Introduction To Big Bus Tour Tourism Essay

Introduction To Big Bus Tour Tourism Essay Big Bus Tours is the largest operator of open-top sightseeing tours in the World, providing sightseeing tours in thirteen cities across three continents. Big Bus Tours was formed by the merger of two established sightseeing tour businesses. The Big Bus Company Ltd based in London, and Les Cars Rouge based in Paris. The two businesses, each with over 20 years of successful tour experience, decided to combine their expertise, creating Big Bus Tours in May 2011. Big Bus Tours sightseeing formula has been designed to provide a flexible approach to city discovery. Each open-top bus tour provides a hop-on, hop-off facility at a variety of interesting locations and, wherever possible, Big Bus Tours looks to enhance the visitor sightseeing experience by providing complementary experiences. Big Bus Tours is currently planning further expansion in the US, Europe and Far East, and welcomes all enquiries about possible franchise or partnership opportunities. Source: http://www.bigbustours.com/eng/international/custompage.aspx?id=about_us INTRODUCTION TO THE ORIGINAL TOURS The Original London Transport Sightseeing Tour was the first sightseeing tour of its kind in London, formally introduced by London Transport as Service J on 11th June 1951, when thousands of visitors descended on the capital for the Festival of Britain. It was described at the time as a non-stop circular tour of London operating with double-decker buses from Buckingham Palace Road, South Kensington Station and Bloomsbury Place. The tour was promoted with the slogan around the town for half a crown. As part of the tour, visitors were given a free London Transport Guide Book with the aid of which they had to identify the major sights of London for themselves. By the early seventies the service had expanded to offer conducted coach tours in the City, Windsor Hampton Court, all live guided by the renowned Blue Badge Guides. Back in 1971 the fares for an Around London Sightseeing Tour were 50p for adults and 30p for children, whilst the conducted coach tours in the City cost  £1.40 and  £1.10 respectively. The first live guides were introduced on the Around London Tours in 1984, with taped commentaries in French and German following the next year. In 1990 the service was further improved with digitally recorded commentaries, in up to eight languages. 1991 saw the launch of the most popular hop-on, hop-off service allowing passengers the freedom to get off and explore the sights they passed. Over the years there were several name changes from the initial uncharismatic Service J until 1992 when the name The Original London Sightseeing Tour was finally adopted. In the same year the company was sold to the Pullmans Group Limited and traded as London Coaches Ltd. In December 1997, The Original London Sightseeing Tour Ltd was taken over by Arriva, one of the largest transport service organisations in Europe. In addition to the provision of bus and train services, Arriva plc also operates a Bus and Coach dealership; and holds the Cross Country rail franchise. In March 2001 London Pride Ltd was acquired and merged with The Original London Sightseeing Tour, creating the largest single operation of its kind anywhere in the world. In August 2010 The Original Tours parent company, Arriva plc, officially became a part of DB UK Holding Limited (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG) for  £1.5bn. The Deutsche Bahn group has 295,000 employees in 130 countries. Today, over 60 years later, trading simply as The Original Tour, this multi-award winning company continues to provide visitors to London with a relaxed and enjoyable view of the capitals famous landmarks from open-topped buses operating throughout the year. Source: http://www.theoriginaltour.com/info/about.htm http://www.isecard.com/images/featured/original_london_tour_logo.gif FACILITIES PROVIDED BY BOTH THE COMPANIES BIG BUS TOUR: The Big Bus tour provides open-top sightseeing tours of London. The company has a fleet of 90 buses and tours run every 5-15 minutes, enabling visitors to hop on and off at over 70 stops. The carefully devised tour provides an overview of the history and culture of London, delivered by either a London guide in English or a recorded commentary. The digitally recorded commentary allows you to listen to facts and stories in any of 8 languages. Head phones are provided enabling you to listen in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese Russian. As with all Big Bus Tours, you can stay onboard for the full tour or make use of the hop-on hop-off facility, a great benefit of the London bus tour that enables you to stop and explore the sights at your leisure. Take advantage and visit the top London attractions at your own pace. The Red Tour The classic open top sightseeing tour of London. The interesting and informative commentary provided by the professional guides is just one reason why the Big Bus Red Tour is the best thing to do when visiting London. All Big Bus Red Tours are led by our experienced guides London enthusiasts who will talk you through the history of the city and give you a personal and entertaining commentary on London and its tourist attractions. The route has been carefully devised to enable you to see Londons most famous sights. Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, St. Pauls Cathedral and The Tower of London are just some of the fabulous attractions. Stay on board for the full circuit or make use of the hop-on hop-off facility, a great benefit of the London Bus Tour that enables you to stop and explore the sights at your leisure. Take advantage and visit the top London attractions at your own pace. Discover the wondrous history of London as you learn and laugh with live commentary provided by our professional guides. The tour takes in all the key sights of Central London with great views and interesting facts at every turn. Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, St. Pauls Cathedral and The Tower of London are just some of the fabulous attractions on the red tour. The Blue Tour The most extensive sightseeing route through London takes you to all the top attractions and features an informative recorded commentary in 8 languages on all buses. The bus tour takes in all of Central London as well as Kensington and Hyde Park On Board the Blue Tour you will also be able to discover the shopping havens of Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Kensington High Street, take in the elegant Kensington Palace and the fashionable Notting Hill. In addition to the many sightseeing attractions of Central London, the Blue Tour travels West to the Victoria Albert, Science and Natural History Museums all free to enter, plus the world famous Madame Tussauds. The Green Link The Green Link is an interchange between the red and blue Big Bus tours. It allows you to visit London attractions that may not be covered by either of the other tours. It connects the popular hotel of Russell Square and Trafalgar Square, where you may interchange with the Red and Blue Tours. The Green Link also provides the opportunity to visit both the Dickens and British Museums. It takes just ten minutes to travel between the three stops on one of our open top tour busses. The journey is without a tour guide commentary and departures are every 30 minutes. River Thames Pass Enjoy a leisurely cruise on the River Thames with entertaining commentary and superb views of Londons riverside. Take a short trip through central London or travel to Greenwich and visit the National Maritime Museum and the Greenwich Royal Observatory. Three Walking tours Join an entertaining walking tour lead by one of our experienced guides. There are 3 to choose from, enabling you to discover more of London. Led by a friendly Big Bus Guide, these relaxed walking tours reveal the heart and soul of this great city. With your Big Bus ticket you may take as many guided walks as you like. The guided London walks last approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours and leave from the Big Bus Trafalgar Square stops 10 and 37 (outside the Sainsbury wing of the National Gallery). Royal London Walking Tour Beatles Walking Tour of London Ghosts London Walking Tour Big Bus Bonus Card The Bonus card provides great discounts and added value offers in some of Londons most popular restaurants, shops and attractions. The Bonus Card can be used for a week after your Big Bus Sightseeing Tour and can be used repeatedly. Highlights -The houses of Parliament St Pauls Cathedral The Tower of London The London Eye Westminster Abbey Tower Bridge Buckingham Palace Includes Hop on Hop Off sightseeing Tour 2 Routes with the option of a personal audio commentary or a live guided tour 3 Walking Tours, River Cruise and Big Bus Bonus Card (Discount card) Unlimited use of all components throughout ticket validity Things that are excluded from the tour are: Meals and drinks Personal expenses Tips and gratuities Optional activity costs THE ORIGINAL TOURS: Customize your own tour by hopping on and off the bus at any stop, as many times as you like. Theres a choice of sightseeing routes, including the Yellow Route which features live onboard commentary. If youre traveling with the family, take the Red Route relax while your children are entertained and informed by the highly acclaimed Kids Club commentary and their free London activity packs. Each route makes frequent stops simply hop off where you want to, and return to the same stop to continue your tour. Highlights: Madame Tussauds Piccadilly Circus Leicester Square Trafalgar Square Downing Street Big Ben and Parliament London Eye Covent Garden St. Pauls Cathedral Tower Bridge Tower of London Shakespeares Globe Westminster Abbey Buckingham Palace The City Sightseeing Tour (Red Route) Madame Tussauds and the London Planetarium, Regents Park, Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus/Eros Statue, Leicester Square, The National Gallery, Nelsons Column and Trafalgar Square, Horse Guards Parade, Downing Street, Big Ben and Parliament, Lambeth Palace, Imperial War Museum, The London Aquarium, London Eye, South Bank Arts Center and BFI Imax Cinema, Covent Garden, Fleet Street, St. Pauls Cathedral, Monument, London Bridge, London Dungeon, Tower Bridge, The Tower of London, Shakespeares Globe, Tate Gallery Bankside, Millennium Footbridge, Catamaran Cruisers, Sherlock Holmes Pub, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Speakers Corner. The Original Tour (Yellow Route) English-speaking fully qualified