Marx, Wallerstein and Baudrillard

Marx, Wallerstein and Baudrillard Karl Marx and Marxism Marxism can be defined as a method social inquiry which looks at economic, socio- economic and socio-political aspects of a society. In its attempt to explain social change, the method relies on the concept of historical materialism, the rise and development of capitalism as a mode of production and the study of opposites (dialectical view).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Marx, Wallerstein and Baudrillard specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Marxism was founded by two Germany scholars namely Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels from the start of the 19th century to mid-19th century. They rejected the ideas of realism, liberalism but focused on class struggle as the basis of international relations. However, Karl Marx is seen as the most influential in the foundation and development of Marxism, thus the name of Marxism which was derived from his name. Marx was mostly interested in the study of society in terms of what he referred to as class struggle, which he argued was responsible for social change. On his part, Friedrich Engels based his argument on the study of opposites, arguing that social change was as a result of conflicting ideas, which influence the actions of people in the society, the argument being that the idea which is more dominant over the others shapes social change within a given society (Marx 87). Karl Marx sees people as both producers and products of the society in which they live. According to him, society is made up of different parts which influence each other but the economic part has the greatest influence. He argues that the history of human society is the history of tension and conflict. As per the manifesto written by him and Friedrich Engels in 1848, ‘the history of all existing societies is the history of class struggle, that of free men and slaves, lords and serfs who stand in a relationship of an oppressor and oppressed and thus are always in constant oppositions to one another. The conflict between the oppressor and oppressed is sometimes hidden or open war and at the end, they always have a reconstituted society. In the manifesto, Marx stated that ‘you do not have to be poor, nobody was born poor but the conditions that made man poor were created by man himself, and therefore can be changed by man’.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Karl Marx gave more attention to the economy, which he argued formed the base of society while the superstructure which comprises things like culture, religion, social life and media were a reflection of the economic mode of production of the society. Karl Marx presented two class models of society namely the bourgeoisie and proletariat. The bourgeoisie are the capitalists who are few in number and are the owners of capital. They are also rich, powerful, oppresso rs, exploiters and they always win elections in democratic countries. On the other hand, the proletariats are the workers, owners of labor and they are the majority in numbers but are powerless since they are oppressed and exploited by the rich and they always lose in elections in democratic nations. The proletariat can be described as a class in itself in the sense that they share same objectives and relationships to the means of production, that is, they are laborers who are paid in wages. The two classes are always in conflict with each other because their interests are incompatible. While the bourgeoisie have the interests of maintaining the status quo which ensures their dominance, the proletariats are interested in changing the status quo which deprives them of good life. However, the two classes are not aware of the nature of the circumstances which they live in but assume that the situations which they find themselves in are natural and nothing can be done to change them. Th is is what Karl Marx calls a false class consciousness. The bourgeoisie are not aware that they are the exploiters while the proletariats are not aware that they are exploited or oppressed; they are also not aware that they are poor but assume that they are naturally supposed to be poor. However; when the proletariats become aware of the reality, that is, when they know that they are exploited by the bourgeoisie, what follows is a revolution. Marx argues that the Russian revolution of 1917 was as a result of the realization of the proletariats that they were being oppressed by the bourgeoisie.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Marx, Wallerstein and Baudrillard specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Karl Marx, the defining features of social class are the ownership or lack of ownership of the means of production. He argued that those who owned the means of production were able to exploit those who did own them. Marx was of the view that both labor and capital were very essential in the stability of the economy. This is because the capital cannot transform itself into wealth without the labor while the labor cannot create wealth without the capital. It therefore follows that both the bourgeoisie and the proletariat must work together, because none can exist independently of the other. What this means is that both the bourgeoisie and the proletariat are equal shareholders in the wealth which is created through their interaction. However, this is not always the case. This is because at the end of the