Personal Budgets in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Personal Budgets in the UK - Essay Example According to the paper, in response to the increasing demand and the rising public expectations based on choice and quality, the government decided to act. It set out to transform the way in which care and support were offered for the older and disabled adults. At the heart of this transformation was a very powerful idea that would potentially revolutionize how the disabled and older persons received their care. The idea was basically based on personalization. That is, instead of commissioning care and support services for people living in its area, the local authority would provide eligible persons with their own personal budgets so they could acquire help and assistance that would be more attuned to their individual needs and circumstances. Personalization is aimed at giving the people more choice and control over the kind of support they acquire. It is defined as the ability of an individual to determine what type of support to get despite the mode of payment used by the one seeki ng healthcare services. These may include direct payment or personal budgets. Direct ayments are defined as the direct cash payments given to service users in lieu of community services that are in demand based on assessments done they are aimed at giving a wider choice to the clients. Personal budgets on the other hand describe the allocations given to users after assessment which meets their assessed needs fully. This is all in part of the government’s wider agenda to improve efficacy and responsiveness of public services. These personal budgets can provide flexibility, choice and control to the service users. Further, they can improve health and well-being and ultimately, user satisfaction.  

PC Spec word project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PC Spec word project - Essay Example Having considered the requirements of the Director, it is proposed to buy high end computers that have separate graphics and memory cards from the motherboard. Standard office computer utilizes the embedded GPU and RAM which is not adequate to perform video and graphics editing. Also, softwares such as Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Premiere have system requirements that necessitate computers with high end specs. If the company have the budget to buy branded computers that meets the following requirement such as Dell Precision T3610 series, then it should go ahead and purchase those. If the company however is strapped on cash, it can assemble its own computer by buying the parts that can perform the tasks required by the Director. Manage and protect the system, data, and information while working on the Internet including scanning all incoming emails, email attachments, and files downloaded from Web-based sources; firewall, virus and spyware (security) protection; and checking websites for phishing and fraudulent activities. Audio Editing Software Review 2014 | Best Sound Editing Software | Audio Editor Software - TopTenREVIEWS. (n.d.).  TopTenREVIEWS. Retrieved June 21, 2014, from

Cormac McCarthys The Road Essay Example for Free

Cormac McCarthys The Road Essay A novel entitled The Road sparks the image of a journey, not necessarily one concerning movement, but an experience, where by the time you reach the destination you have either witnessed something or come-by certain things which may affect you as a person, changed the way you think or possibly had an effect on your personal ethics. For example, a mental journey, whereby somebody lives through a certain period in their life and comes out the other end with a new perspective and attitude, like in J. D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye. Another type of journey is an actual physical one from A to B; at the destination in this type of journey one may feel a sense of achievement and arrive at B with scores of anecdotes and stories that can range from little events that make a good joke to events which may actually change you as a person. Writing about journeys like these is a genre of writing in its own right: Travel Writing, an example being John Steinbecks Travels with Charley. The third type of journey that I associate with the phrase The Road is the concept of being on an open road, simply going with no particular interest in where you may arrive, simply the journey itself has its importance. This may simply be on a whim or yearning for open road or maybe because of a need to travel, to not stop and just keep going and perhaps to get away from something, an example of this is the film Thelma and Louise. This is a key image in American Culture, not only featured in many novels and films but important simply because it represents a freedom to be who you want to be. The open road offers new horizons and the prospect to witness new and unexpected things. This idea represents the liberty and freedom found in America The way in which the protagonists travel in The Road is not the picture perfect, open road, free spirited adventure, they rarely travel on the actual road, to avoid being seen by others who may want their belongings and food. This was not a safe place. They could be seen from the road. The iconic concept of the open-ness and the freedom associated with it is no longer present in Cormac McCarthys America. The idea of the road being such a dangerous and deadly place and the paranoia of the man is installed firmly in the readers head by the fourth page, when it discusses the shopping trolley the man has in which he carries all his possessions, food, blankets and tarpaulin. On the handlebars of the trolley the man clamped a chrome motorcycle mirror that he used to watch the road behind him which shows that whoever is left in his world isnt to be trusted and its a fend for yourself environment with none of the trust and neighbourliness that America is famous for. In the post-apocalyptic world portrayed in The Road we see an utter breakdown in the sense of community and the love thy neighbour ethic for which America is renowned. In the book, the few people the man and child come across are treated