Sex and the Renaissance Essay Example Essay Example

Sex and the Renaissance Essay Example Paper Sex and the Renaissance Essay Introduction A Comparative Analysis of Love, Sex, and Emotion Upon Renaissance Literature It would be hard to find a period in human history where sex, women, and beauty were not a highly influential topic. Over countless centuries, women have influenced religious movements, wars, famine and poverty, the arts, and a plethora of other subjects; indeed, the appeal of sex seems to have had a hand in all things we know of today. This is certainly true of the Renaissance era, as well, where sexual relations was a strong enough bond to dictate marriage, and people often married out of political strife, and mated simply to continue their heritage. This attitude was captivated in the literature and art world, as well, with the modern man able to cite countless exemplifications of the imperativeness of the human body and sexual connotation to authors and artists’ works during the entirety of the Renaissance. Whether the topic was addressed with a serious tone, often accompanied by idolism and hyper bolized beauty, or written about with a humorous slant designed to entertain and enthrall the literate of the time, one cannot possibly respect the work of these great writers and scholars without also acknowledging the depth of effect womankind and sex had on their work. Sex and the Renaissance Essay Body Paragraphs It would not be exaggeration to state that sex was an infatuation with the minds of the Renaissance thinkers, not unlike any other period of time. Authors often wrote poems and stories that would entice young women into attraction, the fact that these men were able to write and read apparently not attractive in itself. Of particular note was poet John Donne, an Englishman from the end of the Renaissance period. In the midst of Donne’s life, he became a priest and was appointed to be a Dean of St. Paul’s cathedral; however, upon analysis of some of his poems, one could question the purity of his heart and mind, although revering his wit in the process. A perfect exemplification of this characteristic is his work, â€Å"The Flea†. This piece of work utilizes the church and its holy sacraments as well as the female body and virginity as target practice for wry humor and subliminal courtship, with literary devices flowering to help prove his ill-gotten point. If a re presentative for the horny, witty teenage boy were needed from the Renaissance, Donne hits a home run with his use of the flea as a metaphor for sexual relations, among other things. For instance, Donne claims that a flea biting his girlfriend, and himself, was a signal of their unity in the creature: â€Å"This flea is you and I, and this/Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is;† demonstrating that the flea was both the reason for their unity and a symbolic representation for marriage. Also, if the woman attempted killing the animal, she would be killing all three of them, and the holy sanctimony of marriage. Unfazed, she crushes the bug under her fingernail and remarks that she felt no pain in doing so; Donne quickly retorts that if she were able to smash the insect so easily, then surely sex wouldn’t be much more of a step to take. As all the boys who read this smirk and all the girls roll their eyes, it is important to note the importance of this poem: it proves t hat people always think alike, no matter what time period they are from. Donne was cleverly seducing his girlfriend, although to what success no one knows; likewise, men of all ages and time periods attempt such behavior. There is no justification of this behavior, nor is there any principle behind it; it is simply inherent in mankind’s behavior, and a versatile subject to utilize. John Skelton, similarly, treated the subject of sex, and particularly the treatment of women, in a fairly light-hearted way. Presenting the topic of sleeping around rather fluidly and without any sense of passion or emotion, Skelton wrote â€Å"Mannerly Margery Milk and Ale†. This poem reads in a very lyrical sense, with repeated lines, easy to follow rhyme scheme, and other such figures of a melodic writing. It also shares something in common with the stereotypical portrayal of males: that they care only for the woman’s body, and not for their feelings at all. A man may be a charmer, but he certainly is only after what he truly wants, it seems: â€Å"Walk forth your way, ye cost me naught; Now I have found that I have sought: The best cheap flesh that I ever bought. With a simple analysis, one can take this poem as a step farther from Donne’s, as the male has charmed the female into getting sexual pleasure and then, rather maliciously, told her off afterwards. A