production process, the sharing of the profits is not fair since the supply value is more appropriated by the bourgeoisie at the expense of the proletariat, who produces more labor which is not paid for. According to Karl Marx therefore, the levels of profits made by organizations was inversely proportional to the level of exploitation of the proletariat. That is, the more the companies make prof its, the higher the levels of exploitation and vice versa. In other words, what Karl Marx was arguing was that profit was synonymous with surplus value, which is labor that is not paid for. Unfortunately, the proletariats are not aware of this and they even go to the extent of celebrating when they hear that the companies which they work for have made significant increment in the amounts of profits. Karl Marx understood work as alienating. His argument was based on the capitalistic mode of production which has its roots in the industrial revolution of 1600. This mode of production is characterized by two groups of people namely the capitalists and the proletariats. According to Karl Marx, the proletariats own nothing except their labor, which they sale at cheap price to the capitalists. Karl Marx also explained the concept of alienation which simply means the existence of some dividing forces between things which are essentially supposed to be in harmony with each other.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For example, man created and discovered religion, but the same man subjects himself to uncomfortable religious beliefs or practices like refusing to take medicine due to religious beliefs. In this situation, religion makes man uneasy, yet it is the same man who creates the religion. Marx argued that the ideal purpose of work was to make man happy by enabling him move towards the actualization levels in his life. But due to the capitalistic economy, work is no longer playing its primary function in man, but rather, it is alienating him. According to Marx, man can be alienated in three major ways namely the alienation from the results of labor, alienation from the other workers and alienation of the worker from him or herself. Alienation from the results of labor happens when man works but he does not have a stake in the products of his labor and only gets his wages, which are way below the worth of the products of his labor. This is what Karl Marx calls exploitation, which creates pr ofits in form of surplus. Paradoxically, the surplus is not attributed to the workers but rather to the capitalists. Alienation from other workers takes place when the worker is transformed into a commodity to be used in the competitive capitalist economy. In this situation, the worker is not viewed as a social being but is tied to his or her work, in which he or she is paid as per his or her output. Alienation of the worker from himself takes place when the worker is robbed of his ability or opportunity to enjoy the intrinsic value of work. In the capitalistic economy, personal life is separated from work, meaning that the worker is transformed into a machine. This makes him or her to work for the sake of working, but not as a way of serving humanity or quenching his passion to work in a certain field. Immanuel Wallerstein He writes about post capitalism and agrees that Marx’s description of capitalism was accurate in the 19th century but out-dated in the 20th century. This is because major changes took place in Western Europe and North America which are now post-capitalists. Instead of the two social classes getting polarized as Marx had argued, the opposite has happened. For example, population of skilled workers has grown tremendously; inequalities in income and wealth have been reduced due to changes in social structure and the intervention by the State (Wallerstein 26). Social mobility is now more common and he link between ownership and control have been broken. In the organizational context for example, managers, but not the owners of the business exercise day to day control of the organizations as well as over the means of production. Under these circumstances, Marx’s argument that conflict was based on the concept of ownership of the means of production is therefore not valid today because there is no longer any close association between wealth and power. Wallerstein went ahead to argue that conflict therefore was not about the control over the means of production but over authority, which according to him was a legitimate power attached to a particular social role. For example, a manager or a teacher has a right to make decisions in an organization or classroom regardless of the wishes of the workers or students respectively. In all organizations, there are positions of dominance and subjection, some make decisions legitimately, others do not and this is the basis of conflict in post capitalism society. Those in the subject positions have the interest of changing the social structure that deprives them of authority and those in dominant positions have the interest of maintaining dominant structure in many social situations not just economic ones and so nobody is confined to dominant or subject positions and therefore society presents a picture of plurality of competing dominant and subject positions. Just like Marx, Wallerstein argued that there is a possibility of capitalism being replaced by socialism. Accordin g to him, false class consciousness may come to an end thus triggering revolutions which