Little Buddha The Path of the Enlightenment

Despite the fact that Bertolucci’s movie has a number of flaws, historical inaccuracies and a rather jumbled plot, it can still be considered a rather impressive and memorable interpretation of Siddhartha and the Four Noble Truths. The first noble truth, i.e., the truth of dukkha, or suffering and anxiety, is shown in Siddhartha’s battle with Mara, i.e., the demon representing the ego.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Little Buddha: The Path of the Enlightenment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the process, Jesse practically defeats himself; thus, through the denial of his self, he learns the nature of non-self, which leads him to the Enlightenment. The Second Truth, i.e., the origin of dukkha, is represented by Jesse’s parents, whose ignorance prevents them from letting Jesse join the ranks of the Buddhist monks. The representation of the Third Truth i.e., the cessation of dukkha, can be t raced in Jesse’s way from a Buddhist to a Buddha. Eventually, the movie unwraps the secret of the Fourth Truth, which is the path to the cessation of dukkha, as the leading character fights his personal demons to become the Enlightened One. The movie follows the source material very closely, representing each part of The Dhammapada in a unique and original way. Pairs: Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is a law eternal (The Dhammapada). In the scene with the serpent, the latter embodies hatred. Just as rain does not break through a well-thatched house, so passion never penetrates a well-developed mind (The Dhammapada). The given concept is shown through Siddhartha’s fight with the serpent. Heedfulness: Heedlessness is the path to death (The Dhammapada).Advertising We wil l write a custom essay sample on Little Buddha: The Path of the Enlightenment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Ever grows the glory of him who is energetic mindful and pure in conduct, discerning and self-controlled, righteous and heedful (The Dhammapada). As Siddhartha acquires new skills and learns new ideas, he fights his heedlessness. The mind: As a fish when pulled out of waterAdvertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More and cast on land throbs and quivers, even so is this mind agitated. Hence should one abandon the realm of Mara (The Dhammapada). Whatever harm an enemy may do to an enemy, or a hater to a hater, an ill-directed mind inflicts on oneself a greater harm (The Dhammapada). Again, the scene with the snake represents the pitfall of hatred. Flowers: As a mighty flood sweeps away the sleeping village, so death carries away the person of distracted mind who only plucks the flowers (of pleasure) (The Dhammapada). Upon a heap of rubbish in the road-side ditch blooms a lotus, fragrant and pleasing (The Dhammapada). With lotuses representing pleasures, the movie portrays the dangers of indulging into pleasures well enough. The fool: A fool who knows his foolishness is wise at least to that extent, but a fool who thinks himself wise is a fool indeed (The Dhammapada). Fools of little wit are enemies unto themselves (The Dhammapada) The concept of a fool is introduced by Siddhartha’s parents, who are at first unwilling to let their son become Sidhartha. The wise: On hearing the Teachings, the wise become perfectly purified, like a lake deep, clear and still (The Dhammapada). Those whose minds have reached full excellence in the factors of enlightenment, who, having renounced acquisitiveness, rejoice in not clinging to things — rid of cankers, glowing with wisdom, they have attained Nibbana in this very life (The Dhammapada). Wisdom, on the contrary, is introduced in the scenes with the monks. The arahant: The fever of passion exists not for him who has completed the journey (The Dhammapada) Inspiring, indeed, is that place where Arahants dwell, be it a village, a forest, a vale, or a hill (The Dhammapada) In the scene when the lead becomes Siddhartha, the latter is shown as a person who yet has much to learn. The thousands: Better than a thousand useless words is one useful word (The Dhammapada) Better it is to live one day strenuous and resolute than to live a h undred years sluggish and dissipated (The Dhammapada). The scene in which Siddhartha turns thousands of flaming arrows into flowers can be considered an allusion for Thousands. Evil: Hasten to do good; restrain your mind from evil. He who is slow in doing good, his mind delights in evil. (The Dhammapada) The snake in the movie represents evil. Some are born in the womb; the wicked are born in hell; the devout go to heaven; the stainless pass into Nibbana. (The Dhammapada) Siddhartha’s path to wisdom represents a progression from evil to stainless. Violence: Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill. (The Dhammapada) Speak not harshly to anyone, for those thus spoken to might retort. (The Dhammapada) In the movie, Siddhartha is intrinsically kind. Old Age: The man of little learning grows old like a bull. He grows only in bulk, but, his wisdom does not grow. (The Dhammapada) Those who in youth have not