DEAF TECHNOLOGY Essay examples -- Essays Papers

DEAF TECHNOLOGY Individuals who are deaf or are hearing impaired are faced with many problems in today’s world. There are so many tasks and activities that are done today that deaf or hearing impaired people may have difficulty doing because of there handicap. There handicap used to stop them or inhibit them from doing something that they are interested in or there friends and neighbors would do. However in today there are new and different technologies, that help the deaf and hearing impaired in the activities in which they want to participate in which is hard for them to take part in because of there handicap. Technology is used to help with everyday tasks in the lives of deaf and hearing impaired individuals. With out this new technology which is being invented everyday, deaf and hearing impaired people may be considered to have a handicap which prevents them from certain activities, but this is not the case anymore, now these people just have different obstacles which through the use of t echnology they are learning to over come. They can do anything that regular normal range of hearing individuals can do, due to the new technology being invented everyday. Deaf and hearing impaired individuals are know longer an out cast group. They now have there own deaf community. Deaf individuals do not consider themselves having an impairment, handicap, or any type of disability. They believe that through the use of sign language, other communication skills, and technology that there deafness is the way they are supposed to be. Many people who have perfect hearing can not understand deaf people and why they embrace there deafness instead of trying to receive hearing and get rid of there handicap. However not all deaf people have th... ...old, Johnson. (2004). U.S. Deaf Education Teacher Preparation Programs: A Look at the Present and a Vision for the Future. American Annals of Deaf, 149, 75-91. Subject-Based Deaf and Hard of Hearing Internet Resources. (2004, August 31). Retrieved October 17, 2004, from http://wally.rit.edu/internet/subject/deafness.html Tellatouch. (2004). Retrieved October 17, 2004, from http://www.aph.org/braillewriters/tell.htm National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (November 2002). Retrieved October 17, 2004, from http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/coch.asp Keeping in touch through Maryland Relay, Baltimore MD, Maryland Department of Budget Management. Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and hard of Hearing, (2004) How To use a TTY, Retreived November 14, 2004, from http://www.nol.org/home/NCDHH/brochures/how_to_tty_broch.pdf

Human Resource Management in the Public Office Essay

Is money the most important incentive tool in the public sector? Is performance-based pay an effective way to motivate employees to be more productive? Discuss the positive and negative benefits associated with broadbanded pay systems. The public sector mainly deals with the economic and administrative delivery of goods and services from the government to the nation’s people. Such a role requires true commitment to service and to the objective of improving the general welfare of individuals. Moreover, public servants uphold such commitments with a unique set of priorities that are not centered on material and financial gains but rather on what their capabilities and achievements could contribute to others’ betterment. This ideal may just as easily set public servants apart from members of the labor force that render their services for profit. This in consideration, financial rewards may not be the top priority of public servants but it is definitely an effective incentive tool across sectors from private to public. A way of granting incentive to employees is thru performance-based pay. This compensation scheme entails salary increases and rewarding of bonuses to employees that were able to achieve or surpass the goals related to their scope of work. Under such a scheme, employees become more motivated to produce high quality service with the end goal of producing evidently positive results. At the same time, since such a scheme requires that the salary increase be justified by the exemplary performance of the employee, there would be less incidences of increases and promotions made on the mere basis of office politics. Once it becomes evident to employees that they now have an equal playing field, this would additionally motivate them to prove themselves worthy of recognition and incentives. In line with effective human resource management, public sectors are developing broadband pay systems, which essentially implement broad pay ranges to groupings formed on the basis of like duties while maintaining high flexibility in order to cater to the needs and demands of a diverse workforce. Such pay systems may pose both advantages and disadvantages to the employees and agencies. An example of advantages to the employees is that the method of grouping may provide an opportunity for their positions to be reclassified to a higher grade as indicated by the complexity and breadth of their responsibilities. This would probably work in the favor of an employee who handles several tasks that are usually performed by more than one person in some offices. Another advantage is for the part of government offices because by utilizing high technology and efficient information systems to implement the broadband pay mechanisms, an optimized data gathering method shall be in place and process will be systematized. This would ultimately lead to more practical and efficient use of available human and financial resources, and big cumulative savings for the government. On the other hand, a disadvantage for the agencies could be that negotiations on job classifications or groupings might require them to disclose