would eventually bring capitalism to an end. Jean Baudrillard His main ideas were centered on consumerism. He is one of the few scholars who loosely associated themselves with Marxism. One of his main points of departure from Marxism in regard to capitalism is that while Marx saw production as the key force behind capitalism, Baudrillard considered consumption as the key force behind capitalism (Tormey 73). He also differed significantly with Marx in regard to the issue of use-value. While Marx saw needs as genuine and innate, Baudrillard saw them as being constructed by people and therefore, the needs preceded the production of goods. In this sense therefore, consumption was more important than production because the desire to consume certain goods comes before the goods are produced. In his later works, Baudrillard completely rejected the ideas of Marx especially with regard to sign value of c ommodities. His argument was that commodities had a sign value which was one of the determinants of why people preferred certain commodities to others. To him therefore, the cost of a commodity was not as much important as the sign value of the same commodity. On his part, Marx had argued that the cost of production was the key determinant of the value of commodities in the market economy. Marx, Karl. Theories of Surplus Value Vols. 1-3, Amherst, N.Y, Prometheus Books, 2000. Print. Tormey, Simon. Anticapitalism: A Beginners Guide, Oxford, Oneworld BeginnersGuides, 2004.Print. Wallerstein, Immanuel. Geopolitics and Geoculture: Essays on the Changing World-System, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1991. Print.

Definition and Examples of Erotesis in Rhetoric

Definition and Examples of Erotesis in Rhetoric Definition The figure of speech known as erotesis is a  rhetorical question implying strong affirmation or denial. Also called erotema,  eperotesis and  interrogation. Adjective: erotetic. In addition, as Richard Lanham points out in A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms (1991), erotesis may be defined as a rhetorical question which implies an answer but does not give or lead us to expect one, as when Laertes rants about Ophelias madness: Do you see this, O God? (Hamlet, IV, v). See Examples and Observations below. Also see: What Is a Rhetorical Question?EcphonesisEpiplexisHypophoraInterrogative SentencePysmaQueclarativeQuestionYes-No Question EtymologyFrom the Greek, questioning Examples and Observations Was I not born in the realm? Were my parents born in any foreign country? Is not my kingdom here? Whom have I oppressed? Whom have I enriched to others harm? What turmoil have I made in this commonwealth that I should be suspected to have no regard to the same?(Queen Elizabeth I, response to a Parliamentary delegation, 1566)Was I an Irishman on that day that I boldly withstood our pride? or on the day that I hung down my head and wept in shame and silence over the humiliation of Great Britain?(Edmund Burke, Speech to the Electors of Bristol, Seprember  6, 1780)General, do you really believe that the enemy would attack without provocation, using so many missiles, bombers, and subs that we would have no choice but to totally annihilate them?(John Wood as Stephen Falken in  WarGames, 1983)Another thing that disturbs me about the American church is that you have a white church and a Negro church. How can segregation exist in the true Body of Christ?(Martin Luther King, Jr., Pauls Let ter to American Christians, 1956) Do you then really think that you have committed your follies in order to spare your son them?(Herman Hesse, Siddhartha, 1922) The Effects of Erotesis- Erotesis, or Interrogation, is a figure by which we express the emotion of our mind, and infuse an ardour and energy into our discourse by proposing questions. . . . As these questions have the force of a climax, they ought to be pronounced with increasing force to the end.(John Walker, A Rhetorical Grammar, 1814)- The design of the erotesis or interrogation is to awaken attention to the subject of discourse, and is a mode of address admirably calculated to produce a powerful impression of the truth of a subject, as it challenges the impossibility of contradiction. Thus, How long, Cataline, exclaims Cicero, will you abuse our patience?(David Williams, Composition, Literary and Rhetorical, Simplified, 1850) The Lighter Side of ErotesisYou may think that you are not superstitious. But would you walk under a burning building?(Robert Benc hley, Good Luck, and Try and Get It)D-Day: Wars over, man. Wormer dropped the big one.Bluto: Over? Did you say over? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!Otter: Germans?Boon: Forget it, hes rolling.(John Belushi as Bluto Blutarsky in Animal House, 1978) Pronunciation: e-ro-TEE-sis

