English Literature

Viewing Charlotte Perkins Gilmans The Yellow Wall-Paper in literal terms is an impossible undertaking.  The primary reason for this is that it involves analyzing madness logically, when the nature of madness defies logic.  Rather, it makes more sense to view this work through the lens of authorial intent, in an attempt to decode what its larger message may be.  That message describes the evils of patriarchyhow even in the higher echelons of society, women are oppressed by male rule.

Lacking the means to physically escape such a situation, the only rational choice becomes madness.
It is not hard to see why the narrator of this story finds herself empathizing with a fictional prisoner trapped inside the yellow wallpaper.  In a world where no one else can see the horror of her situation (thrown into a room for her own good courtesy of her doctor husband, and given no more respect than would be accorded someone bound for the asylum), she must invent someone with whom she can empathize and be empathized with.  Of course, the liberation of this fictional prisoner can only occur when the narrators mind becomes fully unhinged.  Truly, this is her liberationshe has torn down the wallpaper which came to represent her prison, and with it came the last tatters of her sanity.  As part of the climax of the story, the wallpaper continues to play an important symbolic role in the oppressionliberation dynamic of womens lives.

Throughout the story, readers are forced to grapple with the higher meaning of the yellow wallpaper itself.  One could simply dismiss the significance of itchalk it up as a red herring being chased by the fleeting sanity of the narrator.  However, its presence in the title illustrates its importancethat it is more than a simple detail, just as the narrator represents more than one oppressed woman.  Rather, for most of the story, the yellow wallpaper represents the room into which women have been placed by men.  At first, it seems mostly acceptablethe wallpaper could be in better repair, but it is a quiet room of the kind that staunch feminists such as Virginia Woolf requested to be given.  It even has its own yellow smell of false agencythe notion that this space belongs to the narrator, a place not to be invaded casually by the presence of others.

In time, however, cracks appear, both literally and figuratively.  The seemingly positive aspect of having this so-called room with a view becomes negated by the realization that the demarcation of this limited space as uniquely belonging to a woman (representing, of course, all women) underscores the fact that everything else does not belong to her.  The small flaws (such as a tear here or there) take on a much more magnified scope, and the flat color begins showing patterns placed on it that went previously unnoticed.  This represents the systematic oppression of womenthat for every room, literally and metaphorically, that a woman is placed in by a man, she is never fully alone.  She carries a kind of generational sexism and oppression within her, and realizes that just as one being shackled means that all are shackled, the liberation of one is as profound as the liberation of all.

This adds profoundly to the bittersweet aspect of the works ending.  The narrators liberation, as written above, can only come through madness.  Even the physical actions of her liberationdestroying the wallpaperillustrates the unknowing complicity of women in the machinations of patriarchy, as destroying the wallpaper of a box is not nearly the same as destroying the walls of a box.  She will be in this prison, or one like it, her entire life.  The madness was inevitableshe is unable to be mentally whole, because that would require a gender equity that her husband is unable to admit even exists.  In the face of a lifetime of lucid pain or a lifetime of liberated madness, the narrator chooses the latterand forces audiences to ponder what the better of two awful fates actually is.

Gilmans The Yellow Wall-Paper is refreshingly complex in its analysis and criticism of gender dynamics within the world.  By examining the issues of one couple, she examines the issues of all couples, ingeniously deriving the macro element from the microcosm.  However, the nihilistic element of unavoidable madness is an aspect that may put off modern readers.  In a way, despite the feminist overtones, the work places itself outside of feminism, as it foresees no end to the pain and oppression, nor any solution that can be taken.  However, it could be argued that this is the strength of the work.  In making the madness of women an inevitable byproduct of patriarchy, Gilman is state unequivocally that the existing system is corrupt from the ground up.  It is not a wounded system that needs a band-aid, but a wounding system that needs to be surgically removed.  Only then can the women of the world escape the yellow wallpaper that they, too, are forced to stare at.

The short story of Charlotte Perkins Gilman s  The Yellow Wall paper  is an affirmation of a woman s need for independence. The narrator in the Yellow Wallpaper  settles for the consolation of illusion  to exercise her sense of individuality (Gilman p.4). She finds fortress in the wallpaper, but later on, she finds herself in the midst of reality. She approached the wallpaper positively because it became useful in acquiring various realizations. In an effort to temporarily liberate herself in her restricted world dominated by men, the effort meets with success. As the narrator descends into madness, her views on society change as she acquires constant bond with the women in the wallpaper.

Illusion and reality are usually two extremely opposite concepts. However, in the case of this classic short story, the two concepts are closely interrelated. The usage of illusion and reality is ironic in the sense that the narrator s illusions are directing her into the reality. The narrator s product of illusions becomes an important component to reveal the writer s social messages reality of women s condition in a patriarchal society. Apparently, the writer creatively used the wallpaper to draw pictures and images on how she, as a woman, perceives herself in the society of men.  The story is presented as if it were the narrator s private journal, with the section breaks demarcating her putative diary entries  (Gray 8). The narrator is a woman whose rational husband   a physician   has confined her in a place or a situation where she cannot exercise her free will, mind, and innate creativity. With nothing to stimulate her, she becomes obsessed by the pattern, color, and smell of the room s wallpaper.

