Chemistry of Essential Oils

Chemistry of Essential Oils Rhea Hughes Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Basic Chemical Structure 2.1 Hydrocarbons Monoterpenes Sesquiterpenes 2.2 Oxygenated Compounds 3. Extraction Methods 4. How essential oils are analysed 5. Discussion 6. Conclusion 7. Bibliography 1. Introduction Essential oils are used as alternative medical treatments, fragrances for perfumes and also as flavours in food and beverages (Djilani Dicko, 2012). They are made up of fragranced mixtures that are found in different parts of plants such as the seeds, stems or flowers. (doTERRA, 2014). In this essay the following topics of essential oils will be discussed; the chemical structure, how they are extracted from plants and how to determine their components through analysis. 2. Basic Chemical Structure Essential oils are extracted from plants as the compounds that make up essential oils are created naturally by chemical reactions that occur in different plants. Essential oils are released when oils are chemically extracted from the herb or when the herb is compressed (EBSCO, 2014).There are two groups of chemicals that are made from nature; they are classified into primary and secondary metabolites. Primary metabolites can be divided further into carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins. Secondary metabolites are divided into alkaloids, polyketides, shikimates and terponiods (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). The secondary metabolism of a plant is responsible for their scent and also plays a role in the defence system of the plant protecting it from pests Essential oils are made up of hydrocarbons and their derivatives oxygentated compounds that are created from plants secondary metabolism (Chamorro et al., 2012). As it can be seen in Figure 1 in the biosysthesis of secondary metabolites, water and carbon dioxide are converted to glucose through photosynthesis. Phosphoenolpyrutave is a main element in the shikimate group of natural products. Decarboxylation of phosphoenolpyrutave produces acetate which is esterified with coenzyme-A to produce acetyl CoA. Acetyl CoA is a starting point for Mevalonic Acid, which is the starting compound for terpenoids. Figure 1 shows the chemical structure of the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). Figure 1: Biosythesis of secondary metabolites (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). Essential oils molecules are prepared mainly from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (essentials, 2014). Essential oils can be divided into two groups hydrocarbons and their derived oxygenated compounds (Martin, 2014). The hydrocarbon group is divided into monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Hydrocarbon chains are kept together by carbon atoms that are linked together. At different points in the chains atoms are attached to make up alternative oils (essentials, 2014). The oxygenated compounds can be broken down into smaller compounds such as Phenols, Alcohols, Aldehydes, Ketones, Esters, Lactones, Coumarins, Ethers and Oxides (EsotericOils, 2014). 2.1 Hydrocarbons Terpenes are made up of isoprene units. Isoprenes are five-carbon molecules. Isoprenes are assembled in different formations to make up terpenes (Cyberlipid, 2014). Terpenes are a group of molecules that is based on a number of isoprene units in a head to tail fashion. Figure 2 : Isopene Unit (Cyberlipid, 2014) Modified terpenes (terpenoids) are where methyl groups have been moved or removed or oxygen atoms added to the structure. Terpenes are easily decomposable under different effects such as air light and moisture which can cause spoilage of the oil. Terpenes have a narrow boiling range, making them difficult to purify. (Parry, 1922). Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes are the main components of essential oils as they are adequately volatile (Cyberlipid, 2014), (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). Monoterpenes Monoterpenes have 2 isoprenes units linked together. Monoterpenes are very volatile due to the molecular structure (Chamorro et al., 2012). Monoterpenes increase the therapeutic functions of other components in the oil and stop the collection of toxins (Martin, 2014). An example of an essential oil that is a monoterpene is menthol which is a cyclic monoterpene. Menthol has cooling properties and has a unique scent of the oil residue that is extracted from it (Kamatoua et al., 2013). There is a difference in the content of methone and menthol detected, as the plant mature there is a higher content of menthol and menthyl acetate content (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). Figure 3: Steoreoisomers of menthol (-) –menthol is the most commonly used synthetic and natural form. Menthol has microbial properties but is not a principal compound in essential oils as it is only a component in of a restricted number of aromatic plants (Kamatoua et al., 2013). Sesquiterpenes Sesquiterpenes have 3 isoprene units linked together. They are common in essential oils and are less volatile than monterpenes so they blend well with volatile oils (Martin, 2014). An example of a sestquiterpene is Zingiberene that is used in the oil. It is acquired by fractional distillation under reduced pressure (Parry, 1922). Figure 4: Structure of Zingiberene (Chemistry, 2014). 