How successful is The Crucible as an allegory? Essay

In my coursework I will be discussing how successful the crucible is as an allegory. An allegory is defined as a story, poem, character in a story, or picture with a hidden connotation. The Crucible is a story set in Salem in the 1692 witch hunts. The play is based on the fear, suspicion, hysteria and paranoia which the people of Salem felt during the witch hunts. This is almost identical to what happened in America in the 1950s. Communism was at its all time peak and America was scared of Communism taking over their country, as it already had in Russia. The Americans panicked and they went fanatical with Hysteria. Everyone was accusing everyone. Almost everyone who was accused of being a communist was sentenced with a heavy punishment, usually a life sentence. No one felt safe; people were being accused for no good reason. This outbreak in paranoia is much like McCarthyism. McCarthyism was the situation in America during the 1950s. This could be why The Crucible is such an effective play. Salem was a very small religious town. It feared the unknown and anything that they found hard to explain. The community was very small and enclosed, scared of the world which was beyond theirs. This may be why the outbreak of paranoia occurred. Everyone seemed to know each other too well because in their society no-one seemed to mind their own business: The Salem folk believed that the virgin forest was the Devil’s last preserve, his home base and the citadel of his final stand. This shows how Salem was enclosed by the woods and therefore alone. The woods represent the fear surrounding Salem and it helps to show the danger from a different perspective. The most obvious allegory in the play is the link between 1950s America and McCarthyism. There are close similarities between Communism and witchcraft, in particularly how society was corrupted because of them. !692 in Salem and America during the 1950s are so alike in many ways. Miller based The Crucible directly on the situation in America. Both accusations of Communism and witch – craft tore apart the communities which they broke lose in. This is because they are the unexplained and you cannot prove that someone is a really a Communist or a witch. The reason people believed in witch craft was because there was so much which was still unexplained around the year 1692. They could not think up answers for things which were happening so they blamed everything on witchcraft. When Betty became sick, people started to talk and wander what was wrong with her. Suspicion over came Salem. When no one could explain what it was that was wrong with her, they realised that people holding a grudge could seek revenge by accusing others of being possessed or of being a witch. There were so many innocent people accused of practising witchcraft that it seemed the only way to get away with the accusation was to own up to being a witch, even though they weren’t. Sometimes the accusations went far. On page 47 of the crucible Reverend Hale and Parris begin to whip Tituba until she would own up to making contact with the devil, even though they have no solid evidence. This shows just how far they went through hysteria and suspicion of people practising witchcraft. A running theme throughout the play is people accusing each other and following others who establish themselves as a group leader, who to control the others. At the end of act one on pages 49 -50 you can see the link between McCarthyism and the Salem witch hunts. Here you can see how everyone is accusing everyone of being a witch. This is similar to the situation in America during the fear of the outbreak of Communism. Abigail: I saw Goody Hawkins with the Devil! Betty: I saw Goody Bibber with the Devil! Abigail: I saw Goody Booth with the Devil! The way that Abigail and Betty speak here makes the scene seem very dark and it really reflects what was happening in America during the outbreak of McCarthyism. People were accusing everyone and hysteria has broken lose. The way that the same phrase is repeated and said by different people a number of times is effective and helps to show that Salem is not the same and paranoia is setting in. Abigail is also shown as the leader of the girls and they all do as she tells them to. This is one of the first times this is clearly shown in the play. Miller uses many writing techniques in the play. He uses effective ways of showing hysteria and paranoia and the way he links McCarthyism is very well done. Miller introduces many characters into his stories, this makes it easier for him to show the effects of McCarthyism, it is easier for him to show how literally every one is accused at some point. During the play almost every character is accused and when you are accused it is hard to clear your name: Danforth: Mary Warren, how came you to this turnabout? Has Mr Proctor threatened you for this deposition?

Identify the statutory and voluntary agencies who may work together at the scene of an emergency incident Essay

