Shakespeares presentation of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice Essay Example

Shakespeares presentation of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice Paper Shylock the infamous money-lender in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice, is a complex character and far more than a caricature of a Jewish villain. In Elizabethan times Jews were often discriminated against because of their faith and beliefs. It was accepted for Christians to discriminate against Jews. Anti Semitism was based on religious events. The medieval myth that Jews needed to kill young boys once a year to reinact the death of Christ and use the blood for the making of unleaven bread, had its roots from the biblical account of the massacre of the innocents, which King Herod carried out because he was terrified of being overthrown as the King of Judea by the infant Christ. Many however, also believed that if Jews converted to Christianity, all of their sins would be forgiven and they would be accepted into the arms of the Christian God. It was widely believed that Jews were responsible for the execution of Christ and so they were believed to be working with the devil. We will write a custom essay sample on Shakespeares presentation of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Shakespeares presentation of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Shakespeares presentation of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Although Jews were not allowed to own property, they were often prosperous business and engaged in money-lending, which Elizabethan Christians were not allowed to do. All the prejudices that people had concerning Jews prompted them to become portrayed as evil villains of Elizabethan dramas. At the time The Merchant of Venice was written, the Jew had become the character that the Elizabethan audience loved to hate; so Shakespeare may have seen an opportunity to make money and included Shylock as the villainous Jew in his play. Another example of a Jew being used as a villain in an Elizabethan drama is, The Jew of Malta or The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta, written by Christopher Marlowe. In this play, Barabas carries out many immoral actions and is often unfavorably compared to other men of different faiths. Shylock is first recognised as a typical Jewish villain, when he reveals to the audience (out of earshot from Antonio and Bassanio) his ambition, If I can catch him once upon the hip, / I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. Shylocks statement is sinister and twisted and gives the audience the feeling that all Shylock is out to do is to ruin Antonio. Shylock later discloses the reason why he wishes for Antonio to be caught in a weak spot is because he is a Christian and a threat to Shylocks business as Antonio loans money out to his friends without charging interest. This shows quite a negative attitude towards Antonio and Christians. The reference to an ancient grudge could also represent the treatment of Jews through the ages by Christians in general. Perhaps Shylock is taking out his anger on Antonio, to avenge the way he has been treated by Christians throughout his life. The fact that Antonio spat at Shylock would have given the concept of revenge a personal edge. Another point in the play where Shakespeare depicts Shylock as the typical Jewish rogue is when he reveals the bond, which Antonio must sign, to borrow three thousand ducats. Be nominated for an equal pound / Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken / In what part of your body pleaseth me. This creates a sense of hatred within the audience towards Shylock, as this is a despicable idea. This is also an action of a typical Jewish villain as Elizabethans believed that Jews were bloodthirsty from what they had read in the Bible. So, Shylocks desire to draw his victims blood is a stereotypical action of a Jewish villain by Elizabethan standards. Shylock is using Antonios need to borrow money as an opportunity for revenge to perhaps feed fat the ancient grudge he has for him. Most characters who comment on Shylock in the play only present him as a villain and see him as nothing else. When Jessica speaks of Shylock, her father, she doesnt mention anything about loving him but she says she is ashamed of him, To be ashamed to be my fathers child! To be ashamed of your own parents is an unfortunate position to be in. This shows how detestable Shylock is as he is despised by his own daughter. The reason for Jessica to be ashamed of her father maybe the fact that she dislikes the way he conducts business. I am not his manners. This suggests that Jessica may know about the bond Shylock has made with Antonio and feels disgusted at her fathers behavior. This is probably the last straw for Jessica and this may be why she decides to leave home and start a new life with a Christian, perhaps to fit in with society. At this point the audience would empathise with Jessica as no one would want to hear that their father conducts his business in a particularly threatenin g and vengeful manner. It is obvious that father and daughter are not emotionally close as he is more worried about the money and jewels that Jessica took with her than about her well being. When Tubal returns with the news that he has not found where she is the first thing that Shylock says, A diamond gone cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfurt! This remark shows clearly that Shylocks mind appears to focus exclusively on mercenary matters. He is not concerned about his daughters welfare but is very concerned about his missing money. At this point the audience probably realise that Jessica has made a lucky escape from her selfish and unloving father. Shylock receives more hatred from the audience and they probably see him to deserve to lose everything at the end as he really is a cold man and all he cares for is his fortune. Shylock is such a bitter man that he wishes Jessica was dead, I would my daughter dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear: would and the ducats in her coffin. The wish of his daughters death emphasises just how bitter and twisted Shylock actually is. The ducats in her coffin. This shows that Shylock doesnt really care for anything or anyone else in his life apart from himself, his money and getting revenge on Antonio. Lancelot Gobbo, Shylocks servant, dislikes Shylock for the reason that he is not paid fairly and he also believes that he would become a Jew if he served Shylock any further. Lancelot says to Bassanio about Shylock, you have the grace of God, sir, and he hath / enough. This shows that Lancelot also believes that only Christians have the ability to have the blessing of God and perhaps that Jews will go hell because they are sinning by being Jewish and not Christian. Salarino and Solanio, Christian friends of Antonio, dont think very highly of Shylock as Solanio says, Let me say amen betimes, lest the devil cross my prayer, for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. Here Shakespeare causes the audience to think about how much hatred someone must have for another in order to call them the devil. This is a horrible insult as it implies Shylock is an evil person and makes the audience feel more loathing towards him. They would agree with Solanio that only someone wicked could think of such a despicable thing as the bond Shylock has made with