Category: Biography

Introduction: The Unparalleled Journey of Lionel Messi

‘I am not crazy enough to compare myself with Messi because he is the best there ever was and the best there will ever be'(Gomez).

There are many professional soccer players in the world who have overcome adversity such as poverty but persevered and made it to the big leagues. Lionel Messi is no different. However, his accomplishments in world soccer stand out and above his peers. He is a six-time winner, with the most awards of the coveted “Ballon d’Or” which is awarded by soccer journalists for the best soccer player in the previous season; in the La Liga, the Spanish soccer league, he has the most scored goals for a single club of 354; and the list goes on. He is undoubtedly the best soccer player in the world and possibly the greatest of all time. Not only are his stats incredible, but his journey in achieving them also went against the odds. His story inspires and gives hope to all the “little guys” who have big dreams and demonstrates how to act after they have achieved them.

Early Life and Struggles: The Making of a Soccer Prodigy

Lionel Messi was born as Lionel Andrés Messi on June 24, 1987. Messi grew up in a poor, working-class family, where his father was a factory steelworker and his mother a cleaner (Sukumar). The future for the Messi family did not look bright, but Lionel’s talent in soccer at a young age was noticed by his parents, and they thought soccer would provide a way out of poverty.

However, that way out did not come easy for the young Messi. At the age of 11, he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GCD), a condition that stunts an individual’s growth and continually does so unless treated with a drug that increases human growth hormones (Sukumar). The youth team that he played for, River Plate, was interested in signing Messi to play for them but was unwilling to pay for his medical treatment that cost about $1,500 month. His parents could not afford this and government-funded medical insurance could only pay for two years of this treatment (Balague). Things seemed hopeless for the Messi family.

Barcelona’s Leap of Faith: Messi’s Professional Start

Little did they know that F.C. Barcelona’s youth team coach, Carles Rexach, had been hearing about Lionel for the past year. He had thought that Messi was an 18-20-year-old player. But, when he saw Messi play during a scouting trip to Argentina and discovered that he was only 12, Rexach knew that he had to secure Messi before another team did. He was so afraid that he would lose Messi that Rexach quickly drafted a contract on a napkin and it included paying for Messi’s growth hormone injections (Sukumar).

After signing with F.C. Barcelona, Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, decided to leave with his 13-year-old son, Lionel, so that he could play with the team, leaving his wife and other children behind in Rosario, Argentina. The separation from his family tore Messi apart immensely(Balague). Although his father was present, Lionel was a shy kid who missed his family. Consequently, he fell into a spiral of loneliness that could have ended his career before it began. Fortunately, he realized the sacrifices his family was making for him, and he turned that loneliness into determination by pouring all his passion into the sport he loved(Balague).

During his first season with FC Barcelona’s youth team, he scored 21 goals in just 14 games, which helped him climb up the ranks to the higher-level intensity group offered to teens with promising skill and talent. Then, at the young age of just 16 years old, Messi made his semi-official debut with F.C. Barcelona’s professional team as a substitute during a friendly match, leaving professional players many years older in the dust(Rollin).

Trials and Triumphs: Messi’s Career Milestones

As Messi progressed through the ranks, his skill also improved exponentially. During the 2004-2005 La Liga season, Messi, at the age of 17, 5 feet 7 inches tall, and a light 148 pounds, a dwarf amongst soccer giants, became the youngest official player to start for a professional team and the youngest goal scorer(Rollin). Even though many doubted what Messi could do, he proved to be well-balanced in terms of power, speed, and stamina and very versatile on the field – a formidable player in his own right. With his left dominant foot and his quick and precise control of the ball, Messi criss crossed his way around and through defenders like a knife cutting through butter, ultimately passing the ball to his teammates for a goal.

The Tax Scandal: A Test of Character

Even though Messi was at the top of his game, breaking records in La Liga for F.C. Barcelona and the World Cup for Argentina’s national team, Messi went through a rough patch beginning in the 2013-2014 La Liga season. The events that transpired from herewith forced Messi to consider leaving Spain, the home of F.C. Barcelona and his only team. During this season, the Spanish government accused both Lionel Messi and his father of tax fraud and began to conduct an investigation. The government also demanded that Messi stand trial. According to the Spanish government, Messi and his father had “used a series of shell companies such as Pepsi-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and Adidas as tax havens to shield royalties and licensing income from taxes” (Erb). The Spanish government further explained that these companies were “funneled offshore to Belize and Uruguay through an elaborate maze of entities and countries so that Messi and his father could avoid paying income tax in Spain as far back as 2005” (Erb). Simply put, Messi was accused of using all of his resources to avoid paying taxes.

Lionel Messi claimed his innocence and expressed that all he did was “play soccer” and did not manage his own income. He trusted his father and his lawyers to take care of his finances. However, the Spanish government would not accept Messi’s ignorance as an excuse or explanation for the tax fraud (Erb). In 2016, Lionel and his father were found guilty of tax fraud of €4.1 million (about 4.5 million U.S. dollars) and were handed a sentence of 21 months in prison (Begley). According to an interview conducted by “Catalan Radio Station RAC 1”, Messi stated “the treatment I received ultimately made me want to leave Barcelona. It was difficult for me and for my family.” However, after hearing Messi and his father’s testimony, the government decided to drop charges if the Messis paid a fine. The court stated that Jorge Messi, who had a sentence of 15 months in prison, would be pardoned if he paid a fine of €180,000 or about $200,583, and Lionel Messi with a fine of €500,000 euros ( about $558,000)(Wilson). Even world-class professional players at the top of their game are not immune to problems that affect everyone else. Messi weathered this period without any drama, and kept his head down and did what he did best – play soccer.

There are a number of players around the world that pundits in the soccer world argue are better than Lionel Messi such as Christiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, and Garrath Bale. However, most agree that Messi is in a league by himself due to his incomparable and well-timed speed, agility, accuracy, and soccer intelligence in addition to the number of awards and the highest level of income (annual income of forty million Euros or about 44 million dollars).

According to Brian Canever, these qualities are the reasons why Messi is without a doubt the best player. He explains that although Messi’s speed might not be on par with Ronaldo’s, Messi’s speed with the ball is remarkable. He further states, “As evidenced in this blazing run against Nigeria, Messi keeps phenomenal close control of the ball as he blasts through numerous defenders before taking a shot.” In other words, Messi might not be as fast as other players, but his ability to control the ball at high speeds is superior, bar none. Secondly, Canever remarks on Messi’s agility which is on par with his speed and dribbling skills. He states that Messi’s “low center of gravity and fantastic control of the ball allows him to turn his waist in the speediest of motions to deceive opponents attempting to strip the ball from him”(TomDotScape). Finally, and most importantly, is his intelligence. According to ESPN sports, Messi usually makes many surprising shots that are scientifically impossible unless the perfect conditions of vision, running acceleration, and shot precision are met. It is no wonder that he is the highest scorer in La Liga history.

Conclusion: Messi’s Legacy and Humility

What is most impressive about Messi? And why do most fans and fellow players admire him? He remains a humble and grounded person despite his recording making accomplishments and immense wealth. When viewers see him on interviews and witness his life, he seems like just a normal guy. For example, the moment that it was announced that Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or, the first thing he did was not to flaunt this achievement but, instead, thanked his friends and family and stated that the honor of winning the award was not only his, but also the hard work and support from his teammates and the love and support from his family. After this ceremony, Messi was asked whether he thought his record of winning six Ballon d’Ors would ever be broken. Messi humbly responded, “I am sure, but I don’t know who it will be. Records are to be broken and there is always someone who overcomes them”(The content Factory). Messi seems to believe that there will be others who will be better than he and his records will be broken. He seems to be grateful to receive this recognition.

Another example of his groundedness was reported by the Daily Mail. According to this British newspaper, once Messi takes off his cleats and hangs his jersey, he is no different than any other family man. It explains that the 34 year old soccer player would often drop off his kids to school before he leaves for practice and picks them up afterwards. And on the weekends, he would often play soccer with his three boys and play around with their pet dogs (Daily Mail). His family and his gratitude for what he has seems to keep him grounded and humble, qualities that are difficult to find amongst professional players at Messi’s level of play, fame, and income.

Conclusion

Messi is clearly a man of few words. He thanks God, his teammates, and his family when he sets new records and makes incredible plays. Rather than boast about his skills and talent, he lets others, who appreciate his play such as his teammates, opponents, coaches, and soccer journalists, praise him. And when there is controversy or he feels slighted, he talks with his heart and tells the public how he feels rather than display ongoing drama. Maybe he is humble and grounded because he appreciates the sacrifices his family made for him – paying costs of the growth hormone injections and being separated from family so he could play in Spain. Maybe he is grateful to God for gifting him with such raw talent that he plays with all of his heart so that he does not disappoint Him. The world does not really know, but his records and stats do not lie (see below). Clearly, he is the best soccer player in the world, possibly the best soccer player of all time, and a gift to all soccer fans around the world.