led the holy life, or have fai led to acquire wealth, languish like old cranes in the pond without fish. (The Dhammapada) The silly monks in the movie show that there are few links between age and wisdom. The self: One should first establish oneself in what is proper; then only should one instruct others. Thus the wise man will not be reproached. (The Dhammapada) By oneself is evil done; by oneself is one defiled. (The Dhammapada) By defeating his self, Siddhartha reaches his dhamma in the movie. The world: Lead a righteous life; lead not a base life. (The Dhammapada) Blind is the world; here only a few possess insight. Only a few, like birds escaping from the net, go to realms of bliss. (The Dhammapada) The world is depicted as a very secular place in the movie. The Buddha: Hard is it to be born a man; hard is the life of mortals. (The Dhammapada) Enduring patience is the highest austerity. â€Å"Nibbana is supreme,† say the Buddhas. He is not a true monk who harms another, nor a true renunciate who oppre sses others. (The Dhammapada) As the movie explains, â€Å"the gods often betray the wishes of mortal men† (Bertolucci). Happiness: Happy indeed we live, we who possess nothing. Feeders on joy we shall be, like the Radiant Gods. (The Dhammapada) There is no fire like lust and no crime like hatred (The Dhammapada). The movie declares that the happiness is an unattainable goal, which is still worth striving for: â€Å"In the end, happiness to us all, My Lord† (Bertolucci). Affection: From affection springs grief, from affection springs fear. (The Dhammapada) From craving springs grief, from craving springs fear. (The Dhammapada) Siddhartha is taught to take control of his passions in the movie. Anger: Overcome the angry by non-anger (The Dhammapada). Let a man guard himself against irritability in speech; let him be controlled in speech. (The Dhammapada) The training that the leading character undergoes represent the process of fighting anger. Impurity: Make an island un to yourself! Strive hard and become wise! (The Dhammapada) Unchastity is the taint in a woman; niggardliness is the taint in a giver. (The Dhammapada) The concept of purity is expressed through using the pronoun â€Å"he† when talking about the female llama: â€Å"Llama Dorje wasn’t a woman. He was the abbessof a convent† (Bertolucci). The just: Not by mere eloquence nor by beauty of form does a man become accomplished, if he is jealous, selfish and deceitful. (The Dhammapada) The sage (thus) rejecting the evil, is truly a sage. (The Dhammapada) The movie shows that being just is the ultimate path to Enlightenment. The path: Of all the paths the Eightfold Path is the best; of all the truths the Four Noble Truths are the best; of all things passionlessness is the best: of men the Seeing One (the Buddha) is the best. (The Dhammapada) The eight folds of the oath are shown through the stages of Siddhartha’s enlightenment. â€Å"All conditioned things are uns atisfactory† (The Dhammapada) Miscellaneous: If by renouncing a lesser happiness one may realize a greater happiness, let the wise man renounce the lesser, having regard for the greater. (The Dhammapada) Therefore, be not an aimless wanderer, be not a pursuer of suffering. (The Dhammapada) Suffering is mentioned several times in the movie as both the path to dhamma and something to free the world from: â€Å"I have been born to reach Enlightenment†¦ and free all creatures from suffering† (Bertolucci). Hell: There are many evil characters and uncontrolled men wearing the saffron robe. (The Dhammapada) Any loose act, any corrupt observance, any life of questionable celibacy — none of these bear much fruit. (The Dhammapada) Weirdly enough, the idea of hell does not occur in the movie. The elephant: Best among men is the subdued one who endures abuse. (The Dhammapada) Better it is to live alone; there is no fellowship with a fool. (The Dhammapada) By being able to withstand the arrogance of the rest of the world, he is able to reach dhamma. Craving: Whoever is overcome by this wretched and sticky craving, his sorrows grow like grass after the rains. (The Dhammapada) Beset by craving, people run about like an entrapped hare. (The Dhammapada) Siddhartha’s enemies are displayed in the movie as the people with wretched cravings. The monk: The monk who abides in the Dhamma, delights in the Dhamma, meditates on the Dhamma, and bears the Dhamma well in mind — he does not fall away from the sublime Dhamma. (The Dhammapada) Empty this boat, O monk! Emptied, it will sail lightly. Rid of lust and hatred, you shall reach Nibbana. (The Dhammapada) The final scene in the movie shows Siddhartha reaching Dhamma. The holy man: He who is free of cares and is unfettered — him do I call a holy man. (The Dhammapada) Because he has discarded evil, he is called a holy man. (The Dhammapada) Both verses can be referred to Siddhartha’s p ath of becoming a holy man. Two scenes stand out especially in the movie. To start with, Siddhartha’s first encounter with his demons is worth mentioning. Another impressive scene comes at the very end of the movie, when the sand mandala, which must have been representing the passage from the secular life to the Enlightenment. The given scenes represent the key Dhammapada postulates, i.e., the pursuit of wisdom and the completeness of the Path.  