Macbeth, a play by Shakespeare

Macbeth, a play by Shakespeare Macbeth and Things Fall Apart Home›Literary Analysis Posts›Macbeth and Things Fall Apart Literary Analysis PostsMacbeth, a play by Shakespeare revolves around the character Macbeth the thane of Glamis who works out his ways to become king and tries to ward off any threat to his reign and succession by all means. In Chinua Achebe’s novel Things fall apart, Okonkwo, the main character, equally does everything to prove his valor. Though set in Scotland and Nigeria respectively, both Macbeth and Things fall apart subtly examine how too much ambition may break a man or propel him towards self-destruction.Macbeth’s ambition is, at the onset of the play, stirred up by the witches who meet him (with Baquo) in a desert while coming from a battle in which he had defeated the army os Norway which was supported by the thane of Cawdor. They hail Macbeth as the thane of Glamis and of Cawdor and predict that he will be king too. Coincidentally, as prophesied by the ‘three weird sisters†™, Macbeth later meets Ross who confirms to him that King Duncan has named him thane of Cawdor; this strengthens his resolve to go for greatness. In an aside that follows, Macbeth says that his greatest position comes after the present promotion. Banquo on his part is promised at his request that he will be happier and greater than Macbeth since he will be a father of kings: “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.”In Things fall apart, Okonkwo’s resolve to be great is driven by fear of not being like his late father Unoka. Achebe clearly states, “Perhaps down in his heart, Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear … it was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father” (9 10). Like Macbeth whose valor at war is demonstrated at the play’s onset when he defeats the invading armies of Norway and Ireland, Okonkwo’s fame is announced at the beginning of the novel. At the age of eighteen, he brings honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat in a legendary duel. This among other achievements, not only earns him popularity but they also make him look down on underachievers. “He had no patience with unsuccessful men. He had no patience with his father (3).Unguarded personal ambition may lead to insensitivity and cruelty. Shakespeare apparently presents this view from what Macbeth (who is initially full of human kindness) does once his eyes are set on the crown. Though he had earlier said in an aside that “If chance will have him king, chance may crown him king,” Macbeth, persuaded by his wife, does not wait for chance to crown him king. In a letter to his wife, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth tells her to rejoice and not be ignorant of the promised greatness. To this promise she laments, in a soliloquy in Act I scene V, which the very kind nature of her husband may hold him from getting what fate and gods had bestowed upon him. She hopes to and succeeds in talking Macbeth into killing King Duncan when the king visits their castle. Macbeth’s murderous tendency and cruelty in pursuit of greatness are further demonstrated by the ruthless execution of the two chamberlains upon whom the daggers that killed Duncan are found. He attributes this inhuman act to his rage and fury.It is not, however, lost to the audience that Macbeth murders the two guards to conceal his treasonable act of murdering the king. He is probably aware that should it be suspected upon him, his ambition to succeed Duncan will come to naught.  In Things fall apart, Achebe exposes Okonkwo’s reckless insensitivity and cruelty.   He commits the unimaginable during the Week of Peace.   Okonkwo heavily beats his youngest wife, Ojiugo, for not returning early enough to cook the afternoon meal.   Ojiugo had gone to plait her hair at her friend’s house.   “In his anger, he had forgotten that it was the Week of Peace”(21). His two wives pleaded with him that it was the sacred week but he disregarded this si nce he is not known for stopping to beat someone half-way through.Ezeani, the priest of the earth goddess rebukes Okonkwo for disrespecting their gods and ancestors. Okonkwo displays the same recklessness during the New Yam Festival â€" an annual joyous occasion in Umuofia. He gives his second wife a sound beating for cutting a few leaves of bananas to wrap some food as it cooks. Okonkwo then asks Ikemefuna to bring him his gun with which he wants to venture out. The beaten wife innocently comments in a murmur about guns that had never killed anything (this is the case as the author had already observed that Okonkwo had not been lucky with the gun â€" he had not even killed a rat). In response to his wife’s observation, Okonkwo “ran madly into his room for the loaded gun, ran out again and aimed at her..” The woman luckily escapes unscathed.The   main characters in Macbeth and Things fall apart stop at nothing to realize their ambition.   