Monday, November 4, 2019

Linking Psychopathy and violence risk assessment Assignment

Linking Psychopathy and violence risk assessment - Assignment Example One way of achieving this is by seeking to develop â€Å"actuarial risk assessment tools to help improve clinicians' ability to evaluate patients' risk of violent behavior in practice by statistically optimizing predictions of violence†. (Elbogen, et.al, 2005, p.133-141) As research team of Eric Elbogen, Matthew Huss, Alan Tomkins and Mario Scalora suitably illustrate in the article, several such tools are currently being employed by psychiatric practitioners in clinical settings. And a consensus seemed to have emerged among the practitioners and researchers establishing a strong correlation between psychopathy (usually measured by the Psychopath Checklist – PCL; and presently PCL-Revised) and future violent behavior. The results indicate that Clinical staff in public sector settings would be very amenable to using the PCL; the PCL would seem to have great intuitive appeal to clinicians. However, that more experienced staff perceived PCL results to be available reveals a need for more effort to target disseminating risk measure results. (Elbogen, et.al, 2005, p.133-141) The total psychopathy score is arrived at through chart review and semi-structured interview.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Storm Drainage Design Project, Flood Hydrographs Essay

Storm Drainage Design Project, Flood Hydrographs - Essay Example In addition hydrograph also carries information of base flow, which is the initial flow condition of the river existing in river prior to any storm. The base lag refers to the time repose of the river with respect to a rainfall which signifies the drainage potential of the catchments. The time interval between the peak rainfall the time of occurrence of peak discharge is reported as the basin lag. The rivers with short basin lag are more prone to floods as the respond very quickly to rainfall and hence the discharge in the river increases tremendously sooner the catchment receives a rainfall. The two major component of the runoff from the catchment that contributes to the volume of water in the river are the surface flow, which includes all the flows through the surface of the river and sub surface flow component which incorporates all the ground water flow discharges into the river after the onset of a storm. The slow rise is the level of river flow depth signified the majority of v olume reaching the river as ground water flow. The properly constructed hydrograph would be able to considerable amount of information of the behaviour of drainage basin with respect to a rainfall. ... The flood hydrograph for river Cynon is prepared by plotting he discharge through the river along the Y-axis and the time along x-axis. In order to plot the rainfall distribution, the depth of rainfall is plotted along a secondary y axis with time along the x - axis. The hydrograph hence plotted is shown in figure 1 and provides the detailed information on the drainage characteristics of the basin. The reports available have said that the subsurface conditions of the river Cynon basin is low permeability soil that could result in low infiltration rates. Thus these conditions would result in high surface runoff rates to the river and as a result the depth of flow rapidly rises. Thus the hydrograph obtained have steep rising limb followed by early peak discharge levels. Further, the receding limb is less steep than the rising limb justifies the discussions presented earlier. Also, the lag time is estimated from the hydrological observations as 20 hours. The flood volume of the river is computed from the total volume of the water in river during the period of runoff, by multiplying the depth of flow in the river with the mean river width given as 15 m and the average river velocity given as 4 m/s. The discharge computation from the hydrograph is as given below Particulars of computation Equation Calculation Discharge computed for the rising limb Velocity Depth of flow in river (for the rising limb) width of flow 4 m/s 0.48 m 15 m = 29.1 m3/sec Peak discharge Velocity Depth of flow in river (for peak discharge) width of flow 4 m/s 0.658 m 15 m = 39.48 m3/sec Discharge computed for receding limb Velocity Depth of flow in river (for the rising limb) width of flow 4 m/s 0.34 m 15 m = 20.4 m3/sec Total area of the catchment for the river Cynon From records

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Making Decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Making Decisions - Essay Example These limitations can be in the form of limited information, complexity of the issue, uncertainty, time available, information available etc. Because of these restrictions, decisions are taken based on what is immediately appropriate rather than the best possible action. Hence, all possible alternatives are not evaluated before taking any decision and managers tend to adopt a satisficing solution to the problem. In the process, managers tend to use judgmental heuristics, which means the most commonly used ways are chosen as the solution to the problem. The model of decision-making styles identifies two categories namely, value orientation and tolerance for ambiguity. From these, four decision making styles emerge: directive, analytical, conceptual and behavioral. The five stages of creative process include preparation, concentration, incubation, illumination, and verification. Explain how participative management affects performance, and also discuss knowledge management and techniqu es used by companies to increase knowledge sharing. Participative management involves employees in key decision making processes. In this management style, employees are involved in goal setting, making decisions, solving problems, and making changes in the organization.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity Essay Example for Free

Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity Essay Education and experience in the secular set-up or the what we call here as Athens wisdom believes differently from the biblical standpoint in whatever aspect of life. Psychology in general, though embraces somewhat a neutral position according to some proponents, is not able to do justice to a balanced view of human behavior and most if not all of the individual’s activities. Indeed, Author Dr. Entwistle (2004) argues about the general tendency to dichotomize or what he said as â€Å"to buy into the dichotomy between the ‘sacred’ and the ‘secular’ which is what seeing Jerusalem and Athens as â€Å"mutually exclusive categories. † From the outset I would like to say my piece regarding the point where Dr. Entwistle is coming from without sounding arrogant in the same vein. He has mentioned a lot about presupposition while at the same time sounds like he doesn’t anything about presuppositions. When he separated â€Å"Jerusalem† and the â€Å"Church† in his book, I immediately detected his lack of background in the realm of biblical theology. At the heart of Christianity or the Church that Dr. Entwistle is referring to, there is no such dichotomy. The Church in every dimension of it (or Christianity as we aptly put it) does not do any separation unless what Christ has separated. Meaning, our premise or presupposition starts with the fact that the Church and Christian spirituality or faith if one would put it simply, stands on the Judaeo-Christian context not a choice between â€Å"Jerusalem† or â€Å"Church. † The fundamental difference lies in the great divide between Christianity and Athens or secular wisdom. It is only between the secular wisdom and biblical knowledge does the Bible place a dichotomy. Let me state what led me to this view: it is because, theologically speaking, biblical authors explicitly wrote in their letters from the Old to the New Testament Scriptures that God has His own laws and statutes through which life in general must be regulated. The same knowledge explicitly and implicitly runs through the fabric of the whole Scripture (Old New), which means that the presuppositions of all of the Biblical authors, all fall into one primary presupposition: that there is one God, and that this One God has revealed Himself through His laws and statutes. Without the laws of God, man alone, with all of his learning, if they are all apart from the revelation of God, is mere natural or secular. This is the reason that every man ought to know these laws or statutes or biblical principles and only then can he apply these into all aspects of his secular life. This could have been what Dr. Entwistle intended to mean. One cannot come from the opposite side as what Dr. Entwistle had done instead as he hinged the argument from secular to the theological; though he tried to get his ideas from the likes of great men like Dr. A. W. Tozer and others. All those people’s arguments come from biblical presupposition: they have thorough knowledge of the Scriptures that they applied to various realms of life which in turn caused them to spur their readers to do the same. Trying to oppose the standpoint of apologist Tertullian, Dr. Entwistle seemingly misunderstands all of their positions, thus complicating what could have been an uncomplicated and unified stream of thought. The main contributing factors that led me to this viewpoint are my personal study of the Bible, and some works (massive) of Biblical scholars. The following discussion of renewing the mind then is a by-product of my own presupposition derived from the influence of these Biblical Scholars which include contemporary theologians like Dr. Vincent Cheung, Dr. Philip Johnson, and the father of Presuppositional apologetics Cornelius Van Til, to name a few. This thorough discussion of counsel of the wicked (representing secular or Athens wisdom) and the discriminative counsel which embraces all of Judaeo- Christian principles (as all contained in the Bible) captures best the essence of faith-spirituality molded from this basic presupposition. The dichotomy is between what the Bible says all throughout as the Wicked or ungodly counsel versus that of Godly wisdom. Dr. Entwistle unintentionally pursued a trichotomous