similar theme also persists here, where the woman is tricked into seduction; in this case, our gentleman was able to successfully manipulate his interest. This may be a common idea, in that women were easily tricked into relationship, or perhaps it was only utilized in writing from the time, due to what it entailed in real life. Essentially, a woman was worthless after she had lost her virginity, and that makes the male’s actions all the more unbecoming. However, this made it all the more enticing to write about, regardless of what the purpose was to the reader. Either way, both poets see med to construe one basic idea: that the males of the time period were conniving and manipulative, much as they are perceived in many regards today; likewise, they seem to target the male readership, with an all but serious tone, in which they belittle the issue at hand and celebrate what ability they have to have power over women. On the other end of the spectrum, writers often put females on a pedestal, treating them like they are almost other-worldly. This was clearly a different ideological stance than the previous writers, in which the female body and the concept of beauty were the focus of their work. It isn’t hard to find this kind of thought: Shakespeare wrote sonnets that epitomized the beauty of woman, and Sir Thomas Wyatt especially condoned this type of thinking in a myriad of short poems. A perfect exemplification of his ethereal portrayal of woman is found in his piece â€Å"Whoso List to Hunt†. In it, Wyatt compares a female to a goddess-like doe, one wh o is described with perverted glory if one were not to know It was of humankind, and not beastiality. The beauty of this doe was overwhelming; and, along its neck, bore the phrase â€Å"Let no one touch me.† Clearly, Wyatt had some extremely high personification here, and whoever was the subject of his writing, be it an individual or all of womankind, would be flattered. It echoes sentiment, and empathy for womankind, speaking directly of the beauty that is of their existence, let alone any other fact that would make a person beautiful. In fact, this is vague in most of his work: womankind is beautiful, according to him, for what lies superficially on the outside. Also, an important idea to note is Wyatt’s emphasis on love, and its power over humanity. While the earlier writers mentioned simply ignored the concept of love in a relationship altogether, specifically Donne, Wyatt embraces it and even fears what it can do to the mentality and his well-being. This is eviden t in â€Å"The Long Love that in My Thought Doth Harbor†, where love prevails as the foremost emotion in his mind, above reason, shame, reverence, and the like. It â€Å"Camps in his forehead†, and later on, when it is subjected, runs hiding away inside him. He emphasizes the power that women can have, too, all due to love: â€Å"Love does not kill and does not unchain me, he neither wishes me alive nor frees me from the tangle. I see without eyes, and I have no tongue and yet cry out; I wish to perish and I ask for help. equally displeasing to me are death and life. In this state am I, lady, on account of you. † (Wyatt, pg. 597{I used the modern translation due to the emphasis on love and more concise or obvious structure. }) While the text from this writing, â€Å"I Find no Peace†, may indicate that Wyatt had wandering eyes or love for another, it still depicts the magnificence of love upon the human mind and heart. One would imagine that, if they are n ot under the impression that Wyatt is perhaps a bit incessant and stalking, that his depiction of womanhood is quite admirable to females reading his works. On the topic of beauty and love, one specific piece is called to mind. In Castiglione’s The Courtier, the ideal courting method is detailed; however, in the final few sections, it complements the idea of the perfect lady, and tries to explain what beauty is. Written from the perspective of a court of individuals, all chiming in with their own opinion, things get a bit hectic; drastically different takes on beauty are found in the text, for example. In book four, we find a conversation developing about the â€Å"goodness† of beauty; some individuals believe that beauty can cause horrible things, such as â€Å"hatred, war, mortality, and destruction.