Macbeth, having ascended to the throne , schemes to kill Banquo and his son Fleance.   He wants this done to ensure that the prophecy given to Banquo aborts. In Act III scene I, Macbeth   rues the fact that the witches hailed Banquo “father to a line of kings/ Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown.”   He thus declares Banquo his greatest enemy and hires murderers to kill him. Banquo is killed but his son Fleance escapes the murderer’s attack. Similarly, in his ambition to cut out an image of a fearless man, Okonkwo mercilessly kills Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna had been brought to Umuofia from Mbaino as a token of peace.An Umuofian woman had been killed in Mbaino and Ikemefuna and a virgin were the price they paid to avoid going to war with the aggrieved clan.   Ikemefuna had lived in Okonkwo’s homestead for three years and had known Okonkwo   as a father.   When the clan decided to kill Ikemefuna, Ezeudu warned Okonkwo, “ that boy calls you father.   Do not bear a hand in his death” (40).   Ikemefuna was led to the forest and when a man struck him by a matchet, Okonkwo “heard Ikemefuna cry, ‘my father, they have killed me!’ as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his matchet and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak”   (43). The rushed murder of the two chamberlains by Macbeth and the uncalled for killing of Ikemefuna by  Okonkwo prove that the two would do anything to be great.The writers of Macbeth and Things fall apart seem to agree that reckless ambition necessarily begets suffering.   At the killing of Banquo but not his son Fleance, Macbeth is dismayed to learn that the prophecy about Banquo still stands.     He observes that the murderers have scorched but not killed the snake.   This realization leads Macbeth to mental turbulence which he describes as a mind full of scorpions.   After Banquo’s death, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth begin to pay for their evil in their pursuit of ambition.   In Things fall apart, the killing of Ikemefuna by Okonkwo, lik e the death of Banquo for Macbeth, is the turning point for Okonkwo’s rising star.   His role in the death of the boy haunts him and he neither eats nor sleeps for two days. Nwoye, Okonkwo’s son later cites this incident as his reason for deserting his father for the white man’s religion.   In a manner of speaking, therefore, it is enough to conclude that the ghost of Ikemefuna, like that of Banquo comes back to punish Okonkwo.In the case of Macbeth, the sight of Banquo’s ghost shocks him and he queerly laments in the hearing of his guests though his wife tries to control the damage.   Okonkwo on his part broods alone and becomes a “shivering woman” (45). He wakes up in the middle of night and the mosquitoes “wailing near his right ear” could symbolize Ikemefuna’s ghost (53) .   And as fate would have it, Ikemefuna’s murder is followed by an accidental murder of a boy by Okonkwo at Ezeudu’s funeral. Ibo tradition demands that anyone who commits such a crime is punished. Okonkwo’s property is destroyed in keeping with the tradition and he is banished with his family from the clan for seven years. They move to Mbanta, Okonkwo’s mother’s birthplace. Evil begets evil as both Macbeth and Okonkwo suffer after inflicting pain and loss in others.Ambition without moral restraint leads to self-destruction.   This is evidently the case of both Macbeth and Okonkwo.   Macbeth, under pressure from being isolated by Macduff, desparately seeks out the witches for assurance.   He gets new prophecies that superficially soothe him.   Macduff also seeks the help of the King of England to dethrone Macbeth.   Banquo’s ghosts intensely haunt Macbeth and this heightens mental anguish. The witches warn Macbeth to be wary of Macduff but tell Macbeth that his kingdom will last until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill.   He is also told that no one born of a woman will harm him.   All these developments leave Macbeth in a state of confusion.   In this state , when he learns of Macduff’s plot, Macbeth sends murders to kill Macduff’s wife and sons. The climax of Macbeth’s self destruction comes in Act 5.His wife develops a strange sleeping illness.   As he prepares to do battle with Macduff and Malcom, Macbeth fortifies his palace at Dunsinane Hill.   On the day of battle, the English and the Scottish army carry tree branches Birnam forest and march towards Dunsinane Hill. A scout informs Macbeth that the forest moves towards the palace but he defiantly fights himself to self- destruction insisting that he will die fighting.   