awakening :: essays research papers

The Awakening - Morality or Self-sacrifice? The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, takes one back to an earlier time while still provoking the questions of morality and self-sacrifice that exist today. Edna Pontellier, the protagonist of the story, places herself in the position to be the individual going against society from the beginning of the novel. In the beginning chapters of the novel, Edna’s characteristics and actions worthy of rebuke lead to a breakdown of her moral integrity. These behaviors eventually lead her to become a woman that not only the Creole culture rejects, but civilization in general can no longer accept. Edna’s plight throughout the novel perfects her status as that individual going against society. Her reserve toward her children places her in abnormal standing. Her behavior, not necessarily of neglect but rather of apathetic involvement in their lives, contrasted the ideal motherly figure of the age. Madame Ratignolle, Edna’s friend, maintains quite a different air about her. She possesses the dependent attitude which the Creole society seems not only to encourage, but in some aspects requires. Although Edna loves her children dearly, and in spells needs them with fervor, she was more accustomed to leaving them with the nanny or a friend rather than looking after them herself. She would give anything for her children, but she would not give of herself. In an age of expected domestic dependence, Edna’s rejection of her obligations as a mother and a wife go against the tacit rules of the world in which she lives. Although Edna was outwardly performing the duties of her life, her heart was busy thinking other thoughts. Throughout the course of the summer, she falls in love with Robert Lebrun. Yes, he previously established he â€Å"third wheel† status in the families at Grande Isle, but this was another aspect of Edna’s life that pits her against her surroundings. As Robert falls in love with Edna, and she with him, her independent longing is inflamed, and her passions begin to overpower her self-control. Edna’s husband, Leonce, is more in love with the idea of a wife for himself and a mother for his children rather than Edna herself. This makes it easier for Edna to let go. When Robert suddenly leaves for Mexico on a business excursion, Edna becomes despondent and unfocused. Maybe through the severe longing for him and grief at his absence she becomes intensely connected to herself.

Martin Luther King Jr. and Frederick Douglass Essay -- Compare Contras

Martin Luther King Jr. and Frederick Douglass When comparing two essays, there are many different aspects that the reader can look at to make judgments and opinions. In the two essays that I choose, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. 'Letter from Birmingham Jail', and FREDERICK DOUGLAS'S 'From Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave,' there were many similarities, but also many differences. Some of them being, the context, style, structure and tone. Many times when readings or articles are being compared, people over look the grammatical and structural elements, and just concentrate on the issues at hand. I believe it is important to evaluate both. Both readings are about African American Men who are being discriminated against. Frederick Douglass was born 1817 and died 1895. His story is about his journey as a slave in Maryland. When Douglass was put into slavery, he was with a mistress who had never owned a slave before, so it was all very new to her. Mrs. Hugh Auld helped teach Douglass how to read and write, but her husband found out and told her that she should not, for it was dangerous and unlawful (125). Although Mrs. Hugh Auld stopped teaching Douglass, he knew enough to start his own education and eventually that lead him to freedom. Through all of Douglass?s teachings, he realized that slavery had a negative effect on him. Although his education was obviously good for him, he had his doubts. Before he was naive to all that was going on around him and what he was involved in. He obviously knew that he did not want to be a slave, but he did not know all of the information around and involving it. As his education grew, so did his anger and resentment for this world that... ...dge. King uses his knowledge by gathering people with the same beliefs, to try to better the situations they were in. Douglass did not use his knowledge to the degree that was possible. He absorbed more knowledge instead of releasing it. So although the two readings look fairly similar when glanced over, there are many different aspects of both papers, that give them capability to give out knowledge and background on a subject that was very important to the authors. Work Cited Jacobus, Lee A. Martin Luther King Jr. ?Letter From Birmingham Jail.? A World Of Ideas: essential readings for college writers. Bedford/St. Martin?s, 2002. 179-97 Jacobus, Lee A. Frederick Douglass. ?From Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.? A World Of Ideas: essential readings for college writers. Bedford/St. Martin?s, 2002. 125-137

Standard of living :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Out of the U.S., Japan, and China, I think Japan has the best standart of living. The first reason is their health. Life expectancy is how long the people of that country live, or the quality of their health. In Japan, females live to be 83.45, and males live to be 77.13. In the United States, females live to be 79.75, and males live to be 73.04. In China, females live to be 71.9, and males live to be 68.82. Another important factor in health is number of hospital beds. The numer of hospital beds is the access to health care for serious problemes. In first again Japan has one hospital bed for every 74 people. In the China, there is one hospital bed for every 242 people. In the United States, there is one hospital bed for every 243 people. The last thing that proves Japan has the best health is infant mortality rate. This indicates better quality of pre-natal and post-natal care. In Japan 4.05 out of 1000 babies die before their first birthday. In the U.S., 6.67 out of 1000 babies die before their first birthday. In China, very sadly, 41.14 out of 1000 babies die before their first birthday. Another indicator that a counrty has a better standard of livin is a population growth indicator. Population growth determines if a country needs to do something about its population. Population growth rate is how fast a country's population. Japan has a population growht rate of .181%, which is very good. The U.S. has a population growth rate of .55%. And China has a population growth rate of .939%. Another part of population growth indicators is what percent of the population is under 15. Japan is at 14.8%, the U.S. is at 21.2%, and China is at 25.4%. Another indicator of standard of living is access to adequate diet. This is the same thing as infant mortallity rate. Japan is 41.14 out of 1000, the U.S. is at 6.67 out of 1000, and China is at 4.05 out of 1000. Another thing that proves Japan has a better standard of living is education. Years of compusory education is how many years a person is required to go to school. Japan requires 10 years. China and the U.S. require 9 years. Literacy rate is what percent of the population has access to knowledge so they can to basic reading, math, and reading.