†(Castiglione, pg. 49), defining the fact that beauty invokes far more than admiration and attraction in humanity. A perfect example, which is also listed in the t ext, is the story of Helen of Troy. On the contrary, the concept of beauty is emphasized to be that of a circle: a circle, where goodness is the center. And, obviously, if a circle cannot exist without a center, than beauty cannot exist without goodness. Of course, this leads to some blatantly ignorant lines, such as â€Å"Whereupon doth very seldom an ill soul dwell in a beautiful body†(Castiglione, pg. 650). Apparently, an individual cannot be evil if they are beautiful on the outside. In a modest opinion, one would probably conclude that the thoughts expressed in this work were the result of the rich not having to subject themselves to ugly people, simply put. They had their choice, and therefore theories followed on why their logic was logical. Similarly, and while it may seem odd to say so, the same sort of hollow comparative logic is applicable to human beings today. The phrase â€Å"don’t judge a book by its cover†, however cliche, is quite accurate yet i gnored in society today. Apparently, they hadn’t the conception of this sort of judgment in the Renaissance; this is echoed by both Wyatt’s emphasis on external beauty and the crude explanation presented in The Courtier. It would be a paltry task to find other sexual and emotional themes present in Renaissance literature. From Queen Elizabeth’s love of her country to Sir Phillip Sidney’s work of literal idolization, â€Å"Astrophil and Stella†, to John Webster’s effeminately empowering â€Å"The Duchess of Malfi†, countless examples prevailed through time, studied still as representations of the past ways of life. Perhaps it is most important to realize that, when analyzing the desires and emotions of the people centuries before us, they held the same exact ideals that we cherish today. Beauty was a crucial piece of life and love, just as love was an important emotion driven through the hearts of men and women alike. Sex, too, was a t hought alluring to males and females, and will continue to be a draw until mankind ceases to exist. Much like the works of literature created today, mankind always finds itself enraptured by the thought of the opposite sex, of beauty and profound emotion; so too, will it always be a focal point of the literary world. These few short words, ones representative of so much more than can be adequately said, truly are the focal point of literature; a true parallel to the persistent emotion held inside the writer, the reader, and the world. Works Cited 1. Various Authors. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Steven Greenblatt. 8th Edition. N. p. : Norton, 2006. 2. John Donne. â€Å"The Flea. † Poems of John Donne Vol. 1. 2002 Jan. 1. 10/25/10.=http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/donne/flea.php data-wpel-link=external rel=nofollow>http://www. luminarium. org/sevenlit/donne/flea. phpgt;. We will write a custom essay sample on Sex and the Renaissance Essay Example specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sex and the Renaissance Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sex and the Renaissance Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Music Appreciation essays

Music Appreciation essays I have always been a person who has enjoyed life with music. Ive come across numerous people that have told me that they dont really listen to music, and every time I hear it I cant help but look at them funny. I cant imagine how much of a void these peoples lives must be if they dont even appreciate music. Since the dawn of time music has been referred to as an art form. Sultans and Kings had musicians, Countries use anthems to reflect their beliefs, and most of the people today use it to relate to how they feel or to help them cope with things in their lives. Music can define, inspire, separate, or make people come together. What if there was no Christmas music to listen to while opening your presents? What if the Happy Birthday song was never sung? We all enjoy music whether you realize it or not. The first CD I had my mom buy me was Aerosmiths Get a Grip. I used to play it over and over until I could practically recite songs in my sleep. The way the guitar and drums sounded together was like heaven to me. I always thought that they had to be geniuses to come up with this stuff, until I found out how much they loved drugs and alcohol. Then over the years as I liked more bands and read about them, I learned that all of them seemed to have substance abuse problems. So then I realized that it must not be the brains, but something else. When I got a little older and a little more angered with life as an early teenager, I began to really love the way Metalica sounded. I would put my stereo as loud as it could go and just sit there in my room reading the lyrics on the CD cover. Just listening to it in my room would let me forget about whatever was bothering me at the time, and showed me that I wasnt the only one around having issues in my life and just hearing someone else sing a bout it can really boost up your moral. Later on when my girlfriend at the time b ...