Macduff whose birth was by what is commonly known as Caesarian eventually kills Macbeth. Thus in the manner of his death, the witches prophecies about the moving woods and the assassin not borne of a woman are fulfilled. It is the self-same prophesies that propel Macbeth to power leaving a trail of murders behind him. Interestingly, when Macbeth attempts to stop the predictions that do not favor him, he finds himself on the path to self-destruction.Okonkwo’s final journey self-destruction begins while in exile at Mbanta, his motherland.   He grows impatient with the people of Mbanta for allowing the white man to settle there.   He cannot tolerate the reasoning that their gods will fight for themselves and that there is no need fighting off the Christians for desecrating their religion. His argues, “Let us not reason like cowards…if a man comes into my hut and defecates on the floor, what do I do?   Do I shut my eyes? No I take a stick and break his head.   That is what a man does … This was a womanly clan, he thought such a thing could never happen in his fatherland Umuofia (113).It is with this mindset that Okonkwo returns to Umuofia and walks into his death.   He finds the white man well established in his clan.   He laments his being away for too long.   Nevertheless, he declares “We must fight these men and drive them from the land.”   (124)Okonkwo later leads his clansm en in destroying the Christian church at Umuofia. This achievement reignites his valor but his joy is short-lived when the white man arrests five other elders with him.   Okonkwo regrets not having killed the District Commissioner when he had summoned them. After they are released, Okonkwo attends clan meeting.   The white man’s messengers come to stop the meeting but Okonkwo stops them and chops off the head of one of them.   The meeting does not go on as he had expected it would. This kills his warrior spirit and tragically disillusions him. “He knew that Umuofia would not go to war. He knew because they had let the other messengers escape”   (144). In disappointment Okonkwo wipes his matchet and walks away. Shortly afterwards, his body is found dangling from a tree in a small bush behind his compound. Obierika ferociously accuses the District Commissioner for driving one of the greatest men in Umuofia to his to death and Okonkwo would now be buried like a dog. It is, howeve r, the pursuit of greatness that blindly drives both Macbeth and Okonkwo to their death.In conclusion, it is important to note that the two literary texts â€" Macbeth and Things fall apart, though written in different times and places address the inherent failings of humanity.   The greatest flaw of character evidently given prominence in the two works is the trait of unbridled ambition.   The main characters in both texts manifest such raw ambition that they end up being devoid of human feelings. For the two, the pursuit of self-actualization knows no moral or humanistic boundaries. Such a pursuit, Shakespeare and Achebe imply, ultimately leads to self-inflicted tragedy.

Impact of Globalisation on International Public Policy Essay

Introduction Agreements on International Public Policy have never been as abundant as in the last century. In the meantime, Globalisation has become a major phenomenon around the world, at various levels. So, it will be interesting to know if globalisation makes agreements on International Public Policy easier or harder. Looking towards history, Globalisation has deeply affected both national and international way of governance. Focus will be made on the economical and political aspects of globalisation and its effects on IPP1 in those fields. â€Å"Globalisation† has been very difficult to define clearly, and many scholars tried to give a accurate description. To link globalisation to IPP, lets see how agreements on IPP evolved†¦show more content†¦Internationalization refers to the increasing importance of international trade, international relations, treaties, alliances.2. Regionalisation means a less interconnected world , with a stronger regional spirit. (Mercosur for example). A definition of â€Å"Globalisation† would be that : â€Å"Globalisation typically refers to the process by which different economies and societies become more closely integrated3.† Another definition would be that: â€Å"Globalisation describes a process by which national and regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through the global network of trade, communication, immigration and transportation.†4 According to those definitions, globalisation seems to be a process that creates an international market for goods and services, that creates a rise of standardised norms and social behaviour, that facilitated centralisation of international politics through supranational entities such as the United Nations, the World Bank or the World Trade organisation. Looking towards history, markets has been increasingly integrated to a global market, which was followed by the spread of ideologies (liberalism, democracy, capitalism, human right). 2: Herman E. 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Examining the Tragic Protagonists of Oedipus Rex and...