delineation of Judeao-Christian theological thinking from secular. This is not proper. Discussion Christians know that a big portion of God’s work in their lives is concentrated on renewal of the mind. Our born again experience signaled the beginning of a new life for us rather than, as have been used by many figuratively, the end of our life’s quest for truth. It is the start of an individual’s real life in that it is the time when a person experiences the quickening work of God through His Spirit (Ephesians 2:1-7). Let’s think for a while our past life as portrayed to us in the Bible: 1. ) We were once dead spiritually – in trespasses and sins; 2. ) We once walked (lived our lives) according to the course of this world; 3. ) We once lived our lives (knowingly or unknowingly) controlled by Satan; 4. ) We once behaved in a way that in everything we do, we only fulfill our desires and what – in our minds – looked good and pleasant. Now, knowing that we are naturally (without the saving power of God) unresponsive to God and fully responsive to the things that are not of God, we recognize our great need to be renewed or our minds oriented to the things of God – things that really matter to Him and in this life (Romans 12:1-2). I. Discriminative Counsel. 1. ) Biblical/Godly Counsel – Its Necessity. There is a trend being proliferated in the area of guidance or direction in one’s life. The premise, if looked at the surface, seems to be sound and Biblical. It is somehow taken from the Bible. They are from the book of Proverbs. â€Å"Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. † – Proverbs 11:14. â€Å"Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established. †Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Proverbs 15:22. These verses, however, when balanced with other portions of the Scripture, do not say that believers should heed suggestions from others without discrimination. Let’s take for example Psalms 1:1-6. â€Å"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, or sin- ners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. † It says here that the â€Å"blessed man† is he whose delight is in â€Å"the law of the Lord. † He meditates on it â€Å"day and night† (v. 2). What the Bible calls as â€Å"blessed† are not those who just swallow every information or trends who happen to be around. The blessed man’s â€Å"delight† is in the law of the Lord, and his pleasure to God’s law/word is made evident in his â€Å"meditating† on it â€Å"day and night. † â€Å"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. † – Psalms 1:1-2. On the other hand, this is also a warning. A warning to those who are not careful and would let down their guard with regards to their upholding the habit of meditating or checking everything with the teachings of the Scriptures. When someone starts to entertain the seemingly harmless conventional â€Å"advices† of the world without allowing the Bible (God’s Word) to filter those opinions/suggestions, the lurking danger sets in and the undiscerning is on his way to the wrong direction for he has already given thought to â€Å"ungodly counsel. † He entertained and has given a benefit of the doubt to counsel other than God’s counsel. This is a classic case of God’s word versus Satan’s lies. The enemy succeeded in tempting the first couple – Adam and Eve. â€Å"Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. † – Genesis 2:15-17. Going back to our immediate text in Psalms 1:1, let’s try to divide its wordings in three divisions and see what does it say? It says: â€Å"Blessed is the man who does not (1) walk in the counsel of the wicked (2) stand in the way of sinners (3) sit in the seat of mockers. These three expressions are actually three stages of wickedness, or three steps towards spiritual deterioration. They illustrate the progressive stages of wickedness into which one who strays from God enters. According to the Word of God, this is what will happen to people who stray from the sound teachings of the Scriptures – they will go from bad to worse. And note that, with each stage, the ungodly (anybody who ventures on this path is called â€Å"ungodly†) becomes more resolute and his hostility against the counsel of the inspired scriptures and righteousness intensifies (Cheung, 2007).