live guides. The National Gallery, Nelsons Column and Trafalgar Square, Horse Guards Parade, Downing Street, Big Ben and Parliament, Lambeth Palace, Imperial War Museum, The London Aquarium, London Eye, South Bank Arts Center and BFI Imax Cinema, Covent Garden, Fleet Street, St Pauls Cathedral, Monument, London Bridge, London Dungeon, Tower Bridge, The Tower of London, Shakespeares Globe, Tate Gallery Bankside, Millennium Footbridge, Catamaran Cruisers, Sherlock Holmes Pub, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard, Hyde Park, Speakers Corner, Ritz Hotel, Royal Academy of Arts, Fortnum and Mason, Piccadilly Circus/Eros Statue, Leicester Square. The Museum Link (Blue Route) Main attractions: Kensington Palace, Baden-Powell House, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Brompton Oratory, Harrods, Knightsbridge, Harvey Nichols, Hyde Park, Ritz Hotel, Piccadilly Circus, Shaftesbury Avenue, British Museum, Russell Square, Wellington Museum, Royal Albert Hall, Albert Memorial, Kensington High Street and the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. Capital Connector (Purple Route) Holland Park, Notting Hill, Bayswater, Kensington Gardens, Pet Cemetery, Paddington Station, Madame Tussauds. St Pancras Station Connector (Black Route) St Pancras Kings Cross Station Marble Arch Paddington Station Marylebone Station Euston Station. The bus leaves St Pancras International at 10.05, 11.05 and 12.05pm; and departs from Marble Arch at 3.50pm, 4.50pm and 5.50pm. Speak to our staff on the day for the latest timetable information. Central London (Green Route) Leicester Square London Eye Westminster Piccadilly Circus Leicester Square This circular service provides a handy link in central London across the Thames. It operates daily between 09.15 and 15.45. Kids Club The Original Tour is the only tour operator to offer commentaries specially designed for children. History made fun for kids, by kids plus the voice of the ghost of London! Every child also gets a passport to London and a fantastic free fun pack with activity/quiz book. Look out for the great Kids Club competition in the back of the book where you could win a souvenir of London. The Kids Club Channel is available on the red and blue route. Members of the Kids club will receive their own free activity pack and a Passport to London. Dont forget to get your passport officially stamped before you board the bus! Thames River Cruise Enjoy this hop-on-hop-off cruise down the River Thames with professional commentary. Hop-on-hop-off cruises are available from Westminster, Waterloo, Tower and Greenwich Piers. A great way to explore Londons riverside attractions in greater detail and its completely free. FREE Walking Tours On non-guard change days walks go to Buckingham Palace and to St Jamess Palace where you can take photos of sentry boxes. The guard change does not take place if it is raining. All tours take approximately 90 minutes. Please note that the Jack the Ripper walk will finish at Aldgate East tube station and not at one of our bus stops. 1. The Changing of the Guard Walk 2. Rock n Roll Walking Tour 3. The Jack the Ripper Walk SOURCE: http://www.viator.com/tours/London/The-Original-London-Sightseeing-Tour-Hop-on-Hop-off/d737-3302OT?pref=02aid=g305 Comparison between the big bus tour and the original tours Original tour and The Big Bus are the established operators and are arguably the mirror images of each other in terms of the product that they offer to their customers. PRICE COMPARISON At large both the companies go head to head on the price department. But if one has to compare which company has a more cheaper ticket its the original tours with just a fraction. Big Bus has a 24 and 48 hour tickets that they offer but this is not the case with the original tours, they just offer a 24 hour ticket. COMPARISON OF THE BUSES In the last couple of years both the companies have upgraded their buses. All the buses are double deck, open top vehicles. The difference in both the companys buses is how open top they are, some of the top rows in the front are covered. ENGLISH GUIDES AUDIO GUIDES If you are fluent in English it is preferred that you take the guided bus tour which is provided by both the companies. Of the audio guides all have English, French, Spanish, German and Italian. Big Bus doesnt have Japanese, the other two do. Big Bus OLT have Russian. OLT have a Kids Channel. Big Bus has Portuge and Mandarin. Source: http://www.londontoolkit.com/blog/tours/comparing-londons-hop-on-hop-off-sightseeing-buses/ http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQG6Om3ceMVQp8TJ57fRpl6-qUNxCeNe9XP6WMlpBvZMdFPIE_jDw COMPARISON OF THE FACILITIES PROVIDED The original tour provides KIDS CLUB facility which makes it more fun for the kids, the same is not provided by the BIG BUS TOURS. Bonus card, one of the main facility provided by the big bus tour. In this the customers can avail great discounts and value offers in some of Londons most popular restaurants, shops and attractions. The Bonus Card can be used for a week after your Big Bus Sightseeing Tour and can be used repeatedly. This in NOT provided by the ORGINAL TOURS. FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS ON THE BASES OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE Q1.Which bus tour