorkers conjugate. Were business is transacted, were strangers meet, friends and families unite. From the top deck of the Tower, is the ultimate full-film of the Rockefellers dream. New York rose again, to become the acme of the global culture in commerce. The center became an epicenter of community in the heart of New York. Top the rock is more than a breath taking view of Manhattan, it is a testament of the power of this city. The vibrancy of its community, the splendor of its culture and the magnificent diversity of its people. The essay will investigate the Rockefeller tower in details, its architecture and programme. Looking if the building is harmoniously friendly and coherent with the city and in context. Its a city within a city and one of the early skyscrapers of the 20th century and a significant icon of New York. The Seventy stories structure has changed the life of the city. INTRODUCTION By the time the new century began, New York was a city in the process not simply of change but nearly of alchemy. The invention of the elevator in 1853 and the steel framed construction method that was developed in the early 1880s were the most obvious propulsive. The visible forms of a city is created by its architecture and its environment. At the beginning of the twentieth century a city like New York was in the process to define itself and its identity. Over the years Manhattan was testing the type and the form of its vertical style of architecture. First example with the Woolworth building in 1910 and then twenty years later the birth of the Rockefeller center in 1930. Its the example of New Yorks greatest monumental skyscraper that was proclaimed as a national monument in 1987. It was the right time for some development to happen to refresh the economic depression after a nine years crash in 1920s. The project employed almost 75,000 workers, the impact of a massive undertaking was felt even more on the citys morale boosted by Rockefellers smart move. Construction of the original complex began in 1931, and ended in 1939. The site was subsequently enlarged by the construction of the Esso (now Warner Communication) building in 1946 and by the (Manufacturers Hanover) building 1950. Both of these structures were designed in harmony with the complex of the Rockefeller Centers architects. Few years later the complex has been extended with new buildings on the west side of Sixth Avenue but not related to the historic core. Its one of the most prestigious mixed used complexes in New York and America. The project was a result of many architects collaboration, the most familiar one is Raymond Hood. Hood was one of the distinguished skyscraper architects of the Americas Metropolitan era. After graduating from MIT, Hood decided traveling to Paris to resume his studies at the Ecole de Beaux Arts. His rise to prominence came as the result of his victory in the international competition of Chicago Tribune Building in 1922 when he was forty years old. After his huge success and a lot of tall buildings under his belt, he was commissioned by John D Rockefeller to work on one of the biggest projects in New York, the Rockefeller center. Hood was the head of the associated architects who worked on the project. Including Harvey Corbett, William H.Macmurray, Wallace Harrison and Hennery Holfmeister. Both Corbett and Harrison studied as at the Ecole de Beaux Arts. And Harrison was very involved in the design work especially after the death of Raymond Hood in 1934. The structure conferred Raymond hood, with the possibility to make one of the best projects of 1930s artistic movement of urban style. John D. Rockefeller was familiar with the clef of the economic actuality in building modern structures. He was looking for architects to explore their full potential of the artistic movement, not tied up to the monotony of architectural modernism. What the Rockefeller center needed is nice attractive plan as much as possible with pure looking exteriors. These specifications were suited nicely with the art deco style, with the advantage of a hopeful architecture that appeared clearly in the Rockefeller tower. The RCA tower The architectural design of the tower was the result of many conditioning factors. On the most primitive level was the accommodation of varied tenant recruitments and the maximum utilization of available land. The architects had considerable freedom in determining the mass of their tower. The solution was the integration of three different buildings into a single structure. With more than 1,000 feet long which spans the full block between the Rockefeller plaza and Sixth Avenue. The coherence results from the limited palette of material and architectural vocabulary. All the buildings are covered with buff colored, Indiana limestone cladding with gray aluminum spandrels in the skyscraper. All have two-over one steel sash recessed slightly behind flat piers to produce a significantly cohesive impression of the precinct as a virtually one structure. The RCA building includes three different types of spandrels, all of which have a delicate Gothic arcades behind. Stepped vertically ridged spandrels appear on the buildings lateral setbacks and at the top of the NBC studios. Leaf clusters rendered in an angular version of the art nouveau style appear in a two eyelet above the setbacks. The building is terminated with similar leafy spandrels, but with four eyelets. Lewis Mumford (A historian of the 20th century) considered these spiky terminations and the arcaded balustrade behind, as no more than architectural tension. The balustrade is usually attributed to Rockefellers preference for Gothic. The leaves however might well derive from the admiration of the Egyptian architecture. Some weight is given to this by the frequent appearance of the Lotusin the centers bronze screens. In the timeless monumentality of the Rockefeller center is the entrance to the building which recalls such a geometric structures and symmetry as at Temple Deir El Baharyof Ancient Egypt. Also the aluminum spandrels were practical as well as decorative features that weighed and cost less than stone. They surmount the buildings 5,817 windows creating a significant decorative pattern within the whole exterior. One of the things that Hood learned during his studies at Ecole de Beaux Arts that the first principle in effective urban composition was the axial plan. Which means a street or boulevard or even a formal garden surrounded by harmonious structures that leads to a clearly defined focal point. So pedestrians are guided through the passage, animating the scene and contributing to the pleasure of the city life. By far the promenade or channel gardens created at the margin of the Rockefeller center, follows the principal of the axial plan. A steeply pedestrian corridors from the East West extends the ambience of Fifth Avenue into the heart of the complex. The RCA West The RCA building west, is a sixteen story extension of the RCA tower that its construction began four month after the 31 story RKO building (now 1270 Avenue of the Americas) to its north. The building served as a backdrop to the Rockefeller center which is oriented to Fifth Avenue, but as the corporate front of the complex. It also shares the same materials and unique four eyelet leafy spandrels at roof levels. The RCA west is distinguished by the fact that its faà §ade rises sheer from the sidewalk and by the stepping back of its faà §ade around two low-rise corner properties. The Elevators Cores One of main factors that conditioned the Rockefeller centers design was the New York Building code and the introduction of new elevators whose high speed reduce the number required for the building service. Actually the tower stood in marked contrast to most contemporaneous skyscrapers were zoning setbacks created a wedding cake effect. The architects were required to group high speed elevators into the center of the tower and ring the center with corridors and offices that surround it on each floor. The architects came up with the solution of grouping elevators on both sides of the corridor which totally eliminate the wedding cake effect. In addition to those regulations that all lifts servicing the building should have a setback from the main streets. The pure geometry of the Rockefellers functional slab was paradoxically distributed by Raymond Hoods desires to give full rational expression. After a big controversy debates between the associated architects, Hood finally succeed in introducing setbacks at each point of elevator elimination. And cutting out all the unnecessary spaces left and letting the building stand on its own. The progressive narrowing of the building mass maintained the 27  ½ foot relationship of offices to building core and clearly expressed the decreased number of elevators required for the upper floors. 