Monday, August 24, 2020

Reading Response Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Understanding Response - Article Example For example, so as to compose a word that imply a plural of two in Arabic, people should include ‘een’ in that word. Take a gander at this model, the word test in English it will be â€Å"quizeen† and a ‘at’ is added to ‘quiz’ to make it ‘quizat’ when there are more than two tests. This turned into a typical pattern and words like friendeen-friendat, teachereen-teacherat, sistreen-sistrat, and classeen-classat were regularly being used by the two educators and understudies. What’s more, the creator is supporting Smith’s (1976, pg. 12) contention which state ‘any worldwide language must serve both the nearby and the universal needs by creating close by other languages’. Therefore, the creator neglects to clarify to us the impacts this suspicion will have in causing more difficulties in the correspondence procedure between the locals and non-locals. On the other hand, it is huge to take note of that English as one of the worldwide dialects is losing its restraining infrastructure to control the world financial because of the development of the new interpretation innovation. The development of new interpretation innovation has risen worried on to what extent English language, will keep on ruling the other nearby and universal dialects. Subsequently, would we be able to infer that the development of the new interpretation innovation will influence English as one of the transcendent global dialects? Moreover, Quirk et al (972 pg. 28) contended that for English language to fill the suitable need of educational, the teachers and scholarly overseers must get truly associated with the investigation for fitting approaches that will decide the normalization. Worldwide educating of English language ought to be incorporated. Other than this, people like Kachru (1997, pg. 10) contended that the spread of English in both internal circle, external cycle, and growing circle has prompted advancement of numerous

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Methods of contraception used in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome Essay Example

Strategies for contraception utilized in antiquated Egypt, Greece, and Rome Essay Example Strategies for contraception utilized in antiquated Egypt, Greece, and Rome Paper Strategies for contraception utilized in antiquated Egypt, Greece, and Rome Paper Strategies for contraception utilized in antiquated Egypt, Greece, and Rome contrasted in their tendency and level of adequacy. They ran from logical techniques that are as yet utilized these days to semi logical and scarcely powerful to perilous and worthless. In antiquated Egypt, females utilized a blend of nectar and sodium bicarbonate to inundate their genitalia. Another innovation was a tampon-like article with corrosive anhydride. Corrosive anhydride is as yet utilized as a main segment of contemporary prophylactic jams. Original copy titled Ebers Papyrus, from 1550 BC, contains a counsel about blending dates, acacia bark and nectar into a glue to be set the vagina. The adequacy of this strategy was impressive for the explanation that sugar matures were changed over into lactic corrosive, a spermicide (Chauhan, 2003). While a few substances that were utilized didn't have a particular characteristics to chemically affect the sperm, ‘the addition of substances like nectar or crocodile waste into the vagina could have successfully obstructed a guys semen in view of its thick consistency’ (Habiger, 1998, ‘Pregnancy,’ para. 4). Hindrance techniques were likewise across the board: ladies in antiquated Egypt utilized vaginal suppositories as a strategy for contraception (Hearthstone Communications, 2007). With respect to men in Ancient Egypt, in 1000 BC they utilized texture condoms both to shield themselves from illness (which is accepted to be the essential explanation) and abstain from having undesired youngsters. Ladies utilized celery seed as an oral prophylactic, as a formula written in the Berlin Papyrus from Egypts Nineteenth Dynasty (1300 BC) advices (Riddle, 1999). As concerns Ancient Greece, by the second century CE, gynecologist Soranus built up a hypothesis that female richness was constrained to ovulation period; nonetheless, he made an off base presumption that ovulation occurred during feminine cycle, not before it. However the birthplaces of the mood technique that is as yet drilled these days and is demonstrated to be powerful (in spite of the fact that not as compelling as condoms or other more current strategies) can be followed back to those occasions. Soranus additionally advanced an assortment of inadequate semi logical techniques, for example, holding the breath and stepping the body back during the intercourse to keep the sperm from infiltrating the mouth of the uterus, bouncing in reverse multiple times after sex to unstick the sperm by, or plunking down on twisted knees to cause wheezing. Unfortunately, a few advices by Sofranus were wasteful as well as adverse to women’s wellbeing, similar to a guidance to drink the wat er that metalworkers used to cool hot metals (Nottingham, n/d). Spurting cucumber and pomegranate were different techniques utilized, and, as ongoing creature tests appear, they had a prophylactic impact (Riddle, 1999). While the previously mentioned techniques are associated with female contraception in Ancient Greece, men were likewise exploring different avenues regarding a few strategies for anti-conception medication to abstain from having ill-conceived or unfortunate youngsters. Aristotle accepted that gay relations could be viewed as a populace control strategy. Two techniques that are as yet utilized these days and can be depicted as having a restricted level of unwavering quality were copulation reservatus (retaining discharge) and sex interruptus (discharging outside the vagina) (Nottingham, n/d). Talking about Ancient Rome, females likewise utilized an assortment of ineffectual techniques that were, indeed, minor notions, such as wearing a calfskin pocket with a felines liver to their left side foot during the intercourse or spitting in the mouth of a frog multiple times. The Roman men wore condoms made of creature digestive system (Nottingham, n/d). Both in Ancient Greece and Rome, the juice of the silphium plant was a usually utilized strategy for oral contraception that delighted in a specific level of viability. Ladies needed to take it once per month. Be that as it may, the plant developed in one spot in Cyrene and was wiped out by the first century CE as a result of over-reaping and inability to develop it in different spots, in spite of the fact that endeavors to do so were determined. This plant is accepted to be one of the best contraceptives utilized in the old occasions, as the contemporary research appears: ‘Modern specialists tried plants of similar class (Ferula) and discovered enemy of fruitfulness impacts ran in the family. Rough liquor concentrates of asafetida and a related plant (Ferula orientalis) were found to restrain implantation of treated eggs in rodents by 40% (asafetida) and half (F. orientalis)’ (Zeus, 2007, para. 5). Another technique for female contraception was drawn out bosom taking care of, which can forestall ovulation, some of the time until a kid was three years of age (Nottingham, n/d). Along these lines, it is conceivable to presume that there was an assortment of contraception strategies known in the Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. A portion of these strategies were generally dependable are as yet rehearsed these days (like the mood technique or interfered with sex), while others depended on simple notions and had zero viability or included practices destructive for women’s wellbeing. References Chauhan, J. History of Contraception. 2003. November 12, 2007. mcmaster.ca/wellbeing/hwc/Student%20Writers/hx_contraception.htm Habiger, P. Early History: Menstruation, Menstrual Hygiene and Womans Health in Ancient Egypt. 1998. November 12, 2007. mum.org/germnt5.htm Hearthstone Communications Ltd. Contraception Guide. 2007. November 12, 2007. epigee.org/control/ Nottingham, V. History of Female Contraception. N/d. November 12, 2007. medhunters.com/articles/historyOfFemaleContraception.html Nottingham, V. History of Male Contraception. N/d. November 12, 2007. medhunters.com/articles/historyOfMaleContraception.html Enigma, J. M. Eves Herbs: A History of Contraception and Abortion in the West. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1999. Zeus, S. The Ancient Worlds ‘Birth Control Pill.’ 2007. November 12, 2007. sisterzeus.com/Silphio.htm

