Josephine Beauharnais Essay Example for Free

Josephine Beauharnais Essay Behind every great man lies an even greater woman. The woman adds character to the man and also affects his actions and morals. The story of Napoleon Bonaparte would be incomplete without consideration of his first wife, Josephine. She contributed so much to his development and passion because of her influence. This greatly impacted his leadership, military victories, and and was an inspiration behind the Napoleonic Code. Therefore without Josephine’s influence, Napoleon would not have become who he was. To understand Napoleon one must first understand Josephine Bonaparte’s history. Marie was the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.She was a popular Empress and had many defining characteristics which helped to shape her life. Josephine had a great impact on Napoleon’s emotions which affected the decisions and actions that he made directly and indirectly. (PBS; Napoleon and Josephine, http://www.pbs.org/empires/napoleon/n_josephine/courtship/page_1.html) She made him feel secure, provided him with emotional support, and gave him confidence which ultimately had a bearing on his decisions and actions. (PBS; Napoleon and Josephine, http://www.pbs.org/empires/napoleon/n_josephine/emperor/page_1.html) Another one of the ways in which Josephine helped Napoleon was through his military accomplishments. Prior to meeting Josephine, Napoleon was nothing more than a short, slight, shabby young artillery man, lacking real military victories. (Mossiker, 79) Josephine allowed Napoleon to strive for more than just a mistress but love. (Mossiker, 81) His fondness for her still remained with him even during his battles. After their wedding, he successfully conquered Italy in 1796-97. (Mossiker, 202) He continued his success conquering Egypt and this battle was significant because France gained a lot of gold and rare gems as well as the Rosetta stone; which was the key to hieroglyphic translations. (Mossiker, 134-139) While Napoleon was fighting his campaigns, Josephine used her connections to Frances political leaders to further Napoleons political career, hosting several parties that resulted in Napoleon quickly being promoted. That resulted in Napoleon gaining national prestige. (Josephines Influence on Napoleon, http://sphseuro.blogspot.ca/2009/02josephines-influence-on-napoleon.html) However, Josephine was chronically unfaithful to Napoleon. Napoleon nearly ended his Italian Campaign early simply to return to France and confront his wife. (Josephines Influence on Napoleon, http://sphseuro.blogspot.ca/2009/02josephines-influence-on-napoleon.html) A letter written to Josephine from Napoleon on the subject of her infidelity was published in several English newspapers, which mocked France and its ruler. Her several affairs almost led to their divorce, but Napoleon felt that a seemingly stable marriage would further his political aspirations and the two remained married. Josephines Influence on Napoleon, http://sphseuro.blogspot.ca/2009/02josephines-influence-on-napoleon.html) Therefore, even without her being present on the battle field, or even in the same country, it was Josephines inspirational spirit, that encouraged Napoleon throughout all of his major victories against Italy and Egypt. Napoleon created a code in which reflected his morals towards the family unit and marriage. In 1803, Napoleon established his own code of laws in order to repeal previous laws that weakened marriage. (The Law Behind the Man, https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255/jkr/napoleon.html) The 1792 divorce law was repealed and drastically changed. Before it was possible for either a husband or wife to petition for a divorce on numerous grounds, but Napoleon changed the laws so divorce could only be petitioned for under mutual consent and incompatibility. (The Law Behind the Man, https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255/jkr/napoleon.html) There were criteria that had to be met before a husband or wife could petition for a divorce on either of those grounds; if it was because of incompatibility the petitioner had to show proof of cruelty, adultery, or objected to certain humiliating forms of punishment administered by her spouse (Phillips 1988, p. 185). This is significant because it helps strengthen the family by giving both husband and wife the power to separa te. The Napoleonic Code also emphasized the family as a functioning unit. The needs and desires of the individual had been put ahead of others in the eighteenth century. (The Law Behind the Man, https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255/jkr/napoleon.html) Napoleon heightened parental authority by requiring their permission in divorce cases and a husbands power by reducing the rights of his wife. A wife.owed obedience to her husband, a husband protection to his wife, and that the wife was obliged by law to live with her husband and to follow him wherever he judged it convenient to live. (Phillips 1988, p. 186) This law strengthened the family unit, giving each marriage partner specific duties and rules. Again, because of Josephine’s influence he created this law to protect his family by providing more structure in the family unit. Even though it may seem that Josephine did not have a more profound impact on the world as Napoleon did, her relationship with Napoleon helped to motivate him to develop his military, personal, social achievements. Without Josephine, Napoleon would not have accomplished what he did and the world we know today would be drastically different. Works Cited Biography.com. A+E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . Courtiers and Favourites of Royalty. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Open Library. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . only read the short 4 paged biography Empress Josephine. London: Oxford UP, 1963. Print. Encyclopedia Brittanica. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . European History. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . Heritage History. Heritage-History, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . History Reference Centre. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Ebscohost. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . Napoleon and Josephine. N.p.: Simon, n.d. Print. Bonaparte. London: Allen Unwin, n.d. Print. Empress Josephine. Cambridge: Knapton, 1964. Print. Frances Mossikers Napoleon Josephine. N.p.: Frances Mossiker, 1965. Print. Napoleon. New York: Aubry, 1964. Print. Napoleon Bonaparte. New York: Thompson, 1952. Print.