42 at ground level narrowing to ten on the 53rd floor. The functional expressions on both the north and the south sides of the RCA building and the setbacks are pure romance on its east faà §ade where their primary function is to dramatize the soaring 850 foot tapered shaft. Ventilation and Illumination John D.Rockefeller had the intentions to build a high quality business spaces. He insisted that all offices doesnt exceed a 27 feet from a window. The main idea was to maximize the amount of daylight and air to be able to penetrate the building. The sixteen story building in the west of the RCA is benefiting with much less light, its almost unpenetrated by daylight. This space is less desirable for office space, it has perfectly fitted NBCs broadcasting studios which needed no windows or any natural light. They needed a large amounts of horizontal layered spaces, the technical details of this unit were specially exacting. In order to insure soundproofing all the studios units were designed with floating insolated walls, floors and ceilings suspended and insulated from the buildings structural frame. They operate twenty six casting studios in the building, with six auditions rooms. One studio is the largest in the world, will be more than three stories high. The studios surrounds a central control room that will be used for complicated productions. One studio for the actors, one for the orchestra and one for the sound effects. This plan of grouping several studios around the central control room, is admirably adaptable. In anticipation of the imminent application of TV technology, NBC conceives the entire block as a single electronic arena that can transmit itself via airwaves into the home of every citizen. The nerve center of an electronic community that would congregate at the Rockefeller center without being there, its the first structure that can be broadcast. This part of the building was a dream, its a media city within a 70 story building, a new instruments of pervasive culture that simply broadcast life. The Sunken Plaza The genesis of Rockefeller Centers sunken plaza dates back to 1927 when Benjamin Wistar Morris was commissioned to prepare designs for the Metropolitan Opera Company. After a trip to Europe where he studied opera designs and such famous Piazzas as the one in front of St.Peters in Rome. Morris argued that the success of the entire project depends on the amount of increased revenue obtainable due to the creation of an open square. The sunken plaza is lactated in front of the RCA building from the east side at Fifth Avenue. A rectangular plaza about 18 feet below ground level. Having made the decent, strollers had the option of entering the shopping concourse or retracing their steps in an uphill direction. As the architects realized most people would avoid the last option. Other stairways were provided along the rear facades of the French and British buildings but these were designed as subsidiary passages. Aside from the open space itself, the Plazas focal point is Paul Manships bronze statue of Prometheus. Which illuminated at night dominated the center a gray granite rectangular fountain. 18 feet high and weighs around eight tons. The sculpture is covered by more than a pound of gold leaf. The plaza is one of the most distinguished achievements of modern urban design. Together with the channel gardens to its east and the private road (Rockefeller Plaza) to its west, it provides nearly two acres of open space in the dense congestion of midtown Manhattan. Rooftop Gardens The introduction of rooftop gardens was one of Raymond Hoods poetic contributions. One which like the building setbacks was a paradoxical outgrowth of his functionalism. Convinced that building from should evolve from interior requirements and not from the exterior appearance. Hood designed for the tenant not for the passer-by on the street. Rooftop landscaping is not a loss of commercial space, they enhance rental values by improving the quality of the visible environment and nature. The gardens were concessions to the office workers who looked down from the skyscraper windows onto what otherwise would have been an unsightly sprawl of neglected roofs. There is a various types of gardens on the rooftops, including vegetable, rock and modern gardens as well as one for children. Inspired by the international theories of such architects as Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius, this combination of gardens and architecture of the RCA building was quite unique in modern times. Hood also was thi nking financially not only architecturally, since the project theme is to maximize the rental values of spaces, he considered all the offices overlooking the rooftop landscape as a financial asset. Higher rents could be charged for these offices as they are more benefiting from a nice greenery view through their windows. Does the Rockefeller executed all wishes? According to Rem Koolhaas the Rockefeller center has fulfill all the Manhattans desires. Prettiness, utility and service were all combined in one tremendous project that has totally changed the life of the city. The Rockefeller center collected different values, the balance of Greek architecture, the retaining flavor of Babylons magnificence, and the continued qualities of mass and strength of the Romans, as Koolhaas mentioned in (Delirious New York 1978). The vertical form of the whole ensemble was meant to symbolize humanitys progress toward new frontiers, a dear theme to Rockefeller, who sought to advance that cause through his charities. The city is not a single existence, its a combination of many layers that integrates together to formulate the city. These layers includes the architecture with the people that occupies it, the streets, landscaping and monuments. All of these aspects creates the concept of an urban city. In New York, the skyscraper adopts the same concept of the numerous strata but in a different way. Rem Koolhaas described it with the word schism in his book (Delirious New York 1978). Which means a skyscraper consists of many layers that are not connected to each other creating an unlike form of interior urbanism. All together in one single structure that work independently and detached from the city. This concept is called a skyscraper which best described as a city within a city. Raymond Hood believe passionately in the virtues of congestion, the balance between congestion and order. Hood was more pragmatic and willing to have a city that embraced contradictions and differences. What he wanted is to have great tall towers and smaller buildings as well. He envisioned a