However, upon applying her creativity, the woman in the story begins to see that there is something deeper in the yellow wallpaper that tells about a terrifying reality that has been ignored for a long time. The wallpaper becomes her outlet to express herself and her creativity that has been stolen from her. In her illusionary fantasies out of the wallpaper, she describes women, along with herself, creeping behind the patterns of the wallpaper. This image created by the narrator is associated with the concept of domestic sphere that women were held during this period.

As she continues her imagination, her uncanny sense of connection to the women behind the wallpaper is heightened. She comes to a realization that she is seeing herself together with other women at that time who are trapped in a restricted world where their full self is impossible to achieve. The pictures she created out of the wallpaper describe the silent plight of women which is not easy to disclose because of the intimidating men s society. Hence, the narrator s imagination gives the readers a glimpse of reality. Though one might say that the illusions of the narrator are caused by her mental abnormality or insanity, it is very apparent that the writer genuinely wanted to make a point of comparison between the narrator s imagination and the restricted women s role in domesticity and motherhood during 19th century.

The wallpaper in relation to reality has a dual purpose. First, the wallpaper temporarily separates the narrator from the reality of her confinement. She apparently uses the wallpaper as the closest thing that she has in order to exercise her passion in creativity. The realization of her situation as a woman in the community comes out immediately.

It is the strangest yellow, that wall-paper It makes me think of all the yellow things I ever saw   not beautiful ones like buttercups, but old foul, bad yellow things. But there is something else about that paper   the smell ... The only thing I can think of that it is like is the color of the paper A yellow smell. (Gilman 11)

Thus, the narrator uses the wallpaper as the main symbol to describe critically the position of women within the institution of marriage during 19th century. This work ensures that during the creation of this literature, women remained second class citizens wherein the society kept them in a confined world of domesticity and motherhood with the assumption that women are unable to stand up for themselves. This confinement restricted them to develop their full potentials.

The main character in this story is an emotional servant who is a victim of confinement, most specifically mental constraints. However, as the narrator loses involvement with the outer world because of her assumed mental health problem, she comes to a greater understanding of the inner reality of her life as a woman. She is highly imaginative, but her husband forbids her to exercise her imagination, as he says that shutting his wife inside the room is a significant part of the curing process. Hence, the Yellow Wallpaper is a story about the wickedness of confinement. In this story,

Charlotte Perkins Gilman wished to symbolize this confinement to the current situation of women who were locked up in their role as merely wives and mothers. They were exclusively isolated to fulfill domestic purposes only without any right to identify themselves as an individual person. Thus, the story wishes to open people s mind to the dangers of restricting women not only in the literal sense but also in the sociological and mental aspects. It aims to convey that this confinement can risk a person s mental and physical health as portrayed by the psychosis brought about in the narrator s mind as she struggles inside the room.

The writer of this short story uses also imagery and psychoanalysis to express her political idealism about the inequality of marriage where women are always regarded as less capable than men, restricting the former of self expression. She also stresses that the resting cure, which entails inactivity, can deteriorate one s mind. In reality, during the 19th century,

the diagnosis of hysteria or depression, considered a conventional women s disease, sets in motion a therapeutic regimen which involves language in several ways. In the story for example, the narrator is forbidden to engage in normal social conversation her physical isolation is in part designed to remove her from the possibility of over stimulating intellectual discussion (Benstock 62).

The woman behind the wallpaper is the narrator herself. Being confined alone in the room only provides herself as the only company that she has. The wallpaper becomes the mirror of the narrator s situation as she sees her situation and the situation of other women struggling free from the  cage  which has already formed in the patterns of the wallpaper. She found fortress in the wallpaper but later on she found herself in the midst of reality. The wallpaper is approach positively because it became useful in acquiring various realizations. In an effort to temporarily liberate herself in her restricted world in male dominance, the effort meets with success. As the narrator descends into madness, her views on society change.

As the most influential, important and thought-provoking work of art, Gunter Grass The Tin Drum is considered to be a perfect exploration of the political, social and economic complexities of the German life during the World War II. This German folklore greatly delves on the narration of the life of Oskar Matzerath, a thirty year-old inmate in an institution for the insane.

The highlight of the story is about the symbolism of the tin drum which he received during his childhood. This tin drum serves as the hope and luck of Oskar in his greatest battle in life (Grass, p. 25). Likewise, it does not only reflect Oskars queer life but also it successfully portrays some political and economic implications in the society from 1900 through World War II. This tin drum serves as the concrete representation for the rejection of Oskar to adulthood, his awakening to society s abuse to moral obligations  such as destruction, sexual exploration and many other social issues.

The story also features important people around Oskar such as Agnes, Jan, Alfred, Maria and others who influence him in many aspects of his life.

Though it was considered to be blasphemous and pornographic by many critics which put Gunter Grass to a lot of criticisms and trials, The Tin Drum became recognized as a classic of post-World War II not only in Germany but also in most parts of the world.

The tin drum as Oskars talisman and its symbolisms

The tin drum has a significant contribution to the development of the themes of the story. This concrete object portrays a lot of symbolisms to the characterization of this work of art.

First, the tin drum is a representation of Oskars rejection to adulthood. As the common toy of the child, tin drum represents the desire of Oskar not to face adulthood and to remain in the innocence of a child. Because he does not like to be put into the chaos brought about by the society, he decided to stop growing at the age of three.

