Clothing and Good Physical Health Essay Example for Free

Clothing and Good Physical Health Essay Summer and Spring clothes are worn for Warmth, Comfort and Style. People sometimes wear different types of clothing for Protection, Comfort and Style. To preserve good physical health, clothing protects us from cold temperatures. It can protect us from sunshine or high winds. It can also protect us from the wetness of rain. Throughout history, clothing has protected people from attackers. People need protection from dirt, insects, and other harmful agents in the environment. Some garments protect workers from the specific dangers of their jobs. Hard hats and safety goggles are examples. With winter clothing it is used for the protection of your body. You need to choose your clothing thoughtfully to stay cozy yet still be able to move easily. For Instance, a three layer jacket, a scarf, furred boots and especially a thermal. These are winter garments that you should wear to keep you warm and to keep out the cold. The clothes shouldn’t be too tight or loose reason being tight clothes inhibits free movement, and loose clothes allow the warm air and body heat to escape. We wear clothing that is creatively designed, and we combine garments in artistic ways. Decorations people use still depend on their native culture. For example: body paints, intentional scarring or binding are for adornment. Ideas can change with time. What is beautiful to us one year may not look attractive at all to us a few years later. Clothing can satisfy the psychological need of belonging such as to a profession, social group, association, or country of heritage. It indicates what â€Å"role† you play or what skills you have. One more common type of clothing is Summer clothing. People all over the world especially the Caribbean wears summer clothes all year round. It comes in all sort of style and people also wear summer clothes also very absorbent for style. Most of the clothing is light weighted and also very absorbent. We learn early in life what others expect us to wear. It gives a sense of belonging. Too much conformity can mean a loss of personal individuality. Certain ways of dressing give clues about personality traits (For Example: people who wear very decorative things are usually very sociable). When we choose styles different from out friends, we are expressing our individuality. The least types of clothing are Spring clothing. People mostly wear these types of clothing when winter season is about to finish it can also be worn for comfort. It is lighter in weight than the winter garments. The winter changes so suddenly that you need something not to heavy or light. You need Shoes that ease your feet but protect them from cold or rain. The fabrics are bright and bold in color. Clothing is needed in our everyday life and some can be very expensive.

Quality Improvement Project for Patient Prescription Record

Quality Improvement Project for Patient Prescription Record The aim of this quality improvement project is to ensure that nurses record in the designated box on patients Prescription and administration record (to be referred to as: Kardex) if High Dose Antipsychotics Monitoring is Applicable YES or NO (to be referred as: applicable Y/N) and subsequently if yes, that the High Dose Antipsychotic Therapy monitoring form (to be referred to as: Monitoring form and the Early Warning Signs (EWS) Form have been activated for completion. The purpose of this is to secure patient safety from the side effects of the medication. There is widespread evidence which clearly links antipsychotic medication contributing to physical health problems such as cardiovascular problems, weight gain, endocrine problems, metabolic syndrome and sudden death (Gumber et al, 2010; Churchword et al, 2009; Tyson et al, 1999). Many premature deaths of people with serious mental illness are due to poor medical care that fails to monitor risk factors which may be due to side effects of medication (Cohen Hove, 2001). A council report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2006) revealed that past audits of high dose antipsychotic prescribing for in- patients showed poor adherence to monitoring recommendations. All patients on high dose antipsychotic treatment must be monitored. These guidelines attempt to clarify the identification of patients on high dose antipsychotics, factors to be taken into account before such prescribing and the documentation required when antipsychotics are prescribed in high dose; furthermore it is a polic y requirement of Forth Valley that this documentation is completed for these patients (Forth Valley, 2011). The charge nurse highlighted a concern when evaluating the patients Kardex audit, it showed 100% non-compliance for the completion of the Yes/No response for high dose antipsychotics monitoring. Subsequently when the patients are receiving high dose antipsychotics, there was inconsistency of the completion of the Therapy monitoring form and EWS form. A recent audit of patient Kardexes confirmed the charges nurse finding (see Pareto chart, Appendix B). To begin the process of the quality improvement project, a general ward meeting was held and attended by all staff in the ward that was on shift. During the meeting the charge nurse highlighted the recent findings of the Kardex audit. Concerns were raised that many areas on the Kardex were not being completed, and reminded staff nurses that this is not acceptable and needs to be improved. As a nurse it is extremely important to keep accurate documentation, good record keeping is an fundamental part of nursing practice, and is necessary to the delivery of safe and effective care (Nursing and Midwifery Council, (NMC) 2010). As an attempt to focus the quality improvement project more specifically the results of the audit were presented using a Pareto chart (Appendix B). The data confirmed the areas on the Kardex which were not being completed however, high dose antipsychotic monitoring Yes/No was the highest at 100% non-completion, therefore it was agreed that a new strategy would be implemented to improve this. McLaughlin and Kaluzny (2006) state that the defect focused on does not necessarily need to be the greatest frequency to be improved first, but attention should be given to that defect that may have a devastating result, such as an adverse event or even death. However the defect in