to labor unions sensitive information that might result to operational security concerns. How can an organization utilize employee benefits as part of its recruitment and retention efforts? How can an organization’s commitment to learning result in lower worker turnover? How do issues related to employee benefits and learning affect worker performance? Human resource is the best asset that any establishment could possibly have. Every day, a great number of organizations and establishments rise up or crumble by the excellence or mediocrity of their employees. In fact, any institution may employ the best possible technologies and may even be in the most dynamic and progressive industry but all these would not make the business a success if without talented and skillful employees. Thus to ensure the best possible recruits and the capacity to retain the most seasoned and esteemed talents, organizations build attractive compensation packages and employee development programs. By nurturing employees under these development programs and with attractive rewards, organizations hope to keep the loyalty of their talent pool and add new recruits that possess the same aptitude and skills. All these steps are taken by organizations under the knowledge that all employees would base their employer preferences that cater to their needs and growth t he most. Furthermore, these needs and growth expectations must be taken to mean not just financial benefits but more importantly how the organization could enrich one’s talents and allow him or her to maximize potentials. In order to nurture its talent pool, organizations may enroll their employees to various classes that teach or further establish the knowledge that they have related to the tasks that they perform in the office. Through these classes, employees develop a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction because they find that they are able to tap in to more of their potentials. Thus, with the knowledge that there are more things that they could learn and do, they find that they also have more to offer the organization that they are part of. By allowing their employees to grow into high potential individuals, organizations not only keep their employees loyal and their turnover rates low, they also gain from the enriched talents and skills that their human resources apply in their day to day work. An organization’s spending on training and development programs for its employees is part of its human resource investment. As with products sold in banks or stock market, or purchases of equipments by production companies, expenses incurred by organizations related to employee training are acknowledged with the expectation that they will bring forth returns to the organization by way of improved employee performances that lead to better working processes and achievement of the organization’s vision and mission. Pershing, Stolovitch, and Keeps (2006) further support the relationship between employee performance and learning by stating that the latter allows the workforce to become more connected to the organization through an increased knowledge of how better he could be of service, and that the nurturing process offered to these employees allow them to be better prepared for changes and more open to process improvements. In essence, all employees are practical individuals in that they stay in the organization that appreciate them the most and reward them sufficiently for the quality of work that they render. It is with this knowledge that organizations build progressive employee benefit and retention programs. These organizations know all too well that employees perform best under development and reward programs that offer holistic growth. Such growth pertains to several factors in the lives of an individual. Compare and contrast the difference in terminating workers in public organizations versus private companies? What at the implications of at-will employment for public sector workers? One of the major differences between public organizations and private companies is the objective or mission with which their workforce operates. As established earlier, public sector workers can be largely considered as volunteers for social, economic, and even political causes whereas the workforce of private companies are mostly there for profitable gains. This in mind, the mere concept of a decrease in the workforce in the public sector poses several challenges because it may not be easy for the organization to come by public servants who are willing to work for the same cause. One way in which the workforce of any institution is reduced is thru employee termination. Termination is the process by which the organization puts a stop to an individual’s membership or service to the organization against his or her will. There are various reasons why termination is imposed on an individual. It may be that the employee has violated certain organizational policies or ethical standards, or rendered unsatisfactory job performance, or may even have been because he or she had a conflict with his or her supervisor. On the other hand, the employee may also be subject to termination when the company undergoes a restructuring phase that necessitated downsizing in its workforce, or if the employee’s responsibilities have been found to be redundant. Employee termination occurs in both public and private offices but there are some notable differences. One such difference is that employees of private companies are often hired under contract whereas those working in public offices are often employed at-will, meaning that they do not have a formal employment contract binding him or her and the employer. Although all employees are protected by labor laws, employees in the public sector are more vulnerable to termination because of the at-will nature of their employment.

