Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Social And Political Violence In The Medieval Rhineland, Matthew Bryan Gillis

Masters Theses

This study is concerned with violence, attitudes toward violence, and how they affected society and politics in the Rhineland during the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. It maintains that, through the careful analysis of narrative sources, such as the Dialogus Miraculorum of Caesarius of Heisterbach, and legal sources known as Landfrieden, the attitudes of medieval people toward different forms of violence can be reconstructed, enabling one to understand and to categorize violence from a medieval perspective.

The results of the examination reveal that certain kinds of violence, including feuds, were legally acceptable, while acts of violence outside of …

Nunc Dimitiis, Jeremy S. Ribando

Masters Theses

The Nunc Dimittis, canticle of Simeon (St. Luke ii, 29-32), is the last in historical sequence of the three great Canticles of the New Testament, the other two being the Magnijicat (Canticle of Mary) and the Benedictus (Canticle of Zachary). Numerous composers have set all three canticles from various classical time periods, all of which utilize the text from the specific canticle to create the musical work. This work is usually written for choir and orchestra or choir alone.

As I begun this work, I worked with the text of the Nunc Dimittis in mind, but rather than …

Does "Gangsta Rap" Music Cross Good Judgment Lines And Decency Values?, Ajay Kumar Ojha

Masters Theses

There has been much controversy associated with "gangsta rap" music over the 1990's decade. This manuscript takes a closer look at "gangsta rap" music through a descriptive analysis, exploring these topics: social construction of reality, sexism, violence, community actions, and their possible negative influences on societal values. The positive and negative implications involving "gangsta rap" music are compared using lyrics from artists whose music has been in question in the past. Using a semantic differential survey and focus group interviews, "gangsta rap" music is analyzed, examining its exposure to people, possible promotion and communication of negative societal values. The study …

Lessing And Emerson: Conscious Evolution And Ideal Reality, Rachel Hills Newell

Masters Theses

Although Doris Lessing writes during the twentieth century in England and Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote during the nineteenth century in America, they both explore the complexity of human existence through their work. Both authors visualize the possibility of an "ideal reality," or human evolution, and believe human beings are capable of transforming ordinary, or actual, reality into ideal reality. The human potential for the creation of the ideal, however, depends on the development of that potential to its fullest extent. Lessing and Emerson believe only the individual is capable of completely developing human potential. Through a series of steps, or …

Audre Lorde's Expansive Influence On Black Lesbians: Jewelle Gomez, Cheryl Clarke, And Kate Rushin, Denise L. Fitzer

Masters Theses

Audre Lorde, who named herself black, feminist, lesbian, mother, poet, and activist, was a pioneer for black lesbians everywhere. In her poetry and prose, Lorde challenged the myths and taboos associated with black women, lesbians, and feminists. Although her work focused on a broad range of topics that illuminated her many identities, she concentrated most heavily on issues of multiple oppression and its resulting fear and silence. In naming herself, Lorde urged others to do the same — to fight the self-imposed and socially-imposed silence surrounding triple oppression.

Countless women from the black community of writers have paid tribute to …

African American Poets Of The Vietnam War, Megan Guernsey

Masters Theses

Almost 6000 African American men gave their lives in the Vietnam War. While peaceful protests, voter registration drives, and racial confrontations occurred throughout the United States, the government continued to send young Black men to Southeast Asia to preserve the "freedom" of the Vietnamese people. The irony of this situation lies in the fact that these soldiers were asked to fight a War in the name of democracy, to kill in order to secure rights that they themselves were being denied. Although many Black Americans saw military service as a means of escaping poor ghetto life, they often were confronted …

From Hierarchy To Balance: Anne Bradstreet's Union Of Renaissance And Puritan Influences, Christy Shannon

Masters Theses

Anne Bradstreet was confronted with two very different influences when she began writing her poetry. One was the Renaissance literary style that she encountered in her native England; the other was a strict Puritan upbringing that would be the controlling factor of her life in the colonies. Both of these influences put a strong emphasis on order and a hierarchical structure. Bradstreet was unable to accept either of these influences completely, but she did manage to combine them in order to create some of the most interesting and memorable poetry of her time. The conflict that she faces is evident …

The Noble Survivor And The Sublime Victim: A Study Of Two Hardy Heroines, Elizabeth-Jane And Tess, Wei Gao