Ageing Experience And Psychological Well Being Social Work Essay

Ageing Experience And Psychological Well Being Social Work Essay There are two potential determinates that might influence quality of life and psychological well-being of elderly people. Firstly there are the objective factors that are income, health, status and age and intuitively, usually having more of these things means greater quality of life. However, in various research based on happiness of the elderly people, objective factors are less powerful than one might expect as Lyubomirsky et al; cited in the research article titled ‘Psychological Acceptance and quality Of Life in the Elderly,'(2007). The research suggested that objective factors account for about 8 to 15 % of the difference in happiness. So, †Do people get less happy as they get older?† and their well- being while ageing has been discussed by various researchers in order to define the concept of successful ageing but there is still a lack of consensus on what defines a successful ageing. The various researches on the relationship between old age and well-being have been at many times assessed through life satisfaction, happiness and morale. 2.2 Theories of ageing In attempting to explain the ageing process and moreover the elderly experience with family support in this particular study, the theories of ageing, which describes the ageing process and what it implies will be taken into account. 2.2.1 Activity theory, developed by Havighurst and associates in 1953, asserts that remaining active and engaged with society is primordial to satisfaction in old age. The theory asserts that positive relationships in the aged individual’s level of participation in social activity leads to life satisfaction as active aging equals successful aging. Activity can be physical or intellectual in nature so as to replace those interests and relationships that have been diminished or lost over time. This theory proposes that elderly people need to remain active in a variety of social spheres as for instance with family or friends because activity is pr eferable to inactivity as it facilitates well-being on multiple levels that is assuming that activity is vital to well-being. Activity theory proposes that social activity and involvement with others results in an increased ability to cope with aging, improved self-concept, and enhanced emotional adjustment to the aging process (Lee, 1985). 2.2.2 Disengagement theory was proposed by Cumming and Henry (1961). This theory states that ‘aging is an inevitable, mutual withdrawal or disengagement; resulting in decreased interaction between the ageing person and others in the social system he belongs to’ (Cumming and Henry, 1961, p.2). Disengagement theory thus assumes that social involvement decreases with aging and that successful ageing is best achieved through abandoning social roles and relationships and by the individual reducing both activities and involvement. Proponents of this theory maintain that this separation is desired by society and older adults, and serves as such to maintain social equilibrium. While high morale is evident at the completion of the process, the transition is characterized by low morale. However, this theory has been strongly criticized by researchers who found a lack of evidence from older people disengaging from their surroundings. Whereas older people social relationships change and that they possibly have fewer ties, it was found that these relationships were often deeper and more significant.

Litriture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Litriture - Essay Example He was persistent in his belief that they should not surrender to Xerxes and that the Spartan army will endure the faith that awaits them for the glory of Greece. He believed enough in his strategy that though he was defeated in the end it marked an awakening among the Grecians to fight the Persians and eventually yield to the same belief that Leonidas figured early on. The same courage was also apparent to Achilles who remained unfazed even to his death. Achilles holds a diverse type of courage which is almost borderline arrogance but it is not without precedence as he is close to an immortal and he is aware of it. Though he knew of the prophecy of his death in the Trojan War he still joined the war that brought him to his end. Charisma is also important. It is almost impossible to concretely define what charisma is but it is a characteristic that is common among heroes. They are able to influence and move their followers into action not because of fear but because of the charisma that they have over people. Looking upon it, why would 300 men join Leonidas even though they are aware that it will cause their families mourning? It is because of charisma. Not because they are afraid but because they believed in his abilities and they are inclined to his persona. The mere fact that one can be associated with Achilles is a sign of his own charisma. These heroes exude something that transcends confidence and draws in followers. Love, that all encompassing emotion manifests itself despite and because of heroic films. It holds many variations and it is not limited to the romantic type or the ideal that we so often see. It endears us to the characters of the stories and it humanizes the heroes that even as they come to their tragic ends, we are instilled with the grief that we feel due to the love that they have revealed through the course of their stories. The movie 300

Amazon.com - transfer pricing, taxation and the role of corporate Research Paper