Set Up Bathroom Pass Procedures to Manage Hall Traffic

Covering all of the points in a planned lesson often takes every moment of class time. Students who interrupt you to ask for permission to use the restroom throw you off your tight schedule and disrupt their classmates attention. You can minimize the distraction with a bathroom pass system that allows students to excuse themselves, giving them some limited autonomy.   Take time at the beginning of the year to explain your rules about appropriate and inappropriate times to use the restroom. Remind students that they have the preferred time before school, between  classes, and at lunch to use the bathroom. While you can never deny a student access to the toilet, you might set a rule that no student can sign out during the first or last 5 minutes of class or during lecture. This allows enough time for you to complete a mini-lesson or giving directions. Set Up Your Bathroom Pass System Some teachers use clipboards holding a  paper that has columns to record the students name, destination, the  time out and the time back. Students fill out each column independently and take the generic bathroom pass to their destination. This system records daily activity by all students. Another bathroom pass system suggestion uses a plastic index card holder and 3x5 index cards, one per student. At the beginning of the school year, pass out 3x5 index cards and ask students to write their name. Then have them divide the flip side of the index card into four equal areas. In the upper right corner of each quadrant, they should put a 1, 2, 3 or 4 to correspond to the four grading quarters. (Adjust the layout for trimesters or other terms.)   Instruct students to label a row across the top of each area with a D for Date, T for Time and I for Initial. File the cards alphabetically in the plastic holder grouped by class periods and find a convenient location near the door to keep it. Ask them to return the card to the holder in a vertical position so it stands out from the others; you will go through after class or at the end of the day and initial them. This system records daily activity by individual students. Explain Your Bathroom Pass Tracking Method Let students know that your system allows them to excuse themselves from class for a few minutes when they really need to go. Tell the students that if they want to use the restroom, they should quietly fill in the chart or retrieve their card without interrupting you or their classmates and enter the date and time in the appropriate place.   Monitoring the Restroom Pass System Whatever the system you adopt, whether it is a sign-in/sign-out sheet or index cards, you should make sure that all students are following the system.You should also look for patterns.  For example, is a student leaving at the same time daily?  Are the restroom visits having a negative impact on academic? Does the student make poor choices about when to leave? If you notice any of these, you have a discussion with the student.   While some teachers dangle prizes for not using bathroom passes, there can be some health issues associated with students ignoring their bodies signals. There are also medical conditions, including pregnancy, that increase trips to the restroom. Teachers should always be aware of any medical conditions listed on a students individual educational plan (IEP) or 504. Tips You could also Include trips to the locker, other classrooms, etc. in the bathroom pass passes.The index cards are inexpensive to use and to replace, which makes them more sanitary  than other objects.If your school uses physical hall passes, keep those near the card file so students can grab one on their way out of the door.

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Theme Of Blindness In Trifles And Oedipus - 744 Words

Everyone has the will to acknowledge the truth or not, but there are some that are blinded to the truth. In the dramas Trifles by Susan Glaspell and Oedipus by Sophocles, Both having some type of blindness as their theme. While using the theme of blindness, the authors try to teach that the truth could sometimes be right in plain sight. In Trifles, you start to see the theme of blindness in Henry,Lewis and George during their investigation of the death of John Wright. An example of this occurs during the scene where the men look for evidence in the kitchen. Doing so they end up finding Minnies frozen and broken jar of fruit. While sheriff Henry ends up dismissing it because he declared it as unimportant, The wives of the men start†¦show more content†¦In Oedipus you can see the theme of blindness in Oedipus multiple times. An example would be during Oedipus ordering anyone who knows anything about the murder of Laius to speak. During this order he curses the murder by saying let that men drag out his life in agony, step by painful step. While thinking he knows what happened and acting quick to find the murder, Oedipus, was blinded to the truth that he didnt know he cursed at himself and the fate that waited for him. Oedipus ends up criticizes the people because of how long its taking to find the murder. While criticizing the people, Oedipus claims to fight for Laius as if he was his own father. This support the idea of blindness being the theme because Oedipus displays his own blindness to the truth. Second example would be when Oedipus accuses Tiresias of plotting to kill Laius, Tiresias being upset tells Oedipus that he is the murder, after insults being flung at each other. Tiresias calls Oedipus the blind one for not seeing the truth after Oedipus mocks Tiresias blindness. This is ironic because Oedipus was blinded by rage and couldnt realize his own blindness. The last example is when Oedipus is trying to get the truth out of the shepherd of his childhood. While the ones that knew about his fate, tried to stop him. Oedipus the only that doesnt know about his fate is so blinded that he threaten to torture and kill the shepherd if he does not speak. This support the idea