Masters Theses

In his novel-writing career, Thomas Hardy created a host of female characters struggling to survive in nineteenth-century England. Whether center stage or in the background, these women embody Hardy's insights into the conditions of the female sex--their frailties, strength, miseries, dreams, and finally, their destinies. Throughout his career as a novelist, Hardy's representation of women has not been consistent. His earlier heroines--heroines in the novels preceding The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886)--are generally depicted as faulty characters eventually subdued or destroyed. In contrast, the later heroines are portrayed with increasing emphasis on their intellectual or mental traits and moral superiority. This …

"Television And Reality: Are They Different?", Tammy L. Holmes

Masters Theses

The purpose of this paper is to discover if there is any significance between the images of television viewed by people and the increase of the social construction of reality. Stephen LittleJohn (1999) states, [Social construction of reality] consists of meanings and understanding arising from communication with others. This notion known as reality that is deeply embedded in sociological thought. The objective of this topic is to explore the effects that mass media have on life and specifically how television often distorts, and does not accurately communicate the everyday lived experiences in our lives. Television often mimics reality. Television only, …

The Religious Pluralism Of John Hick: A Critique, Paul E. Krisak

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Social Support Among Women In Families: A Descriptive Study Of Support In Intergenerational Relationships, Gina L. Bauswell

Masters Theses

This study examines the effects of social support in intergenerational relationships among women in families. The research examines ethnography as a study, some of the benefits of research done in intergenerational communication, changes in this communication over the time span of the intergenerational relationships, the transmission of this communication, social support, the positive effects of the phenomenon of this type of communication for all those participating in this dynamic process, and the heuristic value of this research. The participants were forty women in my extended family, and this study is based upon their answers to a questionnaire and focus group …

"I Am No Mean Player Myself": Games And Recreation In Irish Mythology, Julie Lynn Perenchio

Masters Theses

Superhuman heroics in myth certainly succeed in capturing our immediate attention, but it takes a more human touch of talent and fallibility to make heroes personally appealing to readers. In Irish mythology, immortals and humans engage in a marvelous variety of recreational activities, and show universally-felt emotions and tendencies, like competitive spirits, creativity, and tenacity. Far from being idle entertainment, play makes significant impacts on the lives of Irish heroes, individually, socially, and culturally. For example, chess games, even between complete strangers, can cause the upheaval of one's lifestyle and test not only the intellectual powers of players, but also …

Victorian Philosophies Of Useless Work Versus Work For The Mind: Carlyle, Ruskin, Morris, And Marx, Marlaina Easton

Masters Theses

In my Thesis, I will investigate the dominant perceptions of work that spanned the Victorian Period. One of the most important authors of criticism dealing with work in the early part of the Victorian Period was Thomas Carlyle (1845). John Ruskin then became a counterpoint to Carlyle throughout the middle of the century (1862). And although he agreed with much of what Carlyle said, he brings new notions of work to the Victorian Period. William Morris then offered a completely different point of view on the issue of work at the latter part of the Victorian Period (1885). I will …

Delight, Subversion And Truth In The Canterbury Tales: Chaucer's Talking Birds, Terri Benson Blair

Masters Theses

Geoffrey Chaucer mentions birds over 240 times throughout The Canterbury Tales (Tatlock and Kennedy). This frequent allusion to birds is significant, especially since three of his twenty-four tales are actually about birds. What makes these three tales particularly fascinating is that their bird protagonists have the gift of speech. This study examines Chaucer's use of bird imagery in The Canterbury Tales, in particular, his use of talking birds in "The Squire's Tale," "The Nun's Priest's Tale" and "The Manciple's Tale." My theory is that Chaucer uses bird imagery and talking birds to question the sovereign power of the fourteenth-century …

Critical Fantasies: Structure Of Chinese Folk Tales, Saihanjula He

Masters Theses

Folk tales provide a unique source of information for cultural studies. They come from the people. Springing from the people's imagination in a social context, they carry historical truths, stir up political undercurrents, and reveal social facts that official history books will not and cannot tell. In a time when writing was a privileged form of expression, the oral folk tale popularly communicated the injustices committed by the upper class, and gave the powerless voices of their own. Common themes of folk tales all reflect, to various degrees, the people's desires to rise above environmental, cultural, social and class constraints …

Gary Snyder's Path, Jason Dockter

Masters Theses

Early in Gary Snyder's life, he lived a rootless existence in pursuance of gaining spiritual satisfaction through a more harmonious relationship with nature. This rootlessness that dominated this period of Snyder's life originated in Snyder's European ancestors lifestyle, which valued exploiting the natural world for a profit. Through exposure to Chinese landscape paintings, Snyder found Buddhism and began to practice it as a means to reconcile his own humanity with the natural world, which his cultural heritage has alienated himself from. Through Buddhism, Snyder realizes the importance of reuniting humanity with the natural world.

