resistance in denmark :: essays research papers

The occupation of a country subjects both the people and the invaders to a strange game of mutual suspicion: The occupier acts like a new owner and wants the tenants to behave and pay the rent on time, but those invaded feel violated — they know the country, by right, belongs to them, and while they cannot physically throw the occupiers out, they may well want to resist the invader's terms. Perhaps, if the invader finds the game is not worth the effort, he will leave. Or perhaps he will start killing uncooperative tenants. But the game gives one major advantage to those occupied: They will define the extent to which they are going to cooperate. And the offender, ironically, will have to defend his ill-gotten gains. The Danish resisters took the offensive against German occupying forces. Through symbolic and cultural protests, they asserted their right to govern their own lives, and that strengthened public morale — which inspired bolder resistance. Through strikes, defiance at work sites, and damage to physical property, nonviolent resisters attacked the economic interests of the invaders. Through underground publishing, an alternate network of communication was established, to subvert the lies of the occupiers' propaganda. By involving so many civilians in strikes, demonstrations, and other forms of opposition, Danish resisters forced the Germans to stop violent reprisals and suspend curfews. They denied the Nazis their prime goal, on which other objectives depended: making the fact of occupation normal. By definition, a successful military invasion gives the occupier superiority on the ground and in the air, in the ability to use physical force and violence. Despite that, when a military invader loses control of what the people read and believe, of when and if they work, of how they spend their money — when the occupiers are constantly on the defensive, as they try to maintain their position — their ability to command events is detached from their ability to use violence. War contorts the history of the nations it touches, but it also exhibits the greatness of their peoples. The Danes challenged the most barbaric regime of the modern period and did so not with troops or tanks but with singing, striking, going home to garden, and standing in public squares. Yet the power they brought to bear in resisting the Nazis did not come only from these things. It came first from the essential decision