Tragedy can be defined as the downfall of a protagonist through some fatal error or misjudgment, producing suffering and insight on the part of the main character and arousing pity and fear on the part of the audience. Of all the characteristics of tragedy, one is most important: the tragic hero must be essentially admirable and good. In both the common tragedies, â€Å"Oedipus Rex† and â€Å"Hamlet†, both main characters are generally good. In either play, both Hamlet and Oedipus make a flaw that will cost them an extreme suffering, and in â€Å"Hamlet†, that concludes in many deaths. A tragic protagonist is usually one of noble authority, who upholds a position high in society. In a tragedy, the protagonist falls from high to low, through the†¦show more content†¦Like in â€Å"Hamlet†, Sophocles writes a tragic play, about the downfall of King Oedipus. Oedipus holds the authority of King of Thebes, though as the story evolves, Oedipus suffers great losses, such as the death of his wife, as well as his mother, Jocasta, and the gouging of his own eyes. Both Hamlet and Oedipus are generally â€Å"good† characters, though when they see the error of their ways; it is already too late to save themselves from the cruel fate that has been set upon them. Both Hamlet and Oedipus face great struggles during their fall. Hamlet, after confronted with the true reason how his father had died, by the hand of his Uncle Claudius, in coercion by the spirit, reckons to kill Claudius. Though it only seems as single death to Hamlet, fate enacts a terrible consequence; killing the king will only bring about more suffering. This â€Å"simple† action morphs into the death of his mother, again by the hand of the King, who spikes wine with poison, though intended for Hamlet, finds its way to Gertrude, the suicide of Hamlet’s love, Ophelia, the killing of Polonius, the stabbing of Laertes by the poisoned sword, and ultimately the death of himself. Oedipus, too, brings about his own ruin. Oedipus, though generally good, was graced by the flaw of stubbornness; he is stuck in his own ways. When told of his fate by the blind seer, Teresias, Oedipus commits to his stubbornness and figures that Teresias is foolish. As the play progresses,

The Military in New Kingdom Egypt Free Essays

‘Explain the role and importance of the military in New Kingdom Egypt. ’ In New Kingdom Egypt, the military became very important. The army evolved from being a disorganised band of conscripted peasants into a lethal, professional outfit well equipped and ready for combat. We will write a custom essay sample on The Military in New Kingdom Egypt or any similar topic only for you Order Now Egypt became the most expansionist it had even been in its history. The emergence of Egypt’s army started in the 18th Dynasty when Ahmose expelled the Hyksos from Egypt. Tuthmosis I and Tuthmosis III and also Ramses II and Ramses III further maintained Egypt’s military strength in campaigns ranging from Nubia to Syria. Prior to the New Kingdom in Egypt, the country’s military was an unprofessional group made up at different times of peasants, Nubian and Greek mercenaries and the King’s personal troops. In the New Kingdom, this changed dramatically. For the first time Egypt had a standing army, and being a soldier brought prestige and social standing as it had not done in the past. With the advances in the way the army was made up, there were also major advances in the equipment they used. For the first time body armour was used, as well as the sickle sword. During the 18th Dynasty in Egypt, Ahmose brought military to the fore of Egyptian life. He was the first king of the 18th Dynasty and probably ruled from 1539-1514 BC. Ahmose attacked Avaris and subsequently the Palestinian fortress of Sharuhen to end the Hyksos’ reign over Egypt. Ahmose then turned to Nubia and Egypt’s land grew south to the Second Cataract. After this Ahmose returned his attentions to Palestine and may have led campaigns as far as the Euphrates. Tuthmosis I followed soon after Ahmose’s reign and was highly trained in military practises. He only ruled for a short time – around 1493-1481 BC. However Tuthmosis I was a very effective general and in several campaigns, Tuthmosis I reached Argo, the Third Cataract, in Nubia and also the Euphrates River – while fighting the Syrians. He also defended Egypt’s colonies against the Mitanni people. Tuthmosis III was also very focussed on military. It is possible he spent most of his younger years in the military as his stepmother and regent, Hatshepsut, took over the rule of Egypt when Tuthmosis III was only very young. Tuthmosis III only took over the governance of Egypt when Hatshepsut finally died, leaving him free to take his rightful place. He ruled from around 1504-1450 BC, although for part of that time Hatshepsut may have been ruling. However once Tuthmosis III was king of Egypt, he led many successful military campaigns. He has even been referred to as the ‘Napoleon of Egypt’. In the battle for Megiddo, Tuthmosis III led his troops to fight through a narrow pass