Works Cited/Bibliography

1. “Accomplishments/Awards – Lionel Messi.” Google Sites, https://sites.google.com/site/lionelmessi10barcasoccer/accomplishments.Accessed 16 Dec. 2019,
2. Balague, Guillem. “Lionel Messi’s Improbable Progression from Struggling Youngster to World Super Star.” Telegraph, 2 Dec. 2014, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/players/lionel-messi/10487181/Lionel-Messis-improbable-progression-from-struggling-youngster-to-world-super-star.html.
3. Begley, Sarah. ”Why Lionel Messi Won’t Go to Prison for Tax Fraud.”Ebscohost, 7 July 2016 http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=2ce7006b-e30c-4268-816d-a91ea46cc117@sessionmgr4006&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==#AN=116705314&db=ulh.
4. Canever, Brian. “Lionel Messi: 5 Qualities That Make Him the World’s Greatest Footballer.” Bleacher Report, 3 Oct. 2017, https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1293725-lionel-messi-5-qualities-that-make-him-the-worlds-greatest-footballer#slide3.
5. Erb, Kelly Phillips. “Messi Prison Sentence Stands After Supreme Court Rejects Tax Fraud Appeal.” Forbes, 24 May 2017, https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2017/05/24/messi-prison-sentence-stands-after-supreme-court-rejects-tax-fraud-appeal/#a93e7371dff1.
6. Staff, SportyTell. “Lionel Messi Biography Facts, Childhood And Personal Life.” SportyTell, 21 Nov. 2019, https://sportytell.com/football/lionel-messi-biography-facts-childhood-personal-life.
7. Lane, Barnaby. “Lionel Messi Says He Wanted to Leave FC Barcelona after He Felt ‘Mistreated’ by the Authorities.” BUSINESS INSIDER, 10 Oct. 2019, https://www.businessinsider.com/lionel-messi-was-once-desperate-to-leave-fc-barcelona-2019-10.
8. Marsden, Sam. “Barcelona’s Lionel Messi to Pay Fine, Avoid Prison Sentence for Tax Fraud.” ESPN, 23 June 2017, https://www.espn.com/soccer/barcelona/story/3147554/barcelonas-lionel-messi-to-pay-fine-to-avoid-21-month-prison-sentence-for-tax-fraud.
9. Rollin, Jack. “Lionel Messi.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 30 Aug. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lionel-Messi.
10. sukumar, V. “Short Biography Lionel Messi.” Biography Online, 3 Feb. 2019 https://www.biographyonline.net /contact.html.
11. TomDotScape. “Why Lionel Messi’s Solo Goal is Scientifically Impossible” Youtube, 7 July 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tpg8C0JGCwQ.
12. “Lionel Messi – Titles & Achievements.” Transfermarkt, Transfermarkt GmbH & Co. KG, https://www.transfermarkt.us/lionel-messi/erfolge/spieler/28003.
13. The content Factory. “Lionel Messi interview after 6th BAllond’Or 2019” Youtube, 2 Dec. 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHRut4sz-Gg.
14. Wilson, Joseph. “Lionel Messi offers to pay $558,000 to avoid 21-month jail sentence.” Business insider, 23 June 2017, https://www.businessinsider.com/ap-messi-offers-to-pay-558000-to-avoid-21-month-jail-sentence-2017-6

Douglass’ experience with his few owners varied in different aspects, but everywhere he went there was always injustice. The way Douglass explains the behavior of his masters is with stories including specific details of the physical actions taken by his masters to him and to others. He goes into depth and paints a picture of what he saw through his own words. In his experience, his masters could be described as greedy, cruel, and evil.

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland; his mother a slave and his father the slave owner. Starting from the moment he or any other child born into slavery, their masters were set on taking control of their lives. Starting off their lives, the masters would separate and “destroy the natural affection of [a] mother for the child”. (Narrative 14) This tactic made sure the children grew up without the guidance or love of their immediate family due to being separated. This injustice shows the cruel actions slave owners would inflict on not only their slaves, but to children. Since the children were not of important use until they were of age, they were deemed purposeless. Without purpose, their masters did not care about giving them the extra necessities that they needed and left many “almost naked… at all seasons of the year.” (Narrative 18) The difficulties Douglass and many others endured such as not having beds were directly influenced by their owners. (Narrative 18)

Colonel Lloyd is an example of greed. The slaves not having enough to eat were tempted by the beautiful garden that had apples and oranges and other fruits. Colonel Lloyd built a tar fence in order to keep out all slaves and if they were found with any traces of tar they were whipped and beaten. (Narrative 21) His greed not only kept his slaves starved but gave him a reason to physically abuse them. Master Thomas is another example of being greedy with food. “Not to give a slave enough to eat, is regarded as the most aggravated development of meanness even among slaveholders.” (Narrative 40) He intentionally didn’t feed his slaves enough. Another example of greed Douglass experienced with a master of his was with Master Hugh. While working all week doing hard labor jobs, making one dollar and fifty cents a day, at the end of the week Douglass would give all his earnings to Master Hugh. (Narrative 66) This left Douglass astonished with himself and added to his yearn for freedom.

Throughout Douglass’ life he was a witness to many atrocities that would mentally scar people in the 21st century. The cruel acts he had witnessed throughout his life shaped him into who he was and made his strive to freedom more meaningful. Mr. Plummer would “cut and slash the women’s heads” (Narrative 15) Master Anthony “would take great pleasure in whipping a slave”. (Narrative 16) Mr. Auld “forbade” Mrs. Auld from teaching Douglass to read and write and made her “tender heart [become] stone”. (Narrative 30,33) All of these cruel acts that Douglass witnessed made his strive for freedom more prominent. These acts encouraged him to teach himself to read and write. (Narrative 32)

Mr. Gore and Mr. Covey were evil forces in the life of Frederick Douglass. Mr. Gore was a force that was unstoppable and unquestionable. “It is better that a dozen slaves should suffer under the lash, than that the overseer should be convicted, in the presence of the slaves, of having been at fault.” (Narrative 24) “To be accused was to be convicted, and to be convicted was to be punished” (Narrative 24) These mottos that Mr. Gore lived by were not helpful to the slaves at all. This basically gave all the power to Mr. Gore. His word held more value compared to the word of a slave. When Demby, a slave, stood up for himself and disobeyed Mr. Gore, he ultimately gave up his life. Mr. Gore shot and killed him with no repercussions or punishment. (Narrative 25) Mr. Covey is another figure in Douglass’ life that was ruthless and unforgettable. From the very start he had a problem with Douglass. For his first week Mr. Covey had already gave him a “severe whipping” that left him with “[raised] ridges” (Narrative 44) For Douglass’ first-time doing field hand duties there were “similar offences” that led to him being whipped. His time with Mr. Covey was extremely traumatizing since there was “scarce a week passed without his whipping me”. (Narrative 45) Mr. Covey always wanted to strike up conflict with Douglass until he was fed up. Douglass “seized Covey hard by the throat” in an act to stand up for himself. (Narrative 51) That was the last time Covey attempted to whip Douglass. Did Sandy’s root really work? (Narrative 50) Was it a coincidence or was Covey scared of the uprising Douglass could have brought if he acknowledged and punished him for standing up for himself.

The way masters treated slaves were extremely violent, inhumane, and brutally forceful. Children, men and women salves were held on the same scale as “horses, sheep, and swine” (Narrative 37) While Douglass was in jail, he was made to believe that while the others went home, they would sell him “as a warning to the others that remained.” (Narrative 62) Not only did he experience physical abuse in his life, but also mental. The masters used a power over their slaves that was not obtainable by the slaves themselves. Their education is a huge factor that separated master from slave. “In learning to read, I owe almost as much to the bitter opposition of my master”. (Narrative 31) This was his key to freedom; his education.

Frederick Douglass withstood many hardships throughout his life. Many slave owners and overseers did not have good relations with him. He was self-educated. Without the constant fight and opposition, Douglass would not have pushed himself to work as hard to accomplish his goals of becoming a free man.

Born into slavery aroound 1818, Frederick Douglass stands as an influential leader of abolitionists, amongst other major titles. He remains as one of the most important figures in America’s struggle for civil rights and racial equality. Douglass spoke out against oppression throughout America and abroad, and his struggle for freedom, self-discovery, and identity.

In his well renowned autobiography, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave,” Douglass describes his life from early childhood, his escape from slavery, and his position as an advocate for freedom. Although this autobiography is written solely by Frederick Douglass, this edition was edited with an introduction by professor David W. Blight and features some of Douglass’s letters and speeches.

In the graphic novel, “The Life of Frederick Douglass,” readers are warped into the 1800’s and are brought through Douglass’s worlds. Written by David F. Walker, Damon Smyth, and Marissa Louise, the comic biography shows the journey of bondage to freedom as well as spotlighting the key events and other important figures that help shape the narrative and Frederick Douglass himself.

“Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave”

The purpose of his autobiography can come as a way to educate future generations of his time or possibly kept for record and personal release. Both of these reasons are relatively true. Frederick Douglass was an astounding literate and not many are in his caliber. His motivation to write about his difficult life as a slave was to both inform the American public about the malicious nature of slavery and to humanize the slaves negatively affected. Throughout his narrative, Frederick Douglass depicts the horrors of slavery by exposing the slave masters use of physical and psychological abuse. He describes an unfortunate event where he witnesses a female slave receiving punishment, “After crossing her hands, he tied them with a strong rope… made her get upon the stool, and tied her hands to the hook… after rolling up his sleeves, he commenced to lay on the heavy cowskin, and soon the warm, red blood came dripping to the floor,” (45). This just goes to show how inhumane people were and it’s important to understand that events like this should never occur again in America. Douglass sharing his vivid descriptions of his experiences, emotions, and thoughts pushed for slavery to be abolished in his time and for future generations to learn the significance of abolishing. The autobiography itself is a record for Frederick Douglass to hold onto. Because he was so well-educated and articulate unlike other slaves, many started to speculate he was never a slave to begin with. This narrative is a means to prove his identity as well. In the first two chapters he goes into explaining who he is, where he is from, his upbringing, etc. Not only is it prove to others who he is, but to himself. He finds his purpose in being an abolitionist, orator, and statesman, practically serving for the ones who don’t have the education and opportunity he had. The success of his autobiography was well-received in the mid 1800’s. According to the University of Virginia’s Institute of Advanced Technology in the Humanities, it was considered one of the “best-selling fugitive slave narratives” and sold 5000 copies.

What I learned from Douglass’s autobiography is the hardship he went through growing up to being a leader for the anti-slavery reform. He goes into great detail about his experiences in slave plantations and and his journey of escape to become an important figure. Frederick Douglass was a dedicated man to his missions and his people. In the last chapter of his narrative he states, “…I have been engaged in pleading the cause of my brethren – with what success, and with what devotion, I leave those acquainted with my labors to decide,” (117). In a way it sounds like he is implying that with his success and influence, he is hoping that others alike will step up to the plate and advocate for civil rights. I definitely recommend this book as it is a way we can connect with Frederick Douglass’s life and really analyze the events that lead to his freedom and road to being an abolitionist.