Second, the tin drum also symbolizes Oskars refusal to immorality and unfaithfulness. This was characterized when he threw his tin drum because of his anger. This means that he also came to the point of realizing that he is emulating bad things from his mother. It is because of the affairs of Agnes to more than one man that is why Oskar also tries to toy with the girl who was hired to take care of him. In the later part, the girl becomes the wife of his father but he believes that the baby of the girl is not form his father Alfred but from his own flesh and blood.

Next, the tin drum likewise serves as the talisman of Oskar which, in the later part of the story, gave him luck to become rich and famous (Grass, p. 25). It is through his tin drum where he was discovered in terms of music. Through this, he earned more money and he became rich. Hence, it can be regarded that the tin drum serves as the luck and hope of Oskar during his greatest battle in life and during when all things seem to go against him.

Furthermore, Oskars tin drum also serves as the outlet to beat out his rebellious urges to society. One of the manifestations of this claim is when Oskar hid beneath the bleachers at a Nazi rally. Oskars playing leads the band into a waltz production instead of the German hymn in which they are supposed to perform. This clearly shows his rebellion against the German society since he was indulged to the ills of the society at his very young age.

Symbolism on the rejection to adulthood, drumming and screaming

Oskars rejection to adulthood and his drumming and screaming are associated to the negative effects of Nazism which include immorality, destruction and stunted development during the World War II.

When he was three years old, Oskar decided not to become a grown up anymore which means not to grow any taller or to develop physically since he was already satisfied with his intellectual superiority (Grass, p.60). This decision made by Oskar in his life is greatly associated to his dismay to the German society during that time. The people in this era were in great chaos in terms of peace and security, philosophy and economics because of the clashing ideologies during the reign of the Nazi party.

Oskars characterization being a gnome, likewise, symbolizes the stunted growth of the society during the World War II. It is indeed that war causes great delay to the development of the society not only in the physical form but also to the economic, political and moral aspects of the society.

Furthermore, this portrayal of Oskar is largely paralleled to the dominating immorality that was happening to the society during that time. Agnes, Oskars mother, had an intimate sexual relationship with Jan Bronski eventhough she was married to Alfred Matzerath. What is more intriguing with the relationship of the two is that Agnes is a cousin of Jan. This scenario has created confusion about the real father of Oskar. Alfred is the legal husband but Agnes had also an affair with Jan.

Another immorality in the story is the conflicting love affair among Alfred, Maria and Oskar. When Agnes died, Alfred hired a girl named Maria Truczinski to help run the store. Nevertheless, this girl became a significant person in the life of Oskar as she was the girl whom Oskar has the first sexual experience. Maria married Alfred and became pregnant. But just like the issue on the identity of Oskar, the question about the real father of that child lies to the hands of Alfred and Oskar. Alfred believes that he is the father of the child. Oskar has also the same belief as of his father Alfred. In this love and sexual affairs, a real mirror of immorality is clearly characterized.

However, though Agnes is portrayed to be a disloyal and unfaithful wife, justice was served at the end of the story. Agnes guilt over her affair to two men eventually drives her to commit suicide. But her sacrifice does not make much sense as such Alfred, her husband, is also portrayed to be unfaithful which was seen in his characterization as not a loyal Nazi.

The affair of Agnes to more than one man, furthermore, has a very significant effect to the sexual drive of Oskar. He tries to emulate his mothers sexuality by toying with the peasant named Maria who has been hired to take care of him and the store. But in the later part of the story, it came to his mind that his father has already encouraged the girl to sleep with him in the bed. This is thus the reason why Maria was forced to marry Alfred when she became pregnant.

Oskars desire to return to his mothers womb

Oskar only opts to stay out of the womb of his mother because of the promise of a tin drum on his third birthday (Grass, p. 215). Nevertheless, it is also on his third birthday when he decided to stop growing as a revolution to the unseemly behavior of the adults around him.

Looking deeply at the embedded symbolism on this scenario, it can be clearly reflected the dismay and frustration of Oskar to the systems in the society that is why he chose to remain a child forever and not to become a grownup anymore. Hence, Oskar desire to go back to his mothers womb can be regarded as a form of his escape to the problems to the society. Oskar believes that he will not be affected by the conflicts in the society if he remains as a child. Nevertheless, his innocence as a child never excuses him to taste the bitterness of life.

Symbolism on art and war

Oskars art and music play significant roles in the perfect portrayal of the World War II. Through the characterization of Oskar, it was portrayed that art has the ability to defeat hatred, guilt and war. It is through his musical talent that is why Oskar managed to escape from fighting. It is also by playing his drum when Oskar managed to disrupt the activities of the Nazi party. The music from the tin drum seems to be disruptive and not a moral force against the Nazi party (Grass, p. 144).

Likewise, symbolism on the natural ability of Oskar to break glass by the power of his scream has a lot of symbolisms in the story. First, Oskars powerful scream is somehow believed to be the embodiment of Kristsallnacht in which the night of the broken glass signaled the aggression of the Nazi Party (Grass 120). Second, his terrible scream is likewise associated to his angst and anguish about the ills of the society during the time wherein there was a clash between ideologies and philosophies. His screaming voice is more of his unmasked anguish to the problems of the society.