Introduction to the Bacteria Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to the Bacteria - Research Paper Example Bacteria differ in their nature as some contain additional features such as flagella, which helps them in moving and protecting the slim capsules. They also exist in varying shapes and sizes because some are rod-shaped, round, comma-shaped and spiral. Some bacteria cause diseases while many others are important to human beings as they support them in living healthily (Storey 339). The useful bacteria exist on the skin surface, genitals and in the intestines. The bacteria found on human skin are important because they clean the waste material on the skin surface hence preventing dissimilar skin infections. The bacteria in the intestine help in the breaking up of food molecules, thus allowing the body to absorb important nutrients (Storey 340). Cause of disease and the interaction Bacterial diseases occur in different forms, therefore, for a person to avoid it, it is vital to have the knowledge concerning the disease. The bacteria cause different types of diseases ranging from skin dis eases to tuberculosis and bubonic plague. It is easy for an individual to get bacterial diseases because bacteria are single-celled microscopic organisms, hence, seeing them with a naked eye is impossible. Bacterial diseases occur because of harmful bacteria, also called pathogenic bacteria, getting into the human body. These bacteria can get in the human body through contamination of bites, eating unhygienic food, sexual contacts with the infected person, sharing needles and touching dirty areas. When these bacteria get into the human body, they initially enter the blood system, where they find a good environment with optimal conditions for growth. Even though their growth rates are low when in blood, they reproduce considerably within a few days (Storey 342). A bacterium is capable of causing diseases such as throat and ear infections to children. In addition, the bacteria can also cause other diseases to adults, for example, tuberculosis, plague, syphilis, and cholera. Bacteria c ause disease because of varying aspects, which include their toxicity, autoimmune activity such as destroying the human body tissues while others can reproduce, hence increasing their presence in the body. This affects the body working mechanisms. Bacteria become harmful to the human body because too many of them produce toxins that have chemicals that cause inflammation and kill nearby cells. These toxins are capable of causing diseases because the bacteria producing them reproduce, hence, increasing the amount of the toxins. Therefore, these bacteria create holes within the cell membranes, killing the cells. Such bacteria negatively affect the immune system of the human body thus leading to internal bleeding and damage to the body. Pathogenic bacteria also culminate in varied infections and diseases in human beings. The bacteria infect the human body, multiplying and reproducing at a very high rate within different vestigial organs (Storey 343). The bacteria also stick on the cell membranes, destroying them and spreading infectious diseases among individuals. In addition, the bacteria found on the skin of humans are also capable of causing different types of diseases. These bacteria are responsible for causing and spreading infectious diseases, which include bubonic plague, a life-threatening disease. Bacteria of Yersinia pestis variety cause this disease. Bubonic plague occurs in different forms commonly spread by rats and fleas and then transferred to the blood system of the human body. The incubation rate of this infection ranges from two to seven days (Storey 343). Cholera is also among the common diseases resulting from bacterial infections.  Ã‚  

Topics For College Research Papers

Topics For College Research PapersIn college, you'll probably be spending a good deal of time on topics for college research papers. Many students take this class more seriously than others. In other words, a group of students that do well on a topic may not do so because they have the right attitude, but because they have already absorbed all the information about it.The other students who do poorly on the course material are probably those who have bad attitudes. The students who have made poor choices in life and who have also made poor choices in their education are also those students who may lack interest in the topic, too. Why else would the same student be told repeatedly to begin and end the paper with some introductory sentence? But unless the student has an interest in the topic, he or she may not be able to make head or tail of the paper.These students are the ones that need help. They will not make any sense, and, when all is said and done, those students who have failed will be remembered as a disappointment. The paper will not come out all right, because students with little interest in the subject matter will be absent.It is an important tool for new students to learn how to write a paper. You do not have to be a genius to be able to tell what you are going to say. In fact, if you are able to read the basic material in order to understand what is being said, you will gain little from reading a few pages.First, be sure that you understand the basic principles behind the subject matter. If you do not know anything about medical practice, you should think about taking an introductory course in the subject. This way, when you learn the basics, you will be able to work from the fundamentals. Otherwise, you will never be able to apply the principles to real life situations.Next, develop a specific topic in medical practice. This is most important, because you should be able to make reference to a real life situation when discussing it. Once you have d eveloped a topic for your paper, you can be certain that you will be able to build a solid paper.For new students, a practice paper is a very useful tool. With practice, you will be able to provide specific content in your paper. You can make it clear and use facts. When you have developed an awareness of the material, you will be in a position to pass the test.