P3 – identify the statutory and voluntary agencies who may work together at the scene of an emergency incident Statutory and voluntary agencies: Statutory agencies are services like the police, fire and ambulance. These will always join an emergency incident. However at some incidents they will be helped by voluntary agencies like: St John Ambulance – St John Ambulance is a charitable organisation staffed by trained volunteers. The organisation responds to hundreds of emergency incidents (including major incidents) such as floods, fires, road traffic collisions and train crashes. The service supports and assists those in need, and is an excellent resource in terms of trained staff, medical aid and emergency vehicles. It can also provide evacuation centres. The St John ambulance has helped the statutory agencies during the floodings 2007 in York. â€Å"Throughout June and July 2007 our volunteers worked tirelessly to help support communities hit by heavy flood waters. We have provided a 24-hour support with volunteers and vehicles in a bid to help people struck by the disaster and set up many rest centres for those evacuated from their homes†. As you can see St John Ambulance makes a huge difference when they help the other emergency services at a major incident as it says above ‘set up many rest centres for those evacuated from their home’. By them doing that they have helped out the police services which saved them plenty of time. British Red Cross – The British Red Cross is a voluntary organisation that provides all sorts of things for example: First Aid, Emergency Response, Heal and Social Care, finding missing family, preparing for disasters and last but not least refugees support. During an incident the organisation can provide emotional support, support with the care of children and pets use of  shower and toilet facilities, provision of toiletries, clothing, light refreshments, use of a telephone and last but not least first aid. â€Å"As a leading voluntary organisation for emergency response, the Red Cross has thousands of specially trained volunteers who provide a range of services to people in emergencies, including practical and emotional support and first aid services. The Red Cross also has well-equipped fire and emergency support service (FESS) vehicles which play a vital role in supporting local fire and ambulance services. Before the flooding began, we launched a co-ordinated response to help vulnerable people across areas threatened by flooding in the UK. Our response included: Evacuation, staffing rest centres, support to the statutory services, distribution of emergency provisions, support from across the organisation, supplies and information. The British Red Cross have done a huge favour not only to the public but to the statutory agencies by supporting them on first aid and evacuation ECT. In my opinion without the British Red Cross it would of been ten times harder to solve the major incident, not only that hundreds more of casualties would of died if it weren’t for the British Red cross. Mountain rescue – Mountain rescue, a voluntary service that is train to rescue people who may have an accident it the mountain or lake area where there is limited ways to contact anybody for help. The Mountain Rescue team has supported the statutory agencies during the Grayrigg train crash at 2007. â€Å"Mr Farron, MP for South Lakes, said: â€Å"It’s only fitting that Network Rail’s fine goes to help those who were first to provide assistance on the night. Sadly it is all too true that these wonderful volunteer services do have to hold out a hand for windfalls and without them they could not survive†. As you can see the mountain rescue team was a huge support. It been said above without them they could not survive that proves a point that mountain rescue team is a hard working and organised organisation. Bibliography Bourley, A. (2012, May 24 ). GIVE MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAMS GRAYRIGG FINES CASH, SAYS CUMBRIAN MP. Retrieved october 8, 2013, from newsandstar: http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/give-mountain-rescue-teams-grayrigg-fines-cash-says-umbrian-mp-1.957516?referrerPath=# Dymond, H. (n.d.). Emergency response. Retrieved 10 8, 2013, from sja: http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/what-we-do/emergency-response.aspx Gray, D. (2010). oublic services level 3 btec nationals book 2. Society, T. B. (2007, august 2). How the UK floods crisis unfolded. Retrieved january 10, 2013, from redcross: http://www.redcross.org.uk/What-we-do/Emergency-response/Past-emergency-appeals/National-Floods-Appeal-2007/How-the-crisis-unfolded

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd ) - 1652 Words

When senior leaders in the United States Army get together with their subordinate soldiers and discuss potential and the importance of always being prepared for your mission, traditionally there is one soldier that is always brought up in the conversation. His name is Audie Murphy. He was a man so small that when he first attempted to enlist, the Marine Corps turned him away because he was too small. By the time he would finish his military career, he would be one of the most decorated war heroes in the history of the United States military, be battlefield promoted from enlisted to the officer ranks, be a tremendous spokesperson for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and his name would serve as the title of one of the most†¦show more content†¦Harvey 2 In his self entitled book, To Hell and Back, Audie Murphy shed a little light on how his leadership looked at him early on in his career at the beginning of the war: â€Å"My company commander, looking at my thin frame and cursed baby face, decides that the front is no place for me. He has me transferred to headquarters to serve as a runner. I should be grateful, but I am NOT. I am constantly sneaking off with patrols and scouting parties. The company commander finally calls me to the carpet. â€Å"I hear you can’t stay away from the front Murphy†. â€Å"Yes sir† I replied. â€Å"What’s wrong with you? You want to get killed?†. â€Å"No sir†. â€Å"Now I’m going to do myself a favor. I’m putting you back in the lines and you’ll stay there until you’re so sick of action you want to vomit†. (2) Audie Murphy, never one to back down from the challenge took his duties seriously and understood that the cost of unpreparedness would lead to certain death on the battlefield during the war and because he was so underestimated there was always a chip on his shoulder. After returning to the front line he became very ill and a major saw him on the side of the road puking. The major told him that he needed to go and see a medic. Audie Murphy told him that he would, but instead returned to his men and after a week he finally passed out and woke up in the aid station. By the time Audie Murphy was 19, he would be a second lieutenant on the front lines in France fighting off a company

What Is Power in International Relations Use Examples...