Audit & Assurance

Question: Discuss about the social and Ethical Understanding ? Answer : Introduction Businesses have to operate in complex structure today which makes the penetration of frauds easier due to the technological advancement. On one hand, technology has provided a tremendous boost to the growth of the business while opened a variety of route for the conduct of the fraud too. Hence proper planning and execution aids the business in the implementation of its strategies. The strategies need to be undertaken considering various factors that surrounds the business internally as well as externally. A few of the potential areas are discussed hereunder. Business Risk Before the commencement of a business, it is essential to list down the business risks. A business risk can be defined as a risk that arises out of events, circumstances, actions, conditions or such other situations that could adversely impact the ability of the company to achieve its objectives and goals (Dezdar Ainin, 2011). Instances of the same are financial risk like poor credit, going concern and liquidity risk or operational risk like physical disasters, stock shortages or compliance risks like violation of ASX code or incurring fines and penalties, so on and so forth. Hence the first step would be to identify the extent of damage or loss the risk can cause and whether sufficient internal controls are implemented to reduce the occurrence of the risks. A broad indication about the likelihood of occurrence of risk is obtained by the management by making inspections, audits and observations in the potential areas. Internal Controls Internal controls can be defined as a process or check designed by the management and board of directors to provide reasonable assurance that the entity achieves its objectives. The internal controls should ensure accurate and reliable financial reporting, compliance with laws and regulations, effectiveness and efficiency of operations and safeguarding of assets (David, 2009). Analysis shows that the most important factor causing a fraud is poor internal control. This control structure should be established by the management that will aid the management in ensuring that the irregularities are prevented, detected and corrected; assets are safeguarded; financial records are accurately reflected; management policies are adhered to and operational efficiencies are promoted that prevents the unnecessary duplication of errors (O'Brien Marakas, 2009). Irrespective of the due care taken in the design and implementation of internal controls, there a few inherent limitations of internal controls that management needs to be aware of like recording of an unusual or a non-routine transaction, mistake in judgment, management override of controls, changes in conditions and control breakdowns due to carelessness or collusion with staff (Kimball, 2008). Thus a perfect understanding of the working of the control will result in performing surprise tests and checks to analyze the effectiveness of the same. Information Systems As businesses evolve, there are changes in the operating environment, corporate restructuring, expanded foreign operations, rapid growth and appointment of new personnel. All this growth comes with a set of associated risks and has its own implications and consequences (Olsen, 2012). The information systems also have to be adequately designed to consist of procedures and records to initiate record and process business transactions and maintain accountability for assets, liabilities and equity. The prime focus should be presentation of financial information in accordance with the accounting standards (Peter et. al, 2013). The regular updating and maintenance of the information systems is an utmost requirement to capture all the latest business transactions and ensure quality financial reporting. Segregation of duties Division of work is a common feature and requirement in a corporate setup. It has to be ensured that individuals should not be allowed to perform such tasks where they are likely to commit an error and can also conceal or hide the same in the normal course of their duties (Fowler, 2010). There is a chain of activities for instance, executing a transaction, recording a transaction and maintaining custody of assets arising as a result of the transaction. Care needs to be taken that each of these activities should be assigned to different individuals or departments and the same person or department should not be assigned the responsibility in the chain transactions (Porter, 2008). The various steps in the execution of transactions should be assigned to different departments. In this way the responsibility for executing the accounting transaction should be segregated. Monitoring and Control Monitoring is the process by which the quality of internal controls is evaluated. The design and operation of the internal controls is assessed on a regular basis to take corrective actions wherever required. It includes ongoing monitoring, separate evaluations and reporting of deficiencies to the audit committee. Management review is obtained on the same and the