The Definitive Strategy to Easy Topics for Factual Argument Essay

The Definitive Strategy to Easy Topics for Factual Argument Essay In such cases, you don't need to choose topics that require a great deal of research and preparation. You'll not have to be concerned about picking a great topic again not with 123Writings. It helps to select a topic on which one knows. With these strategies, you can develop interesting and special topics in almost no time in any respect. Type of Easy Topics for Factual Argument Essay Prior exposure or knowledge about a specific subject provides better hindsight which could bring far better arguments on the issue. When you are requested to decide on a great topic for your argument, start with something you're familiarized with. Besides a good structure, you will need an argument, a strong thesis, and strong research. You have to discover decent evidence to back up your ideas together with examples to illustrate the evidence. Becoming in a position to compose a strong argument will allow you to succeed in society. As you make your case, try to remember that every point should have an argument against it. Your parents are somewhat more likely to reply positively to the second argument for the reason that it demonstrates that you've done something to deserve the higher allowance. You may continue to keep your argumentative essays for your upcoming job portfolio in case they're highly graded. Kissing in public ought to be banned Men ought to be sent to a different planet. Your thesis ought to be relevant so the write-up can use a structure that's flexible in order to fit in the shoes of the readers. Since it's such a huge subject, you're going to want to narrow your paper down to a particular angle. At some time, you're likely to be requested to compose an argumentative essay. By way of example, in college, you might be requested to compose a paper from the opposing viewpoint. Your readers will nee d to see the entire picture, and that's what you should concentrate on. It's important to select debatable argumentative essay topics as you need opposing points you could counter to your own points. Top Easy Topics for Factual Argument Essay Secrets A very good argumentative essay is going to be based on established or new research instead of only on your ideas and feelings. Argumentative essay topics are so important since they are debatableand it's critical to at all times be critically contemplating the world around us. The key to pick out a great topic for an argumentative essay is to select a subject where there's a lot of debates on topics or stances. Recent argumentative essay topics that are related to society is going to do. One of the greatest strategies to change anybody's mind is with an emotional investment. Discover which of the topics, you presently have a fairly good background on which will make it possible for you to have a relative edge. For a traveler, it's not a tremendous leap to find the advantages of a diverse educational background. Ensure whatever you will need is organised in a way which will force you to write efficiently. Whispered Easy Topics for Factual Argument Essay Secrets An argumentative essay is a certain sort of academic writing. You are a genuine expert in regards to persuasive essay topics. In many professional contexts, respectful argumentation is the thing that leads to the growth of new thoughts and perspectives. Read and analyze some persuasive essay examples to find out more regarding the structure and vocabulary employed within this form of essay. Look at these 21 topics to receive your paper started. If you decide on boring, bland or irrelevant topics, you are not going to have an extremely prosperous paper. You may download our sample essay papers at no cost. To compose a strong argumentative essay, students should start by familiarizing themselves with a number of the common, and frequently conflicting, positions on the research topic so they can write an educated paper. Okay, now you have the fundamentals about how to opt for an informative essay topic, let's dig into some fantastic ideas! The topic has to be interesting, the topic has to be essential and finally the topic has to be informative. Quite frequently, the very best topic is one which you truly care about, but you also will need to get well prepared to research it. Deciding on your topic isn't that easy. Advantages and disadvantages of Adoption. Lies You've Been Told About Easy Topics for Factual Argument Essay Just as the writer is likely to predictably bias the case in their favour, it is necessary to make sure that the principal arguments of the opposing side are mentioned. There's a remarkable remedy to your issue! Your essay might incorporate the factors for teen pregnancy and talk about the recent rates of teen pregnancy and potential solutions. Within this way an argument essay will appear at a particular region and use data from the region to produce a conclusive argument for or against the problem.