set-back shape for skyscraper, something that as we have now come lately to realize, was probably the best way to integrate great height and a good form. For Hood, traditions mean nothing to him, he was fascinated by the concept of an architect designed urban future and believed that skyscrapers should be the defining structure and the citys future. Raymond Hoods faith and hopes in the future of tall buildings, that are widely spaced, afforded both advantages of dense and concentration and efficient traffic circulation. He was described as a brilliant bad boy. Hood remained free of any theoretical literary attached to styles, so he went after strong design inhabiting misconceptions about what an architect should be doing. My Argument After the completion of the Rockefeller center, people saw it as a huge success. As it presented a new means of solving the problem of skyscraper congestion. Its not only about the image or the power of the high rise buildings, but the relationship between these structures and the urban composition of a city. As skyscrapers looks nice and tall, they also negatively impact on the city. Crating problems relating to the land, the traffic flow light and air. According to Daniel Okrent in his book (Great Fortune 2003) the skyscraper was nothing more than a machine makes the land pay. The vertical style of architecture that for a centuries had belonged exclusively to the exaltation of the church could now be adapted to the needs of commerce by the transformation power of technology. By the end of the twentieth century, New York has been transformed to a frightful forests of stone and steel high rise structures germinating in Manhattan. Especially in downtown where narrow streets were now s hrunken and shadowed by parallel rows of skyscrapers. When you walk down in Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue you can realize how scary is to be surrounded by tall buildings, Rockefeller Center on your right, facing 1221 Avenue of the Americas by R.Hood, and the Olympic Tower etc. When you look at the Rockefeller center, you can see the prettiness of the design and like Koolhaas described it in (Delirious New York 1978) Beauty, utility, dignity and service are combined in one project. Aside from Koolhaas opinion, I think if you are standing in Sixth Avenue and looking up, you might not be able to see the sky. Because of a three mountain chunks intersecting in one huge structure rising up, which at some point you cant see its end and you start losing the sense of scale. Which was the encouragement of the developer to the architects to utilize their full potential in determining the volume of the tower. As resulting of a gigantic building that even after it was completed, they were struggling at some point to fill many floors with new tenants. The idea of making a sunken plaza was brilliant, a new way of creating a gathering space inspired from the European architecture such as Place Vendome in Paris and the St.Peters square in Rome. But here at the Rockefeller, I think it has failed, for two reasons. First it was unable to retain the intended retail tenants. The main idea was to increase the amount of revenue which didnt happened. Also when you decent 18 feet below ground level, you feel yourself drowning and strangled by the hulking structures that surround you. The sunken plaza shouldnt be sunken it was supposed to be the contrary, a rising plaza with a nice view and a connection with the urbanism rather than an obscured one. The purpose of the glass windows that covers the Rockefeller center is to maximize the amount of natural daylight and ventilation within the office spaces. Nowadays almost a quarter of the building is unpenetrated with light, as a result of super-scaled buildings that became a trend in the 20th and its clear appearance in the urban of New York, especially Manhattan. The consequences led to a negative impact on the city, the 70 stories block is brooding shadow darkening the streets and antagonistic the nature. Conclusion I think the Rockefeller center has affected the normal routine of the city somehow. Its not only about how big or tall or stunning the building is, its what this enormous tower can offer to the city in a friendly way. The main aspects of any architectural developments is how it could use the full potential to be consistent and coherent with the vernacular of the city. This kind of connection and relationship that merges with the urbanization of the city is really important and shouldnt be avoided or ignored. The case here of the Rockefeller center is the contrary, it didnt really succeeded to offer these qualities. A seventy story skyscraper that isolated itself from the city ignoring all the values and meanings of a cohesive and intimate architecture. A complex that tried to separate a hundreds and thousands of people from the circumference and the city life. Aside from the nice exterior looking, if you look at the architectural qualities you can see that some of it failed and didnt worked well and efficiently. The gigantic volume of the tower without a defined reason, the sunken plaza that looks like an obscure hollow with no natural light and air, and many other things. The consequences of Manhattans skyline architecture became a jungle of super-scaled buildings that negatively impacted on the city, according to Daniel Okrent it was an architecture of brutality (Great Fortune 2004).

The Rise of Civilization :: World History

The Rise of Civilization Essay: Explain the rise of Civilization and include 3 basic features. A civilization is the starting point of a society. Civilizations have existed for millions of years and are the basic unit of structure for a society. Civilizations were the base of great societies such as Egypt and Rome. If not for civilizations these societies would not have flourished or even existed. A civilization is compiled of eight features. 1. Cities 2. Well-Organized Central Government 3. Complex Religions 4. Job Specialization 5. Social Classes 6. Arts and Architecture 7. Public Works 8. Writings Cities are the central feature of a civilization. The first cities emerged shortly after farmers began cultivating fertile lands along river valleys and producing surplus foods. These surpluses allowed the population to expand. As population grew, some villages expanded into cities. These cities rose independently in the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The conditions of river valleys favored farming in these and other such river valleys. Floodwater spread silt across the valley renewing the soil and keeping it fertile. Animals that drank from the river were also a source of food. The river also supplied the people with a regular source of drinking water and the means of transportation. However rivers also posed challenges. Farmers had to control flooding and channel waters to the fields. Early farmers built dikes, dug canals and also made irrigation ditches. Such projects required leadership and a well-organized government. A government was required to lead the people and aid in organizing a city. City governments were far more powerful than the council of elders and local chiefs of farming villages. At first, Priest probably had the greatest. In time, warrior kings came to power as chief political leaders. They soon set themselves up as the chief hereditary ruler and passed their power from father to son. Governments soon became more complex as rulers issued laws, collected taxes, and organizes systems of defense. To enforce order, rulers relied on royal officials. Over time, government bureaucracies evolved. Almost always rulers claimed their power came from god or divine right. These rulers then gained religious power as well.