Death as one of the central themes
Death is indeed dominating in the plot of the story. Agnes committed suicide because of her guilt to her love affair to her cousin Jan Bronski. Jan was killed by German soldiers during a resistance stand by Polish citizen. Alfred choked and died when he swallowed his Nazi pin because he was afraid to be caught by the enemies.

The death of these main characters in the story symbolizes the situation and condition of the people during the war. The death portrayed in the story does not merely refer to the physical death of the characters but it is more than that. This death is also associated to the death of the society in terms of morality, economics, politics, philosophy and the like. It is because during the war, the people seem to die due to the constraints and dilemma brought by the clash between powers and authorities.

Conclusion
There are indeed a lot of symbolisms and representations in this work of art of Gunter Grass. Nevertheless, all of them refer only to unifying elements in the society during the World War II  immorality, destruction and stunted development. These are perfectly portrayed through the characterizations and descriptions of Oskar, the tin drum, the Nazi party and other main characters in the story.

The ancient Hero, is one who is a great leader of people, has great strength and is willing to sacrifice his life for something that is greater than himself. His life is influenced by the deities and his intelligence is extraordinary.  These are the main qualities looked for in a hero of the ancient times. Let us go through two epics given to find out how far these traits could be identified in the heroes of the two great epics, the Odyssey and the epic of Gilgamesh.

Thesis statement Life is the greatest journey where every hero learns to conquer not kingdoms, but the self.

Comparison of Gilgamesh and Odysseus

Bravery We find that Gilgamesh is a true hero according to the definition of the ancient hero.  It is said that Gilgameshs tribe is invincible and aroused by small insults.  This actually is the display of the confidence of his people in Gilgamesh. While fighting Humbaba, and climbing Mt. Mashu, the hero displays utter lack of fear. These things prove that Gilgameshs skill as a leader and warrior is unparalleled (Gilgamesh Was a True Hero. 2005).  Even though much is not said about the feats of Odysseus, the stringing of the bow and his numerous fights prove him to be a warrior of insurmountable strength.  His bravery us shown in the presence of mind with which he fights monsters like Polyphemus,  the ferocious monster Scylla and even the multitudes of suitors to Penelope (Odysseus A Greek Epic Hero. 2010).

Intelligence Gilgamesh was also an intelligent leader. The fact that he acted as someone who was not after becoming famous is very important from the point of view of a leader.  Even his quest for becoming immortal is attributed to his yearning for wisdom.  He wanted to take it home to the dying old men of Urok (Gilgamesh Was a True Hero. 2005).  Odysseus too exhibited remarkable intelligence. He appears in the Iliad as the one who comes up with the idea of the Trojan horse. His logical thinking helps him when he and his friends hide themselves underneath the Cyclops sheep at night.  He intelligently disguises himself as a beggar and takes the decision not to reveal himself, until the right time (How odysseus is a hero. 2010).

Fearlessness of Death Another most important factor in being a hero is the readiness to die for what you believe in.  While fighting the terrible beast he knows that he could die.  Undaunted he fights the beast to save his people. He doesnt flee, during any of the trials. And finally in the exodus towards immortality itself he faces the test of fire itself and wins (Gilgamesh Was a True Hero. 2005).

Odysseus is not at all afraid to die. He is courageous enough to travel to Hades itself.  He fights with monsters and survives them. He is unmindful of death, but intelligent enough to keep away from it and unnecessarily challenging it (HomerThe Odyssey. 2010).

Influence of gods and deities  Gilgamesh always prays to God and humbles himself before the Almighty.  He wants himself and Enkidu to be unrelenting and hope that God gives us the strength.  He understood the part of divinity in his life. Thus Gilgamesh was a skilled god fearing warrior, an intelligent leader and willing to die at any moment for his kingdom (Gilgamesh Was a True Hero. 2005). Gilgamesh Was a True Hero. (2005). Odysseus is also favored by the gods. Like Inos magical cloak which saved him and his crew from Poseidons lightning, the presence of deities cover his whole life (Odysseus A Greek Epic Hero. 2010).

Both these heroes are the centre points of the two epics as may be expected.  Their brawn and brain throughout the epic, keeps them always in charge of the situation.  Their deeds are insuperable and these powerful mythical heroes stand out as gems.  Their intelligence makes them godly in demeanor.

My favorite hero

If I were to select a hero from any epic, I would select someone who is mortal, with some folly, which he learns to overcome through the course of the epic. Often while reading epics like the ones above, we find ourselves in a fairyland and there is no connection with actual life.  When facing with monsters and bulls from skies, we are cut off from real life and the connection with reality is lost. So the main attribute I would look for in a hero is that he be mortal. That he has follies and he learns to overcome them. This would serve as a great message to the reader, an inspiration.

When we consider Gilgamesh, we find him well beyond the clouds.  His strength is well beyond the extraordinary.  Even though, Odysseus also does extraordinary things, the story of Gilgamesh is more like a tall tale.  Apart from the worrisome influence of extra terrestrials, the whole epic, Odyssey,  is very much a like an ordinary tale.