did you opt for? According to the data collected 70% of the respondents opted for the Big Bus tour where as only 30% of the people opted for the original tour. Were you given ample time given to you for sightseeing? According to the data collected people who opted for the Big Bus tour said that they were given time to see all the sights but some of the people were not satisfied with the time provided by the tour companies but this is based on their personal requirements. Was there any entertainment for your children during the tour? The original tour is the only bus tour company that provides entertainment for the kids. Families who opted for the big bus tour were really happy with all the facilities and the value added services provided by the company the only thing that they were not content with was that their kids were not given any special treatment. Whereas the families who opted for the original tour were really happy with the services specially with the kids club facility for their children, this made their tour more enjoyable. Was the guide able to answer your questions? The guides of both the tour companies were well informed and were able to tackle all the questions very easily. Did the tour match upto your expectation? Big bus tour was able to match upto the customers expectations as all the things that the company mentioned were provided to them. The most important thing that they were excited about was using their BONUS CARD facility. The original tour was also able to meet the expectation and the people with kids were the ones who were really happy and satisfied as their kids were able to enjoy the tour because of the KIDS CLUB facility provided by the original tour company. Would you recommend this tour to your friends? Customers, whether they opted for big bus or the original tours , they were certain that they will recommend the tour service to all their friends as they were extremely happy with the services provded to them. RECOMMENDATIONS On the basis of the data collected and the survey conducted I have reached the following conclusion: According to the information and my personal experience BIG BUS TOUR is the best and also most of the respondents that were interviewed were the ones who had gone for the same. Personally I would recommend both the companies to install toilets in the buses as it would make the trip more convenient for the customers. According to the suggestions given by the respondents , buses should install some moving platform with the help of which people with a wheel chair can make use of the open top facility provided , otherwise they have to sit at the lower level Original Tours should start a facility similar to the BONUS CARD which is provided by the Big Bus Tour , as it is one of the major differentiating point between them. If the Big Bus tour wants to attract couples with kids, they should start a KIDS CLUB facility or something on the same lines as it would increase their customer base, even though it is still very high. CONCLUSION With the help of the data collected through the questionnaire and the information gathered from the internet I can easily say that big bus tour, with all the hype around it and being started recently ie in May 2011 takes the lead in the hop-on hop-off bus tour providing companies. Original tour company, even though started about 5 decades back, has lost to the new kid on the block. In order for the original tour company to gain more market share and once again be on the top it has to start some aggressive marketing strategies, give more discounts, provide 48 hour tickets as done by its competitors. Big bus tour company, in order to maintain its lead in the market, should introduce some kids entertainment or start a tour specially for the younger generation which would attract more families, as the main motive of the family is that their kids should have a great time and at the end increase their knowledge about the city.

The Hound Of The Baskervilles Essay -- English Literature:

The Hound Of The Baskervilles Introduction The Hound of the Baskervilles is a traumatic and adventurous story about a legend that comes with the birth right of the Baskerville family. The story both begins and ends with tragedy. The story firstly begins with the death of Sir Charles Baskerville and a cunning and eccentric detective. Sherlock Holmes is thought of as a highly mannered but stubborn man whom is willing to get to the bottom of any case. â€Å"Watson examines a mysterious cane left in the office by an unknown visitor, and Holmes sits with his facing his friend. Holmes asks Watson what he makes of it, and Watson declares that his friend must â€Å"have eyes in the back of [his] head,† since he saw what he was doing. Holmes then admits that he saw Watson’s reflection in the coffee service, providing to Watson and us that he is an astute observer.† This shows that Mr Holmes is an honest man. As the story continues the reader finds that there is believed to be a curse within the Baskerville family. In this essay I am going to be looking into this story and pointing out ten key areas: Baskerville legend Death of sir Charles Arrivals at the Hall Views of the Locals Barrymore of the window Discovery of Sherlock Death of the convict Waiting for Sir Henry Attack on Sir Henry Death of Stapleton Sir Hugo, is described in the legend as â€Å"a wild propane and godless man.