Interpersonal Theory Of Suicide And Suicide - 1275 Words

Evaluate some of the factors that might contribute to a person engaging in suicidal behaviour. Suicide is the wilful taking of one’s own life. Suicide is prevalent and affects people of all ages and cultures. In the UK male population suicide is now the biggest killer of middle-aged males overtaking diseases such as cancer and heart disease. A major predictor of engaging in suicidal behaviour is depression. Furthermore, it was found that 15% of clinically depressed patients would take their own lives. (HOLT). Those are only statistics but they can in no way describe the misery in which people find themselves. There are many differing factors that contribute to a person engaging in suicidal behaviour such as loss, history of mental disorder and environmental factors. There are also many theories of suicide that integrate these established risk factors such as the interpersonal theory of suicide. The interpersonal theory of suicide was developed by psychologist Thomas Joiner. This theory attempts to understand the reasoning behind in suicidal behaviour. According to the theory, â€Å"the simultaneous presence of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness produce the desire for suicide.† (Thomas E. Joiner Jr. [et al.]2009). Belongingness is believed to be an essential need, for an individual s psychological health and welfare. For example, social isolation is regularly reported by those who die by suicide previous to death. An individual may also feel that they areShow MoreRelatedSuicide And Shneidman s Theory Of Suicide782 Words   |  4 PagesThere are several theories that attempt to understand suicide, such as Durkheim’s Sociological Theory of Suicide and Shneidman’s Theory of Suicide as Psychache. However, one of the newest and most well known theories is Joiner’s Interpersonal Theory of Suicide. The goal of this theory is to under stand suicide at an interpersonal level. More specifically, it evaluates why individuals engage in suicidal behavior and identifies individuals who are at risk for engaging in such behaviors. There are threeRead MoreSuicide And Its Impact On The United States1556 Words   |  7 PagesSuicide has historically been and continues to be a significant issue in the United States, for civilians as well as active duty military service members and veterans. While statistics surrounding suicide appear to be just numbers on a page, I personally implore the reader of the following paper to never lose sight of the fact that those numbers represent real people. Each one of those people, be they civilian or military, represent a loss of a father or a mother, a brother or a sister, a son orRead MoreEssay about Aboriginal People of Canada1281 Words   |  6 Pagesless than 3% of the total population in BC. Yet, they account for more than 9% of all suicides in BC (Chandler). The numbers of suici des amongst aboriginal youth are even more alarming – nearly one-fourth of all youth suicides in BC are committed by aboriginals and more than half of all aboriginal suicides are committed by youth (Chandler). The fact that indigenous communities in Canada have the highest rate of suicide of any culturally identifiable group in the world implies that these alarming statisticsRead MoreFactors That May Be Responsible For Aboriginal Suicide1281 Words   |  6 Pagesless than 3% of the total population in BC. Yet, they account for more than 9% of all suicides in BC (Chandler). The numbers of suicides amongst aboriginal youth are even more alarming – nearly one-fourth of all youth suicides in BC are committed by aboriginals and more than half of all aboriginal suicides are committed by youth (Chandler). The fact that indigenous communities in Canada have the highest rate of suicide of any culturally identifiable group in the world implies that these alarming statisticsRead MorePsychology1709 Words   |  7 PagesBehavior Suicide is a major, preventable current public health issue in the United States. In 2007, it was the tenth leading cause of death in our country, with the number of suicides reaching 34,598. Additionally, it is widely agreed upon that approximately eleven attempted suicides occur for every one successful suicide attempt (National Institute of Mental Health). There is a negative stigma surrounding suicidal and self-harming behaviors that discourages people from talking about suicide or seekingRead MoreThe Consequences of Adolescent Suicide1241 Words   |  5 PagesThe act of suicide is an event that has been woven in to the fabric of our culture since our country’s inception. In order to conceptualize and define the problem of suicide, it is important to examine the various views of taking one’s own life. Suicide, and its tragic aftermath, has been the source of award winning movies such as Ordinary People and Leaving Las Vegas, along with the public debate, regardin g assisted euthanasia, spotlighted in the case of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Reports of skyrocketingRead MoreInvestigating The Conflicts Within Organizations And Will Be Concentrate On Its Specific Source Of Conflicts1396 Words   |  6 Pageswill also focus on the recent main issues within electronic manufacturer which the phenomenon of suicide and over work time, with regard of the economical environment. In addition, political environment and interpersonal relationship which will influencing conflicts will be considered in this paper. Such source of conflicts appear increasingly prevalent within the organisation such as bullying, interpersonal conflicts, job authority. Although some of the organisational conflicts can be resolved to someRead MoreHypothesis Teen Suicide875 Words   |  4 Pages2004, suicide amongst children, especially teens has risen drastically. Contemplating suicide at any age is horrible. When a teenage, who has the ability to make informed decisions and has all t he potential in the world, considers committing suicide, this is a tragedy. The tragedy suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 15-24. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. This paper attempts to list theories and hypothesis testing the theories of suspectingRead MoreCase Study : Depression And Suicide Ideations With A Suicide Plan1106 Words   |  5 PagesCase Study: Depression and Suicide Ideations with a Suicide Plan This case study is on client, Harold, referred to Greenbrier Behavioral Health Center, an intensive outpatient program (IOP), from Greenbrier Behavioral Health Hospital. The client is a 43 year old, retired, white male, living in Slidell, Louisiana. His highest level of education is a GED. He is married with two children ages 8 and 12. He recently retired after more than 20 years from the police force. Harold is overweight, wearingRead MoreVeteran Suicide Perspectives And Assumptions . There Is1456 Words   |  6 PagesVeteran Suicide Perspectives and Assumptions There is an epidemic running rampant throughout the ranks of veterans and current active duty military within the United States. Even if we try to turn a blind eye or ignore the problem, the fact is that roughly an average of twenty-two veterans commit suicide each and every day across America. Some would say this is due in part to the service members experiencing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), others would say this is due to service members

Essay on Why Read Literature - 671 Words

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Nothing teaches us better than literature to see, in ethnic and cultural differences, the richness of the human patrimony, and to prize those differences as manifestation humanity’s multi-faceted creativity. Reading good literature is an experience of pleasure, of course; but it is also an experience of learning what and how we are, on our human integrity and our human imperfection, with our actions, our dreams, and our ghosts, alone and in a relationship that link us to others, in our public image and in the secret recesses of our consciousness. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The bond that literature establishes among human beings compels them to enter into dialogue. The bond also makes them conscious of a†¦show more content†¦Without reading and untouched by literature will resemble a community of mutes and those of lost expressions afflicted tremendous problems of communication due to its crude and rude language. This is true for individuals, too. A person who does not read, or reads little, or reads only trash, is a person who speaks much but he/she will say little words such as curse words, because his/her vocabulary is lacking in the means for self-expression. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Reading Literature is not only a verbal expression, but also represents a limitation on intellect and in imagination. It is a poverty of thought, for the simple reason to grasp our knowledge and ask what is the importance of life? We learn how to speak correctly--and deeply and subtly-- from good literature and only from good literature. No other discipline or branch of the arts can substitute for literature in crafting the language that people need to communicate. To speak well, to have at one’s disposal a rich and diverse language, to be able to find appropriate expression for every idea and every emotion that we want to communicate, is to be better prepared to think, to teach, to learn, to converse, and also to fantasize, to dream, to feel. In a secret way, words repeat in all our action, evenShow MoreRelatedWhy We Read Literature918 Words   |  4 PagesWhy we read literature The word literature means ‘acquaintance with letters.’ With literature we can put anything and everything into words and play it like a video for someone else to see. It is a profession where words are arranged in such a way that they describe, feelings, emotions, experiences etc. it describes society and the people living in it, what they think of it and what they want it to be. There are many reasons to why we read literature. We could read it for information which is toRead MoreWhy Do We Read Literature?938 Words   |  4 PagesLiterature has become an unalienable part of human life for centuries. However, it is worth asking, â€Å"Why do we read literature?† What powers does it have that we prioritize literature in our lives and culture? There can be innumerable answers to this question. I recall a famous dialogue from the movie Dead Poets Society (1989), â€Å"Medicine, law, business, engineering: these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. Poetry, beauty, romance, love- these are what we stay alive for.† LiteratureRead MoreEssay about Critique on I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read946 Words   |  4 PagesIn Francine Prose’s â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read: How American High School Students Learn to Loathe Literature†, the author is trying to explain why high school students are not asked to read more quality pieces of literature now a days. In my opinion I agree with Prose because I think the texts we read in high school are not challenging and not a lot of students enjoy the readings because they cannot relate. Prose uses the rhetorical strategy of degrading the books high school studentsRead MoreCritical Analysis Skills Developed Through Writing a Reflection Paper870 Words   |  4 Pagesfeelings down about what I had learned in a class that I had to read literature and then interpret those readings into journal entries addressed to my fellow students. This left me a little intimidated. So to start the ideas flowing, I went back to the beginning. I looked up the â€Å"Week One Letter† to the student and re-read the description and goal