“The Life of Frederick Douglass”

This biography has a different spin from many biographies concerning Frederick Douglass. Like his autobiography, this narrative portrays the difficult times he goes through leading up to his successful career. The difference this narrative holds is that it is a graphic narrative, in a way we are seeing the events that happened through his eyes, as if we were there with him. The purpose of this book is for readers to visually experience Douglass’s life story. Compared to a traditional 3rd person biography, this book is in 1st person point of view, with detailed images of characters and events. The artwork in the novel done by Damon Smyth and Marissa Louise gives an expressive and vibrant feel to further link Frederick Douglass’s life to the reader. Despite the friendly colors used, “The Life of Frederick Douglass,” is explicit and straightforward with its delivery of history lessons and real life events. In one page of the comic, there is a piece said by Frederick about the hate of colored people, “Time away from my family meant time facing the prejudices of the North, where slavery no longer existed but, the hatred of black skin continued,” (94). Readers are then met on the next page of depictions of him getting beaten by two white men, this novel does not shy away from the violence that took place. The possible reason as to why the book was written was most likely to give people a new perspective of Frederick Douglass’s life. The main author, David F. Walker, touches on the novel in an interview with the Washington Post:

“As much as I love pop entertainment, I think that we do [so] much escaping into popular culture that we run away from our own realities. We don’t want to face the real demons that are out there,” Walker said. “I wish that more people would sort of look toward history for inspiration and for strength because at the end of the day, Superman doesn’t show up and save the day in real life” (The Washington Post).

I believe in this statement he is implying that not many people today are intrigued with the real-life history lessons of the lives of influential people of our past. Because of the gruesome reality Americans faced in our history, people would rather turn away and indulge in fictional pop entertainment. Turning Frederick Douglass’s biography into a comic-style lets the reader understand our past as well as still indulge in the vibrant drawings of Frederick Douglass. I believe the authors were success in the delivery of the biography, showing the malevolent journey of Douglass’s life, but showing it in a way the reader will be able to pull apart and analyze the important moments of history that is sprawled out in graphic color.

Just like the autobiography, I was able to really understand the problems colored people of America faced during the nineteenth century. The comic-style biography really enhanced the read for me, as it kept me intrigued throughout the read. It gave me a sense that I was there experiencing their reality due to the drawings. This book is definitely related material to the study of history as it is a biography to commemorate Frederick Douglass. Not only does it touch on his life, but it mentions many other significant figures of the time such as Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, and John Brown. These were the leaders that helped shape the way America is today and changed the course of our history. The book itself is a great novel, and would recommend to other students taking history as well as educators who have not yet touched on this book. It shows great detail of the important events that took place during this era and can be enjoyable for everyone that appreciate more color to their reads.

I enjoyed both books, but I enjoyed the graphic narrative a little more. The sole purpose being that our past was brought back to life with the colorful sketches that were used. It intensified the key events in the biography as well as kept me intrigued and willing to read on for long periods of time. I don’t believe either book is superior than the other, but more so they are uniquely different from each other. One is an autobiography, the other is a biography. One is written with limited images whereas the other is filled throughout with comic-style graphics. One was written and published a couple of centuries ago, the other was released just last year. As different as they are compared, they both have the same sort of message to the reader, and that is; We as Americans should be able to educate ourselves about the making of this country and how it has changed our present day. In a way, one is more interesting than the other and one is more formative than the other. This goes back to the style and the delivery of both books. The autobiography is more informative due to the fact that it was written by Frederick himself. It gives a more accurate representation of history since it is through his eyes and his experiences. The biography is more interesting in the sense that it is a graphic novel, the vibrant colors and intricate drawings catches the eye more. It is more in the eyes of people who did the research in order to make a close depiction of the history and life of Frederick Douglass. I believe not one was unnecessary than the other, reading both books gave me a lot of information. Together they both strongly showed Frederick Douglass in his life during slavery, his fight to abolish it, as well as more of how he naviagted and saw the world. His autobiography taught me how he saw the world and the graphic biography showed me how he navigated through the world he was in. If one was only used for the report I would go with his autobiography, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave.” I chose this because as fun as the other book was, I think without the comic-style novel, I would still get the same amount of information and a little more accuracy of the life he lived and get a better understanding of the things he did and accomplished.

Considering Frederick Douglass was the most photographed man in the nineteenth century, it show he was an important figure. His life story was different compared to others, he suffered from slavery, was able to escape to freedom, and continued the rest as his life as a writer, an orater, an abolitionist, and many more titles. Frederick Douglass alone has such a unique life story that he was willing to put his story out there to give others like him a sense of hope, and give future generations after him, like us readers, the answers as to why slavery was abolished and to never be returned in our future.

When reading on who might be the one person who had made the biggest contribution to how law and justice are seen today, I chose John Locke. John Locke is one of the most influential philosophers of our modern time (Tuckerness, 2016). John Locke was an English Philosopher, whose contributions to law and justice and the government changed the modern era for the better. The events and time when he was growing, really shaped the way he thought, and the future contributions he would make. When Locke was growing up, his family felt commiserated to puritanism but remained at the church of England, which shined a light on Locke’s thinking and decisions in his future (Rodgers, 2020). John Locke’s life, influences, and political philosophy really what contributed to the law, justice, and the government today.

John Locke’s influential work “ Some Thoughts Concerning Education”, was largely influenced by his time at Westminister School in London. Declaring boarding schools ‘overemphasized’ on corporal punishment (Rodgers, 2020).

John Locke’s ideas have influenced modern definitions of law and justice by the Two Treaties of Government, which is “the right to expect political power to be used to preserve his property, in his own person and in his possessions, and the right to freedom of thought, speech, and worship”. Locke’s reasoning behind the two treaties was to compose a justification of the glorious revolution (Rodgers, 2020).

One political scientist by the name of John Dunn had a different approach to Locke’s modern approach. Dunn claims it was “anachronistic” for John Locke to be conceived as a modern conception of what is “consent”. “Recent scholarship has continued to probe these issues. Davis closely examines Locke’s terminology and argues that we must distinguish between political society and legitimate government”(Rodgers, 2020). Dunn did not agree with Locke’s philosophy on consent and his terms on it.

In conclusion, John Locke was an influential figure on the government and how it runs today. His views and his childhood really shaped him as a person, and how he chose to see the world and how to make the justice system better and more equal.

Work Cited

1. Rogers, Graham A.J. “Two Treatises of Government.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2 Jan. 2020, www.britannica.com/biography/John-Locke/Two-Treatises-of-Government.
2. Tuckness, Alex. “Locke’s Political Philosophy.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 11 Jan. 2016, plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke-political/.

Mary Wollstonecraft was born in 1759 to a middle-class family in England. While her father Edward had at one point enjoyed significant financial comfort, he eventually squandered a large portion of his wealth on a variety of projects that failed to yield returns. Frustrated at his prospects, Edward became an abusive drunk who viciously beat his wife Elizabeth. Wollstonecraft was deeply affected by the tyrannical nature of her abusive father who completely subjugated and emotionally destroyed his wife. During her teenage years, Wollstonecraft used to sleep outside of her mother’s bedroom to protect her from Edward’s beatings.

Weary of her troubled home life, Wollstonecraft decided to take up work. She began her working life as an attendant to a widower and then as a governess to a rich Anglo-Irish family. Growing tired of being a governess, Wollstonecraft resolved to pursue her dream of becoming an author. She wrote to her sister that she wished to become “the first of a new genus.”1 Her literary career quickly took off and she became a respected intellectual. Today, Wollstonecraft is renowned for two main works, A Vindication of the Rights of Men, written in 1790 in reply to Edmund Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France, and A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, her most famous work, which followed in 1792. The primary focus of Wollstonecraft’s literary career was to envision and propose a social and political order in which women were treated as rational, autonomous beings capable of independence and virtue. For that reason, many feminists consider Mary Wollstonecraft to be a foundational figure in feminist thought.

The Plight of Women

To understand the radical nature of Wollstonecraft’s work, we must understand how desperately subjugated women were in the past. The recognition of equality among genders is a relatively new political idea. For most of history, women were considered by many thinkers to be irrational and intellectually hollow beings who merely existed for the sake of beauty and procreation. The subjection of women was considered justified, given women’s supposed lack of rationality and their physical and emotional frailty.

Aristotle, one of the most influential philosophers in Western thought, believed that “the relation of male to female is by nature a relation of superior to inferior and ruler to ruled.”2 The debasement of women was not merely an ancient phenomenon, however. Medieval Church Father Thomas Aquinas, one of Aristotle’s dedicated adherents, described women as defective men.3 Even the Enlightenment era had thinkers who did not think women were fit for much except to be pretty distractions. Immanuel Kant thought that “laborious learning or painful pondering, even if a woman should greatly succeed in it, destroy the merits that are proper to her sex.”4 Kant believed intellectual women “might as well even have a beard.”5

Despite prevailing misogynistic attitudes towards women throughout history, there were nonetheless some rebellious thinkers who advocated for a more equal treatment of the sexes. For example, Christine De Pizan, in her 1405 work The Treasure of the City of Ladies, proposed a novel stance on education, namely that it should be available to women of all social standings. Sadly, Pizan’s views did not represent the traditional wisdom of her time.

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

In A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Wollstonecraft articulated an account of the natural equality and liberty that all women deserved. Most of the piece is focused on the education of women. For Wollstonecraft, education was the key to women’s liberation.