Amazon.com - transfer pricing, taxation and the role of corporate social responsibility - Research Paper Example tion of these issues are described below Transfer Pricing and taxation Issues for Amazon.com Simply the transfer pricing is the price that is set for the intercompany transactions. Transfer pricing is used when the divisions of an organization need to charge other divisions of the same organizations for the goods and services provide to them. For example as in the case of Amazon.com, it is mentioned earlier that Amazon is operating the variety of departments and websites in many countries. Transfer pricing in this might possible, as a department of Amazon in United Kingdom deals in a component in United Kingdom. The same component is also required by a costumer in China. The transfer of this component form the department in US to department in china will be valued at internal price and will be referred as transfer price. In the context of transfer pricing these some factors can effect on the operations of Amazon.com. Transfer prices are particularly appropriate for profit centers bec ause if one profit center work for another, the size of the transfer price will affect the costs of one profit center and revenue to other. In the case of Amazon, each department has its own products and activities and every department in different counties is responsible to maintain its profit level. So in relation to the prospective of transfer pricing each department can try to work in their own interested segments to increase their profits. Decisions might be taken by a department manager in the best interest of his own part of business, and it may possible that this decision may affect against the interests of other departments. The profit center managers for Amazon tend to put their own profit performance above everything else. Since the profit center performance is measured according... The intention of this study is Amazon.com as a largest cyber selling company in modern cyber environment. Amazon.com started their business by selling their first book in 1995. At that time the main aim of amazon is based on a dream to develop a new trend in e-commerce. After the great success of this business Amazon now have selling every kind of products and have many sites those are serving efficiently in seven countries. The working of Amazon is an art not a science. They are dealing in lots of products. The main art of capturing the cyber market is multi-level e-commerce strategy. Due to this strategy, anyone sell almost anything using the platform of Amazon.com. The another main key factor for the success of Amazon.com is their efficient data based system which has also ranked in the top three world largest Linux data base system in 2005. The purpose of this report is to clear these mentioned issues can affect the Amazon’s performance in material manner. On the other han d, in current modern environment the value of cyber markets is increasing day by day. So it is much necessary for Amazon.com to control the all negative aspects of mentioned factors to win the race. There is also a strong need to control the problems that is stated is the Amazon’s Annual report. In short, by taking account of all these issues Amazon.com can perform in more efficient manner and easily capture the cyber market share in near future.

The Bedroom inThe Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman :: Yellow Wallpaper essays

The Yellow Wallpaper - The Bedroom As the story progresses in, The Yellow Wallpaper, it is as if the space of the bedroom turns in on itself, folding in on the body as the walls take hold of it, epitomizing the narrator's growing intimacy with control. Because the narrator experiences the bedroom in terms of John's draconian organization, she relies on her prior experiences of home in an attempt to allay the alienation and isolation the bedroom creates. Recalling her childhood bedroom, she writes, "I remember what a kindly wink the knobs of our big, old bureau used to have, and there was one chair that always seemed like a strong friend . . . I could always hop into that chair and feel safe" (Gilman 17). Ironically, Gilman's narrator cannot retire to the otherwise "personal haven" of the bedroom because she is always already there, enclosed within the attic room of John's desires, bereft of her own voice and personal history. The narrator's imagination is altogether problematic for John, who would prohibit his wife fr om further fancifulness: "[John] says that with my imaginative power and habit of story-making, a nervous weakness like mine is sure to lead to all manner of excited fancies, and that I ought to use my will and good sense to check the tendency. So I try" (Gilman 15-16). For Gaston Bachelard, who devotes himself to a phenomenological exploration of the home in The Poetics of Space, "imaginative power" is the nucleus of the home, if not the home itself. Memories of prior dwellings are for Bachelard a fundamental aspect of creating new homes based on a continuity with the past and past spaces. "[B]y approaching the house images with care not to break up the solidarity of memory and imagination," writes Bachelard, "we may hope to make others feel all the psychological elasticity of an image that moves us at an unimaginable depth" (6). Bachelard's "elasticity" infers that spatial depth and expansion are contingent upon a psychological flexibility of imagination. Gilman's narrator is nota bly denied this elasticity when her physician/husband attempts to prevent her from writing. "I did write for a while in spite of them," the narrator explains, "but it does exhaust me a good deal--having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy opposition" (Gilman 10).