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Galileo Galilei Essay -- Essays Papers

Galileo Galilei Galileo was born in Pisa along the Via del Cuore in 1564 to Vincenzo Galileo, a man known for his study of music, and Giuli Ammananti. When Galileo was ten he moved to Florance.1 At eleven young Galileo was sent to Vallombrosa for school. At fifteen Galileo decided to be a monk, but because of his father gave up his ambition. In the late summer of 1581 Galileo entered the University of Pisa and embarked on a course of study in medicine. Studying the Aristotelian system, which states larger heavier objects from high places, Galileo became increasingly skeptical. Evidence of Galileo’s brilliance was assured when in 1583, he was attending service in the cathedral and he saw that the flames of the candles osculated back and fourth. It was upon this observation that the pendulum was built. Not having enough money and not having the skills required to stay at the University, they kicked him out. To get by, Galileo began tutoring students. His continuous work with mathematics led Galileo to go to Rome and visit the famous Jesuit mathematician Christopher Calvis. From there on out, Galileo was able to hob-knob with Italy’s mathematical elite. As Galileo’s acquaintances grew, so did his reputation. He went on to make lectures and speeches about his mathematical findings. Unfortunately by 1593 Galileo was in dept. To make up for his financial problems Galileo invented what we know as the thermometer. There was no money in this so Galileo worked at a university teaching ptolemy and kept his job tutoring for a fair price. Time passed and Galileo moved from Giustina to a large three-story house behind the Basilica of San Antonio. Galileo still struggled to make ends meat, which also could be blamed on his mistress Marina... ..., Galileo was dumped with Michelangelo’s, his brother’s, wife and seven kids in May of 1627. When in 1627 Ferdinand II became lord of Tuscany, Galileo was appointed o the council of 200. A year latter in 1630, Galileo finished the controversial Dialogue. Galileo’s book drew much criticism and as a result, by January Galileo went away to be tried in court for believing in the Copernican opinion. After much deliberation on the issue, Galileo was sentenced to imprisonment. Though given many luxuries for a prisoner, Galileo was not allowed to speak or even carry out many of his creative ambitions.2 By Christmas of 1637 Galileo had gone blind and with all his illnesses was struggling just to live. Then on January 8, 1642 Galileo Galilei died.3 Sources 1 Field, Galileo Gaililei, 1 2 Reston, Galileo: A Life, 7-282 3 Unknown, Biography Galileo Galilei, 1 Galileo Galilei Essay -- Essays Papers Galileo Galilei Galileo was born in Pisa along the Via del Cuore in 1564 to Vincenzo Galileo, a man known for his study of music, and Giuli Ammananti. When Galileo was ten he moved to Florance.1 At eleven young Galileo was sent to Vallombrosa for school. At fifteen Galileo decided to be a monk, but because of his father gave up his ambition. In the late summer of 1581 Galileo entered the University of Pisa and embarked on a course of study in medicine. Studying the Aristotelian system, which states larger heavier objects from high places, Galileo became increasingly skeptical. Evidence of Galileo’s brilliance was assured when in 1583, he was attending service in the cathedral and he saw that the flames of the candles osculated back and fourth. It was upon this observation that the pendulum was built. Not having enough money and not having the skills required to stay at the University, they kicked him out. To get by, Galileo began tutoring students. His continuous work with mathematics led Galileo to go to Rome and visit the famous Jesuit mathematician Christopher Calvis. From there on out, Galileo was able to hob-knob with Italy’s mathematical elite. As Galileo’s acquaintances grew, so did his reputation. He went on to make lectures and speeches about his mathematical findings. Unfortunately by 1593 Galileo was in dept. To make up for his financial problems Galileo invented what we know as the thermometer. There was no money in this so Galileo worked at a university teaching ptolemy and kept his job tutoring for a fair price. Time passed and Galileo moved from Giustina to a large three-story house behind the Basilica of San Antonio. Galileo still struggled to make ends meat, which also could be blamed on his mistress Marina... ..., Galileo was dumped with Michelangelo’s, his brother’s, wife and seven kids in May of 1627. When in 1627 Ferdinand II became lord of Tuscany, Galileo was appointed o the council of 200. A year latter in 1630, Galileo finished the controversial Dialogue. Galileo’s book drew much criticism and as a result, by January Galileo went away to be tried in court for believing in the Copernican opinion. After much deliberation on the issue, Galileo was sentenced to imprisonment. Though given many luxuries for a prisoner, Galileo was not allowed to speak or even carry out many of his creative ambitions.2 By Christmas of 1637 Galileo had gone blind and with all his illnesses was struggling just to live. Then on January 8, 1642 Galileo Galilei died.3 Sources 1 Field, Galileo Gaililei, 1 2 Reston, Galileo: A Life, 7-282 3 Unknown, Biography Galileo Galilei, 1

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Men At Forty The Aging Process :: Forty

Men At Forty  Ã‚   The Aging Process Men At Forty  Ã‚   If asked what is the most miraculous thing in the world, most people would say that birth is definitely in the top five.   But, does anyone ever say that getting older, or even dying, is anywhere close to being a miracle?   Though we don’t look at it that way, it actually is a miracle in its own right.   The whole process of living and breathing, knowing that the end will eventually come is mind-boggling.   People just go about every day as if nothing were happening to them. When in all regards, life is slowly being siphoned from their bodies.   With life, there is a continuous cycle that can never be prevented.   Donald Justice makes this realization of life, and the awaiting death, evident in his poem â€Å"Men At Forty† by using a superb combination of imagery, symbolism and tone.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through his use of imagery, Justice plugs the reader directly into the body of an aging man letting them experience the trials of growing old.   â€Å"At rest on a stair landing,/ They feel it† (5-6) projects an unmistakable picture into the reader’s mind of an older man taking a rest while climbing a flight of stairs.   This, in turn, greatly enhances the focus of the reader letting the poem burrow deep into the psyche and fashion a firm basis in the acceptance of age.   Justice also manifests an image of when the man stands and peers deep into a mirror how, â€Å"They rediscover/ The face of the boy as he practices tying/ His father’s tie there in secret† (9-11).   Throughout the poem, Justice paints the picture of aging.   But, he also gives reference to where the inevitable events of life will lead.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though Justice’s use of imagery portrays a vivid picture, his use of symbolism about death strikes the reader even harder.   Right from the start Justice grips the reader with a reference to death by saying â€Å"Learn to close softly/ The doors to rooms they will not be/ Coming back to† (2-4).   This tells the reader that no matter what we are all human.   As the poem continues, aging is brought out to be the main idea but, in the last two stanzas, Justice once again shows us that death is coming;   â€Å"Something is filling them, something/ That is like the twilight sound/ Of the crickets, immense,† (16-18).