This was because Wollstonecraft adhered to the Lockean idea of people as “blank slates.”6John Locke posited that we are born without any prior knowledge and that everything we become is a result of our upbringing and education, both of which Locke believed to be of great importance. Wollstonecraft, concurring with Locke, believed that we are under the influence of “the effect of an early association of ideas.”7 Since we have no innate qualities, all of what we are is simply learned through habit or education. This idea of humanity as a blank slate led Wollstonecraft to believe that there is no justification for hierarchies and that “God has made all things right.”8

During Wollstonecraft’s life, women’s education was starkly different from men’s. Women were taught skills such as sewing, singing, and being charming in conversation. This frustrated Wollstonecraft to no end. She believed “the most perfect education…is such an exercise of the understanding as is best calculated to strengthen the body and form the heart. Or, in other words, to enable the individual to attach such habits of virtue as will render it independent.”9 Since the mind can be shaped by education, Wollstonecraft believed that women’s oppression was not natural but rather completely arbitrary; women had not been given a chance to pursue the same goals as men.

A Vindication of the Rights of Men

In A Vindication of the Rights of Men, Wollstonecraft replied to Edmund Burke’s famous Reflections on the Revolution in France. Burke sternly believed that social and political progress could be achieved by approaching the matter slowly and adhering to traditions shared with our ancestors. Like many political thinkers during the Enlightenment, Burke entertained the idea of a social contract, the idea that political obligations are formed through a kind of mass bargain of each person in a society with everyone else. However, Burke argued that this contract was “not only between those who are living, but between those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are to be born.”10 Because of this idea, he adopted a cautious conservatism. He believed that the French Revolution was being orchestrated by intellectuals who had very little know-how or experience and no respect for society as a project spanning many generations. In Burke’s view, this could only result in disaster: “in the groves of their academy, at the end of every vista, you see nothing but the gallows.”11

In A Vindication of the Rights of Men, Wollstonecraft aggressively argued against monarchy and hereditary privileges as upheld by the Ancien Regime. She believed that France should adopt a republican form of government.12 She argued that by abolishing hereditary privileges, France could become a fairer society in which all compete on an equal footing. Throughout both of her Vindications, Wollstonecraft cites the importance of self-discipline, hard work, and the principled morality that could be achieved through the adoption of a commercial society. She agreed with Adam Smith’s idea that commerce would make a gentler and more equal world in which individuals treated equally by the law could cooperate on agreeable terms.13

Religious Influences

Under the influence of Richard Price, Wollstonecraft became part of the religious movement known as the Rational Dissenters, a sect of Protestantism. Rational Dissenters believed in the primacy of reason in tandem with scripture, instead of tradition and what they believed to be superstition. Many Dissenters were committed to very radical opinions for their time. They argued for the separation of church and state, the rejection of church hierarchies and even the denial of the doctrine of original sin.

What Makes Humans Special?

Wollstonecraft believed that there was a hierarchy of beings: animals were the lowest form of being and angels were the highest.14 On this spectrum, humans lie between angels and animals. However, they share more characteristics with the former. This is because animals act on instinct, which is an involuntary reaction to given surroundings. Consequently, animals will tend to behave in a uniform manner with little variation. Humans, with their capacity for reason, are different. Wollstonecraft explained: “In what does man’s pre-eminence over the brute creation consist? The answer is as clear as that a half is less than the whole; in Reason.”15

Reason allows for thoughtful reflection and, most importantly, self-improvement. Wollstonecraft described reason as “the simple power of improvement, or more properly speaking the discerning of truth.”16 Reason allows us to pursue and maintain virtue, which was, for Wollstonecraft, the primary goal of life. Virtue, for Wollstonecraft, is the adherence to reason unhindered by passions, coercion, or the opinions of others. Wollstonecraft believed that “to be made virtuous by authority…is a contradiction in terms”.17 For a person to become virtuous, they must be free to make use of their faculties without external coercion.

Because virtue can only be achieved by those who enjoy freedom, Wollstonecraft said, “political associations are intended only for the preservation of the natural and imprescriptible rights of man.”18 The chief concern of politics, then, is the establishment of a society that allows for the moral flourishing of independent individuals—and for Wollstonecraft, that implied Republicanism.

Republicanism, a Radical Tradition

Wollstonecraft belongs to a tradition of Classical Republicanism.19 Republicanism is a nebulous and multi-faceted concept that can cause confusion at times. Broadly speaking, Republicanism aligned itself with a classical tradition of republican freedom as articulated in the writings of Roman authors such as Livy, Polybius, and Cicero. Their ideas were developed further by Italian, British, and (eventually) American thinkers.20 British authors including John Milton, Algernon Sidney, James Harrington, and the aforementioned Richard Price were all committed to Republican ideals. Republicanism in this sense of the word can be defined as a commitment to three core ideas: the upholding of a mixed constitution; the importance of civic virtue and vigilance; and finally, the idea of freedom as non-domination.21

Freedom as Non-Domination

In Henrik Ibsen’s play, A Doll’s House, the main character Nora is married to her loving husband Torvald in a 19th-century Norwegian town.22 According to the law, Torvald has great power over Nora; he can choose how she dresses, who she associates with, and how she runs the house. Luckily for Nora, Torvald worships his wife and imposes no restrictions on her except for a ban on eating macarons, a minor imposition at best. Even though Nora is allowed by Torvald to act as she wishes in most areas of her life, the lingering power Torvald has over her subtly denies Nora true freedom.

Republicans would say that Nora was not free because of the arbitrary power hanging over her head. John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon aptly wrote that “liberty is to live upon one’s own terms, slavery is to live at the mere mercy of another”.23 Even if one has a benevolent or permissive master, they are not free. Algernon Sidney argued that “he is a slave who serves the best and gentlest man in the world as well as he who serves the worst”.24 The Republican ideal of freedom is an absence of arbitrary power, which is, by its very nature, unlimited and discretionary.25 For Republicans, freedom was to be ruled by reason, not by whim, an ideal embodied in James Harrington’s maxim “an empire of laws and not of men.”26

Wollstonecraft shared this conception of freedom as non-domination with other Republicans and it plays a major role in her political thought. Wollstonecraft concurs with Sidney, writing that “man is debased by servitude of any description”, because “to subjugate a rational being to the will of another…is a most cruel and undue stretch of power”.27 Our nature as rational beings entitles us to liberty which, in Wollstonecraft’s words, is “the birthright of every man.”28 Wollstonecraft believed in a society of equals, writing, “I do not wish women to have power over men, but over themselves.”29

Arbitrary power creates dependence and subordination, while freedom from arbitrary power cultivates independence and equality. Throughout Wollstonecraft’s works, she often compares women’s situation to slavery.30 Dominated individuals are not in control of their own destiny, and therefore cannot achieve a semblance of virtue, even in the best of circumstances.31

Wollstonecraft believed that the life of a slave would produce slavish behaviour. Slaves trick their masters and attempt to curry favour with them in order to live comfortably. In her view, marriage was scarcely better than slavery. Because of this, women would act poorly; “whilst they are absolutely dependent on their husbands, woman will be cunning, mean and selfish.”32 Wollstonecraft thought that it was “vain to expect virtue from women until they are in some degree independent of men.”33 There was no reason, she argued, to “expect virtue from a slave.”34

Independence: The Blessing of Life

Wollstonecraft called personal independence “the grand blessing of life, the basis of every virtue.”35 But when Wollstonecraft said that women should be independent of men, she did not mean that they should be without men’s support or companionship. According to Wollstonecraft, there are two kinds of independence: independence of mind and civil independence.

Independence of Mind

Independence of mind is the ability to think freely and unhindered by others. As Wollstonecraft asserted, “it is the right use of reason alone which makes us independent of everything.”36 This kind of independence can only be achieved by gaining a proper, rigorous education, something most women had been denied for centuries.

Women, said Wollstonecraft, were “educated like a fanciful kind of half being,” taught to care about their looks, charm, and manners instead of learning how to discern truth, formulate ideas and arguments, and become resilient people.37 Life would always be a struggle, explained Wollstonecraft, and virtue could only ever be achieved by hardy people willing to test their minds and spirits. But because “men have increased the inferiority of women till they are almost sunk beneath the standard of rational creatures,” Wollstonecraft believed that women could not cultivate the independence of mind that virtue demands.38 Women could and would become rational, robust, and independent beings when allowed to partake in an education that promoted resilience and free thinking instead of dependence and frivolity.

Civil Independence

However, this lofty ideal of independence of mind would all be for nought if women did not have the means by which to act upon their convictions. Our beliefs and thoughts are important, but virtue is achieved through action.39

At the time, women were forbidden to work most jobs, denied a proper education, excluded from politics and were wholly dependent on their husbands. This made it impossible for them to live virtuous lives. Wollstonecraft declared that “virtue can only flourish amongst equals…among unequals there can be no society”.40. She lamented that “many women thus waste life away the prey of discontent, who might have practiced as physicians, regulated a farm, managed a shop, and stood erect, supported by their own industry”.41

Since we are all born as blank slates, there is nothing innate in us that entitles any person to authority over another, explained Wollstonecraft. To submit to any authority other than reason is degrading to our character; thus all arbitrary power must be abolished. Women, Wollstonecraft said, must be given the same range of choices as men.

As such, Wollstonecraft argued both for women’s right to own property, as well as the ability to make contracts, in order to have the option to earn an income separate from their husbands. Wollstonecraft also wished to see women play a role in government, both as representatives and voters. She asked, “who made man the exclusive judge, if women partake with him the gift of reason?”42

The Legacy of a Trailblazer

Histories of political philosophy tend to be composed mostly of men, with few women featuring prominently. This has resulted in many philosophers articulating polities that completely ignore women’s existence.

Wollstonecraft is one of the founding feminists. Her inspiring vision of a world in which women are treated as rational and autonomous beings inspired a wide variety of thinkers within the early feminist movement. Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who organized the first ever women’s rights convention in America, had both read and admired Wollstonecraft’s work. Diverse authors including Virginia Woolf, Jane Austen, and even Emma Goldman had positive opinions of Wollstonecraft.43

Even if we set aside Wollstonecraft’s massive influence on later thinkers, her works express a unique and compelling perspective on the essence of freedom. Virtue is life’s primary goal, but for virtue to exist, so must freedom. A lack of freedom also implies a lack of virtue, as servility degrades and corrupts our character. To cultivate virtue, one must have independence of mind and civil independence. Independence of mind is the ability to think and act for one’s own betterment by striving towards new ideas and opportunities. Civil independence is not only an absence of coercion, but also a guarantee that no arbitrary powers might encroach upon one’s rights. A robust intellectual and moral character can only be carved out by those who are allowed to enjoy their natural and just freedom.