of the course. Dr. Doe stated in the letter that, â€Å"we will be reading a variety of literature for a better understanding of the ideals, values, and attitudesRead MoreThe Importance of Literature to Humanity1298 Words   |   6 PagesThe Importance of Literature to Humanity â€Å"Literature speaks the language of the imagination, and the study of literature is supposed to train and improve the imagination† (Frye 134). According to Northrop Frye the imagination is the combination between emotions and intellect in every individual. The more an individual is exposed to literature the better that person is at expanding their imagination, which he calls the educated imagination. Having an educated imagination helps one to think for themselvesRead MoreLiterature : The Things They Carried1119 Words   |  5 Pages Literature comes in all sizes. Literature doesn’t focus on a specific genre; it can be about anything from war, to violence, to race. Literature is made up of different histories from different eras with different writing styles. Literature is made of meaning and hidden messages. When you read literature, you will know it is literature because it’s about human experience. You have to read between the lines to decide what the hidden meaning is. Literature doesn’t explicitly tell us, instead usesRead More Classification Essay - Good Books and Great Books521 Words   |  3 Pagessome books are more so than others. Surely Daniel Steele is a far cry from William Shakespeare, but what exactly is the difference? Even in the realm of quality literature there are still good books and great books. The difference between the importance of good and great books is also why it is so important to read great literature: Great books have a scope much larger than good ones. Good and great books differ by nature, not by degree. A good book is not almost a great one; a greatRead MoreLiterature and Its Relevance in Modern Times1515 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Heiges ENGL 203-525 Ms. Nair Feb 8, 2013 Literature and its Relevance in Modern Times Before the importance of literature is discussed we must ask ourselves: â€Å"What is literature?† Many individuals that are asked that question will often give a complex answer for it seems to be a complex word. Some of the answers may include â€Å"it involves reading† or â€Å"it’s when you write†. These are both true, but when you actually think about it, literature is so much more than that, especially with how oftenRead MoreThe Importance Of Literature1004 Words   |  5 Pagesability to read, view, write, speak, and listen in a way that allows you to communicate effectively. The power of literacy lies not just in the ability to read and write, but rather in a person’s capacity to apply these skills in the world which they live in. Nowadays, nearly everywhere requires you to have some sort of literature background for you to be able to work or get a job. I believe that in order to have a successful life, you need to have some sort of literat ure background. Literature is a veryRead MoreAccording To â€Å"Why We Read: The University, The Humanities,1336 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to â€Å"Why We Read: The University, the Humanities, and the Province of Literature, Richter illustrates why literature should be studied in the first place. David Richter is an English professor who was very dedicated to his job. In this article, he had five section: English Literature as an Object of Study, The Era of Grand Theory and Cultural Wars, Reading Liberation; Teaching as a Propaganda, The Function of English at the Present Time and After the Culture Wars: The Problem of Disciplinary

Examine different attitudes to war through comparing poetry Essay Example For Students

Examine different attitudes to war through comparing poetry Essay Rupert Brooke and Wilfred Owen are poets who fought for England in the First World War. Both poets depict the same topic of war, but through different views and opinions. Despite them pertaining to the similarly themed subject, their language and tone invoke contrasting feelings in readers and affects their impression of war in opposite ways. Examples of these differences can be seen in the two poems by Rupert Brook The Dead (iii) and The Soldier and two by Wilfred Owen Anthem for Doomed Youth and Dulcet et Decorum Est. Rupert Brooke writes The Dead (iii) in an extremely relaxed and romantic mood. Brooke had not experienced war, so with this in mind the poem seems very clear and concise. Brooke aims to show us the glory that is brought about by dying for your country. He thinks that war is a simple and dignified cause. He aims to make us more patriotic and convince us to die for our country in war. The first line is very energetic and Joyous for a horrendous subject such as war. This may mean that Brooke tries to symbolism enthusiasm and glory. Since bugles are used at a grand occasion, but also militarily charges and retreats he may be trying to indicate that dying for your country is a glorious way to end your life. Blow out, you bugles, over the rich Dead! As he says, it has made them rich. This probably means that they are wealthy with glory, praise and admiration. He makes no mention of the pain and suffering in war. The third line explains that dying has again made them important. But, dying has made us rarer gifts than gold. Gold is very rare, so by dying they have been them valuable and unique. Brooke is trying to signify that not many people sacrifice their lives this way. This in Brooks belief is a very honorable and glorious practice. The sestets explains to us how the soldiers dying bring England a lot of honor and credibility. Honor has come back, as a king, to earth, And paid his subjects with a royal wage; The peace that has been present for so long has made her weak. Heritage is use to clearly link with