Sunday, July 19, 2020

How Observational Studies Work

How Observational Studies Work Student Resources Print Observational Studies By Sharon Basaraba twitter Sharon Basaraba is an award-winning reporter and senior scientific communications advisor for Alberta Health Services in Alberta, Canada. Learn about our editorial policy Sharon Basaraba Updated on February 04, 2020 BSIP/Contributor/Getty Images More in Student Resources APA Style and Writing Study Guides and Tips Careers There are many different types of scientific studies that give researchers information about the way the body ages. Since aging is a long-term process, longitudinal research is often employed to track a group of subjects for a defined period, usually years. These studies can involve observation or intervention. Scientists might use longitudinal research to answer questions about the effect of certain behaviors, like regular exercise or meditation, or foods â€" like chocolate  or a Mediterranean diet, for example â€" on the long-term health of the participants. In an observational study, no intervention takes place. While participants answer detailed questions about the lifestyle habit being investigated, or measurements are taken, no adjustment of the habit itself is suggested by the researchers. During the study period, participants are revisited and surveyed again to chart the habits being studied, and their effects. The US National Cancer Institute, for example, defines observational studies as those in which “biomedical and/or health outcomes are assessed in pre-defined groups of individuals.” Groups may be defined (or chosen) by age, gender, occupation, where they live, or perhaps grouped according to a disease or condition (for example, heart patients or cancer survivors). Observational research is valuable because it allows information to be gathered in a large population sample, over a long period of time. There are drawbacks, however. Surveys of lifestyle factors depend on the participant remembering, and accurately reporting, their own behavior. Eliminating confounding factors â€" that is, other elements that may influence the outcome being analyzed â€" is also a challenge for researchers conducting observational studies. For these reasons, observational studies are most valuable in finding out whether factors are correlated, rather than determining with certainty which behavior caused a certain outcome. For example, many studies have shown that people who eat chocolate regularly have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, but research has not yet determined conclusively that it is the chocolate itself that is responsible for the better heart health. An interventional study, by contrast, would take two groups made up of similar people, give chocolate in predetermined amounts to the members of one group, but not the other. Over time, measurements of blood pressure, blood lipids etc. would be taken and the two groups compared in order to draw conclusions about causation â€" that is, the effects caused by the chocolate. Observational studies are also more appropriate for investigating the effects of negative lifestyle factors like smoking or alcohol consumption, in which interventional research (for example, asking subjects to smoke or drink) would be unethical.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Gender Wage Gaps And Gender Inequality - 1115 Words

According to Boris Hirsch and associates, gender wage gaps should vary among densely populated regions and less densely populated regions. Using an estimating Mincerian earnings function that controls for individual characteristics and reflecting the productivity of the worker, we are able to get the ceteris paribus of the gender pay gap that will not be able to be explained by any differences in the productivity of workers. They also used the approach developed by Oaxaca and Blinder which estimated two separate earnings functions- one for men and one for women. They then decompose the gender pay gap into two parts- an explained part due to different endowments in workers characteristics and an unexplained part. This is known as the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition (Hirsch et. al., 2009). In this study, the explained portion compares the earnings of men and women with identical observable characteristics. The unexplained part is derived by taking the mean over the log gender wage differe nce of the matched female-male observations and is comparable to the unexplained part of the gender pay gap that has been derived from a Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition that has been based on female characteristics and evaluated at the male coefficients. Essentially, the unexplained gender pay gap is the difference in the expected earnings of female and male workers with identical observable characteristics and is associated with discrimination (Hirsch et. al., 2009). Data for this study wereShow MoreRelatedGender Wage Gap And Gender Inequality1740 Words   |  7 PagesThe gender wage gap is defined as the relative difference in earnings between men and women in the economy as a whole. For every dollar a man makes, his female counterpart makes roughly seventy-seven cents. Even if a men and women have the same educational background and work history the man will go home with a higher paycheck than the woman. This may actually lead to tension in the workplace and cause conflict in the office. This also includes female dominated industries- most notably, nursingRead MoreGender Wage Gap Inequality And Gender Inequality Essay1880 Words   |  8 PagesArmando Suqui-Carchi Professor Pantano English 201 13 December 2016 Gender Wage Gap Inequality The gender wage inequality topic is one that has quietly laid in Americas closet of problems for decades. A female worker in Louisiana makes on average an alarming sixty-six cents compared to the dollar a man makes in twenty sixteen. When a father comes home after a forty-hour long work week making fifteen dollars an hour, he will open up a paycheck to six hundred dollars. When a mother comes home afterRead MoreGender Wage Gap And Gender Inequality1738 Words   |  7 PagesThe Gender Wage Gap is defined as the different amounts of money that is paid to women and men, often for doing the same work. Women who work full time, year round earn 77 cents for every dollar that men earn. Over a year women make $11,500 less than men and throughout their life this wage gap can affect women by making them earn anywhere from $400,000-$2 million less than men do. (Miller 2008, 6) The wage gap varies for women of different races. On average African-American women are paid 60 centsRead MoreGender Wage Gap And Gender Inequality2164 Words   |  9 Pages Throughout history, discrimination has wielded its ugly head in many different forms. Things such as, but not limited to, race, religion, appearance, beliefs and gender have consistently oppressed minorities. A continual discrimination that the women of the world are dealing with takes place in what has been promised to be a fair and unprejudiced environment: the work place. This issue deals with women not being paid the same amount of money as men even though they may be equally, if not more soRead MoreThe Wage Gap And Gender