where soldiers could only march single file. When the army emerged from the canyon it was discovered that the enemy troops has arranged their lines expecting an attack from the two easier routes, and the Egyptians subsequently defeated their enemy in battle. In other wars, Tuthmosis III and his army marched from Thebes along the Syrian coast and captured three cities. Every year after that, Egypt’s armies would march against Syria until dominance over Palestine was established. Tuthmosis III recorded the capture of 350 cities at Karnak and he finally took the Syrian city Kadesh in his 42nd year of rule. The military continued to play a part in Egypt’s affairs during the New Kingdom with Ramses II. He was part of the 19th Dynasty and ruled from 1279-1213 BC. His most well known campaign was the Battle of Kadesh, although he brilliantly maintained Egypt’s borders against the Sherden (pirates) and created a defensive line of forts along Egypt’s north western border. Ramses II also made a peace treaty with the Hittites, which led to Egypt prospering greatly. Furthermore, Ramses II secured the kingdom of Amurru to return to Egyptian influence, as it had been lost during his father’s reign. However the Battle of Kadesh was his most famous, although was neither a victory but more of a loss for the Egyptians. Ramses II advanced on the Hittite army from the south, but was led to believe by captured enemy scouts that the Hittites were still far away to the north. Ramses set up camp only to find that the Hittites had already arrived for battle, and tried to hurry the rest of his army forward. However, 2 500 Hittites ambushed them as they tried to meet up with Ramses’ forces and were defeated. The Hittites then attacked Ramses and his troops. According to documentation, Ramses almost single handedly held off the Hittites. However it may be the case that the Hittites were simply distracted by the riches in the camp. Ramses was then saved by the appearance of the Ne’arin, another body of troops, which Ramses had separated in order to approach Kadesh from the north. The armies may have fought again the next day, but the end result of the conflict was the peace treaty between the Egyptians and the Hittites. This then prevented Egypt from ever taking control of Kadesh. Ramses III was the last great Pharaoh of Egypt and ruled in the 20th Dynasty from 1184-1153 BC. In Ramses III’s reign, the Libyans attacked in the south but were crushed by the Egyptian army. However Ramses and Egypt had a more powerful threat to deal with: the Sea People, who had destroyed the Hittite empire. The Sea People moved in to Egypt from Syria with the intention of settling. Luckily for Egypt Ramses was quick to send his army to fend off the Sea Peoples and the crisis was averted at least for a time. Next the Sea People approached from the sea, a cleaver move considering Egypt’s poor naval force. However again Egypt fended off this attack and saved itself once more. Ramses again proved himself an effective general while defending from another attack from the Libyans and Meshwesh which left 2 000 enemy soldiers dead on the battlefield. However once the New Kingdom collapsed Egypt lost most (if not all) of it’s colonies and was mostly ruled by foreigner. No one ever saw the likes of what occurred in the New Kingdom again. The military in New Kingdom Egypt was an organised and prestigious machine unlike anything that Egypt had seen before. Several Pharaohs stood out from the rest in terms of what they did for Egypt: Ahmose, who expelled that Hyksos; Tuthmosis I and Tuthmosis III who led campaigns in Nubia, Argo, Syria and Kadesh; Ramses II and Ramses III were both excellent generals who maintained Egypt’s borders and fought to maintain the existence of Egypt. During New Kingdom Egypt the military became more important than it had ever been in the last years of power of the world’s most fantastic nations. How to cite The Military in New Kingdom Egypt, Papers

The Octopus, Man... Essays - Octopuses, Octopodidae, Cephalopod

The Octopus, Man... They change color, texture, and body shape... have three hearts... are jet powered... have members in every ocean of the world... have inspired legends and stories since recorded history... are the most intelligent of all invertibrates, yet are related to clams and oysters... have eyes and senses that rival our own... and can make their own smoke screen decoys out of ink. They are Cephalopods - octopi, cuttlefish, squids, etc. - and they are far more fascinating than one might think. Cephalopoda means, head foot, and they certaintly are of an ancient group... they first appeared several million years before the first primitive fish began to swim the oceans, in the late Cambrian era. They were once one of the dominant life forms in the sea, yet today there are only 650 or so living species left. (This may seem like quite a bit, but compare it to the 30,000 living species of bony fish on this planet and it loses its prominence.) Yet in terms of productivity, some scientists feel that cephalopods are still giving