Key Pieces of Writing an Introduction Paragraph Factual Essay

Key Pieces of Writing an Introduction Paragraph Factual Essay No matter the quantity or kind of research involved, argumentative essays must set a very clear thesis and follow sound reasoning. Scholarships without an essay 2014. Prompts to compose an essay. What You Need to Do About Writing an Introduction Paragraph Factual Essay You might discover that you don't know precisely what you're likely to argue at the start of the writing process. Some people realize that they will need to compose some sort of introduction so as to find the writing process started. In reality, on the true AP exam, you might not get to the conclusion in any respect. In such a scenario, obtaining an attractive conclusion is entirely vital. Therefore, the content of the introduction is largely based on the use of the essay and the information which will be availed to the readers. You might believe that you've got to compose your introduction first, but this isn't necessarily true, and it isn't a lways the best way to craft a great introduction. Be aware that what constitutes an excellent introduction can fluctuate widely based on the sort of paper you're writing and the academic discipline in which you're writing it. Dictionary introductions are also ineffective simply since they are so overused. Ruthless Writing an Introduction Paragraph Factual Essay Strategies Exploited Readers invest a great deal of time and emotions in your writings, thus, it's your duty to offer appropriate closure. To begin with, you should develop a proper topic based on its category, and conclude in a manner that provokes the curious minds of your readers. In general, parents and other guardians stay hopeful! You are able to only understand how to compose excellent introductory paragraphs for essays if you apply the greatest introductory paragraph samples. The thesis statement is most frequently placed at the close of the paragraph. Concluding statements should give the sensation of summa rization of your whole body paragraphs. Getting the Best Writing an Introduction Paragraph Factual Essay True, it is a small bit about summary, but nevertheless, it should take your essay one step further. Recapping the principal points of the essay isn't terrible, but it's difficult to do it well. As a writer, you compose an essay for any particular purpose. Ultimately, if you're writing an argumentative essay, you are going to wish to clearly restate your primary argument to be able to leave readers with one last appeal. Appropriate closure is not as important only when you're writing a cliff-hanger. The conclusion sentences should supply the reader an awareness of completion or closure. It is your final say in the subject, so it should leave a feeling of closure. The period conclusion denotes the end portion of a bit of writing. Why Almost Everything You've Learned About Writing an Introduction Paragraph Factual Essay Is Wrong Your paragraphs are the most essential th ing as they contain all of your supporting arguments and demonstrate how good you're at organizing your ideas. Reflecting on a particular topic demands some deep amount of insight. Thus, find a means to wrap up your ideas to depart from your reader satisfied and content. Other viewpoints may be used in the narrative to supply the chosen narrative so long as it enhances the clarity of the story. It is among the most essential pieces of any writing. At length, the auto proprietor has to be wise in deciding on the most suitable sort of mechanic to work on their car whenever the problems become too large for the owner to deal with. The introduction is just one of the mostimportant pieces of the resume. Your introduction is a significant road map for the remainder of your paper. The Ideal Approach for Writing an Introduction Paragraph Factual Essay Following that, you went on to describe three chief points to back up your thesis. In earlier times you might have been told your conclusion should summarize what you've already said by restating your thesis and main points. Conclusion is the last part that summarizes your key points. Your conclusion should provide you with a chance to review all the principal points of your paper. In the end, the conclusion is essential for bringing all your arguments together. Your conclusion is your final say. It is your chance to have the last word on the subject. An effective conclusion is thorough and elaborative, it gives a very clear and robust idea regarding the entire text. New Step by Step Roadmap for Writing an Introduction Paragraph Factual Essay In any case, as you're developing your ending paragraph, you must make certain that your thesis and the info related to it's consistent from begin to finish. One or more of these strategies might help you write a productive conclusion. What's a paper route in drug conditions. For instance, It's simple to create your own popsicles. Writing an Introduction Parag raph Factual Essay Explained Conclusion paragraphs can be challenging to write, but a crystal clear conclusion can sum up your most important points and leave your reader with a very clear sense of what things to take away from your general essay. Introductions and conclusions may be the most troublesome components of papers to write. Writing a sports essay is just one of the most exciting writing experiences you will ever encounter. For an introductory paragraph to work, it has to give the reader a summary of the remainder of the article in addition to convince them they will acquire something by reading the report. You can also locate a way to acquire the reader emotional invested in the report. Challenging your readers to observe the field through new eyes is a potent way to ease yourself and your readers from the essay.