this instance was the highest and potentially could cause an adverse event. Following the meeting a questionnaire (Appendix C) was devised and completed anonymously by the pharmacists, consultants and staff nurses to identify the root causes of why this area on the Kardex was not completed. A fishbone diagram was used to illustrate the findings (Appendix D). When populating the fishbone diagram with the data, it was clear to see that there were many reasons that each member of the multidisciplinary team had not completed the applicable area on the Kardex. Role confusion was a common theme from each member of the team. Hill-Smith et al (2012) claims that this is not unusual within multi-disciplinary teams and that respectful communication and clear instructions is of high importance in the delivery of high quality clinical care. Therefore based on these findings PDSA one was developed (Appendix G1). This tested whether the nurse attending the MDT meeting completes the Applicable Y/N on the patients’ Kardex following an email reminder and a verbal promp t from charge nurse before attending the meeting. The test confirmed there was a breakdown in communication, the nurse did not receive the email or a verbal reminder from the charge nurse prior to attending the MDT meeting therefore they were not aware of the procedure that had been discussed and as a consequence the applicable area on the form was not completed, this was confirmed by an audit of the Kardex (Appendix H). This informed the decision for PDSA two (Appendix G2). The nurse coordinating the shift should use the visual prompt situated on the shift coordinating sheet to remind the nurse attending the MDT meeting, to update applicable Y/N on the patients Kardex. The small change of a visual reminder on the shift coordinating sheet proved to be success. It reminded the coordinating nurse to verbally prompt the nurse attending the MDT meeting to complete the patient’s Kardex in the applicable area, which was shown by the Kardex audit after the shift; all patientsâ€℠¢ Kardexes were completed and as a consequently the Therapy form and EWS from were also initiated for completion. These findings are consistent with Simpson (2007) research, where teams have clear operating procedures in place, care coordinating is enhanced. The assumption was that the email and verbally prompt from the charge nurse would result in nurses completing the Applicable Y/N on all patients Kardexes, following the MDT meeting by 23rd February 2014 by 100%. Furthermore, if yes the Therapy form and the EWS form activated for completion. Audits were carried out on the dates shown to give a snapshot of the completion of Applicable Y/N on all patients Kardexes in the IPCU ward at that time. Initial findings of the first audit by the charge nurse on 01/02/2014 revealed that Applicable Y/N was completed 0%. The second audit carried out to confirm the previous results on 08/02/2014 which confirmed the charge nurses findings of 0% compliance of Applicable Y/N. PDSA one was carried out on 10/2/2014 the change revealed 0% improvement in the completion of Applicable Y/N. PDSA two was implemented on 21/2/2014 the change was successful, the results of the audit revealed that Applicable Y/N was completed on all patients Kardexes by 100% this in turn activated the completion of the Therapy form and EWS Form. Comparison of questions, predictions, and analysis of data: Engaging with the quality improvement (QI) project has required me to learn and apply new skills in practice. The process of plan, do, study, act (PDSA) cycles were a new technical skill which I had to not only learn myself, but teach fellow staff nurses on the ward, as this was also, a new process to them. I learnt that PDSA cycles provisionally test an idea by testing a change and assessing its impact. After implementing the first cycle, I learnt that it does not always get the results expected when making changes to your process; it taught me that it was better, and more effective to trial a small change to see if it made a difference, before implementing the change permanently. This also gave staff the opportunity to be involved and offer suggestions and see if the proposed changes would work. I also learnt that communication is an essential and fundamental process during the course of the QI. According to Adams (1999), to persuade others to make an improvement or change, the negotiator must be influential. The Charge nurse in this instance was the influential position to lead change. Unfortunately they were not able to fulfil their obligation in PDSA one, but they carried out the ward meeting and used this as a platform to discuss the Kardex audits with the staff which informed them of the need to make an improvement in practice. Once the need for the new process was established and its principles by the email from the charge nurse, informing the reasoning for a change in practice, this was used as a base for PDSA two. I learnt that it is just as important to define the risk of not making a change (Plummer, 2000) and in this circumstance, changing practice would not only enhance quality of care to patients, but it would promote the involvement between staff nurses and the MDT, building trust and confidence to make the change, whereas the risk of not making the change, could potentially cause an adverse event A final learning point I would like to include was how staff nurses initially were resistant to change. In my opinion from observing, the nurses were quite defensive as though they were being blamed for not doing their job correctly. The questionnaire used was an effective communication tool and successful resource for managing this resistance. It give staff the opportunity to anonymously feedback their reasons for not completing the applicable area on the Kardex, it also let them express their opinion without being condemned. Also, I feel that during this time, they were able to adjust and prepare for the change which minimised resistance (Bernhard and Walsh, 1995). I felt it was essential to take note of all their views as individuals and as team members, which provided further explanation of their reasoning for non-completion. Accountability was a consistent reason used by nurses for their reason for non-completion, as they felt it was a doctor or the pharmacist role and they did not want to be accountable for making the decision. When