Finally, the showdown between Mara and Siddhartha deserves a mentioning. Though shot in a typically Hollywood traditions, it still carries the flair of the original story. The fight with Mara can also be considered an attempt to cease dukkha, i.e., access the Fourth Truth, seeing how Mara clearly represents Siddhartha’s tortures: â€Å"You are pure illusion, you do not exist. The earth is my witness† (Bertolucci). Works Cited Bertolucci, Bernardo (Dir.) and Jeremy Thomas (Ex. Prod.). Little Buddha. Keanu Reeves, Bridge t Fonda, Chris Isaac (Perf.). New York, NY: Miramax Films. 1993. Web. Netflix. The Dhammapada. n. d. Web. This essay on Little Buddha: The Path of the Enlightenment was written and submitted by user Hayley T. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Fight for Womens Rights in the Past and Present

The Fight for Women's Rights in the Past and Present The meaning of womens rights has varied through time and across cultures. Today, there is still a lack of consensus about what constitutes womens rights. Some would argue a womans ability to control family size is a fundamental womens right. Others would argue womens rights fall under workplace equality or the chance to serve in the military in the same ways that men do. Many would argue that all of the above should be deemed womens rights. The term typically refers to whether women are treated as mens equals, but sometimes it specifically refers to special circumstances that affect women, such as job protection when they take time off for maternity leave, though men in the U.S. are increasingly taking paternity leave. While men and women may both be victims of social ills and violence related to human trafficking and rape, protection against these crimes is often described as beneficial to womens rights. The implementation of various laws and policies over the years paints a historical picture of the benefits that were considered to be womens rights at one time. Societies in the ancient, classical, and medieval worlds show how womens rights, even if not referred to by that term, differed from culture to culture. United Nations Convention on Rights of Women The 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, signed by many United Nations member states, asserts that womens rights belong to the political, economic, social, cultural, civil realms. According to the convention text,  which became an international treaty in 1981: Any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field. The declaration specifically addresses eliminating prejudice in public education, giving women full political rights to vote and run for public office, as well as marriage and divorce rights that equal mens. The document also called for the elimination of child marriage and sex trafficking while also mentioning equality for women in the criminal justice system and in the workplace. The NOW Statement of Purpose In 1966, the National Organization for Women (NOW) formed and wrote a statement of purpose that summarizes key womens rights issues of that time. The rights outlined were based on the idea of equality as an opportunity for women to develop their fullest human potentials and to put women into the mainstream of American political, economic and social life. The womens rights issues identified included those in these areas of employment and economics, education, family, political participation, and racial justice. The 1855 Marriage Protest In their 1855 marriage ceremony, womens rights advocates Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell refused to honor laws that interfered with the rights of married women in particular. They advocated for wives to be able to legally exist outside of a husbands control, to inherit and own real estate, and have the right to their own wages. Stone and Blackwell also campaigned for wives to be able to choose their own names and place of residence and to sign contracts. They demanded that married mothers be granted custody of their children and be able to sue in court as well. Seneca Falls Womens Rights Convention In 1848, the first known womens rights convention in the world took place in Seneca Falls, New York. There, organizers of the convention declared that men and women are created equal. As such, the feminists gathered demanded that women immediately be given the rights and privileges due to them as U.S. citizens. In their Declaration of Sentiments, the Seneca Falls participants insisted that women should be able to vote, have property rights, including the right to the income they earned, and to pursue higher education and a variety of professions, such as theology, medicine, and law. Womens Rights in the 1700s In the 1700s, influential women also spoke out about womens rights from time to time. Abigail Adams, the wife of U.S. founding father and second President John Adams, asked her husband to remember the ladies in a letter in which she discussed disparities in womens and