Antonio. The reference to the devil would have been even more of an insult in Elizabethan times as hell and the devil were taken literally in those days. They believed that the devil was an active evil which was out to corrupt honest people. So for people to think of Shylock as the devil is a massive insult. Not only is Solanio insulting Shylock but he is also insulting the whole Jewish community, here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. This could be interpreted in the way that Solanio may be saying that all Jews are in the image of the devil this could be very insulting to the Jewish community as in those day the term the devil was taken in a very literal way. There are three points in the play however, where Shakespeare attempts to extract as much sympathy as possible for Shylock, from the audience. The first point in the play the audience may start to feel sympathy for Shylock is in his Hath a dog money? speech in Act one Scene three. In this speech, Shakespeare depicts Shylock as the victim of Antonios vicious hatred towards him. The repetition of dog throughout the speech shows the harshness of Antonios treatment of Shylock; And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur At this point the audience might feel a great sympathy for Shylock as no one can imagine how it must feel to be treated as a stray dog. Shakespeare shows how much Shylock loathes this treatment as he carries on repeating the term dog throughout the famous speech. This would encourage the audience to understand Shylocks feelings and try to see the situation from his point of view. Antonio humiliates Shylock in public, In the Rialto you have rated me / About my monies and my usances. Antonio curses Shylock in the street just because he earns a living by charging interest on money he loans out. This again shows that Shylock has been victimised for something we would consider minor and way in which he earns money. From an audiences perspective in Elizabethan times this would probably be accepted as it was against a Christians morals to be involved in this kind of business. Today, however, the behavior which Antonio has displayed would be highly unacceptable as the way in which someone earns money has nothing to do with anyone else. The audience would be led to sympathise further with Shylock when he reveals the awful things that Antonio said to him the past, You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gabardine. The language that Antonio is claimed to have used is vindictive and bitter; it is also extremely cutting. This creates a sense of awkwardness within the audience hearing about Antonios racist language. The term cut-throat dog shows just how merciless and unscrupulous Shylock is; it also suggests someone who is at their lowest ebb. It can also be seen as an extremely vicious dog that cuts people throat it almost resembles a wolf. Shakespeare may have intended to show Shylock as the victim of harsh racial abuse. Antonio treats Shylock with absolute disdain as Shylock keeps repeating cur, so this shows that Antonio actually hates Shylock. A further point in the play where the audience is made to feel sympathy for Shylock is in his Hath not Jew? speech in Act three Scene one. It is debatable as to whether Shakespeare is trying to poke fun at Shylock in this speech. However, I believe Shakespeare is genuinely trying to create a feeling of compassion towards Shylock. For an Elizabethan audience, the speech would cause them to contemplate how they treat Jews when Shylock explains that they are basically the same as everyone else, I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Shylock is desperately trying to seek acceptance from the people around him. This would create a great sense of sadness for Shylock as he is only trying to live his life just like everyone else. Shakespeare writes Shylocks speech as if he is pleading with Salarino to stop treating him as if he is something other than a human being. Perhaps Shakespeare is using Shylock as the voice of the Jewish community talking to the Christian community. This makes the audience sympathise with Shylock and see that it is wrong for someone to have to plead with others to recognise their humanity. Shylock is putting the point across that he is only behaving in the way that he has been treated. This speech produces the maximum amount of sympathy from the audience as Shylock says all this to Solanio and Salarino after he has heard that his daughter, Jessica has runaway. The audience would probably feel disgust for Salarino and Solanio as they taunt Shylock when he is at his lowest. The last point when the audience may feel that Shylock is a victim is near the end of the play when he leaves court a broken man after losing his money and his faith. Antonio insists, He presently become a Christian. Shylock no longer has anything to live for he has lost his family, his wealth and now his faith. The audience can only imagine how it feels to have your beliefs forced upon you. The final feeling the audience would have of Shylock is sympathy as he promptly leaves the play never to be heard of again by the audience. This links in to an earlier point which I made, that in Elizabethan times where Christians actually believed that if you were anything other than a Christian you would go to hell. So perhaps Antonio was actually trying to save Shylock from hell. Shakespeare does present Jews in a sympathetic light and proves he is not being simply racist by the two most well known speeches in the play. I think Shakespeare uses Shylock as a Jewish villain as it was a great seller in that period of time to have a Jewish character which the Elizabethan audience loved to hate. However, Shakespeare does attempt to challenge the stereotype throughout the play as he uses Shylocks Hath a Jew? speech as a challenge to the treatment of Jews. Mostly I think Shakespeare was more interested in earning money than being racist and anti-Semitic towards Jews. Overall, I think that Shakespeare intends to present Shylock as a villain but he also shows his human side which perhaps explains why Shylock acts the way he does. I believe that Shylock received his just desserts at the end of the play as he was prepared to kill a man just for revenge. Although Shylock was driven to this by abuse, he could have shown his human side and acted as the better man. The fact that Shylock even thought of such a bond proves he is a villain through and through. Reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_the_Great#Herod_in_the_New_Testament