response to customer complaints is discussed (Siraj et. al, 2011). Apart from this, it is vital for the company to have physical controls and inherent controls. Physical controls may be either direct which restrict the physical access to certain areas or indirect designing the programs and implementation. The access controls should be designed in a way to prevent the unauthorized access and use of data. Thus these are the few areas of knowledge; advice and recommendations that can help the company function better and execute its strategies in a more efficient manner. Application of teamwork knowledge and skills to work effectively with others across diverse accounting purposes and contexts. There was a time when a single person used to carry out all the work from journals, ledgers till finalization of financial statements. But today, with the increasing requirements of specialization in services, there is a specific person appointed for each function who is specialized in performing the same. Such a structure and framework requires a high level of coordination and teamwork among the members of the chain function. There is a difference between hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills refer to the technical knowledge of performing activities while soft skills are aimed at the manner and mode of communication in a way that is pleasing to deliver. The dimensions of teamwork that are useful in the accounting profession are coordination, decision making, leadership, interpersonal skills, adaptability and communication. Coordination is the method by which the resources, activities and responses are organized in a way to ensure that the accounting tasks are completed in a synchronized and organized manner within the time constraints. Decision making is the ability of the team to make the most efficient utilization of the available resources (Hanson et. al, 2011). Based on the possible evaluation of the available resources, logical and sound decisions are taken. Leadership is the process of assigning tasks to the team members, organizing and planning the work and creating a positive atmosphere within the team. It provides direction for the team. Interpersonal skills refer to the ability to understand the behavior of other team members and function in a way to avoid conflict among the team members. Adaptability refers to the ability to create awareness about the factors that are vital to the accounting task and making the team members adjust and deliver their best in the available conditions (Rud, 2009). Communication refers to the exchange of knowledge and resources among the team members about the status of the task or any problems encountered so on and so forth. Demonstration and application of knowledge of ethical and regulatory perspectives Accounting is the method of recording business transactions in a systematic and reliable manner and provides financial information to the stakeholders. Ethics is an area that impacts all walks of lives of humans. In order to achieve the objectives of the accounting profession, adherence to fundamental principles is a must (Mehdi, 2006). Accounting ethics has been touched upon by various professional bodies and organizations that have drafted rules, a gist of which is discussed hereunder. Integrity An accountant should be honest in performing professional services. Neutrality Professional accountants should be neutral and the services offered by them should be free from any prejudice, conflict of interest, bias or such other influences. Professional Competence care There are lot of developments in the regulations of accountancy profession which the professional accountants have to keep themselves updated with. Hence the accountants should keep themselves updated and render services with care, diligence and competence to do so. Confidentiality The knowledge of business gained from one client should not be shared with another client or used by the professional accountants for their own benefit. This builds trust in the services rendered by the professional accountants. Professional behavior The professional accountants should act in a way that is consistent with the reputation that the profession carries. Actions and words should reflect the credibility that the accountancy profession provides. Thus the ethical and regulatory perspectives of the accountancy profession require the rendering of high quality services that is in line with the latest amendments of laws and accounting standards (CPA, 2016). Illustrations In certain cases, corporate might expect accounting to obtain a favorable result that might require a compromise on the ethical standards. In such cases, for the benefit of the corporate, the accountant should not depart from the ethical standards and continue to render services that are morally valid. The causes for the same are listed below: Recording and accounting of transactions without proper supporting documents Misuse of internal controls Accounting based on altered or forged documents Incomplete registration or existence of dual offices Lack of compliance with financial and tax laws or regulations Use of dominance on subordinates forcing them to record transactions incorrectly Misappropriation of assets Collusion with internal and external auditors for hiding non-compliance and non-disclosure Adoption of improper accounting practices Window dressing the financial irregularities Making of false statements and claims to auditors or relevant authorities Disclosure of confidential information with third parties or competitors Failure to do