Background of the Story Essay

In a much lighter context, Giovanni’s room tries to intricately explain the reasons behind men becoming gays. The matter, discussed through experiential accounts brings the story into a more emotional presentation of the issue thus creating a more attractive environment of understanding for the readers to indulge into. Aside from this, the story written by James Baldwin also aims to reiterate the psychological background of the reasons behind the personality changes that are happening among men and how the situations in their lives particularly affect their decisions and their relationships. The story begins in a narration of the main character, David, as he describes Giovanni’s room. Giovanni is primarily one among the few men whom David had been deeply involved with. The room of Giovanni has been described to have been always dark and less lighted. Perhaps signing about the privacy and the intimacy that the room represents, Giovanni’s room remains to be an ideal depiction of the relationships between men that occurred in that specific place in the story. As the story goes on to, David’s character shows a particular confusion in his gender especially with regards his relationships with both men and women. Basing from his background, it could be observed that he has been rather placed in that particular situation especially based from the past experiences that he has been dealing with as he grew towards his maturity that both involved the relationship of his mother and his father. From the said background, it could be noted that being a gay or being a bisexual, as the story suggests on the main character, could simply be sourced out from having a less guiding father thus making him more vulnerable to life challenges especially with regards gender issues. A Social Connotation of the Story UNTIL 1861 homosexuality was an offense punishable by death in England. In fact, the possibility of imprisonment for homosexual acts was not lifted there until as recently as 1967. Many other Western countries have a similar history. In recent years, however, laws and attitudes have greatly changed. In California, by way of example, a candidate for San Francisco’s office of mayor promised to appoint homosexual to city boards and commissions in proportion to their share of the population, estimated at about 15 percent. As a result, homosexuals gave her their support at the polls. Men and women prominent in public life can now be homosexuals quite openly. Many clergymen are self-confessed â€Å"gays,† freely advocating such a way of life. Homosexuality no longer is viewed by many as having the stigma it used to have. It has achieved a degree of â€Å"respectability. † Since the First World War, the authority of the priests and clergy of Christendom has been challenged. People are no longer willing to accept without question what the churches say. They have demanded greater freedom, especially as far as morality is concerned. Why, then, do people become homosexuals? What is behind the ever-increasing surge in their numbers? There is hardly an issue that has been more hotly contested in recent years. The Roman Catholic report mentioned earlier comments: â€Å"Most young people appear to pass through a phase when the homosexual tendency is dominant; but the emotional growth can be halted at this stage. † Teen-age years are years of stress. Young boys and girls often find it difficult to relate to one another without embarrassment at that time of life. So we often see polarization—groups composed exclusively of boys or of girls. Most are able to make the necessary adjustments and achieve a balance in sexual life. Sadly, however, there are many pitfalls. Commenting on some of these, the secretary of the Responsible Society in England said: â€Å"We are very worried about the strident proselytizing going out to teenagers from militant homosexual campaigners. There is overwhelming evidence in the American Masters and Johnson survey that homosexuality is learned behavior. † High schools and universities are a natural ground for such development. The Little Blue Book passed to Oxford, England, students has this to say: â€Å"Many gays ‘come out’ (i. e. start being open about being gay) when they are at college or university. Leaving home perhaps for the first time, is often an escape from certain pressure and expectations. Furthermore students tend to be more tolerant and open-minded towards homosexuals, at least on a superficial level. † Scotland’s Glasgow University’s free guide to ‘gay sex,’ entitled â€Å"Gay Scene,† offers the following advice: â€Å"If you find that you are sexually attracted to people of the same sex as yourself, the best thing to do is to accept it. † One incensed parent is reported as saying: â€Å"There are many young students who could be corrupted by this sort of material. † In other words—homosexuality can be prevented, just as it can be learned. There is one additional aspect of homosexuality that is often pushed into the background. It concerns the incidence of venereal diseases among homosexuals. How serious is this problem? VD clinics in England get an unexpectedly high rate of homosexuals. Said one health visitor: â€Å"I think that’s because they are more promiscuous, making more casual encounters than other people. † Bearing out this fact as a worldwide problem, in New York city 55 percent of the cases of infectious syphilis in 1977 occurred among homosexual males. Free-lance medical writer Terry Alan Sandholzer reported: â€Å"Syphilis in gay men has been estimated to account for as high as 50 percent of reported cases in large cities and about a third of the cases nationally. † Surely that is a high price to pay for sexual â€Å"liberation. † As homosexuality has come out into the open, so there has been a concerted effort to impart a new image to the practice. The word â€Å"homosexual,† with its accent on â€Å"sex,† has been viewed disapprovingly. Into prominence instead is the term â€Å"gay. † The Concise Oxford Dictionary notes that this word, used in this sense, is a euphemism, a mild word substituted for a harsh or direct one. The same can be said of â€Å"homophilia† and â€Å"homophile,† as sometimes used. If one were going to enter the homosexual world, then it would be wise to face the facts about VD in that world. Certainly, as the story of Giovanni’s room displays the actual life of homosexual, it could not be denied that such course of life has its consequences. Likely, such course of life, even though sourced out from a primary confusion, it could not be denied that it simply cannot be lived without the counteracting results that such acts brings about to the individual involved in the said situation. A Reflection Based on Other Writings Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Self Reliance and Khaleid Housinni’s Kite Runner could be well connected to the social description of the story of Giovanni’s room. At some point, the authors of the said selections choose to show the human society as a primary source of distress that affects the life of most human individuals. Self-reliance particularly notes how people resort to certain acts so as to survive several challenges in life that they face every now and then. In the same way, the story of the Kite Runner notes the fact that people are indeed in direct receiver of the situations that are happening in the society. The way that they are able to face such issues, whether personal or social, is the reflecting element that usually identifies who they are and what they particularly believe in. (Housinni, 2003, 18) Obviously, such idealism in personal development is derived from a rather psychological perspective that identifies social and personal sociology to be particularly connected with each other. How could this idealism be observed in particular? The naturalistic approach in observation could then be further applied. This fundamental research methodology is known to divulge and aid the psychologist in his or her critical analysis of the human behavior and characteristics while in socially acceptable public domain in his or her course of interacting with other individuals in their aspect of addressing their sociological needs. In this aspect of human interaction, psychologist try to significantly analyze the