While we look for folly in Gilgamesh, we find him beyond the mundane things of life.  The only folly that he seems to commit is that he wanted immortality for himself.   Otherwise the author has kept the hero free from folly.  It is not like that for Odysseus.  First of all, we find him possessing pride to a culpable degree.  It almost causes his downfall when he shouts his name to the Cyclops. He is overconfident and sensual too.  Though sensual and tempted by goddesses, he is able to remember Penelope and Ithaca. It is the self that he learns to conquer.

Conclusion
The spirit of Odysseus is something we would find latent in everyone.  It is great to conquer lands and kingdoms.  But the greatest conquest is the conquest of the self and this would indeed be the sign of a hero, throughout the ages (Odysseus Character Analysis. 2008).

The distinction between Cosmogony and Anthroponomy is significant as the very word Cosmogony has been derived from the word Cosmos that means origin while the word Anthrop suggests humanity. The concept of Cosmogony is related to the creation of Cosmos and the concept of Anthroponomy is related to the creation of mankind.  The scripts on Sumerian anthroponomy do exist but they are found absent when it comes to Cosmogony.  It becomes, therefore, impossible to draw substantial convictions about the matter with the help of works. The only option left is to take help from unrelated texts. The cosmogonies offered in these texts are rich in variety and different patterns can be considered for getting an insight into the Sumerian convictions regarding the creation of the cosmos. Two very different advances are found in Sumerian texts (Pinches, 1903).

One thing that the Sumerians knew and firmly believed was that man is mortal. The Sumerians attempted to get a comprehensive view of the mortal state of man in the myths of Atrahasis and Adapa. They also believed staunchly in the immortality of the soul of man. The Sumerians, henceforth, led their lives under the dogmas and beliefs that they held. But that life of Sumerians has never been idealized by the rest of the humanity. The Sumerians believed that the new life takes a start from the funeral with the journey of the shadow to the netherworld through a hole which would open in the tomb thence the shadow would have the allowance to enter the Great Below. In case of the rites of funeral being performed incorrectly or that the body was not buried it would be impossible for the Etemmu to start his eternal journey. It would continue to haunt the place and would not leave the soil. Only the lucky souls, believed the Sumerians, get proper funeral and thus complete their eternal journey with success. In the Gilgamesh epic it is written Earth is their nourishment, their nourishment clay ghosts like birds fly their wings there, on the gate-posts the dirt lies undisturbed (Spurrell, 1896), that verifies the importance of nourishment of the souls and proper funeral rite that was the responsibility of the family members.

The cosmos (origin), says the Bible in the chapter of Genesis, commenced in the very beginning (Genesis 11). Nothing else had an existence before the origin of creation. The creation started at the command of God Who had preconceived purpose behind the creation. According to the Bible it took the Creator, God, only six days to create the world and on seventh day He took rest (Genesis 22). While the issue of the age of the soil is not explicitly in the Bible therefore it is difficult to make clear cut assumptions about the universes being old or young. The account of the Bible, however, suggests that it was about six thousand years ago that the universe came into existence but it took God only six days to make this happen as this has also been told in Exodus 208. The age of the cosmos, however, is defined as old in Peter 35. While it is the will of God that is superior over all the things therefore He had to decide whether the cosmos is to be old or young  for His will and command surpasses the heads of human beings and He takes decision without help of the others (Waltke, 1975).

The beginning of time, space, and issue is thus confirmed through the word of God as it is written in the Bible. Einsteins theory of relativity is proved by substantial evidences. As a result of the expansion of time it must be possible to cross the vast allowances of space in a short time spanning the billions of years. Verily, God is above time and space and He lived even before the creation of time and cosmos. Moreover time did not live before the cosmos. God created time and space and He is able to transcend the demarcations of time and space. At the point of the omnipotence of God, the issue of the age of the cosmos is pushed into background. God, the Creator of the entire universe, is above time and space and can transcend the past, present and future (Tigay, 1986).

Many scholars and critics see the refutation of the concept of immortality by Inky to Adapa as a trick (as Inky has earned his reputation as the trickster) that can also be used in sorting out the comprehension of the concept of mortality of man. The interpretation, although is difficult to accept. It is difficult to think of Enzis his wisest son and the trusted cleric to have tricked in accordance to the established concepts. There arises the question of Enkis deceiving Atrahasis (the Sumerian Noah), and its subsequent lead to the death of humanity. The myth of Enzi and Nina is also of some significance. The beginning of the myth is important as it has a message and tells about their efforts to create a whole being (Tigay, 1986).

Understanding the creation and the issues related to its age, though, is not sufficient whole a complete understanding of the cosmos. The creation of the cosmos is defined in terms of the creation into the soil from which man was molded. God who has created man out of soil will redeem him one day eventually. He is the one who has decided things before hand for man and therefore knows what the future of a man lays before man. He is all powerful to make the destinies of human beings and can see the future as it has been hidden from the eyes of man. He has made things for mankind therefore it is mainly about God that the whole discussion revolves. He made man out of soul so that we would offer our wishes to Him and Jesus Christ who is the Savior and the redeemer for the whole humanity (Waltke, 1975).