it was clarified that it was a team decision, by email from the charge nurse, the nursing staff felt supported. Mitchell (2001) states that accountability in nursing is a complex issue and acknowledged the importance of team support in the identification of roles and responsibilities. Frequent ideas and conversations with staff were held over the ten days, in advance of the change in PDSA two which I feel made the improvement successful and run smoother as nursing staff were aware of the new change. I have learnt that within nursing it is important to continually improve the way we work. Working at every level developing the knowledge, technical skills, including leadership, are vital for long-term improvement. Continually learning may be important not only to ensure that we have the skills needed to improve the quality of healthcare, but also to enhance the motivation to do so. Discuss the project’s significance on the local system and any findings that may be generalizable to other systems: Relocation to a new site change what been good practice and now a gap had appeared in the process of monitoring patient. The outcome of this project was a success. It was predicted that by 23rd February 2014 applicable Y/N would be completed by 100%. By establishing the success of the visual prompt in PDSA two on the co-ordinating sheet, was a very small but effective change. As a consequence, at the following staff meeting it was decided that the visual prompt would be a permanent fixture on the coordinating sheet, as it was a sustainable reminder to future shift coordinators, thus improving the initiation of therapy monitoring and EWS forms, and overall patient safety outcomes. Discuss the factors that promoted the success of the project and that were barriers to success. What did you learn from doing this project? What are your reflections on the role of the team? The factors which promoted success in the project were support and leadership from the charge nurse at the beginning of my placement. They helped identify areas in the ward which they felt needed improvement. Furthermore, as a student who had never been in a mental health ward, I felt overwhelmed with the task and this support and guidance helped me through the project. The use of the tools were a great way to involve staff on the ward to feel part of the project and broke down the barriers of pointing blame and focussed their attention in a systematic way, and explored the potential causes of the non-completions. I was amazed as how such a small change help facilitate and test change in a manageable way. I now understand that Quality improvement as a way of approaching change in healthcare that focuses on self-reflection, assessing needs and gaps, and considering how to improve in a multifaceted manner. I feel I have gained an enormous understanding in about quality improvement in that it aims to create an ethos of continuous reflection and a commitment to ongoing improvement. It provides nurses to gain an the skills and knowledge needed to assess the performance of healthcare and individual and population needs, to understand the gaps between current activities and best practice and to have the tools and confidence to develop activities to reduce these gaps Thus, the scan did not focus only on narrowly defined quality improvement models such as ‘plan, do, study, act’ (PDSA) cycles.

The profession of shipbroker

The profession of shipbroker The profession of ‘Shipbroker has been in use since the early days of commercial shipping. Originally the owner of the ship was also the trader; he bought cargoes in one place, carried it and sold it in other place. With the evolution of the international trade, the shipbroker became more specialized as it became intermediary who would find ships for the merchants; and cargoes for the ship owners. The term shipbroker means different things to different people. In Japan and Korea, for example, the term ship broker is only used for the intermediary broker. But in Europe the word ship broker is used to identify a variety of chartering functions. Chartering work is essentially a form of exchange of information. It is a business where the right information at the right moment is essential to be successful. The oxygen of any market is information. Information is what makes a market work. Gathering that information requires time, effort, people, equipment and a network of contact. The parties involved in a chartering deal are one party owns, controls or operates a ship as owner and another party who owns the cargo and looking to be carried by sea transport between two destinations The basic function of the shipbroker is to bring together the two parties concerned involving the ship and cargo owners, then start negotiation between them in order to fix the vessel. The brokers income is derived from the commission payable by the ship owner on completion and fulfilment of the contract. Another role of the shipbroker other than fixing the vessel is acting as agent for the ship owner. As such he is responsible for everything which may concern the vessel whilst she is on port such as customs formalities; matters concerning the crew; loading/discharge of vessels; bunkering and so on. Ship-brokers normally specialize in a specific part of the market; it can be dry cargo, chemical, passenger vessels, RORO vessels etc. It therefore needs a specialist at collecting information, it is no longer possible to be a general shipbroker and have knowledge about every market. Detailed specialist knowledge on certain areas, trades, sizes, commodities or charterers is always in demand as the ship owner, charterer or his representative will often need to learn about a different market depending on where his ship is or what he has to fix. Traders need to know freight rates in order to sell cargoes. All principals need up to date information on which ships are interested in what cargoes, why and at what rates, what cargoes need to be lifted in certain areas at certain times. There is huge variety of interest in the market place. While principals demand the information there is a need for someone to gather it and make sense of it  Ã‚   The Baltic Exchange, the worlds only independent source of maritime market information for the trading and settlement of physical and derivative contracts, is seeking to appoint a new freight market reporter. With the support of 69 