Comparison Of Beowulf And Street Gangs Essays - Geats, Beowulf

Comparison Of Beowulf And Street Gangs Essays - Geats, Beowulf Comparison Of Beowulf And Street Gangs We often think of the Old English time as an era filled with mighty pagan warriors gathered in a dark wooden room, drinking ale to celebrate their victory in a brutish bloody battle. Or maybe we picture brawny Vikings with dirty faces wearing animal skins while sailing in large wooden ships. You may even imagine the crude but lovable Hagar the Horrible from the popular comic strip. Regardless to which of these views you take, we always think of the Old English as a time far in the past. Even though we may not notice, the strong brutal men of this past era infiltrate our everyday lives. These barbaric warriors are found in our society as street gangs. Although they have different appearances, weapons, and transportation, these two civilizations conduct their lives in the same way. Street gangs are so prevalent that they are all over the media, appearing in films, music, and television. Although street gangsters and pagan warriors lived at very different times, both groups embody the same ideals: strength, violence, and loyalty to their group. In the Old English epic, Beowulf, the pagan warriors were proud of their physical strength and abilities. Beowulf himself was well-known for his great strength and prowess. These warriors were large men with great muscular power who won many battles with brute force. Many battles were fought with manual weapons, such as clubs or swords, that required great power from the arms. The strongest men, such as Beowulf, were the ones that were the subject of stories told in many lands. Similar to this, street gangsters are also quite proud of their strength and abilities. But their strength does not primarily come from physical attributes. Their strength is measured by the amount of weapons, money, and power they hold. The strongest man is not the one with the biggest muscles. He is the one with the most guns and the most influence over other gang members. Whereas Beowulf has remained a legend for years now, gang leaders come and go in a matter of months. Just as Beowulf longed to be a legend, street gangs also strive for that same notoriety, wanting to be well-known in many places. In Beowulf's time, most warriors were quite violent. They often engaged in battles with enemies until death, or with opponents until the end of the match. The pagan warriors are remembered as brutal, killing those necessary to protect their village or steal another's. They were also known to use violence to obtain riches or ships from other warriors. Similar to pirates, they used brute force to take what they wanted. Street gangs also use such violence. Whether it be to protect their property or members, or to steal from others, gangsters use various weapons to obtain what they want. Just as pagan warriors fought battles with rival villages, street gangs also engage in battles with rival gangs or sometimes with police. Gang violence can vary from street fights to drive-by shootings, often involving innocent victims. This horrible violence is evident in the media. It varies from gansta rap such as 2Pac or Dr. Dre, to movies such as New Jack City or Juice, and can even be seen in such TV shows as New York Undercover and NYPD Blue. A less obvious example of gangs is in the new version of Romeo and Juliet. In this rendition of the old Shakespeare classic, the Capulets and Montagues are no longer just rival families, but now rival gangs who engage in tremendous violence against each other to keep the two lovers apart. But gang violence is also felt quite close to home. The guard for NC State's basketball team, Anthony Grundy, experienced gang- related violence, causing him to carry a gun to his high school in Louisville. Both gangs and pagan warriors found violence necessary to maintain individual and group status. A third similarity between these two societies is their loyalty to their groups. Beowulf fought for his kingdom and his fellow warriors. They were a group, a family of sorts, that stuck together for support, enjoyment, and love. Gangs also stick together for these reasons. Beowulf's loyalty ran so deep that he put his life on the line for his king many times, and eventually died for his kingdom. Similarly, gangsters are extremely loyal to their gangs and leaders. They remain members for life and are willing to sacrifice their lives for their fellow members. An example of this bond is

The Modern Chinese Wedding Ceremony and Banquet

The Modern Chinese Wedding Ceremony and Banquet In modern China, the official marriage ceremony is  now substantially different than it was in traditional Chinese custom, where most marriages were arranged according to a social arrangement and were heavily influenced by the philosophy and practices of Confucianism- at least for the majority of Han Chinese. Other ethnic groups traditionally had different customs. These traditional customs were a carry-over from feudal times in China but were changed by two different reforms after the Communist revolution.  Thus, the official act of marriage in modern China is a secular ceremony, not a religious one. However, there remain strong traditional customs in place in many parts of China.   The first reform came with the 1950 marriage law, the first official marriage document for the Peoples Republic of China, in which the feudal nature of traditional marriage was officially eliminated. Another reform came in 1980, at which time individuals were allowed to select their own marriage partners. In an effort to control population numbers, Chinese law today requires men to be at least 22 years of age and women 20 years of age before they can legally marry. It should be noted that while official policy outlaws all the feudal customs, in practice of arranging marriage does persist in many families. Chinese law does not recognize yet recognize same-sex marriage rights. Since 1984 homosexuality is no longer considered a crime, but there is still substantial social disapproval of same-sex relationships. Modern Chinese Wedding Ceremonies Although the official modern Chinese wedding ceremony usually takes place in a city hall office presided over by a government official, the genuine celebration generally occurs later at a private wedding banquet reception that is usually hosted and paid for by the grooms family.  Religious Chinese may also opt to exchange vows at a religious ceremony, but either way, it is at the later banquet reception that the larger celebration occurs, attended by friends and extended family.   The Chinese Wedding Banquet The wedding banquet is a lavish affair lasting two or more hours. Invited guests sign their names in a wedding book or on a large scroll and present their red envelopes to attendants at the entrance of the wedding hall. The envelope is opened and the money is counted while the guest looks on. The guests’ names and amounts of money given are recorded so that the bride and groom know how much each guest gave toward the wedding. This record is helpful for when the couple later attends this guests own wedding- they are expected to offer a gift of more money than they themselves received.   After presenting the red envelope, guests are ushered into a large banquet hall. Guests are sometimes assigned seats but are sometimes welcome to sit where they choose.  Once all the guests have arrived, the wedding party begins. Nearly all Chinese banquets feature an emcee or master of ceremonies who announces the arrival of the bride and groom. The couple’s entrance marks the beginning of the wedding celebration. After one member of the  couple, usually the groom gives a short welcome speech, guests are served the first of nine meal courses. Throughout the meal, the bride and groom enter and re-enter the banquet hall, each time wearing different clothing outfits. While the guests eat, the bride and groom are typically busy changing their clothes and attending to their guests’ needs. The couple typically re-enters the dining hall after the third and sixth courses. Toward the end of the meal but before dessert is served, the bride and groom toast the guests. The groom’s best friend may also offer up a toast. The bride and groom make their way to each table where the guests stand and simultaneously toast the happy couple. Once the bride and groom have visited each table, they exit the hall while dessert is served. Once dessert is served, the wedding celebration  promptly ends. Before leaving, guests line up to greet the bride and groom and their families standing outside the hall in a receiving line. Each guest has a photo taken with the couple and may be offered sweets by the bride. Post-Wedding Rituals After the wedding banquet, close friends and relatives go to the bridal chamber and play tricks on the newlyweds as a way to extend good wishes. The couple then shares a glass of wine and teach traditionally cuts off a lock of hair to symbolize that they are now of one heart. Three, seven or nine days after the wedding, the bride returns to her maiden home to visit her family. Some couples opt to go on a honeymoon vacation as well. There are also customs regarding the birth of the first child.