2.2 Oxygenated Compounds Oxgenated compounds or terpenoids are derivates of terpenes. They have a stronger aroma and are normally more stable as they do not oxidise as easily under different conditions (Fresholi, 2014). Some examples of oxygentated compounds are alcohol, ketones and esters. Alcohols can further be divided into monoterpene alcohol and sesquiterpene alcohols (EsotericOils, 2014). Alcohols are found in in their free state and in the form of esters in essential oils. Methyl alcohols which are soluble in water which are main components in essential oils are removed during the distillation process so they are not actually found in the essential oil but can be found in the distilled water. But when in ester form methyl alcohols can be found in essential oils such as winter green. (Parry, 1922). Alcohols are beneficial components that have antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. Esters are naturally occurring in plants. Esters such as terpineol attribute to the aroma in essential oils (Pharmacognosy, 2012). They also have calming and sedative properties (Oils, 2007). Linalyl acetate is a naturally occurring ester that is found herbs and flowers. It is used to make Lavender oil (Hermitageoils, 2014).Ketones have skin healing properties and also helps break down fats (Oils, 2007). Verbenone is an example of a natural ketone that is extracted from plants. It is an ingredient in the oil Rosemary Other examples of oxygenated compounds are aldehydes that have anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious agents such as geraniol found in Rose Geranium. Oxides that have anti-inflammatory properties such as eucalyptole are found in Eucalyptus. Phenols have anti-pathogenic properties (Oils, 2007). Thymol is an example of a phenol, it is a compound of thyme and ajowan seed oil (Parry, 1922) and ethers help regulate hormones and the central nervous system such as chavicol found in basil (Oils, 2007). 3. Extraction Methods There are different extraction methods that are used for the extraction of components for essential oils. There are two main types of extraction methods these are distillation and expression. Solvent extraction and CO2 extracts are also other techniques that can be used for the release of essential oils from plants. Different distillation methods that are used are steam distillation, water distillation and steam and water distillation. For distillation process the material from which the material is being extracted is placed on a grid in the still, the steam or/and water depending on which method is being used breaks through the plant material and removes the volatile compounds in it. The volatile compounds rise up into the condenser which cools the vapour into liquid form. This oil liquid will be form a separate layer with water and can be drawn off separately from the water (NAHA, 2014). Expression of essential oils is done through a technique known as ecuelle a piquer. This technique involves placing the rind of a fruit in a container with spikes that puncture the peel while it is being rotated. This technique allows the essential oils that are contained in the fruit to be released when it is punctured. Centrifugal force can then be used to separate the fruit juice from the essential oils (NAHA, 2014). Solvent extraction is used when the plants are too fragile to go through the distillation process. In solvent extraction the odoriferous lipophilic is extracted from the plant along with other tissues in the plant. This causes a thick solution to be extracted that contains waxes, fats and other odoriferous material. This solution is then mixed with alcohol which extracts the aromatic compounds (NAHA, 2014). Hypercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction involves putting C02 under pressure to turn it into a liquid from a gas. This liquid is then used as an inert liquid solvent which can extract aromatic compounds from the plant by diffusing through it. C02 can contain some elements that are not found in the corresponding essential oils. During extraction methods some main considerations must be addressed such as the cost, pesticide residue on the plants and also the safety and therapeutic benefits of the essential oil being produced. These considerations help decide which extraction method is most beneficial (NAHA, 2014). 4. How essential oils are analysed Terpenes are structurally varied therefore the methods used for analyses have to account for a great number of molecular compounds (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). With essential oils there are cheaper versions available on the market. Sensory tests are preformed first to help determine if the oil is poor quality. The clarity, colour, odour and viscosity are looked at to determine the quality. When these sensory tests are completed, physical parameters are measured through refractive index, optical rotation and their specific gravity (Lyth, 2014). Chromatography techniques are then used in the separation and identification of compounds (Baser Buchbauer, 2010).Gas chromatography/Mass Spectrometry is widely used in the separation and identification of compounds in essential oils. In gas chromatography the identification and quantification of the different chemical compounds in essential oils can be detected. Each individual compound can be identified by the retention time of the peaks. The data collected can then be compared against standards to determine the purity. (Lyth, 2014).One