international shipbroking companies, the Baltic Exchange publishes independent, high quality dry, wet and gas freight market information on a daily basis. The Baltic acts as a regulatory body for its members and provides a forum for shipping information to circulate amongst its members (Howe Robinson Co Ltd web site). Peter Kerr-Dineen, joint-chairman of Howe Robinson, also became Chairman of the Baltic Exchange during 2003, (Howe Robinson, 2007). Many larger shipbroking firms have separate departments specialising in Dry Cargo Chartering, Tanker Chartering, Sale Purchase and sometimes also Demolition sales and Research. Major shipbroking centres include London, Piraeus, New York, Houston, Hamburg, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Major Shipbroking h ouses are ACM, Clarksons Galbraith, SSY, Braemar Seascope, Charles Weber, Gibsons, and J.E. Hyde The modern freight market is really more sophisticated. The use of super tankers and also better port equipments and the use of satellite navigation systems have improved much in the ship broking business areas. In Southampton docks, it used to take several weeks to unload an average cargo ship such as a type bulk cargo ship V Luck, 13 000 tonnes and now only takes a few days to do the same tasks. Modern ship broking is also nowadays more complicated with the new laws and regulations in regards with all necessary procedures to combat smuggling, and also environmental issues such as global warming. The Laws in this business are also expanding since there are many countries are now involved in the ship broking business. The contract between the ship owners and the cargo owners is becoming a lengthy process.   New terminology in the shipbroking business has also come up. The whole concept of the contract of this kind of business is called the volume contract of Affreightment. These contracts cover the whole concept contract from a charterers point of view and Owners point of view. It is also containing the definition in the documents and the period and the terminology they both agree to use in the contract during the contract agreements.   The European Union Commission, in their International market regulation dealing with professional qualifications is also putting regulations. Under their regulation for the Chartered Shipbroker, the European Union Commission chose the United Kingdom to be the competent authorities on the recognition of qualifications for this regulated prof ession. At present the competent authorities in the United Kingdom is the Department for Education and Employment Skills located in Moor foot, Sheffield, (Philips, A., 2006). The Ship broking business is becoming a serious task to be taken care off. New entrants into the profession do not need to hold a shipping qualification, but there are degrees courses in Maritime Studies at several British universities. The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers runs a course covering a wide range of subjects culminating in an examination to earn membership of the Institute. The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers is the professional body for those engaged in all aspects of the shipping business. A Royal Charter was granted in 1920, in recognition of the Institutes role in conferring a qualification (MICS/FICS) and maintaining professional standards. Membership is international and Institute branches have been established all over the world. There are many other institutes for shipbrokers all over the world

Legal issues :: essays research papers

ESSAY. The Constitutional system in Australia determines how the law is made. Some issues addressed by this are; The Federal government, division of powers, the separation of powers, amending the constitution, the high court and the constitution and transfer of powers. The federal System of government has one central government deal with matters involving the whole nation. This system was adopted in Australia on 1 January 1901.In a federal system of Government there must be a division of powers. Powers are divided between the states and federal government. The powers divided are legislative, executive and judicial powers. These are divided by the Australian constitution. The constitution provides for four types of legislative powers; Specific powers: areas of law making specifically mentioned in the constitution as belonging to the Federal government, Residual powers: powers that the states retained after federation, these are not mentioned in the constitution but became the states powers. Concurrent powers: areas over which the states and commonwealth have legislative power. Exclusive powers: areas over which the federal government has exclusive power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Separation of powers means that power is distributed between three arms of government. The three arms are; legislature, executive and judiciary. The judiciary is separated from the legislature and the executive, because of this it is independent and can examine their actions without bias. The legislature is separated from the judiciary and executive powers, because of this it is independent, providing for some rights which cannot be taken away by legislation and this allows provides for regular elections. The executive powers, there is no true separation between these two arm, because the British require that members form the executive arm be chosen from the legislature. However the power of the executive is subject to checks and balances in other ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Amending the constitution. Section 128 of the constitution provides the procedure by which the constitution may be changed. The constitution can only be changed if a bill stating the question is passed by both houses of parliament and the change is approved by referendum by the majority of people in a majority of states. It is difficult to amend the constitution because it cannot be amended like any other law; if it were then the federal government could make laws on any area it chose by amending the constitution. For example the 6 November 1999 referendum asked the Australian public ‘do you support an act to alter the constitution to establish the commonwealth of Australia as a republic, with the queen and governor general being replaced by a president appointed by two thirds majority of the members of the commonwealth parliament’.