Inequality Essay1760 Words   |  8 PagesINTRODUCTION Women as a minority group concerning the wage gap, also known as the gender pay gap, is an older phenomenon that has gradually become more of a topic of concern since the 1960s. The wage gap is recognized as the difference between male and female earnings that is identified as a percentage of male earnings. In 1963 the Equal Pay Act was instituted declaring that it would be illegal to pay women lower wages simply based on their gender. The wage gap remains a popular area of active and innovativeRead MoreGender Wage Gap And Gender Inequality855 Words   |  4 Pages In general, the wage gap has narrowed at a slow, and uneven, pace over last three decades. Recent data shows that women in the American workforce earn 77 cents for every dollar a man earns (Trevino). The existence of this â€Å"gender wage gap† has been an issue since women entered the workforce. The ongoing issue of the past has now become an apparent problem in our modern-day, progressive society. Women nowadays have opportunities that were not obtainable in past decades but must overcome, or ignoreRead MoreGender Wage Gap And Gender Inequality Essay912 Words   |  4 Pagespay† by Lanier Isom is about the gender wage gap. The gender wage gap is the difference between male and female earnings. Isom basically states in this article that the wage gap exists because of gender, however many experts state that the wage gap simple does exists do to a factor such as gender, but of multiple factors. These factors being that the statistics presented in favor of a Wage gap ar e incorrect and manipulated to seem correct. That the so called wage gap may be in fact do to the choiceRead MoreGender Wage Gap And Gender Inequality Essay1519 Words   |  7 PagesGender Wage Gap Lydia Ogles November 2016 Introduction/Abstract The gender wage gap has been a nationwide problem since women were able to enter the workforce. Women have begun to speak out more about the issue and evaluate what they can do to change the industries and how they personally present themselves to help this change. Currently there is a wide range of opinions on this issue, with some saying it does not exist while others think it will ruin the economy if not fixed immediately. This makesRead MoreGender Wage Gap And Gender Inequality1697 Words   |  7 Pagesto be paid less wages than men, but this paper will argue in the U.S. today the gender wage gap still exists. The definition of gender wage gap as stated by the U.S. government is defined as women who work full time or salary based jobs who receive less earnings than their male counterparts who work equal level jobs (â€Å"Equal Pay,† n.d.).[] This analysis will focus on the years of 2012 to 2014, and in these years it is clear that the gender wage gap exists. The topic of gender wage gap sociologicallyRead MoreGender Inequality And Gender Wage Gap2375 Words   |  10 PagesThis is known as gender income difference i.e. the ratio of female to male median yearly earnings among full time year round workers. It is also the average difference between men’s and women’s hourly earnings, the gender pay gap has grown from 14.8 per cent last year to 19.7per cent this year, overtime not included.( Warren 2005) .Studies have shown that this gap has increased over the years, hence widening the gap in the society. These figures must act as a wake-up call for the government. Women’s

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

British Literature Essay Macbeth vs. Sir Gawain and the...

There have been thousands of British Literature books, stories, epics, and poems written throughout history. All of the stories are unique, much like their authors, and even their surrounding history. Macbeth is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare in 1604; Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was written in the 1300’s by an unknown author. The following essay is going to compare and contrast the two stories mentioned above based on historical setting, cultural context, literary styles, and the aesthetic principles of the period in which they were written. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight were written in the late 14th century (1300’s) in Northwestern England. During this time, King Arthur was in reign. The story imitates ideology of English Chivalry and how chivalry works in the knighthood, as well as King Arthur’s court. Macbeth was written nearly after King James of Scotland took the English throne. The English didn’t know much about the Scottish, which brought them into the limelight. During his reign, there was a large amount of political and religious conflict, and the danger of the possible regicide. This historical background could have inspired Shakespeare while writing Macbeth, seeing that the story does contain what seems to be regicide. Although both pieces are somewhat political in nature, they were not intended to change the views of their readers, but to express their own thoughts and opinions on the matter. In Sir Gawain, the concept of chivalry originates from

Matteo Ricci Free Essays

string(38) " high level of European civilisation\." The year 1982 was a ‘Ricci-year’: scholarly meetings in different places around the world, from Chicago (US), over Macerata (Italy) to Taibei (Taiwan), commemorated Matteo Ricci’s entry in China. It was exactly four hundred years since his arrival in the Portuguese settlement of Macao in 1582 and his entry into the mainland one year later. In 2001, there were new celebrations of Ricci, in Hong Kong and in Beijing, commemorating his definitive settling in Beijing in 1601. We will write a custom essay sample on Matteo Ricci or any similar topic only for you Order Now The year 2010 is again a ‘Ricci-year’, this time commemorating his death in Beijing in 1610. Is there anything new to be said about Matteo Ricci after this time-lapse of twenty-seven years, which corresponds to the period of Ricci’s own ascent to and settling in Beijing? Well, his writings have become more accessible to the academic and wider community: for instance, in Chinese there are now readily available editions of his Chinese writings and several translations of his Della entrata della Compagnia di Giesu e Christianita nella Cina (‘About the Christian expedition to China undertaken by the Society of Jesus’) – a strong contrast to the prudent two-page article in Renmin huabao(‘China Pictorial’) of July 1982. But publications not only flourished in Chinese. The Ruggieri-Ricci manuscript of the Portuguese-Chinese dictionary was published for the first time; Ricci’s letters and the Italian version of Della entratawere reprinted (2000-2001)[1]; others works have been translated: the catechism Tianzhu shiyi (‘The True Meaning of God’) into English, Japanese, Korean and Italian; the treatise on friendship Jiaoyoulun into Italian, German, and French; the treatise on mnemotechnics (the art of memory), Xiguo jifa into German. There were numerous secondary sources: at least 200 articles, many of them in Chinese, illuminate various aspects of his life and works. The most well-known work is possibly Jonathan Spence’s Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci (1984), also translated into Chinese (two translations), French, Spanish and Dutch. [2] All this is very impressive and underscores the fact that Ricci remains an attractive figure both on the academic and the more popular level. Yet a close look at these writings reveals in particular the excellence of research accomplished earlier: the quality of Pasquale d’Elia’s annotated edition of the primary sources (Fonti Ricciane, 3 vols. , 1942-1949)[3] and the analysis of the method of evangelisation by d’Elia’s student Johannes Bettray (Die Akkommodationsmethode des P. Matteo Ricci S. I. in China, 1955)[4] is rarely matched today. Since these writings are in Italian and German respectively, they have unfortunately often been neglected. Compared to these writings, recent