World War I and Sherri L. Smith

During World War II, women didn’t have a say concerning the perilous event that led countries to fight and caused death that’s unforgettable. All they could do is sit back and donate necessary items that are needed while others joined the military. Even though the women never received any recognition of the hard work, they contribute for the freedom and rights like any man would which was put into many effort, sweat, and tears showing that they also play a vital role for their country. In the historical fiction book, Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith, the readers look though the eyes of a colored girl named Ida Mae Jones as she uses her light skin to pass as a white due having a fervent desire to join the Women Airforce Services Pilots (WASP). Despite the consequences that might occur throughout the two hundred and seventy five pages, Ida Mae will do anything to join WASP due to her father and the passion to help her country. Ida Mae Jones who’s a Louisiana girl always had the passion to be up in air since her father came home with a pilot license in his hand and even after his death, she still has the desire. When the Americans enter War World II, the government starts to recruit women pilots to fly non-combat missions which cause Ida to join due to the desire to fly and help her enlisted brother instead of cleaning homes during the weekends while also being helpless. The only problem that stands n her way is being colored but due to her being light skinned, the situation is solved the situation; however, the realization that a new name and outfit can’t really hide who a person really is. Throughout the book, Ida Mae Jones experiences the pain of losing a close friend physically and mentally, the burden that comes from denying one’s identity and family, and the forbid able relationship with a white man.

Pride and Prejudice Themes and Motifs Essay

Class is the target of much of the novel’s criticism of society in general. Austen makes it clear that people like Lady Catherine, who are overly invested in their social position, are guilty of judging that a person’s social rights are strictly defined by their class. Other characters, like the stuck-up Mr. Collins and the scheming Caroline, are depicted as thoroughly empty, their opinions and motivations completely defined by the dictates of the class system. Mr. Collins is not a part of the very high class, but driven by pride, he thinks he is. His marriage to Charlotte was his attempt to recover his pride after being rejected by Lizzy. That is what makes him so obnoxious; his focus is always on showing off himself and his situation in life. To contrast them, Austen offers more positive examples in Bingley and the Gardiners. Bingley is someone from the upper class who wears his position lightly and gallantly. The Gardiners represent the honest, generous, and industrious middle class and are examples of how even the middle class can be as educated and refined as the upper class. Austen does seem to respect the class system in a few ways, especially when it operates not as a dividing power in society, but as a force for virtue and decency. Darcy is the primary example of Austen’s ideal high-class gentleman. Though originally he seems to be an arrogant and selfish snob, as the novel progresses it becomes clear that he is capable of change. Eventually, thanks to Elizabeth’s influence and criticism, he combines his natural generosity with the integrity that he considers a crucial attribute of all upper-class people. He befriends the Gardiners and plays a key role in helping the ungrateful Lydia out of her crisis. The marriage of Darcy and Elizabeth shows that class restrictions, while rigid, do not determine one’s character, and that love can overcome all obstacles, including class. Pride Pride is a constant presence in the characters’ attitudes and treatment of each other, coloring their judgments and leading them to make rash mistakes. Pride blinds Elizabeth and Darcy to their true feelings about each other. Darcy’s pride about his social rank makes him look down on anyone not in his immediate circle. Elizabeth, on the other hand, takes so much pride in her ability to judge others that she refuses to revise her opinion even in the face of clearly contradictory evidence. This is why she despises the good-hearted Darcy for so long, but initially admires the lying Wickam. Yet while Pride and Prejudice implies that no one is ever completely free of pride, it makes it clear that with the proper moral upbringing one may overcome it to lead a life of decency and kindness. In the end, the two lovers are able to overcome their pride by helping each other see their respective blind spots. Darcy sheds his snobbery, while Elizabeth learns not to place too much weight on her own judgments. Prejudice Prejudice in Pride and Prejudice refers to the tendency of the characters to judge one another based on preconceptions, rather than on who they really are and what they actually do. As the book’s title implies, prejudice goes hand in hand with pride, often leading its characters into making wrong assumptions about motives and behavior. Austen’s gentle way of mocking Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s biases gives the impression that such mistakes could, and indeed do, happen to anyone; that faulting someone else for prejudice is easy while recognizing it in yourself is hard. Prejudice in the novel is presented as a stage in a person’s moral development, something that can be overcome through reason and compassion. Austen only condemns those people who refuse to set aside their prejudices, like the class-obsessed Lady Catherine and the scheming social climber Caroline. Austen’s work offers a powerful illustration