of the main objectives in separation is the resolution of the compound with a short retention time. To achieve this, the appropriate parameters must be provided. Chiral stationary phases allow for the separation of compounds with optical isomerism. When identifying essential oils in gas chromatography the temperature must be changed as essential oils contain votaile compounds and less volatile compounds. The temperature must start off low and then be raised every minute until 200C to obtain elution of heavy terpenoids. This allows for shorter elution times, separate and narrow peaks (Baser Buchbauer, 2010) 5. Discussion The chemistry of essential oils is important as they have such diverse effects. The different structures of the compounds is what causes the effects of the essential oil (EBSCO, 2014).It also depends on what part of the plant is being used and also the development stage of the plant. There are also changes in the amount of oil yield and the different compounds that are observed between the process of the bud of a flower forming and full flowering (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). But a plant’s compounds can have different effects depending on the country of origin, the type of soil it was grown in and also the climate conditions of where it was grown. These factors can all effect natural variations in the essential oils that are extracted from the plant (Lyth, 2014). Even though essential oils are known for their healing properties it is difficult to prove that they work because of the unique aroma of essential oils it is also difficult to have a control group. A lot of published studies on essential oil fail to reach accurate and reliable scientific standards (EBSCO, 2014) 6. Conclusion Essential oils are used in a variety of industries, but it is important to know the chemistry behind the process of producing them. This helps produce high quality and pure products that will produce better results. The extraction of them from the plant and also where the plant was growing and the conditions that it grew in are important factors when analysing the product for quality and purity. 7. Bibliography Anon., 2014. Organic facts. [Online] Available at: https://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/natural-essential-oils/list-of-essential-oils.html [Accessed 05 November 2014]. Baser, K.H.C. Buchbauer, G., 2010. Handbook of essential oils : science, technology, and applications. Boca Raton: Taylor and Francis Group. Chamorro, E.R. et al., 2012. INTECH. [Online] Available at: http://www.intechopen.com/books/gas-chromatography-in-plant-science-wine-technology-toxicology-and-some-specific-applications/study-of-the-chemical-composition-of-essential-oils-by-gas-chromatography [Accessed 16 October 2014]. Chamorro, E.R. et al., 2012. Study of the Chemical Composition of Essential Oils by Gas Chromatography. Gas Chromatography in Plant Science,Wine Technology, Toxicology and Some Specific Applications, pp.307-25. Chemistry, R.S.o., 2014. ChemSpider. [Online] Available at: http://www.chemspider.com/Chemical-Structure.83751.html [Accessed 28 October 2014]. Cyberlipid, 2014. Cyberlipid centre. [Online] Available at: http://www.cyberlipid.org/simple/simp0004.htm [Accessed 08 November 2014]. doTERRA, I., 2014. doTERRA. [Online] Available at: http://www.doterra.com/sgen/essentialDefinition.php [Accessed 05 November 2014]. EBSCO, C.R.B., 2014. NYU Langone Medical Centre. [Online] Available at: http://www.med.nyu.edu/content?ChunkIID=37427 [Accessed 05 November 2014]. EsotericOils, 2014. Esoteric Oils. [Online] Available at: http://www.essentialoils.co.za/components.htm [Accessed 08 November 2014]. essentials, T.r., 2014. The Real Essentials. [Online] Available at: http://www.therealessentials.com/chemistry.html [Accessed 05 November 2014]. Fresholi, 2014. Fresholi. [Online] Available at: http://www.fresholi.com/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=653:essential-oil-componentscatid=88:aromatherapy [Accessed 28 October 2014]. Hermitageoils, 2014. Hermitageoils. [Online] Available at: http://www.hermitageoils.com/essential-synthetics/linalyl-acetate [Accessed 06 November 2014]. Inc, M.W.P., 2013. International WellnessDirectory. [Online] Available at: http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/therapies/essentia02.htm [Accessed 30 October 2014]. Kamatoua, G.P.P., Vermaaka, I. Viljoen, A.M., 2013. Phytochemistry. Menthol: A simple monoterpene with remarkable biological properties [Online], 96, pp.15-25. Available DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2013.08.005 [Accessed 14 November 2014]. Martin, N., 2014. Experience-Essential-Oils.com. [Online] Available at: http://www.experience-essential-oils.com/chemistry-of-essential-oil.html [Accessed 08 November 2014]. MintNews, 2014. MintNews. [Online] Available at: http://www.mintnews.in/Product-Directories.php?id=cpbThD2wlbs- [Accessed 06 November 2014]. NAHA, 2014. National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy. [Online] Available at: http://www.naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/about-aromatherapy/how-are-essential-oils-extracted [Accessed 05 November 2014]. NobelMediaAB, 2014. Norbal Prize.org. [Online] Available at: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1910/press.html [Accessed 29 October 2014]. Oils, N.O., 2007. NHR Organic Oils. [Online] Available at: http://www.nhrorganicoils.com/frame.php?page=info_21 [Accessed 05 November 2014]. OMICS, 2013. Open access Scientific Reports. [Online] Available at: http://omicsonline.org/scientific-reports/srep129.php [Accessed 25 October 2014]. Parry, E.J., 1922. The chemistry of Essential oils and Artifical perfumes. 