publications rarely bring to light new elements about Ricci himself, they rather nuance Ricci’s ‘success story’ by putting his accomplishments and writings in a broader context. For instance, it appears that Ricci was less accommodative than often assumed,[5] and that fellow Jesuits such as Niccolo Longobardo (1565-1655) had a better knowledge of the Chinese Classics and the Neo-Confucian commentaries than Ricci himself. How then to tell Ricci’s story in the year 2010? One major development in recent years is the historiography of the contacts between cultures, with a primary question of the perspective from which one needs to look at the missionary: from his own perspective or from the perspective of the receiving culture? Taking benefit from these developments, this article will reread Ricci’s story and ask how Ricci was shaped by the other, especially by the Chinese. [6] Four characteristics of Jesuit missionary strategy in China As a starting point one can make a first – rather traditional – reading of Ricci’s life by focusing on the missionary himself. The ‘Jesuit missionary strategy’ in China was conceived by Alessandro Valignano (1539-1606), who was the former novice master of Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) and who was Jesuit visitor for East Asia during the period 1574-1606. His strategy was creatively put into practice by Matteo Ricci. Later generations, well into the eighteenth century, associated this strategy with Ricci and called it the ‘Ricci-method’. It can be described by four major characteristics[7]: 1. A policy of accommodation or adaptation to Chinese culture. 8] Valignano, who had been disappointed by the limited degree of the Jesuits’ adaptation to Japanese culture, insisted in the first place on knowledge of the Chinese language. Therefore he called a few Jesuits to Macao in 1579 ordering them to focus their attention entirely on the study of language (fellow Jesuits criticised them for spending all their time studying Chinese). Two years later Michele Ruggieri (1543-1607) entered China through the south, and Matteo Ricci followed one year later. Probably inspired by the Japanese situation, they dressed like Buddhist monks. In 1595, after nearly fifteen ears of experience, they changed this policy and adapted themselves to the life-style and etiquette of the Confucian elite of literati and officials. Ricci was responsible for this change. This new policy remained unchanged throughout the whole seventeenth century and for most Jesuit missionaries Matteo Ricci became the reference point with regard to the accommodation policy. 2. Propagation and evangelisation ‘from the top down’. Jesuits addressed themselves to the literate elite. The underlying idea was that if this elite, preferably the Emperor and his court, were converted, the whole country would be won for Christianity. The elite consisted mainly of literati, who had spent many years of their life preparing for the examinations they needed to pass to become officials. For these examinations they had to learn the Confucian classics and the commentaries. After having passed the Metropolitan examinations, which took place in Beijing every three years and at which about three hundred candidates were selected, they entered the official bureaucracy and received appointments as district magistrates or positions in the ministries. As in modern diplomatic service, the offices usually changed every three years. In order to enter into contact with this elite, Ricci studied the Confucian classics and, with his remarkable gift of memory, became a welcome guest at the philosophical discussion groups that were organised by this elite. 3. Indirect propagation of the faith by using European science and technology in order to attract the attention of the educated Chinese and convince them of the high level of European civilisation. You read "Matteo Ricci" in category "Papers" Ricci offered a European clock to the Emperor, he introduced paintings which impressed the Chinese with their use of perspective, translated mathematical writings of Euclid with the commentaries of the famous Jesuit mathematician Christophorus Clavius (1538-1612), and printed an enormous global map which integrated the results of the latest world explorations. By these activities Ricci established friendly relationships which sometimes resulted in the conversion of members of the elite: Xu Guangqi (1562-1633; baptised as Paul in 1603) and Li Zhizao (1565-1630; baptised as Leo in 1610) are the most famous of Ricci’s time. . Openness to and tolerance of Chinese values. In China, Matteo Ricci encountered a society with high moral values, for which he expressed his admiration. Educated in the best Jesuit humanistic tradition, he favourably compared Confucius (552-479 BC) with ‘an other Seneca’ and the Confucians with ‘a sect of Epicurians, not in name, but in th eir laws and opinions’. [9] Ricci was of the opinion that the excellent ethical and social doctrine of Confucianism should be complemented with the metaphysical ideas of Christianity. However, he rejected Buddhism, Taoism, and Neo-Confucianism, which in his eyes was corrupted by Buddhism. Ricci pleaded for a return to original Confucianism, which he considered to be a philosophy based on natural law. In his opinion it contained the idea of God. Finally, he adopted a tolerant attitude towards certain Confucian rites, such as the ancestral worship and the veneration of Confucius, which soon were labelled ‘civil rites’. Methodological questions There are several reasons why these four characteristics can rightly be identified as typical for Ricci and his fellow-Jesuits in a broader sense. First of all, one can easily find a justification for them in the Jesuit official documents of Ignatian inspiration, especially the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus and Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercises, which often insist on accommodation. Secondly, one can contrast these policies with those adopted by the contemporary Franciscans and Dominicans. These orders appeared less accommodative, less elite-oriented, less involved with sciences, and, lastly, less tolerant towards local ritual traditions. Finally, in publications about Jesuits in China in modern times, both by Jesuits and non-Jesuits, these elements are in one way or another presented as ‘typically Ricci’ or as ‘typically Jesuit’. There are also several reasons why these characteristics of strategy can be questioned. First, it can be questioned whether it is a ‘Jesuit’ strategy. Here, the comparison with the mission in Japan is quite determining. The first thirty years of Jesuit mission in Japan show quite a different picture, since before Valignano’s arrival the accommodation policy was very restricted. Thus the actual strategy was determined to a large extent by the inspiration of an individual such as Valignano rather than by a common ‘Jesuit’ formation or training. A second problem with ‘strategy’ is that it seems to refer to a pre-set and well-thought policy that was consistently executed over time. Yet, some scholars have convincingly argued that Ricci himself ‘had not formed a precise opinion on the problem of evangelisation in China and that his judgment concerning the means and methods to adopt in order to convert the Chinese varied in the course of the years he spent on this task. [10] Thus the systematic labelling of any action as issuing from a ‘Ricci-method’ is probably an overestimation. Thus, while these four characteristics of the Jesuit strategy in China are certainly not invalid, they possibly present only one side of the story. The major methodological objection that can be raised is that an identity is not only formed t hrough the isolated effort of the Self, but is shaped through constant interaction with the Other. This is true for individuals, but also for groups. Therefore, what we call the Jesuit missionary strategy in China is not only the result of a