of the damaging effects to people and to society that prejudice can inflict. Marriage Pride and Prejudice is a love story, but its author is also concerned with pointing out the inequality that governs the relationships between men and women and how it affects women’s choices and options regarding marriage. Austen portrays a world in which choices for individuals are very limited, based almost exclusively on a family’s social rank and connections. To be born a woman into such a world means having even less choice about whom to marry or how to determine the shape of one’s life. The way that society controls and weakens women helps to explain in part Mrs. Bennet’s hysteria about marrying off her daughters, and why such marriages must always involve practical, financial considerations. As members of the upper class, the Bennet sisters would have been expected to become Governesses if they did not marry. However, their father did not make sure they had a thorough education, so they are not qualified to be governesses. Yet as women they are not allowed to inherit anything. As a result, marriage is basically their only option for attaining wealth and social standing. Yet Austen is also critical of women who marry solely for security, like Charlotte. The ideal for her is represented by Elizabeth, who refuses to trade her independence for financial comfort and in the end marries for love. Love The biggest and most obvious theme of this story is love. The book is a big ole’ love story that is not just about how beautiful love is, but other aspects of love as well. Jane Austin also shows how love complicates the lives of the characters throughout the plot. Caroline Bingley’s love for Mr. Darcy makes her bitter. And Jane’s love for everyone makes her fall victim to the schemes of others. And how Elizabeth’s love for her family, make her blind to the reality of how people perceive them. Jane Austin shows that there is a difference between love and lust. She shows this through Lydia and Wickham’s marriage as well as how Mr. and Mrs. Bennett married foolishly and did not truly love each other and therefore had a bad marriage. In every true love story the lovers must separate and overcome numerous stumbling blocks, beginning with the tensions caused by the lovers’ own personal qualities. In Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth’s relationship they had many hurdles. There was the pride theme from both of them, the prejudice theme from both of them, Lady Catherine’s attempt to control her nephew, Miss Bingley’s snobbery and attempts to take Darcy all to herself, Mrs. Bennett’s idiocy, and Wickham’s deceit. In the end, love triumphs all. Through this, Austen suggests that true love is a force separate from society and one that can conquer even the most difficult of circumstances. It is not something that can be defined with marriage or similar class, etc. In each case, love seems to trump class and the other themes mentioned. Austin used these obstacles to create an ultimate love story. She also highlights this theme more by having the very first sentence of the book be, â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife,† and using the character of Charlotte Lucas, who was the one who marries the buffoon Mr. Collins for his money, to demonstrate that the heart does not always dictate marriage. By using love as the theme of her book, Austen inputs her views on love as something independent of these social forces, as something that can be captured if only an individual is able to escape the warping effects of hierarchical society. MOTIFS Courtship/Dating There are two major courtships that occur in the story—those between Darcy and Elizabeth and between Bingley and Jane. Darcy proposes twice to Elizabeth throughout the course of the novel, and Jane and Bingley’s relationship is continually deepening. There are also other less significant courtships which take place, such as the failed attempt of Mr. Collins’s proposal to Elizabeth followed by his successful marriage to Charlotte Lucas. Another example would be the Miss Bingley’s unsuccessful attempt to attract Darcy; Wickham’s pursuit first of Darcy’s sister Georgianna, then Elizabeth, followed by a rich heiress in Meryton, and finally of Lydia. Courtship therefore takes on a profound importance in the novel. Courtship constitutes the real working-out of love. Courtship aka dating, is just a way to figure out if this person likes that person. It’s a sort of forge of a person’s personality, and each courtship becomes a different type of love (or different ways to abuse love as a means to social advancement). Therefore, courtship proves to be of great importance at various points of the novel. Each courtship contains a different kind of love, with marriage usually as the ultimate goal. Journeys There are several journeys in which the characters take, even though most of the action is usually centered around the Bennet household in Longbourn. Jane when hearing word that Bingley has left town, she takes a Journey to London. Elizabeth’s first journey is to visit her friend Charlotte and Mr. Collins, however, on this journey, she encounters Mr.  Darcy and during this time he also makes her his first proposal. Her second journey is with the Gardiners, and it leads her to Pemberley, Darcy’s beautiful estate. Another major journey occurs at the end of the novel, where various people are in pursuit of Wickham and Lydia. This journey ends with Darcy saving the Bennet family’s honour, and then returning to Longbourn again to make his second proposal to Elizabeth. At the end of the novel, Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy, Jane, and Mr. Bingley get married and all live near Hunsford. Which is a big ‘journey’ from where they started in Longbourn.

