Comparison of Shakespearean Adaptations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparison of Shakespearean Adaptations - Essay Example The 1996 film entitled â€Å"Twelfth Night† and the more recent adaptation of the Shakespearean story, entitled â€Å"She’s the Man†, are two great movies showing how the story is told in the modern era. The two films use different techniques which are obviously made not only for entertainment but for different audiences as well. In this paper, the films will be compared and contrasted according to audience, plot, telling of the story, revelation of character, conflict, opposing forces and camera angles. â€Å"Twelfth Night† did not change much of the Shakespearean story when it comes to the setting and the use of the old English language. This makes the film look and sound very Elizabethan. It has been created for audiences who appreciate the great works of the genius and would rather watch adaptations set in a theatrical manner. The film presents the performers having long and boring conversations that viewers really have to listen intently for them to b e able to follow and understand the story. On the contrary, â€Å"She’s the Man† has been created for the modern viewer who appreciates not only the story but also the use of technological advancements. The conversations are short and scenes change more often than the former movie. There is a lot of editing made which makes the film more interesting and there is also a modification of the story to match modern settings for it to be more believable, considering the modern culture in America. â€Å"Twelfth Night† tells the story of a woman, Viola and her identical twin brother, Sebastian, who thought they have lost each other in a shipwreck. To get to the man she loves, Viola acts as a man and names herself Cesario. She then becomes the trusted friend of Count Orsino, the love of her life. However, the count was hopelessly in love with the beautiful Olivia and he asks his new friend to persuade the woman for him. Contrary to what was expected, Olivia fell in love with the disguised Viola. Meanwhile, Sebastian has come to town with a friend who rescued him during the shipwreck and when Viola/ Cesario was fighting with another admirer of Olivia, Sebastian’s friend came along, saving the pitiful young woman. When the admirer went after Cesario, he found Sebastian instead who courageously fought Olivia’s admirer. When Olivia came out, the other men dispersed and Sebastian and Olivia were left behind. Overwhelmed and naturally attracted by Olivia’s beauty, the man followed the woman to the priest without question and they got married. However, just after a few moments, Count Orsino and Cesario came and all the characters met at the front of Olivia’s house and the twins came to realize that they both survived the shipwreck after all. Count Orsino learns that his trusted friend loves him and proposes that she become his mistress and the comedy ends with the conflicts being settled. â€Å"She’s the Man† pres ents a different story without getting rid of all the important elements of the story. Viola is a part of a women’s soccer team at Cornwall which gets cut. Due to her love for the sports, the young lady cannot accept what happened and proposes that they join the men’s team. However, that is not allowed. Meanwhile, trying to escape his mother, Viola’s identical twin brother tells her his plans and asks her to do something for him in order to cover for his absences in school. Viola then comes with the bright idea of taking the place of his brother while he is away in order for her to get to the soccer team and she does so quite successfully. However, she fell in love with his roommate, Duke who was so deeply in love with the school’s hottest girl, Olivia. The woman on the other hand falls in love with the sensitive Viola/Sebastian but since s/he showed no interest in the woman, Duke asks

Ethic case 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethic case 2 - Essay Example Socrates’ statement that â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living,† summarizes his idea of good life. The examined life reveals that human lives and ways of living are unequal. Life appears on a hierarchical order. However, Socrates fail to clarify the precise ranking of life and does not provide where any given kind of life belong in the hierarchy. From his interaction with different people, Socrates gets first-hand information, which makes him to conclude that â€Å"unexamined life is not worth living.† He believes that Athens does not persevere to obtain what is good. About good life, Socrates exemplifies the enlightenment stance. His notion is that ethical virtue defines a good life, which entails the practice of specific proficiency or wisdom concerning ethical issues. According to Socrates, pragmatic wisdom about ethical issues entails knowing the meaning of virtues, which involves the riddance of irregularity in belief concerning the meaning of virtues. In his pursuit of true knowledge, he comments, "Certainly I would pride and preen myself if I had this knowledge, but I do not have it, gentlemen." As it appears, Socrates believes in true wisdom founded on

Theories on Dualism in Philosophy