physical verification of inventory and report incorrect information Providing of incorrect market information to influence the share prices Thus it can be seen that accounting is the commencement point for many bigger frauds that have led corporate houses to fail miserably. An audit of all the transactions cannot be done as auditors use sampling techniques. Hence it is highly likely that the accounting errors might escape and led to further financial distress for the stakeholders who are not aware of the true financial position. Six Step Process to ethical dilemma Relevant Facts Charles is appointed in the Graduate position at a large auditing firm, C B, through the contacts and influence of his father, William, who is a business consultant and a close friend of the audit partner at C B named Tim. Charles is under the supervision of a chartered accountant named Sebastian who is likely to get promoted as a Senior auditor and an Associate in the near future. The major client of C B is BrickBlocks Ltd and William provides business consultancy to a company that is a major competitor of BrickBlocks. This competitor is also audited by C B, but under a different audit partner. Ethical Issues Familiarity is the biggest threat to independence. In this case, independence is impacted in more than one area listed below: Charles is appointed in his fathers close friends office using his contacts and influence. Sebastian is more concerned about his own career despite knowing the fact that the vouching done by Charles is not complete and in compliance with the requirements. The CFO of BrickBlocks is an ex-girlfriend of Charles who assures Charles that Sales are properly accounted as it impacts her bonus as well. Affected Party Always in ethical issues, both parties are at a loss which might or might not be discovered. However in this case, the affected parties are as under: Charles is just using contacts and influences to secure a job and has not obtained it by his own talent, merit and hardwork. Apart from this, Charles has also not taken the initiative to learn the process of auditing sales and accounts receivable which might land him in trouble. Sebastian is affected because he is aware that the quality of audit is not good, yet he is forced to keep quiet for his own personal reasons. Alternatives available While performing an audit, it is necessary that the audit is carried out without any bias or influence and in a neutral manner. Over here the alternatives available are listed below: Charles should be appointed to work under a person not familiar to him. Sebastian should point out the mistakes of Charles irrespective of the fact that William is Tims friend and that Sebastian himself is expecting a promotion. Consequences of alternatives The consequences of the alternatives are discussed below: If Charles works under a third party, his personal knowledge, learning and growth will improve to a great extent. If Sebastian does this, then there are chances his work will be appreciated as it is ethically correct and he will still get the promotion due to him. Recommendations In the light of all these requirements under various sections, it can be concluded that there has been a compromise on the expressing of independent opinion in this audit due to conflict of interest and the breach of confidentiality by use of client information for the benefit of its competitor. It is thus seen how a small appointment can make things worse to a large extent and somehow as more familiar persons join together, the corporate comes to a fall. Hence independence of thoughts and actions are ultimately required to ensure a reasonable quality of audit. Conclusion Professional accountants are undoubtedly having the educational qualification to render services but the true and fair application of this knowledge is considered as an essence. With the technological advancements and the increase in the rights of shareholders, it has become all the more essential for accountants and auditors to provide services with integrity. References David, F.R 2009, Strategic Management: Concept Cases, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall Dezdar, S., Ainin, S 2011, The Influence of Organizational Factors on Successful ERP Implementation, Management Decisions vol. 49, no. 6, pp. 911-926 Figueira, J, Greco, S Ehrgott, M 2005, Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis: State of the Art. Fowler, M 2010, Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture, Addison Wesley. Hanson, D., Hitt, M., Ireland, R.D., Hoskisson, R.E 2011, Strategic Management: Competitiveness and globalization, South Melbourne: Cengage Learning Australia Mehdi, K.P 2006, Emerging Trends and Challenges in Information Technology, Management. Idea Group. Kimball, R 2008,The Data Warehouse Lifecycle Toolkit, Wiley. O'Brien, J Marakas, G 2009, Management Information Systems, McGraw-Hill. Olsen, E 2012, Strategic Planning Kit for Dummies, John Wiley Sons. Peter R, Alaa S, Aladdin A 2013, Business Intelligence and Performance Management: Theory, Systems, and Industrial Applications, Springer Verlag U.K Porter, M 2008, Competitive Strategy: Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors, Free Press Rud, O 2009, Business Intelligence Success Factors: Tools for Aligning Your Business in the Global Economy, Hoboken, N.J: Wiley Sons. Siraj, S., Mikhailov, L. Keane, J. A 2011, Priests: an interactive decision support tool to estimate priorities from pairwise comparison judgments, International Transactions in Operational Research, vol. 12, no.4, pp. 45-61 Weistroffer, H.R, Smith, C.H Narula, SC 2010, Multiple criteria decision support software, Springer: Oxford University Press. CPA 2016, An overview of APES 110 Code of Ethics, viewed 12 December 2016, https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/professional-resources/ethics/apes/overview