The Crucible’ by Arthur Miller: A Summary

?Ben O'Connor Mr. Richards English 10 January 11th, 2009 -Crucible Essay- The Crucible written by Arthur Miller was a story in which takes place in a town called Salem, Massachusets. This story was directed towards the topic of the witch trials of 1692 and how the people were effected by the deaths and horrific torture treatments. The Crucible portrayed the perfect description of how the time of witch trials were so curropt and unfair. In this time if someone were to blame another person of something then the person blamed would immediatly be guilty and thrown in Jail or hung. Is Salem many people tried accusing people of different crimes so that they could gain power aswell as land. Thomas Putnam was greedy for land because more land meant more power. Thomas Putnam had giles killed because he wanted his land, so he simply acused him of something which would result in his death from â€Å"pressing†. Also in the text a woman named Abigail Williams loves a man named John Proctor however John is married, so Abigail accuses Johns wife Elizabeth of being in the precense of the devil. This in the mind of Abigail this will bring her and John closer togather however it only makes things worse. As many will see this time in Salem was a very terrible time and from 1692 to 2010 we have come a long way in our nation wide governmental system. In this time period there were many people accusing others of crimes so they could gain land, covet their neighbors wifes, or husbands, and much more. A man named Thomas Putnam was a greedy man and was hungry for land. Putnam rode to the farm of Giles Corey and told him that a section of GIles property was his. Of course Giles objected to this statement, and Putnam rode off. Thomas Putnam then accused Giles of a crime that would have him killed. Giles is brought in and he states â€Å"Thomas Putnam is reaching out for land. † pg. 84. however no one believes this statement and GIles is soon killed by the torture treatment called â€Å"pressing†. Fair trials in this town are completly absent and when someone is accused of something serious the odds of them being successful are very slim. During the time period of the witch trials there were not only aqusations dealing with peoples land but there was also conflicts with peoples relationships. Abigail Williams was a women who loved John Proctor however John was married to a women allready named Elizabeth. Abigail tries to seperate John and Elizabeth by accusing Elizabeth of being in the presence of the devil. Mary Warren a close person to Elizabeth and John and she states â€Å"But i said I never see no sign of you ever sent your spirit out to hurt no one, and seeing I do live closley with you, they dismissed it†. g. 59. Even with this strong statement with a women who lives with John and Elizabeth, it is still not enough evidence to keep Elizabeth safe. Abigail desperatly wants Elizabeth gone and out of the way so that she can have John, so she brings along many other women to help her cause and this shows great evidence that Elizabeth is guilty even though she isnt. Abagail's wishes go unanswered, because John ends up being exicuted due to Abigail's actions. Mrs. Putnam was a women who had 7 babies, 6 of which died extremly young. She has only one daughter living and she feels that it doesnt make sense that this many children could die all around the same age, around the same time. Mrs Putnam was sad, however grows angry and searches desperatly to put the blame on someone. â€Å"I knew it! Goody Osbourne were midwife to me three times. I begged you, Thomas, did I not ? I begged him not to call Osbourne because I feared her. My babaies always shriveled in her hands. â€Å". Goody Osbourne is desperate to place the blame on someones sholders, so she is going around and blaming everone she knows. What she did back then which was blame others for her pain i believe still exists for individuals today. Today when an individual has an issue many of them pass the blame to someone els so that they can feel better. The time of the witch trials must have been a horrible time in history, especiall for the innocent victims in the town. The way that the government ran in that time period compared to now have completly changed. In trials now there must be more evidence, and trials are longer for thought process, and time to gather evidence. In 1692 it was as simple as if you were acused of something then you were automatically looked at as bad and guilty and you would soon be thrown in jail or exicuted. The witch trials were a terrible time in history, and many great people died simply because of peoples jealousy, or their greed for land. After this time period America learned a great lesson, that all American Citzens have the full rights to a fair trial. With out fair trials, and strict rules there would be complete a narchy.