the overall theme of payment and reward. It implies that which is rightfully theirs, has been successfully implemented. And we have come into our heritage. In The Soldier, Brooke feels content to die for his motherland to protect the people left behind. The title conveys a sense of pride and loyalty to the reader. Although fully aware of the possibility of death, indicated by the line If I should die, think only this of me: Even if his ashes, his richer earth, were to lie in a land distant from England, his love would still be forever. This is further stressed when his relationship is compared to the bond between mother and child. A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware, His purpose of fighting for his country is to protect England, indicated by the words, Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam, His sense of pride and honor is so strong that he does not dwell on the gloom and misery that is associated with war, instead views it as if through rose-tinted glasses. Even if his contributions were minute, shown by the comparison of, A pulse in the eternal mind Give somewhere back the though ts England given, He is happy to repay England and wishes to preserve her laughter and gentleness for the future. This contentment and happiness is clearly shown by the words peace and heaven, even if he is dead, he can rest in peace as he has loyally served his country. This patriotism is frequently brought to attention with the repeated use of the word England and English throughout the poem. The Soldier gives out an optimistic tone, making war out to be a peaceful and heroic CT. It is written in the form of a Patriarchal sonnet, which is traditionally used to express personal thoughts and feelings. This could have been the reason why Rupert Brooke chose to write in this form. It is also an autobiographical poem in which the author expresses a personal viewpoint on war and his love for his country. Rupert Brooke also makes use of iambic pentameters, which is a line containing five stresses. It gives his written words authority by using this classical verse. It also provides a rhythm, which reminds the reader of a heartbeat or a pulse. This helps in making his argument more convincing. The stanzas are separated into two. The octave talks about the possibility of death while the sestets talks about death itself and what his sacrifice will mean for England. It gives the traditional, naive and biased view of war. It also gives a pastoral description yet a biased view of England as he blatantly ignores the negative side of England only mentioning its best side. He uses a religious diction, for example the last line reads, In hearts at peace, under an English heaven. This reveals Brooks belief in God and Heaven. This is what makes the poem sound somewhat like a sermon. Rupert Brooke expresses patriotism and his conviction that England is worth fighting for as he also claims that God is on Englands side by saying blest by the suns of home. By believing in this, Rupert Brooke makes himself believe that he should sacrifice his own life for England and by doing so he would be returning the favor of being born British and so believes it is an honor to go to war and an even greater honor to die in battle for ones country and in return, portrays in his poem an image of one dying a painless death. Such a view is in the Victorian tradition of war which viewed it as a glorious and bole enterprise, with such poems as Tennyson Charge of the Light Brigade. The life of the students EssayThis is hon. when he writes, like a man in fire or lime; as in the days of plague where lime was used as a substance to decompose dead bodies, and in saying this, he says that those who enter war, those who actually participate and experience war at its worst, for them there is no return to normality, or indeed humanity. He writes about a soldier who had died of poisonous gas inhalation and describes it vividly, trying to make the reader imagine the scenes before him using the present progressive verb form ending with -ins. For example, He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning. This gives the sense of immediacy, that the reader is actually witnessing the soldiers death. This soldier died by breathing in poisonous gas. Then Owen describes how the mans dead body was treated, Behind the wagon that we flung him in, And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devils sick of sin, This shows the pain he was in, as he was on the brink of death. This is to illustrate that as the devil is destined to commit evil until the end of time, it has come to the extent that even the devil is sick of the amount of evil and torture around it. The elisions diction used here symbolizes the relationship between war and the devil and that they too, are playing on the same grounds as the devil. A direct address to the readers is also used, using a persuasive technique, especially in the last stanza, for example, If you could hear in line 21, My friend, you would not tell in line 25, This is so that the reader would feel sympathetic towards him and the soldiers. It is almost as if Owen is begging the reader to understand. Through describing this mans tragic death and his burial, Wilfred Owen tries to change the views of the public. The use of fricatives symbolizes the harsh reality of war as by using fricatives, for example a hard c is used in words such as corrupted and cud, it becomes as though the reader can actually hear the person dying as it sounds like choking and so writes in a very vivid form. In the last few sentences he makes his final message clear, My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old lie: Dulcet et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mort. Again he makes a personal plea to the reader telling them not to tell children that AR is a patriotic act and the only