Homosexuality in Hitchcock’s “Rope”

Discuss the representation of homosexuality in Sigmund Fraud's â€Å"The Sexual Aberrations† and Alfred Hitchcock Rope.. Based on the true murder case of Leopold and Loeb, Alfred Hitchcock Rope (1948) depicts the tale of two intelligent young men and there attempts to execute the perfect murder. With the entire film taking place in one apartment, we watch as Brandon Shaw and Phillip Morgan strangle there friend David, hide his body in a trunk, and proceed to have a party, all the while with the corpse hidden in plain sight.In this essay, I will address the issue of homosexuality within the text, a hero which, due to the strict nature of the times, is only hinted at within the movie. To do this, I will use Fraud's essay on The Sexual Aberrations (1905) and provide parallels between the two texts. In particular I will focus on Fraud's discussion of degeneration, sadism, masochism and finally fetishism. What is interesting when discussing homosexuality within this text, especiall y when viewed in context of what was believed to be sexually normal at the time, is whether the two murderers sexuality actually has any bearing on the crime itself.Or, more to he point, (and particularly when viewed with relevance to Fraud's Aberrations) is it the sexuality, or society's view on the sexuality that led Shaw and Morgan to the conclusion of murder? Freud, when discussing the term â€Å"degenerate†, disregards any preconceived beliefs of a link between it and homosexuality. He argues that a simple digression from normality does not qualify a person as degenerate (I. E morally corrupt).Therefore, an invert, or person of a homosexual inclination is not, at least as a result of their natural sexuality, a person of degenerate nature. To Freud, generation is as much a possibility within heterosexuals as homosexuals. The deviation from normality, in itself, has no bearing on it. â€Å"That the inverted are not degenerates in this qualified sense can be seen from the following facts:01. The inversion is found among persons who otherwise show no marked deviation from the normal. 2.It is found also among persons whose capabilities are not disturbed, who on the contrary are distinguished by especially high intellectual development†¦ † (Freud, The Sexual Aberrations, 1905) So, having established that the chances of degeneration are equal across the playing for field for all people of raying sexuality, are our two protagonists degenerate? The domineering force of Brandon Shaw would seem to fit nicely into Fraud's second category of being â€Å"distinguished by especially high intellectual development†¦ And, despite the guilt that slowly riddles itself into Phillips slightly cold demeanor, there is no hiding the obvious pleasure both gained from the planning and executing of their â€Å"perfect murder†. This pleasure would appear to be twofold; firstly in the physical act of the strangulation (note the phallic-like weapon of ch oice, changed from the original blunt hisses used by Leopold and Loeb), and secondly in the intellectual challenge and sense of superiority gained from committing and then hiding the act.These divergences lend themselves towards the category of sadism. From the offset, the authoritarian manner is quickly proven to be the driving force in the relationship; a fact that he relishes, and Philip excepts. This is exemplary of a sadomasochistic partnership. The Online Oxford dictionary defines sadism as, â€Å"the tendency to derive pleasure, especially sexual gratification, from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others† (http://expectoration's. Mom/definition/sadism? =sadism), and is, according to Freud, almost inseparable from its counterpart, masochism, the desire to be controlled and dominated by another. His belief that the two behaviors are often found coexisting within the same person, is explored in our two main characters. Firstly, we have Brandon, our sadist. I ntelligent, forceful and imperious, his real-life counterpart Richard Loeb was believed to be the driving force behind the Bobby Franks murder of 1924, as would seem to be the case in Hitchcock Rope.All these actions, in sequence, would seem to mirror and metaphors the generic sexual act: a physical encounter (again, note the symbol of the flaccid, phallic-like rope), a climax, slighted by Davit's final scream, and the moment of close, silent reflection between the two. What is key however, is the addition of