Comparing Freedom of Expression in the Statutory Law and the Sharia Law Essay

Getting in touch with media law during the first semester of my Masters gave me a sense of the importance of law in general because it consists of acts and articles which organise most issues in the human’s life in a way that protects ethics and morals. Regardless of the hypocrisy and double-standards of the countries which raise high the slogan of Human Rights, I liked the Human Rights Conventions that were laid down by these countries. Therefore, I decided to research some points in these conventions that are related to my study in order to nurture my knowledge in this great field of the human sciences. Then, I thought deliberately about the benefit of exerting much effort to get such knowledge since it is existed, well-explained and well-organised, in handy books. But after looking by historical and religious study as far back as some centuries ago, I found that my own culture, Islam, had plenty of law provisions that helped its people not only to protect their ethics and morals, but also to spread them all over the world. Through deliberate and objective study, I found that many of the social reformers, whose thoughts led to the emergence of the modern criteria of human rights, were originally affected by the roots of the Islamic ulture. I also found a lot of those old and even modern reformers who praised the old provisions of the Sharia Law and they also praised the prosperity which was an outcome of implementing it. The Western writer Patricia Crone (2005: p. 218-219) said referring to how those old provisions of law were true bases of a moral society: â€Å"Medieval Muslims d id not write utopias in the sense of imaginary travel accounts or other descriptions of ideal societies which do not exist, †¦ they were not given to seeking ideals outside their own civilisation at all. But they did place a golden age right at the beginning of their own history, and their numerous accounts of this age add up to a detailed utopia of great emotive power†¦ It was a time when the Muslims had all the virtues of tribesmen and none of their vices, for thanks to Islam there was no feuding, no factionalism, and no disorder, just austerity, solidarity, and total devotion to the truth. Therefore, I decided to look for the provisions of that old law which are related to my study and compare them with their counterparts in the modern human rights’ conventions. In order to limit my research, I decided to take the articles related to my study, media law, in the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) of the British Law to represent the leading international human rights conventions. Part one: Preface Main Argument In this dissertation I am going to explain how both the HRA and the Sharia Law deal with the concept of freedom of expression. As long as such argument is new and uncommon because of the lack of references that studied it, which resulted in an ambiguous perception in the minds of people towards the Sharia Law and its sources, there must be a kind of primary definition of the Sharia Law, its sources and how the Sharia scholars (Sharia Jurists) deal with these sources to regulate law items. Sharia Law This expression is going to be referred to as a theological-historical concept since the Sharia was revealed through a prophet, this makes it a theological subject matter, and it is 15 centuries old, this gives it a historical background. Sharia (sari? ah) is all religious rituals that Allah (SWT) has imposed on Muslims, via his Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) regarding beliefs, rules and day-to-day life among Muslims themselves, and between Muslims and non-Muslims. It is â€Å"designed to govern the relations of Muslims with non-Muslims, whether inside or outside the territory of Islam. † Mahmoud Kamali says that Sharia is â€Å"the Islamic law as contained in the divine guidance of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Yet, the expression Sharia Law is modern if compared with the word Fiqh, which historically used to mean â€Å"the awareness of Islamic rules from its sources by true inference. † Kamali defined the word Fiqh: â€Å"Islamic law as developed by Muslim Jurists. The term is often used synonymously with Sharia. † Therefore, like other contemporary researchers of similar topics, I am going to use the expression Sharia Law to mean the old word: Fiqh. Sources of the Sharia Law There is no difference between any of the Muslim scholars that the main sources of all information, not only about the details of the life of mankind, but also about the details of the whole universe are the Holy Qur’an, then, the Holy Sunnah. In addition, it is a matter of a universal belief among Muslims and many of non-Muslims that the Holy Qur’an in the hands of people is the real book revealed by Allah (SWT) to his Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) fourteen centuries ago. The same is the 100% authenticity of certain books of Hadith, i. e. Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim. These references are not considered comprehensive works; however, I feel that they could draw raw guidelines for me in my research in two ways: * They give me hints about how this issue is being taken by researchers who are not specialists in Sharia studies, but they are lawyers or journalists; like me. * They draw raw guidelines of the comparative methodology of research between articles of the Sharia Law and those of the statutory law. Throughout this dissertation, I am going to take articles of the British Media Law and compare them with the related provisions of the Sharia Law, giving enough examples in order to be able to make clear-cut conclusions about the main question of this dissertation which is: (The question of the dissertation) Can the modern Islamic movements, who are apparently going to rule the Arab countries after the Arab Spring, implement the Sharia Law and achieve the absolute justice which they raise as a slogan for their revolutions and electoral campaigns? Or would they worsen the already worsened situation of media law? Of course, regarding the other part of this dissertation, which is the statutory law, libraries are full of texts of law articles starting from the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789, passing through the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ending with daily huge volumes of books, journals and articles studying new amendments and proposing new laws regarding recent details of the life of people in general and the work of media specifically. Terminology In order to have a good understanding for the real meaning and connotation of the Sharia Law concepts and cases, they have to be denoted by their names. Therefore, it is necessary here to have a list of the original names of the Sharia concepts and their definitions. The Holy Qur’an: defined previously. Surah: one complete chapter from the Holy Qur’an. Sowar: the plural of Surah. Sowar are different in length. Some are 1/3 a page and others exceed 40 pages. Aya: one verse from the Holy Qur’an. Ayat: a plural of aya. The Holy Sunnah: defined previously. Hadith: a verified saying for the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Ahadith: a plural of Hadith. Tafseer: the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Sunnah by professional credible Muslim scholars. Fatwa: a certain judgement on a certain case by a Sahaba, Tabe’een or confident Muslim scholars in a certain time or place. Plural is Fatawa. Ibada: the act of worshiping Allah (SWT) whether by heart or body. Any act of heart or body needs to start with intention of solely worship for Allah in order to be a true Ibada. Da’wah: the flow of activities Muslims do in illuminating the teachings of Islam. Dhimmi: the name of a non-Muslim citizen in the Islamic State. Ahludhimmah or Dhimmiyeen: plural of Dhimmi. Jezyah: the name of the religious tax for non-Muslims in the Islamic State. It is equivalent to the religious tax taken from Muslims, but Jezyah is a lesser amount of money that has many exceptions. Part Two: The Situation of Freedom of Expression Historical Background It is very important, before starting writing about the situation of freedom of expression in the statutory and the Sharia Law, to explore the general historical climates which preceded the emergence of both laws. That will give a kind of understanding of how much the improvements on the situation of freedom of expression both laws have achieved. * A Glimpse on Freedom of Expression in the West before the Renaissance The period which preceded what is known in Europe as the Renaissance was full of conflicts among the different castes of the European communities in general. That conflict took several forms. A prime one was the conflict between the Church and scientists and that between authority and people. Howard Turner describes a side of such conflicts: â€Å"The Middle Ages in Europe had long been dominated by an unending conflict between Church dogma and a kind of humanistic and individual quest for intellectual liberation. † Church and authority used to be allies and each institution worked for the protection of the other at the expense of people’s lives. They used to impose restriction on freedom of expression and there used to be no respect for people’s privacy. There was also a kind of blackout on external knowledge, fearing that it might undermine their power or alliance. The Thirteenth century was an â€Å"age in which kings and barons reacted to an insult by lopping off the offending tongue- or head†¦ The crime of ‘scandalum magnatum’ expressly protected ‘the great men of the realm’ from any statements that might arouse the people against them. † In France, for example, the king used to say â€Å"I am the state† and gave no space for people to have control in running their own or private life. The Church used to control science. Therefore, knowledge it saw as right, used to be spread, and that it saw as wrong, used to be damaged. A blockage was imposed on scientists and thinkers. In 1614, Galileo was accused of heresy  by the Church for his scientific theories. Eighteen years later, in 1632, he was sentenced to life imprisonment which was reduced to permanent house arrest after he had been obliged to withdraw his theories before the public by the Church. That time was the worst for women’s freedom. Women were inferior to men, troubled with Eve’s sin. They were subject to the authority of their fathers or their husbands. Violence in marriage did occur and was even encouraged. † The dark life of that age pushed people to seek a kind of salvation through knowledge, especially, after the appearance of new thinkers affected by the Muslims’ civilisation. According to Turner, the â€Å"Christian West† inherited the â€Å"scientific legacy from Islam. Thanks to increasing cultural traffic with Muslim lands via the busy Spanish and Sicilian gateways, the thriving routes of Mediterr anean and overland commerce, and the contacts left over from the Crusades. People sought to reinforce the principles of freedom and justice, which was clear in the slogan of the French revolution which was: liberty, equality and fraternity. The revolution in real freedom of expression has been from the Renaissance until today. However, there are still some issues which emerge from time to time that necessitate amendments of the existing laws or constituting new ones. * Freedom of Expression in Arabia before the Sharia Law In Arabia, there used to be kind of