e3 final draft, post here by 12/13

[o]

e3 final draft, post here by 12/13

[carlacuellar]

Professor O'Connell,

I just uploaded my essay and I would like to apologize because it is
incomplete also for not posting my draft. I fell behind and was caught
in some personal problems. I do not expect to get full credit for this
essay but I would like some input to incorporate in the presentation.

Also I would like to thank your for your guidance, this is one of my
first online courses and I enjoyed it especially since English is one
of my worst subjects.

Thank you :)
-CC

[Cynthia N.]

Essay 3 Cleopatra and Antony 1

Cross culturally religion and spirituality gives people meaning to
the world and their place in it. Religion, spirituality, and culture
are what shape a society’s worldview. Religion and spirituality serves
many functions in a society. The main functions are: emotional
function, psychological function, and social function. How these
functions are applied varies from culture to culture. The culture that
Cleopatra and Antony was plotted in tends to seek to or appeal to
supernatural powers and beings to solve their dilemmas and to find
resolution to the inexplicable mysteries of the world. Cleopatra, Marc
Antony, and Julius Caesar heavily relied on their mythological god or
deities to comfort or aid them during a time of crisis. To ease
Antony’s grief for Fulvia, Enobarbus told Antony that Fulvia’s death
was the will of the gods to please their deities. Julius Caesar prayed
to the Roman goddess Minerva, the goddess of war and wisdom, hoping
for revelation on military support, and diplomatic decisions. In
Shakespeare’s play “Cleopatra and Antony”, Pompey said, “If the great
gods be just, they shall assist the deeds of justest men” (p. 27). The
United State’s motto “In god we trust,” is engraved into its coins and
currency. The purpose of this motto is to remind Americans that for as
long as they put their trust in God the United States will prevail as
a
Essay 3 Cleopatra and Antony 2

country. An evidence of how religion has shaped and influenced the
United States’ development is written in the words of The Pledge of
Allegiance, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of
America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under
God, indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all." Compared to Roman
mythology, Christianity in America serves more as a moral compass to
do “good” than anything else. Roman mythology focused more on what
they believe they should do to please their gods and deities more than
what they ought to do. The duty to please their gods and deities out
weighed the moral duty to choose the right because their gods and
deities are characterized with human behavior and emotions but they
hold supernatural powers. The myths were told to explain and teach
morality but they weren’t like the biblical Ten Commandments that were
used as a basis to form American law. The people of Ancient Rome
applied religion to their personal life more so than their society as
a whole. Mythology gave them answers to existential questions about
their life, fate, and death. Christianity serves as a moral foundation
for the American believer. From a holistic point of view The U.S.
isn’t any less religious than Ancient Rome was. The U.S. may be a

Essay 3 Cleopatra and Antony 3

little more subtle and reserved about religion but they are definitely
not less religious than Ancient Rome.

According to Murphey (2007) “Americans are well aware of the nation’s
worsening income inequality, with those in the top one percent earning
fifty times more a year than those in the bottom twenty percent” (p.
100). In the play, “Cleopatra and Antony”, the author William
Shakespeare foreshadowed the economic inequality in Ancient Rome’s
society. The social status was made known through the dialogue between
the characters. Murphey (2007) wrote “Rome lacked what we would regard
as a middle class, and the very tiny Roman elite accepted the chasm
between themselves and everyone else as the divinely ordained natural
order and an affirmation of their own virtue” (p.193). Cleopatra had a
habit of demeaning her subjects outrightly in conversation. That
uncalled for behavior was socially accepted in Ancient Rome. The US
has at least steered away from displaying that kind of behavior in
public, because its culture has recognized that is vulgar and taboo
anyway. Prejudice and discrimination is out-and-out wrong but the
degree of tolerance varies from culture to culture. The U.S has
learned a few mistakes from the
Essay 3 Cleopatra and Antony 4

