Archaeology

The Mission Of The Mars One Program - 1355 Words

RED POWER â€Å"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact.† - Elon Musk at SXSW (CEO and CTO of SpaceX, CEO of Tesla Motors and chairman of SolarCity) With Mars being the most habitable and close solar body to our Earth after our moon Luna, it has become the recent target for space travel in the next few decades. The Mars One program is a prime example as they intend to be â€Å"establishing a permanent human settlement† by the year 2025. With this brings a multitude of complications as Mars’ environs are drastically different to ours here on Earth. For example, Mars has an atmosphere over 100 times thinner than Earth’s atmosphere (0.6 kilopascals of pressure compared to 101.3 kilopascals) and is comprised of 96% carbon dioxide, has an average surface of -55 °C and has barely any water in liquid form. For us to be able to colonize Mars in the near distant future, one of the main requirements is a source of energy. Not only will energy be needed for machines to operate and allow communication back to Earth, but the lack of warmth in the environment gives the necessity for heating as well. I have chosen to directly look at the possible methods of power generation while on Mars; the main two viable options being solar or nuclear power. However there are also other less popular options including geothermal or wind energy which I will also briefly cover. Solar Energy Solar energy is created by converting sunlight into electricity using photovoltaics (PV) or the less commonShow MoreRelatedSpace Travel : President John F. Kennedy1168 Words   |  5 Pageshuman into space one must look at the space project and the missions that gave scientists and engineers the data to make safe equipment to be sent to the moon and beyond. Astronauts were bashed with primitive flight tests to help create training programs. America can even give the Russian space program credit for making the space program what it is today. They provided resources to our engineers and likely the most important they were america s competition. The Russian space program was years aheadRead MoreWill Asia Win The Next Space Race?1651 Words   |  7 Pageshave undoubtedly come as a huge shock to the NASA scientists of the Apollo era. China has become one of the most active space-going nations and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. The other giant of Asia has not been slack ing either; India has developed a space program with a relatively tiny budget but is checking off milestones rapidly. They didn’t send a mission to the moon until 2008 but reached Mars in 2014 [3]. The Americans are still the biggest players in space but their future is uncertainRead MoreThe Eagle Has Landed Essay913 Words   |  4 Pagesthat goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.† (John F. Kennedy) The nineteen-sixties were the most important decade during the Space Race, because American perseverance overcame a more advanced Soviet space program and reached the moon. Accordingly, national leaders of the sixties were a huge driving force behind the SpaceRead MoreThe Red Planet And Space Travel Essay1296 Words   |  6 Pagesto Mars four years before we even landed on the moon. How did we have plans to get to Mars before we even landed on the moon? Wernher von Braun has been interested in the red planet and space travel since he was in college. Many years after college, Braun still had his dream of making it to Mars. Braun then wrote a novel in 1949 with plans of traveling to Mars in 1965. This plan obviously has not happened yet, but humans then gained more interest in the red planet. Plans of traveling to Mars hasRead MoreWhat Is The Future Of Space Programs?1391 Words   |  6 PagesRussia and China have the largest, most capable space programs of all countries in the world outside of the United States. Therefore, the status of their programs and endeavors in space missions and actions are of the upmost concern to our nation and global scientific achievement. The state of current events point to a future of vast changes in the global space community due to Russia’s mired Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities and China’s ever advancing National Space AdministrationRead MoreThe Space Of Space Exploration1207 Words   |  5 Pagesancient theory of â€Å"round sky and square earth† to the Big Bang theory and even sending astronauts to other planets, humans use their intelligence to satisfy their curiosity towards the universe. The new discoveries and achievements along with the space programs show the competence of humans and prove the necessity to keep exploring the universe with human. Although plenty of opponents claim that it is worthless to send humans into the space, they have overlooked the significance of manned space explorationRead MoreLife on Mars?1536 Words   |  7 PagesLife on Mars? For years, planet Mars has been in the NASA spotlight. The Red Planet has been explored as images, atmoshpere samples and samples of various surface formations have been collected to continue research in labortories here on Earth. The year of 1965 marked the beginiing of the Mars Program, and ever since rocket born cameras, spacecraft voyages, and other advanced technologies have been