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The Collectivisms Versus Individualism Appeals Cultural Studies Essay Love the Internet, love being free-spirited, love getting up late, love the late night food stands, love car-racing and T-shirts for 29RMB as well. I am not a standard-bearer, nor am I someones spokesman, I am HanHan, I just represent myself. When you read this script, do you think that it is an advert launched in the western markets? Actually, it is an advert campaign of a fashion apparel B2C company in China. It is quite interesting to launch an ad which claims I-conscious in a highly collectivistic country. In this essay, the writer will mainly analyze the cultural values behind the ad and discuss how this ad is trying to change the attitudes of the Chinese from group-oriented to self-oriented by using consumer behavior frameworks, such as Maslows hierarchy of needs, Fishbeins behavioral intention model and advertising engagement modes. Background Vancl is a B2C company who sells quality fashion clothing and accessories on-line in China (Appendix 1). It was founded in 2007, and now it has become the NO.1 Chinese fashion apparel B2C enterprise who is occupying 28.4% market share, according to the Report of e-business on fashion apparel industry in China 2009-2010 (http://en.vancl.com). As the concept of the company is to provide quality and stylish apparel at a reasonable price, it considers urban young adults from 18 to 28 years old as its target audiences (http://en.vancl.com). In order to target more consumers and enhance the influence of the brand, Vancl launched an advertising campaign (Appendix 2) in 2010, which achieved a huge success in China. This study is aim to analyze the culture behind the ad campaign based on consumer behavior area. Literature Review Collectivism versus Individualism Appeals in Chinese Adverts Hofstede (1980) developed an individualism-collectivism dimension to differentiate culture. This concept was concluded by Oyserman et al. (2002) that collectivism could be considered as the opposite of individualism, which was usually reflected in the East Asian culture. In thecollectivistic culture, concept of self is relevant to others and the society as a whole (Mooij 2004), which cannot be separated from their social context (Phillips 1976; Shweder 1984). Thus, Families, work groups, social roles, positions, or relationships should be offered as the top priority in an individuals behavior (Mooij 2004, p.96). In the communication level, Individualism-collectivism dimension divides the self-concept into independent self and interdependent self appealed by low-context and high-context communication, affecting in the communication behavior (Mooij 2004). In general, high-context communication occurs more prevalent in collectivistic culture while low-context communication reflects a communication style in individualistic culture (Hall and Hall 1987, Zandpour et al. 1992, Mooij 2004). Therefore, more copy is used in adverts developed in the individualistic countries. By contrast, collectivistic countries use more visual elements in their ads (Mooij 2004). According to Hofstedes (2001) framework of culture dimensions, China is a highly collectivistic country. Collectivism concept congests in the daily life of Chinese. For instance, people are more likely to say, I often watch basketball games with my family and friends. instead of I am a sports fan.' (Liang and Joseph 2010, p.189). Consequently, the level of collectivism may have an impact on the design of local advertising. A host of researchers (for example: Dana et al.1993; Han and Shavitt 1994) have found that collectivistic ideas appear in adverts are more prevalent in the higher collectivism countries, such as China, Japan and South Korea, etc. Similarly, Carolyn (2001) pointed out that group consensus appeals more in Chinese adverts than in American ads. And unlike the commercials in U.S., Chinese were generally we-conscious instead of I-conscious. A research, conducted by Cheng and Schweitzer (1996), identified three main cultural values, in terms of modernity, youth and family dominated in Chinese advertisements, which were much different from the results in the United States (enjoyment, modernity and individualism). Besides, the study also found that comparing with the idea of individualism and manipulation over nature, harmony of social status and oneness with nature were much more frequently discovered in the Chinese advertising (ibid.). Some researches (for example: Belk et al. 1985; Belk and Pollay 1985; Belk and Bryce 1986; Mueller 1987; Paek et al. 2004), however, revealed that the style of the advertisements in some eastern countries was tending to be Americanized and becoming more individualistic orientations. Zhang and Shavitt (2003), for instance, analyzed 463 Chinese advertisements and found that both modernity/individualism values and tradition/collectivism values existed or dominated in Chinese Ads. The former values were more prevalent in personal use products ads, while the latter were more common in the ads promoting shared products. Difference in Appearance and Fashion Advertising Appeals across Culture Mooij (2004) used three culture dimensions, in terms of uncertain avoidance, power distance, and individualism-collectivism, to explain the different needs of appearance in different countries. A map (Appendix 3) was designed to illustrate the importance of appearance in the different cultural valued countries by using individualism-collectivism and uncertain avoidance dimensions, according to the country scores calculated by Hofstede (2001). Mooij (2004) claimed that the degrees of uncertain avoidance determined the proportion of consumption spending of individuals, while the dimension of individualism-collectivism differentiated the purpose of well-dressing between suitability of occasion and earning face. Besides, the higher power distance of culture was, the more degrees people would depend on others. Moreover, Mooij (ibid.) mentioned that self-consciousness was another factor to identify the differences in appearance. Similarly, Phillips and McQuarrie (2010) reviewed numerous of researches (for example: Green and Brock 2000; Holbrook and Hirschman 1982; Petty and Cacioppo 1981) and concluded five modes of fashion advertising engagement (Appendix 4) to illustrate the current situation of fashion ads worldwide. Among these five modes, many scholars (e.g., Murray 2002; Bannister and Hogg 2004; Thompson and Haytko 1997; Richins 1991) found that the engage for identity mode was the most common and traditional model appealed in the fashion adverts, which exactly coincided with Evans (1989) conclusion of three trends in fashion industry: (1) Peoples use of fashion reflects a desire to manifest the self; (2) the desire for self-expression is growing; and (3) there is a continuing need to match female (still the main buyers of clothing and cosmetics) self-images and brand images in more congruent ways (p. 10-11). Evan (ibid.) also suggested that self-expression and branding image were more important than fashion and styling newness when promoting a fashion brand. In General, the advertising appeals in collectivistic counties were more group-identity, while self-identity adverts worked more efficiently in individualistic countries (Cheng and Schweitzer 1996). However, Vancl uses a contrary ad appeals to promote the brand. In the next part, a detailed semiotic analysis will be conducted to explore the different appeals in this advert. Semiotic Analysis According to Solomon (2008 p.103), semiotics is a study of the correspondence between signs and symbols and their roles in how we assign meanings ¼Ã…’which can be interpreted into different information based on the knowledge, culture values, personality and skills of different interpreter. Therefore, analysis of semiotic elements containing in the advert, can help the researcher understand detailed information the advert wants to deliver. There are three components in every marketing message, which should be combined when analyzing an advert, namely an object (product), a sign (symbol), and an interpretant/meaning (Schiffman and Kanuk, 2004). Vancls advertising campaign is developed to two versions divided by gender. Each version includes large amount of signs and