mens education. Hannah Moore, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Judith Sargent Murray focused especially on womens right to an adequate education. They used their writing to advocate for women having influence over social, religious, moral, and political decisions. In A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1791–1792), Wollstonecraft called for women to be educated, have equality in marriage, and have control over family size. In 1791 during the French Revolution, Olympe de Gouges wrote and published the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Citizen. In this document, she called for women to have free speech, including the right to name the father of their children and equality for out-of-wedlock children, a demand that suggested that women had the same right as men to have sexual relationships outside of marriage. Treatment of Women in the Ancient World In the ancient, classical, and medieval world, womens rights differed somewhat from culture to culture. In some cases, women were essentially regarded as slaves or children under the authority of their husbands or fathers. Women were largely confined to the home and lacked the right to come and go as they pleased. They also had been deprived of the right to choose or refuse marriage partners or end a marriage. Whether women could dress as they liked was an issue during this time as well. A number of these concerns and others continued to be problems for women in the centuries that followed. They included a lack of custodial rights over children, especially after a divorce; the inability of women to own property, run businesses, and control their own wages, income, and wealth. Women in the ancient, classical, and medieval world also faced employment discrimination, barriers to education, a lack of voting rights, and the inability to represent themselves in lawsuits and court actions. In the centuries since, women have advocated for these rights and more, but the struggle for equality hasnt ended. Women still face employment discrimination and barriers to healthcare, while single mothers are at great risk of falling into poverty.

Make a research on a geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Make a research on a geography - Essay Example McDonald’s dates its origin to the opening of a franchised restaurant by Ray Kroc, in Des Plaines, Illinois in the year 1955, the ninth McDonalds restaurant overall. Ray Kroc in the later years purchased the McDonald brothers equity in the company and launched its worldwide expansion. In fact the company became so popular that with the successful expansion into the international markets it was called as the symbol of globalization. However, in the recent years it was also debated that the company was responsible for spreading unhealthy eating habits and has increased the incidence of obesity and other health problems. Besides, its prominence has also made it a common subject of public debates about corporate ethics and consumer responsibility. McDonalds restaurants are found in about 100-120 countries and territories around the world. In general, it is estimated that it serve nearly 54 million customers each day. McDonalds has become symbolic of globalization and since it is directly identified with United States culture and lifestyle, its expansion into the international market has been pointed out by critics as a part of Americanization and American cultural imperialism. Anti-globalization is a common term used to describe the political stance of people and groups who oppose the aspects of globalization and McDonalds remains a target of anti-globalization protesters worldwide (Wikipedia, 2007). Additionally, film’s such as â€Å"Super Size Me† that explores the horror of school lunch programs, declining health and physical education classes, food addictions were also blaming fast food restaurants like McDonald’s. Even will all these resistance and reparations in the world around, the company has improved and grown with more than 31,800 flagship restaurants serving burgers and fries in different countries and today McDonalds is more than a household name. It is estimated that about 30% of its locations are company-owned

ACADEMIC WRITING Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ACADEMIC WRITING - Assignment Example Most of the best universities in the globe are either located in the United States of America or the United Kingdom. Both regions have higher education system that is rich and of greater quality. Research facilities are considered excellent. The countries possess a culture that promotes academic freedom and intellectualism. Despite a the number of similarities between the two countries, it takes a longer period of time to complete an undergraduate degree in the united states than in the united kingdom except in Scotland where a degree certificate is offered after 4 years of learning. A person with an undergraduate degree can move directly to a PHD in both systems, though it is common for a person to go through the master’s program in the United Kingdom before moving to the PHD. The United States system of