a part of the explorations. The Mars Program has been dedicated to finding what the planetRead MoreThe Future of Space Exploration1522 Words   |  7 Pagescome of exploring the magnificent cosmos. One of the major questions we face currently is the possibility of life on other planets. â€Å"NASAs biggest ambition is the hunt for life and a habitat that can support life. Several planned or prepared missions will specifically explore the question of whether or not life exists, or once existed, elsewhere in out solar system† (Folger 3). Thats exactly what we plan on using the Curiosity rover for. The MSL (Mars Space Laboratory) Curiosity rover was launchedRead MoreHow Apollo 11 Impacted Future Technology1439 Words   |  6 Pages That s one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind. 45 years later NASA calls the Apollo 11 missions one of the crowning achievements of the 20th century. Started after President Kennedy’s speech to send a man to the moon, NASA had to play catch up in o rder to beat the Soviet Union and become the first country to land a man on the moon. Neil Armstrong, the captain of the mission, started off as a test pilot, until he was recruited as a backup to the Gemini 5 mission. In 1966, ArmstrongRead MoreShould We Put People On Mars?1423 Words   |  6 PagesPut People on Mars? These days after the space race has put a man on the moon, some people have asked what comes next. Some people believe that the best next step is to simply use unmanned probes to explore as it is simply too dangerous and expensive for people to go themselves. However, many people believe that it would be foolish for people to not continue exploring space and some have even begun their own programs, like the Mars One Project, to try to get people into space. Mars One is a non-profit

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder And Its Evolution Essay

There are several multifarious studies on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and its evolution. There are studies that delve into the psychological effects of PTSD on people s brain activity and human behavior after a traumatic experience. There are also studies such as those written by Patience Mason and Kay Marie Porterfield which provide information centered specifically on the development of PTSD in the area of combat and war throughout history. The authors of Straight Talk about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and A Short Story of PTSD describe and explain how troopers from the past have coped with the existence of PTSD and the treatment of society, which tends to affect the development of the illness. In this report, further analyzes will be made on the different influences and effects of PTSD of soldiers. Straight Talk about Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Coping with the Aftermath of Trauma, written by Kay Marie Porterfield, was published in New York in 1996 by Facts on File. The purpose of the text is to inform readers about the recovering process from PTSD and its association with the public throughout different periods of time. The information found in this source is incredibly valuable because the author is a well-educated individual who has studied the topic, and withholds an M.A in counseling from Arizona State University. Her data also comes from credible sources that convey important statistics. However, as a limitation Dr. Porterfield prioritized on theShow MoreRelatedThe And Post Traumatic Stress Disorder1624 Words   |  7 Pagesor Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in title, it is still the same culprit that has caused countless devastation to those who are afflicted. The first thing to examine is what was the definition of shell shock. According to some online research, shell shock was defined as: psychological disturbance caused by prolonged exposure to active warfare, especially being under bombardment.(1)(Googlecom, 2016) The etiology of this disease is described thusly: You can develop post-traumatic stress disorderRead MorePost Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd ) Essay1780 Words   |  8 PagesPost-traumatic stress disorder is a psychological disorder portrayed by symptoms of recurrent stressï » ¿Ã¯ » ¿ episodes generated by life-threatening events. Such symptoms include, but are not limited to, flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, irritability, and insomnia. Moreover, these symptoms interfere with daily life activities ï » ¿Ã¯ » ¿in an unfavorable way, while also causing distress. A biological susceptibility is, in part, responsible for some of the risk in the development of PTSD. Psychological reasoningRead MoreThe Prehistory Of The Mind833 Words   |  4 Pagesproposes that the evolution of the prefrontal cortex over the course of history is responsible for these executive processes that result in modern humanity’s cognitive fluidity -- the ability to combine and use intellectual informa tion across specific domains (Mithen 1996). Given its essentialness to the human mind, it is no surprise that any physical deformity or activity abnormality in the prefrontal cortex leads to numerous psychological disorders including anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personalityRead MoreThe Concept of Behaviorism