with utter caution or are avoided altogether and people who need help are ignored. An example of this would be when they come across the man who has been hit by lightning and they dont help him. The son cries for his father to help the man, but he bluntly refuses and does nothing. This is an accurate account of how some people may react in todays world where help may not be given to the man by some people so as not involve themselves, but the good thing to do would, of course, be to seek medical help. Traditional American values would instruct that one do the good thing and aid the lightning struck man. Another good example of the lack of common ethics is when the stranger robs all their belongings and they run after him and not only get it back, but also take everything he has on him, including his clothes. The fact that the man and robber are prepared to leave the other to die of the cold and starvation, represents how McCarthys world has changed human nature and the love thy neighbour and do unto others only what you would want done to yourself ethics are left disregarded and one cares for no-one but themselves.. Im starving, man. Youd have done the same. You took everything. Come on man. Ill die. This proves my point that the people left will do anything to survive even if that worsens the chances of another individual. For me, the theme that is present throughout the book and had me contrasting McCarthys world to todays is the relationship between the father and son. The young child is, of course, dependent on his father for food, guidance and moral support like most children are today and this image is strong in America with the concept of a nuclear, wholesome family being very important. In the book, whilst the sense of community may have collapsed, the father-son relationship is very strong; they care for each other, keep each other company and the father brings the child up as best he can, but in Cormac McCarthys world nothing is left quite the same. What unsettled me was how freely the child spoke about their possible impending death and themes of a similar nature. The situation in which this child has been reared has left him matured beyond his years, an example showing this being when he asks his dad, You think we are going to die dont you? Were not going to die. Okay. The child is so unfazed by the topic and it strikes me as odd and proves how even something as simple as the carefree thoughts of a child have been distorted by the world and lifestyle of the people within the America McCarthy depicts. Within the story there are two scenes that are stuck in my mind because of their vividness and brutality. Firstly, when the father and son break into a house and find dismembered, burnt people locked in the basement, a man with his legs gone to the hip. These people are being held very much like poorly treated animals or cattle, probably to be eaten, because the people are so desperate for food they have resorted to what is one of the most taboo and strictly forbidden act in most societies, cannibalism. Also the setting of their incarceration is chilling and something only thought of in nightmares. Secondly, when the father and son come across the baby gutted and placed on the spit roast in preparation for a meal. America prides itself on the fact that its a free country. This phrase is thrown around a lot but it basically means that people there have a freedom to say and do what they want as long as it doesnt break the law. The people locked in the cellar certainly arent free and them being held captive shows how extreme people may have become out of starvation and desperation to survive disregarding their previously strong believe in freedom and equality. This is also interesting because it wouldnt be the first time slavery has been an issue in America. After the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, which was passed in 1865, slavery was made illegal in America and equality reigns. The change was accepted after years of fighting and now America sees itself as a fair nation with racism and the plight of the black man as less of an issue, a good example being that the first black American President is going to be inaugurated January 20th of the coming year. Cormac McCarthys book portrays this ethic of us all being of the same level of importance being readily ignored by those in need to feed themselves and survive. In the news we often hear about anti-abortion lobbyists and pro-life rallies, especially in America. In Cormac McCarthys book the protagonists see a group of people travelling with impregnated women and then the man and son walk through the abandoned camp of these people and find a gutted baby on the spit-roast. If you put the two together the idea may strike you that women are being impregnated for the sole purpose of the meat theyll produce. In todays world this would be considered ungodly and unmentionable and not only brings up the topic of cannibalism but also the controversial theme of abortion which is utterly ignored in McCarthys world and the fact that it has gone beyond mere cannibalism but the actual production of babies for meat shows the pure desperation of some to survive and the ethical issue which is so very important today, ignored. In the scene the author refers to the baby itself very impersonally, as if its a piece of meat and nothing more. The author describes it as a human infant, headless, gutless and blackening on the spit, very brief and to the point much like one may have described it were it a common farm animal. If it werent for the human infant part it may well have been anything, the author does little to humanise the creature on the spit-roast. I think this may be simply to shield the reader and avoid the text being too explicit but also to show how this is largely commonplace in McCarthys world and that whilst shocking to the more good-willed protagonists, for some it is merely a case of survival. America is often referred to as the land of plenty, with its almost endless resources, especially of food. The poignant scene in which the father finds what could possibly be the last coke can on earth shows just how much has changed