education permit emphasizes on getting a range of knowledge from the various subjects that are different unlike in the United Kingdom that emphasized on depth and understandi ng of the subject of choice (Mahroum, 2010). Both regions experience differences in the structure of their education system. In the United Kingdom children have to attend primary and secondary education legally from the age of five to sixteen years. The system of education in the United Kingdom is divided into various key stages. The key stage one and two are done in the primary school from the age of 7 to 11 years whereas key stage three and four are offered in secondary school. Assessment is done at the end of each stage. The most essential assessment is carried out at the age of 16 years when learners sit for general certificate of secondary education (Plank, 2010). Once the students are through with their exams at this level, they may chose to further their education or move into the working world. The system in the United States of America is however different. Unlike the United Kingdom where

Shiseido Presentation Essay Example for Free

Shiseido Presentation Essay Add more doors Enhance promotional packages with full product line Train beauticians to create a relationship Beauticians educate customers into the correct use of the products advertising Enable shop online Get global marketing benefits Japanese zen design influence Social Media Presence Men’s corner Men’s place Focusing on FB, twitter and beauty blogs Creating newsworthy, interesting, share-able brand content Using on line FB contests to enhance users participation (i. e. post your secret beauty tip, share it with friends, gather the most likes win the Shiseido products) Offering product related gifts/vouchers/samples Mapping of influential beauty/lifestyle blogs and using them as indirect WOM devices Sharing Shiseido news, photo shootings, campaigns from abroad Being the ultimate spot for â€Å"girl-talk†, regarding beauty, cosmetics, skin care issues †¢At current and new doors †¢Easy accessible †¢Familiarization †¢Awareness †¢Explore while girlfriend discussing with consultant †¢Feel more innocent Closer to Purity†¦ †¦Closer to Life †¢ †¢ †¢ Luxurious solutions to differentiate from from conservative, classic brands. Member’s club with exclusive activities such as Yoga, spa. Targeted use of media depending on segment

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Essay -- Crib Death SIDS

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or "crib death" is an abrupt and inexplicable death of an apparently healthy infant. Most of the cases involve infants from ages 1-12 months, and the event occurs during the night. Various theories have been postulated from research results but without consistency of the etiology. Since the death is sudden, prior diagnostic criteria or patterns are not available for correlation, although some near-miss infants have been followed. A number of possibilities have been documented in current literature, to include beta-endorphin changes, abnormal temperature regulation, pineal abnormalities, carotid body irregularities, lead poisoning, elevated fetal hemoglobin, brainstem immaturity, and cerebral hypoperfusion. The following is an overview of these pathologies in their relation to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. As with most physiological processes, several intermediate steps can lead to a certain event, thus making the mechanism more controlled. However, as more steps that are required, there arises a greater number of possible problems. SIDS is no exception. Most literature supports the view that victims of SIDS suffer a failure of the automatic control of respiration, producing periodic apnea and eventually death. Neural control of respiration involves three anatomical structures (Armstrong et al., 1982~. The first is the motor system, which contains the neurons which initiate and maintain respiration. These include the dorsal motor nucleus of the vague, the nucleus tractus solitarius, the nucleus ambiguous, the nucleus retro-ambiguous, the reticulo-spinal tracts in the anterior and lateral columns and the anterior horn cells of the cervical and thora... ...16:1122-1126, 1978. Koceard-Varo, G. The physiological role of the pineal gland as the masterswitch of life, turning on at birth breathing and geared to it the function of the autonomic nervous system. The cause of SIDS examined in this context. Medical Hypothesis, 34:122-126, 1991. Myer, E., Morris, D., et. al. Increased cerebrospinal fluid beta-endorphin immunoreactivity in infants with apnea and in siblings of victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. J. Pedia., 111:660-666, 1987. Quattrochi, J., McBride, P., and Yates, A. Brainstem immaturity in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: A quantitative rapid Golgi study of dendritic spines in 95 infants. Brain Research, 325:39-48, 1985. Takashima, S., Armstrong, D., Becker, L., et. al. Cerebral hypoperfusion in the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome? Brainstem gliosis and vasculature. Ann. Neurol., 4:257-262, 1978.