† This suggests that his inhumanity and â€Å"evil† make him potentially a viable enemy who will stop at nothing. It is Sir Hugo that sets the scene for the setting. Sir Hugo uses his power and Baskerville hall as a prison for the young girl. She manages to escape by, â€Å"the aid of the growth of ivy which covered the south walk.† The ivy indicated the age and wildness of the hall a... ...askerville† follows the traditional structure of a Victorian tale, with all the stereotypical characters, and all is resolved at the end of the novel. However, we do not know what happens to Stapleton in the end. We presume that he gets lost in the Grimpen mire and dies, but the author does not tell us what actually happens to him, to end the novel in suspense. This would be a change from the usual, so would entertain the Victorian audience. â€Å"Stapleton never reached that island refuge†¦sucked him in, this cold and cruel-hearted man is forever buried.† It is as if the countryside is a character in its own right, the moor gave birth to Stapleton’s scheme but it also took it away. The land is unsafe, walking alone is ainsane idea. â€Å"Holmes sank to his waist as he stepped from the path†¦had we not been there to drag him out he could never have set foot upon firm land again.†

Passage To Manhood - Comparing :: essays research papers

By reading a certain print texts, readers are manipulated into accepting or rejecting additional texts. The short story â€Å"The Altar of the Family† written by Michael Welding shares many comparisons with the feature article â€Å"Boys to Men† written by Stephen Scourfield, and by reading one the reader can make clear understanding of the other. Symbolism, genre and certain values and attitudes are present in both the texts and will be further examined in the following essay to show that a readers understanding of particular print texts is shaped by the reading of previous texts. By reading â€Å"The Altar of the Family† the reader understands that to become a man a boy has to pass certain â€Å"tests or ordeals† in order to gain â€Å"rights of passage† to manhood. This process is clearly shown in the print text â€Å"The Altar of the Family†. David, the boy in â€Å"The Altar of the Family† is under constant pressure from his father to become â€Å"more manly†. His father constantly demoralises him and on one occasion brands him a â€Å"lily-livered poofter†. The symbolism of using such words is evident in this text as lilies are something that David admires yet are extremely â€Å"girlish† in the eyes of his father, a man. In an effort to please his father David took it upon himself to kill a possum that had become a menace to his father, this would make him a man, this would grant him his â€Å"rite of passage†. The possum eventually appeared and was described as David would describe his much- loved lilies, â€Å"soft, beautiful, white in the moonlight†. The symbolism of using the same words to describe the possum like the much loved lilies shows the reader that it is against David’s morals to kill the animal of such beauty but if such a task has to be completed to gain manhood then so be it. Much to his dismay he shot the possum and in his own mind was a murderer but in the eyes of his father he would be a man. When looking for the dead possum the next morning his father greets him by saying, â€Å"What’ve you lost old man?† and this shows the reader that David has now become a man in his fathers eyes. By reading â€Å"The Altar of the Family† the reader is led to believe that certain tasks have to be completed in order to gain manhood.

American Immigration :: essays research papers

American Immigration Laws Bouncers at the Border ;Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" These are the words inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty, which has become the American icon for those who wish to make the United Stated thier home. How true do these words hold relative to US immigration polocies? The US is a Nation of Immigrants. Since this its beginnings, immigration has played a vital part in this countries development. People from all parts of the world, from different ethinic, political, religious, and cultrual backgrounds populate this mass of land east of the Pacific and west of the Atlantic. This compilation of people is often described with metaphors such as "melting pot" or "cultural mosaic." It is this diversity that is practically synonimous with United States of America nearly since its infancy. It is also this diversity that has creatied such controversy. Natural human fear of what is different has caused more established groups of people to question the place in society of those groups of people that are relatively new. This is a general statement that sums up, for the most part, the specific issues that are seen as controversial. Throughout history these issues have been fairly public. The main controversy lies in the passing of a pleth era of laws throughout the existence of the US regulating immigration and in the handling of illegal immigration. Modern immigration polocies have recieved less and less publicity as tolerance becomes more widespread, although each person is entitled to their own opinion about the issue.