fish a run for their money.With so much information on cephalopods available, it becomes neccesarry to narrow down the catagories. Thus, I have determined to zoom in on the order Octopoda as the main focus of this paper, a group on animals which contains, in my opinion, some of the more interesting and intelligent creatues on this planet. Members of the order octopoda have eight arms. Over the corse of evolution, the trend has been a reduction of shell size. Octopi, having no shells at all, have carried this trend the furthest. The suborder ncerrata contains the familiar, unfinned octopuses that humans know the most about. Octopi have evolved mechanisms to protect themselves from predators. Some of the amazing abilities of octopi include their ability to change theircolor, texture, and apparent size; to expel ink; and to modify their environment to suit themselves. Octopi are able to jet water through their siphon by contracting their mantel to provide quick, explosive thrust. They have the intelligence and ability to get into and out of fishermen's crab and fish traps and to get under an undergravel filter plate in an aquarium. They can adapt to new situations and appear to be curious about their surroundings. Octopi can use their bodies as a nets to trap fish. Having very little hard material in their bodies, usually only a beak and a radula, they can squeeze into amazingly small spaces. You would think that the lack of a hard defensive shell would make the octopus an easy meal. However, the above adaptations that Ive mentioned are often used together to effectively evade their predators. An octopus could darken in color, expel a cloud of dark ink, immediately jet away while turning white, and then disappear under a rock, leaving the predator confused and somewhat perturbed at the situation. Although octopi possess beaks and cephalotoxins, and, if they wanted to or felt the need to, could easily hurt or kill any human who dared to enter their territory, they generally do not affect man... but the exception is a beautiful blue-ringed octopus from Australia. Though it is shy and definitely won't viciously attack, it can, if it feels threatened, defend itself by delivering a venom that can kill in minutes... so if you ever happen to find yourself splashing and swimming around the Great Barrier Reef, just make sure to stay on your toes. The life span of octopi is short, varying from six months in the small species to three years in the larger ones. It is believed that the hormone that regulates sexual maturation is also associated with natural death. Another interesting aspect of octopi is their reproduction. It is generally thought that cephalopods are fast growing animals that reproduce once and then die. In Octopus briareus, an impregnated female can store viable spermatophore for as long as one hundred days after fertilization!!! The eggs are generally laid in a protected lair and fanatically guarded by the female. She usually eats very little or not at all during this period and dies shortly after the eggs hatch. It has been observed that even unfertilized females lay eggs, brood,

Hadrian and Antinous essays

Hadrian and Antinous essays There were many relationships that changed the course of history forever. Most have one thing in common, one in a high position being influenced by their significant other. The effect of Cleopatra on Antony, Josephine on Napoleon, and Ann Boleyn on Henry the Eighth changed the world forever. Yet to Rome, the effect of Antinous on Hadrian was just as important. Hadrian loved Antinous and for this he ruined his legacy as a great emperor. Little is known about how Hadrian came to know Antinous. It is rumored that Antinous was taken from Claudiopolis during one of Hadrians tours in 123 AD. Antinouss age is also unknown, at the time of his introduction to Hadrian he was said to be around eleven or twelve. Unfortunately, little is also known about the way he was taken. No one is sure if it was by force or went willingly, but he soon became the Emperors favorite and was never considered a slave. Yet again, little is known about when Antinous became the Emperors favorite, but it is guessed to have been sometime between the Emperors return to Italy in 125 and his next trip to Greece in 128, this being the first trip where Antinous accompanied as favorite. It is important to remember the time period this relationship took place and acknowledge the system of pederasty that existed. It was primarily a Hellenic system in which favored Hadrian because of his love for all things Greek. In old Greece, the love of a man for a boy was considered to be the purest from of love(). Women were considered inferior and lust for one was a dirty thing only necessary for childbirth. The boy in these relationships in known as the eromenos, and thought to be in the early teens. The older male was known as the erastes, and was usually between the ages of twenty and forty. The relationship usually lasted from puberty till the young teen started to grow facial hair in the late teens to early ...