freedom of expression, but there was no justice. For example, men used to sit with each other and think about issues related to their tribes. But that right to give an idea or express an opinion was only for masters. Societies there used to consist of three castes: masters, subjects or alliances and slaves. In addition, that right among the masters was only for men. Women used to be suppressed and were not allowed to share opinions either in public affairs or even in family affairs. Women were used in the same way as goods. There used to be a diversity of religions. Arabia included pagans, Jews and Christians. But the most common was paganism. Surely, that kind of diversity hints at a kind of freedom of religion, but the opposite was the norm. Paganism, represented in worshiping idols, was the religion of the mainstream Arabs in Arabia and they used to keep an eye on those who converted to other religions. If they were young, they used to be fought; if they were old, they used to be left free since they could not affect others. Of course, chiefs and masters of tribes used to be happy with that kind of life because it helped them keep strong control over their subjects. However, suppressed castes needed any kind of powerful justice to liberate them from the chains of the different forms of slavery. From amongst that darkness, the message of the Sharia was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) to spread the justice and freedom among people. It is widely known among historians that a reasonable number of the people who joined the Da’wah at the early stages were from the ordinary people or alliances and slaves. Some of the masters asked the Prophet (PBUH) to dismiss them from around him if he wanted them, the masters, to join the Da’wah. Of course, ordinary people always lead reforms. A group of Muslim emigrants fled the persecution of their relatives in Mecca to Abyssinia and there was a short dialogue in the court of Abyssinia’s king, who was a true Christian. Their representative described the situation of Arabs before the Sharia and what the Sharia came with: â€Å"O king! We were plunged in the depth of ignorance and barbarism; we adored idols; we lived in unchastity; we ate dead animals, and we spoke abomination. We disregarded every feeling of humanity, and the duties of hospitality and neighbourhood. We knew no law but that of the strong. At that time, God raised from among us a man of whose birth, truthfulness, honesty and purity we were aware, and he called us to the Unity of God and taught us not to associate anything with Him. He forbade us to worship idols and enjoined us to speak the truth, to be faithful to our trusts, to be merciful, and to regard the rights of neighbours. He forbade us to speak ill of women and to eat the substance of orphans. He ordered us to flee from vices, to abstain from evil, to offer prayers, to render alms, and to observe the fast. † Constituted Rights to Freedom of Expression * Freedom of Expression in British Media Law As I have mentioned from the beginning, I am going to take the British law as an exemplar to represent the statutory law in this research. Therefore; I see that I have to propose an overall look at the British law and to see the situation of freedom of expression through it. British Law Unlike other countries, Britain does not have a written constitution. Referring to Britain, Tom Baistow says: â€Å"This country is the only one in the EEC without a written constitution and the only one without the press laws that form one of the most important guarantees of freedom of expression. However, it has a good record regarding the respect of freedom of expression. It got this reputation throughout historical fights of the British nation to attain freedom and adopt democracy. And as an ideal example of the fight to reach this situation, journalism in Britain â€Å"went through a brave battle against constitutional restrictions on publishing in the 19th century and could extract the right t o comment and publish. † Freedom of expression became one of the most respected freedoms as a kind of a social norm among the British people. It is believed in Britain that free speech is a significant pillar of a free democracy. The Royal Commission on the Press in 1977 defined freedom of expression â€Å"as that degree of freedom from restraint which is essential to enable proprietors, editors and journalists to advance the public interest by publishing the facts and opinions without which a democratic electorate cannot make responsible judgement. † This definition shows how the British believe in the vital role that freedom of expression plays in educating the public to be able to take right decisions in elections. It means that it is the main guarantor of a free democracy which is the main principle of a free State. Therefore, Solaiman Saleh described the situation of freedom of expression in Britain, despite the lack of a written constitution, saying: â€Å"The principle of a free press is reinforced in the collective conscience of the British. That forms a better protection which outweighs any written constitution. † Saleh continued explaining that it became a part of the British understanding of freedom of speech that the government does not have the right to interfere in the workflow of mass media. It cannot issue warrants, for example, to close any news platform, have pre-publishing restrictions/instructions or suggest amendments in the administrative systems or editorial policy. This is how James Curran portrayed the British press after the Second World War: â€Å"The press became fully independent of political parties and hence government. † The independence of the press gave it a great deal of space for free speech as well as unlimited power against