Gestalt and Structuralism805 Words   |  3 Pageswhich people who had been through a recent traumatic experience, who were diagnosed with stress disorder were first taught breathing exercise, muscle relaxation techniques, self-talk exercises, and then given information about known reactions to trauma during the first therapy session. In subsequent sessions, the patients were asked to imagine the traumatic experience for extended periods of time, presumably to 1). Desensitize them and 2). Manifest stress-related symptoms (Bryant, 1999). They wereRead MoreThe Great War And Modern Memory1150 Words   |  5 Pagespsychological symptoms. The discovery of shell shock is typic ally considered to be an important catalyst in the gradual recognition of mental illnesses caused by combat. However, the characterizations of shell shock as an early discovery of post-traumatic stress disorder made by many historians are false. Shell shock should not be thought of as a credible wartime medical advancement, but as a false and primitive identification of war-trauma. Public perceptions of World War I were formed by literatureRead MoreWorld At War, The 20th Century2947 Words   |  12 PagesHI270- World at War, The 20th Century Dr. Pursell July 02, 2015 The Name May Change, the Pain Remains the Same A HISTORY OF WARTIME POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS IN THE 20TH CENTURY ​ ​War takes a toll on those who fight, or are affected by it, this is undeniable. Over the course of the 20th Century, within the U.S. Military and Psychiatric Community the way that this effect is identified and treated has changed many times based on the conflict and the mindset of the American public. The purpose of thisRead MoreRunning Head:Policy. . . . . . Assignment #4: Problem Solution1195 Words   |  5 Pageshighlighted the alarming 10% to 18% increase of Post Stress Traumatic Disorder (PTSD) diagnoses from both the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Anxiety and depression were also observed among war-zone deployments and family members left behind (Lester et al., 2010) while suicide rates rose from 0.8% in 2005 to 2.2% in 2008 across all services, according to Department of Defense’s annual anonymous health survey (Bray et al., 2009). The Combat and Operational Stress Control (COSC) tool was created to provideRead MoreDomestic Violence Has A Negative Impact On Children1568 Words   |  7 Pageshaving sleepless nights it tends to lead to a child’s grades dropping. â€Å"Domestic violence poses a serious threat to children’s emotional, psychological, and physical well-being particularly if the violence is chronic† says the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Just by a child having emotional and psychological problems it affects the way they learn. By 2 a child not being able to have at least 8 hours of sleep it affects their ability to have a good learning environment. Children don’t focusRead MoreBiological Aspect Of Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd )979 Words   |  4 Pages2014 to a terrible automobile accident. His last memory of his son was holding and kissing his sons lifeless body after the accident and listening to the coroner announce the death of his son. Since his death, this man has suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The worst of his PTSD occurs at the same time every night in a reoccurring dream. He also has shown signs of aggression towards his family who are trying to help him. He’s always shown an aggressive side but this aggressive sideRead MoreThe Combat And Operational Stress Control1354 Words   |  6 Pagespublished articles that discussed the Combat and Operational Stress Control (COSC) program in the U.S Marine Corps, and it’s parallel in the U.S Navy, the Operational Stress Control that aims to prevent, identify, and treat stress problems being faced by the Marines, Sailors, and their families. The articles, however, offered different approaches on how its three primary components (stress continuum model, five core functions of a leader, and stress first aid) can be applied to preserve a combat and healthy

Vinegar Essay Example For Students

Vinegar Essay VinegarChris Nacey Writing 101 Final draft 2-19-1997When I was a child, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my mother. She liked to cook and so did I. Because of this, I learned my way around thekitchen. I knew the place for everything, and I knew the uses of mosteverything. There was only one paradox, in my knowledge of the kitchen: vinegar. My mother had one bottle of vinegar for as long as I can remember. She neverused it in cooking, or taught me how to for that matter. Our bottle of WhiteWine Vinegar sat in our cupboard: on the bottom shelf, enigmatically, untouched,detached. I knew that my mother wouldnt have it without reason. It was in thekitchen, so I concluded that it must be some sort of, rarely used, cookingstaple. I would never have guessed then that vinegar had so many uses. Just the other day, I was in the mall visiting a friend that works atFrankincense and Myrrh. While there, I happened upon some bottles that caughtmy eye. They were attractive looking ornamental bottles. Each one was filledwith mysterious, colored liquids: the colors varied from red to brown to yellow. In the liquids were berries, sprigs of herbs, and things of the such. Ithought they looked interesting, so I picked up a bottle that I recognized ashaving sage in it. I took a look at the label. On the label were listed theingredients: sage, rosemary, and southernwood leaves. When I read the front ofthe bottle, I was surprised to find that I was looking at an herbal vinegar hairrinse. Before this I never knew that such a thing existed. After my experienceat the mall, I became aware that vinegar didnt just belong in the kitchen. This intrigued me. I decided to find out more about vinegar and its uses. Nobody knows the exact origins of vinegar, but there are many storiesand beliefs surrounding this strange liquid.