Family Diversity

Does divorce mean that the family is in decline?

OBJ: To know what divorce is, to examine why it happens and to consider the consequences.

What is divorce?
 Divorce is the legal separation between husband and wife.The termination of a marriage.
But there are different types of divorce, such as empty shell marriage which is them married by name only, Desertion where one partner leaves the other and legal separation, where the court separates financial dealings but still married.

divorce statistics are presented in three main ways:

1. The total number of divorce petitions per year (The number of people applying for a divorce but not necessarily gone through with it.
2. The total number of decrees absolute granted per year
3. The divorce rate

Reasons for divorce:

• Law:
• divorce has become accessible to women in 1923
• Divorce law reform act 1969 (first actioned in 1971)
• Divorce on the grounds of 'irretrievable breakdown'
• 1949 saw the introduction to money being available to help, but had to have a 3 year period of reconciliation
• The period of reconciliation was reduced to 1 year from 3
• Stigma and changing attitudes:
• Stigma is a negative label
• Churches condemned divorce
• Mitchell & Goody saw in the 1960s saw that divorce is more acceptable
• Couples now get divorced, which became a normality, it was no longer considered negatively but instead was treated as a misfortune.
• Secularisation
• 34% of Christians follow the traditional rules
• Churches don't want to lose followers so they have soften their views
• IN some religious communities, it is still shunned to get a divorce
• Rising expectations of marriage
• Marriage is no longer considered a binding contract
• Lower expectations of people of being married has led to increase in divorce
• A change in the paradigm of love, it is considered Romantic and that if you no longer love each other, there is no point of marriage.
• Higher expectations makes couples today less willing to tolerate an unhappy marriage.
• Changing potions of women
• Radical feminists argue that the cause of divorce is due to the dissatisfaction with patriarchal society which less women want to tolerate
• Women have greater success in education and get better life prospects
• Developments mean that women are more likely to be able to support themselves in the event of divorce
• The availability of welfare benefits means that women no longer have to remain financially dependant on their husbands.

Creative critical response coursework

OBJ: To know the itches second set of prophecies. To understand what is expected in the creative critical commentary coursework.


"Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff; Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough."

Shakespeare establishes the power of the supernatural.

"Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth."

The equivocation allows for the superstition linked to caesarian birth were thought to be blessed.

"What is this That rises like the issue of a king, And wears upon his baby-brow the round And top of sovereignty?" 

 Juxtaposes prelapsarian innocence with Macbeth's iniquity. The idea of a "barren sceptre" and "fruitless crown"

"Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him."

The implausibility of this makes him feel entirely invincible.

"That will never be Who can impress the forest, bid the tree Unfix his earth-bound root?"

Macbeth acknowledges that there is a force greater than that of man (the force of nature which is a pagan idea.) The shallow absurdity of these prophecies is exposed later on.

Braggadocio

OBJ: To deploy our critical language effectively to “review” a scene (AO1)
To explore and probe AO2

Word of the day: Braggadocio (boastful or arrogant behaviour.)



In a good review, you should be able to evaluate different productions, you also need to show your own interpretations of the character. It is important that you add some well placed judiciously placed quotes, in addition it is good to add a layer of what of other critiques have said about the production.

Critique of Polanski's adaptation of the Macbeth banquet scene:

Finch's portrayal of Macbeth in this scene conveys a Macbeth who, despite his best efforts, cannot maintain his façade of being innocent and is being crushed by his mind “full of scorpions”. Finch's performance shows none of the braggadocio of Stewart's performance and presents himself as more human than Stewart's interpretation of a 'starlinesque' Dictator.

Arguably, Shakespeare wanted Macbeth to be presented as a noble king mildly affected by the death of the King, and then broken by the vision of Banquo's ghost.

Section A

OBJ: To recap which AOs you should address for each part of the unseen poetry questions and how  to respond to unseen poetry in the AS exam.

AS Paper is two hours and 15 minutes long;

Unseen Poetry = 20 marks

Home poetry = 50 marks

Part A: 5 marks – JUST AO1 is marked (come up with 5 'answers' and embed quotes – keep it short and sweet)

Part B: 5 marks – JUST AO2 is marked (in this answer, focus on language, structure, form analysis of quotes and ideas in the poem. You can literally pick and explore quotes for this one.)

The use of sibilance in 'Shepard's swains shall dance and sing' enhances the euphonious mood of the poem. The use of repetition shows a sense of urgency which creates resolution at the end: 'Then live with me and be my love.' the use of euphony ('melodic tone to intensify the dynamic symbolism between nature and his lover. The use of rhyming couplets give the poem a steady rhythm, perhaps to symbolise the stability of their relationship. Assonance is also used to emphasize the pastoral theme of the poem and the many elements of nature mentioned throughout ('Valleys, groves, hills, woods...')