Theories on Dualism in Philosophy Dualism in Philosophy is a theory which, at its basis, holds two radically distinct principles or concepts. One of the most commonly held interpretations of dualism is the concept of the existence of two distinct human entities, that of body and that of soul. It is this interpretation of dualism that the following explication will predominantly address. Dualists believe that the mind determines our personality and the body is a container, or vessel for this self (REFERENCE). Widely considered as the two vanguards of modern dualism are substance dualism and property dualism. Substance dualism holds that the mind or soul is a separate, non-physical entity from the human form, whilst property dualism maintains that there is no soul distinct from the body but only one entity (the person) which has two irreducibly different types of properties, mental and physical (REFERENCE). Substance dualism leaves some room open for the stance that the soul could possibly exist separately from the body, either before birth or after death. Property dualism does not allow for this notion although does permit that both the mental and physical relationship of cause and effect to work in harmony together. The cause of one event may be described as a physical event in the brain and under another event, as a desire, emotion or thought. Substance dualism however, has become increasingly omitted from the majority of contemporary discussions. It could now be considered that few phi losophers currently find the idea of the soul coherent or productive. Although the first use of the term dualism was cited in the 14th century to describe the Islamic faith (REFERENCE), the Western philosopher who spoke most about dualism was Renà © Descartes. Descartes believed that everything non-physical; all feelings and sensations that can be described but cannot be located physically become part of your mind or soul. Descartes dualism, (known as Cartesian Dualism) rested on very certain and definite ideas. He stated that the mind and body were two very different things and that all substances have a property of a special nature. To offer an example, the property of the mind is consciousness, an entity whose entire essence is to think (and therefore takes up no space), whereas the properties of bodily or material substances are length, breath or depth (and therefore their essence is to take up space). The mind has been widely considered as an intangible entity and non-physical in contrast to the body, which is extended and can take many material forms which can be described by their size, shape, position or movement (REFERENCE). Descartes considered that that the mind is the place in which a persons feelings, sensations and thoughts are known only to themselves, whilst all of the functions that the body performs are observable to all. His theory also asserted the idea that both the body and mind interact with each other, the mind having an effect on the body and the body having an effect on the mind, although the body and mind remain separate. He maintained that our identity comes from the ability to think and reason and it is therefore conceivable that we could survive without our bodies (as the soul/mind is separate from the body) and still remain the same person. Descartes was convinced that that we didnt need our bodies to live an intellectually aware and active life and consequently the mind could escape death. He felt that even if we drastically changed or altered our appearance, then it would not affect our personali ties and upon observation it would still be possible to recognise someone by reference to his or her character (REFERENCE). As Descartes asserted: Our soul is of a nature entirely independent of the body, and consequently it is not bound to die with it. And since we cannot see any other cause which destroys the soul, we are naturally led to conclude that it is immortal Renà © Descartes, Discourse on the Method, 1637 (REFERENCE) Dualism has received a lot of attention in the past and Descartes has not been the only philosopher who has written on the concept. Great thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle and Aquinas have all put forward their ideas on the subject each one differing slightly. Plato believed that the soul belonged to a level of reality that was higher than that of the body. He stated that the soul was immortal and this derived from his theory of ideas, which he called forms. Plato asserted that for every existence there is a perfect form of said existence. For example for every chair there is an ideal, perfect form of that chair, as with every dog there is a perfect dog (REFERENCE). Platos form theory maintained that the physical world is where the body exists for the subject in order to receive sense impressions, whilst the soul is immaterial and is capable of knowing eternal truths beyond the material world. All knowledge that we have acquired is from the acquaintance we have had with the forms bef ore our immortal souls became imprisoned in our body. Thus, the ultimate aim of the soul is to break free of the chains of the body and flee to the realm of ideas. There it will be able to spend eternity in contemplation of the true, beautiful and the good (REFERENCE). Aristotle was another philosopher who tried to explain the idea of the body and mind. Even though Aristotle was a pupil of Plato, his thoughts on dualism were very different form that of Plato although he still believed that the soul was the part of the body that gives it life and that the soul turned all physical form into a living organism of its particular type (REFERENCE). Whilst Aristotle believed that the body and soul were inseparable he asserted that the soul still develops peoples skills, character and temper, but it cant survive death. Once the body dies then the soul inevitably dies with it, and this provides an example of early monistic theory. Monism is the theory that the mind and body are inseparable, and monists do not accept that an individuals characteristics are anything more than physical ones (any ideas of consciousness are nothing more than electrical brain activity). This is where Aristotles principles differ from monism. He believed that a human is not just a