4th ed. London: D. Van Nostrand Company. Pharmacognosy, 2012. Pharmacognosy. [Online] Available at: http://www.epharmacognosy.com/2012/05/ester-volatile-oils-esters-of-aliphatic.html [Accessed 03 November 2014]. Wikipedia, 2014. Wikipedia. [Online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbenone [Accessed 06 November 2014]. Wikipedia, 2014. Wikipedia. [Online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thymol [Accessed 06 November 2014]. http://www.biospiritual-energy-healing.com/essential-oil-chemistry.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_oil http://www.zenitech.com/documents/Toxicity_of_essential_oils_p1.pdf http://depa.fquim.unam.mx/amyd/archivero/LipidosPaulaYurkanis_11315.pdf Page 1 of 10

How do the camera shots, lighting effects and music help embellish the theme of the film ‘We Were Soldiers’?

‘We Were Soldiers' is a film that attempts to expose the devastation and desperation of war within Vietnam. During my essay, I will focus on the significant aspects of this cinematic interpretation of one of histories most brutal wars. Although war has several points of view, my aim will be to explore the diverse perspectives of both the Americans and Vietnamese in hope to find that the director has captured both sides equally and with realism. Ultimately, I must question whether the music, light effects and camera shots depict the moment authentically. The opening scenes of ‘Saving Private Ryan' set a new benchmark in war films, one that ‘We Were Soldiers' has raised to yet greater heights of goriness. It is never romanticised and purely focuses on the explicit imagery you'd expect in a war film, unlike ‘We Were Soldiers' where Mel Gibson stars as Lt. Col. Harold Moore whose bravery and determination ensures his survival. The close-up battle scenes are not for the squeamish, particularly the images of Vietnam victims, who throughout the film are seen as the weaker side. The film, originally a book by Randal Wallace, reflects on the general and recognisable images of war, with various close-up and point-of-view camera shots focusing on bloody and disturbing death scenes. The rapid pace of the footage we see and dramatic music we hear set the scene perfectly. This adds a sense of accretion, by the gory close-ups presumably building to a climax. We instantly recognise that the war is set in relatively modern day times because it uses explosives, gunfire and sophisticated fighter and bomber planes that imply the war is an ambush. We are then introduced to Mel Gibson, where he faces the emotional task of saying goodbye to his wife and children. This particular scene is filmed with much silence and feels moving by the heart-stopping case of a father potentially saying his ‘final' farewell to his family. In the background, melancholy music plays which substitutes the use of speech effectively. It is apparent to the audience that Mel Gibson's character is unsure if he'll return or die. Music is an aid that helps give the scene this atmosphere. His wife pretends to be asleep so that she can avoid a sombre farewell; however when she later tries to find him, the camera juxtaposes to a shot of him already leaving. Moments like these make people's heart sink, when they feel they are embroiled within the storyline and attached to the characters' emotions. The final shot of the scene where we see Mel Gibson walking down the street in the distance uses a long shot, to show that the audience is left behind, and ultimately showing how Mel Gibson has to be somewhere else. We see a dark silhouette gradually decreasing in size as he walks further down the street. After the sadness of the last scene, the following part of the film builds tension and suspense, showing soldiers arriving on buses to be escorted to war. There is a limited use of light, and a constant alarming style of music. Dim lights and ambient sound muffle the speech and imagery, with a range of close-up shots building to a climax. The sound of running feet and whistles can be heard in the distance as it builds to a sharp stop. We then juxtapose to daylight, which is a complete contrast and helps progress the film in terms of its duration. The next scene shows the army arrive in Vietnam. Dismal music is applied to epitomize the depressive feeling within the soldiers. The scene includes slow motion effects which emphasize the slow progression of time that, for the soldiers, is time spent without loved ones. A shot of Mel Gibson's foot landing on Vietnamese soil is shown, symbolising that Vietnams opposition has arrived. Later on in the film, the same shot is shown but in reverse, indicating that Mel Gibson had managed to survive and, as he promised his men, would be the last to leave. Subsequently, complete destruction takes place with the camera zooming in on huge explosions, countless gunfire shots and corpses. Like many times in the film, it juxtaposes to the Vietnamese camp underground creating contrast. The loud shouting and explosions are quietened to signify the camera is underground and subtitles can be seen at the bottom of the screen when the Vietnamese speak. ‘Saving Private Ryan', unlike ‘We Were Soldiers' is