The Merchant of Venice Themes in justice Essay Example For Students

The Merchant of Venice Themes in justice Essay The Merchant of Venice was written by William Shakespeare probably around 1596; as a result the audience then was very different from today. During that period the play was written and based the treatment of Jews was very different from today, the reason being society often refuses to except immigrants as actual people that believe still exists today, the treatment of Jews was very poor, Jewish people were not allowed to hold employment except for the job of money lender, this made the Jewish people even more despised by the Christians of the time. The basic idea of the Jew and the merchant dates back centuries before Shakespeares time. The main story is a composed of aspects and ideas from many other stories, the idea of choosing caskets comes from ancient medieval folk tales, shylock is based on the Jew in Marlows play The Jew of Malta, Portias decision making scene (Act One Scene II), appears in Shakespeares earlier pay, two Gentlemen of Verona these links to other stories made the play very popular and familiar to Elizabethan audience. We will write a custom essay on The Merchant of Venice Themes in justice specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now By putting this story in its social context, it is clear that modern society will have a different perspective on the story than their Elizabethan counterpart. Shakespeares target audience would find the irony around Shylock an area of comedy, however a more modern audience would be more inclined to feel sympathetic towards him. The Elizabethan audience would have relished in the story with the villain everyone loves to hate, lots of romance, a good old fashioned Christian hero and a happy ending, sounds just like an episode of Eastenders! The play examines justice in several ways by using two types of justice, firstly legal justice this is the type of justice played out in a courtroom, and secondly moral justice this is the type we expected to do itself, people comeuppance. Several characters are used as vessels for these types of justice, such as Antonio, Shylock and Portia. Having several storylines all on the theme of justice brings an air of uncertainty around who actually gets justice. The story begins with Antonia and Bassanio discussing Bassanios need for money to woe Portia. Antonio suggests Bassanio borrowing money from a moneylender and name Antonio as the loans guarantor. Shylock offers to lend Bassanio the sum of three thousand ducats, however if the loan is not repaid in full within three months Shylock will be entitled to one pound of Antonios flesh. Bassanio heads of to Portia and Jessica, shylocks daughter runs of with Antonios friend, Lorenzo along with most of shylocks riches. Meanwhile Bassanio is met with a challenge set by Portias dead father, two other suitors have failed the test, much to Portias relief, Bassanio selects the correct casket and wins Portias hand in marriage. Graziano, Bassanios friend falls in love with Nerissa Portias lady in waiting. The couples get married, the marriage celebrations are cut short by news that Antonio has bee forced to forfeit the bond to Shylock. Bassanio and Graziano race to his aid. Portia and Nerissa secretly follow the to Antonios trial. Shylock ignores the many pleas to save Antonio. The Duke of Venice sends for a legal expert or Portia in disguise. Portia manages to press charges against Shylock, and he is forced to convert to Christianity and give up all of his wealth, after the trial everyone celebrates their good fortune. One of the most important issues to consider is the bond between Antonio and Shylock. The bond enables Shylock to claim one pound of flesh from Antonio if Bassanio fails to repay the three thousand ducats in three months. The bond was signed fairly and is legally binding, however it could be argued that when the contract was signed Antonio was pressured into signing it. There had always been a long-standing disagreement between Shylock and Antonio. Antonio often lends money to people interest free, ruining shylocks business. .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260 , .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260 .postImageUrl , .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260 , .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260:hover , .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260:visited , .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260:active { border:0!important; } .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260:active , .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260 .