conscious and well-defined policy conceived by Valignano and the proactive and creative elaboration of it by missionaries like Matteo Ricci. To a large extent, it is also the result of their reaction to what China was and who the Chinese were. In other words, their identity was shaped by the Chinese Otheras well. If Ricci became who he became, it was also because the Other encouraged him actively or passively to become like that. Thus the story should not only be told from the perspective of the missionary (Ricci), but also from the perspective of the receiving community (the Chinese). I will therefore review the four different characteristics and try to demonstrate how the Chinese ‘Other’ helped shape the Jesuit mission. I will bring into the picture the results of recent research on Christianity in late Ming China. These results have often been obtained by focusing on the point of view of the Chinese, ‘the Other’, and by taking the Chinese texts as primary source for research. Shaped by the Other 1. Accommodation to Chinese culture. The most obvious example of the interference of the Other in the field of accommodation is the change from a policy of adaptation to Buddhism to a policy of adaptation to Confucianism (and subsequently the rejection of Buddhism). The Other was already present in the original decision to adopt the Buddhist dress, since it was the Governor of Guangdong who either insisted that this was the way the missionaries should dress, or who approved the proposal of Michele Ruggieri to do so. [11] The accommodation to the Buddhist life-style was not without advantages. It enabled the Jesuits to make contact with the majority of the Chinese population more easily and allowed them to focus conversation directly on religious matters. But there were also disadvantages. From a Confucian perspective, Buddhism and Christianity shared many religious elements and were very similar to each other. Both can be classified as an institutional religion with a system of theology, rituals and organisation of its own, independent of so-called secular institutions. Confucianism, on the other hand, resembles a diffused religion. Its theology, rituals, and organisation were intrinsically tied up with the concepts and structures of secular institutions and the secular social order. [12] Moreover, Christianity shared elements with Buddhism such as belief in afterlife, the idea of heaven and hell, the practice of celibacy, etc. which were very un-Confucian. From Ricci’s Della entrata and later apologetic works one can observe that precisely this similarity to the Other (the Buddhists) forced the Jesuits to dissociate themselves from the Other and emphasise their differences. The first (unconscious) reason for this change was that within the Chinese religious context there was too much competition between Buddhism and Christianity. Jesuits were in fact subjected to the phenomenon of ‘inflated difference’: i. e. the phenomenon in which a minority group, pressed to consolidate its own identity, is prone to dis-identify with others and to play up otherwise negligible differences between those inside and those outside its boundaries. [13] The only way to dissociate themselves from the Buddhist monks (who were considered to be very low on the social ladder) was to turn to Confucianism. In fact, it was the Other represented by Confucian literati such as Qu Taisu (Qu Rukui) (b. 1549) who encouraged Ricci to institute this change. [14] Here a second important element in which the Other determines the Self needs to be mentioned. It was labelled ‘cultural imperative’ by Erik Zurcher, and belongs to the deep structure in Chinese religious life in late imperial China. [15] No marginal religion penetrating from the outside could expect to take root in China (at least at a high social level) unless it conformed to a pattern that in late imperial times was more clearly defined than ever. Confucianism represented what is zheng (‘orthodox’) in a religious, ritual, social and political sense. In order not to be branded as xie (‘heterodox’) and be treated as a subversive sect, a marginal religion had to prove that it was on the side of zheng. The authority of Confucianism, and its sheer mass and attractive power, were such that any religious system from outside was caught in its field, and was bound to gravitate towards that centre. These two elements, inflated difference and cultural imperative, show the heavy influence of the Other in Ricci’s strategy of accommodation. The Chinese made Ricci adapt to the particular Chinese situation. One may also point out that the refinement and sophistication of the Other imposed some limits on the accommodation by the Jesuits. It is indeed remarkable that the Jesuits apparently were not able to accommodate themselves to certain aspects of Chinese culture because they were too difficult to master or were too different from the European background. Here one touches on aspects of Jesuit corporate culture in Europe and many parts of the world that were not put into practice in China. The clearest example is that of schools and education. Despite their hope to replace the subject-matter of the Chinese exams by Aristotelian philosophy, the Jesuits were never able to influence the well-established Chinese education system. There were also aspects that did not belong to their corporate culture, but that were also too sophisticated to learn or to adopt. In the field of arts, one usually cites the successful adaptation of Jesuit painters like Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766), but there is hardly any adoption of, or interest in, Chinese calligraphy. Yet, every member of the educated Chinese elite spent long hours when they were young learning calligraphy, and quite a few continued to practise it every day of their lives. Although the Jesuits’ effort was directed at this elite, in their copious writings there is hardly any indication that the Jesuits appreciated the aesthetic dimension of calligraphy and the pivotal role that it played in Chinese culture. [16] In the field of Chinese customs, Ricci and his fellow-Jesuits found it impossible to let their finger nails grow very long, as was the custom among the Chinese literati. 17] These are negative examples of influence that clearly show how Chinese culture imposed limits on accommodation. 2. The propagation ‘from the top’ is a second field in which the role of the Other can be amply shown. First it should be pointed out that the motive of Ricci’s ‘ascent to Beijing’[18] was not necessarily the conversion of the Emperor. The initial object ive of Ricci, as expressed in his Della entrata, was not to reach Beijing, but just to have a residence on the mainland. It was because of the many difficulties Jesuits encountered in obtaining permission to enter China and in establishing a permanent residence there that they gradually made a plan to go to Beijing in order to obtain the support of the ‘King of China’. [19] In this move to Beijing they largely depended on the elite. [20] There certainly were proactive or planned decisions by Ricci and his companions: they preferred the centre to the periphery and they chose to live in a city rather than in the countryside. ‘Centre’ meant the administrative centre, the place with a higher concentration of magistrates and literati. Thus they preferred Zhaoqing to Canton, because the Governor was residing in Zhaoqing, and Canton was only second choice. [21] The choice of the city was quite obviously connected with the choice of the centre. But these proactive or planned decisions by Ricci should be supplemented by two reactive or guided decisions, which were as important if not more important: many movements were arranged through personal relationships (guanxi) and a number of residences were established because the Jesuits were expelled from or not allowed to live in certain places. In both of these decisions the Other played a key role. The concept of guanxi or