living, physical body and nothing more. He thought that the body and soul were different, and because humans have a soul they are capable of having an intellectual life (REFERENCE). Aquinas (REFERENCE) agreed with Aristotle in the sense that he thought that the soul animated the body and gave it life and he called the soul the anima. Aquinas believed that that the soul operated independently of the body and that things that are divisible into parts, are destined to decay. As the soul isnt divisible it is able to survive death. However because of the link with a particular human body, each soul becomes individual so even when the body does die, the soul once departed still retains the individual identity of the body it once occupied (REFERENCE). The separation of the mind, or soul, and the physical body seems to be a concept which holds little weight under scrutiny. As Ryle (REFERENCE) asserted, to think of the body and soul as two separate entities is to make a category mistake and refers to what he considers the erroneous notion that the soul is something identifiably extra within a person, or to quote directly; a ghost in a machine. Ryle famously illustrated his hypothesis with the example of the university: A foreigner, having visited the colleges, libraries, sports facilities etc. asks to see the university: Ryles intention was to emphasize the requirement of the various constituent parts to form a whole. However, in order to facilitate a conclusive analysis, a clear definition of the concepts discussed is essential. Thus, a soul may be defined as that which thinks, feels and desires; a non-spatiotemporal essence that encapsulates the personal identity of an individual. The body may be identified as the frame in which t he soul is contained. Ryle, in advocating the unity of body and soul, assumes a Materialist stance and would thus contend that those features generally attributed to the soul are all explainable in terms of neurophysiological reactions. In Confessions of a Philosopher, Brian Magee supported this view, claiming: The human body is a single entity, one subject of behaviour and experience with a single history. We are not two entities mysteriously laced together. Yet, there has been an enduring allegiance to the inverse; that we are composite beings of both corporeal matter and incorporeal soul, thus subscribing to Dualism. Plato, a principal proponent, asserted in his Republic that at death the immortal soul, temporarily imprisoned within the contingent, perishable body, rejoins the realm of eternal truths. In his 2nd Meditation, Descartes reinterpreted Platos arguments, concluding that as our identity ensues from non-physical processes, such as the ability to reason, it is conceivable that we could survive a posthumous existence: Our soul is of a nature entirely independent of the body and consequentlyit is not bound to die with it. And since we cannot see any other causes which destroy the soul, we are naturally led to conclude that it is immortal. The Materialist contention that the soul cannot exist without the body would ostensibly appear the more rational position. Some elucidation is, therefore, required to account for the otherwise unprecedented attention Dualism has received over the centuries and, accordingly, Ryles alleged category mistake. As may be inferred, the concept of a non-contingent soul affords the possibility of survival beyond physical death. In allowing for the fulfilment of a moral equilibrium; the realization of human potential; a validation of existence; the remuneration of the pious; and a basis for rejecting the alternative, the abrupt termination of individual consciousness, life after death may be considered a desirable objective. However, not one supposition of a seemingly inexhaustible list renders the proposition necessarily true. Is it even coherent to postulate the existence of a non-empirical, unverifiable entity? There are four kinds of argument that may be raised in defence of the notion. First, we each have a unique consciousness, impenetrable to the outside world. Our thoughts, beliefs etc. may be inferred by others, but never directly experienced. Nevertheless, our body and its processes remain outwardly perceptible. The existence of a soul resolves the seemingly irreconcilable conflict between the public and the private. Second, the fact that we are held morally accountable for our deeds presupposes that we have complete freedom of choice. However, the premise appears unsubstantiated when countered by the fact that our every thought may be described in terms of the physiological processes occurring in the brain and central nervous system. These processes are accounted for by causal conditions extending beyond a person, prior even to their existence. If we are bound by such conditions that remain beyond our control, how may we be considered free, and, thus, held morally accountable? The postulation of some essence, independent of the deterministic causal chain, and with the capacity to influence moral choices provides a potential solution. Third, the quandary of multiple personality disorder must be remedied. If a body can house several personalities, each with its own distinct self-concept and set of behavioural patterns, the body is clearly not central to personal identity. How may this be accounted for? It is evident that we each possess a number of different, yet un-fragmented perspectives. In a pathological condition, however, what holds these perspectives together is lost. Does this suggest the existence of some ethereal glue, cementing the various facets of a self as one? Finally, there exist a number of people claiming to be in possession of paranormal powers such as telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis etc. In assuming these accounts to be accurate, the Materialist notion that the mind remains entirely dependant on intermediate physical agencies is negated. In sum, if undisputed, the implication of the evidence given is that humans may comprise partly of some imperceptible essence, independent of physical processes. Furthermore, if death remains no exception to the rule, it is plausible that, in a limited capacity, the soul may be preserved, and with it our self identity. However, are there sufficient grounds for refuting the evidence? In truth, convincing though the Dualist arguments may appear, not one case made remains entirely exempt from Materialist criticism. Recently, there has been increasing support for an anthropological view. In attempting an analysis of the brain, in The Minds I, Douglas Hofstadter offered the analogy of an ant colony: A colony has different levels: the colony itself, groups of ants such as workers, teams of ants, and individual ants themselves. We assign meaning to the higher levels (for example that a group of worker ants is removing the carcass of a fly) and hold that these higher levels encode informatio n for the colony. But these higher-level patterns of behaviour are ultimately mere products of the random motions of individual, unintelligent ants. Thus, according to Hofstadter, our every thought, belief or idea is merely a product of random neural firings. It consequently follows that we need not appeal ultimately to meaning to account for reality; we do so purely for the sake of convenience. How well, therefore, do the four lines of argument raised stand up in light of this? The first may be immediately dismissed: The fact that one individual organism may not experience the neural firings of another is unexceptional. In the case of the second: If, on every occasion, what we formerly considered to be higher ideals and beliefs in truth function as labels, then moral law exists as little more that a highly complex system of control. The requirement to apportion a soul is, thus, mooted. Further more, the condition of multiple personalities may be explained by some form of repression, whilst numerous reports of paranormal incidents have proved fairly dubious. To this the following must be added: First, functions such as conceptualisation and memory recall are generally considered to be requisites of self-identity. The implication is that these processes are independent of the mind and could, thus, be sustained by our immaterial souls. The dilemma arises when faced with apparently irrefutable evidence of the inverse. It is widely accepted that, not only are certain mental abilities inherited, but that diseases affecting the mind, such as Downs syndrome, are genetically based. It may be, therefore, surmised that mental ability and function is significantly dependent on the hereditary process. Second, damage to the brain directly affects cognitive functions. For example, were a persons brain spheres to be severed, when presented with an object on the left, the right hemisphere of the brain would recognise it. However, the left hemisphere, the main area for speech and communication, would receive no information via the corpus callosum. Thus whilst the person could point at the object, he could not recount what he sees. Third, certain psychological processes, such as memory, may be discerned as patterns of energy events within the brain. Although, as yet, direct correlation with individual energy transfers has not been possible, the localisation is sufficient to facilitate neurological research. Furthermore, various types of intelligence are associated with specific cerebral hemispheres, for example, the right hemisphere controls artistic and intuitive mental processes. On evaluation, evidence would appear to suggest that those features generally identified within a soul, could equally be explainable in terms of physiological processes. That is not to say the Dualist has not attempted to evade the predicament. In fact, two schemas have been devised. Those subscribing to the first have postulated the immediate replacement of the body at death. For Buddhists the body is physical, for Christians; spiritual. Although, with the reincarnate generally lacking any awareness of a previous existence and ethereal bodies widely acknowledged to exist on a different spatiotemporal plane, verification remains difficult. Advocates of the second schema have suggested that the soul could exist disembodied, in a very limited capacity. For Catholics this may be temporally (Purgatory) until united with a body (Beatific Vision), or permanently (Hell). But what of Ryle and his ghost? The situation must be readdressed. It is clear that in attempting to rationalize the theory of the soul, one invariably returns to the starting point; that, whilst the notion cannot be dismissed entirely, it does appear physiologically unlikely. Ryles statement, however, was more than just a hypothesis; it was a definitive claim. Thus, though empirical evidence seems to lean in favour of the Materialist, whilst Dualism continues as a legitimate possibility, Ryles contention will remain unsubstantiated. Ultimately, the concept of a soul depends on the equally unverifiable existence of some divine entity to effectuate this recondite posthumous transition. Here lies the significance; although those Dualists subscribing to theism tend to recognise that the confirmation of their faith will be fulfilled by eschatological verification, the concept of some spiritual self within plays a fundamental role in their lives, not only in the provision of an intangible channel through which they might commune with God, but also in apportioning a sense of order, clarity and purpose to their existence.