Trends of the Malta Insurance Market Essay -- Automobile, Insurance

Today's business world is complex, unpredictable, uncertain and volatile. One of the key elements of this volatility is the swift change all around us. Taking into consideration the motor insurance industry, changes have been also made during the years. Under motor insurance, there are three types of cover available. There is the third party only, which is obligatory as it is the least required by law; it covers your liability to third parties for damage or injury to property arising from the use of your car. In addition to third party liability cover, one can also choose to be covered and protected against damage or loss arising from fire or theft, which is known as Third party fire and theft. If you add protection against accidental damage to your vehicle to the ones mentioned above, you are covered with the comprehensive. Latest statistics shows that car ownership and traffic volume are in the rise once more and this has been the agenda of the government. The number of people owning cars has grown since 1980, thus this represents good news for car manufacturers and insurance firms alike. Also it has come at an environmental cost that there is a rise in carbon emissions. In the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) newsletter of November 2011, the section of the insurance statistical review of 2010 shows that figures released by the MFSA in respect of insurance companies in Malta show an increase of 45% in total gross premiums written over the period of 2009-2010. The accident and health group of classes recorded an increase in premiums written of 85% over 2009. The motor insurance premia increased by 39% Going back to the 20th century, motor vehicles made their first appearance, but there was no need for insurance in an... ...efore increases the number of claims. The market is developing and it has come to a point where customers can go into price comparison sites such as confused.com or moneysupermarket.com and by simply typing in a query, the consumer is presented with a variety of insurance prices from which they can acquire their insurance at competitive rates. Works Cited http://www.esurance.com/insurance-resources/senior-car-insurance-myth http://www.streetdirectory.com/etoday/negative-effect-of-globalization-pcecwf.html http://www.carinsurancehub.com/car-insurance-and-credit-crunch.php http://www.talkonce.co.uk/the-history-of-motor-insurance/ http://www.autoinsurancequote.com/articles/customization-adding-tweaks-to-your-vehicle-may-affect-your-auto-insurance.html http://www.carinsurancecomparison.com/will-customizing-my-car-affect-my-car-insurance-rates/

Death of a Salesman Essay

What techniques does Arthur Miller use to highlight the conflict between past and present in Death of a Salesman? How do these techniques also demonstrate his main themes? Death of a Salesman is set in a time when the capitalist system is changing. It is set in the late 1940s, not long after the Wall Street crash in 1929. Willy Loman is unable to adjust to these changes and therefore, there is conflict between the past, where his dreams were achievable, and the present, where he has fallen foul of the capitalist system and is no longer any use to the firm. These conflicts are personified in Willy, and Arthur Miller uses a number of techniques to highlight this. The techniques Miller uses represent Willy’s mind and they distinguish between past and present. These theatrical methods also help to demonstrate the main themes in Death of a Salesman. These theatrical methods include music, lighting, wall-lines, scenery, the use of leaves and also use of costumes. In my essay I plan to explain what each method conveys to the audience and show how Miller uses these methods effectively to highlight the conflicts. Music is used to highlight significant points and themes in the play. Also, the type of music sets the mood for a scene. It creates atmosphere and conveys to the audience the emotions of the characters. Also, silence can highlight a particular scene. The absence of music means that the audience focuses entirely on the conversation taking place. In Death of a Salesman, flute music is heard constantly throughout the duration of the play. It bridges the play, as it is heard both at the beginning and the end. The flute music evokes a faraway, idyllic world, representing the past. It also represents a contrast between Willy and his father. Willy’s father was a pioneer; he made flutes and sold his own products. Willy, on the other hand, has to sell other people’s goods to make a living. A good example of music being used to set the scene is at the beginning of the restaurant scene. The lights have blacked out signifying the end of the previous scene ‘Suddenly rollicking music is heard. ‘ This is setting the mood of the scene for the audience. It shows that the atmosphere is happy and lively. This is to show the mood of the present time. It is a contrast to the past. By having rollicking music, Miller is highlighting this contrast. This links to the theme of Happy and shows more of an insight into his character. Happy has chosen this restaurant and it shows the kind of life he lives, and this is a contrast to Willy.