one final action that Brandon and Phillip undergo before speaking and breaking their erotic spell: the hiding of the body, the evidence of their of their sexual deviations.They have replaced the act of sex, forbidden by concepts of social normality, with the act of murder, and, Just as they would have had to hide their physical relationship from the world, they hide the body. â€Å"The body's in the trunk and the sex is in the closet, yet both are hidden in plain sight† (Bourne, Review of Rope). This brings me back to the original question of whether it is the sexuality, or society's view of the sexuality that resulted in the murder.We have already established through Fraud's discussion of degeneration that moral corruption is not an inherent characteristic of have also acknowledged the fact that Brandon is, without a doubt, a sadist. I believe to properly interpret the actions of Brandon and Phillip, we must further investigate the strange link between aggression and eroticism seen in the opening scene.As mentioned before, homosexuality at the time, or any other form of deviation from the tankard male-female relationship, was socially feared and condemned as immoral and wrong. Freud, in his Civilization and its Discontents (1929) discusses the difficulties that arise with such discrimination, â€Å"As regards the sexually mature individual, the choice of an object is restricted to the opposite sex, and most extra- genital satisfactions are forbid den as perversions.The requirement, demonstrated in these prohibitions, that there shall be a single kind of sexual life for everyone, disregards the dissimilarities, whether innate or acquired, in the sexual constitution f human beings; it cuts Off fair number of them from sexual enjoyment, and so becomes a source of serious injustice† (Freud, Civilization and its Discontents, p. 549). It is this sense of injustice and frustration, both mental and physical that could potentially lead the invert into a state of degeneration.For Brandon and Phillip, their pent up sexual frustrations, symbolized in the limp rope, must be directed down a different avenue, unbalancing the mental process and disturbing the function of the libido. For both, this resulted in a release of sadistic aggression. â€Å"The sexuality of cost men shows a taint of aggression, it is a propensity to subdue, the biological significance of which lies in the necessity of overcoming the resistance of the sexual o bject by actions other than mere courting.Sadism would then correspond to an aggressive component of the sexual impulse which has become independent and exaggerated and has been brought to the foreground by displacement† (Freud, The Sexual Aberrations, 1905) But where Brandon would appear to be firmly planted in the category of ‘sadist', Phillip, confirming Fraud's previously mentioned belief of masochism nearly always accompanying sadism, is far more the sadomasochist. While obviously gaining Just as much pleasure from the violence as Brandon, Phillip doesn't seem to gain any such satisfaction from the sense of intellectual superiority that his partner does.While retaining his fascination with aggression and strangulation, (â€Å"You're quite a good chicken strangler as I recall†¦ (Rupert to Phillip, Rope, 1948), Phillip would appear content being dominated by Brandy's charm and force. When asked by Brandon about who else they might have killed instead of David, P hillip replies, â€Å"You perhaps, you frighten me, you always have, from that very iris day in prep school†¦ Part of your charm I suppose. † (Phillip, Rope, 1948).Even the smallest detail of having to ask for a drink gives evidence towards the obvious power- relationship between the two, and Leeds us to the conclusion that Phillip gains as much pleasure from his own dominance and suffering as he does from doing the same to others. Sadism is associated with activity, and masochism with passivity, of which both traits can be seen in Phillip, and only one in Brandon. â€Å"A sadist is simultaneously a masochist, though either the active or the passive side of the reversion may be more strongly developed and thus represent his preponderate sexual activity. (Freud, The Sexual Aberrations, 1905). And, in true masochistic fashion, Phillips twisted desire to be tortured (as far as the film is concerned only mentally) is matched only by Brandy's desire to play the torturer. The constant their guests, not only exercises his sense of intellectual supremacy