in McCarthys world and introduces the notion of how we take too much for granted. In the scene with the coke can the author describes drinks machinestilted on the floor, opened with pry bars. This shows the desperation of mankind for such objects like Coca Cola, which are integral to lifestyles in modern society and inexplicable to those who havent witnessed it. People now never think such ubiquitous items will run out. What makes the scene sadder is the fact that this iconic can which nowadays is seen in many pieces of pop-artwork, has hundreds if not thousands of adverts worldwide and is truly a universally recognized brand, isnt recognized by the child, showing how in McCarthys world this idea of a constant, ready supply of everything is simply no longer the case, especially with food. Throughout the book, punctuation is hardly used; with no speech marks and few commas and the father and son arent, at any point, referred to by name. I believe that this is to further the image that Cormac McCarthy is portraying; conveying the fact that the breakdown of society and nature is such that things like punctuation and the names of the characters, no longer are of any importance as there are more important things, survival for instance and by dropping things like the names it leaves the reader to focus more upon the father-son relationship and less on the more trivial details. The American Dream is the concept of everybody reaching his or her full potential and having the ability to fulfil their hearts desire, in the land of opportunity that America is famous for. People often immigrate to America to start a business or career in either the music industry or maybe acting. In the book rather than going to America in the hope of having it all, money, glamour, the sweet life, people are trying to leave because they have nothing. It shows how different this bleak world his and how everything has turned on its head. The phrase itself, American Dream was coined by James Truslow Adams in his book, published in 1931, called The Epic of America; in the book his definition for it is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone but in McCarthys world, for anyone surviving there is nothing left of the original values of America, the living are in some cases, hunted for food, their freedom compromised for fear and ultimately nothing remains as it was.

Maintaining Communication in Nursery Management

Maintaining Communication in Nursery Management In this unit I will be looking at how to maintain effective communication through a nursery setting with staff, parents and children. I will be going through the importance of staff appraisals and how records of staff should be logged and the reason for this. Disciplinary and grievance issues will be discussed as it is crucial to know the procedure of these in the unfortunate circumstances that they may occur. Finally, I will evaluate the appropriate employment policies that are put in to place for the recruitment and management of the staff in a nursery organisation. Task 1.1 â€Å"Explain the process for maintaining effective communication within the setting team† We know that communication is the transfer of information between people. It can be verbal or non verbal. In a nursery we utilize constant communication between a practitioner and child, management and staff, staff and parents and many others. In a larger setting it may be a complicated process however there are many different ways of easing this process. It is essential that we know what the key factors should be in the communication process, how to improve our skills and the potential problems that exist with errors in communication and how to overcome this to have minimal faults. In order to have successful communication there are normally three major components; a sender, a receiver and a message. For example in a nursery setting the practitioner may be teaching there key child a certain colour/number and in order to do this they set an activity. In this example we have a sender (practitioner), a receiver (child) and a message (activity). For staff we frequently have a great deal of information to send within a short period of time. To do this effectively, it is important for management to know that there are factors which could influence how our message is interpreted. Breakdown of important information can help give receiver a better understanding of what is expected from them. In situations where this does not occur and important information is not conveyed, allergy advice, medicine or parents preferences for their chid may be missed. For example, in one situation, there was a member of staff from preschool that had come to cover for the toddler room leader. Unaware that one child is allergic to wheat she incorporated play doh in her activity. This error could have been prevented if the communication between staff had been complete. In my current place of employment we have a ‘communication book’ kept in each room. This book contains ALL messages from managers, staff and parents. Every member of staff should check this every time they enter the room and sign once they have read any new message. Staffs are all told verbally any messages and it is also written down in the communication book to make sure everyone has understood the message. I understand from my experience that the trust of our parents and families of children that attend nursery is an extremely important part of providing effective childcare. If they don’t trust us, any communication that we attempt to send to them may be disregarded. The first step to effective communication is honesty. It is important not to promise staff and children that we are going to do something unless it can be followed through. It has been said as much as 80% of our communication is non verbal. We need to pay attention to our body language, eye contact and tone of voice when addressing staff, parents and children. Conflict among co workers can impact the setting we work in and can prevent important communication. Also, cultural awareness can be an important part of knowledge base that we need to have when communicating as practitioners/managing