“Cal” by Bernard MacLaverty Critical Analysis

Task: Choose a novel I which the central character is involved in conflict. Briefly outline the nature of the conflict and then in more detail explain how it helped illustrate the theme(s) of the novel. In your answer you should deal with at least two of the following: setting, characterisation, dialogue, key incident, theme, or any other appropriate feature. Bernard MacLaverty's brilliant novel â€Å"Cal† tells the story of a young man's involvement with the IRA and his struggle to cope with the repercussions of his actions. The novel makes the reader contemplate the violence and aggression that infests areas of our society and how religious hatred and bigotry can have devastating effects on people's lives. The protagonist, Cal McLuskey, is involved in many conflicts throughout the text; all of which help to illustrate the key theme of isolation. Our appreciation of this concern is further enhanced by the author's use of setting and characterisation. Also you can read Analysis July at the Multiplex Set amidst the conflict of 1980's Northern Ireland, â€Å"Cal† tells the tale of a nineteen-year-old Catholic, Cal McCluskey. Life is not easy for Cal: he and his father, Shamie, are the only Catholics living a Protestant Estate; he is unemployed; his mother died when he was only eight; his brother was killed while working abroad; his relationship with his father is very strained and he is involved with the IRA. Throughout the course of the novel, Cal struggles to come to terms with his role in the murder of an RUC police officer by his acquaintance, Crilly; an operation for which he was the getaway driver. To make matters worse, Cal finds himself falling in love with the slain man's wife, Marcella. The setting of the novel is very effective in highlighting the conflict Cal is involved in, whilst also effectively illustrating the key theme of Isolation. Cal lives with his father, Shamie, in Northern Ireland on a Protestant Estate and as they are Catholics, the only Catholics living there, there is conflict between Cal and Shamie and their neighbours. Cal's home is like a prison to him, socially isolating him from the world in which he lives. â€Å"He could not bear to look up and see the flutter of Union Jacks.† This is an example of the Religious divide between Cal and his neighbours. It tells us Cal is very aware of his surroundings at this point in the novel and he feels insecure here. He feels like he does not belong and feels uncomfortable in his Protestant environment, therefore isolating himself from everyone around. He feels alone and scared of what will happen to him if he stays there any longer. Cal and Shamie's neighbours want rid of them and try to scare them out their own home by posting threatening messages through their front door: â€Å"GET OUT YOU FENYAN SCUMOR WE'LL BURN YOU OUT THIS IS YOUR 2ND WARNING THERE WILL BE NO OTHER.† Here we can see the extreme hatred that is shown towards Cal and his father. They are being called â€Å"Fenyan Scum† indicating that those around them think they are disgusting and worthless because of their religion. Cal and Shamie are subject to verbal, physical, and psychological abuse. However Shamie will not leave his home just because he has been told to, he is stubborn and this causes tension between Cal, Shamie and the loyalists which makes them isolated in their own estate. Cal's relationship with his father is very strained. They rarely agree and have conflicting views on how to deal with their social isolation. Cal does not like the sight of blood and refused to work in the abattoir with Shamie which causes conflict between them both. This makes Shamie feel extremely disappointed in his son. â€Å"It sticks in my throat that he got the job that you gave up because you hadn't a strong enough stomach. Now he's got money to burn and you're running about borrowing fags. Not to mention the embarrassment it caused me.