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras are all reflections on each other Essay

â€Å"The world is a looking glass. † This synecdochic statement of 19th century English novelist, William Makepeace Thackeray, encapsulates the idea of reflections of ourselves being evident all around us in different aspects of the world. Whether in the words, actions or attitudes of others, we tend to see something of ourselves. Shakespeare employs this theme of reflection in his works such as in Antony and Cleopatra where Caesar recognises that Antony is, as stated by Maecenas, â€Å"a spacious mirror set before him† and this reflects to Caesar both the dimensions of he and his fellow triumvir, leading Caesar to the realisation that the world is not big enough for the two of them as can be interpreted from â€Å"†¦ we could not stall together/ In the whole world. † Reflection is thus a recurrent motif in Shakespeare’s works, and is a key issue which arises in the course of the play Hamlet. Hamlet is a play which involves a lot of reflection and mirroring in various ways. One of the most notable is the ‘play within a play’ or ‘The Mousetrap’ which mirrors the relationship King Hamlet had with Gertrude as well as the manner in which King Hamlet was murdered. Hamlet himself sees performance as a way of reflecting inner corruption; holding â€Å"the mirror up to nature. † The idea of mirroring or doubling can further be seen in Shakespeare’s use of literary techniques like hendiadys such as in Hamlet’s reflective ‘To be, or not to be’ soliloquy where he says, ‘slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’ and ‘whips and scorns of time’ or later in the play where Hamlet says to Horatio, â€Å"Fortune’s buffets and rewards. † Shakespeare’s use of hendiadys helps to place emphasis on the message he is trying to get across as the words mirror each other and act as a sort of parallelism, creating a balance in the phrases. But even more notable in the play with regards reflection, is the manner in which the characters of Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras reflect on each other. These three characters are all young men who, at some point, have lost or will lose a father. Hamlet has returned to Denmark from school in Wittenberg to mourn his father’s death and is so much in grief that he says, â€Å"How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable/ Seem to me all the uses of this world! † The use of lists and exclamation marks emphasises the extent of his grief and make us sympathise with him. Young Fortinbras has also lost his father, Fortinbras, as we come to know from Horatio’s speech that King Hamlet â€Å"Did slay this Fortinbras. † Laertes, in the course of the play, also returns from France to Denmark to find that his father, Polonius has been killed. They thus reflect on themselves in that they have all lost their fathers, but furthermore in that they all seek to avenge the deaths of their fathers. Hamlet is charged by the ghost of King Hamlet to â€Å"Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder! † The exclamation mark and use of striking adjectives highlight that this is an order, a duty which Hamlet has to carry out, and he expresses his feelings about this in the heroic couplet, â€Å"The time is out of joint: O cursi d spite,/ That ever I was born to set it right. † Fortinbras, likewise, is seeking to avenge the death of his father, King Fortinbras of Norway by regaining the land lost by his father in war, and waging war on Denmark. When Hamlet sees Fortinbras leading his army through Denmark to Poland, he draws parallels between his cause and that of Fortinbras. Similarly, Laertes, on finding out about his father’s death, declares, â€Å"I’ll be revenged/ Most throughly for my father. † Hamlet recognises the similarity between his cause and that of Laertes and states later on in the play, â€Å"For by the image of my cause, I see the portraiture of his. † However, it is open to interpretation whether or not Hamlet was referring to revenge as his ’cause’, for as Philip Edward argues, Harold Jenkins points out that Hamlet simply does not recognise himself as a proposed victim of Laertes’ revenge, and thus Hamlet simply meant, when he made that statement, that as a son grieving his father, he should have realised that grief makes one act strangely. Nevertheless, Hamlet does recognise an aspect of himself reflected in that of Laertes. Thus, Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras all seek to avenge the death of their fathers, but they each work towards this end with varying methods. Whilst Hamlet is the vacillating, hesitant one searching for proof and taking his time, and Fortinbras is the calculating but quick-acting, resolute one, Laertes is the more aggressive typical revenge hero. Hamlet spends so much time dithering and searching for proof that the ghost has to reappear to â€Å"whet thy almost blunted purpose. † The use of words associated with knives or daggers, that is ‘whet’ and ‘blunted’, remind