1. with close reference to 1 or 2 examples, explore the imagery which has been used in the poem.

'And I will make thee beds of roses / And a thousand fragrant posies'
by this point in the poem, Marlowe has used many clichéd images of the idea of love. The hyperbole of 'a thousand fragrant posies' may symbolise the strength of his love for her and nature. Perhaps Marlowe uses the image of these flowers to symbolise his conquering of the finite aspects of love. Where one flower blooms, wither and dies, his 'thousand' flowers seem eternal.

Unseen Poetry

OBJ: To explore how to respond to the 10 mark question in unseen poetry in the AS exam.


Analysis of The Passion Of The Shepard To His Love

'There will I make thee beds of roses And a thousand fragrant posies' - Nature is seen as idyllic in pastoral poetry

'Come live with me and be my love' - Idyllic language used to depict nature represents idyllic aspect of love.

'pretty lambs we pull; Fair lined slippers for the cold, With buckles of the purest gold' - Celestial imagery insinuates transcendence of his love over normality. The regal representation gives gravitas.

'The shepherd's swains shall dance and sing For thy delight each may morning' - Symbolic of Spring, new beginnings, fresh starts.


Shared writing of first PEE:

Marlowe's divine depiction of the celestial imagery insinuates transcendence of his love over normality. This intimates the regal representation of their love which gives their love gravitas;
"Our pretty lambs we pull;
Fair lined slippers for the cold,
With buckles of the purest gold;"
The vivid imagery of the 'buckles of the purest gold' emphasizes the pastoral conventions of the poem. Specifically, 'purest' relates to his lover's innocence and purity of self. The 'pretty lambs' provide an eschatological reference to Jesus and his purity also. Lambs also suggest new life as they are a symbol of Spring and new beginnings. Marlowe's representation of the lovers goes beyond metaphysical; he presents much imagery of a holy or celestial form within this pastoral poem.

The Passionate Shepard to his Love

COME live with me and be my Love,

And we will all the pleasures prove

That hills and valleys, dale and field,

And all the craggy mountains yields.

There will we sit upon the rocks,

5And see the shepherds feed their flocks,

By shallow rivers, to whose falls

Melodious birds sing madrigals.

There will I make thee beds of roses

And a thousand fragrant posies,

A cap of flowers, and a kirtle

Embroider'd all with leaves of myrtle;

A gown made of the finest wool

Which from our pretty lambs we pull;

Fair lined slippers for the cold,

With buckles of the purest gold;

A belt of straw and ivy buds,

With coral clasps and amber studs:

And if these pleasures may thee move,

Come live with me and be my Love.

The shepards' swains shall dance and sing

For thy delight each may morning:

If these delights thy mind may move,

Then live with me and by my love.

Economic factors

Push factors: the negative aspects of their 'home' society that may make them want to migrate. Examples of push factors are lack of jobs and poor economy.

Pull factors: Things the destination society might offer that attracts migrants, examples of pull factors are a stable economy and good exports.

Recent and future patterns

We have increasing levels of both immigration and emigration, highest in 2004, this is down to Britain joining the European Union. Males might go and work and send money home, as well as young males and females going abroad to study. Older people migrate to retire or to visit family.

Check Questions & answers:

  

• Identify two public health measures that helped to produce the decline in the death rate
• Improvements in housing; cleaner drinking water; food and drink laws; improved sewerage; Clean Air Acts.

• Suggest two reasons for the decline in the birth rate in the 20th century
• Changes in the position of women; decline in the infant mortality rate; children are now an economic liability; child-centred families.

• Suggest two reasons for class differences in infant mortality.
• Class differences in factors such as family size, access to good housing, sanitation, nutrition, mother’s knowledge of hygiene, access to health services, uptake of immunisation.

• How might population trends in the UK be related to the increase in the proportion of married women working?
• Married women working may lead to a fall in the birth rate because they tend to delay childbearing or may not have children at all.

• Suggest two reasons for the decline in maternal mortality.
• Smaller families; better knowledge of hygiene; improved ante- and post-natal services; better nutrition.

• Identify three reasons why many women today are having their children at a later age than earlier generations? 
• They are continuing their education; starting careers; cohabiting and establishing a home before starting a family.

• What is the typical effect of immigration on fertility rates?
• Immigrant mothers tend to have higher fertility rates than mothers in the UK.

• Identify two effects migration may have on the dependency ration.
• Migrants tend to be of working age and in the short term this will reduce the dependency ratio. However, because migrants tend to be young and therefore fertile, they are more likely to produce children and this will increase the dependency ratio.

Oligopoly

OBJ: To recognise how institutions and audiences effect magazine production.