Middle Class Morality in Pygmalion Essay

Pygmalion is a brilliant play written by Bernard Shaw that gives us an idea of the value in the Victorian era through the witty and rousing lines of his characters. The message Shaw tried to limn through his genius work is vividly drawn and is dearly ambiguous to anyone who is paying attention. In Pygmalion, Shaw focused his theme on the Victorian decorum of the contemporary society, which is named in many parts of Mr. Doolittle’s speech in the play as the â€Å"middle class morality†. In the Victorian times, the rich were distinguished from the poor vehemently as they lead distinct lives-they dress differently, they act differently and they even speak differently. Above all, the ethics exercised by the rich deviates from the poor, if there were any for them in the first place. Thus, nothing is expected from a pauper whereas everything is expected from a sufficient (middle class). The first and most potent item of middle class morality is the obligation of men to protect and foster women regardless it is needed or not. In the very first act of Pygmalion such burden is observed through the harsh demands of Clara (woman) to Freddy (man), compelling him to find a taxi for her. Freddy, as uneager as he was, still obliged and carried out his role in the middle class morality, only to find that his endeavors were in vain as his darling mother and sister were long gone upon his return. Another example of this is also from Act I, where nosy bystanders (men) stood out for Eliza (woman) with the silly sense of heroic conquest to save her from the vile Higgins and his notes, but soon learnt that it was merely a mistake. These deeds, however, were not chivalry, they were more like the empty prayers before dinner made in a sanctimonious fashion-a hypocritical routine. On the other hand, women also bears expectation from men and other women during Victorian times to find a wealthy man to support her because she isn’t supposed to work but to polish herself and other trophies like her  children or household. Professor Higgins believes in such a virtue, as he intended Eliza to be a â€Å"consort for a king† and is stunned at her decision of marrying Freddy. Also, Eliza’s stepmother decided to marry Doolittle again as â€Å"middle class morality claims its victim†, meaning that she was in a way coerced into the action. Mr. Doolittle, a minor character in the play, takes a rather big role interpreting middle class morality. After his unlikely fate with the Wannafeller Moral Reform World League and the fortune that comes along with it, he became a living contrast of being poor and being rich. By his own words, he stood testimony to the joy of poverty and the woe of prosperity-â€Å"I have to live for others and not for myself: that’s middle class morality†, portraying an ironic picture of the poor enjoying life more than the rich-the world of Pygmalion and the Victorian times. From his script, we can see all the not-so-subtle offenses Shaw made to taint the idea of middle class morality and it becomes a prominent factor that made the strong tale worth reading and studying.

The Role of Race in Othello

â€Å"Although the plots of Shakespeare's plays are specific, the motivations of the characters — as well as of Shakespeare himself — have been the source of much debate. Arguments continue over interpretations of Shakespeare's intentions in part because his plays remain so profoundly relevant. † (www. pbs. org, Teachers’ Guide, Othello : Essay on race, web. ) Othello is the story of a Berber who in the fourteenth century, has reached the top of the pyramid in the Republic of Venice thanks to his value as a valiant general of the army. However, his life ended prematurely and tragically in the darkness of jealousy and crime. Othello is the only one able to defeat the Turks on the Cyprus battlefront. This is why the Doge sent him for this mission and, incidentally, gives him approval to bond with a woman from the nobility of Venice , Desdemona, daughter of Senator Brabantio, despite the reluctance of the latter, which obviously does not this â€Å"Moor† in his family. The drama takes place at the couple's arrival in Cyprus and victorious of the Turks – without a single fight since it is served by the storm which swept the enemy fleet. Othello becomes the governor of the island and is at the height of his military and personal life since he won the heart and selflessness of Desdemona who even strongly opposed her father to stay with him. From there, it's a highway to hell that Shakespeare offers us, and we are right to ask the question of why such a tragedy, when Othello had just made an exceptional course and that nothing, could predict such a fall? In the play, the Venetian society claims not to be racist, what is true because it allows Othello to become a governor of Cyprus. But just like our western and modern society, this racism rises under a speech of tolerance and opening. And it re-appears on the occasion of social struggles, of political or economic crises. It is the case in the play on the occasion of the fight between Iago and Cassio. But this racism is also interiorized by Othello. Why does not he speak to Desdemona? Why does not he rely on her? Because he built his life in a violent fight against exclusion, so that he cannot believe in his happiness. His class is printed for ever in the face. Othello is a text on otherness, on the impossibility for a Southerner, a Moor, a Berber from North Africa to find his place in Venice at that time without denying all of the above. But if this denial — and that is the demonstration made by Shakespeare — can last a while, then it turned against its author whose life turns to a tragedy. The play rises the question of the status of the stranger in our human society in general. Similarly, Othello may sound like a denunciation, a text that Shakespeare would have made masked in a classical tragedy that could please his audience. But we can also consider that the work, with its multiple facets exceeded its own author. It seems t that the idea there is probably a reflection on the question of otherness and the need of human societies to be open to the Other, to avoid the risk of dying themselves from the isolation in which they stand, is widespread with regard to this text. The heart of this tragedy is the question of â€Å"acculturation†. To take a place in society, the Stranger or more precisely â€Å"the dominated†, is obliged to begin this process which is to adopt the dominant culture to be recognized in