Shakespeares Sonnets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Shakespeares Sonnets - Essay Example For centuries, and still today, the theme of Shakespeare's sonnets was presented as a complex set of stories concerning Shakespeare's own relationship(s) with that rival poet, his fair-haired friend, and a dark women, whom he either served, was in love with, or was angry with because she was pursuing his friend. Sonnet 149 continues the theme of the other sonnets by speaking to the dark lady. The sonnet seems to be both apologizing for the speaker's actions, as well as explaining those very same actions. The tone of the poem is apologetic as well as abject. It's a confusion shared by the speaker as well as the reader of the sonnet The tone is set by the first couple of lines of the sonnet by showing how subservient to his mistress the speaker has become, even to the point where he is going against himself or his own thoughts, by loving her "for her sake". The speaker continues on by saying that he will hate all those whom she hates, and that (though he considers her a tyrant) will punish himself if he does wrong by her. The speaker seems to have sunk so low that he does not even know, or understand, his own subservience (thy service to despise). In the very next line of the sonnet, he says the best of him worships the worst of her. This is the tone of someone who realizes that what he is doing is pretty low, but he sees no way that such actions can be stopped. Many experts agree with this assessment of the sonnet and even evidence it with the last two lines of the sonnet. "Tucker dismisses the couplet as 'either very obscure or impotent" and Booth notes that it 'seems inappropriate" (Evans 269). Lately, however, the theme from the sonnets has been challenged by a 'modern' translation that says William Shakespeare was expressing some homoerotic tendencies, but had to keep them under wraps because an individual (during that era) could be 'hanged from the neck' for sodomy or fellatio.Duncan-Jones states; "as for the compromising or 'disgraceful' elements of the sonnets: their homoeroticism is here confronted positively, and is newly contextualized within the powerfully 'homosocial' world of James I's court" (Duncan-Jones xiii) Many experts disagree with Duncan-Jones and even use the sonnet(s) as evidence that Shakespeare was not homosexual, but was in fact, the exact opposite.The structure of the sonnet is classic Shakespearian. Shakespeare enjoyed writing sonnets and followed the English sonnet pattern, rather than the Italian pattern. This pattern is recognizable as the standard pattern for sonnets and includes fourteen-line poems set in an iambic pentameter. The rhyme scheme is abab cdcd efef gg. As I read and analyzed this particular sonnet, the tone led me to believe that I did understand and feel the tone when it was perceived in the old-fashioned way; man torn between his love of a dark women, whom he should not love and society's perception of his love, than the Johnny-come-lately perception of the sonnet that says Shakespeare was attempting to espouse his 'homosexual' tendencies. The sonnet just did not make sense to me when I tried to read his love for another man into it. Sonnet 149 (Paraphrased) O cruel one, can you say you don't love me - Canst thou, O cruel, say I love thee not When I go against my own best