answer to the worlds problems. It is in fact the worst possible answer, there can never be honor as a result of war and there are only dire consequences. Brooks love for England is shown throughout his work. As in Dulcet et Decorum Est repetition and alliteration used. The words Engl and and English are repeated many times to show his love for his country and alliteration such as, Her sights and sounds magnify the beauty of England. It is also used to mask the horrors of death on a battlefield as it states, That theres some corner of a foreign field. He also believes that heaven will look similar to England by stating under an English heaven and therefore also believes in the superiority of the English, a richer dust concealed. Owen, on the other hand, witnessed twentieth century war in all its cruel destructiveness and as a consequence brought war poetry into the modern era. Although both poets write about the same topic, which is war, they both have different views and attitudes towards it. Perhaps this is because of their different experiences with war. Brooke is like a new soldier, naive and yet to experience its horrors. Owen writes as if he has Just witnessed the worst, as he was involved with the uglier and bloodier part of the war. He also reveals the effects both on and off the battlefield. Both authors have distinctly different impressions of war because of their different experiences, but ultimately, both describe the subject, although from totally opposite sides. The two poets really contrast and oppose each other greatly. Brooke writes about war idealistically and with passion, Whereas Owen does the complete opposite. Owens poem is however more reliable since he has experienced war. The Dead was written before the war. The Soldier was written in 1914, a year before Brooke died, and Owen wrote Dulcet et Decorum Est in 1917, three years after the First World War had started. In these dates we may find the reasons behind the conflicting ideology the two men gained. Brook wrote his poem at the beginning of the war, and so the ideas and perceptions of war and fighting for ones country as being noble and heroic were still fresh in his mind and the publics. Owen, on the other hand, wrote his poem three years into the war and in that time was able to see and accept the realities of war, so his perception of war was changed to bitterness ND this was reflected in his many poems such as Anthem for Doomed Youth in which he reveals the same feelings on war as he does in Dulcet et Decorum Est.

The magic and illusion Essay Example

The magic and illusion Essay Prospero has a servant in the form of the spirit Ariel. Ariel has lots of special powers himself. He can be invisible and cause lots of apparitions to take place. Sometimes, Ariel is visible to everyone on the stage. Obviously, the audience can see him whenever he appears on stage, but during certain times in the play, he is invisible to different people. To show this in the 17th century would have been very hard. Clues have to be taken from the script which suggests when Ariel was invisible to certain people. Another way of learning when he is visible to different people is to study the way in which he speaks. If he speaks to someone directly, he will normally be visible to them. If he speaks to the audience rather than to the person, he is invisible. A 17th century audience would have to bear this in mind when watching the play. Being very superstitious, they would understand, however, that spirits only appear to certain people at certain times, so it would not be too hard for them to take this on board. An example of Ariel being invisible to only a section of the actors on the stage is in Act 1 Scene 2, when Ariel sings an enchanting song to Ferdinand, luring him to meet Miranda. We will write a custom essay sample on The magic and illusion specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The magic and illusion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The magic and illusion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Neither Miranda nor Ferdinand can see the spirit, but Prospero can, and he talks to Ariel, promising to set him free. In Act 3 Scene 3, Prospero conjures up a banquet for Alonso and the rest of the royal party. Just as the members of the party prepare to eat, the banquet disappears. This would have been very difficult to show in the 17th century. I cannot think of any way 17th century actors would have been able to show this, apart from standing the banquet table on a trap door and then releasing the trap door. This is not a perfect way of showing the table disappear, but it is the only way I can think of showing it in 17th century theatre. Towards the end of the play, a lot is said about Gods of the Ancient Romans, particularly Juno, Ceres and Iris. In most Jacobean masques, there was a lot of emphasis on classical mythology. Prosperos masque is no different. Audiences in 17th century England would have a basic knowledge of Ancient Roman and Greek gods. They would know the names of the gods and what they stood for. Before the masque, Ariel appeared as a harpy to Alonso and his friends. A harpy was part of ancient mythology. A 17th century audience would take the events in The Tempest as gospel. They believed in witchcraft and spirits. The Tempest was all about these things, so the people just took it as a play which included, and may have been based on, real incidents. The inclusion of Caliban within the play gives an insight into 17th century travel. America was a relatively new country as far as Europe was concerned. Europeans considered themselves civilised. When they encountered a new race of people, they were considered uncivilised and savage. This is emphasised in Caliban, who is shown as a monster. He is ridiculed by Prospero an educated and civilised Duke, and when Trinculo discovers him, he