Oligopoly

In the UK, the magazine industry operates as an oligopoly. An oligopoly is where several companies have grown larger and larger whilst competing , to the point where they all have equal power and they all dominate the market. In the UK the companies that dominate the magazine market are:

• Hearst - produce 300 worldwide magazines with their UK company Hearst UK publishing 24 magazines in Britain including Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, Elle, Esquire, Good housekeeping and company. 
• IPC Media - They produce 60 magazines in Britain including NME, Nuts, Woman's own, Marie Claire, Loaded etc. Their magazines get bought by 26 million people a month, and their websites get visited by nearly 20 million people a month.
• Bauer - (incorporating EMAP) - They produce 280 magazines worldwide with 80 of those in Britain including Bliss, Empire, FHM, Heat, Kerrang, Take A Break and Q.
• Conde Nast - They produce over 30 magazines in Britain including Glamour, wired and Vogue

Macbeth revisits the witches

Equivocation
he use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself.

The witches use equivocating language in order to manipulate Macbeth, The prophecy 'None of women born can harm Macbeth' this is an example of equivocation as it leads Macbeth to believe he is invincible, However, Macduff was born of a C-section, Therefore he wasn't 'born' meaning that Macduff can kill Macbeth.

"Darkness, we may even say blackness, broods over this tragedy. It is remarkable that almost all the scenes which at once recur to memory take place either at night or in some dark spot. The vision of the dagger, the murder of Duncan, the murder of Banquo, the sleep-walking of Lady Macbeth, all come in night-scenes. the Witches dance in the thick air of a storm, or, 'black and midnight hags,' receive Macbeth in a cavern. The blackness of night is to the hero a thing of fear, even of horror;and that which he feels becomesthe spirit of the play."

How does Shakespeare present darkness and the role of the supernatural in these scenes? How a our perceptions of Macbeth's character shaped in these scenes?

Hecate's Soliloquy translated into modern English

HECATE

Don’t I have a reason to be angry, you disobedient hags? How dare you give Macbeth riddles and prophecies about his future without telling me? I am your boss and the source of your powers. I am the one who secretly decides what evil things happen, but you never called me to join in and show off my own powers. And what’s worse, you’ve done all this for a man who behaves like a spoiled brat, angry and hateful. Like all spoiled sons, he chases after what he wants and doesn’t care about you. But you can make it up to me. Go away now and in the morning meet me in the pit by the river in hell. Macbeth will go there to learn his destiny. You bring your cauldrons, your spells, your charms, and everything else. I’m about to fly away. I’ll spend tonight working to make something horrible happen. I have a lot to do before noon. An important droplet is hanging from the corner of the moon. I’ll catch it before it falls to the ground. When I work it over with magic spells, the drop will produce magical spirits that will trick Macbeth with illusions.

http://nfs.sparknotes.com/macbeth/page_122.html

Hecate

OBJ: To consider the role and purpose of Hecate.


 Who is Hecate?

Hecate or Hekate  is a goddess in Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding two torches or a key and in later periods depicted in triple form. She was variously associated with crossroads, entrance-ways, dogs, light, the Moon, magic, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, necromancy, and sorcery. In the post-Christian writings of the Chaldean Oracles (2nd-3rd century CE) she was regarded with (some) rulership over earth, sea and sky, as well as a more universal role as Saviour (Soteira), Mother of Angels and the Cosmic World Soul. She was one of the main deities worshiped in Athenian households as a protective goddess and one who bestowed prosperity and daily blessings on the family.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hecate
HECATE

Have I not reason, beldams as you are?

Saucy and overbold, how did you dare

To trade and traffic with Macbeth

In riddles and affairs of death,

And I, the mistress of your charms,

The close contriver of all harms,

Was never called to bear my part,

Or show the glory of our art?

And, which is worse, all you have done

Hath been but for a wayward son,

Spiteful and wrathful, who, as others do,

Loves for his own ends, not for you.

But make amends now. Get you gone,

And at the pit of Acheron

Meet me i' th' morning. Thither he

Will come to know his destiny.

Your vessels and your spells provide,

Your charms and everything beside.

I am for the air. This night I’ll spend

Unto a dismal and a fatal end.

Great business must be wrought ere noon.

Upon the corner of the moon

There hangs a vap'rous drop profound.

I’ll catch it ere it come to ground.

And that distilled by magic sleights

Shall raise such artificial sprites

As by the strength of their illusion

Shall draw him on to his confusion.

"And I, the mistress of your charms, The close contriver of all harms"

Hecates  is the 'mother' of the witches, the leader of the supernatural group and is angry with the three witches for not consulting her. She represents the symbolic cross roads that Macbeth has arrived at in the play.

"Meet me i'th' morning; thither he will come, to know his destiny."