dedicated to Captain John Miller, whereas ‘We Were Soldiers' is dedicated to both sides of the war. The two films do have their similarities as well as differences, like both contain objects that we can recognise symbolically like the trumpet in ‘We Were Soldiers' and a water bottle in ‘Saving Private Ryan'. Later on in the film, the situation of war on the screen is alleviated by the camera juxtaposing to a domestic scene. The director shows Mel Gibson's wife cleaning the house so the audience can witness how people are affected by the war and how they cope with the situation. In addition to this, we see women deliver telegrams to the wives of the soldiers. This helps the audience to see the disparity between war and back home, and both male and female reactions to death. At the ambush scenes, lighting effects are cunningly used to distinguish night from day. We see blue light glowing on the soldiers faces so we know that is early evening. As well as this, soldiers appear to keep sentimental pieces with them throughout the war to remind us of the contrast between the masculine, fighting soldier, and his true, human feelings. As the film evolves, we become more engaged by the increasing dramatic effects. The moment where a Vietnamese soldier suffers burns to his face intensifies his pain through the music. In ‘Saving Private Ryan' similar techniques are used to help the audience believe that what they are seeing is real. The director uses a shaky hand-held camera effect to completely involve the audience, giving the feeling of being one of the men at the battle site. The most significant part of the battle scene is when Tom Hanks, playing the lead role in the film, stops next to a barricade and looks around to view the chaos that is surrounding him. The hand-held camera is positioned from Tom Hank's view to deliver a clear image to the audience of what Tom Hanks is feeling and viewing. Towards the end of ‘We Were Soldiers', black and white images of the dead are shown one after the other, helping the audience to reflect on the lifelessness that's left. After these images are shown, the pace of the film slows down, and the camera begins to film from low down on the ground. Doing this show's the audience the level at which the dead soldiers' lie and what surrounds them. Overall I think the film is truly realistic, although I was never there to witness what happened. It appears to be an accurate rendition; one that embraces compassion, love, death and symbolism to make the audience think as well as watch. The camera angles allow the audience to witness the war from different perspectives, whilst the variety of music is an aid to embellish the overall effect.

Discuss how society viewed the ideas of love and marriage in the early 1800’s Essay

Jane Austen was born in 1775 and spent most of her life in the countryside in a village called Steventon, Hampshire. She was the daughter of a clergyman, Reverend George Austen and her mother was called Cassandra Austen. She had a brief education starting at the age of seven and ending at eleven, when she settled at home. Like women in Austen’s society, she had little education due to the beliefs at the time; the only education she would have received would likely have been to up her social status, through marriage. She wrote â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† to portray society’s views of love and marriage to the reader and to shoe that marriages take place for different reasons. We see throughout the novel the excessive number of marriages and courtships that take place. The opening sentence â€Å"It’s a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in the possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife† introduces the theme of love, marriage and money in an ironic way. The irony is contained in the fact that marriage is meant to be about love and happiness but clearly revolves around wealth and social standing. In the novel we see two established marriages take place; The Bennet’s and the Gardiner’s. Throughout the novel four other marriages take place; Lydia and Mr Wickham, Charlotte Lucas and Mr Collins, Elizabeth and Darcy and Jane and Mr Bingley. The marriage between Mr Collins and Charlotte Lucas is purely based on financial and social security not love or appearance, It was extremely common fro women in Austens era to marry and save themselves from spinsterhood and social security and to gain, the above mentioned, financial and social security. In this type of marriage Austen illustrates that women who submit themselves are largely willing to suffer emotional distress in silence. â€Å"†¦ Mr Collins to be sure neither sensible nor agreeable; his society was irksome and his attachment to her must be imaginary. But still he would be a husband†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This reflects the social beliefs of, at least, the middle classes at the time. Evidently all that Charlotte wants out of life is a comfortable home and enough wealth to sustain this. † I’m not a romantic girl you know. I never was, I only ask for a comfortable home †¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The use of the word â€Å"only† emphasises the fact that Charlotte wants this and nothing else. The consequences of her not marring well would be to severely limit her options i.e. she would have to become a governess or an old maid for a wealthy couple, but this would not support her