the world of mainstream. The question of the disappearance of the original culture becomes glaring, because without it the â€Å"dominated† loses its soul and so a part of his life. Returning to the text, we can notice first that Othello is often referred to its origins, the color of his skin, his â€Å"strangeness†, in short, non-membership in the Republic of Venice, this irrespectively of the invaluable services he could have render. In the first scene of Act I, Iago, Othello’s â€Å"faithful† servant, who could not bear not to have been appointed by him as lieutenant, is trying to oppose the Senator Brabantio, Desdemona's father , to the love affair between his master and Desdemona. Iago’s terms would today lead to court prosecution for racism : â€Å"You’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse; You’ll have your nephews neigh to you, you’ll have coursers for cousins, and gennets for germans†. A little further the remarks are no less moderate: â€Å"I am one sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the moor are making the beast with two backs â€Å". We also learn in this first act, when Othello is obliged to explain the circumstances of his love with Desdemona (â€Å"strange and against nature†), that Brabantio that was linked to him in some â€Å"friendship â€Å"but we understand that it was true as he remained in the place which was his own, without going to compete with the Venetian nobles and hope to enter, for example, in the family. In this situation, the witch trials is already wielded by Brabantio accusing Othello of magic. Othello: â€Å"Her father loved me, he often invited me, he asked me the story of my life †¦ †. This is in sharp contrast to the despair and violence of the father when he learns that his daughter left with Othello. He even make explicit reference to skin color and supposed ugliness of the stranger: Scene 2 of the first act: â€Å"Can a girl so tender, so beautiful would [†¦ ] never ran from the tutelage of her father in a black soot to be like you, to fear, not to delight. . Scene 3 of the first act: â€Å"†¦ become, despite his love of nature [†¦ ] she was afraid to look! â€Å". Othello’s forced denial is complete: he converted to Christianity and blames himself the Turks who represent Muslim revivalism, until his last words which will be discussed further. No word on his Berber origins nor his first religion which is Islam in all likelihood It seems to devote a genuine hatred for the Turks in the name of this total feeling of belonging to the Republic of Venice. He understood that his ascent is the price. It is simply swept away, erased its own and profound identity in its very essence. We can see in the same time as the others always refer to the â€Å"particuliarities† that are his, his â€Å"strangeness,† and then only when it comes to belittle, humiliate and to remove any legitimacy on this earth for which he fought body and soul. His denial is the cause of Othello's descent into hell, into a kind of belated recognition that he was at the zenith of its glory. The â€Å"homecoming† seems to be inevitable for all of us, especially one who is living an important moment of his life and history. At the peak of his life, the Moor of Venice is undoubtedly aware of his confinement in this gilded citadel – military glory and carnal love. Then he givse up, probably unconsciously, self-destruction and easily falls into the trap of his so called faithful villainous Iago. There is a strong moment in this play, the only one to make a positive reference to the origins of Othello: it is the episode of the handkerchief, a crucial object that comes from his mother when she was on her deathbed. Othello's mother is quoted there for the first time, as a remnant of that origin killed out of necessity †¦ This hences the importance of the handkerchief Othello and focusing on its loss. The fact that the object has been given to Cassio, Desdemona's supposed lover, therefore appears quite high. The behavior of Lodovico, the Doge's sent to Cyprus to recall Othello, is the most emblematic of the shaky status of Othello in this society he wanted to endorse with all his heart: it is as if Othello man considered and respected, was expected at the turn, as if it were enough for him to make any mistakes so that everybody will sound the most negative about him and forget immediately all its virtues. That's what it feels well in Act 4, Scene One: Lodovico, ironic, after seeing Othello in the grip of jealousy hit Desdemona: â€Å"This would not be believed in Venice, Though I should swear I saw it † . Othello seems to be the subject of a hostile nature, a sort of presumed guilt until he proves he is innocent The tragedy of Othello is that he felt one day that his meteoric success was insignificant because it was really and deeply – socially and culturally — was denied by a block of domination in a society which he lived in and which he has become, paradoxically, one of the banners. Irreversible process, there remained to be a good reason for the man to end the world, and he is guided by hatred Iago who is going to serve him a dish of lies and machinations . Othello then gives up again. Iago does not kill Othello, but gives him the means to destroy himself. After his credit tainted by political and military actions that Venice could not accept, he decides to kill the woman who deeply loved him and to end his own life with these words that clearly show his awareness of the † wrong way â€Å"it has made in his life :† †¦ f one whose hand, like the base Judean, threw the pearl away richer than all his tribe; of one whose subdued eyes, albeit unused to the melting mood, drops tears as fast as the Arabian trees their med’ cinable gum. Set you down this. And say besides that in Aleppo once, where a malignant and turbaned Turk beat a Venetian and traduced the state, I took by th’ throat the circumcised dog and smote him — thus (He stabs himself). † Everything is here, up to the tribe of Othello's origins and thus he has â€Å"betrayed† †¦ And we might think that â€Å"circumcised dog† is Othello himself. As we said in the beginning, Shakespeare’s work have always been the source of much debate and of many interpretation. In deed, let’s conclude with a quote from the critic Harold Bloom in his book Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human notes, â€Å"We can keep finding the meanings of Shakespeare, but never the meaning. As each generation re-interprets Shakespeare, it's likely that these issues will continue to challenge, infuriate, and intrigue audiences.