over his guests, but also his power over the nervy Phillip. Brandon Shaw: Mrs.. Wilson, champagne! Kenneth: Oh, it isn't someone's birthday is it? Brandon Shaw: Don't look so worried, Kenneth. It's, uh, really almost the opposite. (Rope, 1948) These endless quips leave Phillip a helpless victim, suffering mentally, a fact which Brandon is clearly aware of and excited by. So strong is Phillips psychological discomfort, that, when the oblivious Mrs.. Wilson mistakenly greets Kenneth as David, Phillip squeezes and breaks his glass. The lingering of the camera on Phillips now bloody hand, and his slow, almost fascinated expression as he observes the bleeding wound, hints at the fixation he has with pain; a further, subtle, reference to his masochistic nature.Although on the surface, Brandon and Phillip seem entirely efferent in demeanor, there are definite traits that both characters share. I have already men tioned the fact that Freud argues the belief that sadism and masochism can often be found coexisting in the same person, and that this fact is confirmed with Phillips character, (his role in the murder, and his history of strangling the chickens), giving the two men a shared obsession with sadism. However, the more obvious similarity is in their fixation on the rope itself.While the main Freudian concept seen in Morgan and Shah's murder is that of sadomasochism, the concept of ethicist is also a possible tool of understanding within the text. What is interesting to note, and what draws attention to the object as much as its use as the title for the film, is Hitchcock decision to change the original murder weapon from a blunt chisel, to a rope. The symbol of their sexual frustrations, it also becomes a point of fixation for the two men.Freud when discussing fetishism as, † cases in which for the normal sexual object is substituted another which is related to it but which is tot ally unfit for the normal sexual aim†¦ The substitution for the sexual object is in mineral a part of the body but little adapted for sexual purposes, such as the foot, or hair, or an inanimate object which is in demonstrable relation with the sexual person, and mostly with the sexuality of the same† (Freud, The Sexual Aberrations, 1905).While the possibility of the rope being a a thing of fetishistic obsession for the two men could be argued, I believe the symbolism behind the object overrides this theory. I believe it is more the act of strangulation and murder that excites the two men, and that the rope itself merely acts as a symbolic image of their unfulfilled desires, and there need to hide those desires. Phillip Morgan: I was sure she'd notice it Brandon Shaw: Notice what? Phillip Morgan: The rope of course.Brandon we've got to hide it. Brandon Shaw: It's only a piece of rope Phillip, an ordinary household article, why hide it? It belongs in the kitchen drawer. (Ro pe, 1948) infamous for it's long, unbroken shots, thoughtful and witty dialogue and brooding sense of tension. However it is only when viewed with relevance to Freudian ideas of sexual inversion and perversion that the text takes on an entirely new level of intellectual depth. Fraud's essay on The Sexual Aberrations (1905) and Hatcheck'sRope (1948), would appear to be complimentary of each other in concepts of sexual aggression and sadomasochistic relationships, with each giving power and thought to concepts found in the other. It is my opinion, that this new level of understanding gained through Fraud's writings, elevates this movie to higher class which maintains its impact almost 60 years after it was originally filmed. Mark Bourne, Rope, http://www. DVD]urinal. Com/reviews/r/rope. SHTML Civilization and its Discontents, Freud 1929 http://www. Bartlett. Mom/278/1 . HTML http://expectoration's. Com/definition/sadism? Q=sadism t is the balance between the libidinal forces of the in dividual and the requirements of society, as represented through the superego, which constitutes a state of normalcy and is precisely what the boys were not able to produce The sexuality of most men shows a taint of aggression, it is a propensity to subdue, the biological significance of which lies in the necessity of overcoming the resistance of the sexual object by actions other than mere courting.Sadism would then correspond to an aggressive component of the sexual impulse which has become independent and exaggerated and has been brought to the foreground by displacement Brandon Shaw