(Oster 3) The Roman Army wasrecorded to have mixed vinegar with water to make a sort of Gatorade for thesoldiers. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century United States, similardrinks known as shrubs or switchels were made by field laborers. To makethese drinks, they mixed either fruit juices or water, with sometimes salt, andfruit-flavored vinegars.(Oster 4) The earliest recorded use of vinegar, however,was in Babylonia around 5,000 B.C. There, it was typically made from dates, andcommonplace as a medicine.(Oster 3)Throughout history, vinegar has been used medicinally. Via modernscience we know vinegar to have antibacterial and antiseptic properties.(Oster5) But before the convenience of laboratory analysis, Hippocrates (commonlycalled the father of medicine) recommended vinegar to his patients. One suchrecommendation was a vinegar, honey, and pepper douche for femininedi sorders.(Oster 5) Folklore has it that during a plague epidemic inMarseilles, four robbers drenched themselves with what is now known as FourThieves Vinegar. In doing so, legend say that they were able to pilfer thediseased and deceased without getting infected themselves.(Geddes) In the CivilWar, vinegar was issued to counter scurvy. More recently, in World War I,vinegar was commonly accepted as treatment for wounds.(Oster 5)Other more modern medicinal uses for vinegar also exist. A mixture ofapple cider vinegar and water, if used properly, can help reduce acneproblems.(Geddes) A similar solution has been known to help with indigestion iftaken regularly.(Oster 42) Cold apple cider vinegar can also help relieve thepain of sunburns.(Geddes)Vinegar also has many uses around the house. Because vinegar is acidicby nature, it is very useful for a spectrum of cleaning uses and other tasks. .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc , .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc .postImageUrl , .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc , .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc:hover , .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc:visited , .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc:active { border:0!important; } .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc:active , .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uabaa402eb0238df2015db709032d5bbc:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Analysis Of O. Henrys Art And The Bronco EssayVinegar is relatively inexpensive and, by comparison to the mass-produced toxicchemical cleaners, potent. For most home uses, one would usually dilute thevinegar in water. A one gallon bottle of apple cider vinegar could replace awhole box full of harmful chemicals found littering the common home. Vinegarcan both remove stains from wooden furniture and act as polish.(Oster 33) Whenyour drain gets clogged, you dont need to buy the toxic liquid plumber. Youcan pour a handful of baking soda down the drain, add a half a cup of vinegar,and then cover the opening for five to ten minutes. Doing this will unclog yourdrain.(Geddes)I hav e found several innovative uses for vinegar. The uses listed hereare only a few of the many that exist. After learning about them, I have foundways

Leda And The Swan Essay Example For Students

Leda And The Swan Essay Yeatss Leda and the Swan:Psycho-Sexual Therapy in ActionW.B. Yeatss heavily anthologized poem, Leda and the Swan, can be read inendless ways: as a political poem, a poem influenced by Nietzsches idea of Will toPower, a poem of knowledge ultimately achieved through violence. Is the poem simplyreferr ing to a myth? Is it addressing historical determinism? Critical methodologiesattempt to address these issues and more in their treatments of Leda and the Swan. However, to understand fully the poem and its implications, a formal close reading of the text must be combined with supplementary biographical information to inform a finalpsychoanalytic reading of the poem. An understanding of the events surrounding Yeatsslife, then, will contribute to a textual analysis to show that the poem can be re ad asYeatss own particular rape fantasy, in which Maud Gonne is Leda and Yeats himself theswan; and in displacing his frustrations into the poem, Yeats turns destructive impulsesinto a constructive thing of beauty. Leda and the Swan is a sonnet, one of the most precise forms of literatureknown. An interesting paradox emerges, however, at first glance. The poem is writtenin a traditional form (sonnet), using a traditional rhyme scheme, yet the subject matteri s