Decadence

From the time of the foundation of their culture the Romans stood out because of their austerity and sense of moral rigor. The original Romans adhered to the Mos Maiorum, which literally meant the ways of the elders. The Mos Maiorum was an unwritten law that was intended to function in accordance to the written law. The Romans structured all aspects of their life according to this code from the military and the private life, to the government and other social conventions. Arguably…

& Willa Cather Vanda Mallo Keiser University Babylon Revisited Charlie Wales is the protagonist of "Babylon Revisited" (Fitzgerald, 1931), a former drunk and self-absorbed party-goer who returns to Paris, the site of his past 1920s decadence, to retrieve his daughter Honoria. Charlie sees his formal life with sober eyes, and is both shocked and appalled by its extravagance. At times he appears to come to terms with his mistakes and its consequences but sometimes it seems as if he…

Are we Rome? Author and current editor at large at Vanity Fair, Cullen Murphy who has previously written about the female role in The Bible, debates this in his 2007 novel, Are we Rome? The Fall of an Empire and The Fate of America. He argues that yes, in fact, we in some ways are making the same mistakes as Ancient Rome. In doing so, he poses a series of questions that might help us better understand how exactly we have come to relate to that once mighty republic that met such a bleak end. Most…

The Many Empires of Mesopotamia Through constant war, Mesopotamia was crudely shaped through cookie-cutter fashion of each empire’s peak, earning her the rightful place as a cradle of civilization. Her cultures changed with every dawning era, and her views grew more perceptive until a final, ethical Zoroastrianism. Whether Sumerian, Babylonian, Chaldean, or Persian, Mesopotamia cradled each, defining the meaning of civilization through life and the gods. Ultimately, introducing the basic way…

noise, and they were gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, and have vanished. The Jew saw them all, survived them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities, of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert but aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jews; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his…

As a child I recall hearing this song too many time too count. I never thought of this more than just another song. As I've grown up I've realized that it is much more than just that. The song “Hotel California” was written by the eagles in 1976. This song is rich with symbolism and abstract ideas. The song tells a story of a lonely traveler, after a long journey he or she happens upon the Hotel California. They are warmly welcomed and the traveler tells the story as it happens in real time. I…

The Dark Knight Rises is an American film that played in the year 2012 and was directed by Christopher Nolan. As a kid I always loved superheroes and superhero movies and Batman is definitely one of my favorites. But the story of Batman is definitely not for the faint of heart and is definitely not played by the traditional rules of what a superhero is and what he should be. He is constantly fighting with himself and what he should do but in the end he will have to make the hardest decision of…

The end of World War I marked the beginning of the Jazz Age, bringing social change and economic prosperity to America. As the new culture flowered, writers sought new means of expression to convey the loss and meaningless of the new era. Francis Scott Fitzgerald was an American author who exchanged his ideas in the 1920’s through his writing as he explored and illustrated the deterioration of American society and culture. Fitzgerald’s encounters of the Jazz Age allowed him to reflect on the…

E. Sharice Fair Mr. Chase English Comp. 2 2/24/15 Symbolism on “A Rose for Emily” The short story by William Faulkner tells how Miss Emily grew up as a very shelter girl from a well known family of her town. Never could anyone image that her upbringing that her father decided for her would have so much effect on her adult life. She faces the falling of the South alone with adversity. Faulkner has several instances of symbolism with the house, dust as well as her aging symbolizing…

‘Untouchable’ can be pertinent for the adult that the child is crucified on, in which he or she is untouchable as he or she is a figure of authority of whom many look up to. The oppressors involved weren’t reported to the authorities on grounds of decadence and hypocrisy - evil of pedophilia that has destroyed many lives under the appearance of holiness. The ‘role model’ in Christianity (pope) are not holding them (pedophile priest) accountable for stealing the innocence of children.…