Edgar Allan Poe’s stories could easily be described with one word, enigma. His impeccable writings call on people to continue analyzing and to re-read. It questions people’s actions and thoughts. During Edgar Allan Poe’s time, the United States made many historical decisions that affected it’s citizens that will make it’s way into the books. Just like a big country faces several difficulties, so did he. In 1847, Poe’s wife died of tuberculoses. He remembered the death of Virginia and wrote Annabel Lee. Poe also had a trilogy in which he wrote The Murders in the Rue Morgue. Poe was filled with darkness and devastation. He was influences by two men named James and Agnes Usher to write about their lives and illnesses in The Fall of the House of the Ushers. Edgar Allan Poe was a short story author and poet that invoked death, mystery, and details of his own life into his works.

To be able to relate the life of Poe to his stories, it is important to know about his life and what may have inspired him to write certain books. The first connection is between Poe’s wife and one of his poems, Annabel Lee. Poe met his cousin, Virginia, for the first time in August 1829 after leaving the Army. At that time, Virginia was only seven years old. The couple fell in love with each other and not much time passed before they got married, Virginia at the age of thirteen and Poe a twenty-seven year old man. Unexpectedly, on January 30, 1847, Virginia died from tuberculosis. Poe also lost his mother and step-mother in the past. Poe was devastated. It is not known who really inspired him to write Annabel Lee, but is suspected that it is one of those three important people, if not all. The quote taken from the poem, Annabel Lee, on goodreads.com writes, “For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee,” proves previous mentioned statement. The story allows for readers to analyze and learn from Poe’s techniques in writings.

To continue, the overall theme of Annabel Lee, is of losing a loved one. The story was released in May 1849. At the beginning of the story, the character is deceased, just like Virginia. The poem can be described in one quote, “there love for each other will live on forever,” even when the other half is dead. The child spend time sleeping next to the tomb of the lover. This story relates to Poe’s life, because although some of the real events in the story may not be true, but the emotions could have been what Poe was feeling while he was writing this poem.

In addition, Poe wrote a detective trilogy that begins with The Murders in the Rue Morgue. Poe had depression and had a drug and alcohol addiction which was shown in some of his stories. To cope with all the trauma in his life, Poe would solve puzzles. Poe thought above and beyond others. He was a very powerful man. Poe spent a lot of his life alone and had to be independent. Poe analysis things very well.

Poe put some of himself into the detective in the book, Dupin. Dupin was thought to have been a crazy man by some of the characters in the story. Dupin was a detective and investigator. In The Murders in the Rue Mourge, Dupin invested his time into finding out who killed the two women. Although others doubted Dupin, he kept persisting that the murder was not done by one person only. In conclusion, Dupin discovers and proved that an orangutan caused the death. Poe inspired authors to create other mystery books and characters, even Sherlock Homes. According to nps.gov, “Nearly forty-five years after Poe’s death, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle popularized the detective story when he created Sherlock Holmes, a character with peculiarities similar to Poe’s Dupin.”

While writing “The Fall of the House of the Ushers,” Poe felt uneasy and subsequently scared of the events and deaths in his life. The book was written during an era were gothic romanticism was popular in Poe’s life. The story shows how the dark mood in the beginning has a connection to gothicism. This story may have been inspired by two twins named James and Agnes Usher who ironically suffered from a mental illness just like the main character in the story. They were close friends to the Poe family.

The story has three main character’s; the narrator, Roderick Usher, and his sister Madeline. Roderick lives in this haunted mansion and invites the narrator to visit and stay in his house for a few days. During this time, Madeline becomes very ill and dies. To prevent scientist from using her in their experiments, Roderick temporarily buries her in the mansion. One night, the two men were not able to sleep. They heard a noise that began to grow louder and louder. The narrator noticed a blur and was able to read something on it. At the front of the doorsteps, they see Madeline drenched in blood and question if she had even died. This relates to Poe’s life because it is one thing to want your dead family with you, but it is another thing to have them come back to life once they are dead.

In conclusion, Edgar uses literary devises to tie real-life into his books and poems. Edgar has inspired several authors to write about mystery and death. Many believe that Edgar’s wife’s death brought out a side to Poe and his writings the people had never seen or read of. The story’s give a diversity of different emotions that people can through throughout tough times in their lives. English experts owe a debt of gratitude to Poe for his ideas in liturgy.

Introduction

William Shakespeare, a name synonymous with literary genius, remains an enigmatic figure who revolutionized the world of English literature. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564, Shakespeare’s works transcend time, influencing countless generations with his profound understanding of human nature. His legacy comprises 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and several poems, each a masterpiece in its own right. Shakespeare’s ability to weave complex characters and intricate plots is unparalleled, marking him as the preeminent playwright of the English language. His plays, categorized into comedies, tragedies, and histories, showcase a remarkable diversity in themes, from the lightheartedness of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to the tragic depths of “Hamlet.” Moreover, Shakespeare’s sonnets offer a window into his soul, revealing his mastery over language and emotion. His influence extends beyond literature into modern pop culture, education, and the arts, making his work timeless and universally relevant. As we delve into his life and works, we uncover the brilliance of a man whose writings capture the essence of the human experience, earning him a place as an icon in American and global literature. This essay explores the intricacies of Shakespeare’s work, unraveling the layers of his storytelling that resonate with audiences today, particularly in the United States, where his impact on education, theater, and popular culture remains profoundly significant.

100 Words Essay about William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare, the legendary bard of Avon, born in 1564, revolutionized literature with his profound understanding of the human condition. His 39 plays, notably “Hamlet” and “Romeo and Juliet,” delve into the complexities of love, betrayal, and societal norms, resonating across ages. In the United States, Shakespeare’s influence permeates through education, where his texts are dissected for their rich language and deep psychological insights. His sonnets, a collection of 154 pieces, explore love and mortality with eloquence, showcasing his versatility as a writer. Shakespeare’s work, transcending time and geographical boundaries continues to captivate, inspire, and provoke thought, securing his place as a timeless icon in world literature.

250 Words Essay about William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare, the preeminent figure in English literature, was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. His genius in dramaturgy and poetry has profoundly influenced not just British literature but also the cultural landscape of the United States. Shakespeare’s repertoire, comprising 39 plays and 154 sonnets, encapsulates human emotions and societal themes, making his works timeless.

Shakespeare’s plays, a blend of tragedy, comedy, and history, reveal an in-depth understanding of human psychology. Classics like “Macbeth,” “Othello,” and “Hamlet” offer insights into ambition, jealousy, and introspection, while “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “As You Like It” explore love’s complexities. These plays are not just stories but explorations of the human spirit, making them relevant across generations and cultures.

In the USA, Shakespeare’s impact is monumental. His works are integral to educational curriculums, teaching students about literature and life’s intricate complexities. American theaters frequently stage his plays, drawing diverse audiences, and his influence is evident in modern American literature and pop culture.

Shakespeare’s sonnets, rich in imagery and emotion, showcase his linguistic prowess and profound understanding of human sentiments like love and mortality. These poems are celebrated for their rhythmic and thematic brilliance, further cementing Shakespeare’s status as a literary giant.

In essence, Shakespeare’s works transcend the boundaries of time and geography. His keen observations on human nature and society remain relevant, resonating with readers and audiences in the United States and worldwide. His legacy is not just in the pages of history but in the everyday lives of those who find meaning and inspiration in his timeless words.

400 Words Essay about William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare, a titan of English literature, was born in 1564 in the market town of Stratford-upon-Avon, England. His extensive oeuvre, encompassing 39 plays and 154 sonnets, has left an indelible mark on literature and culture worldwide, particularly in the United States. Shakespeare’s mastery of the English language and keen understanding of human nature render his works timeless and universally relatable.

Shakespeare’s dramatic works are categorized into tragedies, comedies, and histories, each genre revealing different facets of the human experience. His tragedies, including “Hamlet,” “Othello,” and “Macbeth,” explore the depths of human ambition, jealousy, and existential despair. These plays, with their complex characters and intricate plots, offer profound insights into the human psyche, resonating with audiences across time and cultures.

His comedies, such as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Much Ado About Nothing,” delve into the lighter aspects of human life, exploring love, mistaken identities, and the humorous follies of mankind. These works, rich in wit and humor, provide a counterbalance to his darker tragedies, showcasing Shakespeare’s versatility as a playwright.

In the United States, Shakespeare’s impact is multifaceted. His plays are a staple in educational curricula, offering American students insights into historical social norms, the evolution of language, and timeless themes. His influence extends beyond the classroom into American theater, with numerous adaptations and performances drawing diverse audiences. Moreover, Shakespeare’s themes and characters have permeated American pop culture, evident in films, television shows, and literature.

Shakespeare’s sonnets, a collection of 154 poems, are celebrated for their beauty and emotional depth. These sonnets explore themes of love, beauty, politics, and mortality, demonstrating Shakespeare’s prowess not only as a playwright but also as a poet. The sonnets’ enduring popularity attests to their linguistic richness and the universality of their themes.

Furthermore, Shakespeare’s influence on the English language is profound. He coined many words and phrases still in use today, enriching English’s vocabulary and expressive potential. His works have been translated into multiple languages, making them accessible globally.

In conclusion, William Shakespeare’s legacy is a testament to his extraordinary talent and enduring appeal. His ability to capture the complexities of the human condition in beautiful, poignant language has made his works beloved and relevant throughout the centuries. In the United States, his influence on education, theater, and popular culture continues to be profound, making him not just a historical figure but a living presence in the fabric of American life.