European History Essay Paper †Past Question Plans Essay

This is an ‘explain’ type question – so it’s asking you to do just that, but also a little more. Merely describing the measures Ferdinand and Isabella took to cope with various problems will get some marks, but more marks will be gained if you weigh up the outcomes of these policies, and register how successful they were. For example, you may say in the essay that Ferdinand and Isabella faced economic problems, and you may go on to explain what policy(ies) they introduced to solve the problem. This would be ‘explaining’ how they ‘dealt’ with the problem, but you can go further and say how well they dealt with it compared to other issues, etc. Also, refer to historians and what they said about how they dealt with problems. Always link back to the question. So – you must: a) Show what the problems were b) What measures they took to deal with them c) How successful these measures were, evaluating against other issues, historiographical interpretations, short-term/long-term instances. The essay: PARA 1 – WHAT WERE THE PROBLEMS: i) Civil War in Aragon – decline of Barcelona, civil disorder, social unrest. ii) Lack of Grandee support for Isabella. iii) Lack of Town support for Isabella. iv) Foreign menaces. v) Religious issues – Jews, Muslims, Reconquista. PARA 2 – HOW THEY DEALT WITH THEM: i) Civil War in Aragon: well, King John of Aragon was very much in favour of a marriage alliance of Ferdinand with Isabella. John saw this as a way of engineering territorial security in area like Catalonia, keeping the French at bay. He also saw the possibility of better economic ties that would help halt the decline of Barcelona and peasant unrest. Thus, Chroniclers depicted Ferdinand – King in January 1479 – as the founder of a new Age, a ‘Messiah’. The real problems in Aragon, however, like that of town control over financial policy, were not even attempted to be sorted out until after 1479 when Ferdinand had been King for a few years. However, between 1469 and 1479, we can see the ideal behind John’s plan to marry Ferdinand and Isabella, as it was meant to give Ferdinand a better chance to reviving Aragon’s fortunes – something, in the long-term, which slowly starts to happen, for example with the emergence of town consulados, etc. ii) Lack of Grandee support for Isabella: Isabella had some Grandee support – but she needed more in order to win her succession. The succession crisis was the biggest issue, and within that, the lack of Grandee support – an important problem that needed to be addressed. So, she had to make deals to get support. She needed their support as Grandees had land, money, power and men – they could make or break a monarch. So, she bought them off: Cardinal Mendoza was promised a Chancellorship, his brother was created Duke of Infantado; Enriquez was made Admiral of Castile; Velasco made Constable of Castile. Isabella said – support me and I’ll reward you, and this is how she changed the potentially dangerous situation of only a minority of Nobles supporting her, to a majority in favour of her. iii) Lack of town support: Most towns were in revolt; many ‘bandos’ fought for their own control of the towns and cities, depriving Ferdinand and Isabella of an important power base. Isabella used a variety of techniques to overcome the problem, demonstrating her political aptitude and ability to work out different answers to varying situations. Thus, Burgos was promised Royal protection from liberty-threatening nobles after Burgos’s citizens highlighted this as a major hindrance in their supporting of Isabella. Toledo was offered extensive privileges if they submitted; Seville was threatened with financial and commercial penalties if Isabella’s right as Queen was refused there. Rodrigo declared in favour of Isabella ————————————————————————————————————————- How important was religion in influencing the policies of Ferdinand and Isabella? The only way to avoid narrative is to structure an essay properly and to focus on explaining and arguing, rather than telling the story. It takes a certain amount of courage to accept, but a shorter, focused, analytical answer is much better than a long, narrative one! If you can, use short, snappy quotations to support your analysis, rather than long factual descriptions. Clearly you understand that religion was important and since this is the factor given in the essay title, you need to deal with this in the greatest depth. A brief introduction stressing the piety of Ferdinand and (especially) Isabella (eg ref â€Å"the Catholic monarchs†, the fact that their tomb in Granada Cathedral records only their â€Å"achievements† in religion) should be an followed by an explanation of how the conquest of Granada, the establishment of religious uniformity, the reform of the Spanish Church and even the sponsorship of Columbus were motivated by religious aims. In the context of this essay, the policy of religious uniformity requires particular attention, as the implementation of this policy was politically difficult (eg opposition to the Inquisition, especially in the Aragonese kingdoms and the revolt of the Alpujarras) and economically damaging (eg the loss of the wealth and commercial skills of the