† Shamie wants Cal to follow in his footsteps as he is his only son left, Cal's older brother was killed while working abroad. Since Cal's mother died when he was eight, Shamie and Cal only have each other and the conflict between them is increasing because if they do not have each other they do not have anyone. They are both isolated in their house because there is not a very good relationship between them. They are not close and barely engage in conversation with each other. They are both socially isolated in their own home. There relationship highlights isolation due to the conflict between them. Read also  Case 302 July in Multiplex It is not only the relationship between Cal and his father that highlights the theme of isolation but also Cal's relationship with his ‘friends', Crilly and Skeffington. They are heavily mixed up with the IRA and in a sense bully Cal into getting involved also. Crilly and Skeffington are very high believers of the 'cause' and when Cal rejects their beliefs there is conflict between them all. â€Å"Because we have committed ourselves, Cahal, it is our responsibility. We have to make the sacrifices.† Crilly and Skeffington believe so much in the cause that they kill for it. When Cal played a part in RUC officer, Robert Morton's death, he becomes repulsed at his actions. Because Crilly and Skeffington believe this is the right thing to do, that it is OK to kill for the Cause, Cal decides he wants to leave the IRA. Crilly and Skeffington do not react well to Cal's remorse and as a result of this Cal totally isolates himself from them. When he does this he becomes companionless and on his own. By rejecting the beliefs and aims or the IRA, Cal finds that he is ideologically isolated. Cal is constantly surrounded by news of deaths and war and conflict between two opposing beliefs. Even though he was involved with the IRA he does not believe in killing. The abattoir symbolises the conflict in Northern Ireland at the time with all the deaths and bloodshed. Cal hates going to the slaughterhouse and detests blood in any way, shape or form: â€Å"He loathed them, made from blood, like cross-sections of large warts bound in black Sellotape.† This is when Cal is describing black pudding and is a perfect example of his hatred for blood. He feels he is the only person who does not like killing. Cal detests the slaughterhouse because it reminds him of the war going on and maybe reminds him he was once involved in the murder of a man. Maybe this is another sign of his guilt. However, because he does not believe people should be killed he does not fully support the IRA and is therefore isolated because he is suddenly against people like Crilly and Skeffington for not believing what they feel is right. Cal just wants a free Ireland but does not believe killing is the right way to get it. As the novel progresses we discover the extent of Cal's emotional isolation. It is Cal's involvement with the IRA that leads to his relationship with Marcella, thus Cal's involvement in this conflict is the main cause of isolation. Cal wants redemption for his involvement in Robert Morton's murder. He does this by confiding in Marcella. If it was not for the IRA he would not know who Marcella Morton was. When he gets close to Marcella he is longing to confess what he has done, he wants to apologise. Then he starts feeling guilty for feeling some sort of happiness: â€Å"The happier Cal felt, the sadder he became. He wants to confess to her, to weep and be forgiven.† Cal feels he should not be allowed to feel happy since he was involved in a killing. He wants Marcella to redeem what he has done and forgive her but he knows he cannot tell her. This makes him isolated because he has to bottle up everything he feels. In the end of the novel I think Cal feels extremely relieved he is going to get what he feels he deserves: â€Å"The next morning†¦almost as if he had expected it, the police arrived to arrest him as he stood in a dead man's y-fronts listening to the charge, grateful that at last someone was going to beat him within an inch of his life.†Ã‚  Read also Critical appreciation of the poem â€Å"Old Ladies’ Home†. This is almost contradictory. He wants to get punishment for what he has done so that he can be free of his sin. Cal feels relieved that he has been found out and has not gotten away with what he has done. He is grateful that finally he is going to get what he deserves and is going to be punished. This highlights isolation as he was alone and needed to tell someone what he has done but he could not. The guilt was torturing him inside but he could not do anything about it. So in conclusion, Bernard MacLaverty's novel â€Å"Cal† effectively shows the degree to which isolation can affect us. We see this through the examples of religious bigotry and also how relationships with friends and family can affect lives.