staff. For example, we may want to pat the arm of an unhappy member of staff, but we need to make sure that this behaviour is acceptable and not seen as inappropriate. Regardless of how busy the day to day running of the nursery we need to ensure that each room and management has â€Å"protected† time. This allows staff to communicate about important issues such as, child protection issue, staffing levels and medical advice given by parents for a particular child. In order to have effective communication it is essential to have an active listener. To show you are an active listener it is important to pay attention, respond appropriately and provide feedback. In business there are 4C’s of communication which are; comprehension, credibility, connection and contagiousness. Starting with comprehension, it is important to see whether our message can be comprehended by staff/parents/children. If they don’t understand or it has to be repeated it is likely to be a fault in our communication. Secondly, credibility is an extremely important factor. This must be perceived in the correct way to parents what you are trying to convey as if they don’t understand they will have lost interest from the very start. Thirdly, we have connection. It is important to have a connection with everyone whether it is the staff, children or parents. It makes communicating with one another a much easier process when we have the confidence and connection to discuss openly any matters. Finally, contagiousness; this is what motivates staff. It is important for staff and managers to portray an enthusiastic working environment and to keep each other mo tivated. This action should be a result of what has been communicated. We know what needs to be done to have effective communication however 60% of business failures are because of poor communication. The 2 main types of communication we use are verbal and non verbal. Within these 2 categories we have many barriers which may affect staffs understanding or unwillingness to communicate and be active listeners. Verbal communication coexists alongside non verbal communication, which can affect people’s perceptions and exchanges in subtle but significant ways. Non verbal communication means how people read our body language such as gestures, facial expressions, eye contact and posture. The sound of our voice, including pitch, tone and volume are also forms of non verbal communication. In order to make staff comfortable and to help them understand what is being expected from them it is important to express non verbal communication in the correct manner. We use verbal communication to inform, whether it is to inform others of our needs or to impart know ledge. Verbal communication helps to clarify misunderstandings and provides missing information. The environment we are in may make communication difficult. If we are in a large nursery setting it may be harder to convey a message to all staff straight away as they may be located in different areas. It is important to be clear when giving instructions as the way some staff perceives messages may differ. There are also many other ways verbal messages can be misread. If staff are stressed, or have personal issues it can affect the way they choose to communicate. However, this should be dealt with at a separate time and should be resolved when the member of staff or manager are a lot calmer. Task 1.2 â€Å"Understand the importance of the appraisal process and how records for staff can be logged† A formal appraisal is important for professional development, to meet a goals or objectives. Other benefits that can be gained from an appraisal include enhanced communications, an opportunity to effectively address performance problems, and improved employee morale. The appraisal form should be completed during annual appraisals by both the manager and employee. It is good practice for employees to complete a self-appraisal form prior to the interview. This could identify areas where they feel they have excelled, areas they feel they need more support on, any training they have completed and any they would benefit from. The appraisal process looks at what the employer has learned over the last 6 months and they can discuss goals and targets they have achieved. The appraisal process gives a chance to employees and managers to discuss any further training they feel is necessary. When the employee is completing the appraisal form, it is important to complete this with the previous year’s appraisal to ensure that any targets which have been set in order to gain the pay rise have been reached. If they have not been reached, it gives the employee an opportunity to complete them (if this is possible) before the appraisal takes place. At my previous nursery all staff were asked to make a personal development plan at the beginning of the year so every year we were able to see what skills we had developed, what new skills we are looking to develop and what we need to improve. With this plan we used SMART targets in order to have effective goals and so that our progress can be measured. The appraisal pr ocess is very effective if carried out in the correct process. Task 1.3 â€Å"Identify the correct procedures to follow with regards to disciplinary and grievance issues† Disciplinary and grievance procedures are frameworks which provide clear and transparent structures for dealing with difficulties which may arise as part of the working relationship from either the employer’s or employees’ perspective. They are necessary to ensure that everybody is treated in the same way in similar circumstances, to ensure issues are dealt with fairly and reasonably, and that employers are compliant with current legislation and follow the ACAS code of practice for handling disciplinary and grievance issues. Disciplinary procedures are important as they help resolve any issues that have come up in the setting without needing to go to an employment tribunal. A disciplinary procedure normally consists of three stages. The first stage is a letter which tells the employee why the meeting is going to be taking place and has to be given to the employee at least 72 hours prior to the second