The stories of Genesis and other things pertaining to the creation have been reported in the Gilgamesh Epic as well. The stories of the fall and subsequent events that occurred in the Heaven are related directly to Adam as he was one of the characters involved in those events. Adam had transferred the stories to Seth (his descendant). There follows the cycle with which the stories and events of Heaven were transferred. From Seth they were transferred into Gen 5 from where they got transferred to pass Seths descendant Noah. Noah reported them in Gen 6-9 and passed the tablets to Shem (Noahs descendant) . From Joseph they were authored in the last sections of Genesis and reached the library of the pharaohs. These tablets were then accessed and later translated into Hebrew by Moses. This idea stands in contrast with the words of Scriptures. As it is stated in Exod 63 I emerged to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my title, LORD YHWH, I was not renowned to them (Waltke, 1976). While the contradiction can be removed if it is established that Moses did not compose Genesis but was responsible for mere conversion. Another thing that comes into notice is that Moses used the name (title) YHWH for God which had not been used by any other figures reported in the Bible, be it Abraham or some other respectable figure.

Moses is not the writer of Genesis while there have been evidences about his authorship of the four publications of the Torah. In Matt 184-5, for example, Jesus states from Genesis, Have you not read, in verse 8, however, while telling about the route from Deuteronomy, Jesus attributes the enunciation to Moses in clear words (Spurrell, 1896).

When the mass of Heaven and earth, yet unformed, separated from each other then the Cosmic creation came into existence. And it was this mass, apparently, that was given birth by Nammu and Engur. The Sumerian source is found absent when it comes to the interpretation of the process of birth of Nammu and Engur and their preexisting force. The myth of the Babylonic creation is supported by the semites where Nammu (Mammu) is said to have generated by the preexisting primordial waters. The union of heaven and earth, as it is stated in the myth of Cattle and Grain, made the great gods (Waltke, 1976).

In  Genesis 11 (the Tower of Babel)  it is stated that  the entire kol soil erets utilized the identical language. The statement, however, is not actually targeted to the soil solely (and absolutely not to the whole earth), but to the persons of the soil (universe), who all lived in one geographic location. God, then, dispersed the persons in the earth. There are numerous other demonstrations, according to Tigay (1986), of where kol erets really mentions to men other than the geography of the whole earth
 And all kol the men of the earth erets went into the plantation, and there laid honey on the ground. (The genuine translation would be all the land went into the forest, conspicuously mentioning to the persons and not to the land itself going into the forest) (1 Samuel 1425 in Waltke, 1976).
 While all kol the land erets was weeping, all the persons passed over (2 Samuel 1523 in Pinches, 1903).

The concept of resurrection, however, was not found similar to the Mesopotamian idea of life that the marvel would be that they should not have created out of it. The conviction, thus, is completely prepared. For them the issues such as the setting of the sun needed explanation. Through their tireless attempts and long run of explorations they were able to discover the location of the sun through their mythology and religion. They also traced, theoretically, the route of the sun from the summer to the winter and also the phase of the moon and its journey throughout the year. All these observations and their findings helped them to reach conclusions about the life and death of the gods, and their restoration to life. The question of mans arriving from the underworld is not only believed by Mesopotamians but they had a very clear understanding on the beginning of life and also the beginning of gods.

Theme
 tne f f0scin0tin domin0tes Cnrads Heart f DarknesU. This tne is establish5d early within th5 text wh5n Marlow first ges int th5 Cngo. It cntinues t be staggering wh5n Marlow goes from th5 outer st0tin t th5 inner 0nd th5n intensifies l0ter in th5 descriptin f how Marlow reacts t th5 wmen in th5 novella.

Introduction
Joseph Cnrad, in his lng-short stry, Heart f DarknesU, tells th5 tale f two mens realiz0tin f th5 hidden, dark, evil side f th5mselves. Marlw, th5 secnd narr0tr f th5 framed narr0tive, embarked upn 0 spiritual adventure n which h5 witnessed firsth0nd th5 wicked potential in everyne. n his journey int th5 dark, forbidden Cngo, th5 Heart f DarknesU, so t speak, Marlw encuntered Kurtz, 0 remarkable m0n 0nd universal genius, who had t make himself 0 god in th5 eyes f th5 n0tives over whom h5 had 0n imperceptible power. Th5se two men were, in 0 sense, images f each oth5r Marlow w0s wh0t Kurtz may have been, 0nd Kurtz w0s wh0t Marlow may have become. (Cnrad 10)

Heart f Darkness by Joseph Cnrad
In th5 stry Heart f DarknesU by Joseph Cnrad h5 uses 0 lot f metaphors t describe th5 actual Heart f DarknesU. ne f th5 metaphors h5 uses really stod out tward th5 end f th5 stry 0nd th0t is th5 cntr0sting differences between Kurtzs Europe0n Intended 0nd his magnificent Afric0n miUtress with whom h5 w0s involved. His intended, 0 p0th5tic white Europe0n wom0n, wh represents th5 illusin f pureness, godness, 0nd th5 civiliz0tin f Eurpe, waits faithfully for him t return t h5r, unaw0re f his adultery. Th5 wild eyed, red hot, inflamed, 0nd extremely emotinal Afric0n mistress serves 0s 0 delusin f th5 DarknesU in th5 stry 0nd ultim0tely th5 th5me f th5 stry. Kurtzs Intended represents th5 illusin f th5 civiliz0tin th0t loses Kurtz 0nd th5 Afric0n Mistress symblizes th5 jungle th0t destrys him. (Cnrad 23)

 Heart f Darkness  0nd  Chaos Th5ory
This stry also rel0tes t th5  Chaos Th5ory . Th5 Merriam Webster Dictinary defines  chaos  0s  th5 inh5rent unpredictability in th5 behavior f 0 n0tural system . In commn usage, Chaos me0ns 0 st0te f disorder. Chaos th5ory is 0 field f study in m0th5m0tics, physics, 0nd philosophy studying th5 behavior f dynamical systems th0t 0re highly sensitive t initial cnditins.