relationships is central to any understanding of Chinese social structures. It denotes an essential part of network-building within Chinese social life. The many difficulties encountered by Ricci and his companions in trying to establish a residence in various cities are often attributed to the fact that they were foreigners. While this is certainly true, the Jesuits also lacked the necessary guanxi to secure the social resources needed for their goals. They lacked common attributes: they could not refer to a common kinship, locality, religion or examination experience. Chinese society very quickly made the Jesuits aware of the importance of this network building and the originality of Ricci is to have understood it. It took the Jesuits a long time, but after more than ten years they succeeded in acquiring some ‘attributes’. The two most important were their behaving like Chinese literati, and subsequently, the establishment of a network based on common Christian rituals. The role of the Other mediated by guanxi became very important in the move from the south to the north of the country and the establishment of new mission posts, and the Jesuits’ decisions were taken in response to the initiative or circumstances of these guanxi. The case of Michele Ruggieri travelling to Shaoxing (Zhejiang) is a fine example of this reactive or guided decision-making. [22] He was not travelling to Shaoxing because of a planned decision on his part, but rather because he had a guanxi who happened to be travelling to Shaoxing and who wanted to take Ruggieri with him. Another pattern was closely linked to this one. Chinese converts would settle in a new place (or return to their place of origin), expand the network of believers, and then invite a missionary. This pattern became more common as the community of believers increased and came to include some converts of higher social standing (especially after 1600). Here some structures of Chinese administrative life played an important role. Like other literati, Christian literati changed offices regularly (in principle every three years), or returned to their native towns. Their moves determined those of the missionaries. Another way of establishing a community in a given city was also a reaction to decisions made by others: Jesuits decided to settle in one place because they were not allowed to settle in the place of their original choice. In some cases this was even linked to direct expulsion. 3. The use of science in the service of the propagation of faith too was largely determined by the Other, as can be shown in the writings of the Jesuits and their converts. The first presentation of European science was made in the form of curiosities like a clock and prisms, with the result that at the beginning Jesuits were considered as alchemists. The first writings of the Jesuits, however, (i. e. what they wrote with only limited influence of the Other), were not scientific but entirely religious and catechetical in nature. It was due to the quest of Chinese scholars, who could not believe that educated scholars could come from far away, that Ricci engaged himself in composing a Chinese version of the world map he had in his room, in order to show where he came from. [23] A further step was the translation of works on mathematics and astronomy. Many scholars have pointed out that this translation took place in the particular context of Late Ming learning. If Chinese scholars were interested in the science brought by the Jesuits, it was because prior to their arrival Chinese literati had developed an interest in practical learning. The search for ‘solid learning’ or ‘concrete studies (shixue) was a reaction against some intuitionist movements originating from the Wang Yangming school in the late sixteenth century. According to Wang Yangming (1472-1528), the principles for moral action were to be found entirely within the mind-and-heart (xin) and not outside. In the early seventeenth century, the influential intellectual and political movement of the Donglin thinkers re-established the importance of ‘things in the world’. Officials and scholars searched for concrete ways to save the country from decay. [24] It is this preceding quest that led to the unique interaction between the Chinese literati and the Jesuits. The Jesuits themselves were initially not much interested in translating mathematical works, but in response to the insistence of converts such as Xu Guangqi they again and again undertook this kind of time-consuming and long-lasting activity. Later, this insistence by the Chinese (converts) on practical learning was one of the reasons that prevented Jesuits from engaging in projects such as translating the Bible. Early missionaries such as Ricci had no particular advanced training in sciences (even if they were versed in them) and were not sent to spread scientific knowledge. Only later missionaries with a specific scientific training were sent to respond to the quest of the Other and to guarantee the protection of the Church by the Chinese Court. The acceptance of Western sciences by the Chinese thus confirms a generally agreed-upon interpretation of cultural exchange: when a foreign element is accepted relatively easily by a culture into which it has been introduced, that acceptance is owing to the presence of some internal disposition or movement to accept the new element. What is true in the field of the sciences is true also with respect to the moral teachings of the Jesuits, which were accepted because they fitted the quest of the Donglin thinkers for a heteronomous morality. Moreover, the large-scale translation and publication of Western writings was possible only because the Late Ming had a very developed system of (private) publishing and printing. Thus Jesuits did not have to introduce the printing press. Moreover, by contrast with Europe, there was no pre-printing censorship in China. As a result, the Chinese context enabled the Jesuits fully to put into practice their ‘Apostolate through Books’[25] and freely to express their ideas. 4. Tolerance towards Confucian rites. Here too the cultural imperative of the Other played a determining role (as it did not in Japan). Because of the power of Confucianism as a diffused religion, Christianity, just like Buddhism, Judaism and other marginal religions, had to accept the state orthodoxy and the ritual traditions of Confucianism. The repeated and public rejection of the rites approved by the State (and listed in the Official ‘Canon of Sacrifices’) would have caused the missionaries to be labelled ‘heterodox’ and to be rejected (as happened later to missionaries and papal delegations on several occasions during the Rites Controversy). Yet, during the initial years of the Ricci period there was a whole evolution in their attitude, which became more tolerant due to the presence of the Other. This can clearly be observed from the attitude of the missionaries towards funerals, which were and still are the most important ritual of passage in China. [26] In the beginning, the Jesuits were hardly aware that the importance of funeral rites in China would have consequences for themselves. For instance, when Antonio de Almeida (1557-1591), died in Shaozhou (Guangdong), the Chinese could not understand why Ricci and his companions did not wear a mourning garb. The Jesuits, Ricci says, explained that ‘we religious, when we enter into religion, are as though dead to the world, and therefore we do not make such a thing of this fate. ’ Thus the Jesuits did not accommodate to local customs, except for purchasing a first-class coffin, ‘in order to show to the Chinese the quality of the Fathers, because herein they demonstrate their way of honouring the dead. The major reason for buying a coffin, however, according to Ricci’s explanation, was that they could not bury de Almeida in a church, as would have been done in Europe and the Jesuits did not want to follow the Chinese practice of burying him ‘on a