symbols which ccn be interpreted. For example, the price of the clothing marked in the advertisement gives a rough idea of the target audiences. Then the audiences analyze this information using their knowledge, persona lity and skills based on the different culture, such as considering the average price of this kind of clothing in the market, and calculate that the price is affordable and reasonable. Another interpretation of price can be considered as high uncertain avoidance. More specifically, if consumers have known the price before they purchase, they can avoid the risk of buying inappropriate products. Thus, in this ad, marked price can be interpreted into both price-friendly and avoidance of risk (Figure 1). Adapted from Solomon, 2008. A Semiotic Relationship. Object Vancl clothing Sign Marked price Interpretant Price-friendly Risk avoidance Personality Skills Knowledge Culture Figure 1: An Example of a Semiotic Relationship in Vancl Advertising In order to understand the messages interpreted in this advertising campaign by different targets, the writer interviewed five people who spoke Mandarin by asking them to use three words to describe the personality containing in this ad. The top three personalities referred most frequently were self-conscious, lively and enjoyment in life. Here, self-conscious means that the ad is I-conscious oriented, expresses a sense of confidence, self-respect and self-fulfillment. Lively can be explained that the ad appeals are more related to daily life and realistic, while enjoyment in life means that a sense of fun, enjoyment and happiness towards life. Based on this interview result, a detailed semiotic analysis is conducted and summarized (Appendix 5). According to Maslows hierarchy of needs theory (1987), clothing can be categorized to the physiological needs, which is the most basic need of humans. However, from the results of semiotics interpretation, the writer found that Vancl focused on targeting the audiences to the forth level needs self-esteem needs (Appendix 6). As it is shown from the survey, Vancl encourages people to be confident and self-respect, clothing is no matter the basic needs of human beings. Wearing Vancl apparel can help the consumers achieve to self-esteem level. Moreover, another finding is discovered. The three personalities concluded by the respondents are much similar to the elements (excitement, fun and enjoyment in life, self-fulfillment, self-respect, etc.) of the List of Value (LOV), a value approach developed by Kahle and Timmer (1983). Surprisingly, these three personalities, which generally occur in the most western counties, are opposite to the culture value in China concluded by Hofstede (2001, Figure 2). As it is shown by the individualism index, the score (20) is lower than the average of other Asian countries (24), which means that China owns a highly collectivistic culture. Chinese consider group as their priority, focus more on their families, friends and society as a whole, than themselves (Mooij, 2004). The writer analyzes the ads in depth on the basis of the Hofstedes culture values (Appendix 7) and finds that, although collectivism deeply influences on the development of Chinese advertisements, Vancls ad campaign, howeve r, pays a lot attention to self concept. Take the script as an example. The copy of two versions keeps the format of Love à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, I am not à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, I am à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, which is much different from the we-conscious adverts in collectivistic countries. It emphasizes self, and gives the opinions of the individuals instead of groups, which reflects an individualistic cultural value. Individualism Masculinity Power Distance Uncertainty Avoidance Time Orientation China Low Individualism (20) Masculine (66) High (80) Low (30) Long (118) Figure 2: Hofstedes Framework for Assessing Culture China Furthermore, this campaign seems to reform the advertising layout from a traditional way to a new style. As it is shown, there are two versions exclusively designed by gender. The layout of these two versions is similar: there is an image of the spokesman in the left of the picture, while a script containing large information in the right. This is also an uncommon way of the traditional Chinese advertisements. Lastly, according to Fishbein and Ajzen (1980), brand attitude and subject norm are two components which influence the intention and finally determine the purchasing behavior. In highly collectivistic countries, subjective norm stands for an important position in this evaluation process (Lee, 1991). In this case, however, Vancl shifts consumers focuses from subjective norm to brand attitude (Figure 3). Therefore, it can be considered that Vancls ad is trying to change Chineses attitudes from collectivism to individualism. Adapted from Fishbein and Ajzen, 1980. Fishbeins Extended Model of Behavioral Intention. + + Behavioral Intention Vancl Normative Beliefs Friends recommend the brand to me, it seems suit me. Norm Evaluations When wearing Vancl, I am more acceptable among friends and feel that I am one in the group. Collectivism Subjective Norm + Brand Beliefs Just be yourself Belief Evaluations When wearing Vancl, I seem to achieve a unique and self-esteemed life like the celebrities own. Self conscious Brand Attitude Figure 3: Model of Behavioral Intention of Vancl How to Change Attitudes Undoubtedly, it is not facile for a brand to change the attitudes of consumers, especially changing an ingrained notion which has rooted for thousands of years. Harmony is a central concept of Confucian, which results in the group-oriented behaviors in Chinese. According to the appearance map (Mooij, 2004), China is categorized in the left-bottom quadrant, represents a culture of low uncertain avoidance and highly collectivistic. People in this kind of culture pay a lot attention on face, context, low-structured and conformity, who generally buy clothing based on others opinions. What is Vancl doing is to shift the appearance concept of Chinese from the left-bottom quadrant to the right-bottom quadrant, where UK and U.S. are, representing an individualistic culture. Consequently, Vancl engages the ad with self-identity concept. During this attitude changing process, the ad focuses on the elements of celebrities and scripts to evoke the ideal self of the consumers (Figure 4). Adapted from Phillps and McQuarrie, 2010. Modes of Advertising Engagement in Womens Fashion. Mode of Engagement Ad Element Focus Processing Style Conceptual Metaphor Engage to Self-identity Celebrities Scripts Attitude Changing Process Ideal Status Figure 4: Mode of Advertising Engagement of Vancl From analyzing the ad, some clues of the reason why Vancl successfully changes the attitudes of its consumers can be discovered. Firstly, the boom of Chinese economy contributes to the process of culture exchange. An Increasing number of foreign enterprises develop their business in China and bring their culture. Besides, the development of technology helps Chinese access to the culture from different countries via TV, Internet, etc. All these are unconsciously influencing the cultural values of Chinese, which provides a prerequisite for Vancl to implement this advertising campaign. Moreover, the effect of celebrity plays an important role in the attitudes changing process. As