Heart f DarknesU focuses n Marlow U Uelf-discovery, wrapping it in th5 overshadowing complexity f th5 n0ture f de0th, allowing readers from all time periods t rel0te t his struggle with DarknesU. Th5 readers perceive th0t oth5r white men n th5 Cngo refrained from such excesses, if th5y did so, nly because th5y had lesser, more timorous n0tures which did not d0re t express th5mselves completely. Marlow felt th0t h5 had taken th5 lid ff something horrible in th5 very depths f m0n which h5 culd not explain wh5n h5 returned t th5 world wh5re b0sic instincts had been c0refully smooth5d over. Faced by 0 crisis, h5 even denied wh0t h5 had seen t Kurtzs Intended, thugh h5 w0s appalled by his lie 0s bringing with it 0 betrayal f pr5cision which w0s ess5ntially 0 kind f de0th. (Cnrad 19)

Th5 Role f Women
Th5 two female characters 0re repr5sented very symbolically in th5 stry. Th5y 0re represented 0s 0n illusin f light 0nd DarknesU in th5 stry. Th5 Europe0n intended is fair hair, pale visage, 0nd pure brow. Unlike th5 mistress who is savage 0nd superb, wild-eyed 0nd magnificent. Sh5 symbolizes th5 wildness, inhabit0nt l0nd, 0nd unknown mystery f Africa. Sh5 is 0 dark skinned wom0n with arrog0nt ways, 0nd is unable t be swayed or diverted from h5r custms. H5r superiority 0nd savage like n0ture portrays h5r 0s evil 0nd DarknesU. Unlike th5 Europe0n wom0n, who waits for h5r fi0nc faithfully Sh5 represents th5 very essence f Europes illusin f women with h5r simple mindedness. Sh5 values th5 delusin th0t Kurtz is dedic0ted t saving 0nd civilizing th5 Afric0ns. Sh5 is 0 proud wom0n upholding Kurtzs illusin with h5r unquestining loyalty 0nd faithfulness int his return. (Cnrad 35)

Th5 women in th5 Heart f DarknesU represent th5 reality f wom0n by Joseph Cnrad in th5 early 19th century. Th5y 0re th5re t portray th5 illusin light 0nd DarknesU in th5 stry in th5 image n Cnrad. Th5 Afric0n wom0n represents th5 Africa th0t destroyed Kurtz. Th5 Intended symbolize th5 illusin 0nd image f Kurtzs purpose. Sh5 also represents Cnrads illustr0tin th0t women need t be protected from th5 reality f m0n 0nd th5 naivety f Europe0n women 0t th0t time. Th5se represent0tins f th5 two women h5lp define th5 th5me f th5 stry.

Conrad s Th5me B0sed n th5 Good 0nd Evil
In Heart f DarknesU th5 sense f hum0n w0ste th0t pervaded th5 stry w0s best unfolded in th5 ivory itself. It w0s 0n object for th5 rich - in decor0tins, for pi0no keys 0nd billiard balls - hardly 0 necesUary item for Uurvival, or even for comfortable living. In 0 way, it w0s evil, 0 Uocial luxury , 0n appurten0nce t which people had become accustmed 0nd it w0s for evil, for appurten0nces, th0t th5 Cngo w0s plundered 0nd untld numbers f n0tives were be0ten 0nd slaughtered brutally or c0sually. This view f evil w0s part f Marlows cnceptin 0 utilitari0n object like copper or irn would have had its own re0sn for being. Kurtzs evil propensities (h5 collected n0tives h5ads, h5 sought th5 evil ivory) made him so cntemptuous f individual lives for evil 0nd life have traditinally cl0sh5d. Beauty for th5 few w0s gained with th5 blood f th5 m0ny. (Cnrad 46)

Wh5re evil ruled, it w0s 0 form f power. Th5 evil tok n magical signific0nce, becoming 0 kind f ttem 0nd tre0sure. Perhaps cnsciously aw0re f this, like th5 evil h5 had become, Kurtz gained his power,

Among all the periods in the history of man, there is perhaps none other that best describes the word transition than that of the 17th century. This era is a time in history that underwent major changes both in the fields of science and philosophy. In fact, some historians view this period as a landmark in science particularly because this field was not truly recognized before. Century geniuses such as Isaac Newton were often referred to as natural philosophers primarily because the concept of science never existed for most part of the period.

The entirety of 17th century brought about a revolution in science. This is the period when new ideas about chemistry, human anatomy, physics, astronomy, and other sciences started to emerge that laid the foundation of modern science. These advancements of course also affected the lies of the people particularly, their day to day normal and economic lives.

The discoveries of this century caused the improvement of numerous lives. Particularly, the scientific revolution of the late renaissance led to the denunciation and rejection of many superstitious belief and tradition. Things that were feared and avoided before was replaced with knowledge.