Greek conception of woman, citizen and family Essay

The Greek tragedy ‘Medea’ by Euripides examines the Greek conception of woman, the foreign, family and citizenship. He emphasize on the subjugation and the oppressive condition of women in general in Greece. Thus he reveals the existence of ancient cultures (other than Greece) that were more generous in their treatment of women. Medea is also in some respect, different from general Greek women. She is clever and resourceful and also has the courage in her endeavor to take revenge on Jason for his wrong deeds. Also, through the character of Medea, Euripides exposes the bankruptcy of popular Greek ideas of heroism. My granting a woman the qualities that were considered heroic, he questions the sacred ideas of heroism. The element of the foreign in the play comprises of the foreign, the exotic, the unknown and the feared. He also showed that the foreign is not external to Greek and there is much for the Greeks to know about themselves. Medea represents the foreign, the attractive and the priceless possession of Jason. The foreign also represented the adventure undertaken by the Greek heroes. The foreign also symbolized danger and which could lead to chaos. Medea, a foreigner and an outsider to the normal order is free to behave without restrain or morality. Thus she manages to commit the dreadful crime of murdering her own children. Through the elements of the foreign, uncivilized and barbaric, Euripides questions the concepts and definitions of civilizations, primitiveness, ethics and morality. Whereas Jason seeks power, Medea, the foreigner longs for love and caring. Greek valued family and the exile from his was horrible to the ancient Greek. A person’s city-state was his home and protector and to wonder without friend and shelter was thought as a fate as horrible as death. Medea exiles herself because of her love and passion for her husband. Her position in Corinth is double grave as she is both married to be exiled from family and also as she herself has broke connections with her family to be with Jason. Also, she is a foreigner who will remain a barbarian in the eyes of the Greeks. However, Madea forces Jason into exile by wiping off his entire family. Greek law forbade Greek men to marry any other than Greek women. Also the children of Greek man and foreign woman were not considered as official citizens of Greece. Similarly, the children of Jason and Medea were not official citizens of Corinth, but Creusa and Jason’s offspring would fully enjoy the benefits of Corinthian citizenship. So Jason is justified in his argument that to gain power and position and to protect and their position, he married into the royal family. Thus these elements of the foreign, plight of Greek woman, citizenship and family combine to propel the action of the tragic play ‘Medea’. In the Greek tragedy ‘Medea, Euripides elaborates on the status of woman in Greek society. The Greek women in general had few rights. According to the men, the purpose of women in Greek society was to engage themselves in household duties like cooking and cleaning and giving birth and taking care of children. They did not have the right to vote or own property. They could not go outside without an escort. They had to be represented by men in all legal proceedings. Greek women only under exceptional conditions could obtain a divorce, but any Athenian man could get rid of his wife by simply publicly renouncing his marriage. Marriages were arranged by the parents without any participation of the daughter; thus Medea’s flight with Jason was scandalous. If the family was wealthy, the daughter came with a substantial dowry. After marriage, the woman served her husband the entire life by caring for the children and slaves, the legal property of her husband. They were not given any education and lived in separate quarters, away from their husbands. The ideal woman â€Å"spoken little as possible among men, whether for good or for ill†. Greek women never experienced independence during their lives and in some respect they were just like slaves. Medea accurately describes the conditions of married life for women when she says how a woman has to adjust to the new rules and customs of the new home and work hard to understand her husband and consequently live in peace. However if the marriage does not work, then death is the only solution for the woman. When Jason decides to terminate his marriage with Medea and marry the princess of Corinth, Jason cast aside Medea as if they were never married. This type of action was accepted by Greek standards, which reveals the subordinate status of woman who did not have any say in these matters. Even though some actions of Medea are not similar to that of average Greek women, she posses certain attitudes and emotions which are common among women. Medea in her first speech to the Chorus (when she comes out of her house) expresses the plight of women in society: â€Å"For a divorce loses women all respect, yet we can’t refuse to take a husband†, (Euripides, lines 271-272). She further adds that when a man gets tired of the company at home, he can seek relief outside the home, but a woman have to always look at one man. It is likely that this attitude was shared by most Greek women as evident from the reaction of the Chorus Leader who sympathize with her: â€Å"I’m not surprised you grieve at these events†, (Euripides, Line 310). The nurse reveals the fact that Medea out of her love and deep passion for Jason has retrieved the Golden Fleece for him and defied her household. In return, she is deserted by Jason who betrayed her by breaking the vows of marriage and now â€Å"She calls out to the gods to witness/ how Jason is repaying her favours†, (Euripides, lines 30-31). However, her situation worsens further when Creon informs her that he is forcing her into exile. The Chorus identifies with the pitiable condition of Medea. It recognizes the heroic traits of Medea and admires her as an avenger for all women. Chorus soothes Medea’ sorrow by saying that God will be with her in her endeavor. Thus the chorus believes her cause is good and worthy of God’s support. Medea as a victim of ill fate is supported by the Chorus. Even though the Chorus makes this statement before finding out Medea’ brutal scheme, it should be noted that the Chorus reaffirms its support for Medea after she reveals her plan. After the monologue of Medea, where she reveal her plan and think of ways to implement