hill far away from the house. ’ Subsequently the coffin was kept in their residence for two years until he was buried in Macao. [27] As f ar as the specific funerary rituals are concerned, in these early years the Jesuits adopted an approach that can be qualified as purist concerning the Christian tradition and exclusivist with regard to the Chinese traditions. In general, Ricci and his fellow Jesuits were less tolerant in the early stages of their missionary activities than later, though in doing so they did not adhere to a specific regulation. If death occurred, the Jesuits’ priority was to bury the deceased – Chinese Christian or foreign missionary – according to Christian rites. There was little intention towards accommodation to local – usually Confucian – customs. The abstention from local rites by Christians was seen by the Jesuits as a sign helping to strengthen and spread the Christian faith. Only gradually were some Chinese funerary customs accepted. This happened first through the initiative of the Chinese themselves and was largely due to the network in which the deceased Jesuit or Christian had been involved. As long as this network was very small, the funeral could be limited to an exclusively Christian ceremony. When this network was larger, however, the chances of interaction with Chinese funeral practices increased. It is typical for funerals to be such an ‘open’ ritual. For instance, when the Jesuit Joao Soerio died in Nanchang in 1607, his fellow Jesuits did ‘not give expression to their sentiments, as was usual in China,’ because ‘it did not correspond to our profession. ’ Yet their friends, dressed in mourning, came to their house to condole with them. These Chinese friends installed a bier and covered it as if his body was there. ‘They made four genuflections, and touched each time with their head the ground. ’ Many are said to have mourned the death of this Jesuit in this traditional way. 28] As the Christian communities continued to grow, the interaction with local rituals increased as well. The death of Matteo Ricci in Beijing in 1610 was a turning point in some ways, because his funeral and burial were the cause of the Jesuits themselves becoming involved in more Chinese funerary customs. The first critical step was the decision about his burial place. At the initiative of a Christian convert, the Jesui ts asked the Chinese emperor to offer an appropriate burial ground. This burial in the mainland was contrary to the practice of the burials of Jesuits in Macao until then. Meanwhile, Ricci’s corpse was kept in a traditional Chinese coffin. While some Chinese practices, such as the habit of condolence, were accepted, others, such as the funeral procession, were only applied in a limited way, because the Chinese procession was considered to resemble an act of ‘triumph’ and did not conform to Jesuit ideals of poverty and modesty. On the day of the burial itself, 1 November 1611, all the regular Christian ceremonies were celebrated: the recitation of the Office of the Dead, the funeral Mass, an ecclesiastical procession, and the prayers at the tomb in front of a painting of Christ. But in the end, there were also some Chinese rites: ‘Many days afterwards gentile friends came flocking in to perform their usual rites for the deceased. ’[29] Thus it was the presence of the Chinese that brought gradual change in the hesitant approach by the missionaries. As Johannes Bettray has shown, the Jesuits missionaries were, after thirty years of presence in China, apparently allowing the performance of these particular local customs. [30] Conclusion Looking at Ricci, one can discern several characteristics that can be labelled the ‘Ricci method’. However, this method has too often been presented as the result of the proactive Self, at the neglect of the influence of the Chinese Other. I have tried to show that the role of the Other in the formation of Ricci’s identity is certainly as important as the activity of Ricci’s Self. Though Ricci might have reacted in ways other than he did, in all cases the Other played a decisive role in the reactions he showed. One could even argue that the Other made it possible for Ricci to become who he became. Without the Other, this would not have been possible. How to cite Matteo Ricci, Papers

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Led Zeppelin free essay sample

In 1969, America was hit hard by a distinctive rock group, Led Zeppelin. This group became one of the most successful rock groups in history, and in my eyes they still are. When their first album was released, Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin, it instantly hit number one on the Rock Pop Chart. Such titles as Good Times, Bad Times, DAZED, Confused, and Communication Break Down instantly hit Number One. Through the A70s they released mega hits like Whole Lotta Love, Rock n Roll, The Ocean, The Immigrant Song, Nobodys Fault but Mine, and All of my Love. You must be saying, Well, what about AStairway to Heaven? Stairway to Heaven must be the most popular song ever produced by Led Zeppelin. Between Robert Plants voice and Jimmy Pages guitar, this is my favorite Zeppelin song. People and magazines have said that if you play Stairway to Heaven backwards you will hear satanic messages. We will write a custom essay sample on Led Zeppelin or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I personally dont believe it either. If you are interested in hearing Led Zeppelin, but are confused about which album to buy, I would suggest two possibilities. First, if a CD player is available, purchase your choice on CD. Its sound quality is unbelievable. Second, I would suggest purchasing Led Zeppelin IV. It contains such classics as Black Dog, Rock n Roll, and the intriguing Stairway to Heaven. This record will surely lure you into one of the most awesome and mystical bands of our time. In 1979, John Bonham (lead drummer) passed away, which led to the groups breaking up. It was the end of the best rock group ever. I dedicate this story to the late drummer of Led Zeppelin, John Henry Bonham. n Led Zeppelin free essay sample As I sit pounding on my legs, mentally picturing the drums on my lap, I realized that this was the best album ever! It was Led Zeppelin one, the best one of their albums and I could play it. The greatest band ever, Led Zeppelin, released their first album on January 12, 1969. The band consisted of Robert Plant on lead vocals and harmonica, John Paul Jones on bass and organ, John Bonham on drums and percussion, and Jimmy Page on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and steel guitar. Their fusion of blues and rock makes this eponymous debut album the best one ever. And it made them known, even with kids still today. This album starts off with a fast pace, toe tapping song called, Good Times, Bad Times. Next, follows a break up song written by Robert Plant. Its called Babe Im Gonna Leave You. The next good song on the album is Dazed and Confused, a song written by a friend of Zeppelin,Page, and Plant together. We will write a custom essay sample on Led Zeppelin or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Another great song on the album is Communication Breakdown written by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page together, one of the first that they worked together on. Finally, the album closes with How Many More Times. This song is a swing/rock/blues song. It combines a swing beat on drums, a rock guitar riff, and blues vocals. At a whopping eight and a half minutes, this is the longest song on the album. For Zeppelin, it was a rocking first album and it sold over 8 million. The album had a top 10 position on the Billboard List, and number 80 on top songs (which was Good Times, Bad Times). Not bad for a first album, just my opinion. Overall I think Zeppelin made their name famous with this first album. This album has great lyrics, great beats/riffs, long songs, and a great opening self titled