stage. Following the letter, the employee is invited for a meeting and is able to bring along a companion to be present at the meeting. Prior to the meeting it is important for management to ensure all the facts are investigated in advance (including consulting the individual’s personal file for relevant information) and plan how the meeting is to be approached. It is also important for another member of the management committee or management team to be there to take notes and help conduct the interview. Finally management come to a decision of whether the employee should be dismissed or kept on. If t he employee feels they should not be dismissed they are able to appeal. After the disciplinary meeting there are three possible outcomes. The first one is where the manager decides not to take any actions. They may just decide to refer the employee for counselling or training. Secondly, management may decide to give the employee a formal warning. There are three different types of warnings that can be given. They can either be a written warning, or made as a general rule or employee may find they are given their final written warning. The third possible outcome is of course dismissal. However, if a manager decided to dismiss a member of staff it is important the ACAS code is followed. It is essential that grievances from employees are treated in the same fair manner and all levels of management are familiar with their organisation’s grievance procedure. Staff should be encouraged to discuss ordinary, day to day issues informally with their relevant manager. This helps concerns to be heard and responded to as soon as possible instead of turning to employment tribunal. The grievance and disciplinary issues can also be used to tackle problems such as persistent lateness, bullying, inappropriate use of the nursery resources and fighting. Task 1.4 â€Å"Evaluate relevant employment policies required for the recruitment and management of staff in the organisation† Many businesses, especially Childcare feel the staffs are the company’s greatest asset. This is because it is down to the staff on how well the children and parents are being cared for. â€Å"Employees are a companys greatest asset theyre your competitive advantage. You want to attract and retain the best; provide them with encouragement, stimulus, and make them feel that they are an integral part of the companys mission.† [Anna M Mulcahy. (2001).Assets.Available: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/annemmulc424886.html?src=t_asset. Last accessed 6 February 2015] Employing a new member of staff is a lengthy process. The company starts off by advertising the vacancy. The company should make sure that the vacancy is advertised in a variety of places and locations so that all applicants are given an equal opportunity. The advertisement should be circulated to underrepresented groups in the community both externally and internally. Which means the job role should be advertised in local job centres, colleges, schools and community notice boards. The next stage is the recruitment and selection stage. All the completed application forms are given to the nursery and the management team then score each application and select candidates that fit the job description. The manager then chooses however many candidates they feel should be invited for an interview. When the recruitment and selection process takes place two staff from management should be involved in the process, making sure they are also trained for equal opportunities to insure there is no discrimination against any candidates. After the interview process the successful candidate should be notified by telephone. However, a formal letter is then sent to the candidate containing the job offer. The three important policies when recruiting staff are induction of staff, staff development and the promotion policy. The induction of staff policy is normally carried out on the first day of the job to allow the employee to see the day to day running of the nursery. The new staff member is handed the book containing all the policies and is asked to make sure they familiarize themselves with them. At my current work place I was allocated to an existing member of staff who showed me what responsibilities I would have in the nursery. It is important to familiarize the employee about the health and safety policy, fire safety, child protection issues, arrival and departures policy, children’s medical information, and allergies children may have and how to complete sickness/injury forms, sleep and nappy charts which are required to be completed regularly. This should be done at least within the first week of employment. The second policy which is staff development is put in to place so that parents are guaranteed excellent childcare. If staffs are being trained frequently and ensuring they are stretching their personal targets and knowledge they will be able to provide a higher level of care for the children of the nursery and this can be done with management looking in to how they are able to develop staff learning. Employees can look at their personal development plans and then suggest appropriate training they would like to have. Finally the promotion policy is put in to place in order for staff to work towards personal targets so they can continue to receive professional development. It is important management carry out the appraisal process in order for staff to receive this opportunity. If the management feel there is an appropriate candidate they refer back to the selection and recruitment policy. In conclusion I feel all policies and procedures are extremely relevant as it helps the setting meet all the correct statutory requirements and have regard to the statutory guidance laid out in the EYFS. It also gives staff and parents a clear understanding of the services the nursery has to offer. It sets out rules and guidelines so everyone has equal opportunities. As a manager it is important to make sure that the company’s vision is seen through all the staff and they work according to the policies and procedures that have been set when running the day to day activities in the nursery.