us that Hamlet’s purpose is to kill to avenge his father, rather than his inactivity. Hamlet says of Fortinbras, on the other hand, that his â€Å"spirit is with divine ambition puffed† and thus he is able to lead the Norwegian army to fight over a ‘little patch of ground’. Laertes’ brutal, aggressive approach can be seen not only in the way he breaks into the Danish palace to confront Claudius over his father’s death but also how he says of Hamlet that he would â€Å"cut his throat I’th’church† The aggressiveness in this statement is emphasised by the use of alliteration in ‘throat’ and ‘th’church’. Thus, their varying methods are comparable, so that we can identify from one to the other the preferred path or more successful path to have taken. Whilst Laertes and Fortinbras are thus more typical Aristotelian tragic heroes, in that they have ‘consistency’ as once their personality and motivations are established, they continue throughout the play. Hamlet, on the other hand, falls short of this as he dithers and almost loses sight of his goal. This sheds light on a reason for which Shakespeare appears to have made use of reflections in his work- that of revealing shortcomings. Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras reflect on each other in such a manner that they highlight the shortcomings of each other. As Shakespeare states in his Sonnet 77, â€Å"Thy glass will show thee how thy beauties wear. † The whole idea is that our reflections make us more aware of our flaws, and this can be seen where Hamlet, having seen Fortinbras march his army through Denmark, says, â€Å"How all occasions do inform against me,/ And spur my dull revenge! † He is reminded, by the reflection of his cause in that of Fortinbras, that whilst Fortinbras is active and resolute, his revenge is ‘dull’. This idea of reflections showing our flaws or shortcomings is also employed by Shakespeare in Richard 11 where the deposed king hopes to see his sorrows etched in his reflection and states, â€Å"Give me that glass, and therein will I read. /No deeper wrinkles yet? † The alliteration in ‘give’ and ‘glass’ as well as the use of rhetorical question help to highlight the king’s desperation to see his sorrows in his reflection. Reflections also act, in Shakespeare, as a trigger or a call to action. When Hamlet sees Fortinbras and his army, it ‘spurs’ his revenge so that he is led to say in a rhyming couplet, â€Å"Oh from this time forth,/ My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth. † His use of the graphic adjective ‘bloody’ emphasises his resolution and is rather reminiscent of the sort of decisiveness that we would expect from a typical revenge hero. Furthermore, when Hamlet sees ‘the portraiture’ of Laertes’ cause in the image of his, he is led to regret his outburst to Laertes at their battle at Ophelia’s grave and to ‘court’ Laertes’ ‘favours’. Ophelia, in the course of the play, refers to Hamlet metaphorically as â€Å"The glass of fashion. † He appears to have been the reflection of what noblemen should be; the one to be emulated. All noblemen in Hamlet’s Denmark, like the society of Shakespeare’s England, were expected to remark and imitate the manners of the prince. Thus, we can understand why Hamlet is, in the words of Claudius, ‘loved of the distracted multitude’ and why Fortinbras speaks of him so highly. Nevertheless, following his act of madness and outburst at Ophelia, Ophelia mourns that this noble mind, this ‘glass of fashion,’ is ‘quite, quite down! † The repetition of ‘quite’ relays to us how greatly Hamlet has changed from the reflection of nobility that he used to be. It is also interesting to note that Hamlet sees a reflection of his cause in that of Fortinbras and Laertes towards the end of the play in a form of anagnorisis. However, at the start of the play, he seems deeply sceptical about the ability of anything to reflect him truly. According to Philippa Kelly, he mocks verbal and physical display as having the incapacity to ‘denote me truly’. In his mocking summation of Laertes even in the final act of the play, he appears sure that nothing and no one could reflect Laertes â€Å"he his semblable is his mirror, and who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more. † His argument is that words fall short of describing Laertes’ greatness, but earlier on we know that he has declared that he sees a reflection of his cause in that of Laertes. Thus, although Hamlet, ab initio, comes across as one who feels that nothing can reflect him, nothing can denote him truly or body him forth as would the dissection of his organs, he comes to realise that reflections are indeed everywhere as can be interpreted from William Thackeray’s statement, â€Å"The world is a looking glass. † In the actions, words, causes and attitudes of others, particularly Laertes and Fortinbras, he sees a reflection of his own self and is, from these reflections, made aware of his shortcomings and spurred to action in eventually avenging the death of his father.