once she had reached an age at which, she could no longer work. When Charlotte Married Mr Collins she seemed happy in their relationship, even though its not based on love :- she has all that she wants out of marriage. She does however ignore her husbands silliness and does not have any bad words to say about him. † When Mr Collins said anything of which his wife might reasonably, which certainly was not unseldom†¦ once of twice she could discern a faint blush; but in general Charlotte wisely did not hear†. From this we gather that the orthodoxy of society has been embedded in her behaviour. She possibly perceives that she is happy because society deems that now she is married she should be happy. The marriage of Mr and Mrs Bennet was a stereotypical marriage of the time. The marriage was based on initial beauty and physical attraction plus the fact that they where matched financially. The family life, was also typical of the 1800’s, they had five daughters, and Mrs Bennets aim in life was to marry her daughters of in as quick a time as possible, this compares with Charlottes views of marriage as a step up the social ladder. â€Å"†¦A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!† Showing that she is considering the monetary aspects of a possible marriage. â€Å"†¦It is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes† Mrs Bennet mentions fleetingly but without conviction, she is mostly interested in trying to marry of at least one of her 5 daughters. Mr Bennet however constantly mocks his wife. We are made aware of this in their first dialogue † Do you not want to know who has taken it?† cried his wife impatiently. † You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hear it†. This is a perfect example of Mr Bennets sarcasm and unconcerned attitude towards his wife and their family affairs. Mr Bennet is the complete opposite to Mrs Bennet in the way in which he thinks, about the new gentleman in town for example † How so? How can it affect them?† Mrs Bennet is immensely annoyed by this but does not possess enough wit to retort. For Mr Bennet this mockery of his wife seems his way of dealing with being stuck in a loveless marriage. In Jane’s era divorce was not an option, people had no choice, they were devoted to that one person fro life. The Bennet’s estate is entitled to the nearest male heir which, was common practice at the time, leading to very limited options for the daughters in the family. The marriage between Lydia and Mr Wickham was mainly for desire and attraction even though they were not financially matched. This itself was frowned upon by society and exacerbated by the fact that their courtship was very short, unorthodox and kept a secret. Marriage of their type shows the results of not following society’s rules. Society viewed this as dishonesty and because of this their reputation would be severely tarnished. â€Å"That the loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable†¦ and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards the understanding of the other sex†. Lydia’s damaged reputation would also affect her families reputation, unless they disown her. † she has no money, no connection, nothing that can tempt him she is lost forever†. The word no emphasises the fact that she has absolutely nothing and no-one. For Wickham, on the other hand, the slight on his reputation is less so, although still noticeable; â€Å"†¦ She was a surprise- all astonishment that Wickham should marry a girl whom it was impossible he could marry for money; and how Lydia could ever have attached him, had appeared incomprehensible†. Here we see that what would have been scorn when aimed a Lydia is mere surprise when directed at Wickham, this is due to the fact that in Jane Austens era the gentleman naturally had a higher social standing; just because of their sex. The Gardiner’s, along with the Bennet’s are the established marriages of the novel; but unlike the Bennet’s the Gardiner’s are a sensible, lively and intelligent couple who love each other and work well together. They always agree † in talking over their route the evening before, Mrs Gardiner expressed an inclination to see the place again. Mr Gardiner declared his willingness†. Jane Austen here is being an omniscient narrator . The Gardiner’s are in a harmonious relationship, a marriage that creates a positive image towards its readers. They are described as a † sensible-gentle like man† and an â€Å"amiable intelligent women† who are encouraging role models fro the Bennet children due to the poor quality of Mr and Mrs Bennet’s marriage. As we can see this is an example of one of the rare happy marriage of the time. In general people strove towards this, but most did not find it due to the fact that society dictated that once married you were in love. Jane and Mr Bingley engage in a courtship that occupies the central place in the novel. They first meet at Meryton and enjoy an immediate mutual attraction. They are spoken of as potential couple throughout the book, long before anyone imagines Darcy and Elizabeth might marry. Their marriage was one for physical attraction and love, Jane is the most handsome of the five Bennet daughters who looked for a man who is sensible, humorous and lively. † Is he married or single?