Upon gaining this knowledge, Snyder assumes …

"Retracing Our Steps": Storytelling, Time, And Traditional Referentiality In Mama Day And Absalom, Absalom!, Christine Ann Roth

Masters Theses

Gloria Naylor and William Faulkner turn to the history and tradition of oral storytelling in their novels. Mama Day and Absalom, Absalom! especially present the concepts and techniques of the storytelling act. The complexities of the audience-performer dynamic and non-linear time in an oral storytelling event create obstacles for the teller (the writer) and confuse the role of the audience (the readers). Writers create the role of listening audience for the readers, changing the accepted rules of the readers by asking them to become participants. In Mama Day and Absalom, Absalom!, Naylor and Faulkner create connections between audience …

As Different As Night And Day: Palamon And Arcite Reconsidered, William Hamilton

Masters Theses

Through an analysis of characterization and the sub-text of infernal allusions to the myths of Orpheus and the ravishment of Proserpina, my thesis demonstrates that the Theban cousins Palamon and Arcite are not only distinct but diametrically opposed characters who are more central to The Knight' s Tale than the present critical consensus allows. Chapter I analyzes Charles Muscarine, who so convincingly put an end to the once lively debate over the characterization of the cousins that the proposition that they are indistinguishable remains an a priori assumption in the criticism of the poem to this day. Chapter II analyzes …

Components Related To Occupational Stress Or Burnout Among Music Therapists Working In Hospice/Palliative Care Arenas, Dorothy Virginia Pienta

Masters Theses

Music therapists who work in hospice/palliative care settings are susceptible to burnout as well as others who work in health care settings. In this descriptive correlation study, the components of occupational stress or burnout among music therapists working in hospice/palliative care settings were studied. A mail survey was sent to 300 music therapists who worked in hospice/palliative care settings and were members of the American Music Therapy Association. Of the 181 surveys that were returned, 106 were acceptable for use in this study. Their responses to the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Work Environment Scale, as well as information from the demographic …

The Significance Of Shape-Shifting And Transformation In Medieval Welsh And Icelandic Literature: The Ingenuity Of Medieval Writers, Samantha J. Cairo

Masters Theses

The folk-motifs of shape-shifting and transformation are an important mechanism in both Medieval Welsh and Icelandic literature. To better understand these motifs it is important to consider the ideas behind and the belief in these concepts. The role of the shaman and the separable soul, the Double, and the psychological projection all form a basis for shape-shifting in Medieval literature.

The Welsh literature will include: Pwyll, Prince qf Dyfed, Manawydan Son of Llyr, Math Son of Mathonwy, Lludd and Llefelys, Culhwch and Olwen, Peredur Son of Efrawg, The Hanes Taliesin,/em>, and the transformational poetry of Taliesin. The Icelandic literature …

Four Variations On A Theme Of Nine, Nathan R. Barber

Masters Theses

This composition represents four variations of a projected total of nine. The variations are based on the number nine having a nine-note theme that utilizes a nine-note scale. Nine is also prominently featured in the meters, rhythms, and harmonic construction. The main harmonic consideration is pandiatonicism using the nine-note scale, although bitonal chords, positioned a ninth apart, are used quite prominently also.

The work is for full orchestra, augmented with saxophone, harp, piano, and four percussionists.

A Comparison Of Rhythmical Abilities And Behaviors Between Typical Children And Children With Williams Syndrome, Laura Grafton Pawuk

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the rhythmical abilities and testing behaviors of children with Williams syndrome (Ws) to typical children. Forty-three children took part in the study, including 9 children with W s and 34 children of the typical population.

The MRL Test of Kinesthetic Response to Music and a Behavioral Checklist identified rhythmical ability and testing behaviors respectively. The former indicated that typical children scored significantly better than Ws children in 9 of 11 exercises at the .05 alpha level. Two Ws children were tested in optimum environments. Compared to their typical peers, there were no …

The Role Of Nikita Khrushchev's 1959 Visit To The Us In The Development Of Soviet-American Relations, Tatyana I. Puchkova

Masters Theses

The end of the Cold War brought the uncertainty of the future relationship between the US and the countries of the former communist bloc. The major component of the prognosis is the analysis of the factors that determined the policies and the directions of the Cold War.