Discrete Choice Experiment :: Analysis, Random Utility Theory

The CE is founded on neoclassical micro-economic consumer theory. It assumes that consumers are highly rational decision makers who seek to optimize their utility by selecting the best option among the available alternatives, subject to constraints such as time and income (Ben-Akiva & Lerman 1985). So, a consumer makes a decision by evaluating the costs and benefits of the given alternatives, and selects among them which yields the highest utility to him/her (benefits-cost). In the CE, the choice is discrete in nature (Hanemann 1984), that is, only one alternative from the given choice set can be selected. Therefore, it is also known as discrete choice experiment (DCE). The alternative j will be chosen over some option g, if expected utility for individual, i , (Uij) exceeds the expected utility (Uig) for all alternatives. This implies that the probability of selecting an option is likely to increase with utility from the option and probability (P) that individual, I, will choose option j over other options g in a complete choice set R, is given by: P (jïÆ' ·C) = P{ (Uij >Uig, s.t. ï€ ¢ g Є R, and j ≠ g)} (2) Usually, in non-market valuation studies using CE model, respondents are given a choice card containing three alternatives including status-quo (current situation) to select. These alternatives in the choice set are outcomes of policies or programs related to the problem being investigated and distinguished by different levels. The levels could be either qualitative or numerical. The effects of the alternatives are described based on the Lancaster’s characteristics theory of value (Lancaster 1966). The theory states that an individual derives utility from the attributes possessed by the goods rather than the goods per se. The choices; therefore, are considered as a function of the attributes that the given alternatives hold. Including the outcomes of policies or programs related to mitigate the damaged caused by invasive plant species, Mikania in particular, a monetary value is included as one of the attributes as the policy cost to the respondent. Since, the alternatives are evaluated indirectly through their characteristics; it may be possible that consumers may have preference ordering over the attributes included (Lancaster 1966). It is widely accepted that an increase in a level of the preferred attributes or positive externalities such as; biodiversity, forest products and income generating activities, will result, ceteris paribus, in high utility from the goods or services to respondents. On the other hand, the utility from the goods or services decreases with increasing the level of the unwanted attributes or negative externalities such as abundance of invasive plants, pollution and in most cases monetary value.

Essay --

Introduction We are experiencing unprecedented rates of biodiversity loss. 60% of the ecosystem services (such as freshwater, fisheries, pollination and climate regulation) which biodiversity underpins are either degraded or in decline. Predictions are that this trend will worsen. It is clear that it has severe economic implications, not only for society but also for business as most industries depend on ecosystem services to function. The pharmaceutical sector is both dependent on and impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services or BES. Approximately 25% to 50% of the pharmaceutical market is derived from active ingredients from nature. The sector’s dependence on the BES stems from the use of active ingredients from nature in drug discovery and manufacture, the use of water and a reliance on inert raw materials such as fish oils, soya and palm oil in drug manufacturer. Impacts include water pollution from drug manufacturing and use, overexploitation of active ingredients from nature that can’t readily be synthesized and use of inert ingredients linked with environmental degradation. For the pharmaceutical sector, this may pose reputational, operational, regulatory and market risks as well as new opportunities linked to new drug discovery. Pharmaceutical industry investors may also face reputational and financial risks if the companies in which they invest do not adequately manage their own BES risks. All companies reviewed have started to consider the business implications of declining BES. However, none are managing the BES in a comprehensive manner. The focus of corporate activity has been on understanding site-level impacts on biodiversity such as risks associated with potential impacts on protected areas or water consump... ...e to determine company risk exposure in relation to BES. Lack of information on how companies are managing their risks and opportunities leads to decreased investor confidence. Companies should be encouraged to disclose more information on volume, nature and provenance of raw materials sourced, the outcomes of products and issue risk assessments and the activities underway to address them, if that assessment shows them to be material. References †¢ http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/index.html †¢ file:///C:/Users/De/Desktop/Media_release_-_pharmaceutical_companies_face_biodiversity_risk.pdf †¢ http://www.naturalvalueinitiative.org/content/010/102.php †¢ http://www.cefic.org/Documents/IndustrySupport/RC%20tools%20for%20SMEs/Document%20Tool%20Box/Biodiversity-and-Ecosystem-services_What-are-they-all-about.pdf †¢ Biodiversity and Human Health By Jensa Bell

Explore Shakespeare’s dramatic presentation of Macbeth in Act 1 Essay