500 Words Essay about William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is universally acknowledged as one of the greatest playwrights and poets in the English language. His extensive body of work, comprising 39 plays and 154 sonnets, has left an indelible mark on literature and culture globally, with a particularly profound impact in the United States.

Shakespeare’s plays are masterpieces of the human experience, divided into tragedies, comedies, and histories. His tragedies, such as “Hamlet,” “Macbeth,” and “King Lear,” explore the depths of human despair, ambition, and madness. These works are renowned for their intricate plots and complex characters, offering deep insights into the human psyche. His comedies, including “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Much Ado About Nothing,” and “Twelfth Night,” showcase the lighter side of life, dealing with love, mistaken identities, and happy resolutions. Shakespeare’s histories, like “Henry V” and “Richard III,” provide a dramatized account of British history, blending historical facts with creative storytelling.

In the United States, Shakespeare’s influence is pervasive and enduring. His works are a staple of American education, offering students a window into Elizabethan England and the richness of Early Modern English. His themes of love, power, betrayal, and morality resonate with American audiences, reflecting universal truths about human nature. American theaters, from Broadway to community playhouses, regularly stage Shakespeare’s plays, attracting diverse audiences and often reinterpreting his works to reflect contemporary American themes.

Moreover, Shakespeare’s sonnets have captivated readers with their eloquence and emotional depth. These poems delve into love, beauty, time, and mortality themes, showcasing Shakespeare’s skill as a wordsmith and his understanding of human emotions. His sonnets remain a testament to his ability to express profound thoughts and feelings in beautifully crafted language.

Shakespeare’s linguistic contributions to the English language cannot be overstated. He coined numerous phrases and words that remain used, demonstrating his profound influence on the language. His innovative use of vocabulary, metaphor, and rhythm has enriched English, making it a more expressive and nuanced language.

Beyond the realms of literature and theater, Shakespeare’s influence permeates American pop culture. His characters and plots have inspired countless film, television, and other media adaptations. From direct adaptations of his plays to works inspired by his themes and characters, Shakespeare’s influence is evident in the fabric of American culture.

Shakespeare’s works are extensively studied in American higher education for their literary merit, historical significance, and philosophical depth. Scholars and students analyze his plays and sonnets, exploring their themes, language, and relevance to contemporary issues. This academic interest underscores Shakespeare’s status as a timeless literary figure.

Shakespeare’s reach extends to the American theater scene, where his plays are performed regularly and enthusiastically. These productions range from traditional renditions to modern adaptations, showcasing the versatility and timelessness of his work.

In summary, William Shakespeare’s legacy in the United States is a testament to the universal appeal of his work. His profound understanding of human nature and unparalleled skill in language and storytelling make him a revered figure in literature. His plays and sonnets continue to inspire, entertain, and provoke thought, cementing his status as one of the most influential writers in the English language.

The statement “by hunting sincerity out of our society” made by Mary Wollstonecraft in her Vindication of the Right of Woman indicates the aim of all revolutionary feminists during the Enlightenment. Feminists such as Olympe de Gouges, who famously and boldly wrote the Déclaration des droits de la Femme et de la Citoyenne, Mary Wollstonecraft, who through her troubled personal life took the risk to fight for women and Etta Palm D’Aelders, who represented a powerful 18th century woman that spied as a double agent, must be truly remembered due to their strengths in overcoming a patriarchal society. The Enlightenment or the Age of Reason narrows down to two main concepts: revolutions and discovery. Even though this historical period altered the conception of knowledge and abolished the monarchy, it still remained a static and discriminatory society towards women. Therefore, the modern woman of the 21st century would have never been as free as she is without the intervention of brave women. Enlightenment feminists spread new and fresh ideas to the world which highly impacted people such as Etta Palm D’Aelders. This research aims to illustrate how two role models Olympe de Gouges and Mary Wollstonecraft affected Etta Palm D’Aelders’ ideas.

Mary Wollstonecraft was an English feminist who expressed ideas regarding the equality of sexes and natural rights for women. She was born on the 27th of April 1759 in London and since then dealt with a troubled marriage between her parents. Her father’s abuse towards her mother most likely influenced her opinions regarding a “bondage of marriage”. Later on, she left her devasting experience at home and handled her sister’s legal separation with an abusive husband. In her life, she chose a path to adopt, following her childhood, which was very different from her sister’s chosen path. This indicates a crucial difference between how Mary and her sister reacted to their abusive father: Mary decided to pursue a free life without any constraints to a man, while her sister adhered to the same lifestyle of their mother. Furthermore, she created a school with her friends Eliza and Fanny Blood which then due to financial motifs closed.

The Portrait of Mary Wollstonecraft

One of the major experiences was her usual romantic relationships which, in a way, reflected the opposite of her parents’ marriage. Her husband William Godwin, whom she met in 1791, was an English Enlightenment philosopher who is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism. They both were against the concept of marriage, especially due to Wollstonecraft’s traumatic childhood experience, but they decided to get married after her pregnancy. Meanwhile, she traveled to Paris in 1793 “to witness the French Revolution firsthand” and she fell in love with Gilbert Imlay, an American businessman. This relationship received much hatred and threats which led Imlay to hide Wollstonecraft in the American Embassy in England. Both lovers were deeply involved and had a child Fanny Imlay in 1794. During her relationship, Wollstonecraft discovered that her lover had “deserted her” which brought her to attempt suicide. This moment of her life particularly influenced her due to the fact that she exposed herself and was in a vulnerable position that would let her be easily attacked. Fortunately, she renewed her relationship with Godwin and after her second pregnancy had some complications with the afterbirth. Sadly, she died eleven days after giving birth to the author of Frankenstein: Mary Shelley.

Wollstonecraft was always known in her career due to the successful book A Vindication of the Right of Woman which states precise and clear ideas on the female role in society. She claims that “women had been created for themselves” and not “merely to gratify the appetite of man”. Many women, at that time, were considered as species created to serve, to help and assist men throughout their lives. Unfortunately, women were viewed as objects whom by themselves had no meaning or potential. On the contrary, Wollstonecraft and many others realized that women were the last creatures to be formed because of their inner beauty, complexity, and uniqueness.

Another important component of Wollstonecraft’s thoughts was the importance of natural rights and education for women. The feminist author and Talleyrand, a diplomatic and French minister, considered that unless the state could prove that women had no ability to think clearly or reason, no natural rights should be declined from women. Therefore, if a woman had the possibility to attend schools and gain a proper education, natural rights would be part of all human beings’ lives. Indeed, Mary Wollstonecraft insisted that “nation education and the rights of women are therefore two sides of the same coin”.

Lastly, an essential opinion of Wollstonecraft which she analyzed and stated in Chapter 5 of A Vindication of the Right of Woman concerns men who previously objectified or wrongly described women. The author directly names people such as James Fordyce, Dr. John Gregory or even women such as Baroness de Staël. Obviously, she reserves most of the chapter to her biggest enemy: Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Although his philosophy was focused on the liberty of the society to the state, avoiding a dictatorship, his concerns towards the female role in the world were very close-minded. Rousseau firmly believed that “(a) woman ought to be weak and passive because she has less bodily strength than man”. He also considered the role of women is to please men and “that making herself agreeable to her master is the grand purpose of her existence”. Notably, Rousseau expressed in Émilie that the difference between a boy and a girl is observable since a young age because boys play a sport while girls play with dolls. Wollstonecraft argues against all of his opinions, claiming that girls are giving dolls to play, and boys are told to be more active in sports. She also strongly affirms that in France the distinction between girls and boys happens due to the fact that French society cares more about the appearance than the substance. Throughout the entire chapter, Wollstonecraft declares her main point which focuses on the importance of a woman for her uniqueness and not because of what she ought to bring to a man. In the end, Mary Wollstonecraft has proven greatly her concept that has inspired a change in the 18th century patriarchal society.

The Influence of Olympe de Gouges

Olympe de Gouges was an influential French feminist of the 18th century who, as opposed to Madame de Staël, focused on the equality between men and women without any concerns regarding the Queen of France Marie-Antoinette. De Gouges was born in 1748 at Montauban and according to her fictionalized biography Mémoire de Madame Valmont, she was the illegitimate daughter of Marquis Le Franc de Pompignan. In this biography, the nobleman de Pompignan, De Gouges’ father, was not allowed to marry her mother Anne-Olympe Mouisset due to the social status difference. Consequently, Anne-Olympe and a butcher, Pierre Gouze, were in a marital relationship until de Pompignan came back from Paris. Unfortunately, Anne-Olympe Mouisset was pregnant with the nobleman’s baby but he already married a young lady with his same status. Later, Olympe de Gouges was raised by Pierre Gouze and Mouisset due to the fact that de Pompignan neglected any ties with Mouisset. The Mémoire de Madame Valmont was released the year of de Pompignan’s death in which de Gouges “denounced the hypocrisy and fanaticism of those who valued respectability above natural affection and ties of blood”.

The Portrait of Olympe de Gouges

During her young age, Olympe de Gouges had particularly difficult experiences such as her early marriage “qu’elle n’aimait pas” or which she did not approve of. She had a son and quickly became a widow which brought to her life extreme sadness. Though this early marriage was not one of the happiest moments of de Gouges’ life, it most certainly inspired her opinion towards the liberty of a woman to marry whomever she wants. In fact, de Gouges original and distinctive childhood and early adulthood influence many of her feminist ideas.

De Gouges’ main composition is La Déclaration des droits de la femme et la Citoyenne, as opposed to the Declaration of the rights of men and focuses on the freedom and rights that must be given to women. A specific article in this Declaration that is connected to her childhood is Article XI. As a consequence of the fact that she was an illegitimate daughter, de Gouges decided to protect any daughter that could possibly be mistreated by their own father. Article XI gives the right to declare who had fathered an individual. It claims: “The free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the most precious rights of woman, since that liberty assures recognition of children by their fathers. Any female citizen thus may say freely, I am the mother of a child which belongs to you, without being forced by a barbarous prejudice to hide the truth”. Secondly, de Gouges addresses the significance of natural sentiments as “moral guides”. She considers natural rights just as Catharine Macaulay, an English republican historian who wrote The History of England from the Accession of James I to the Revolution, but de Gouges believes that natural rights are “recognized by the use of reason”. Even though La Déclaration des droits de la femme et la Citoyenne brought the life of de Gouges to a tragic end, she was a brave author that must be accredited for being one of the many catalysts of the changes for the role of women in society.