Analysis of Godfather Death

Analysis of â€Å"Godfather Death† Abstract: â€Å"Godfather Death† as told by Margaret Taylor is a short story about how fate is predetermined, and cannot be interfered with without consequences to another. Treatment: Characters: Man, God, Devil, Death, Boy/Physician, King, Kings Daughter. Setting: The Great Highway, Forest, Kings Castle, Underground Cave Time: Lifespan of Boy Plot: (4 Parts) A Man recently has his thirteenth child and goes in search of a godfather. He first comes across God, who promises to keep his son happy.The man denies God because he believes him to be unfair. He then comes across the Devil, who promises to bring his son joy and riches, but the man is aware of his corruptions and finds him unsuitable as well. Lastly, the man is approached by Death. Death declares that he makes all men equal, and can make his son rich and famous. The Man takes Death as his sons’ godfather. After the Boy had grown Death, brought him to a forest to give him a gift. He told the Boy that he would become a famous physician, but only with his help.He told him he would appear at either the head or foot of the patients’ bed to indicate whether they were to die or to be healed of all ailments with a special plant found in the forest. Then Death warned the boy not to disobey his orders, or death would be his own fate. The Boy became the most famous physician in the world and was sent for when the King fell ill. Death stood by the Kings feet to indicate he should die but the Physician disobeyed his orders and saved the King with the plant.Death was terribly angered by this and later approached him to scorn his actions and threaten his life if he again disobeyed him. The Kings Daughter then became sick. The Physician was called and found her beauty so intriguing that he again disobeyed his godfather to save her. Death grabbed the Physician, screaming that he had had enough of him, and dragged him underground. There were thousands of candle s everywhere that were constantly going out and sparking back up. Death clarified to the Physician that each candle represented a person’s lifespan, and the Physician asked to see his own candle.His candle was near its end and he begged his godfather to light a new candle for his life. Death explained that one life must go out for another to begin. The Physician asked for him to then put his old candle on top of a new one to continue his flame of life. Death pretended to do as the Physician asked, but purposefully drops the small candle and the fire is snuffed. The Physician instantly collapses into the hands of Death. Evaluation: This is a complicated short story that involves many characters in the beginning but end with only two.The story is in 4 parts, told first in the view of the boys’ father, and then by the boys godfather, Death. It has a literal ending, the boy dies in the hands of Death. The lesson to be learned by this story is that we are not to interfere w ith the balance of nature or severe consequences arising. The story is reported by Margaret Taylor, the boys’ father, Death, and the Physician. Conclusion: Everything in nature must be balanced. If we disturb this balance then there will be severe consequences.This is told through interfering with others fate in this story, but can be seen in other scenarios as well. In our ecosystem, changing even one small part of demographic region can incur a great threat. When the Chinese farmers shot down all of the red sparrows, who they had thought been eating their crops, there was no defense left to eat the locusts who were the actual ones eating the crops. The locusts multiplied without any predators and demolished fields of crop all across the country. In conclusion, changing the balance of nature can have detrimental implications for all.

The Triangle of Fire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Triangle of Fire - Essay Example The Triangle fire, also known as ‘Triangle Shirtwaist Fire’ was a disaster in which 146 workers, a majority of which were women, died. What makes this incident even more horrifying is the fact that these women leaped to their deaths or that they were trapped inside the infrastructure. Due to aspects of workplace safety overlooked by the management; such as unsafe working conditions, in adequate fire escapes, no fire extinguishers and a lack of instilling emergency procedures as part of workers training. It was this tragedy which highlighted the negatives of the workplace conditions of the industrialization era – Low wages, tedious hours and an unsanitary work environment. (Cornell, 2011, p.3). Above all, it goes to show the general lack of concern for the low class but hardworking factory workers residing in America. The deaths of the victims on that day, a living proof of industrial greed, led to these 146 women being labeled as ‘martyrs.’ This was s imply because of the consequences that resulted due to the Triangle Fire tragedy. There was wave of new awareness regarding work place safety, implementation of higher industry regulations. Despite all that one cannot help but point out the fact that it still failed to eliminate sweatshops from American soil. You see, Sweatshops initially existed for the intent of producing a large amount of clothing items, with their competitive advantage being the incorporation of cheap labor wages for the employees. The setup of these buildings left little room for spacious utilization, infact these buildings were cramped, with very few fans or windows. The factory workers received meager pays, worked long and hard hours with rare breaks and the place had poor facilities and little room to accommodate the large amount of workers. To gain a clearer picture of the happenings that took place in the Asch Building, where the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was based lets look at the description given by S adie Frowne, a swear shop employee: â€Å"The machines go like mad all day because the faster you work the more money you get. Sometimes in my haste I get my finger caught and the needle goes right through it.    It goes so quick, though, that it does not hurt much.    I bind the finger up with a piece of cotton and go on working".   The terror and the fear that the young workers felt can also been seen in the way another worker, Rose Cohen, describes her first day at the factory â€Å"He kicked a chair, from which the back had been broken off, to the finisher's table. My hands trembled so that I could not hold the needle properly.† As horrifying as that sounds, even today, despite all the progress that we have made as far as labor reform is concerned we cannot help but still see undercurrents of the industrialization era as Jo Ann depicts it. Studies conducted by the U.S Department of Labor show that over 67% of the garment factories of Los Angeles and approximately 6 3% of New York City factories, are in direct violation of minimum wage as well as overtime laws. Also it is seen that 98% of these factories in Los Angeles have such lax workplace safety regulations that serious health and security risks for the workers exist. These include long term severe injuries or death (Cornell, 2011, p.2). Furthermore it goes to reflect the destitute conditions that these workers still settle for even after 100 years of