What is Power in International Relations? Use Examples to Illustrate your Argument Power can be seen as a very complicated concept within International Relations. Power in International Relations does not only refer to military might but also includes economic power, cultural power and also, soft and hard power. Brown defines power as not just one thing but three things all working at the same time. They are; the attributes that the actor has and can use, the relationships between actors and the ability an actor has to influence others and thirdly the actors structure,when its system makes actors behave in a certain way. The first two parts of this definition of power in International Relations are most relevant to†¦show more content†¦1977, On Max Webers Definition of Power, Journal of Sociology, Vol. 13, No. 3, p. 231. This coincides with the second part of Browns definition of power. Dahl had a similar definition which stated that power is when an actor can get another to do something they dont want to do or to not do something they might normally do. This is the power of compliance and deterrence. An example of this definition of power in International Relations is the power that Saudi Arabia has over the United Kingdom as the holder of a large amount of natural resources. The third and final aspect of Browns definition of power is structural power. Whilst traditional International Relations theories agree with the first two parts of Browns definition many others, such as Marxism, also see power to exist in an actors structure. Gramsci described how structural power can be seen in the popular culture and the mindset of an actor. He used the overthrowing of capitalism in Italy in the 1920s as an example. He stated that the overthrowing of capitalism in Russia in 1912 was easier as capitalism was so entrenched in 1920s Italy that common sense was dictated by it. He argued that the structure of life needed to be changed for the revolution to come. Simply overthrowing the government was not enough. Structural power can shape the culture and heart of an actor. Power in International Relations can also beShow MoreRelatedContemporary development1178 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Introduction 1. For your chosen organization and/or its industry sector outline the main external , internal , task and general environmental factors which would need to be considered by a potential outside investor when making a major investment decision. 2. Explain how some of the major operational and/or operational environment factor impact on functional areas within your chosen organization or organizations in your chosen industry sector. 3. In relation to your chosen organization andRead MoreRelationship Between Greed And Grievance1210 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"What is the relationship between greed and grievance as motivating factors in violent conflict? Use at least one case study to illustrate your argument† The greed and grievances theory provides opposing arguments as to what really are the causes for violent conflict. Scholars have conducted numerous researches on a number of violent conflicts in attempt to analyze to what extent greed or grievances appear to be motivating factors for violent conflicts such as civil wars etc. Those who believeRead More Morality, Virtue and the Public Figure Essay2080 Words   |  9 PagesVirtue and the Public Figure Introduction According to the dictionary Grand Robert, the term â€Å"public† means â€Å"what concerns people as a whole and what belongs to the social or political community and is done in its name†; a public figure is defined as â€Å"a person who is invested with an official function or plays an important role in the social or political life of his or her country†. 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Climate Change And Sociology Global Warming - 1253 Words

Climate Change and Sociology Danielle Cluphf College of Western Idaho Climate Change and Sociology Climate change known as global warming has been steadily increasing over time. Global warming is a catch phrase of social confusion. Society feels uncomfortable with this notion. Is it real or fake? Little do people know that human progression and population growth adds to carbon emissions in the atmosphere. The term greenhouse gasses mean H2o or water, Co2 or carbon dioxide, and N20 known as nitrous oxide. In the book titled Global Climate Change, it breaks down what global warming is and relays information about carbon dioxide being the primary cause to the negative amounts of greenhouse gasses. â€Å"Carbon dioxide is the primary greenhouse†¦show more content†¦J, et al 2010) In my research, environmental sociologists use the â€Å"lens† of conflict theory, and functionalism. Today, most of the popular sociologists look at the environment from the conflict theory perspective so I will focus on this theory. In the book titled You May Ask Yourself, Conley talks ab out what conflict theory is. â€Å"The idea that conflict between competing interests is the basic, animating force of social change and society in general. (Conley 2015) Conflict theorists look at the inequality perspective of societal problems and they can be from poverty, race, or gender etc. An important area of focus among environmental sociologists is the relationship between inequality and the environment. In the article, All About Environmental Sociology, Dr. Cole talks about how environmental sociologists use conflict theory with inequalities in society like income, race, gender and how climate change negatively affects these people. Low-income people for instance have more of a chance to live in a worse area that may be subject to more environmental hazards. 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Comparing the Views of Confucius and Aristotle free essay sample

