J Welsh's Online Journal

The Damned United is a biopic based on Brian Clough, a manager in the 60s and early 70s. This film was released in 2009, and received a 4/5 rating from The Guardian. Brian Clough appointed Peter Taylor whilst managing fourths division Hartlepool United. In this film Brian Clough displays many acts and characteristics to show why he is an individual. Brian Clough and Peter Taylor went to Second Division Derby County in 1969-69. In the film he is anxious to play against Leeds as they were one of the biggest clubs, there rough playing style and strong players always prevented teams to beat them. Derby Went on the win the First Division in just three years. The reason I think he is a individual is because he carried on to battle against the big teams and came out victorious, even though he was nervous to play them. He went on to manage leads after Don Revie accepted the England job offer. Brian Clough had been given a lot of criticism whilst he was at Leeds, he struggled to have a healthy relationship with the players and the staff. Brian Clough was sacked after 44 days in the job. He is an individual because he kept battling through tough times in his managing career and went on to manage Nottingham Forest and won two European trophies and four league cups. Brian Clough retired in 1993. He has achieved many records and an OBE. That’s why Brian Clough is a rugged individual

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Julius Caesar and Brutus were two well respected people. Caesar not for his egotistic characteristics but for his power and his arrogance. Brutus, for his nobility and liberty loving. They are both loyal Romans and play a crucial part in Roman society. The way the two express the way they feel are very similar for example, refusing to let someone take advantage of their position in Rome. In the play Brutus wants to keep Rome a Republic,while Shakespeare’s idea to make the viewers believe Caesar’s ambition was to become the head of the monarchy when really there is no evidence of Caesar saying that. In this essay I will analyse and compare the hubris and other literary devices shown by both Romans. Also, quotes to back up my opinions. My main points I am trying to put across are that they both show similar personality traits throughout the play.

One of the similarities Brutus and Caesar share is a device called hubris. Below is a quote used at the start by Brutus while Cassius is trying to brainwash and manipulate Brutus into joining the conspiracy by identifying what they believe as the downfall of Rome and how the people consider Caesar to be a god and worship him. Shakespeare makes Cassius use rhetorical questions, persuading techniques and other devices which makes Brutus finally resort to joining the conspiracy. This quote is an example of hubris as Brutus talks about himself in the third person (something Caesar tends to do) Brutus is basically saying that ‘he would rather be a poor villager than call himself a citizen of Rome under the hard conditions that this time is likely to put them through’.

‘Caesar shall forth: the things that threaten’d me

Ne’er look’d but on my back; when they shall see

The face of Caesar, they are vanished’.

The two have, and also show, many differences throughout the play. Again, I will present an example of how Shakespeare inter prates  and shows the audience their differences using quotes from the play.

Shakespeare intended for Brutus to be shown to be very humble towards the citizens and Caesar that is until Brutus becomes brainwashed by Cassius and realizes after the tragedy of Caesar’s death that a guilty conscience could interrupt his thoughts at Sardis. Brutus’s suicide in the denouement was a major part in the play. His death makes viewers realize his nobility with a quote below from Mark Antony stating about Brutus. This quote took place at The battle of Philippi were Brutus runs on to his sword, held by Strato, then Antony and his crew discover him deceased on the battlefield.

‘This was the noblest Roman of them all’.

Caesar is more of an ambitious character and never shows a hint of weakness. A born fighter. The quote below shows how brave Caesar is, despite Caesar defying three warnings of his fate he describes himself as the brightest star, at the senate, with the noblemen on their knees begging that he would repeal Cimbers banishment he fount himself butchered on the scene with the strength to fight back to one of the conspirators and manage to wound one of them. Caesar was surprised to see the menacing face of Brutus, who he thought was his friend, turned out to betray Caesar, and put a stop to the ambitious Caesar.

“I am constant as the northern star,
Of whose true-fix’d and resting quality
There is no fellow in the firmament.”

Those are most of my main points into why I think Brutus and Caesar share many similarities and differences. To conclude this essay I have to say that Shakespeare affected the viewers maybe even the actors on the stage the way he has directed he play.

By Jack Welsh

Define the following keywords and provide examples:

Personification – Personification means to give human qualities to an object or animal. eg. The fire devoured the entire Forrest. This a good use of personification because it tells you that the fire has burnt down the entire Forrest as quick as a human would devour something.

Anthropomorphic – Anthropomorphic is defined as the act of giving the characteristics of humans to other things. eg. The pictures of God that depict Him with human male characteristics without indication or evidence that his appearance is that of an evolutionary current human. I have used this example because we have no evidence in what Gods appearance is but yet we still see him and worship him as a human and for what he concluded.

Simile – A figure of speech which compares one thing to another of a different kind. eg. “As blind as a bat”. This indicates that the person can not see any better than a bat.

Metaphor – A metaphor is used to make an even stronger image in the reader’s head by describing a place, subject or object as something unlikely. eg.  “He was a speeding bullet”. This metaphor is trying to compare a male human or animals acceleration to the lightning speed of a bullet which could travel up to 1,700 mph and 2,500 feet per second which is very unlikely for a human or animal to run.

Assonance – The technique assonance is defined as the act of repeating a vowel sound in a phrase or sentence, often in poetry eg. “Men sell the wedding bells.” The same vowel sound used in this sentence is e the vowel repeats itself in almost all the words excluding definite article. The words do share the same vowel sounds but start with different consonant sounds unlike alliteration that involves repetition of the same consonant sounds.

Sibilance – Sibilance is a special case of consonance in which the repeated consonant sound is either s, sh, z, or any of the other recognized sibilant sounds.

Allegory- A story, poem or a picture which can be translated to discover a hidden meaning regularly a moral or political one.

“The Bible is the best guide we can have when making moral decisions”

I disagree with this statement because I think people can make their own decisions for themselves. The reason behind my opinion is that people may not have read the bible so they would of not been aware of what’s inside it. The main reasons to back up my opinion are about who the people are or how they feel in the predicament.

Others may disagree with my opinion, depending also on who they are. With this statement their opinion could get stronger if they are religious, they would try to repent their sins or do the right thing no matter what condition.

These are just some of my thoughts on the statement hopefully now you can see the sides between both of argument.

Questions

1. Does the gender in schools effect how you act?

2. Can your intelligence effect your behavior?

3.Should we speak to more than one language as it could increase a better chance at a future job?

I think the question i have highlighted is the best question as i think it can change your behavior in many ways as not being able to read or write could change the behavior of the majority of people who cant and would not react to how they were being treated. I also think smart people could look down on the people who may not be as smart and think that they could be better than the person who they are smarter than.