fall of Ancient Rome. One of the greatest mistakes Rome made was never
abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude. At the birth of its
country the U.S. never rejected slavery and involuntary servitude like
they initially should’ve, but they have at least abolished it to obey
the supreme law of the land and more importantly, to preserve the
basic human rights of freedom and independence. This course of action
sets the U.S. apart from and transcends them from Ancient Rome’s
decadence. According to Murphey (2007), “The distortions and habits of
mind introduced by slavery make Rome an alien place” (p.194). That
sentence is loud enough in its tone to distinguish the U.S. from Rome.
Another distinction between the U.S. and Ancient Rome is it’s
constantly changing and intertwining with everything. This quality is
an ingredient to progression. Whether the change is positive or
negative it plays an important role for development. Now that slavery
and involuntary servitude is an issue of the past it’s ramifications
raises new issues and challenges to the American people. Racial
stratification has been a major issue but it is unraveling like an
onion with the tenacious civil rights fight American people endure
throughout American History. Racism and discrimination should be the
least of the United States’ worries as of now while the country is at
war in the
Essay 3 Cleopatra and Antony 5

Middle East and the economy is plummeting. I believe the election of
Barrack Obama will help the U.S. shift beyond racism. According to
Murphey (2007) The Romans established a whole taxonomy of non-Roman
cultural traits and stereotypes, few of them flattering” (p. 135)
Ancient Rome didn’t construe to change as effectively as the U.S. has
that’s why Ancient Rome is an extinct civilization. A majority of
Americans yearn for change and adapt to it very well. As ethnically
diverse as the U.S. is they seem to morph fairly quickly and suavely.
According to Murphey (2007) “ The notion embodied in imperial Rome-
creating unity out of diversity-has been a grail of geopolitics ever
since” (p. 184). According to the United States’ Census Bureau,
Caucasian Americans have the highest rate of endogamy, although in
absolute terms they stupendously have a soaring rate of exogamy.
Ancient Rome and the U.S. do share some commonality with the topic of
marriage. In Ancient Roman culture property, citizenship, and
establishing the legitimacy of children are what defines the purpose
of marriage. These three things don’t always define marriage,
especially, with primitive people or indigenous cultures. Roman
politics Marriage was about economic and political gain in. The
bride’s social standing was an important factor to men of Ancient
Rome. In Shakespeare’s
Essay 3 Cleopatra and Antony 6

“Cleopatra and Antony”, Marc Antony married Julius Caesar’s sister,
Octavia for political alliance. The political alliance came to an end
when the marriage fell apart with the interference of Cleopatra.
Adultery was considered a taboo and it was believed that is should be
shunned upon in Ancient Rome just like it is today in the U.S. The
irony is that neither Rome nor the U.S. can refrain from it at least
when holding political office. It’s appalling to find a political
leader guilty of adultery.

Concerning the current issue of the U.S. automobile manufacturers
seeking for financial assistance from Congress, my speculation is that
our government shouldn’t intervene. It’s a free market economy so the
fittest will survive. I’m a laissez-fair activist on this particular
issue. If the domestic automobile manufacturers can’t compete with
foreign automobile makers then they should dissolve or make changes,
and improvements to stay in the game. The U.S. automobile makers need
innovation not financial assistance. Adam Smiith’s metaphor of the
invisible hand is a great idea but if the U.S. automobile makers are
headed in a downward spiral because they can’t generate revenue to
stay in business then, they can go down by themselves. They shouldn’t
drag the sluggish economy down with
Essay 3 Cleopatra and Antony 7

them. Congress should let the invisible hand take its course on this.
American consumers are savvy; they’ll get the most bang for their
buck. If Congress bails the domestic automakers then that would only
contribute to the staggering national debt. The U.S can’t afford to
take risks like Rome did to triumph. Nobody can win at everything! The
fear of the U.S. falling like Rome has became paranoia with the
concern of the automobile industry.
Cullen Murphey would agree with me on this issue. Murphey (2007),
“Rome’s economy was the same at the begiining as it was at the end;
agrarian, Iron Age, preindustrial. America has lived through more
social transformation in a few centuries than Rome did in a
millennium. In less than two hundred years America has experienced the
end of slavery, the leap form a farm to a high-tech economy, and an
influx of alien newcomers whose presence, in percentage terms, is
greater in size and proportion than the barbarian influx into Roman
lands. The United States has what it takes to get through this
turmoil, because in the past it has made it through a lot more
difficulties.

On Dec 12, 5:41 am, o <eng101l...@yahoo.com> wrote:

[mj ben]

professor, i sent you a personal message yesterday. pls have a look at it. thank you

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From: o <eng10...@yahoo.com>
To: 101online <101o...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2008 5:41:03 AM
Subject: e3 final draft, post here by 12/13