human nature as shown by their actions both involving the verbal and non-verbal communication style and how individuals manifest their motives while adhering to the social values and cultures pertaining to public communication. Naturalistic observation is commonly an actual observation of subjects mainly while they are in their course of social interaction specifically while they are in the public place. In the course of implementing this method, the researcher must also observe social values and cultural manners thus preventing any offensive act during the observation. In addition, the concept of personal privacy and inappropriate intrusion should also be constantly observed while the researcher is observing the subjects. All of these limitations must be implemented while the researcher observed the subjects in an isolated nature keeping his or her presence unnoticed and ideally absent to the personal space of the subject during their interaction. (Houssini, 2003, 18) The only aspect to be focused on in this project is the psychological behavior of the subject as manifested by their very intricate details such as gestures, voice, reaction, facial expression and impression and others. If applied within the situation of David in Giovanni’s room along with the other selections, it could be observed that humans particularly show who they are with the things that they choose to engage in with their daily activities. The people they mingle with also characterizes their personal attributes thus giving a reflection of their past and how they have been particularly molded by the experiences that they have been dealing with at present. Among the most compelling relation of the stories towards each other are the death of the supposed partner [lover; Giovanni and brother; Hassan] characters who for some reason had the chance of living but had to let go to let their counterparts live. Undeniably, the removal of their character within the said stories aim to press on with the possibility of those whom they left to change their ways thus create a much better life for them. However, with either a false or faithful hope that this would happen, the ones that they left to live actually made it through life with lies and pretentious acts still living within the secrets that they once kept back when they still had both Hassan and Giovanni in their lives. The contemporary life of human individuals has indeed caused a much easier process of concealing what they really are inside. Just to be able to secure themselves from all the possible insecurities that the society might imply on them, many among men and women today intend to pretend someone who they are not simply to be accepted by others. The fear of being rejected and bemused by those closest to them makes them fearful of the possible things that may happen of they open up to others the reality of their identity as a person. This indeed is an indication of fear due to social norms. If negatively taken, as seen on both stories, this particular aspect of living with the society would only bring one towards the foolish happiness that is brought about by being falsely accepted by the community that one particularly lives in. A Connection with the Kite Runner The whole theme of the story of â€Å"The Kite Runner† revolved around the lives of two young children who were from different classes of the society. Social prejudice of the economic status of people has been the main reason why the problem of diversity in Afghanistan has risen as portrayed in the story. This factor indeed contributed so much to the story’s complication, which resulted to the guilt driven emotions of the main character Amir, when he was not able to come to the rescue of his friend Hassan. In this story, a clear display of the society’s major problem on prejudice and equality has been shown. Concentrating on the more personally based assessment of the situation as portrayed by Amir, the social problems depicted in the story makes it easier to understand why people take lesser courage in making a change in the present social situation, be guilty later on and then set goals in making a change in a less complex and fearful way. Yes, in a concise display of events, the author tried to help the reader’s picture out the most important events of the situation that would likely connect the story with the intense effect of social diversity to individuals in the society. The consequences are shown to be much dreadful enough to keep a person from moving on with his own life, because of the fact that the lack of courage that drives a person to ignore the things that are supposed to be done by him in the first place. Certainly, an inner healing is necessary for certain situations such as this. It is normal for a person to feel down from not being able to complete or live up to a certain self-expectation. However, inner healing is not that easy to find. As for the main character of the story, it could be noted that the healing of his conscience mainly came form the fact that he had to come back to Afghanistan to find his find with a plan of making it up to him in any way he could. Although he was not able to do the said task as he has expected things to come along, he was still able to help himself regain his clear conscience through helping the son of his friend Hassan to have a change of life under his care. As it could be noted, the story was plotted to show the deeper individual effects of the social differences among men as well as the effects of war on relationships between people. The existence of such issues has made the characters reflect the actual situation of individuals in the society especially focusing on the Afghanistan society. (Howard, 2003, Internet) One more them of the story, which should be given attention, is the picture of reality portrayed by Amir. His lack of courage in doing things that they know should be done is a problem by many people today. Although they know that something within their power could change several situations in the society, their fear of several elements in the society keeps them from doing any courageous change. This was shown when Amir failed to save his friend Hassan from the hands of the bully, Assef. As a result, his conscience has not made him completely relieved from moving away from Afghanistan ever since. Instead, he was continuously haunted by the past and the things that he was supposed to do for his friend (Kirszner, 2001, 90). At the same picture, several people today find it difficult to forget the past especially the situations that involves them with the things that they were supposed to do and yet they did not have much of the courage that it takes for them to do it. As a way of relieving the pain brought about by the past, people tend to find ways in which they could still change what happened. As for the situation of Amir, he tried to return to Afghanistan to supposedly make it up with Hassan. As it could be noted from the overview of the story, although Amir was not able to make it up to his half brother Hassan, he was able to clear his conscience by taking care of the son of Hassan instead. In the same way, people today find a way to heal their aching hearts through returning back to what has happened in the past and later on try to change things for the people that they were supposed o help before. This way, their conscience is then cleared off from the shortcomings that they incurred against others before. As mentioned earlier, people tend to get hurt from many things. Usually, their experiences of several different situations they have been involved with, brings them the discouragement that they ought to feel after not being able to do what they were supposed to. This then brings them several psychological disturbances that keep them from moving on freely with their lives. The fear of doing what they should have done before might have been governed by several factors in the society that kept them from being able to complete their supposed tasks before (Hill, 2000, Internet). Certainly, because of the said elements, doing what is right might not have been that easy. Aside from this, it is quite easier to understand that the situation is harder to deal with when it is happening at the actual time. The lack of time to think things over makes it