extremely non-traditional (violent rape as opposed to the usual love sonnets). Thisparadox is representative of the many oppositional elements which abound in the text andwhich help form the basis for understanding the oppositions which influence bot h Yeatsand the poem. The rhyme scheme is traditional (ABAB CDCD EFG EFG) yet interestingly imperfectin that four of the rhymes are not perfect: push and rush, up and drop(Hargrove 244). This again is another oppositional element, typical of Yeats, and couldbe seen to symbolize the opposition between Yeats, the last Romantic, and Yeats, theModernist. A transition exists in the poems language, from an aggressive intensity to avague passive distance. The language in the beginn ing of the poem sets the tone of anaggressive sense of urgency. Priscilla Washburn Shaw makes an excellent point when shestates,The action interrupts upon the scene at the beginning with a sudden blow, andagain, in the third stanza, with a shudder in the loins. It may seem inaccurate to saythat a poem begins by an interruption when nothing precedes, but the effect of t heopening is just that (36). The effect of this device is that it draws the spectator/narrator, and subsequently thereader, into the action and into the poem. The action continues for the first three lines of the first quatrain. Yeatsdoesnt bother with a full syntax until the final line of the quatrain, at which point,the urgency relaxes (Hargrove 240). The language in the first full quatrain isrepresent ative of the opposition inherent in the poem; in this case, between intensityand distance (Hargrove 240). The imagery, and wording in general, in Leda is also representative, in aninitial reading, of oppositional elem ents within the text. A first reading shows Ledadescribed in concrete terms and the swan in abstract terms. Leda is the staggeringgirl and the poem refers to Her thighs, her nape, her helpless breast, and herloosening thighs. The swan is never actually called Zeus or even the Swan (in fact,Agamemnon is the only name mentioned in the body of the poem). The swan is described asgreat wings, dark webs, that white rush, blood, indifferent beak, andfeathered glory. A second reading of the poem, however, shows that ambiguities do exist. Theconcrete and abstract merge. Generalized terms are used for Leda (terrified vaguefingers) and concrete terms for the swan (wings, bill, beak). The purpose of thisambiguity could be, as Nancy Hargrove explains, to stress that the god is, after all, areal, physical swan engaged in a physical act (241). Regardless, this ambiguity is,again, representative of the conflict within the poem. Verbs play a major role in understanding Leda and the Swan. They are pr esenttense through the octave and the first part of the sestet (holds, push, feel,engenders). They then shift to past tense in the last part of the sestet (caught,ma stered, Did) (Hargrove 241). The verbs in the present tense imply an intenseimmediacy while those in the past tense distance the reader (and perhaps the aggressoras well) from what has just occurred. Additionally, as Nancy Hargrove points out, there is a juxtaposition between active and passive verbs so that the active verb forms(holds, engenders) belong to the swan while passive verb forms (caressed,caught, mastered) belong to Leda (241). The verb forms, then, play an active rolein c ontributing to a close textual reading. Yeats continuously makes use of various devices to further heighten ambiguous,oppositional, and dramatic elements within his poetry. In his minimal use of thepossessive adjective, and the consequently greater use of somewhat unusual alternativefor ms, Yeats achieves effects which are curiously suspen ded between the concrete andthe general (Shaw 37), thus highlighting the ambiguities in the text. Further still,the linguistic suggestiveness of the absence of any qualifiers for body is considerable (Shaw 37). It is considerable in that it makes us even more aware of theambiguities (whose body?). It linguistically suggests the lack of an identity; it isessentially a dehumanizing element. While the subject matter of the poem is violent and disturbing, the structure ofLeda conveys feelings of safety and beauty. Hargrove submits that the intensity ofthe rape is controlled by the narrow confines of the sonnet, an aesthetically pleasingand heavily structured art form (242). Douglas Archibald asserts, The sonnet formachieves for Leda this: violence and historical sweep held in one of the mosttightly controlled of poetic forms (196). The violence of the rape is then controlledwithin the constraints of the sonnet. Additionally, the sonnet itself is brief, thusensuring the rape will be brie f as well. While the rape is controlled through the structure of the poem, the organizationof the poem reflects in an orderly manner the progress of the rape (Hargrove 243). The first quatrain presents the assault. The second quatrain reflects Ledas emotions. The first half of the sestet presents the ejaculation scene. The cut line represents adramatic moment in time: a death-like silence. The final part of the sestet shows theact receding into memory while posing the question of meaning (Hargrove 243). Yeats makes use of several technical devices to convey the intensity of what