I certify that I am the author of this paper and that any assistance received in its presentation is acknowledged and disclosed in the paper (at the end). I have also cited any sources from which I used data, ideas, or words, either quoted directly or paraphrased. I also certify that this paper was prepared specifically for this course and has not been used for another course (and will not be) either in whole or substantial part. Virtue is the habitual, well-established, readiness or disposition of mans powers directing them to some goodness of act. Virtue is moral excellence of a man or a woman. As applied to humans, a virtue is a good character trait. It is something practiced at all times. The virtue of perseverance is needed for all and any virtue since it is a habit of character and must be used continuously in order for any person to maintain oneself in virtue (â€Å"Virtue†). There are two famous philosophers that have many views on the subject of virtue and they are Confucius and Aristotle. Their teachings lead a lot of people into a better life or as Confucius said the practice of right living. (â€Å"Confucius-Lecture on Confucius and Self Knowledge†) Confucius was born in 551 B. C. , in at that time was called Lu, which is now the province of Shang-tung. His father was an elderly warrior who married a young peasant girl to have a son. Confucius from the young age of three had to labor for his family due to his father’s death. Because of his natural aptitude for learning, he still managed to find time to purse his studies (â€Å"Confucianism†). At the age of seventy-two in the year 479 B.C. Confucius woke early walked outside his home in Qufu, as legend tells us, and tells his disciples he wished to speak no more. He then went inside laid down and died seven days later (Freedman pp. 33-34) Aristotle was born around 200 years after Confucius in the year of 384 B. C. in Stagira, a â€Å"Grecian colony. His father was a court physician to the King Amyntas of Macedonia. It is believed that his purse of studies is due to his father’s influence of practicing medicine (â€Å"Aristotle†). He died at his country house at Chalcis, in Euboea at the age of sixty-two years old in the year of 322 B. C. He died to an illness he suffered from for a long period of time. There were legends that told his death to be because of hemlock poisoning, as well as another legend, it was said he couldn’t explain the tides so he threw himself into the sea (â€Å"Aristotle†). Confucius’ ideals about virtue are very long and complicated indeed, as well as Aristotle’s ideals. They both are alike in a lot of their views but they are different in others. Confucius himself did not make any pretension to possess virtue and wisdom in their fullness as he had stated, but his love of virtue and wisdom there is no question. He was a man of affection, sympathetic and most considerate of others (â€Å"Confucianism†). According to Confucius the morally superior person from birth should possess five inner virtues and acquire two outer ones. The five virtues are righteousness, inner integrity, love of humanity, altruism, and loyalty. One should also acquire culture and a sense of decorum (Cunningham, Lawrence and Reich p. 184). Aristotle was a man a high-minded, kind hearted man devoted to his family and his friends. He was a man who followed the ideals he outlined in his ethical treatises (â€Å"Aristotle†). He had out of all the Greek moralists, the most psychologically insightful account of virtuous character (â€Å"Moral Character†). Aristotle’s ideals of virtue were wisdom, gentleness, courage, sobriety, self-control, righteousness and liberality (â€Å"Aristotle, Virtues and Vices†). Confucius and Aristotle did believe the same way about some things. Confucius believed that people were born good, but their bad environment is what caused them to be evil and to not live with virtue (â€Å"Confucianism†). Aristotle did believe in a similar idea in that to folly belongs bad judgment of affairs, bad counsel, bad fellowship, bad use of one’s resources, false opinions about what is good in life (â€Å"Aristotle, Virtues and Vices†). They both thought that people were led astray from being a virtuous person by the wrong kind of influences in their environments. Both of them also believed to be virtuous you needed self-love. Confucius taught people to make ones self as good as possible. The practice of goodness needed to be sought after and made use of in one’s life. He taught that vice came from ignorance and knowledge led to virtue (â€Å"Confucianism†). Aristotle tried tirelessly to distinguish true self-love from vulgar self-love, which can make you morally defective. A person with true self-love is able to recognize and enjoy the value of developing their rational powers which they can use to guide their decisions. They in turn acquire practical wisdom. Now that they know practical wisdom they can take pleasure in appropriate things which in turn they can avoid common vices and act as virtuous person would (â€Å"Moral Character†). The last similarity I want to discuss is their belief in having friends. In