Reproductive Cloning Technology Essays -- Biology Clone

Reproductive Cloning Cloning has become a major issue in our modern world, from moral, ethical, and religious concerns, to the problem of financial and government support. Human cloning is one of the most controversial topics, and because of this, many of the new important discoveries and beneficial technologies have been overlooked and ignored. Reproductive cloning technology may offer many new possibilities, including hope for endangered species, resources for human organ transplants, and answers to questions concerning cancer, inherited diseases, and aging. The research that led up to the ability to clone mammals started more than a century ago. From frogs to mice to sheep to humans, reproductive cloning promises many possibilities. Ever since the successful birth of Dolly on July 5, 1996, the scientific community as well as the public have been engulfed in the idea of reproductive cloning, its benefits, and its potential threats. This well-publicized event was a giant steppingstone in understanding and using the techniques of gene cloning and reproductive cloning. By using a technique known as Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, scientists at the Roslin Institute removed the nucleus from an oocyte (unfertilized egg), and then fused this newly enucleated cell with a donor cell (with complete nucleus). This new embryo was then implanted into the womb of a surrogate mother ewe. In total, out of 277 fused cells, 29 successfully developed into embryos, while only one of these resulted in a successful live birth (a total success rate of 0.4%) (Wong, 202). Dolly was the first living mammal to be cloned by this fast and accurate process of somatic cell nuclear transfer, but was by no means the first animal to be cloned. The first... ...s, Mark. â€Å"Gene Cloning,† 11 June, 2004 , Holmgrem Lab, 27 July, 2007, 7. â€Å"History Of Cloning,† John’s Cloning Page , 22 July, 2007, 8. Pellegrino, Edmund D., â€Å"Human Cloning and Human Dignity.† The President’s Council on Bioethics. 22 July 2007 9. "Cloning Fact Sheet." Human Genome Project Information. 29 Aug. 2006. U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Human Genome Program. 27 July 2007 10. Love, Jamie, â€Å"The Cloning of Dolly.† Science Explained 27 November, 1997; 18 July, 2007 Reproductive Cloning Technology Essays -- Biology Clone Reproductive Cloning Cloning has become a major issue in our modern world, from moral, ethical, and religious concerns, to the problem of financial and government support. Human cloning is one of the most controversial topics, and because of this, many of the new important discoveries and beneficial technologies have been overlooked and ignored. Reproductive cloning technology may offer many new possibilities, including hope for endangered species, resources for human organ transplants, and answers to questions concerning cancer, inherited diseases, and aging. The research that led up to the ability to clone mammals started more than a century ago. From frogs to mice to sheep to humans, reproductive cloning promises many possibilities. Ever since the successful birth of Dolly on July 5, 1996, the scientific community as well as the public have been engulfed in the idea of reproductive cloning, its benefits, and its potential threats. This well-publicized event was a giant steppingstone in understanding and using the techniques of gene cloning and reproductive cloning. By using a technique known as Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, scientists at the Roslin Institute removed the nucleus from an oocyte (unfertilized egg), and then fused this newly enucleated cell with a donor cell (with complete nucleus). This new embryo was then implanted into the womb of a surrogate mother ewe. In total, out of 277 fused cells, 29 successfully developed into embryos, while only one of these resulted in a successful live birth (a total success rate of 0.4%) (Wong, 202). Dolly was the first living mammal to be cloned by this fast and accurate process of somatic cell nuclear transfer, but was by no means the first animal to be cloned. The first... ...s, Mark. â€Å"Gene Cloning,† 11 June, 2004 , Holmgrem Lab, 27 July, 2007, 7. â€Å"History Of Cloning,† John’s Cloning Page , 22 July, 2007, 8. Pellegrino, Edmund D., â€Å"Human Cloning and Human Dignity.