it, the chorus delivers an ode on the oppression of women: â€Å"The waters in the sacred rivers/are flowing in reverse. /And all well-ordered things/are once more turning on themselves. / Men’s plans are now deceitful,/their firm trust in the gods is gone†¦. /Honour’s coming to the female sex. /slander will no longer injure women, (Euripides, Lines 487-496). Through this ode, the chorus condemns the oppression of women and encourages Medea to carry out her plan. It views her plan as a rare opportunity for women to avenge all the wrongs done by men on them and to turn the hierarchy around, putting the men at the mercy of women. In the play it is evident that the Chorus support Medea in her endeavor to avength the betrayal of Jason till the section where she thinks of ways and machinery to make her plot successful. But the Chorus withdraws their support the point where Medea reveals her plan to murder her own sons. After the verbal fight between Jason and Medea, the Chorus asks for moderation: â€Å"I pray that moderation,/the gods’ most beautiful gift,/will always guide me†, (Euripides, Lines 756-758). After they come to know Medea’s plan to kill her children, they try their best make her understand her folly in her taking such an action and they urge her not to commit such a crime : â€Å"I want to help you,/holding to the standards of human law†, (Euripides, Lines 963-964). Euripides by examining the treatment of women in the play ‘Medea’, points at the injustices of his society. He recognized the fact that the subordinate position of women to their male counterpart is impossible to extricate from the core of social order in Greece. The typical explanation offered by the admirers of Greece is that all ancient societies were sexist and dependent on slave labor. This generality is untrue as there were many societies who were more generous in their treatment of women than the Greeks and many societies functioned in the ancient times, without slave labor. Euripides who was aware of these hypocrisies, often pointed out how Greek society attempt to excuse the injustices perpetrated by them. Jason tells Medea that no Greek women would have done as she has done. In this respect, the Chorus should be considered who stood by mutely and allowed the slaughter to take place. However, Medea shows some heroic qualities that were not common among Greek women. Medea is clever, resourceful and has the courage to stand against Jason and take revenge for his betrayal. She does not stay long inside her home as a subjugating housewife lamenting and shedding tears for wrongs incurred on her. She comes out her hearth and faces the Chorus and Creon. She acts like a man and plots and execute her plan. Euripides goes farther, through the character of Medea, he exposes the bankruptcy of popular Greek ideas of heroism. Medea has many traits that would be admirable, if only she were a man. She is ruthless, brilliant, cunning, and powerful. But she is in a weak position: she is not a ruler or a warrior of any battlefield. Euripides gives the qualities that are considered heroic, in a woman and thus reduces the scale. He makes the playing field one of marriage and spurned love. The fine Homeric speeches of warriors on the verge of combat are reduced to the bickering of an enraged wife and a petty husband. Euripides in this play, questions our sacred ideas about heroism. Consider, for example, the character of Agamemnon as portrayed by Aeschylus in the Oresteia. Agamemnon also kills his own child; and although he is not admired for this act, after his death Aeschylus grants him his due of a great man and hero. The reaction of the audience to Medea’s infanticide is that of horror. Euripides gives unlimited self-absorption and ruthlessness to a woman and thus exposes the true worth of these traits. The audience becomes aware of the double standards that we use for heroes and heroines. In Greek mythology Medea was princess of colchis and the granddaughter of Helios the sun God. She had affinities with magic and was the priestess of Hecate. Medea helped Jason to steal the Golden Fleece from her father and even dismember her brother to delay the pursuers of her lover. Also, she turned the daughter of Pelias into murderers to win back his rightful place in Iolcus, In return, Jason betrayed her trust and re-married into the royal family. The fact that Medea is a foreigner is emphasized from the beginning. The Nurse, in the opening lines, tells the audience that Medea hails from a distant and exotic land. Certain points should be remembered while reflecting on this aspect of the play. The foreigner or the Others is a complex and multifaceted concept: it comprises of the foreign, the exotic, the unknown and the feared. The foreign is also essential for self-definition of the Greeks. The Greeks ascribe certain traits to barbarians in opposition to certain traits about themselves. Barbarians are savage but Greeks are not. Barbarians are superstitious while Greeks are rational. But Euripides through the play undermines these easy binaries. He shows that (the foreigner) is not something external to Greek. Also, there is much for the Greeks to understand about themselves Moreover, the (the foreign, the exotic, the terrifying) is an essential for adventure. Jason’s quest, and also the quests of other Greek heroes, would not be possible without their visit to strange and fearsome lands. Medea’s foreignness may be the reason behind Jason’s attraction for her. Although we cannot be sure if Jason was really attracted to her or used her for his own ends or both. May be Jason was drawn to her by her uniqueness. The play stresses on the fact that Medea is different from Greek women. Jason’s marriage to Medea can be seen as an attempt on his part to bring the adventure home. Medea describes herself as â€Å"something he won in a foreign land†. The marriage can also be seen as Jason’s attempt to subordinate the foreign to the Greek, woman to man. In Medea, the foreign lead to chaos. Medea as a foreigner is also terribly free. As she is an outsider to normal order, she behaves without restraint or morality. Her genius is thus used for personal revenge. She sends gifts of a finely woven robe and a tiara of twisted gold smeared with deadly poison and succeeds in killing both Creon and his daughter. Next she murders her two sons to teach Jason a lesson that the oppressed can also take actions against the oppressors. Medea as a foreigner comes from a tribal nativity, where