Confucius’ recorded sayings he recognized the value of good, high-minded companions. His motto was to associate with the truly great and make friends with the most virtuous (â€Å"Confucianism†). Aristotle believed that people need to associate with a group of companions who share similar interests and aims, and who provoke us to think more and to achieve a greater understanding of what we learn in life. When we develop friendly feelings for others we care about their well-being. So once the friendship bonds are formed we naturally exhibit social virtues (â€Å"Moral Character†). There are some differences between Confucius and Aristotle. One difference in their views is Confucius’ belief in filial piety. He believed it was the root of all virtue. In which it prompted the son to love and respect his parents, contribute to their comfort, and to bring honor and happiness to their name by honorable success in life (â€Å"Confucianism†). After the parents, people were supposed to worship their ancestors, then have respect for their elders, and loyalty to rulers (Cunningham, Lawrence and Reich p. 184). Aristotle did not believe in putting your parents first. He believed first were people’s duties to the gods, then to the spirits, then those to the country and parents, then those departed (â€Å"Aristotle, Virtues and Vices†). Confucius also had a different view on being born with virtue. He believed a person is born with virtue and they have all five inner virtues which are righteousness, inner integrity, love of humanity, altruism, and loyalty (Cunningham, Lawrence and Reich p. 184). Aristotle did not believe the same way about being born with virtue. He believed there were two kinds of virtue, moral and intellectual. His belief was that intellectual virtue owes both its birth and growth to teaching and moral virtue was due to a result of habit which meant nothing comes to us by nature (â€Å"Nicomachean Ethics†). Confucius did not use religion in his ideals of virtue. He felt it came from within people. He once said, â€Å"Not yet understanding life, how can we understand death? †, when it came to speculation of God and the afterlife (Cunningham, Lawrence and Reich p. 184). He did although approve of religious ceremonies that honored the ancestors and reminded people of their unity with those from before them (Freedman p. 0) which coincides with his belief to be virtuous you need to worship your ancestors (Cunningham, Lawrence and Reich p. 184). Aristotle on the other hand did believe that there is a connection to religion and virtue. He believed the path to virtue through righteousness was first to be dutiful to the gods and then to the spirits. Righteousness is also accompanied by holiness, truth, loyalty, and hatred of wickedness. (â€Å"Aristotle, Virtues and Vices†). The teachings of Confucius still flourish in today’s society even though it’s been 2500 years since he lived. Even though Confucius never wrote down his teachings they were still by his written down by his disciples after his death in a book called Lun Yu (Freedman p. 8). His beliefs have spread throughout the world by Jesuit missionaries in the 16th century (Freedman p. 38). It spread to Vietnam, Korea, and Japan which was remarkable since Confucianism has no monks, missionaries, or pilgrims to spread his thoughts (Hoobler, Thomas and Dorothy p. 52). During the time frame of thirteen years when Aristotle taught at his school, called Lyceum, he composed his writings into dialogues (â€Å"Aristotle†). He taught the young conqueror Alexander and thereafter his writings were lost and not recovered until the 1st century B. C. During the middle ages they were translated into Latin and Arabic and became a basis for Christian theology (Cunningham, Lawrence and Reich p. 80). In 2000 years no one has came close to his brilliance except for Leonardo da Vinci (Cunningham, Lawrence and Reich p. 81). Confucius and Aristotle had very similar views on the topic of virtue. They were both equally brilliant men for their way of thinking in their era. Even though they lived two hundred years apart and lived in two very different areas in the world, one would believe they had communicated with each other on the issue of virtue. In their own right, each philosopher had knowledge on such extraordinary topics from virtue to metaphysics. Their teachings have withstood the test of time and war. In this modern society their beliefs are still practiced, especially Confucianism in Asian countries. From what I have learned from researching these two great philosophers I found Confucius to be more enlightening than Aristotle. Confucius’ sayings had more of an impact on my way of thinking. One of his analects is about treating others as you would have them treat you and that is a quote I have tried to live by throughout my life. I guess I grew up hearing that saying without knowing that it probably originated with an ancient Chinese philosopher named Confucius. It is fascinating that one man, who thought of himself as a failure when he died, contributed so much wisdom to so many people throughout the centuries even until present day.