† The President’s Council on Bioethics. 22 July 2007 9. "Cloning Fact Sheet." Human Genome Project Information. 29 Aug. 2006. U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Human Genome Program. 27 July 2007 10. Love, Jamie, â€Å"The Cloning of Dolly.† Science Explained 27 November, 1997; 18 July, 2007

In which ways does Shakespeare build up a mood of tension and horror in the scenes? Essay

I think that Shakespeare built up a mood of tension and horror in the scenes by using particular scenes with a kind of situation ‘Will he? Wont he?’ which builds up the tension incredibly. Act I scene VII is the scene where Macbeth makes the decision even if not his own, that he will kill King Duncan. Though Macbeth wasn’t ready for Lady Macbeth’s fury. She calls him a coward and mocks his masculinity, ‘When you durst do it, then you were a man’ Mentally beaten by his wife and persuaded by her mockery, Macbeth makes his makes his final verdict. This part creates tension in the form of Macbeth’s uncertainty. Act II, scene I starts off the horror and the tension, of the murder, by using that point in time as ‘midnight’. The witches haven’t just disturbed Macbeth, as Banquo grasps his sword whilst crossing the courtyard as he heard a noise. You can tell that Macbeth is distressed as he answers very little to Banquo and it clearly shows when he leaves. When Macbeth hallucinates, seeing a dagger before him, ‘A dagger of the mind, a false creation’ Shakespeare increases the tension in this scene by using language that is full of references to blood and darkness, ‘And on thy blade, and dungeon, gouts of blood, Which was not so before?’ The dagger goes then returns, but on its return Macbeth notices that it is of his own dagger covered in blood which increases the horror, the handle pointing towards his hand, inviting him towards King Duncan’s chamber. The dagger was basically giving him a step by step guide to committing regicide. Macbeth’s final words before regicide are very dramatic, ‘I go, and it is done’ This creates images of what is about to come. Lady Macbeth goes and gets the scene ready for Macbeth by framing the guards, she drugs them and takes their daggers. In act II, scene II the murder of King Duncan takes place and fear and regret dominates the scene. Macbeth returns with the guard’s two daggers which he was meant to of left at the scene to frame the guards, this creates both tension and horror as the audience doesn’t know if they will be found out. Lady Macbeth then takes control of the situation by taking them back herself. When she returns she is fuming and begins to call her husband a coward. But to add to the tension Macbeth can’t wash the blood off his hands which shows regret and guilt; Macbeth compares his hands to the seas of Neptune, ‘Will all great Neptune’ Ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?’ Saying that his blood will turn Neptune’s Ocean from green to red, ‘The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one, red’ But then Lady Macbeth tries to reassure him by saying ‘My hands are of your colour: but I shame to wear a heart so white’ They hear knocking at a door so Lady Macbeth tells him to go and put on his night gown and forget what has just happened but it is easier said than done! Macbeth believes that he is outside the Christian world as he couldn’t say ‘amen’ also that he will never sleep again because regicide is a sin. The knocking at the end of the scene creates suspense because it plays on the audience’s fear of discovery.