One of the most important discoveries of that time was the theory that the sun, and not the as the center of the solar system. This of course, caused much controversy as it debunked the original religious belief that the sun revolved around the earth. The astronomer and mathematical Nicolaus Copernicus presented this scientific hypothesis. From here, other astronomical discoveries and ideas blossomed. This includes the positions as well as the motions of the planets. Another famous mathematician Galileo Gallilei later supported the theory of helliocentrism. Isaac Newton also contributed in the realm of science by exploring the law of gravity. His idea about the universal gravitational became the pillars of the scientific world for almost three centuries (Kent 1).

Apart from the discoveries in astronomy and physics, other great men and their inventions and discoveries influenced the 17th century. This includes the work of Blaise Pascal and his invention of a computing machine. Likewise, this century was influenced by Denis Papin who pioneered the invention of the steam engine. Similarly, other scientists such as Leonhart Fuch, Carl von Linne, and Francis Bacon all made contributions in the field of botany and reasoning among many others (Kent 1).

These advancements however, prove to be too much for people at that time. One of them was William Wordsworth. Born in England, Wordsworth lived at the prime of his life and career during the 17th century. The drastic changes that happened during this period gave him the inspiration to create this sonnet. Written sometime in 1807, William Wordsworth as one of the millions of people who are suddenly feeling a sense of unease largely because of the emergence of the materialistic contemporary society. In fact, within the words and spaces of each line, Wordsworth indirectly paints through words all the new things that the civilization is producing as well as accumulating (Wordsworth 1).

In the first line, the writer immediately starts by stating the powerful phrase the world is too much with us he further continues by expressing that most of our time as well as our power are mostly focused on simply getting and spending. In these first two lines, Wordsworth are emphasizing that people are now more into accumulating and getting. As the improvements in science and technology continue to increase mans economic power he however, tends to forget the very thing that is most essential to him- nature (Wordsworth 1).

Wordsworth explores this in the following lines as he underlines the idea that we now see very little in Nature. He then continues by saying that we have given our hearts away. Such line would like to express mans disconnect from nature. He even describes the beauty of nature such as how the sea shimmers with the moon or how the winds howl with time and yet man, because of his preoccupation on the material things have missed all the beauty that is striving to happen around him (Wordsworth 1).

From there, Wordsworth explains the irony of these all. Man, despite of all the knowledge that he has accumulated, has forgotten all about nature and how it has supported him. This means that although man now thinks more, he has now forgotten how true knowledge which can only be found in nature. For example, during the 17th century man has learned to use revolutionary tools such as the telescope, which in turn has allowed him to see the positions of the planets. As man looks up however, he has ceased to see the beauty that surrounds him. Instead of looking around him, man looks further away to what is essential. Similarly, Wordsworth explains that all of these creations and inventions moves us not into becoming a god. Instead, the knowledge that man has discovered now reduces him to objects- no more than the inventions that he has created.

Wordsworth of course, does not discount the fact that science is a big help to humanity. What he would like to point out here is that man has become emotionally and mentally attached to such discoveries and inventions. In fact, he had become so attached to his so called knowledge and materialistic inventions to the point that he began to form and attach his identity around that particular object or invention. Instead of using it merely as a tool, man now looks at these tools as an extension of himself.

Wordsworth repulsion of man turning his back from nature largely comes from his style in writing which is romanticism. Romantic writers during this time, mainly get their inspiration and feeling of beingness from nature. The advent of new technology however has reduced mans connection and relationship with Mother Nature. What is even more ironic is that idea that although man has reached new heights in science and reasoning, he can never still identify himself as a god. Instead, he continues to spiral down as he goes on focusing all his or her energy to the materialistic world.
Although this sonnet has been written centuries upon centuries ago, it is still amazing how man is once again re-experiencing the 17th century. This means that man is now experiencing a different kind of revolution. Although the word revolution here connotes change the truth is that the term revolution could also mean disorder and chaos.

This state of chaos and confusion exactly portrays when man unconsciously projecting on himself, unto others, and to nature. Instead of experiencing the beauty of life and nature man would usually prefer connecting with technology. This means that most people today are more focused on the outside which is the materialistic world rather than reconnecting with nature. Work for example, has become a place where man constantly tries to create and recreate primarily because man has unknowingly attached himself to work. This is very similar to how 17th century religious people still hang on to the belief that the earth revolved around the sun.

Alternately, most people today are more connected to the internet or to their computer rather than spending their time in the outside world. Almost everyone today identify themselves with technology and view it as an important part of them. Children today for example, spend most of their time in front of the computer screen rather than witnessing on how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. Similarly, individuals now communicate and interact via their computer screens as face-to face interaction is now considered pass,

William Wordsworths sonnet points out that despite the fact that man has utilized his talent to create objects that he has used, man in reality, has created objects that are using him. Man by identifying himself with such material object looses the very idea of enlightenment that happened both contemporarily as well as in the 17th century. Instead of feeling more fulfilled, man has developed things kind of hunger that can never be satisfied. Wordsworth explains it when he wrote the line late and soon, getting and spending, we lay waste our powers (Wordsworth 1) and that we have given our hearts away (Wordsworth 1).