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u24ff14bf17a8f1aabe5762b4181d1260:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Othello And His Tragic Flaw EssayHow like a fawning publican Iooks. I hate him for he is a Christian: But more, for that in low simplicity He lends out money gratis, and brings down The rate of usance here with us in Venice. If I can catch him on the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. He hates our sacred nation, Shylock about Antonio, (Act 1 Scene III) During the conversation between Antonio, Shylock and Bassanio, Shylock uses a bible story to explain how important a guarantee is, in any deal to which Antonio replies: The devil can cite scripture for his purpose, Antonio (Act 1 Scene III) Shylock and Antonio start to argue about there bitter past, Shylock turns the fiery discussion back to the bond, Antonio agrees to the bond, it could be argued that Shylock took advantage of Antonios pride. From a legal perspective the bond is perfectly legal however, morally some would say that putting a price on any amount of human flesh is wrong, a second moral issue is whether or not Shylock had the specific pound of flesh in mind when he announced the bond. The conflict between Jews and Christians is partly to blame for the serve punishment. The bond is defiantly legally binding however morally it is unclear how just the bond is. The guarantee for the bond is unfair as it is immoral to price Antonios heart and the conditions under which it was signed forced Antonio to agree. Antonios trial is one of the most important events in the terms of deciding who gets justice, when looking at the trial the crucial things to remember are; Portia is not a judge and is breaking laws by impersonating one, the court case is biased against Jews and Antonio is held in high regard by the Duke who is overseeing the case. Legally the case is void from the moment it begins as Shylock is unfairly represented, as Portia is impersonating the judge or legal expert, legally Shylock was entitled to a retrial, however apart from this the anti court is anti-Semitic, also Antonio brought along an army of supporters, with the entire courtroom and legal system against him Shylock still has the bond which is legally binding. Shylock is entitled to his pound of flesh. Antonios behaviour in the courtroom is simply subtle way of lulling the courts around to his way of thinking, he plays up to the role of Christian martyr, Antonio the victim, Daniel in the lions den, as he puts it, what we should remember is Antonios treatment of Shylock prior to the case, we know from there first meeting Antonio has always stuck for himself giving as good as he gets and often a bit more. When it comes to the crunch, Portia finds a loophole in the bond the only legally binding scrap of hope Shylock has, Portia discovers Shylock is entitled to one pound of flesh exactly and not a drop of blood, however if we read back to the point where the bond is agreed it states a pound of flesh to be cut out and taken, therefore Portias point is petty and would be disregarded in any fair trial. The second offence Portia tries to pin on Shylock is conspiring to kill a Venetian citizen, Shylock was not trying to kill Antonio if Antonio dyes as a result then it becomes a different matter. Both of Portias points are unjust and unfair, shylocks punishment is very harsh, Shylock instead offers to accept the thrice the bond Bassanio offers gladly, however Portia refuses it, we must question is this her fight for justice or the fact Bassanios purse is full of her money. By forcing Shylock to become a Christian, forfeit his possessions to the state, and forgive his daughter, Antonio is simply mocking Shylock, what do they gain from his punishment. In a fair court the whole case would have been dismissed. .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971 , .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971 .postImageUrl , .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971 , .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971:hover , .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971:visited , .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971:active { border:0!important; } .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971:active , .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971 .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue38abb72e904f6ac3c78f113892d7971:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Writing about A Dolls House EssayWhen deciding who gets justice, Shylock defiantly receives none of the justice he deserves. The only possible is the bond was server and he deserves his punishment, however, Shylock isnt really evil he has simply bee bullied into the twisted bitter old man we see at the trial by years of anti-Jew ways, his daughter running of with a Christian just before the trial and not having a wife. In terms of Portia and Jessica there are similarities between them, both of them have been set rules by there fathers, Portia follows hers and her father although dead, receives the moral justice he deserves however Jessica ignores her rules adding to the justice Shylock is denied. Antonio on the other hand deserves nothing, he was under no obligation to agree to the bond, although he was undertaking it for the right reasons, Bassanio the reason for the bond tried to persuade Antonio to not bother but Antonios pig headed pride takes charge. Furthermore Antonios treatment of Shylock was utterly appalling and is the ultimate reason for shylocks bitterness. Although it wasnt his fault he couldnt repay the loan, the only reason he entered into it in the end was to prove a point over Shylock. Antonio deserves nothing but somehow justice is miscarried and he gets everything. Portia gets the justice she deserves for obeying her fathers wishes, by Bassanio winning the challenge, however she wrongs Shylock and robs him of his livelihood, and lies to the court, she escapes justice as she should have been tried. In conclusion, Shylock is the one who should be getting the justice as he deserves it, but it is robbed from him by those who dont.