Explore Shakespeare’s dramatic presentation of Macbeth in Act 1 discussing how audiences have responded then and now Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare between 1603 and 1606, features a Scottish warrior called Macbeth, whose life is totally changed by the prophecies of three witches. It shows how a hardened warrior such as Macbeth, who can nearly win battles on his own, can be mentally destroyed by a series of events which happen over a few days. The play starts gloomily and with a sinister feeling about it; there is thunder and lightning which in Shakespeare’s play mean there is going to be trouble ahead, and things will not be as they seem to be, giving and immediate warning to the audience, while the three witches begin to cast their spells. Shakespeare opens with the witches to show their domination over the events which are forthcoming to the play. In everything that the witches say, they deliberately confuse and talk in riddles: ‘When the battle is lost and won’ and ‘Fair is foul’ and ‘Foul is fair’ which sets the scene for what happens later in the play. The language creates a cloud over events, leaving the audience confused and puzzled over what is to happen to Macbeth and the other characters in the rest of the play. It leaves a dilemma in the audience mind as they make up their own minds on Macbeth’s character as he is linked with their evil since they intend to meet him. Shakespeare fixes the historical setting in scene 2, which is set in camp near the battlefield; it reveals that there was unrest in Scotland at that time, as the Kings army are fighting a group of rebels led by the then Thane of Cawdor. This scene again gives information about Macbeth, but this time it tells the audience that Macbeth is a hardened warrior who will kill for the honour of his King and country. The captain describes how both Macbeth and Banquo fought on regardlessly even though tired, against the villainous low life rebels, giving the historical context. The captain describes how they destroyed and slaughtered the enemy and how they should have been killed because they were so outnumbered, which leads Duncan to praise the two warriors, practically calling them Supermen: ‘noble’ and ‘valiant’. The audience has now seen the two sides of Macbeth: good and bad, it is up to them to decide whether or not he is good, valiant and honourable, or evil, murderous and possessed. It is only Scene 3 when the audience finally sees Macbeth, speaking to the witches, when they start to make prophecies about Macbeth, initially calling him: ‘Thane of Glamis’ which he inherited from his father. Next they say: ‘All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor’ and then: ‘All hail Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter’. This describes the past: Thane of Glamis, which he already is; the present: Thane of Cawdor, because he becomes it later in this scene; and the future with the prophecy of him becoming King. Macbeth is obviously extremely interested, but Banquo is more hesitant. He sees these words as just things they say to build up Macbeth’s confidence and are not the truth. ‘Instruments of Darkness’. Scene 4 begins with Macbeth saying ‘The service and loyalty I owe,’ which makes him seem honourable, he then goes on to flatter Duncan by saying. In doing it pays itself. Your Highness’ part is to receive our duties, and our duties are to your throne and state, children and servants, which do but what they should be doing everything safe toward your love and honour.’ All this is an attempt to win over Duncan, as he has already won a battle for him and flattery he hopes the prophecy of his becoming King will become a truth. Duncan is clearly flattered and replies ‘I have begun to plant thee and will labour to make thee full of growing.’ Since Duncan wants to give him more rewards, this will definitely raise the hope of Macbeth that he will become heir to the throne. However, Macbeth’s dreams are shattered by what Duncan is to say next: ‘Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter The Prince of Cumberland’, meaning that Malcolm, not Macbeth, is to be the next King. The audience is as shocked by Macbeth at this sudden event after the earlier build up and would sympathise with Macbeth whose balloon has been popped and is crashing to the ground. He is extremely angry and distraught at Duncan as after everything he has done for him. It was his greatest desire to become King of Scotland, a dream shattered by Duncan, who surely must pay for what he has done- or will Macbeth carry on being loyal to his King in hope of future rewards? Will the wait for the third prophecy come true? This is a difficult decision for the audience to make as Macbeth has been associated with evil earlier in the act, but also has, done good deeds for his King. The audience ponders on which way he will turn-towards good, or evil-and will anyone influence his decision? In the next scene Shakespeare begins to answer the audiences questions as scene 5 is set in Macbeth’s castle, where Lady Macbeth is reading a letter from Macbeth describing the events. Macbeth describes his success saying that he knows more than ‘mortal knowledge’, adding that witches predicted he will be King, but does not tell her that he was not made Prince of Cumberland. He says that she must think about the news because he knows she is greedy and he is tempting her by telling her what happened. The audience will see that the only reason Macbeth wrote it was because he was angry and distraught. Lady Macbeth is definitely tempted by this, determined that Macbeth will be King and she will be Queen. Yet she recognises that Macbeth is too ‘nice’ to go about it the quickest way and that he will want to do it the ‘right’ way. Her main plan is to win Macbeth over, so that he will kill Duncan and whoever else he must do to gain the crown, intending to manipulate and ‘nag’ M