The Scarlet Letter and Aunt Jennifers Tigers :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Scarlet Letter and Aunt Jennifer's Tigers In the course of our life we need to make many decisions. The way we live our life is a decision each person makes for him/herself. Usually, one choice is better than the other, yet society doesn't always support the better one. The poem, "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" and The Scarlet Letter present two ways in which women can react to a society dominated by men and how their lives are shaped by their different decisions. A woman can just ignore the restraints put on her and suffer, or she can challenge men's authority and enjoy her life. In a society where men choose the standards, Hester follows her own set of rules. She is independent, unrestrained and makes her own decisions. The reader's first view of Hester's uniqueness in The Scarlet Letter, is the scarlet letter. Hester has transformed the society's sign of guilt into her own work of art by decoration the "A" with elegant stitching and golden thread. Her interpretation of the punishment clashes with that of her neighbors, and she is not reluctant to stress their contrast of opinions. She does not fear men, as most women did in her time. It was mandatory in her society that women respected their husbands, and did what the men ordered. Hester fears neither the leaders of the community nor her husband. She demonstrates her confidence by standing up to a group of the most respected men in town, when she hears they might take her daughter, Pearl, away from her. She even has the courage to demand the minister for his help. "I will not give her up!" She firmly states. "Speak thou for me... Thou knowest what is in my heart, and what are a mother's rights...Look thou to it! I will not lose the child! Look to it!" (Ch.8). She refuses to let the power of the men intimidate her, and gets what she wants. While most women of Hester's time did whatever their husband ordered them to do, Hester refused to keep a secret that Chillingworth asked her to. She wanted to disclose the evil that her husband was placing upon Dimmesdale. "I must reveal the secret, he must discern thee in thy true character.

Monkey story. Creative Writing Essay

Monkey story is one of the most intriguing stories in the history of China. It involves the famous monkey and its endeavor to be strong and famous. First, the monkey was born in a stone that was worked in heaven and earth and through the uniqueness; he was able to make himself the king of the monkeys. He is very happy as a king and he thinks that he is immortal. He even embarks on journeys that will ensure that he cheats death. Fortunately, on his journey he manages to find a patriarch who is willing to teach him all the magic that he requires to know. After the lessons, he feels that he is stronger than the other students are and starts showing and he is banished as a result (Wu 56). Upon his return home, he finds himself and manages to kill a demon hence freeing the other monkeys. He continues to be mischievous and the emperor of heaven declares war on him. However, he hardens the body very much and it is not possible to punish. Consequently, he is tricked by Buddha to live under the mountain until somebody comes to save him. The events are paramount in the character development of the monkey since the journey reveal the actual character of the monkey (Wu 56).The patriarch appears to be the most important person in development and character molding of the monkey. He shapes the monkey into what he becomes. He teaches the monkey stone magic the fact that makes him very arrogant. The arrogance contributes to the eventual action of the emperor declaring war on him. The magic that patriarch gave the stone monkey helps him to kill the demon and frees the other monkeys hence proving it crucial. Finally, the most significant event in the journey of the monkey is the tim e he encountered a demon and killed it. The killing of the demon makes it clear that he is strong and he can defend the other monkeys from attack by the demons (Wu 67). The demons are attacking the monkeys and hence the action of the monkey is proved important in the end. Reference Wu, Cheng. Monkey. New York: Grove Press, Inc., 1958. Print. Source document