Human Resource Managment in Business Context Essay

Human Resource Managment in Business Context - Essay Example However, as companies design strategies, it has been found out that competitive advantages of companies are difficult to sustain and on average period, there is an observable decrease (Ruffigins & Ruefli 2005). In this regard, firms have to come up with strong strategies that will enable it to respond to the demands and challenges of the global business environment, while at the same time, keeping the company’s niche for longer period. In this situation, human resource management (HRM) plays a crucial role, since, HRM is â€Å"strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organization’s most valued assets – the people working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of its objectives† (Armstrong 2006, p. 3). This view offer the notion that HRM is no longer just concern with the traditional functions that are normally associated with HRM such as payroll, recruitment, pensions, benefits and other administrative concerns (Werbel & DeMarie 2005). Instead, it offers the framework wherein HRM activities and undertakings become strategic as it aligns its functions with the goals and endeavours of the organisation. From this framework, it becomes essential that HRM develop strategies that will not only align its activities with the goals and objectives of the company, but will also help the company develop programmes and policies responsive to the demands and challenges of the business environment and not reactive to crisis as it happens (Kew & Stredwick 2010). This is significant because, in this way, HRM becomes strategic and proactive. In effect, this approach of HRM undertakes a holistic view of HR in such a way that the business environment, organisation, theories and best practices become the fundamental elements in the determination of the appropriate activities, policies, procedures and programmes for the company. In this study, The Condition Understanding the condition involves looking at two i mportant factors – external environment and internal environment. This is necessary as organisations do not operate in a vacuum, but are integrated in the society and carrying out social interactions (Tencati & Zolsnai 2009). As such, the external environment of the company is essential in understanding the business environment or climate where the company is thriving. At the same time, the internal environment of the organisation is necessary, as it will help in understanding the context of the firm. Briefly, on the external environment, globalisation has transformed the manner in which countries conduct business transactions with one another. Through globalisation, trade barriers in the forms of taxes and trade tariffs have been removed or substantially reduced. This economic policy allow for a freer movement of goods, services, products, capital and people across nations and between physical boundaries (Coatsworth 2004; Suarez-Orozco & Qin-Hillard 2004; Stiglitz 2009; Bala krishnan 2008). Moreover, another factor, which has changed the manner of doing business, is the rapid development in information and computer technology (ICT). This change has created the platform wherein knowledge and information have become an integral part of doing business, aside from the fact, that faster and newer forms of conducting business have been established in view of this development (Chi 2011). Finally, the last important factor

International marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

International marketing - Essay Example As regards its regional competitors, Carrefour is currently Migros’ biggest threat. By 2005 it was operating 12 mega, or hyper-markets in Switzerland, with net sales totalling â‚ ¬ 402 million. Added to that, there is significant incoming competition from Germany’s leading retailers, Aldi and Lidl, who announced their intention to expand into the Swiss market. The implication here is that both present and prospective competition are expanding and intensifying, with it being incumbent of Migros to design a strategic marketing plan, based on a careful and critical study of the market situation and environment, should it want to retain its leadership position in the Swiss retail market. The intent of this report is to draw on strategic marketing and communications theory for the design of a marketing plan as would allow, or enable, Migros to maintain its leadership position in the Swiss retail market. An analysis of an organisation’s market and its external environment function as the building block for the design of any marketing strategy/campaign. This section of the report will, therefore, present a brief overview of Migros’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT). On the intra-organisational level, Migros has several exploitable strengths, not least of which its decades-long history in the Swiss market and the resultant bond forged with consumers; its ownership structure in that it is owned by its customers, by the Swiss people themselves; its highly competitive prices; its strong market presence in more than one industry/sector, implying high visibility; consumer perceptions of it as an ethical company which only carries goods which are ethical/produced within strict ethical guidelines; and the fact that its suppliers are, ultimately its consumers all function as strengths unique to Migros. The primary intra-organisational weakness confronting Migros, as

Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Performance - Essay Example The changing demands of performance on employees in high- velocity companies, perceptions of equity in its three forms may become confused, as job roles and job interdependence become more varied and flexible. Since employees would expect that as their job changes, so will their compensations, designing compensation systems in high-velocity environments presents a major challenge to organisations. In high-velocity environments, a premium is placed on individuals who are able to operate in ambiguous circumstances and who are able to take advantage of loose job descriptions provided by their employers (Bratton and Gold, 2003). Organisations in high-velocity environments such as in the international marketplace are willing to pay proportionally higher salaries to individuals who have such skills. It is expected therefore, that emphasis on individually equitable compensations as a means of recruiting and retaining highly capable employees would be required (Beardwell, Holden and Claydon, 2004). Employee Compensation can be one of the greatest foundations of control available to a company in its quest

Three Parables from according to Luke Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Understanding of Change Concepts Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Understanding of Change Concepts - Research Paper Example Understanding of Change Concepts In addition to, if the change managers in an organization are dysfunctional, this will hinder the probability of successful change. This paper explains theories that can be adopted to monitor and evaluate the change process in an organization. The Drivers of Change There has been a paradigm shift in organizational change as from a gradual to a continuous process. Continous change means that there new things happening in a never ending fashion. It is therefore imperative for firms to develop a culture that facilititates the exploitation of change as a competitive advantage. Change is driven by three aspects which include extensive globalization, technological advancements and growing customer expectations. Globalization leads to increased competitition, exposure to global economic presssure and more complicated trade policies. With regards to technological advances, companies should keep up with the changes in their respective industries and changes in the market trends. Finally, ther e has been an increase in customers’ expections owing to growing customer awareness and value for money. The Grieving Model for Change This model was brought forward by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross who asserts that change evokes emotions similar to those experienced during the grieving process. Her work of the grieving process draws numerous equivalents to change. Basicallly, the grieving process goes through five main steps which are denial, anger, bargaining, depression as well as acceptance. (Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2007). Change managers must acknowledge that the change process may have a stressful effect on staff members. There are common cases of employee resistance and this calls for managers to prepare them suitably for the change(Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2007). It has been noted that during the change process the employees are predisposed to concentrate too much on process characteristic s forgetting the impacts of change. Managing this requires outstanding and practiced leade rship skills. Cohen’s Concepts of Organizational Change Preparedness Risk taking is an inherent feature of leaders in the 21st century , most importantly when dealing with change. Nevertheless, leaders are highly cautioned to undertake in calculated and cautious risk taking when handling change (Cohen, 2005; Judge, 2012). Change leaders must ensure that the company has the right resources and is well prepared for the change. The leaders should so see to it that the process goes through the stipulate stages for successful completion. Judge’s Organizational Capacity for Change This model which defines the aspects of an organization’s capacity for change is based on the idea that leaders should concentrate on innovation for the future as well as be skilled at responding to issues facing companies in the contemporary world (Judge, 2012). It has been observed that although leaders have the necessary skills, they lack the necessary innovation approaches. It is imperat ive for change managers to be spontaneous and readily adjust to the change the determines success of the organization. Change leaders should be in a position to manage the eight dimensions of leadership that are important for effective change management. The first four dimensions focus on human skills while the last four focus on practices within the organization. The eight dimensions include: trustworthy leaders, cooperative followers, capable champions, systems

Financial Institutions & Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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