what suggested by Malhotra (1988), using a spokesperson was an essential marketing strategy to help to match the brand image with consumers self-concept. HanHan and WangLuoDan, the two spokesmen Vancl selected, own high preferences among Chinese youth, and their characters meet the image of Vancl as well. As celebrities represent a sense of credit, attractiveness and power (Kelman, 1961), consumers can be easily influenced. Especially in the collectivistic countries, consumers are eager for the acceptance from peers and society, following celebrities is a clever way to make them acceptable. Finally, the execution of the ad assists in achieving the purpose of attitude changing. The different version by gender designed on the basis of different cultural value of males and females, targets to audiences widely and accurately. The scripts express the opinions of a unique attitude towards life from the celebrities, which influence consumers powerfully. Since China ranks high score in collectivism, the scripts are designed on this special situation: claim to be I-conscious; meanwhile, meet the traditional cultural values of Chinese. More specifically, although most of the scripts advocate self-identity, at the end of the scripts, Vancl utilizes the collectivistic culture to call for in-group and offers a sense of involvement. The last sentence, I am like you; I am Vancl (common people), gives the consumers a hint that it is not difficult to achieve such life as the two celebrities own, wearing Vancl helps to be this ideal self both in the private context and social context. Thus, it can be concluded that three factors contribute to help Vancl change the attitude of Chinese consumers, namely impact of other culture, influence of celebrities, and elaborate ad execution (such as scripts and visual design, etc.). These three factors combined as the persuasion stimuli, affect on the attitude changing process from collectivism and group-oriented to individualism and self-conscious. This impact is not only influence the target audience, but also powerful to publics. Consequently, wearing Vancl is a personal choice, which helps consumers achieve their ideal self. As the attitudes of publics are changed as well, it unifies the opinion of what others think of you and what you really want to be (Figure 5). Actual Self Collectivism Group-identity Impact of other culture Elaborate execution of ad Influence of celebrities Attitude Changing Focus on self Just be yourself Self-oriented Idea Self Self-esteemed Confident Enjoyment of life Social Self Unique Confident Enjoyment of life VANCL Appeal to Individualism oriented Involvement In group Figure 5: Framework of Attitude Changing Process of Vancl Advert In conclusion, self-concept plays an important role in Vancl advert campaign. The ad delivers the message that Vancl represents who you are and what you are not' (Rune and Rosemary 2006, p.868). Thus, wearing Vancl can promote self-concept of consumers, and correspondingly bolster up their actual or ideal view of themselves (Fournier 1998). Based on this purpose, Vancl uses two spokespersons, who own high reputation among Chinese youth and also have a unique lifestyle, to help the brand promote self-concept. As Carroll (2009) referred, this is an efficient way for a brand to shift the culture from that brand to consumer. Moreover, using celebrities also helps Vancl persuade or change the attitudes towards their consumers (Kardes et al. 2010) from group-oriented to self-conscious. Just like Kelman (1961) claimed, attitudes could be changed through three processes: internalization, identification and compliance. For consumers, HanHan and WangLuoDan represent a credible, attractive and powerful image. Thus, their persuasion could help the brand reform a new attitude or behavior to attract the consumers to imitate through the referred three processes (ibid.), and finally achieve the purpose of changing the attitudes of their consumers. Limitations Admittedly, the article may not have analyzed the advert roundly, and still have some limitations as well. Firstly, as it is an ad in China, the translation of the copy may not very accurately due to different language expression, which may cause some different interpretations of signs or symbols and correspondingly influence the different understanding of this advert. Moreover, the frameworks developed in this study are exclusively suitable for Vancl. Although celebrity endorsement has become increasingly popular since 1970s (Tom et al., 1992; Agrawal Kamakura, 1995), there are not enough studies to prove that it works on most of adverts which try to change the attitudes of their consumers. Thus, Further quantitative and qualitative researches are required for determine whether the model of this study also suit for other brands or industries in China. Finally, consumer behavior across is a deep and wide topic, which can be reflect to other subjects, such as psychology, sociology and history, etc. Therefore, there may be still some factors across other subjects influencing the attitude changing process of Vancl advert. Conclusion This article begins with a rough introduction and background of the Vancl advert campaign in China. The literature review part focuses on collectivism-individualism culture dimension and cultural appeals in Chinese adverts, difference in appearance and fashion advert appeals between different cultural values. Moreover, self-concept and celebrity endorsement are also included. Semiotic analysis gives an outline of the advert and helps to understand the advert thoroughly. In order to acquire more accurate message and cultural values containing in the ad, a survey is conducted among five Chinese speakers. Consequently, three main advert personalities are determined, namely self-conscious, lively and enjoyment in life, which could be explained to the self-esteem needs by Maslows hierarchy of needs. Then Fishbeins extended model of behavioral intention help to define the influence of the Vancl ad on the purchasing behavioral intention. The next part explains the methods Vancl used in the ad to change the attitudes of consumers from group-conscious to self-conscious by using an adapted advertising engagement model. And then a framework of attitude changing process of Vancl advert is finally developed. Recommendations Based on the limitations and conclusion parts, the writer summarizes some recommendations both for further research and brand managers. For further research, more quantitative and qualitative researches should be conducted to create a model, which suits for different brands in other categories who want to develop a self-identity advert campaign in a highly collectivistic country. Besides, more subjects, such as psychology, sociology, history, economics, etc., should be related to determine other factors which affect the attitude changing process, so that the model can be modified. For managers, the collectivism level of different products is different. Thus, claiming self-identity in the ad is another way when promoting a less collectivistic product in a highly collectivistic country, such as clothing and cosmetics. In the collectivistic countries, it seems to be a unique way to promote a brand and help the advert outstanding among other ads, however, it is not omnipotent. What should managers do, is to analyze the market accurately and frame an advert campaign which precisely suit the brand.