harder for a person to realize what should be immediately done to solve some things (Coon, 2001, 54,55). This is naturally what happened to Amir upon seeing the bully beat his friend. Along with fear and panic, he was not able to come up with the possible solution that he was supposed to apply during the said situation. People tend to lack courage when they are faced with the actual crisis. However, after some time of thinking things over, they begin to realize that there could have been better results if they did have the courage to do their ethical responsibilities regarding the situation. What is meant by redemption and healing? Naturally, this means recovery from any possible scourge that has been experienced by one in the past. Being healed, means being able to cure what has been causing one the pain that is felt in an emotional state as for this matter (Coon, 20001, 56). Hence, healing does not only involve mere mind works. It has to involve actions that would help the individual free himself from the guilt that he is feeling from within his conscience. Basing from how the main character tried to resolve his personal issues regarding his past shortcomings against his friend, coming back to the origin of his guilt feelings has helped him realize the possibility for him to clear his conscience from the guilt that has mainly plagued his thoughts for a long time. As for the present situation of the society, to redeem themselves from the psychological and emotional disturbances brought about by the past, people opt to find ways by which they can still change things even though the change may not be done directly to the people they have once failed to help (Coon, 2001, 58). The changes that this certain courageous act by an individual that naturally results to betterment of many or even of a few would then help that individual to regain his clean conscience thus clearing him from all the guilt that has been keeping him from moving on with his life before. Several issues that divide it to several classes govern the society today. Aside from the race, economic status makes it harder for an individual to deal with the society in a fair way. Yes, today, the main reason why people tend to separate themselves from others is the existence of social prejudice. What is prejudice? According to the article entitled, â€Å"They found the solution to the problem of race†: â€Å"Education is the key to ending present condition of prejudice. When this key is missing, prejudice often results. Prejudice is a prejudgment, a judgment arrived at before persons have really examined the evidence regarding the matter involved. Then, because of their prejudice, they are inclined to discriminate against others. (Awake! 1999, 14) Certainly, the social division makes it harder for people to deal with each other in a fair way. In the same way, the governments and the non-government organizations, which are supposed to give answers to the said social issues, have a hard time finding ways by which they would be able solve the disturbances. As a result, they have to deal with the guilt that they gain from not being able to give answers to the most important issues in the human society. To be able to clear their guilt, they tend to solve the issues after several years when the pressure on the issue is already lessened and the attention of the society towards the issue has already been shifted to other problems (Coon, 2001, 60). Prejudice however remains to be the main reason why people are having a hard time dealing with a divided society. Basing from actual accounts in the society, prejudice is a major problem that makes it harder for people to find peace and security in their own communities. As it has been portrayed in the story of the â€Å"Kite Runner†, the divisive culture of people cannot be easily dealt with. As a result, more roots of social issues arise from the very said social illness. It is a responsibility of everyone else in the society to face the challenge of acting against the effects of prejudice. By being completely free from the thoughts of being superior from others should help everyone realize that they have to stand for their fellowmen when they are faced with the oppression of prejudice like that of the situation between Hassan and Amir in the story. For this reason, it would be more possible for people to avoid the guilt of not being able to complete their responsibilities to their fellowmen. Healing and redemption is an essential part of the society’s recovery from the effects of social prejudice. Individuals who have been naturally involved in the deeper effects of the said social issues are the ones who are supposed to find ways by which they could be able to handle their inner distress brought about by social inequalities. Changing how the world views not everyone with differences in an unequal manner may be that easy to deal with, but a single person’s courage of taking the lead to make a change on how people deal with prejudice is a great step towards a fairer society that does not divide society based on several classes of differences. Conclusion The readings featured within this analysis actually note the social issues that are primarily making up the human population today. Naturally, such particular issues have subjected many into a certain situation that caused them to readjust their thoughts with regards the people that they meet with every now and then in their own communities. Considerably, such situation causes many to be subjected to several pretensions that they need to do, just to keep the reality of their personalities. Understandably though, there are some individuals who suffer deeply from this particular situation, some who are less able to adjust themselves to the living that society actually demands of them. For so many reasons, facing these particular situations require that one be most capable of showing who he really is even in the middle of adversaries. Being strongly attached to one’s own personal being and identity actually makes one more susceptible to the different challenges of human living, This would then allow them of becoming the best person that they can even in the middle of hard situations. This is what is being implanted to the thoughts of the readers through the narration of the stories of Amir and David as well as that of the statements of Ralph Waldo Emerson. These writings actually make it certain that people are directly affected by the situations that they are facing everyday. Undeniably, they are given the chance to react considerably in the process pf change in life. This is actually a matter of change and learning. Sometimes though, the learning in this process actually involves other people who are at times subjected into being involved in the lesser state of the relationship among the ones who are facing the dreadful situation of pretension. However, their existence, although lesser is indeed noted of its importance to those whom they shared their lives with. References: Ralph Waldo Emerson: Self-Reliance (1841). http://www. wsu. edu/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_2/emerson. html. (June 30, 2008). James Baldwin. (2000). Giovanni’s Room. Delta Publications. Khaled Hosseini. (2003). The Kite Runner. Riverhead Books. Austen, Roger (1977). Playing the Game: The Homosexual Novel in America, 1st ed. , Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Company. ISBN 978-067252287X. Guidelines for Psychotherapy With Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients. http://www. apa. org/practice/glbt. pdf. (July 3, 2008). Why is there war. (2000). Awake! Brooklyn New York. They found the solution to the problem of race. (1999). Awake! Brooklyn New York. Hill, Amelia. The Observer. (Sunday September 7, 2003). An Afghan hounded by his past. http://books. guardian. co. uk/reviews/generalfiction/0,6121,1036891,00. html. (July 3, 2008). Howard, Edward. The Servant. (August 3, 2003). The New York Times. http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html? res=9504E0DF123FF930A3575BC0A9659C8B63. (July 3, 2008). Coon, Dennis. (2001). Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to mind and behavior. Thompson Learning Incorporated. Kirszner, Laurie G. (2001) Litterature: reading, reacting and writing. Harcourt College Publishers.

