Cain and Abel

In Hamlet, there are allusions to the Bible, classical myth, and traditional medieval beliefs. Considering the nature of the play, it is fitting that Hamlet should include among its biblical references mention of Cain and Abel. Claudius declares “O, my offense is rank, it smells to heaven;/It hath the primal eldest curse upon’t –/ A brother’s murder.” (Brooks 314 [III, iii, 36-38]). Hamlet also makes numerous allusions, especially to classical myth in regards to his…

There has been a vast number of topics we have touched on this semester, from creation to David’s raise to power, but the topic that intrigues me the most is the one that points back to the faithfulness, love, and grace of God, despite man 's constant enmity with God we see his mercy towards us from the beginning. Therefore in this research paper I have decided to delve a little deeper into the Abrahamic covenant; the theological implications of Abraham reach down to a depth that I am unable to…

Looking at many examples throughout modern and ancient history we have too many examples of evil committed by both humans and natural evils. Why would our benevolent God let these terrible acts occur to those both innocent and sinners alike? Why would there be so much disease, so much violence, so much corruption and sexual perversion. In one way or another God has either created these things or simply let them occur for one reason or another. Not only do we have many occurrences of evil in the…

“A great man is one who leaves others at a loss after he is gone” - Paul Valery. John Steinbeck was one such man. A great author whose works carry great historical significance to this day. Despite undergoing several tragedies throughout his life, he overcame and continued to pursue his literary dreams. Only through hard work and dedication did he manage to concoct masterpieces such as The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden. Oftentimes the greatest minds come from the most unexpected sources.…

human race. One of the most horrid acts that civilized humans have outlawed is the act of homicide. Homicide is the deliberate and unlawful killing of one person by another. Homicide, or murder, has been around as long as the story of Cain the farmer and his brother Abel the shepherd, the first and second sons of Adam and Eve. A lesson of history is that wrongfully killing thousands to millions of people rarely solves anything worth the cost of the lost human life. Homicide is a problem in our…

impulses. The man and the fish together can be considered to be a fraternal relationship. Santiago repeatedly calls the marlin his brother; therefore he falls into the role of his brother’s keeper. As the marlin’s killer, Santiago is Cain, who kills his own brother, Abel, in the Christian bible. Santiago exhibits the carcass of the mutilated marlin to prove his own capability to villagers who regarded him a luckless has-been. There is a contradiction in calling the fish his brother, yet…

Being a mental health professional in the 21st century, caring for the mentally infirm, the emotionally damaged, and the spiritually afflicted from a Christian perspective can be a daunting endeavor to say the least. This is, in no small part, due to how Western civilization has come to recognize pathology, specifically psychopathology. When the word itself is broken down and viewed from its Greek origin we learn that psyche means soul, pathos means suffering, and logos means the study of.…

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata is the most important Catholic place of worship in the city of Otranto. The cathedral, built on the ruins of a village, a Roman domus, and an Early Christian temple, was founded in 1068 by the Norman bishop William. It is a synthesis of different architectural styles including Byzantine, Christian, and Romanesque. It was consecrated on 1 August 1088 during the reign of Pope Urban II from the papal legate Roffredo, archbishop of Benevento. In August 1480,…

Samuel Beckett’s ‘Waiting for Godot’ is admittedly one of the most well-known drama around the world. Although at first reading it might seem a bit empty, the book brings up philosophical questions concerning life and death, existence, the passing of time, possibility of free decision-making and also religious and moral issues. However, as we see after finishing reading these questions are – most of the time – left open, therefore giving the readers the chance to develop their own opinion. Even…

of one’s sword and the glorification of warriors dying while in a noble battle. However, a great amount of Christian elements are found throughout the epic poem. For example, Grendel the monster is said to be a descendant of Cain, the biblical man who killed his brother Abel and was responsible for the first human murder in the Book of Genesis (Donoghue). The Christian god is also referred to in several lines when Beowulf is fighting Grendel’s mother in her court…