Hecates is a symbol of illumination for Macbeth, she is lighting the way to his destiny.

Introduction to John Stewart Mill

John Stewart Mill was born in 1806 and died in 1873, Mill was a philosopher, social reformer and economist, his key works include "On liberty" and "Utilitarianism"

"It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; It is better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied." - John Stewart Mill on Happiness

His main interests were political philosophy, ethics, economics and inductive logic.

John Stewart Mill was a proponent of Utilitarianism, an ethical theory developed by Jeremy Bentham. He worked on his theory of the scientific method. Mill was also a member of parliament and an important figure in liberal political philosophy.

Evaluating Bentham

OBJ: To evaluate Act Utilitarianism. To understand Mill's improvements to the theory.

Strengths of Act Utilitarianism:

• Democratic
• Focusses on Happiness
• Common sense system
• Flexible system
• Egalitarian
• No one persons pleasure is more valued more than any other
• It includes a decision making procedure
• Encourages others to be kind to one another
• Recognises the importance of consequence.

Weaknesses of Act Utilitarianism:

• Can justify acts that we consider intrinsically wrong (Gang Rape, the holocaust)
• Doesn't consider the intention behind the action
• Doesn't consider pleasure through pain (Masochism & Sadism)
• Ii isn't very practical as the Hedonic Calculus is hard to apply
• Implies all forms of happiness are equal
• Its not always possible to know the consequences of an action
• There are no intrinsic values.

The Hedonic Calculus

OBJ: To know and understand Bentham's Hedonic Calculus

Intensity --How intense is the pleasure or pain?

Duration --How long does the pleasure of pain last?

Certainty --What is the probability that the pleasure or pain will occur?

Propinquity (nearness or remoteness) --How far off in the future is the pleasure or pain?

Fecundity --What is the probability that the pleasure will lead to other pleasures?

Purity --What is the probability that the pain will lead to other pains?

Extent --How many persons are affected by the pleasure?

Jeremy Bentham and Utillitarianism

What is Utilitarianism?

Utilitarianism is a teleological ethical theory that states that right and wrong are determined by the utility of it. Jeremy Bentham established pain and pleasure were important qualities in making moral decisions; He believed that motivation comes through pain and pleasure.

Utilitarianism is a democratic system as the pleasure can't be just for one person.The only good is the maximisation of pleasure and the minimisation of pain. It judges the ethicacy of an action only by the consequence.  

Utilitarianism follows a criteria to place a judgement whether or not an action was morally right or wrong, because of this, it is a secular ethical theory.

Who was Jeremy Betham?

Jeremy Bentham was the founder of Utilitarianism, he was a British philosopher and atheist who was born in 1748 and died in 1832. He authored 'The principles of morals and legislation' in 1789.

Utilitarianism is based on the idea that human beings want to avoid pain and attain pleasure, therefore it is often referred to as a Hedonistic theory.In utilitarianism, there are no intrinsic goods or bads, Pleasure is the sole good, and pain is the sole bad.

Bentham's beliefs about moral action can be summarised in the principle of utility. Utility means the usefulness, for Betham, the usefulness and goodness of an action is determined by the amount of pleasure it produces.

"The greatest happiness for the greatest number of people."  -The principle of utility

Bentham believes that pain and pleasure are the things that motivate human beings as humans want to achieve happiness and avoid pain.

Absolute and relative approaches to ethics

OBJ: To be able to compare objective and absolute.

What is moral Absolutism?
Moral absolutism is the idea that an action is always right or wrong; the right or wrongness of an action is fixed for all peoples at all times.

"There will not be different laws at Rome or at Athens, or different laws now and in the future, but one eternal and unchangeable law will be valid for all nations and all times."
 -Cicero on natural law

Teleological and Deontological Ethics

OBJ: To revise what effects our moral decision making.

What is an ethical theory?
An ethical theory is a set of ideas which offer a suggestion of how we know something is morally wrong.

Teleological ethics
Actions are morally right or wrong depending on the consequences of the action, No actions are intrinsically right or wrong.

Deontological ethics
Deontological ethics are concerned with the nature of the act, it needs no justification. Deonlogical ethics tend to be for or against an absolute or religious law.

What is ethics?

OBJ: to investigate what influences our ethical and moral decision making.

Morality:
The word morality comes from the Latin word 'Moralis' and it is concerned with what actions are right or wrong.

Ethics:
It comes from the Greek word 'ethika' and it is concerned with how people behave in society. Ethics is the study of morality and how people make moral decisions, the subject explores the consequences and motives of moral decision making and human nature.

What kind of things can influence our moral decision making?

• Guilt
• Experience
• Up bringing
• Opinion of others
• The law
• Your religion
• Emotion
• Conscience
• Consequences of your actions
• Intuition (Your 'gut feeling')