Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: good minus, University of Munster (English Seminar), language: English, abstract: In novels and fictional stories we often meet good and evil characters,characters which fight each other. This fight between good and evil makes thestory really interesting and exciting because it hurries the action along. But oftenthe reader is not able to say which character really belongs to the good or the evilones. It is the ambiguity of the characters and their changes during the story thatgrip the readers. This paper will have a look at one exemplary character and try tosolve the question whether it is good or evil. Besides, the thesis that animals andcreatures in The Prisoner of Azkaban cannot be categorized as clearly as the maincharacters will be dealt with. In this way different aspects of the terms "e;good"e; and"e;evil"e; shall be demonstrated. "e;Good"e; and "e;evil"e; represent a pair of opposites that is part of many stories andof our whole life. Actions which are against virtues and values, which arereprehensible and damnable, are generally seen as evil. Pleasure in destroying, inlying, in betraying and in being cruel, in neglecting the rights of human beings,these aspects are declared to be evil.1 They belong to actions and theirconsequences which are caused by human beings, for example torturing innocentpeople in a war. Due to St. Augustine, these are moral evils or deficiencies ofman's will. He thinks of the moral evil as the true evil because human beings havefree will and the choice to do good or evil. So it is their choice to commit evilactions or not.2 [...]1 See Rudolf Eisler, ed. Worterbuch der philosophischen Begriffe 1, 4th ed. (Berlin: Mittler undSohn, 1927), p. 227. 2 See Ester S. Buchholz and Joshua K. Mandel, "e;Reaching for Virtue, Stumbling on Sin: Conceptsof Good and Evil in a Postmodern Era."e;, Journal of Religion and Health 39.2, (2000): p. 130.

Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: Good, University of Munster (English Seminar), course: Advanced Seminar: Literature from Southern Africa, language: English, abstract: At the moment solidarity is of topical interest more than ever. In the news wehear of the decline of the welfare state, of cuts in social services. We discuss aboutour solidarity with the United States of America with regard to the war in Iraq. There are shows on television to collect money for poor countries in the thirdworld or for post-war reconstruction. These are all forms of solidarity. But whatreally is solidarity?This paper wants to have a closer look at the term "e;solidarity"e;, its nuances andits conditions. Solidarity depends on the society and on the time. As an example Iwould like to examine the term on the basis of Athol Fugard's Township Plays. The Township Plays are: No-good Friday (1958), Nongogo (1959), The Coat(1966), Sizwe Bansi is Dead (1972) and The Island (1973). These five plays werewritten under the conditions of the oppressive apartheid system whichcharacterized South Africa's politics since 1948. During the following years theWhites oppressed the Blacks in a very cruel way, cut back their rights and madethem live and die under miserable circumstances. In such an inhumane situationsolidarity grows very fast and reaches its peak. I would now like to examine howsolidarity is described in the five South African plays, in which situations itoccurs. Furthermore, it may be interesting to look who acts in solidarity withwhom and in which situations there is perhaps even a lack of solidarity. Theseshall be the main aspects of my paper.

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,7 (A-), University of Munster (English Seminar), course: Advanced Seminar: German Travel in England in the 18th Centruy, language: English, abstract: In the 17 th and 18 th century few people are able to afford travelling through their own or a foreign country. At first only children of the rich nobility travel in the framework of their education: These t ravels are called "e;The Grand Tour"e; and comprise visits of Italian and French cities. Later, especially in the 18 th century, also people of the lower classes, the middling ranks and the bourgeoisie can afford travelling. 1 In the 18 th century England takes France's place as the European model due to changes in economy and society, due to progresses in science and politics. England becomes more and more interesting to people on the continent and the number of travellers grows constantly. Many of them write diaries or letters about their experiences and publish them. One thing the travellers write about is the English society, its state and its changes. England's society and system of estates are of interest due to its differences towards societies on the continent. Its society is more liberal and open although the hierarchy is nearly the same. What the differences and similarities exactly are, shall be discussed in this paper with the help of German travel reports. I will discuss the details as mentioned by German travellers and try to find reasons, why they emphasized certain aspects, and why there are different opinions on these aspects. But first it seems useful to get a general overview of Germany and England and its societies in the 18 th century because this background information will help to understand the travellers' opinions and remarks. Additionally, a definition of the term "e;system of estates"e; could be useful. [...]

Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: good minus, University of Munster (English Seminar), language: English, abstract: In novels and fictional stories we often meet good and evil characters,characters which fight each other. This fight between good and evil makes thestory really interesting and exciting because it hurries the action along. But oftenthe reader is not able to say which character really belongs to the good or the evilones. It is the ambiguity of the characters and their changes during the story thatgrip the readers. This paper will have a look at one exemplary character and try tosolve the question whether it is good or evil. Besides, the thesis that animals andcreatures in The Prisoner of Azkaban cannot be categorized as clearly as the maincharacters will be dealt with. In this way different aspects of the terms "e;good"e; and"e;evil"e; shall be demonstrated. "e;Good"e; and "e;evil"e; represent a pair of opposites that is part of many stories andof our whole life. Actions which are against virtues and values, which arereprehensible and damnable, are generally seen as evil. Pleasure in destroying, inlying, in betraying and in being cruel, in neglecting the rights of human beings,these aspects are declared to be evil.1 They belong to actions and theirconsequences which are caused by human beings, for example torturing innocentpeople in a war. Due to St. Augustine, these are moral evils or deficiencies ofman's will. He thinks of the moral evil as the true evil because human beings havefree will and the choice to do good or evil. So it is their choice to commit evilactions or not.2 [...]1 See Rudolf Eisler, ed. Worterbuch der philosophischen Begriffe 1, 4th ed. (Berlin: Mittler undSohn, 1927), p. 227. 2 See Ester S. Buchholz and Joshua K. Mandel, "e;Reaching for Virtue, Stumbling on Sin: Conceptsof Good and Evil in a Postmodern Era."e;, Journal of Religion and Health 39.2, (2000): p. 130.

Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: Good, University of Munster (English Seminar), course: Advanced Seminar: Literature from Southern Africa, language: English, abstract: At the moment solidarity is of topical interest more than ever. In the news wehear of the decline of the welfare state, of cuts in social services. We discuss aboutour solidarity with the United States of America with regard to the war in Iraq. There are shows on television to collect money for poor countries in the thirdworld or for post-war reconstruction. These are all forms of solidarity. But whatreally is solidarity?This paper wants to have a closer look at the term "e;solidarity"e;, its nuances andits conditions. Solidarity depends on the society and on the time. As an example Iwould like to examine the term on the basis of Athol Fugard's Township Plays. The Township Plays are: No-good Friday (1958), Nongogo (1959), The Coat(1966), Sizwe Bansi is Dead (1972) and The Island (1973). These five plays werewritten under the conditions of the oppressive apartheid system whichcharacterized South Africa's politics since 1948. During the following years theWhites oppressed the Blacks in a very cruel way, cut back their rights and madethem live and die under miserable circumstances. In such an inhumane situationsolidarity grows very fast and reaches its peak. I would now like to examine howsolidarity is described in the five South African plays, in which situations itoccurs. Furthermore, it may be interesting to look who acts in solidarity withwhom and in which situations there is perhaps even a lack of solidarity. Theseshall be the main aspects of my paper.

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,7 (A-), University of Munster (English Seminar), course: Advanced Seminar: German Travel in England in the 18th Centruy, language: English, abstract: In the 17 th and 18 th century few people are able to afford travelling through their own or a foreign country. At first only children of the rich nobility travel in the framework of their education: These t ravels are called "e;The Grand Tour"e; and comprise visits of Italian and French cities. Later, especially in the 18 th century, also people of the lower classes, the middling ranks and the bourgeoisie can afford travelling. 1 In the 18 th century England takes France's place as the European model due to changes in economy and society, due to progresses in science and politics. England becomes more and more interesting to people on the continent and the number of travellers grows constantly. Many of them write diaries or letters about their experiences and publish them. One thing the travellers write about is the English society, its state and its changes. England's society and system of estates are of interest due to its differences towards societies on the continent. Its society is more liberal and open although the hierarchy is nearly the same. What the differences and similarities exactly are, shall be discussed in this paper with the help of German travel reports. I will discuss the details as mentioned by German travellers and try to find reasons, why they emphasized certain aspects, and why there are different opinions on these aspects. But first it seems useful to get a general overview of Germany and England and its societies in the 18 th century because this background information will help to understand the travellers' opinions and remarks. Additionally, a definition of the term "e;system of estates"e; could be useful. [...]