governments. This was clear when the best wartime leader, British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, demanded an immediate closure of the Daily Mirror over its coverage of the conduct of war. That decision was followed by rough debates in the House of Commons and huge popular protests in Trafalgar Square and London’s Central Hall that pushed Churchill’s government to withdraw the decision against the Daily Mirror and, even, lift a ban previously imposed on the Daily Worker. Mass media regulation is only the role of the Parliament and Judiciary. In reply to the argument that the parliamentarian majority which forms the government may adopt any law suggested by it, Saleh argues that people who believe in the concept of freedom of expression will protest against the parliament and oblige it to stop the new law or to dissolve. The incident of the Daily Mirror mentioned above is a very clear example of that. The main pressure was represented by ‘organised protests’ in Trafalgar Square and London’s Central Hall. In addition, Hanna and Banks say in McNae’s Essential Law for Journalists: â€Å"Section 19 of the Human Rights Act created a requirement that a Minister introducing a Bill into Parliament must declare that its provisions are compatible with the European Convention, including thereby a commitment to freedom of expression. † Despite all the facts mentioned about the battles towards the freedom of expression in the English society, a sufficient protection for that freedom, which keeps up with the public-interest journalism, â€Å"from attacks for discomfiting the government or the judiciary or the wealthy private litigants† was not completely guaranteed. It is guaranteed by the adoption of international treaties, in which English writers and lawyers took a big part in constituting them, into the British law. Since then, clear articles of these treaties have become legal codes in the British law that guarantee a better freedom of expression. Throughout these facts, I can come to a conclusion that freedom of expression in Britain has certain principles that are clear. The main three principles could be summed up as following: 1. Government has no power against mass media. Robertson and Nicol explain how a government official does not have any privilege over the public in this regard. They say that if any official wanted to stop a news story, he has to go to the court the same as the public do. It means that government cannot control or suppress the voice of any single person directed to the public via any medium. It is believed that this is a sign of a free democratic State, but not in an arbitrary sense. Therefore, mass media have to be credible, and offenders should not escape punishment. John Whale quoted Sir William Blackstone, the eighteenth-century jurist, saying: The liberty of the press is indeed essential to the nature of a free State; but this consists in laying no previous restraints upon publication, and not in freedom from censure for criminal matter when published. † 2. Mass media are owned by the private sector and, therefore, it represents citizens before the government. However, citizens are stronger than the government in the democratic regimes; it means that mass media can publish any kind of opposite opinions without fearing suppression or oppression of the government. 3. Mass media turn to the public to face censorship. Robertson and Nicol say: â€Å"The best antidote to censorship is publicity. † When the government wishes to practice a kind of censorship, journalists can publicise that practice and the government does not have any power to punish them. The incident of the Daily Mirror mentioned above is a clear example on the three points mentioned. It shows how mass media are stronger than governments, how mass media speak on behalf of the public and how the public exerted pressure through protests that pushed the government to retreat from the closure warrant against the newspaper. Freedom of Expression in the Sharia Law The most prominent characteristic of the Sharia Law is that it is a religious law. It means that it has more emphasis, in all branches, on religious and moral values than other laws. Mohmmad Kamali says: â€Å"This can, perhaps, be clearly seen in reference to the Sharia rules pertaining to blasphemy, heresy and disbelief , where the dominant concern is to defend the dogma and belief-structure of Islam. † Muslim scholars and thinkers believe that this characteristic of the Sharia Law gives it a spiritual power, which is effective to keep stability of societies. Based on his understanding of the Islamic beliefs and to confirm that defending the dogma and belief-structure of Islam achieves social stability, 20th century Muslim thinker and reformer Sayyed Qutb, who interpreted the Holy Qur’an, says: â€Å"Social, economic and religious organisation goes side by side with a true ethical code and dogmatic belief†¦ in a complete, comprehensive, balanced and precise way. † Regarding freedom of expression and to show how much positive effect religion has on it, the Western writer, Patricia Crone, shed light on the way Muslim thinkers understand the relationship between freedom and religion. Patricia Crone reported Al-Ghazali, a famous medieval Muslim philosopher and reformer, explaining freedom in the Sharia as â€Å"no humans had the right to impose obligations on other humans, whether they were rulers, masters, fathers or husbands, or for that matter prophets; only God could do so. † Of course, Al-Ghazali’s understanding of that concept of freedom was based on the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Sunnah. Allah (SWT) asked his Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), in the Holy Qur’an, to tell people that he is a human like them.