Another work of de Gouges that concerns equality between men and women was Le Contrat Social Homme et Femme. The idea of a social contract was initially proposed by Hobbes as a contract between the people and the state. This contract represents many concepts such as marriage as involving a community of goods. She also suggested that children have the right to “use their parents’ names and that no one should be able to deny their biological children”. Lastly, de Gouges presented a law that allowed a woman that had a child with poor financial conditions to force the father, if rich, to adopt the child. Overall Olympe de Gouges articulated many of her concepts through a concrete approach, by offering the people a chance to understand the true role of a woman.

The intriguing woman: Etta Palm D’Aelders

Etta Palm D’Aelders was a Dutch feminist outspoken woman who contributed immensely to the revolutionary ideas of the 1700s against the patriarchal society. This occurred through her well-known speeches that allowed the population to be aware of the circumstances in which they lived in. D’Aelders was born in April 1743 in Groningen, in the Netherlands, as daughter to a Protestant middle-class merchant, who died when she was 6 years old, and a mother who was hated by her family due to the fact that she “took over the management of the pawnshop (of her husband)”, which made her richer than her husband. These complications throughout her infancy led Etta Palm D’Aelders to run away from her house and to elope at only 19 years old, just like Olympe de Gouges. Unfortunately, her husband Christian Ferdinand Lodewijk Palm, a student in humanities, disappeared later in the West Indies after he asked for a divorce. This disappearance due to her apparent unfaithfulness in her marriage led to her being a single mom raising a little child, who sadly died after several months.

Etta Palm D’Aelders and her lover

An important aspect of her professional and personal life was her many lovers who made her gain extremely powerful contacts. Firstly, she moved to Paris in 1773 to become the informant for the princess Wilhelmina, wife of the Prince Stadtholder William IV. Then she began her business where she “uses lovers to collect information and who plays around a bit, morally as well as politically”. Later on, D’Aelders was contacted by the French secret services to become an espionage at French court through her lovers. This intriguing work influenced significantly her life helping her to become a Baroness, changing her role in society and allowing her to be more respected, noticed, and to support her own feminist ideas. It also made D’Aelders explore questions of the “transnational transfer of political culture” between Netherlands and France. Through this considerable upgrade, she was involved in the Friends of Truth which was “a political club that admitted both women and men” without asking women to succumb to men’s ideas. D’Aelders continued to progress in her life and social status through speeches regarding the role of a woman but which ended her to be imprisoned. Once released from prison, D’Aelders’ health deteriorated, and another brave and smart person was gone fighting for the liberty of women.

Etta Palm D’Aelders was one of the most outstanding feminist figures of the Enlightenment because she represented the channel of communication between “two intertwined nations” which were France and the Dutch Republic. Indeed, in the Patriots and Liberators of Simon Schama, the author describes her as a double agent. Her first important job of “communication” was when she was demanded by the Prime Minister De Maurepas to understand what the Dutch Republic society thought about the English-American war. The French government was willing to gain the Dutch alliance for “its pact with America as announced to England in 1778”. Thanks to this opportunity, Etta Palm D’Aelders became fully involved in states affairs. In addition to this, she contributed to preventing a conspiracy in 1784 against Van Brunswijk, the personal counselor of Prince Stadtholder William IV. In 1781 many patriots of the Prince’s wife, the Prussian Princess Wilhelmina, rebelled. This made the Prussian army intervene and the patriot party fled to France. Therefore, this chaotic situation started also in France and could have created a civil war. Fortunately, Etta Palm D’Aelders interfered making the French army stop its involvement in the conflict. All of these events demonstrated D’Aelders’ great abilities in managing communication between the Netherlands and France.

Like many other feminists, Etta Palm D’Aelders had her own political ideas. She believed in the equality of sexual liberty and marriage and opposed to the law that gave men the right to complain to the police regarding their wives’ infidelity. This opposition is most certainly based on the fact that she experienced disloyalty in her own marriage and considered it a personal matter which should not be discussed with the police. An essential idea of D’Aelders was stated in one of her speeches: “Oh! Gentlemen, should you wish us to be zealous for the happy constitution which restores to men their rights, begin then by being just to us; that from henceforth we should be your voluntary companions and not your slaves”. Lastly, D’Aelders, just like Wollstonecraft with Rousseau, had a pretty tense relationship with Keralio-Robert. Their differences concerned especially the question about the most adequate constitutional system. In the end, D’Aelders’ ideas influenced states such as the Dutch Republic and France and the society of those countries.

The Influence of Olympe de Gouges’ and Mary Wollstonecraft’s ideas on Etta Palm D’Aelders

Etta Palm D’Aelders was a strong advocate of the feminist ideas in the 18th century, but still based most of her beliefs on Wollstonecraft’s and Olympe De Gouges’ primary concepts. Firstly, De Gouges’ and Wollstonecraft’s ideas spread through many of their written work and many salons. The salons were especially present in the houses of the elite such as Etta Palm D’Aelders. In these gatherings, during the Enlightenment, intellectuals reunited in order to discuss the new revolutionary ideas. Furthermore, an important similarity and recurring aspect between De Gouges, Wollstonecraft and D’Aelders was the equality in marriage. De Gouges considers marriage as a community of goods and recalls in this ceremony, the contract between men and women. While Wollstonecraft, although maybe not as explicitly, claims that women were not established to serve anyone. This revokes the concept of a marriage in which neither a woman nor a man is submitted to one another. D’Aelders affected by her personal life and feminists, such as De Gouges and Wollstonecraft, believed that men could not complain about their wives’ infidelity. Another similarity between De Gouges and Wollstonecraft is the importance of children which probably led to D’Aelders wish for liberty. Wollstonecraft claims that natural rights must be given to everyone as well as education because they both intertwine and are related to one another. De Gouges states that a woman has the right to tell the truth about that child’s origins without hiding anything. These beliefs from two of the most influential women in the Enlightenment impacted Etta Palm D’Aelders’ thoughts based on the equality between men and women on any occasion.

This research has shown how both De Gouges and Wollstonecraft developed thoughtful concepts on equality regarding marriage, sexes, education and natural rights. Through their writings these authors helped shape the revolutionary ideas of Etta Palm D’Aelders, who then influenced many state affairs. Mary Wollstonecraft’s feminist ideas were particularly affected by her childhood. She believed that women should be independent because they were not created to submit to anyone else. On the other hand, De Gouges was known for her fictionalized biography which was reflected clearly in Article XI. De Gouges considered that natural rights are moral guides for the society and she created a contract between men and women. Lastly, Etta Palm D’Aelders was known for her intriguing espionage job. The growth of her contacts through her various lovers made her become a baroness. She was politically involved in France and in the Dutch Republic and she particularly focused on the equality in marriage. In the end, this essay indicates how all the recurring aspects between these three brave women demonstrates the influence that De Gouges and Wollstonecraft had on Etta Palm D’Aelders.

Bibliography

1. ‘Etta Palm D’Aelders – Intriguing Woman of the French Revolution.’ Legends of Green Isle. September 15, 2011. https://legendsofgreenisle.com/2011/09/15/etta-palm-daelders-intriguing-woman-of-the-french-revolution/.
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During the early centuries, black Americans did face enslavement. The enslaved people were deprived of their fundamental rights and freedom. The African Americans did not enjoy their lives, from birth till death and even beyond to some. They were forced to work on large plantations and under brutal conditions. The laborers were both minor and older adults, no matter their health conditions.

The lives of enslaved people from birth to death was full of subjects to strict racial discrimination and harsh conditions. The work on plantations was by force, and only a few were privileged to work as house servants. The house servants did receive cruel treatments and were subject to cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the newborns. Harriet, in the Slave girl, was entitled to taking care of newborns of her master, among other duties. The house servants lived in servant quarters which were too tiny and overpopulated (Temple Herndon, The narrative).

The enslaved people were on watch on every one of their moves. When working no breaks were allowed or even communication with the colleagues. The working hours were very inflexible, and the masters were so wicked. The enslaved people did receive repressions from time to time (Harriet, Slave girl). Being confined, even your children have no rights. The children were also subjected to slavery and sold from one master to another such Ellen and Benny (Harriet,Slave girl). The children, even at a younger age, were given duties such as looking after the master’s babies. When Ellen is sold to Mr. Sands by Dr.Flint as a result of vengeance when her mother goes to hiding, she is fled to Boston to take care of Mr. Sands family (Jacobs,2009).

There was using corporal punishment for minor mistakes. The enslaved people did receive punishment even when innocent. Other sanctions were employed such as mutilation and death, especially when the slaves were trying to hide or violate against their masters.

The stories from the excerpts help the public, as well as the antislavery movement, understand the pain behind slavery. Born into slavery exposes you to cruelty and negligence. When Linda’s parents died, she is sent to live with a relative who is s wicked. She received neglect of parental care and sexual harassment. The black women face lots of sexual abuse and are powerless to reist.Dr.Flint, who is supposed to be the father figure sexually abuses Linda. For several years she is in a sexual relationship with Dr.Flint who occasionally threatens her, but one-day Mr. Sands saves her (Harrier, Slave girl).

The black woman has no standards of morality. Linda tells Mr. Sands that she is powerless, and acting against Dr.Flint would only create more troubles. Linda consents to have a relationship with Mr. Sand who is their white neighbor in hoping that Dr.Flint would become angry and sell her (Harriet, Slave girl). Temple Herndon is born in slavery and grows harsh facing conditions but cannot resist as she fears death. Temple Herndon accepts the situation, and at the age of 31 years, Herndon surrenders to the slaves’ masters as hiding put her life in danger. She even gets married and continues working in plantations as no other way to survive (Temple Herndon, The narrative).