Better Off Alone Essay

In the bible God’s greatest servant is Job; â€Å"This man was innocent, upright, and God-fearing, and kept himself apart from evil† (66). Job did everything God requested, and yet Job was maliciously tested by his creator. Throughout the story of Job there were several accounts of Job expressing his misery that resulted from God’s cruel tests of faith. Reading the story of Job I came up with the question of, would Job be happier without the weight of God’s continuous misperception and unannounced tests? Yaweh strikes Job with a â€Å"test† and murders his sons, daughters, and animals to see if Job will still love him. Perhaps God didn’t have faith in Job instead of visa versa. Yaweh causes Job to be miserable and want to kill himself; in no way is this enjoyable, or worth proceeding to worship a deity. If God were to tell Job he is the one who permitted all of these deeds, Job would no longer follow this deity. God is lying to get what he wants from Job, I don’t believe Job would still appreciate a God that goes against what he orates. It’s as if a wife had gone behind her devoted partners back and had a secret accomplice to pursue her other in a â€Å"test† of fidelity; If she were to tell him â€Å"I tested you, and had another female pursue you to see if you would stay loyal to me†, He would be mad and most likely leave her for lack of trust. Just as Job should leave his â€Å"creator† in the dark as nothing and move on to be happy, instead of constantly trying to please a God that is never satisfied. Job is â€Å"innocent† and â€Å"kept himself apart from evil† (66) and he was also tested with God’s sinful acts of murder and pain. Job was more than true to God, he showed this by even filling his own son’s faithful void; â€Å"Job would send to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer whole burnt offerings, one for each† (66). First off Job was this great of a servant so therefor Job should have been treated better and shouldn’t have been tested. This didn’t happen; but if Job was questioned because he is known as God’s ultimate servant and he had to live up to high standards then feasibly, Job wouldn’t have to deal with an untrusting God if he never submitted. Yaweh speaks with the Accuser and even points out himself that Job is â€Å"like no one on earth†; â€Å"Have you taken note of my servant Job, for there is no one like him on earth: Innocent, upright, and God-fearing and kept himself apart from evil† (66). This is a repetitive sentence through the first section of the story; making a statement that Job has all of these reliable qualities for his God. Job is pious; even Yaweh speaks of this, right before he causes Job an enormous amount of pain. When Yaweh and the Accuser speak of challenging Job’s allegiance, Yaweh tells the Accuser â€Å"Everything he has is in your power, but do not harm his person† (67). Emotions are a part in one’s brain, and one’s brain is a part of the â€Å"person†. By killing his family and animals, this is creating the feeling of agony (harm) to his person. One can then notice God either doesn’t know what harm is or he is just so unpleasant he doesn’t care if he causes Job discomfort, he just wants to see the outcomes of such mischievous acts with Job’s irrevocable loyalty. This isn’t fair to Job, to be harmed for entertainment, what an unhappy life to live. In result of God’s first test of faith, Job unchanged, remains faithful. God figures, well that’s not enough, he then changes his statement to the Accuser and says â€Å"He is in your power, but see that you preserve his life† (67). Yaweh goes back on his words and then physically harms Job’s â€Å"person† and â€Å"smote(s) Job with sickening eruptions from the souls of his feet to the crown of his head† (67-68). Job wouldn’t need to prove devotion to God through anguish if he just had escaped from this unfortunate cruel God. The only reason Job is being chosen to be tested is because he is God’s ultimate servant. If he didn’t believe in God then he wouldn’t have been chosen because God would have already known he was not faithful. Nothing would happen to him if he said good bye to God because all of Job’s friends told him not to keep following God, and nothing cruel happened to them. Job would be happy not constantly being subjected by God’s insecurities. Just how miserable was Job? Job was enormously depressed which shows in this quote; â€Å"blot out the day when I was born† He wishes to not remember the day he was born, or wish it never happened. With his words of self-loathing it creates to the reader feelings of suicide and hate. It makes the reader feel almost apathetic towards Job, for not listening to his friends and also continuing to follow a horrendous god.