album, and cover art. The only thing wrong with it is that it only has nine songs on it, it should have more. Everyone wants more, more, more of Zeppelin, especially on their albums. They kept it up (with seven albums after that) until the death of their drummer, my idol, John Bonham in 1980. Afterwards, they called it quits and went their separate ways. Jones is a composer now, Plant is still singing (did a duet album recently), and Page is still jamming on guitar (reunion shows, and sessions with other bands, including his own). They reunited in 2007 with John Bonhams son, Jason Bonham, on drums. They also did a show in England in 2008. As I sit pounding on my legs, mentally picturing the drums on my lap, I realized that this was the best album ever! Led Zeppelin One would be one of the best albums ever made, and Zeppelin would be known as one of the greatest bands of all time. Possibly they are the best rock band in the world, and I could play it. Led Zeppelin free essay sample Moreover, I wish to present why the song remains a strong representation of why and how Led Zeppelin are so influential. Before analyzing the introverts behind Bring it on Home, it would be appropriate to contemplate other examples of Zeppelins work which have undergone similar accusations of plagiarism In order to support the significance of the song I have chosen. Whole Lotto Love for instance, has undeniable correlation to the Muddy Waters song You Need Love.Even the opening lyrics, Zeppelins opening lyrics: You need cooling, baby, Im not fooling Im goanna send way back to schooling are obviously hugely identifiable to the Muddy Waters lyrics: l anti fooling you need schooling Baby you know you need cooling. This similarity between the two continues through the entirety of the song. Also on the album, we see the same story with Lemon Song, In which the first, second and fourth verses are undoubtedly lifted from Hollow Wolfs Killing Floor and Wooly Dick where the guitar riff driving the song is analogous to Bobby Parsers song Watch Your Step released in 1961. We will write a custom essay sample on Led Zeppelin or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Led Zeppelin failed to credit these writers, and as a result these circumstances have been referred to as an indelible blemish on the bands legacy. In fact Rolling Stone ridiculed the album, accusing the band of robbing authentic blueness royalties and implied that heavy white blues like theirs was best listened to In a stupor Induced by mescaline (Steven Davis, Led Zeppelin Hammer of the Gods, p. 100). Bring it on Home epitomizes these opposing forces in its obvious distinction between the almost too obvious plagiarism ironically mixed with Zeppelins unique and idiosyncratic sound.The track opens with the cover of Sonny Boy Williams 1 963 recording (written by Willie Dixon) of the song Bring it on Home, followed by an explosion into the classic loud, raw, skilful, electric white lees (Steven Davis, Led Zeppelin Hammer of the Gods p. 97) sound, entwined with Jimmy Pages ever powerful guitar riffs and Robert Plants eccentric, distinctive and convoluted vocal parts which the band are still identified by today.The opening to the song, which undoubtedly is almost parallel in similarity to the Sonny Boy Williamson version, introduces the track with the typical black blues sound so influential to Zeppelins catalogue of music as a whole. This continuing suggestion of theft would perhaps be considered as trivialities the label given to them by NAME as ease, then a large number of acclaimed , important and influential artists and song Reuters, would also have to be disregarded for their contribution to music of the present day.Elvis Presley, who married blues to country, creating the 20th centurys most popular form of music Ferry Glenn, Led Zeppelin/Jimmy Page Plagiarism? ) owes his career to songs written from the imagination of others. The Battles have been sued for supposed plagiarism. Bob Dylan, too, has been accused of borrowing and admits it openly. Even recently, from Henry Timed (a 19th century poet who died n 1867) on his 2006 album Modern Times, but as he told Rolling Stone magazine, Its called song writing, It has to do with melody and rhythm, and then after that anything goes.You make everything yours. (BBC News, Entertainment and Arts) Johnny Cash, the Red Hot Chill Peppers, Madonna and so many more pioneering and highly established writers and artists have all been accused of the same crime. The pressing question then, is whether this makes them any less significant and Influential to music today? Aside from the controversy and copyright arguments, Bring it on Home is a criterion of the bands work and a fantastic example of the influential stance Led Zeppelin hold on music today.Yes, this song starts with the lifted cover but it is what it transforms it in to that makes it a brilliant representation of the bands individuality. As Dave Growl stated, In 1 969 and 70, there was some freaky sit going on, but Zeppelin was the freakiest; the band were unique, like nothing else of their time. Growl continues, heavy metal would not exist without Led Zeppelin, and if it did, it would suck (Dave Growl, Led Zeppelin).This song contains classic elements which illustrate the Zeppelin sound responsible for their true prestige; it embodies Pages ever famous guitar riffs for which the group are so well known. Rolling Stone referred to Page as the fire-slinging refasten which was undeniably a completely deserved title and is illustrated in Bring it on Home with utter supremacy. The motions and manners of Zeppelins sound can be heard prominently in music from The Black Crower, John Mayer, The White Stripes, Sabina, Oasis and numerous others in a wide selection of genres.Half a billion NAS applied for tickets for their reunion gig in 2007; The event was a magnet for celebrities and rock stars, including Pink Floods David Gilmore, Kate Moss, members of Oasis and Genesis, Steve Windrow, Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley and Marilyn Manson (Billboard BETA) thus proving the groups impor tance and the level of respect they still hold by musicians and writers today. Undoubtedly, the debate regarding whether Led Zeppelin deserve such high praise as pioneers of rock and heavy metal will be one that is unresolved for future generations to come. Led Zeppelin free essay sample Arguably the greatest band in the historyof the universe, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham, and John-Paul Jones arethe members of the late ?s/early ?s rock and roll/folk/blues band LedZeppelin. To be able to listen and understand their sound is a privilege: theedgy, stingray, guitar riffs of Jimmy Page, mixed with the erotic drum beats ofJohn Bonham, and the harsh bass lines of John-Paul Jones combine with the loud,screechy, one-of-a-kind vocals of Robert Plant. Together these stimulateones imagination while listening to Stairway to Heaven, WholeLotta Love, Going to California, Dazed and Confusedand Babe, Im Gonna Leave You. No one has ever compared to thesegutsy pioneers from England. To even be mentioned in the same sentence asZeppelin would be a great honor for any musician. I say theyre gutsybecause these four gentlemen had no idea what to expect when coming to a newland. Boarding a plane, they set off on a journey with no idea of the fortunethat would follow. We will write a custom essay sample on Led Zeppelin or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Success wasnt immediate, though, people had to adjust totheir new sounds. It didnt take long for their first album, LedZeppelin, to hit the top of the charts. In almost six yearstogether, the band played over 400 live shows across the country, earning themthe title of the greatest live band of all time. Putting out nine albums in sixyears, the guys knew what their fans wanted and they produced. The tragic deathof drummer John Bonham was supposedly the cause of the bands break-up.