The Power of Land Barn Burn by William Faulkner - 1551 Words

The importance of land ownership has been a vital part of modern society due to the many goods and resources one can acquire from it. Because of this, landowners have a distinct advantage over non-land owners when it comes to these resources. Not only are landowners able to use the land themselves, but grant others the ability to use their land for a percentage of the produce. This is known as sharecropping. As seen is William Faulkner’s short story, Barn Burn, it is land ownership and not ethnic origins gives power to certain individuals. By controlling the livelihood of individuals who live off the earth, landowners place themselves in a more advanced social class than those without land. In Charles Chesnutt’s story The Goophered†¦show more content†¦Feed by insecurities and anger, Abner makes slights to the upper class by befouling the landowner’s house, while also lashing out the Negro servant by calling him a â€Å"nigger† and completely di sregarding his instructions (Faulkner 805). Some of Abner’s anger may stem from his internal feeling of being like a slave. While leaving the house, Abner angrily tells his son, [t]hats sweat. Nigger sweat. Maybe it aint white enough yet to suit him. Maybe he wants to mix some white sweat with it† (Faulkner 805). Abner is attempting to belittle the house that his son thought so highly of by declaring it built by â€Å"niggers†. In his bitter remark, Abner reveals his is expressing his disdain for both the black race and his own profession. Abner sees sharecropping as being similar to slavery. As shown earlier in the story, the initial reason for visiting Major de Spain’s house was to â€Å"have a word with the man that aims to begin to-morrow owning me body and soul for the next eight months† (Faulkner 803). Instead of seeing himself as an employee, Abner makes a clear distinction between himself and Major de Spain by including the notion that Major de Spain would own not only the land but als o his body and soul. In The Goophered Grapevine, the idea of land ownership makes a central appearance early on in Chesnutt’s short story. Due to ongoing health problems, John and his sickly wife (Annie) are attempting to move to North Carolina in the hopes that a warmer climate willShow MoreRelatedBarn Burning by William Faulkner894 Words   |  4 PagesIn the tale Barn Burning, the author William Faulkner formally known for his short stories with a constant theme of Southern Renaissance, racism and modernism uses these themes as a constant reference throughout the story. Faulkner focuses in depth on the antagonist, Abner Snopes and his actions and how they impact other characters throughout the story. I believe Abner was continuously portrayed as a negative character throughout the short story by Abner’s aggressiveness towards everyone he comesRead More William Faulkners Barn Burning Essay1251 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Faulkners Barn Burning William Faulkner, recognized as one of the greatest writers of all time, once made a speech as he accepted his Nobel prize for writing in which he stated that a great piece of writing should contain the truths of the heart and the conflicts that arise over these truths. These truths were love, honor, pity, pride, compassion and sacrifice. Truly it would be hard to argue that a story without these truths would be considered even a good story let alone a greatRead MoreAs I Lay Dying by William Faulkner997 Words   |  4 PagesAs I lay dying is an American novel authored by William Faulkner. The novel is among the best-ranked novels in the 20th century literature. The Faulkner’s seventh novel derives the title from the book XI of the homers the odyssey. In the introduction, Agamemnon converse with Odysseus: ‘’as I lay dying, the woman with the dog’s eyes could not close my eyes as I descend into Hades’’. The book consists of fifteen character s with more than fifty-nine chapters. It narrates the narrative of the bereavementRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesstandard form which is â€Å"If A, then B.† Often conditionals are expressed in other ways. For example, here is a conditional that contains neither an â€Å"if† nor a â€Å"then:† The larger a star the quicker it burns up and dies. Rewriting it in standard form produces: If a star is larger, then it burns up and dies quicker. ────CONCEPT CHECK──── 42 The Governor of Alaska (on left) Suppose you were to learn for certain that if a person is the governor of Alaska, then he or she is a U.S. citizen