Intro Spanish Language Culture Essay

Every country has its famous people. People become famous because of positive or negative things that they do in their life. However, most people become famous because of the contribution they make in their fields they engage in. There are those who gain fame because of their contribution in sports, music, politics, education and other fields. This paper looks at Astor Pantaleon Piazzolla an Argentinean tango composer and bandoneon player born on March 11 1921 and died on July 4 1992. In his music careers he was able to revolutionalize traditional tango music into new style of tango music known as Nuevo tango. This new style of tango music incorporated elements from classical music and jazz music. He is reknown for his performance of his own compositions which hand different ensembles (Azzi, pg 3-5). Astor spent most of his childhood years with his family who lived in New York City. It is here where he was exposed to jazz music and music done by J. S Bach at his early age. He acquired a mastery of four languages while in New York City. He could speak in Spanish, English, French and Italian. While he was thirteen years old he met Carlos Gardel who was a great figure of tango music. He returned to Argentina in 1937 where traditional tango music was the order of the day. He performed in a number of night clubs with a number of groups including the famous orchestra of Anibal Troila, which at that moment was the most famous bandoneon player and also band leader in the country. It was in 1950 when he composed the sound track to the film Bolidos de acero. He entered his Buenos Aires symp0hony in a contest of composition where he won a grant from the government of France to take study in Paris. He left with his family for Paris in 1954. He credits his music careers from the support that he received from Nadia Boulanger. After introducing his new approach to tango music, he became a controversial figure both musically and politically in Argentina. Some of the biggest resistance that he met in Argentina was the idea that everything else would change in Argentina, but Tango music would remain the same. Despite the resistance that he met him his own country his music got a lot of acceptance in Europe ands also in North America. Some of the liberal segments in the Argentinean society embraced his new style of tango music. They were mainly the people who were pushing political change in Argentina at that moment. During the time when Argentina was under military dictatorship, as from 1976 up to 1983 he lived in Italy although he would visit Argentina in many times to record his music (Piazzolla & Gonzalez pg 7-11). His musical style of nuevo tango was different from the traditional tango in some ways. This is because it incorporated elements of jazz, the style also used extended harmonies and dissonance. There was also the use of counterpoint and extended compositional forms. His fusion of tango with other recognizable western music element got a lot of success to the extent that it he produced a new style which transcended all these influences. It is this success and individuality in his compositions led to the particular influences that he made with his music. He used passacaglia technique of circulating bass line and harmonic sequence. He depicted sense of democracy and freedom among the musicians by the improvisation that he did by borrowing from jazz in concept but practically involves a different vocabulary of scales and rhythms which maintained the parameter of the established tango sound world (World Saxophone Congress & North American Saxophone Alliance pg 35-37). When he composed Adios Nonino in 1959 he developed a standard structural pattern for his compositions. The compositions involved of a formal pattern of fast slow fast slow coda. The fast sections of the compositions had emphasized gritty tango rhythms and angular melodic figures. The slower parts involved the use of string instruments or his own bandoneon which acted as lyrical soloists. The piano was used as back bone of percussive rhythm. He used quintet of bandoneon which most people consider it to be the most successful instrument in all his works. This is because of the great efficiency in the sound produced. The sound produced covers and imitates most sections of a symphony orchestra. Despite the use of the quintet in most of his music and also the use of ABABC compositional structure he used other forms of music and combination of instruments. In 1965 he produced an album which contained composition done in which he collaborated with Jorge Luis Borges. In 1968 he wrote and made a production â€Å"operita†, Maria de Buenos Aires which included also of ensembles, for example, percussion, three vocalists, flute and a movement in Piazzolla own style of rhythms (JSTOR (Organization) pg 16-18). By 1970s, he lived in Rome where he performed more fluid musical style which had more influence of jazz music. His music at this moment was also simpler and more continuous. In the 1980s he had become rich and famous person. He became an autonomous artist and wrote some of his most multi movements works. Some of the works he wrote include La Camorra, which was a suite in three ten movements inspired by Neapolitan crime family. He made three albums in New York with second quintet. He described this to be his greatest thing that he ever did in his lifetime. He did away with quintet and formed a sextet which had an extra bandoneon, piano, electric guitar. He also wrote music for his ensemble which was more adventurous in harmony and also in structures that all his previous work. He was able to respond to the growing popularity of non western music. He did this by finding ways in which he incorporated new styles into his own music (Groppa, pg 181-182). He had an open minded attitude to the styles which existed. This helped him be able to hold the mindset of an 18th century composing performer. He assimilated all the national flavors of his days in to his composition. He wrote his music with a sense of direct social relationship and first hand performing experience. According to biographers it is estimated that Piazzolla wrote around three thousand pieces and recorded almost five hundred songs in his careers. In his music Piazzolla epitomized our situation in the world we are living to day by fusing folkloric beauty and contemporary tension. His music challenged the traditionalist and made those who were adventurous asking for more of that kind of music. His music had message for the generations to come. His nuevo tango music attracted most popular and jazz musicians in many parts of the world (World Saxophone Congress & North American Saxophone Alliance pg 35-37). Despite the critics that his music received from the conservative government his music stood the test of the time and made a lot of impact to the society. He suffered thrombosis in Paris in 1990 and later died two years later in Buenos Aires.