The slaves have a price as a commodity. It is so demeaning to give estimates to people just like the goods and services in the market. The price factors include age, gender, health status, and as per the demand in the market. Men did have a higher value as their labor was much needed in farming as compared to women, thus having a more excellent dollar value. The dollar value did appraise as per market need; hence the human life was equated to a monetary value (The price for Their Pound of Flesh).

There is vengeance. When Dr.Flint discovers Linda and Mr.Sands affair, he sells the kids to a slave master. A black woman has no ownership to her children and cannot protect them. The children get harassed and receive poor life conditions such as working as house servants at a tender age, Ellen (Harriet, Slave girl). The workers in plantations do revenge from the harsh conditions by destroying the crops (Temple Herndon, The narrative).

The black woman has no freedom. Linda runs away hoping to protect the kids but even after some years Emily who is Dr.Flint daughter claims ownership to her (Harriet, slave girl)

Racial prejudice is extensive, and the black woman cannot hide from it. Temple Herndon tries to escape but not succeed as the discrimination is all over (Jacobs,2018).

The black woman fears the kidnapping from those involved in the trade of slaves. Linda goes into hiding, hoping that kids will be safe from abduction. Linda cannot come into light from the grandmother’s house as she fears abduction (Harriet, Slave girl). Even after escaping to Boston, she faces the fear of re-enslavement when Emily raises the issue of her own. The passing of the Fugitive slave act exposes slaves to re-enslavement. The slaves fear to have a high monetary value which presents them to high market demand. The masters sell them when their value is high, especially men (The price for Their Pound of Flesh).

The slaves fear death, so they submit fully to their masters. Even when harassed, they could not fight back as no freedom. The separation from their families, Temple Herndon, surrenders in fear of separation from her family. The fear of what will happen to their families, especially their children. The fear of being killed and dead body used as cadavers in medical schools for learning (Harris,2016)

In the story of ‘’The Price for Their Pound of Flesh” explains the value of enslaved women. The market factors which determined the amount ranging from 30-1200 dollars depended on; health condition, age, and demand in the market. The value did appreciate when laborers become short in need. The enslaved woman was receiving an amount significant to the work conditions and the master’s terms. The women did value their children and families, so we’re ready to protect them even though it did risk their lives.

Freedom was essential to them but could not available. So, the women were submitting in the hope that one day gaining independence (Berry,2018).

The black woman developed some tactics of fighting slavery. Consenting; the faking of agreeing to something partially as a way of blackmailing the master. Linda decides to a relationship with Mr. Sands hoping to escape and free the kids from slavery (Harriet, Slave girl). Temple Herndon surrenders into the authority of slaves but works towards achieving freedom. At the age of 103, she gets freedom and can work in the plantation of her own.

Everyday acts, black women protesting or going into hidings (Harriet, Slave girl) hoping to reduce the harsh working conditions. The black woman was revolting by forming protests occasionally and resist by stealing the master’s food.

Employing the escape tactic was also working. Linda goes into hiding and escapes from South to Boston in the hope of securing suitable employment, and her Boston boss is very kind.

The black woman from the stories in an expert is strong and works towards ensuring a better future. She faces challenges but eventually wins her freedom (Temple Herndon, The Narrative &Harriet, Slave girl). They protect their families and evolve in civil rights in the hope of securing rights and protection by forming the antislavery movement. Everyone deserves the power and freedom to live (Hampton,2016).

Work cited

1. Berry, Daina Ramey. The price for their pound of flesh: The value of the enslaved, from womb to grave, in the building of a nation. Beacon Press, 2017.
2. Harris, Alexes. A pound of flesh: Monetary sanctions as punishment for the poor. Russell Sage Foundation, 2016.
3. Hampton, Karen. ‘AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN: PLANTATION TEXTILE PRODUCTION FROM 1750 TO 1830.’ (2000).
4. Moody, Joycelyn. ‘The Truth of Slave Narratives.’ The Oxford Handbook of the African American Slave Narrative.
5. Jacobs, Harriet Ann. Incidents in the life of a slave girl: Written by herself. Vol. 119. Harvard University Press, 2009.
6. Jacobs, Harriet. Harriet Jacobs: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl: New Critical Essays. e-artnow, 2018.

Taking place in Harlem, New York in the 1920’s, The Harlem Renaissance was a great time and era for the African-American community. It was a time where time where the African-Americans community can show their talents through music, poetry and any type of writing. The migration of blacks during and after WWI was the influence on this Artist Movement. African Americans had an intellectual and social breakthrough in which they were finally able to express themselves in the best way possible. People were digging into their roots and using that as a source of energy to be happy and rejoice. Numerous influential people arose during the Harlem Renaissance, they helped make a voice for African-American Community. One of those are American poet Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes was more than a poet he was also a social activist, novelist, & playwright. Moving from Missouri to New York where his career began as a young man. Some events as well as life adjustments influenced and shaped the way Langston Hughes composed his work. His work was primarily based off the feelings and prior knowledge he had on a topic.

Born in Joplin, Missouri on February, 1st, 1902 was James Mercer Langston Hughes, also known as simply Langston Hughes. Not too long after his birth, his parents were separated. Hughes father had moved to Mexico and his mother was constantly looking for employment hence, the reason behind her leaving for long periods of time. He was then raised by his grandmother Marry Patterson Langston in Kansas till he was 12. While in his grandmother care, she taught him about his history while helping build pride up about his race. After Hughes was then raised in Illinois by his mother and stepfather, then later moving to ohio. Hughes childhood was very active due to the amount of relocating he had to do. While attending public schools in Illinois, an interest in poetry sparked within him due to him being labeled “Class Poet”. In Ohio Hughes attended Central High School , where he wrote some poetry, short stories and plays. “When Sue Wears Red” was the first piece of jazz poetry written Hughes in high school. Writing for the school newspaper and editing the yearbook was also some things that he engaged in, in High School.

After graduating high school in 1920, Hughes went to go stay with his father in Mexico. While traveling there he composed “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”. His motive behind going to his father whom he rarely saw was to hope he could convince his father to support his dream of attending Columbia University in New York City. His father wanted Hughes to attend school abroad and focus on a path of engineering, which he would willing finance Hughes education. But Hughes wanted to be become a writer, which his father did not support. After some time Hughes and his father came to an agreement that, he would study engineering as long as he could attend Columbia University and his father paid his tuition. While in school Langston Hughes had a series of jobs that did not relate to his interest for example an assistant cook, launderer and busboy. Hughes had managed to keep a B- average at Columbia University, but ending up leaving in 1922 due to the racial prejudice he encountered at school.

After traveling to Europe and working Hughes decided to come back to United States in November of 1924. He decided to live with his mother in Washington D.C. Working to earn money in hopes of going back to college, Hughes was employed as a hotel busboy. Even though the job was in the nation’s capital, it payed very low. He was uncomfortable and unhappy due to the racial tension that was very high. Despite the negative feelings he encountered Hughes was able to compose numerous poems which led to his first book of poetry, The Weary Blues. The Weary Blues one first prize in a literary competition in 1925. The Crisis magazine held a literary contest where two of Hughes work had been rewarded. This gained him recognition and also caught the attention of novelists and critic named Carl Van Vechten whom helped published the first volume of The Weary Blues in 1926.

In 1925 Hughes had enrolled back into college and attended Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. He was was a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. Hughes graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in 1929 and returned home to New York. By the time he graduated Hughes had helped launch the magazine Fire!!,1926 as well as as another book of poetry titled Fine Clothes to The Jew,1927. In 1930 the Novel Not Without Laughter written by Langston Hughes was published. This novel was influenced by some of the things he witnessed while growing up in Lawrence, Kansas. The novel won the Harmon gold medal for literature.

Hughes poems were influenced by racial justice and that’s what he then began to direct his poems to in the 1930s. He traveled to the south to publicly state his opinion on the Scottsboro Case. The Scottsboro case was were 13-21 , 9 African-Americans males who were falsely accused of rapping two white women in Alabama. All but 2 of the nine males were sentenced to time in jail, one was given the death sentence. Langston Hughes felt as though this was was wrong and criticized the case. Hughes then traveled a lot to Haiti, Japan and the Soviet Union where he worked as a newspaper correspondent in 1937. Around this time he had written multiple short stories that was published in 1934, The Ways of White Folks.

Developing an interest in theater Hughes wrote his first play Mulatto, which opened up on broadway in 1935 by Martin Jones. Mulatto “ran for 11 months & 373 performances”. The play discussed father-son while also illustrating life in the south during the 1930s. Hughes also wrote several other plays throughout the 1930s. For example Little Ham(1936) which was a comedy and Emperor of Haiti(1936) which was a historical drama. Also working alongside Zora Neale Hurston on Mule Bone, a comedy that depicted the life of African-Americans in the 1930s. Majority of his plays did not gain as much success as Mulatto but they were still produced and performed. Not only did Hughes write poems but he also found theater companies. The Harlem Suitcase Theater was found in 1938 and an another theatre in Los Angeles in 1939. Don’t You Want You Be Free? was a drama play that was staged in The Harlem Suitcase Theater.

During WWII Hughes wrote the first volume of his autobiography The Big Sea in 1940. The autobiography written in a comical perspective. Another respected piece that he composed during the war was in Chicago Defender a weekly column founded in 1905 and had majority African-American readers. It began in 1942 and continued for 20 years with the main and favored character from harlem, Jesse B Semple or Simple. Semple mainly spoke on racial issues. This work grown to become one of Hughes most admired pieces.

Over the course of three decades from 1932 Hughes continued gaining recognition and been given awards. Some awards that Hughes won were Spingarn Medal from the NAACP in 1960, Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts, US & Canada in 1935 & the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction in 1954.