A Medieval Love Story

A Medieval Love Story He was a brilliant scholar at the University of Paris, charismatic, engaging, and handsome. He drew students like moths to his flame, challenging his masters as well as his peers with scintillating displays of logic. His seemingly unshakable core of self-confidence was justified by his talents for dialectic, teaching, and poetry. His name was Pierre Abelard. She was a rare apparition in the cloister of the Paris cathedral: a young woman, still in her teens, pursuing philosophical studies with no evident desire to take the veil.  Though undoubtedly lovely, she was renowned more for her keen mind and her thirst for knowledge than for her beauty. Her name was Heloise. That two such extraordinary individuals in the same academic world should find one another seems inevitable. That their eloquent expressions of love should have survived for us in their own words is a rare gift of history. That tragedy should await them makes their story all the more poignant.1 The Pursuit of Love While Abelard surely caught sight of Heloise at some time in the busy academic scene of Paris, there were no social occasions on which they were likely to meet. He was occupied with his studies and university life; she was under the protection of her Uncle Fulbert, a canon at the cathedral. Both turned away from frivolous social pastimes in favor of a happy absorption with philosophy, theology, and literature. But Abelard, having reached his thirties without ever knowing the joys of romantic or physical love, had decided he wanted such an experience. He approached this course with his usual logic: It was this young girl whom I, after carefully considering all those qualities which are wont to attract lovers, determined to unite with myself in the bonds of love... 2 Canon Fulbert was known to care deeply for his niece; he recognized her academic ability and wanted the best education that could be provided for her. This was Abelards route into his house and confidence. Claiming the upkeep of a home of his own was too expensive and interfered with his studies, the scholar sought to board with Fulbert in exchange for a small fee and, more significantly, for providing instruction to Heloise. Such was Abelards reputation not only as a brilliant teacher but as a trustworthy individual that Fulbert eagerly welcomed him into his home and entrusted him with the education and care of his niece. I should not have been more smitten with wonder if he had entrusted a tender lamb to the care of a ravenous wolf... Learning of Love We were united first in the dwelling that sheltered our love, and then in the hearts that burned with it. There is no way to know what entreaties or wiles Abelard used to seduce his student. Heloise may very well have loved him from the moment they met. The force of his personality, his razor-sharp mind, and his handsome demeanor undoubtedly resulted in an irresistible combination for a young woman. Not yet twenty, she had no hint of how she and her uncle had been manipulated, and she was at just the right age to see Abelards presence in her life as ordained by Fate or by God. Moreover, rarely have two lovers been so suited to each other as Abelard and Heloise. Both attractive, both extremely intelligent, both enraptured with the arts of learning, they shared an intellectual energy that few couples of any age or era have been fortunate enough to know. Yet in these early days of intense desire, learning was secondary. Under the pretext of study we spent our hours in the happiness of love, and learning held out to us the secret opportunities that our passion craved. Our speech was more of love than of the books which lay open before us; our kisses far outnumbered our reasoned words. However base Abelards original intentions had been, he was soon overwhelmed by his feelings for Heloise. Finding his once-beloved studies burdensome, his energy for learning flagged, he delivered uninspired lectures, and his poems now focused on love. It wasnt long before his students deduced what had come over him, and rumors swept Paris of the heated affair. Only Canon Fulbert seemed unaware of the romance that was taking place under his own roof. His ignorance was fostered by his trust in the niece he loved and the scholar he admired. Whispers may have reached his ears, but if so they did not reach his heart. Oh, how great was the uncles grief when he learned the truth, and how bitter was the sorrow of the lovers when we were forced to part! How it happened is not entirely clear, but its reasonable to assume that Fulbert walked in on his niece and his boarder in an extremely private moment. He had ignored the rumors and believed in their good conduct; perhaps it was a direct confrontation with the truth that so drastically affected him. Now, the extent of his fury at the very least matched the extent of the trust he had placed in them both. But physically separating the couple did not quench the flame of their love for one another; on the contrary: The very sundering of our bodies served but to link our souls closer together; the plentitude of the love which was denied to us inflamed us more than ever. And not long after they were parted, Heloise got a message to Abelard: she was pregnant. At the next opportunity, when Fulbert was away from home, the couple fled to Abelards family, where Heloise was to remain until their son was born. Her lover returned to Paris, but fear or awkwardness kept him from attempting to heal the breach with her uncle for several months. The solution seems simple to us now, and would have been simple to most young couples then: marriage. But, although it was not unknown for scholars at the university to wed, a wife and family could be a serious impediment to an academic career. Universities were relatively new systems that had sprung from Cathedral schools, and the one at Paris was renowned for its theological teachings.  The brightest prospects that awaited Abelard resided in the Church; he would be forfeiting the highest possible career by taking a bride. Though he never admits such thoughts kept him from proposing marriage, that they were included among his considerations seem clear when he describes his offer to Fulbert: ... in order to make amends even beyond his extremest hope, I offered to marry her whom I had seduced, provided only the thing could be kept secret, so that I might suffer no loss of reputation thereby. To this he gladly assented... But Heloise was another matter. Love Protests That a young woman in love should balk at marrying the father of her child may seem perplexing, but Heloise had compelling reasons. She was well aware of the opportunities Abelard would be passing up if he tied himself to a family. She argued for his career; she argued for his studies; she argued that such a measure would not truly appease her uncle. She even argued for honor: ... it would be far sweeter for her to be called my mistress than to be known as my wife; nay, too, that this would be more honourable for me as well. In such case, she said, love alone would hold me to her, and the strength of the marriage chain would not constrain us. But her lover would not be dissuaded. Shortly after their son Astrolabe was born, they left him in the care of Abelards family and returned to Paris to be married secretly, with Fulbert among the few witnesses. They parted immediately thereafter, seeing each other only in rare private moments, in order to maintain the fiction that they were no longer involved. Love Denied Heloise had been correct when she had argued that her uncle would not be satisfied by a secret marriage. Though he had promised his discretion, his damaged pride would not let him keep quiet about events. The injury had been a public one; its reparation should also be public. He let word of the couples union get about. When his niece denied the marriage, he beat her. To keep Heloise safe, her husband spirited her away to the convent at Argenteuil, where she had been educated as a child. This alone may have been enough to keep her from her uncles wrath, but Abelard went one step further: he asked that she wear the vestments of the nuns, except for the veil that indicated the taking of vows. This turned out to be a grave error. When her uncle and his kinsmen heard of this, they were convinced that now I had