Frankenstein Essay -- English Literature Essays

Frankenstein Frankenstein is a novel that was written by Mary Shelley. It was first published in 1818.The story was about a man named Victor Frankenstein who created a monster thatcommitted a series of murders when he was rejected by society. Mary Shelley was the author of the novel Frankenstein. She was born in August of 1797and died in February of 1857, at the age of fifty-four. In the summer of 1816, Mary stayedwith a poet named Byron. Also staying with Byron was his physician Polidori and JaneClarmont, a short story writer. Byron suggested they should all write a horror story. This iswhen the story of Victor Frankenstein occurred to Mary. She said the story was born rightout of a nightmare. At first, it was only meant to be a short story, but at the urging of herhusband, she increased the story to its present length. The novel took place in Geneva, Switzerland in the 1700s. Victor Frankenstein lived in ahouse near Lake Gevena: We possessed a house in Geneva, and a campagne on Belrive, the eas tern shore of the lake, at the distance of rather more than a league from the city. The house was near the Jura mountain range. Victor climbed the mountain when he soughtsolitude and consolation. The house itself was big and had an upstairs and downstairs. Muchof the story unfolded in this house. However, Victor Frankenstein had previously attended theUniversity of Ingolstadt for three years and this was where the monster was created. As the plot begins an Arctic explorer named...

Culture similarities and differences in early East Asian history Essay

Culture refers to people’s way of life. Culture is transmitted from one generation to another. Culture is leaned. Culture is a means through which society share values, beliefs, customs, behavior and artifacts. Tradition refers to the process of doing an action more than once. For example, repeating an action now and again makes it be a tradition. Going home to celebrate festivals together as a family could become a tradition if every festive you go home. Culture in the Asian countries rotates around art, beauty, medicine and cuisines. Chinese culture In the Chinese society, there are five necessities that define their culture. These necessities are: Food, clothing, housing, transportation and education. Chinese cooking is of two types. That is, Northern and Southern cooking styles. Northern dishes have a lot of oil and garlic and vinegar are usually pronounced. Pasta is valued in the Northern style of cooking. In the Southern cooking styles, chili peppers are valued. Rice and rice products are usually used as accompaniments. In Chinese cooking, color, smell and taste are given same value in meal preparation. Most of the time, a meal will include three to five colors. Most valued during cooking is the preservation of the fresh natural taste of the spices. The three properties of color, aroma and taste are not only the issues valued in Chinese cooking, but nutrition is of great importance. According to Shang dynasty(Chinese culture 16th to 11th B. C ) Yi Yin, he related the five tastes of sweet, sour, bitter, piquant and salty to the nutritional needs of the five major system organs of the body( the heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys) and emphasized their function in maintaining good physical health. Most of the vegetables used in Chinese cooking such as garlic, dried lily buds, tree fungus have components that help in preventing and alleviating diseases. Chinese culture believes that food and medicine share the same origin. Chinese culture has got certain restrictions associated with eating. That is, meals taken while seated, sitting arrangement is based on age and gender. The dishes are arranged per table basis with a table capturing around ten to twelve people. Chinese dressing symbolizes a meaning of its own. The main types of Chinese traditional dressing are: pien-fu, long robe and shen-i. The pien-fu is a ceremonial costume in which one had to wear a tunic like top that extends to the knees and a skirt that touches to the ankles. A pien is a cylindrical cap. Similarities between these clothing are wide cut and voluminous sleeves with straight lines. They are also made more attracting by adding ornaments onto them such as doing embroidery along the edges, decorated bands, draped cloths and silk. In the traditional Chinese clothing, dull colors were favored to light colors. Bright colored clothes were used by common people around the houses. Chinese culture associated certain colors with specific times such as green symbolizes spring, white representing autumn, black for winter and red for summer. Traditional Chinese housing is characterized by a rectangular- shaped unit space that is joined into a house. The Chinese structures combine rectangular patterns of different sizes and positioned in order of preference, with every stage clearly distinguished. In the traditional buildings, the principle of balance and symmetry is taken into consideration. The main building is the axis with the other buildings being joined to the sides to form wings on both sides serving as the main room and yards. All other Chinese structure such the church, residential houses, palaces and official structures follow the same design. The interior space is allocated in away that it defines the Chinese social setting and ethics. For instance the main room is for the master, elder members of the master occupy the backyard of the main room while the junior members live in the right and left wings with the most senior occupying the left wing and the others right wing. Certain pronounced features of Chinese structures are its wooden structural frame with pillars and a beam, and mud made walls surrounding the three faces. The main doors and windows are constructed on the front face of the building. Woods is used in Chinese structures because they believe that wood represents life which is the essence of their culture. Chinese people build houses that have deep and over hanging roofs. Because of this, they came up with their own way of giving the roofs support. This invention is called ‘tou-kung’, which goes up stage by stage from pillar to pillar. The tou-kung gives support to the structure and at the same time acts as a unique and attractive ornamentation. The significance of using wood in the Chinese construction is that the size of the rooms depends on the wooden frame used. Again, color is applied to prevent the wood and third is the skill of building a structure on a platform to prevent moisture. The use of various colors in Chinese buildings has both symbolic and aesthetic meaning. In the transport system, china did not have any kind of wheeled vehicles until importation of the chariot was done from central Asia in the period of 1200bc. Scholars