The visit of the Soviet Premier to the US marked a turning point in the Cold War mentality of the two nations. This paper will attempt to prove that the visit was a unique and revolutionary event in the course of the confrontation, and yet a logical continuation of earlier developments in the …

A Radical Cure: Thomas Dimsdale, Radical Republicanism, And The Montana Vigilantes During The Civil War, Gregory Aydt

Masters Theses

In late December of 1863, a group of men in the fledgling Idaho Territory formed a vigilance committee to rid the area of criminals. In little more than a month, the committee hanged twenty-one men, including the area's sheriff, Henry Plummer. This work deals with these events which took place in and around the mining camps of Bannack and Virginia City in Idaho Territory, now in the state of Montana, during the winter of 1863-64. It attempts to answer the following questions: What circumstances led to this significant outbreak of lynch law? Who decided that a vigilance committee was the …

Reanimating The Creature: The Last Man As A Sequel To Frankenstein, Shannon Phillips

Masters Theses

In my thesis, I explore how Mary Shelley's The Last Man (1826) continues a critique of Romanticism that she began in her more well-known novel Frankenstein. Although Frankenstein has been read many different ways through a variety of critical methodologies, one of the central questions continually asked about the novel is whether (and to what extent) Frankenstein challenges or extends the romanticism of her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and others in the Byron-Shelley circle. Another way to investigate this lingering question is through a comparative study of The Last Man. My preliminary thesis is that a comparative study reveals not …

Are They Fact Or Are They Fiction? The Sadeian Women Of Angela Carter, Catherine Gall

Masters Theses

Angela Carter is well-known for her gothic twists on fairy tales and the use of magical realism in creating alternate worlds and monstrous creatures that exist within our own. The meaningful "twists" that her tales take often have to do with gender, reversing traditional roles and transcending barriers. In her fiction, Carter creates characters and scenes that often include "traditional" roles, displaying an awareness of the sexual stereotypes that have been in place for centuries. Her female characters offer a complex commentary on the patriarchal standard that suggests that a woman's value is dependent upon her virginity.

Her book The …

Connecting Threads: Quilts As Symbols In Adolescent Literature, Anita L. Beaman

Masters Theses

Quilting is a functional art form that has been practiced by generations of American women. In the past, quilting provided women with an outlet for personal expression. Learning to quilt acted as a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood. Quilting provided women with a means of recording their personal histories as well as an opportunity for socializing: quilting bees were social occasions that allowed women to gather together and establish connections with each other as they connected their quilt pieces.

Feminist history has recognized the quilt as an important symbol for women. Quilts represent strength, resiliency and the creative …

L.I.F.E., Omar Merideth Headen

Masters Theses

I've written my creative thesis in support of the Chicago Public School (CPS) System's "Character Education" initiative. This initiative is composed of a teaching curriculum designed to develop instructional lessons and activities for students, training for teachers and CPS staff, and information for the community that will serve to reduce racial, ethnic and/or religious intolerance and increase sensitivity, cooperation, and understanding. The purpose of this thesis is to give teenage students valuable lessons in character building and allow them to come face to face with various realities of life (i.e., peer pressure, divorce, death, etc.). But more importantly, this thesis …

‘Two Are Better Than One;’ Adam And Eve's Symbiotic Marriage In John Milton's Paradise Lost, Jeffrey Paul Pietruszynski

Masters Theses

Although much has been written on the roles of Adam and Eve created by John Milton in Paradise Lost, the critics, oddly enough, overlook the dependency created by the roles. This paper extends these roles further, explaining that Milton wanted to show that the roles of man and woman, husband and wife, combine to create a unit dependent on one another other for survival. As Adam himself states, when they are separated, husband and wife are vulnerable to the dangers of evil. However, together, they form a single unit, able to accomplish any task, epitomizing the symbolic relationship described in …

The New Frontier: The Presidential Election Campaign Of Jfk, Bryan Wuthrich

Masters Theses

This thesis is an examination of the Kennedy election campaign. It is a narrative and also a brief examination of how this campaign was put together and how the Kennedy campaign staff was formed. The main perspective that it takes is from the vantage point of the Cold War which serves as driving force behind the main issues of the campaign. It is the primary argument of this thesis that the Kennedy campaign marked a period of transition whereby America began to formulate a coherent ideological position for itself as leader of the free world and come into its own …