The Masks of Robert Browning Essay Example

The Masks of Robert Browning Paper The Victorian era was a time known for Its family values. Robert Browning broke the mold of the Victorian writers by turning to dramatic monologue. Readers at the time could not appreciate his technique. Today some of his poems can be linked with authors such as Stephen King or Dean Kenton. Do his writings give us an insight into a hidden mad man? No. Robert Browning brought his characters to life and awakened the very real possibilities of the common man having a dark side. His use of persona and dramatic dialogue can be seen In Porphyrys Lover, and My Last Duchess. These works show his use of a mask and give insights Into the true Victorian era. Even though the entire era of the Victorians was a mask to give the impression that family values were their main concern, Robert Browning revealed the hidden chaos of his generation, the anger of the lower class against the upper class and the rise In news media coverage of tragedies.. The Victorian era of family values was a mask to hide the social conditions which Included orphanages, extreme poverty and call conflict. The mid-Victorian period was dominated by a double tankard which insisted on a rigid public respectability while condoning widespread sexual immorality by men. This hypocrisy led to extensive protests culminating in a series of highly publicized scandals in the asses and ass which marked the triumph of dogmatic puritanical morality (Fisher 14-19). Robert Browning focuses on the hypocrisy of men in My Last Duchess. Victorian men treated women as possessions which were disposabl e. We will write a custom essay sample on The Masks of Robert Browning specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Masks of Robert Browning specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Masks of Robert Browning specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Men felt as if it were their duty to control women (45-46). In this work Browning displays how the men of wealth and power treated women. The poem was based on true events of Alfonse II, Duke of Ferreira in Italy, whose first wife, Lucrative, was rumored to have been poisoned after three years of marriage. Browning portrays the bad qualities of the Duchess as being easily pleased, modest and courteous to those who served her. This description was a perfect depiction of what was considered the female duty during the Victorian age. Robert Browning focuses on the chaos between the upper and lower classes In his poem Porphyrys Lover, an example of Borrowings Interest In criminal psychology and violence. The deader learns that the speaker is a man who alone in a cottage, he waits for his beloved Porphyry to enter. Evidently, her absence had been the result of her attendance at a gay feast, one of the vainer ties this suggests the upper class (lines 24-27). The speaker is in a substantially lower class than his lover. The idea of her sneaking away to be with her lover implies the unacceptable of the affair. In a Literary Correctly of the poem, Gayety Devil suggests, The plot revolves around a socially mismatched love affair; upper class girl falls in love with boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The boy has his revenge on society by murdering its representative: the girl. Another view of this poem is the religious connotation at the closing, and yet God has not said a word which necessitates the idea that the speaker has escaped punishment (60). Porphyrys Lover was printed with Johannes Gorilla In Meditation, under the heading Madhouse Cells suggesting that the two poems are related. Eleven drowning tendency to use analytical Taluses In Nils poetry to relate to current events, Johannes Gorilla , was the founder of the Reformation sects of antinomian, a belief labeled heretical by the orthodox because it taught hat those among the elect (that is, those predestined for salvation, according to so me forms of Calvinist and Wesleyan) could not sin regardless of the apparent evil of their acts (Dickinson). The belief in predestination was strong during the Victorian era. Browning thought a man who believed in predestination and a man who killed the woman he loved were both insane (Carson 397-398). Using masks or different persona Browning could speak out with greater originality and boldness than would ever have been possible in his own person. His writings were ahead of their time in action and thought. He delved into the history and assumed characters to represent current events. Through these characters he revealed the dark and evil acts of mankind. Readers often relate the mental states of the speaker in his poetry to his own state of mind; nothing could be further from the truth. The reader must look into the time in which these poems were written to get a complete analysis of them. The nineteenth century brought the printing of newspapers which were filled with stories of violence from the wars and in society. Just as the media of today seems to only portray the dark side of mankind, Browning centered his writings to he demands of the public. Human beings seem to be fascinated with the twisted minds of seemingly normal people. Browning reaches that part inside people that is drawn to look at a car wreck, silently hoping to see blood. This need for the grotesque dwells inside of man; Browning had the audacity to reveal that hunger to the world. Robert Browning avoided sharing himself inside his writings to escape criticism. He developed the technique of the dramatic monologue which reveals hidden characteristics of the speaker. His experience in writing plays may have influenced this technique. He had the ability to get inside the mind of a schizophrenic killer and hypocritical monks. During this era the reader must remember the developments of scientific research and the psychological studies by Freud. This was a time of intense developments and deep thought. Society demanded more knowledge. Robert Browning could be considered a genius of the human mind because of his uncanny understanding of the workings of the mentally challenged. Browsing writings can be seen as a type of transference of persona instead of a mask. He is not hiding behind his characters, he is inside them.