† this shows an automatic interest in young wealthy men. Women in the early 1800’s married mainly for wealth and social status however this marriage illustrates that that is not always the case. Bingley’ love for Jane is strengthened by her beauty and the love between is equal. Jane’s idea of marriage is to find someone who loves her and respects her as much as she does him. The marriage between Jane and Mr Bingley set ‘s a standard for the rest of the Bennet daughters, † It was moreover, such a promising thing for her younger daughters, as Jane’s marrying so greatly must throw them in the way of rich men†. Here their marriage is reflecting society’s views of love and marriage as if a member of the family is married into a family of a higher status, then the rest of the daughters would be regarded as more eligible to be associated with higher status, wealthy, respectable men. The word greatly show that Mrs Bennet believes that Jane had chosen accurately and it displays society’s beliefs as to what constituted a very good match for Jane. Elizabeth is an intelligent and spirited women who passes a keen wit and enjoys studying people’s characters; on the other hand Fitzwilliam Darcy is a wealthy, proud man with a generous, thoughtful nature beneath his somewhat stiff demeanour. Elizabeth’s pride makes her misjudge Darcy on the basis of poor social standing blinds him, for a time, to her many virtues. Darcy and Elizabeth’s realization of a mutual and tender love seems to imply that Austin views love as something independent of these social forces, as something that can be captured if only an individual is able to escape the warping effects of hierarchical society. † In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you†. Here he speaks well however, there are other feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed. The narrator relates Elizabeth’s point of view of events more often then Darcy’s, so Elizabeth often seems a more sympathetic figure. The reader eventually realises however, that Darcy is her ideal match. Intelligent and forthright, he too has a tendency to judge too hastily and harshly, and his high birth and wealth make him overly proud and overly conscious of his social status. When he proposes to her, for instance, he dwells more on how unsuitable a match she is than on her charms, beauty, or anything else complimentary, â€Å"not handsome enough†. Here Darcy is reflecting society’s views of love and marriage because many people married for higher social status and financial status rather than for love and beauty. Pride and prejudice is a love story but does not reflect the romantic side. It gives the reader a sense of all the different kinds of relationships, none of them are the same. It shows that the ideal couple is difficult to find, the established marriages in the book being The Bennet’s and the Gardiner’s.

Social Criticism in William Blakes Songs of Innocence and...

William Blake was a social critic of his time, yet his criticism also reflects society of our own time as well. He mainly communicates humanitarian concerns through his Songs of Innocence and Experience; which express two opposite states of the human soul, happiness or misery, heaven or hell. Innocence; expresses the state of childhood, into which we are all born, a state of free imagination and infinite joy. Experience;, according to Blake, is mans state when disaster has destroyed the initial ecstasy. He believes that problems concerning child labor, religious institutions, individual apathy, prostitution, sexually transmitted diseases, war and marriage are the result of humankinds carelessness. He explores this point of view†¦show more content†¦The water, which was once a beautiful natural river, has now become polluted for merely economic purposes, which illustrates mans negligence. Blake also believes that without mans government, man could live in peace and in freedom . Instead, the image we are becoming used to is one of marks of woe;(4) on the faces of the pedestrians, and we hear every infants cry of fear;(6). Blake states that people participate in their oppression by not helping to solve societys problems when he writes that there is an effect of mind-forgd manacles;(8) on every man. In the third stanza, Blake describes that the people involved in religious institutions participate in the oppression because they not only allow child labor but encourage it. In addition, Blake states that the Palace; (12), symbolizing mans government, also oppresses society because soldiers are forced to sacrifice their lives and that these tired victims can only sigh by not speaking up to their oppression: How the chimney-sweerpers cry Every blackening church appals, And the hapless Soldiers sigh Runs in blood down the Palace walls. (9-12) By the end of the poem, mans repression has clearly caused the death of everything. Hence the husband who visits the prostitute will bring home Harlots curse;(14) symbolizing sexually transmitted diseases which will infect the infant and the curse of a forever ruined marriage. Thus, Blake communicates that people are ignoring the infants tear, which is aShow MoreRelatedSociological Criticism of William Blake’s Poetry Essay1506 Words   |  7 PagesSociological criticism analyzes the political, economic, and cultural aspects of literature. To examine literature from the perspective of Marxist social theory is a quintessential form of sociological criticism, as Marxism primarily deals with political and economic ideas of communism and social inequality. William Blake, a Romantic poet, frequently wrote on the topic