completely played them false and had rid myself forever of Heloise by forcing her to become a nun. Fulbert became incensed, and prepared to take his revenge. It happened in the early morning hours when the scholar lay sleeping, unawares. Two of his servants accepted bribes to let attackers into his home. The punishment they visited upon their enemy was as horrifying and shameful as it was excruciating: ... for they cut off those parts of my body with which I had done that which was the cause of their sorrow. By morning, it seemed all of Paris had congregated to hear the news. Two of Abelards attackers were apprehended and made to suffer a similar fate, but no reparation could restore to the scholar what he had lost. The brilliant philosopher, poet, and teacher who had begun to be renowned for his talents now had fame of an altogether different sort thrust upon him. How could I ever again hold up my head among men, when every finger should be pointed at me in scorn, every tongue speak my blistering shame, and when I should be a monstrous spectacle to all eyes? Though he had never considered becoming a monk, Abelard turned to the cloister now. A life of seclusion, devoted to God, was the only alternative his pride would allow him. He turned to the Dominican order and entered the abbey of St. Denis. But before he did so, he convinced his wife to take the veil. Her friends entreated her to consider ending her marriage and returning to the outside world: after all, he could no longer be her husband in the physical sense, and an annulment would have been relatively easy to obtain. She was still quite young, still beautiful, and as brilliant as ever; the secular world offered a future the convent could never match. But Heloise did as Abelard bid her not for any love of convent life, or even for love of God, but for love of Abelard. Love Endures It would be difficult to imagine that their love for one another could survive separation and Abelards tragic injury. In fact, having seen to his wifes entry into the convent, the philosopher appears to have placed the entire affair behind him and devoted himself to writing and teaching. For Abelard, and indeed for all who studied philosophy in his time, the love story was but a sideline to his career, the impetus that triggered a change in his focus from logic to theology. But for Heloise, the affair was a seminal event in her life, and Pierre Abelard was forever in her thoughts. The philosopher did continue to care for his wife and see to her security. When Argenteuil was overtaken by one of his many rivals and Heloise, now the prioress, was turned out with the other nuns, Abelard arranged for the displaced women to occupy the abbey of the Paraclete, which he had established. And after some time had passed, and wounds both physical and emotional had begun to heal, they resumed a relationship, albeit far different than the one they had known in the secular world. For her part, Heloise would not let herself or her feelings for Abelard be overlooked. She was ever open and honest about her enduring love for the man who could no longer be her husband. She pestered him for hymns, sermons, guidance, and a rule for her order, and in so doing kept him active in the work of the abbey and kept her own presence constant in his mind. As for Abelard, he had the support and encouragement of one of the most brilliant women of his times to help him navigate the treacherous course of 12th-century theological politics. His talents for logic, his continued interest in secular philosophy, and his absolute confidence in his own interpretation of Scripture had not won him friends in the Church, and his entire career was marked by controversy with other theologians. It was Heloise, one might argue, who helped him come to terms with his own spiritual outlook; and it was Heloise to whom he addressed his significant profession of faith, which begins: Heloise, my sister, once so dear to me in the world, today even dearer to me in Jesus Christ...3 Though their bodies could no longer be united, their souls continued to share an intellectual, emotional, and spiritual journey. Upon his death Heloise had Abelards body brought to the Paraclete, where she was later buried beside him. They lie together still, in what could only be the end of a medieval love story. Your letter written to a friend for his comfort, beloved, was lately brought to me by chance. Seeing at once from the title that it was yours, I began the more ardently to read it in that the writer was so dear to me, that I might at least be refreshed by his words as by a picture of him whose presence I have lost...4 The story of Abelard and Heloise might have been lost to future generations were it not for the letters that survived them. The course of events that their romance followed was described unstintingly in a letter Abelard wrote, known to us as the  Historia Calamitatum,  or the Story of My Misfortunes. His intent in writing the letter was ostensibly to console his friend by telling him, essentially, You think youve got problems? Listen to this... The  Historia Calamitatum  was widely circulated and copied, as letters sometimes were in those days. There is a school of thought that Abelard had an ulterior motive in its composition: to call attention to himself and keep his work and his genius from slipping into oblivion. If that was indeed the case, the philosopher, though still confident in his abilities to the point of arrogance, showed a remarkably brutal honesty and a willingness to accept responsibility for the disastrous results brought on by his vanity and pride. Whatever his motives for writing the letter, a copy eventually fell into Heloises hands. It was at this point that she took the opportunity to contact Abelard directly, and an extensive correspondence ensued from which the nature of their later relationship can be gleaned. The authenticity of the letters supposedly written by Heloise has been called into question. For more on this matter, see the  Mediev-l  Discussion of Heloises  Letters to Abelard, collected from the Mediev-l mailing list and presented online by Paul Halsall at the Medieval Sourcebook. For books examining their authenticity, see  Sources and Suggested Reading,  below. Notes Guides Note: This feature was originally posted in February of 2000, and was updated in February of 2007.Notes 1 As with most names from the Middle Ages, you will find both Abelard and Heloise rendered in a variety of ways, including, but by no means limited to: Abà ©lard, Abeillard, Abailard, Abaelardus, Abelardus; Hà ©loise, Hà ©lose, Heloisa, Helouisa. The forms used in this feature were chosen for their recognizability and their ease of presentation within the limits of HTML. 2 The excerpted material on these pages is all from Abelards Historia Calamitatum unless otherwise noted. 3  From Abelards  Apologia. 4  From Heloises first letter. Additional Resources Abelards autobiography is online here at the Medieval History site: Historia Calamitatum,  or, The Story of My Misfortunesby Peter AbelardTranslated by Henry Adams Bellows, with an introduction by Ralph Adams Cram. Presented in fifteen chapters, an introduction, a foreword and an appendix. Sources and Suggested Reading The links below will take you to a site where you can compare prices at booksellers across the web. More in-depth info about the book may be found by clicking on to the books page at one of the online merchants. translated by Betty RadiceA Penguin classics collection of their correspondence. by Etienne GilsonLiterate analysis of the letters of Abelard and Heloise focuses on individual topics and themes rather than a chronological presentation. by John MarenbonA re-examination of Abelards work as a logician and theologian. by Marion MeadeThis fictionalized account is well-written and fairly accurate, and has been made into a well-received film.   A Medieval Love Story  is copyright  © 2000-08 Melissa Snell and About.com. Permission is granted to reproduce this article for personal or classroom use only, provided that the URL below is included. For reprint permission, please contact Melissa Snell. The URL for this feature is:http://historymedren.about.com/od/peterabelard/a/love_story.htmGuides Note:  This feature was originally posted in February of 2000, and was updated in February of 2007.