Aaron Douglas. Bio Essay

Aaron Douglas ?â€Å"Aaron Douglas was an African American painter and graphic artist who played a leading role in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s. His first major commission, to illustrate Alain Leroy Locke’s book, The New Negro, prompted requests for graphic from other Harlem Renaissance writers. By 1939, Douglas started teaching at Fisk University, where he remained for the next 27 years (Biography 1). † He made numerous contributions at Fisk University. ?On May 26, 1899, Aaron Douglas was born in Topeka, Kansas. During his time in the Harlem Renaissance, Douglas helped to guide the artistic and literary movement. He is sometime referred to as the ‘Father of Black American Art. Douglas developed an interest in art early on, finding some of his inspiration from his mother’s love for painting watercolors (Biography 1). † Proceeding graduation in 1917 from Topeka, Kansas, Douglas enrolled in the University of Nebraska, which is also know n as Lincoln. â€Å"There he pursued his passion for creating art, earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in 1922 (Biography 1). † At the same time, he connected with students of Lincoln High School in Kansas City, Missouri to share his interest of art with them.After two years of bonding with his pupils, Douglas decided to migrate to New York City. New York’s Harlem neighborhood had a thriving art scene; therefore it would not take any time for Douglas to get use to New York.? Reaching New York in 1925, Douglas swiftly became familiar with the Harlem’s cultural life. He began his career in New York as an apprentice for Winold Reiss, a German artist whom he met through Charles S. Johnson. Being an apprentice for Reiss only lasted two years before he continued on to became the editor of Opportunity, the National Urban League’s magazine. Through his covers for Opportunity and The Crisis, Douglas set forth a new vision for the black artists. His strong, ge ometric forms and Egyptian profiles resulted in a style later described by cultural critic and educator Richard Powell as ‘Afro-Cubism (Aiga 1). † In 1926, Douglas finally stepped up to the plate and married Alta Sawyer. Mrs. Alta was a teacher as well. Their home became a social Mecca for the likes of Langton Hughes and W. E. B. Du Bois. â€Å"Around the same time, Douglas loaned his talents to the first and only issue of Wallace Thurman’s magazine FIRE!! nd later designed the cover of Thurman’s short-lived magazine Harlem (Aiga 1). † With Douglas reputation for creating compelling graphics, he became an in-demand illustrator for many writers (Biography 1). † A few of Douglas popular illustrations consist of James Weldon Johnson’s poetic work, God’s Trombone (1927), and Paul Morand’s Black Magic (1929). â€Å"In addition to Douglas illustration work, he explored educational opportunities; after receiving a fellowship from the Barnes Foundation in Pennsylvania, he took time to study African and modern art (Biography 1). This experience led him to creating some of his best-known paintings in the 1930s. Meanwhile, Douglas was hired to produce a mural for the library at Fisk University. Continuing to broaden his horizon, Douglas spent time in Paris, where he studied with Charles Despiau and Othon Friesz. â€Å"Back in New York, in 1933, Douglas had his first solo art show. Soon after, he started one of his most legendary works – a series of murals entitled â€Å"Aspects of Negro Life† that featured four panels, each depicting a different part of the African-American experience.Each mural included a captivating mix of Douglas’s influences, from jazz music to abstract and geometric art (Biography 2). † ? Returning to Fisk University in the late 1930s, Douglas served as an assistant professor, and shortly after he founded the school’s art department. Because Douglas was v alued his educational responsibilities, he attend Columbia University’s Teachers College in 1941, and completed three years earning a master’s degree in art education. â€Å"He also established the Carl Van Vechten Gallery at Fisk and helped secure vital works for it collection, including pieces by Winold Reiss and Alfred Steiglitz (Biography 2). Outside of his works in his classroom, Douglas remained committed to learning and growing as an artist. â€Å"He received a fellowship from the Julius Rosenwald Foundation in 1938, which funded his painting trip Haiti and several other Caribbean islands. He later won other grants to support his artistic endeavors (Biography 2). † Douglas had several solo exhibits over the years from his continuation to produce new works. ?Douglas received countless honors during his later years. â€Å"In 1963, he was invited by President John F.Kennedy to attend a celebration of the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation, held at the White House. Douglas also earned and honorary doctorate from Fisk University in 1973, seven years after his retirement from the school (Biography 2). † He still remained an active painter and lecturer until the end of his life. On September 2, 1979, Douglas passed away at the age of 79, in a Nashville hospital. According to some reporters, he died of a pulmonary embolism. â€Å"Pulmonary embolism is a sudden blockage in a lung artery. The blockage usually is caused by a blood clot that travels to the lung from a vein in the leg (NIH 1). ? After Douglas death, a special memorial service was held for him at Fisk University, where he taught for nearly 30 years. â€Å"At the service, Walter J. Leonard, the university’s president at the time, remembered Douglas with the following statement: ‘Aaron Douglas was one of the most accomplished of the interpreters of our institutions and cultural values. He captured the strength and quickness of the young; he translate d the memories of the old; and projected the determination of the inspired and courageous (Biography 2). †