of class oppression and his opposition to the exploitation of the proletariat by the capitalists. Blake’s ideology and preferenceRead MoreEnglish Preromanticis m: William Blake3403 Words   |  14 PagesPreromanticism: William Blake Term Paper Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. M. Ã…  idlauskas 2008 CONTENTS Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...............3 1. William Blake-a forerunner of English Romanticism 1 William Blake-a social critic of his own time†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..6 2 William Blake’s ideas and the Modern World†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 2. â€Å"Songs of innocence and of Experience†-the most popular W.Blake’s poem book 1 The social significance of W. Blake’s work†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8Read MoreSongs of Good and Evil1545 Words   |  7 Pages Simple, limited, and unadventurous all describe William Blake’s life (Greenblatt, Abrams, Lynch, Stillinger). Blake was born November 28, 1757 in London, England and his artistic ability became evident in his early years. Blake had a very simple upbringing and had little education. His formal education was in art and at the age of fourteen he entered an apprenticeship with a well-known engraver who taught Blake his skills in engraving. In Blake’s free time, he began reading writing poetry. At theRead MoreWilliam Blake Had A Strict Standard On How His Poems Should1431 Words   |  6 Pages William Blake had a strict standard on how his poems should appear. In his poems, he was not very concerned with grammar or spelling, even though he was writing in a time much after the official English language had been created. Much of his spellings are very old-fashioned to us and at times can sound very awkward. Even his readers in his time found that the wording and spelling of phrases and words was quaint. William Blake also used forms of punctuation that were not considered to be standardRead MoreEssay about The Representation of the Female in William Blake1921 Words   |  8 PagesRepresentation of the Female in William Blake If William Blake was, as Northrop Frye described him in his prominent book Fearful Symmetry, a mystic enraptured with incommunicable visions, standing apart, a lonely and isolated figure, out of touch with his own age and without influence on the following one (3), time has proved to be the visionarys most celebrated ally, making him one of the most frequently written about poets of the English language. William Blake has become, in a senseRead More William Blake Essay3149 Words   |  13 PagesWilliam Blake The poet, painter and engraver, William Blake was born in 1757, to a London haberdasher. Blake’s only formal education was in art. At the age of ten, he entered a drawing school and then at the age of fourteen, he apprenticed to an engraver. ( Abrams Stillinger 18). Although, much of Blake’s time was spent studying art, he enjoyed reading and soon began to write poetry. Blake’s first book of poems, Poetical Sketches, showed his dissatisfaction with the reigning poetic traditionRead MoreAN ANALYSIS OF WILLIAM BLAKES SONGS2960 Words   |  12 PagesAN ANALYSIS OF WILLIAM BLAKE’S SONGS OF INNOCENCE AND OF EXPERIENCE AS A RESPONSE TO THE COLLAPSE OF VALUES TIMOTHY VINESâˆâ€" Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience are a much studied part of the English canon, and for good reason. Blake’s work depicts a quandary that continues to haunt humanity today: the struggle of high-order humanity against the ‘real’ rationality and morals of institutionalised society. This essay seeks to explore both Blake’s literary reaction to the Enlightenment and theRead MoreWilliam Blake As An Apprentice Essay1543 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Blake born in London on the 28th of November in 1757 to a hosier names James and Catherine Blake with six siblings and 2 died in early age. Blake spoke of having visions in his early childhood. He saw god putting his head to the window when he was at the age of four and around the age of nine, he saw a tree filled with angels while walking through the countryside. His parents notice that he was different from his other siblings and they did not force him to attend conservative school. BlakeRead More Coexistence of Contrary States in Blake’s The Tyger Essay1883 Words   |  8 PagesCoexistence of Contrary States in Blake’s The Tyger Since the two hundred years that William Blake has composed his seminal poem The Tyger, critics and readers alike have attempted to interpret its burning question - Did he who made the Lamb make thee? Perhaps best embodying the spirit of Blake’s Songs of Experience, the tiger is the poetic counterpart to the Lamb of Innocence from Blake’s previous work, Songs of Innocence. Manifest in The Tyger is the key to understanding its identityRead MoreSocial Criticism in William Blakes Chimney Sweeper3015 Words   |  13 PagesSocial Criticism in William Blake’s â€Å"The Chimney Sweeper† ‘The Chimney Sweeper’ by William Blake criticises child labour and especially society that sees the children’s misery but chooses to look away and it reveals the change of the mental state of those children who were forced to do such cruel work at the age of four to nine years. It shows the change from an innocent child that dreams of its rescue to the child that has accepted its fate. Those lives seem to oppose each other and yet if one reads