Jewish community especially in Barcelona and the disruption to trade and agriculture in Granada after the expulsion of the Moors). It therefore shows the importance of religion in the formation and implementation of policy, given that Ferdinand & Isabella were willing to accept the consequent political and economic difficulties. However, to give your essay balance you will need also to explain that these â€Å"religious† policies had other aims too, given the pressing need to restore and strengthen royal authority (particularly in Castile, after the anarchy of Henry IV’s reign and the civil war). In particular, the conquest of Granada and the sponsorship of Columbus were motivated by economic aims, while the conquest and reform of the Church also had broader political aims (eg the conquest united the nobility behind the new regime and gave it a safe outlet for its aggressive instincts, while ecclesiastical reform went some way to establishing royal authority over the Spanish Church). You should conclude that this complex of motives – religious, political and economic – was inevitable, given the personality of the Catholic monarchs and the context of their reign. I hope all this helps you with your studies. Good luck! ————————————————————————————————————————- How United was Spain by 1516? The main thing with any essay is to be clear in your mind about what you are going to say. Yes, there are different interpretations but the only point of view your exam marker is really interested in is yours! So you must decide right from the beginning what you think the answer is and structure your essay accordingly. If you have time, you can include some discussion of the other views/possibilities in your conclusion! In the case of this essay, there are a number of possible answers: ie Ferdinand & Isabella united Spain more or less completely; they didn’t unite it at all; or they united it in some ways but not others. Common sense will tell you that the last approach is probably the best one! Having decided what your argument is going to be, you can say so in your introduction (ie Ferdinand & Isabella imposed religious uniformity on Spain and created a dynastic union: however measure designed to bring about closer economic ties were half-hearted at best and they never united Spain politically) and structure the rest of the essay accordingly. Start off by explaining those areas where unity was achieved, in particular the implementation of policies designed to bring about religious uniformity (conquest of Granada, expulsion of Jews and Moors, Inquisition) and the dynastic union resulting from the marriage of Ferdinand & Isabella that also enabled the Catholic Kings to pursue common military and foreign policy aims. However, you should be aware that all of this only went so far. For example, the supposedly â€Å"Spanish† conquest of Granada actually resulted in the expansion of the crown of Castile, while toleration of Moorish practices actually continued in Aragon (especially Valencia). Perhaps most telling was the fact that after Isabella’s death, Ferdinand re-married in order to prevent (unsuccessfully) Charles of Burgundy from inheriting Aragon as well as Castile. In other words, Ferdinand did not want the dynastic union created by himself and Isabella to last if it meant that their joint heir would be a Habsburg prince. Consider the economy next: â€Å"unity† is suggested by the equalisation of currencies (often referred to as the introduction of a common currency) and the introduction of a rudimentary postal service. However, internal customs barriers and regulations protecting the privileged status of â€Å"native† merchants in towns like Barcelona, Valencia and Seville remained. Finally, explain that Ferdinand & Isabella certainly didn’t unite Spain in any political sense. Indeed, they probably had no intention of ever doing so (for example they never called themselves the King and Queen of Spain!). The component kingdoms all had their own rights and privileges that made it almost impossible to rule as a single political unit . Indeed, given the potential strength of the crown in Castile (and the weakness of royal authority in Aragon) Ferdinand & Isabella wisely concentrated on restoring the authority of the crown there, leaving Aragon more or less to its own devices. Apart from the Inquisition, there were no common political, administrative, legal or military institutions and the rights of the Aragonese kingdoms, Navarre and the Basque Provinces were fully respected (apart from the imposition of the Inquisition). Conclude this section of your essay by referring to events after Isabella’s death, when Ferdinand was seen as a â€Å"foreign† ruler with no rights in Castile and was consequently excluded from the government of the country. It was only the death of Archduke Philip and the madness of Joanna that forced the Castilian administration under Cisneros to turn (very reluctantly!) to Ferdinand for assistance. As noted above, your conclusion might include discussion of other interpretations/points of view but it is better if you end up reinforcing your own argument! If you can, find a snappy quotation that supports your point of view to end with! I hope this hopes you with your studies. Good luck!