also ague that early Bronze Age china did not own the skills of the chariot and never invented any other means of transportation such as wheelbarrows or carts. For example, Edward Shaughessy found out that during the Shang periods, â€Å"there is absolutely no artifactual evidence for other types of wheeled conveyance†. In the 19th and 20th centuries, rickshaws became most popular but were later overtaken by cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws. Bicycles today are so many in china that, they cause traffic jams. Today china use both railways and waterways as modes of transportation. Education system in china is socialist oriented with a classroom having a capacity of about 50 students. Learning is always through group work to promote team spirit and cooperation among the students. Chinese value education because they believe it is a stepping stone to success. In china excellence is the main purpose for education. This is because they aim at producing responsible citizens who can give quality service to society. That is, a student excels to benefit the country but not him or her. Japanese culture Japanese culture is largely borrowed from china but Japanese culture is mainly influenced by its language. Japanese language is a combination of subset languages that are borrowed from china. That is, hiragana, katakana and kanji. Japanese usually have different types of traditional foods for various seasons such as osechi-ryori foods for New Year, kabochi on winters, weeding foods and mother dinners. Japanese also use spices in food preparation so as to make it tasty and give an appetizing smell. Japanese have got eating manners that they expect people to adhere to when eating. These tips on how to eat varies from one meal to another. Their dishes include sushi, tempura and teriyaki. Japanese performing art is characterized by costumes, mask and stylish gestures. Their four theatres are noh, kabuki and bunraku. Japanese way of building is also an important aspect of their culture. It was heavily influenced by the Chinese architecture and examples of these are seen in the temples, shrines and castles. In terms of clothing, Japanese wear kimono. Kimono implies â€Å"something to wear. † Initially Japanese used the word kimono to refer to all types of dressing but today it only implies long dress that is worn by men, women and children. Kimono is available in different colors with men prioritizing dark colors and women prioritizing brighter colors. The summer kimono is light and it’s called yukata. In the world of sports, methods that were used to train warriors in the past have been organized into sports. For example, kenjutsu, kyudo, and sumo. Again, Japanese popular culture presents a link to the past. Favorite films, television programs and music are all established from the traditions. Japanese also have got aculture of making sculptures. The oldest sculpture made is known as Amitabha in the Zenko-ji temple and it is made of wood. Japanese value wood and it has been used in Japan as one of the main materials by architectures. Other materials that have also been used are stone and pottery. They also have a flower arrangement art known as Ikebana which emphasizes on harmony, rhythm and color use. Comparison between the two cultures However there are certain variations in the two cultures. That is, in Japan buildings are structured around grand palaces while in china, they are based on the concept of walled cities. In terms of food, their primary dish is rice even though the mode of preparation is different. In their concept of beauty, Japanese considers beauty as a concept that is temporary to life. They use a symbol known as sakura (cherry blossom) to express the fleeting property and wilting nature of beauty. But in china, beauty is part of nature and this explains the common paintings of lions, cats and tigers. Musically, Japanese love more vocal music that takes its routes from dramatic styles such as Noh, Kabukl, and Bunraku while Chinese traditional music is dominated by instruments such as the flute and oboe. Traditionally the two societies do not like each other. Japanese have a collective kind of culture than Chinese. Both Chinese and Japanese up hold respect for tradition, family and beauty but Japanese tend to be consistent with the practice. Taking the above discussion into consideration, I wish to conclude that the two cultures are different even though Japanese culture was influenced mainly by Chinese culture, References Chinese culture and tradition. The five necessities of Chinese culture. Retrieved. December 15, 2008. from, http://www. chinatownconnection. com/chinese_culture. htm eHOW, How to distinguish between Japanese and Chinese culture. Retrieved December 15, 2008. from, http://www. ehow. com/how_2081085_distinguish-between-japanese-chinese-cultures. html

Nokia Case Study essays

Nokia Case Study essays How does a 139-year-old Finnish company whose major product lines once included diapers and rubber boots become a leading-edge technology company? When questioned by MIT economist Bengt Holmstrom, Company CEO Jorma Ollila of Nokia insists that there is no secret code to the success of the company based in an inhospitably cold home market of just 5 million people. The key to success for Nokia is establishing the right balance between innovation and execution. According to Ollila, in a technology business, you need a tremendous amount of innovation, but with these volumes and growth you need to execute or it will kill you...I think we have done that better than anybody else.i Nokia Corporation is a world leader in global communications headquartered in Espoo, Finland, just outside of Helsinki. Nokias global presence is established by its 16 manufacturing facilities and 11 research and development centers in 11 different countries around the world. Their 51,000 employees contributed to the sales of 179 million units in 2003, which translated to over $36 billion in net sales and an operating profit of $6.3 billion (appendix i). Nokias $99.1 billion market capitalization makes it the largest company in the telecom equipment makers industry. In 1998, Nokia surpassed Motorola to become the worlds leading maker of mobile phones and has a 34% market share in 2003 (appendix ii). The company has been listed on various exchanges, such as the London Stock Exchange, but it was not until 1994, that Nokia finally listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the NOK ticker symbol where the majority of their cash was generated to buy-out the antsy Finnish shareholders during their troubled early years. Between 1997 and 2000, the stock had increased 2,300% to the delight of their shareholders and proved that Nokia was able to adopt shareholder-value-based thinking. In 2004, Nokia reorganized its organizati...