isbeing portrayed in the poem. Among these devices are alliteration (brute blood),iambic pentameter, and the meter in general. Bernard Levine notes that no regularmetric al pattern exists but there is a pervading rhythmic base in which verbal stressdisplaces the accent-guided line (116). Nancy Hargrove elaborates by showing that themeter imitates the gasping and throbbing pulsations of the rape by its irregu larity, its sudden sharp caesuras, its sentences spilling over from line to line, itsdramatic broken lines in the sestet, its piling of stressed syllables (243). The ambiguities in Leda imply a confrontation both real and imagined, physicaland intellectual. Bernard Levine addresses the ambiguity surrounding the staggeringgirl in line three. Staggering as intransitive participle means that the girl is literally physically staggering, but the transitive verb form shows that she staggersthe mind (of the swan), so to speak (115). Levine addresses another ambiguity in theconnotation of the word still in line one. The bird is described (we assume) a shaving just dropped down on Leda, yet the word still implies a timeless continuity(117). The text, then, presents the rape scene, painting a vivid and terrifying pictureof its aggressive violence and its subsequent transition to passivity. The text alsoshows a pattern of oppositions and ambiguities which are manifestations of a series ofconfl icts between the material world and the spiritual world: the physical and theintellectual. Nancy Hargrove remarks that the apparent opposition between abstract andconcrete is representative of that between human and divine (235). Shaw views it in amore personal light: as the opposition between self and world (35). The oppositions inherent within the text, and the subsequent series of conflictswhich they represent, are important in that they are manifestations of and parallels tooppositional conflicts occurring in Yeatss own life. The violent textual rape is th eresult of his inability to reconcile these personal conflicts and the poem, then, is anexample of Yeats displacing his frustration, and doing so in a positive and safe manner. If this assertion is indeed accurate, Leda and the Swan would be consiste nt withYeatss later poems. Edmund Wilson writes, The development of Yeatss later styleseems to coincide with a disillusionment (17). Cleanth Brooks argues that Yeatsproposed to su bstitute a concrete, meaningful system, substituting symbol as a way ofcombating harsh, technical reality (69). Leda is consistent with the assertions. And, the key to the reality Yeats is attempting to address is Maud Gonne. Maud Gonne was a militant Irish nationalist with whom Yeats was very much inlove, and who appeared as a tortured image in much of his poetry. She gave herselfcompletely to her country and expected the same type of nationalistic dedication fromYeats. They loved one another deeply but were never able to reconcile the differencesin their feelings. Maud Gonne loved Yeats in a platonic sense; Yeats desired a moreall-encompassing love. Both Yeats and Maud Gonne considered themselves mystics. They belonged to theHeretic Order of the Golden Dawn, a society in which they attended seances. Mauddesired a pure spiritual life and felt that type of life precluded physical contact(sex) w ith Yeats. Yeats aspired to a like belief system, but was unable to live up tothese ideal ized standards. Under these conditions, Yeats and Maud Gonne entered into aspiritual marriage. Bernard Levine explains that The marriage was based on a communication through dream correspondence and astral vision (controlled release of spiritualtension) (127). Levine suggests this spiritual marriage was the background andpsychological excuse for the writing of Leda and the Swan (125). Well before thepoem was written, Maud Gonne had become an identifiable entity in Yeatss poetry. Infact, Geoffrey Thurley refers to the poem as another Maud/Helen poem (165). Levinealso states that Maud had become identified with Helen (the mythological daughter ofLeda) as early as 1908 (125) and goes on to identify Maud with Leda as well (126). Consistent with his penchant for myth-as-metaphor, and mythology in general,Yeats declared sexual desire to be a myth. Yet, at the same time, he wrote that heused to puzzle Maud Gonne by always avowing ultimate defeat as a test and he believedthat his spiritual love for Maud could never be consummated except through sexualunion, supporting the idea that the mystic way and sexual love are inextricablyrelated (Levine 125, 127). This conflict serves as an example of the type ofopposition Yea ts could never reconcile and which would later manifest itself in Ledaand the Swan. Yeats viewed Maud Gonne as having achieved purity and felt as though he tooshould be above sexual longing. Levine argues that, unable to overcome his sexualneeds, Yeats had little alternative but to interpret his continual sexual longing as abetrayal of Maud (128). Interestingly enough, Yeats kept a woman in London for atime. Perhaps Yeats provides a good example for us of a man suffering from theVirgin/Whore syndrome. The pure women in his life are untouchable and areromanticized in his po etry while those who succumb to his needs are referred to asharlots (Presences) (Levine 