sophistication is not the normal thing. She does not know how to â€Å"well behave† and speak â€Å"with a soft tongue†. Her culture and race is primitive and for this she is often blames by Jason. However, while Jason seeks power, Medea longs for love and caring. She leaves behind her culture, native land, parent, and the family as a sacrifice to marry Jason. So the ‘uncivilized ’Medea cannot accept nor understand Jason’s argument in favor of his second marriage and Jason posses all the skills required to argue in his favor. This raises several questions regarding the concepts and definitions of civilizations, primitiveness, ethics and morality Another factor is the Greek conception of family and the separation or exile from them. Modern audiences can find it difficult to understand how important family and how horrible exile was for the ancient Greek. A person’s native land was his home and protector and to wander without friends or shelter, was thought of as a fate horrible as death. The chorus chants: â€Å"there’s no affliction worse/ than losing one’s own country†, (Euripides, Lines 774-775). Medea made herself as exile for the sake of her husband. Medea tells about her plight to the Chorus: â€Å"you have a city, /you have your father’s house, enjoy your life/with friends for company. But I’m alone. /I have no city, and I’m being abused/by my own husband. — I have no mother, brother, or relation,/to shelter with in this extremity†, (Euripides, Lines 291-299). Additionally by her overzealous advocacy of her husband’s interest, she made their family exiles in Corinth. Due to her actions in Iolcus, Jason is unable to return home and so their position is vulnerable. Jason who is the hero of the Golden Fleece (of course with the help of Medea) became a wanderer. He is very shrewd and calculative in his decision to marry into the royal family. The Tutor points out in the beginning of the play that men always act for their own interest: â€Å"What mortal man is not? Don’t you know yet/all men love themselves more than their neighbours†, (Euripides, Lines 107-108). Thus the character of Jason is revealed as an opportunist, a selfish man and the anti-hero who manipulates others for his own ends. Euripides in his play ‘Medea’, links the elements of exile and the lower position of women by emphasizing on the circumstances that women faced after marriage. She has to leave her home and family and live among strangers. In this respect, Medea reminds us of the conditions of exile. However, her position is doubly grave, as she is an exile in this sense as well as in the sense that she herself has broke all connections with her family. Also, she is a foreigner and will remain a barbarian in the eyes of the Greeks. Greeks valued their family and the close blood relationship they share with the family members. Also they had certain expectation from their family. Similarly I the play, Jason want his sons to grow up and become leaders in Corinth along their new brother, the sons he wishes to beget from his new bride. He also wants his sons to mature into young men and win victory over his enemies. On the other hand, Medea has few expectations as well. In return for her pains of child birth and the hardship she faced in raising them, she hoped that they will look after her in old age and prepare the corpse with their own hands as all parents’ wishes. However, she sacrifices her expectations and also separates Jason from his family by killing her two sons and Jason’ new bride. She takes her revenge on Jason by poisoning the royal bride and thus depriving Jason of his wife and the children he wished to beget from her, his family. Also she kills her sons and prevents the fulfilling last hope of Jason, his wish to unite with his family, his sons. She also deprives him of the burial rights of his sons. Instead she performs the rights. In this way, Jason is exiles from his family as Medea was exile from her native land and family. Medea lost her family after she married Jason, in similar way, Jason losses his family at the end of the play. Another element emphasized in the play is the Greek conception of citizenship. Greek law forbade Greek men to marry no other than Greek women. However, it was common practice among Greek men to keep foreign concubines who were often more educated than the Greek women in general. But the children born from these unions were not considered as official citizens of Greece. Similarly, the children of Jason and Medea were not official citizens of Corinth, whereas Creusa and Jason’s offspring would fully enjoy the benefits of Corinthian citizenship. Jason may be a shrewd and manipulative man and it is also true that he betrays Medea by breakings the vows of marriage and re-marrying into the royal family. However, the fact remains that Jason was a wonderer and he wanted to gain power and position by creating a relationship with the royal family. Moreover, he was aware of the fact that his children were deprived of the benefits of Corinthian citizenship. As he mentions to Medea, it may be true that he married Creon’s daughter not because he felt attracted towards her as a woman but rather to protect Medea and their children. Also that he wanted to serve their own interest by having children (royal princes) from his royal bride and thus securing their position in Corinth and giving their children similar power. The Greek conception of woman, the foreign, citizenship and family as examined in the play help in the progress of the tragic action. Medea represents the suppressed and oppressive condition of Greek woman who is cheated by her husband. The foreign element in her character, the exotic, the dangerous and the barbarian instigate her take revenge against Jason. Jason’s argument in favor of his action is the power and position he wants to achieve for himself and for Medea and their children. He is aware that his and Medea’s children will be deprived of the benefits of Corinthian citizenship. Her separation or exile from family because of Jason infuriates her further and she in turn separates Jason from his family. Work Citation: â€Å"Analysis of Medea as a Tragic Character†. 8 December 2002. Michael Kliegl. 9 July 2008 â€Å"The Concept of Citizenship†. 9 July 2008 â€Å"Euripides by Medea†. 9 July 2008 â€Å"Medea (Criticism). Carole L. Hamilton. 9 July 2008 â€Å"Major Themes†. 9 July 2008 â€Å"Medea (Indian adaptation of the greek classic†. 9 July 2008 â€Å"Summary and Analysis of Lines 1- 356†. 9 July 2008