considers taking him back to Italy as a sort of freak-show. Were I in England and had but this fish painted, not a holiday fool there but would give a piece of silver: there would this monster make a man; any strange beast there makes a man: when they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see a dead Indian. Europeans did not understand the new race of people that they had found, and because they were different, they were considered dangerous. In the play it is said that Calibans mother was a witch. This adds to the bad attitude of the Europeans to the Native Americans. The Tempest is based around Italy, but Shakespeare still refers to the Englishs attitude towards foreigners, by making Trinculo talk about what it would be like if he were in England. He does not just mention any country in Europe he mentions England. Maybe this is because Shakespeare did not have any knowledge of other European countries attitudes, or perhaps he just thought England was the worst in this way. Things are very different in the 21st century. We no longer believe in superstitions such as witches and evil spirits. There is always the odd person who holds onto old beliefs, but generally, we are rid of those superstitions. Science and mathematics can explain most things that happen. For a world that no longer believes in witches and monsters, we still have a lot to do with these things. We read horror books about beings coming back from the dead; we still celebrate Halloween; we watch films of vampires and witches. In the 17th century, these things would have been taken very seriously. Nowadays, however, it is only for fun that we do these things. Shakespeares plays are still watched the world over, the same plays that were watched when he first wrote them. They have not been changed and so still contain wizards, witches, monsters and spirits within them. However, modern-day directors have to find a way of presenting these magical creatures to a modern-day audience without them appearing comical. As part of the play, the characters must be taken reasonably seriously so that the story can be appreciated. 21st century audiences expect more from a play than they would have done 300 years ago, even if the play were written that long ago. Although modern directors have a somewhat harder task than their 17th century counterparts, they have technology on their side. Technology has increased magnificently since The Tempest was first performed, and this enables directors to create more spectacular special effects. Electricity plays a massive part in these effects. With the use of electricity, different lighting can easily be used for different scenes, to create different atmospheres. The first major part of the play takes place on the ship during the storm. More elegant scenery can be used to create the impression that the actors are indeed on a ship. Special lighting used alongside sound effects, can be used to give the impression of sailing on the sea. Thunder and lighting can be heard in the distance with the aid of a sound recorder. Prospero has a lot of powers. As well as controlling the elements, he has power over human beings. After telling Miranda the story of how they arrived to be on the island, Prospero wishes to talk to Ariel. Miranda does not know of the existence of Ariel, so before he talks to his servant, Prospero sends her to sleep. He does this by making her sit on his magic cloak, and then by a sort of hypnosis, she falls asleep. This act of magic does not require any special effects. All it needs is good acting by the actors playing Miranda and Ferdinand for the audience to believe that it is happening. A lot of the magic events that take place in the Tempest are similar to the one above. Many do not need special effects, and just rely on the talents of the actors. When Prospero freezes Ferdinand, all the actor playing Ferdinand has to do is simply stand still. After the storm, the next magic event that would require some thought would be when Ariel sings a song to Ferdinand about his father. Ariel at this time is invisible to Ferdinand. To make this clear to the audience, Ariel could be suspended by some wires above Ferdinand, so he cannot see the spirit. Alternatively, only Ariels voice could be heard, so it is clear that the spirit cannot be seen. This trick could be used when Ariel overhears Sebastian and Antonio plotting to kill Alonso. He could hover above the traitors in the same way that he did when luring Ferdinand to Miranda. When he sends the group to sleep, he could sprinkle some glitter or some kind of dust over them. That way, it is visible to the audience that something is going on. The main acts of magic are the banquet, the masque and Ariel appearing as a harpy. The banquet and the harpy incident could be shown by the same method. Both are illusions that disappear after being seen by Alonsos group. Both these incidents could be shown by holograms, which could be projected from the back of the theatre onto the stage. Advanced computer imaging could make it seem as if the harpy was talking, then the hologram could simply disappear, making it seem as if the objects were actually on the stage and have vanished. Despite what the audience believes outside a theatre, once inside, they are usually willing to believe anything as long as it makes good theatre. Most people will let go of their normal beliefs if it means that they will enjoy the show more. Directors have to keep this in mind. Maybe the audience will not believe in spirits and witches in everyday life, but if a play they are watching contains these things, they will accept them, as long as they are made reasonably believeable. For a play to be successful, a director has to make sure that the illusions and magic are portrayed as realistically as possible and the audience can believe for a while that these things are real.