A List of Free Printable History Worksheets

A List of Free Printable History Worksheets Many different teaching approaches can bring history alive for your students. Add these printable history worksheets to your studies to reinforce your lessons and allow students to hone their knowledge of important historical events and people. President Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln PrintablesUse word searches, vocabulary quizzes, crossword puzzles, and coloring pages to help students learn about Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. Activities also teach about the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial and the first lady from 1861 to 1865, Mary Todd Lincoln. Black History Month: Famous Firsts Black History Month PrintablesAt this link, teachers can find important background information about Black History Month in addition to worksheets and other activities focused on famous firsts among black Americans. The Famous Firsts Challenge, for example, has students match up a famous first for black Americans, such as the first African-American to go into space, with the correct name from a list of choices. Chinas Long and Ancient History Chinese History PrintablesWith a history spanning thousands of years, China is for many people the subject of a lifetime of study. While your students probably wont embark on such an endeavor, this link offers handouts to introduce your students to concepts related to Chinese culture and government. One handout also presents a number matching activity for students to learn how to count to 10 in Chinese. The American Civil War U.S. Civil War PrintablesAmericas Civil War might be the most studied and debated subject in U.S. history. Using the printables at this link, students can become more familiar with the names, places, and events that defined this crucial era for the American republic. Lewis and Clark and the American Frontier Lewis and Clark PrintablesExploration and expansion of the American frontier are essential elements to understanding the United States as a nation and a people. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were hired to explore the Louisiana Territory that President Thomas Jefferson bought from the French. With the activities and worksheets at this link, students learn more about issues related to Lewis and Clark and their travels. Medieval Times Medieval Era PrintablesThe medieval era is a fascinating time for many students, with tales of knights and jousting as well as political and religious intrigue. Among the activities at this link is a detailed coloring sheet for learning all about a suit of armor. Also included is Medieval Times Theme Paper on which students can write a story, poem or essay about the period. New Seven Wonders of the World New 7 Wonders of the World PrintablesWith an announcement in July 2007, the world was introduced to the New Seven Wonders of the World. The Pyramids of Giza, the oldest and only Ancient Wonder still standing, is included as an honorary candidate. The printables here teach students about the Pyramids and the others: the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu, Chichen Itza, Christ the Redeemer, the Colosseum, and Petra. American Revolutionary War Revolutionary War PrintablesBy learning about the Revolutionary War students discover the actions and principles of the nations founders. With the activities at this link, students gain a good overview of vocabulary and names related to the Revolution, as well as particular events, such as the Surrender of Cornwallis and Paul Reveres Ride. Womens History Month (March) Womens History Month PrintablesMarch in the United States is National Womens History Month, which recognizes and celebrates womens contributions to Americas history, society, and culture. The printables at this link introduce many important women with significant historical legacies whose names students might not immediately know. These worksheets and activities will heighten students appreciation for the role of women in U.S. history. World War II Historical Timeline WWII History PrintablesStudents will use and expand their knowledge of World War II to complete the activities at this link, which include a crossword puzzle; spelling, alphabetizing and vocabulary sheets; and coloring pages.

1- organic thin film transistor, 2- field-effect mobility for organic Essay

1- organic thin film transistor, 2- field-effect mobility for organic transistor.3- leakage current in transistors - Essay Example Digital radiography has seen drastic improvement since the adoption of TFTs in general radiography. This technology has also been used in the Active Matrix OLED (ALOMED) screens. Klauk, (2006, pp41-47) states that organic transistors are transistors that are made using thin films from an organic semiconductor instead of inorganic semiconductors in their channel. Small organic molecules may be evaporated in a vacuum to make the organic transistor. Alternatively, organic transistors are prepared by solution casting and transfer of organic single crystalline layers on a suitable substrate. The principal idea is the use of an organic material as the active semiconductor, to replace the initially used macromolecular organic materials (polymers) to increase efficiency. Electropolymerisation may still be used in case of unavailability of suitable and commonly used organic semiconductors (Brazis, Gamota, Kalyanasundaram & Zhang, 2004, p9). Optimization of structural design and devise interfaces led to several construction designs formulations but the most widely used are top and bottom contact Organic Thin Film Transistors (OTFTs). The terms top and bottom refer to the position of the two electrodes in relation to the position of the semiconductor. Top-contact OTFTs have their thin semiconductor film layer deposited first, then followed by the source and drain electrodes contacts onto the gate dielectric. A considerable reduction in contact resistance at the two electrodes; therefore they have little structural disorder at the interface. Bottom contact OTFTs have their source and drain electrode contacts first deposited first onto the gate dielectric supporter then the organic semiconductor crystal structure deposited directly on top. Molecular layers in the crystal structure are laid in a less ordered manner during the deposition onto the source and drain electrodes. While top contact OTFTs have reduced contact resistance and

Market Communication - Integrated Marketing Communication Plan Essay

Market Communication - Integrated Marketing Communication Plan - Essay Example The marketing communication includes communication activities like selling, advertising, promotion of products, direct marketing, publicity, sponsorship, exhibition, packaging, merchandising, e-marketing, and similar other measures that can influence the selling of the product or the service to the ultimate consumers as well as retain the customers (Smith & Taylor, 4). In this regard, a communication process involves certain steps in order to prepare the plan communicating the product or service. The current study considers the product, fruit drink, and tries to focus on the preparation of an integrated marketing communications plan using the different steps of the process. The IMC (Integrated Marketing Communication) Planning Process and Its Application on the Product, Fruit Drink: The integrated marketing communication plan consists of six steps that would be discussed considering the product, fruit drink and its marketing. These steps are essential as they create a connection betw een the buyer and the seller stressing on a long term relationship between them. Step 1: Identification of Target Customers: It can be understood that every product might not be required by every individual. This implies that every product has a particular segment of customers. ... Trying to reach out to each and every customer would create wastage in terms of expenditure as well as time on the part of the organization. Thus considering the fruit drink product, it can be understood that although the product would be healthy and needful for consumers of different ages, yet the younger generation might prefer it more particularly as an intake during their breakfast. Depending on such an understanding and thereby conducting a research, the target customers need to be analyzed. This is the first step that an organization coming up with fruit drink product need to accomplish, primarily focusing on what the product has in extra to provide to its customers and who would need the product. Step 2: SWOT Analysis: SWOT analysis referring to the analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a company is essential for an understanding of the status of the company with respect to other competitors in the industry. The determination of the strengths and weaknesses provide with the company’s internal analysis while the opportunities and the threats represent the external situation for the company (Duncan, 166). Considering the fruit drink product, this step can be associated in the integrated marketing communication plan, since when a new company would try to launch the product, the company would require learning about its own strengths and weaknesses such that it becomes capable of competing against the existing competitors. Also, in order to understand the external threats and opportunities, the company needs to learn about the other players that are existent in the same industry as well about the possibilities of the threats that might arise from new entrants. Thus this forms the second step of the marketing