128). Yeatss sense of betrayal, coupled with his failed attempts to suppressunacceptable desires, conceivably led to an enormous amount of guilt. In reference tosexuality and guilt, Francis Oppel suggests that Yeats understood the psychology oftragedy, in that orgasm (which engenders life and also equals death of sexual desire)enables one to overcome pain and, by extension, guilt and death (122). Thisoverwhelming sense of guilt resulted in a disillusioned and angst-ridden Yeats, and theresultant frust ration led to, as Joseph Hassett terms it, an overwhelmingpreoccupation with hate (Introduction viii) and a sense of self hatred. This (self)hatred led a despondent Yeats to contemplate suicide. Levine quotes Virginia Moore asstating, Yeats dreame d that, walking along a path by a broken wall a precipice, hefelt dizzy and longed to throw himself over (130). By Leda and the Swan, Yeats was preoccupied with death, both consciously andunconsciously. Bernard Levine states simply that Because his relationship with MaudGonne remained unconsummated, Yeatss imagination fastened quite deci dedly in hislater years on the themes of sex and death (126). A bridge that Levine doesnt seem towish to cross, however, is the idea that Yeatss later themes do focus on sex and deathout of this sense of self hatred engendered by the guilt over his inability to live upto Mauds standards and, initially, by the frustration he felt over Mauds unwillingnessto comply with his desires. Some critics even contend that hate is Yeatss generative principle. Joseph M. Dreams, Pride, and Loyalty: A Raisin in the Sun Essay Hassett contends that Yeats used his hate to penetrate the uncharted depths of his ownmind (Introduction viii). Ashok Bhargava (156) reaffirms this love-hate antithesis found in later Yeats. Quite simply, Yeats consciously attempted to suppress his physicaldesire and failed. This failure led to an unconscious resentment of the figure (Maud)perceived as responsible for this resulting guilt/self hatred. This (repressed )resentment resulted in violent tendencies and the rape scene in Leda is, finally, thesublimation of sexual impulse. Several instances exist to support the correlation between aspects of thespiritual marriage and elements within the poem. Levine, again, cites Moore in notingthese instances. During the summer of 1908, Yeats saw a vision of Maud and himselfjoined b y a sort of phantom ecstasy, which was accompanied by an impression of aswan floating in water. This was followed by a dream in which Maud reproached Yeatsbecause she could not break down some barrier (127). Ano ther time Maud wrote that sheand Y eats had become one with ecstasy and Yeats had appeared to her triumphantly in adream, after which she woke to a gust of wind blowing in her room and a voice of anarchangel who announced that from her union a great beauty may be born, once she hadbeen purified by suffering (127, 128). There is evidence of other such examples. Yeats, the idealistic Romantic, could not let go of the hope that Maud would oneday become a willing participant, physically. Yeats must have hoped that his persistentpassion and intensity would eventually persuade her to give in. Elements from the just-noted example would support this hope and are found in the text of the poem: theswan image, barrier image, the idea of unity through sexual union. At this point, couldYeatss unconscious have been softening the tone (and implications) of the rape in thepoem? These examples suggest that is indeed the case. Additionally, as previouslymentioned, the tone of the poem moves from aggr essive to passive. Furthermore, a cluewhich supports the idea of a hope Yeats harbored lies in the revision process . RichardEllman informs us that the poem went through several stages of revision. In earlierversions, Yeats portrayed the scene as an inarguable rape in which Leda is mounted(177). In the later, anthologized version of 1928, Leda has been given loo seningthighs, suggesting a type of acquiescence on Ledas part. The implication for thisshift, then, in language and tone in the final version of Leda and the Swan is thatthe change is an example of Yeats displacing his fantasy that Maud Gonne woul deventually be swayed to engage him sexually and would become a willing, if passive,participant. In the earlier versions, Yeats was displacing his aggression. In thefinal revised version, Maud Gonne as Leda takes an active response role. Finally, Leda and the Swan is a violent poem and can be seen as Yeatss ownparticular rape fantasy; however, it remains an object of beauty. A close reading ofthe text focusing on the oppositions inherent within the poem, combined with anunderstand ing of the circumstances surrounding Yeatss spiritual marriage to Maud Gonneshows the poem to be a manifestation of the conflict between reality and ideal, humanand divine that Yeats spent years trying to reconcile. The poem allows Yeats todisplace h is violent fantasies concerning Maud, yet it does so in a structured,controlled manner (ensuring safety), and it allows Yeats to, finally, retain a certainamount of romantic hope. Leda and the Swan was Yeatss only realistic alternative tothe conflict in his life, and as a form of self therapy, it remains a nearly perfectwork of art. Poetry Essays