15 Smile Quotes to Improve Your Face Value

15 Smile Quotes to Improve Your Face Value Every morning, the newspapers bombard us with stories of death, destruction, and agitation. On a rare occasion, we read news that brings optimism and hope. Why should we begin our day reading morose news that builds on our frustrations? Lets begin our day with a smile. Smile. It is a simple act, but sometimes takes a lot of effort. Why dont we smile more often? Is it too tough to smile? The answer lies in our attitude towards life.  If we are more accepting of situations, we will be able to smile more easily. A smile can do wonders. Start your day smiling and see how the magic begins to work. People smile back at you; you feel happier, and you also make others happier. Sounds simple, right? Yet, we forget to smile. If you want a smile on your face, read these  fun quotes. It’s the best way to bring some fun into your life and start smiling. A smile can improve your looks and makes others find you pleasant, but apart from these obvious benefits, smiling has many more advantages: A Smile Makes You Look and Feel Younger A smile is an outward expression of a happy person. A positive attitude releases the right neurotransmitters and makes you feel and look young. It is a well known fact that happy hormones retard the aging process. Smiles Can Patch up Problems and Make Them Go Away Of course, the smile has to be a genuine one, not a wicked, sly grin. If you want to say sorry, sometimes an apologetic smile can suffice. Want to break ice in a new group? Smile! You will usually find others responding with a smile. Have you fought with your girlfriend, but dont want to stay mad? Smile and let go of your pent up anger. Smiles Bring in Business All sales people are taught to smile and befriend their customers. A smiling salesperson opens more doors to business than an unsmiling one. Likewise, if you are presenting to a delegate of buyers or dealers, a smile will improve your presentation manifold. Use your smile as an ultimate business tool to generate revenue. Pets Will Love You More If You Smile New research has shown that dogs are able to understand human smiles as a positive. They can look into a human face and decipher whether the face is smiling or frowning and what that means. Pets connect with humans on an emotional level. So the more you smile, the more your dog will love you. A Smile Can Spell the Beginning of a Great Relationship Like that girl in the neighborhood? Why dont you begin your friendship with a smile? Work on your facial curves and win her heart with your handsome smiles. Be generous when it comes to smiling. A smile is all it takes for love to blossom. Dont look for the best pickup lines, or a perfect way to say, I love you. A smile can say it all. Quotes on Smiling Read these quotes that teach you to smile.  As  Martin Charnin said, Youre never fully dressed without a smile. Phyllis DillerA smile is a curve that sets everything straight. Charles GordyA smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks. John Ray Beauty is power; a smile is its sword. Jim Beggs Before you put on a frown, make absolutely sure there are no smiles available. Mae West Dont cry for a man who has left you, the next one may fall for your smile. Mother Teresa Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. George Carlin If a man smiles all the time, hes probably selling something that doesnt work. Maya Angelou If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Dont be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning Good morning at total strangers. Andy Rooney If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it. Lee Mildon People seldom notice old clothes if you wear a big smile. Walter Anderson Smile. Have you ever noticed how easily puppies make human friends? Yet all they do is wag their tails and fall over. William Shakespeare The robbd that smiles, steals something from the thief. Leo Buscaglia Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. George Eliot Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles. Mark Twain Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.