The Greek Mythology

Greek Mythology is a group of teachings and myths that were originated by the ancient Greeks, when they were trying to understand the origin of things in the sky and on earth. This myth was a big part of the religion of the Greeks. Hesiod offers the theogony, which tells of the dealings with the creation of the world, and the origin of the gods, titans, and giants. Athena, also called Athene, was a goddess of many things like wisdom, and courage. She was born to Zeus and Metis in Mount Olympus. She was fully grown and wearing armor from head to toe. Athena is said to be a pre-Hellenic goddess that was taken by the Greeks. Her story shows that the people were looking for closure over wisdom and war during this time. This myth seeks to explain some countless inventions. She has a major influence on today's culture. For instance, her helmet is featured on the crest of West Point Academy, as well as represented the first branch of the United States Army just for women. Although there are many different stories of how Athena came to be, most known one is that Zeus swallowed Metis and Athena sprang from his head. Because she is the goddess of many things, Athena is featured on many modern crests, was praised by the Greeks in their time, and was supposedly the origin of many great inventions. Although classical Greek culture was during the period of the 4th and 5th centuries, ancient Greek culture and myths are tremendously influential in many aspects like, language, politic, educational system, philosophy, science, the arts, and the gods. For instance, our country is a democracy. Democracy is said to originate from Greece. Not only that, we use the gods and goddesses in our everyday life. Athena's helmet is featured on the West Point Military Academy crest. Her head is represented on the first branch of the United States Army that is for women. Hellenic polytheists worship the Greek gods, olympians, nature divinities, underworld deities, and heroes. Hellenic religion is any systems of beliefs and practices of the ancient Greeks during the Hellenic period and the Roman Empire. Religion was very important to the Greeks because they believed that religion would make their lives better. This Hellenistic world was made after conquest that went from India to Egypt and took about 20 to complete after Alexander the Great's death. (Hellenistic Culture) Athena was born to Zeus and Metis, at Mount Olympus, fully grown and wearing full armor from head to toe. Athena is said to be a pre-Hellenic goddess that was taken from kgjhjv by the Greeks. There are many different versions of how Athena came to be. Most say that Zeus and Metis conceived a baby girl. Before Metis gave birth, Mother Earth told Zeus that a child born to Metis would one day overthrow his throne. He became worried because that is the same thing he did to his own father. Zeus challenged her in a shapeshifting contest; she turned herself into a fly and taking the advice of Gaea and Uranus, Zeus swallowed her up. A few days later, he started to get dreadful headaches and asked his son, Hephaestus, to take an axe and crack his head open.(Temple)Some versions say that Palamon and Hermes helped Zeus give birth. Others regard her to be his daughter, but also as the daughter of Pallas, whom she killed later because he tried to desecrate her chastity. Another that was transplanted to Libya, says that she is the daughter of Poseidon and Tritonis. According to Athena, herodotus became enraged with her father and went to Zeus, who later stepped in as her father. These were regarded more as Hellenistic Myths (â€Å"Athene†) Athena was a goddess of many aspects like wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill. She was the goddess of arts and crafts because of her spinning and weaving. She was the goddess of war and wisdom because she sprang from Zeus's head and she was a ruthless warrior. She was very strategic and skilled during warfare. She is often portrayed as the companion of heroes is the patron goddess of heroic endeavour. (â€Å"Athene†)Athena was featured in many heroic stories. One being, when she assisted Odysseus in his adventures. Odysseus and Athena were similar. He was the Greek King of Ithaca just as she was a great goddess. They had some of the same qualities. They were both nondiscriminatory, and clever. When it came to helping Odysseus in the Trojan War, she was there. Other gods didn't like that he was helping the Trojans. Most of all, she helped him on his way home, because he ran into many obstacles. He was imprisoned by Calypso then, when he escaped, he went sailing through storms, which later resulted in many shipwrecks. He then found himself in trouble with many other gods like, Poseidon and Polyphemus. Athena did not want to make the other gods angry, so she only offered Odysseus wisdom. When he returned safely to Ithaca, Athena helped him disguise as a beggar.(Temple) A less heroic story of Athena, is when she accidentally killed her friend, Pallas. As a young woman, Athena didn't quite fit in on Mount Olympus. So she went out to find a friend, Pallas. Her new friend was the daughter of Triton, the sea god. The often practiced their combat skills with each other. On time they were doing their session when Pallas took a fatal blow from Athena. Feeling sorrowful, Athena put a statue of Pallas near Zeus's throne Mount Olympus.(Temple) Athena has a major influence on today's culture; her helmet is featured on many things of the United States. One being the West Point Academy crest. Her helmet represents her wisdom, while her sword represents a warrior. The seal of California also features her head. It symbolizes the goddess of wisdom overlooking the scene. (Seal of California) The US Women Army Corps shows her head as their insignia. Athena is said to be the origin of many things that make up Greek culture. She made the statue of Pallas that sits near Zeus's throne. She helped many heros on adventures, like the one with Odysseus. She also has tremendous influence on modern culture. For instance, she is featured on the Seal of California, the U.S. Women's Army Corp, and the West Point crest. Its is clear that Athena is relevant in both ancient times and modern day culture. She is, many times, the symbol of power, wisdom, and valor. This is what makes her so influential in the world.