Marriage as a Legitimacy of Social Orders in John Dryden's "Marriage a la Mode"

Marriage as a Legitimacy of Social Values in John Dryden's Marriage a-la Mode
The pastoral romance of Palmyra and Leonidas through the rusticity of village into the authoritative court of king Polydamas gives the harsh challenges to the self desire to quest the self destiny. But the terms and conventions of the court of Polydamas simply stand as the objection to the easy acceptance of marriage between Palmyra and Leonidas. Hence, here the marriage is used as the pure legitimacy of family lineage and power for the inception of peace and stability during 'Restoration Era, 1660 to 1780' (quoted in English Literature in Context 211) is a researchable issue.
Marriage is a socially accepted conventional idea of getting the generation forward. It's not only just reuniting of two souls and bodies but it’s a process of choosing correct and legitimate genealogical upbringings. Literary critic Maurice Ashley in an inline article argues that, "The ideal marriage began with the selection by the parents of the potential spouse." In the drama, this is exposed by Polydamas in the court when Leonidas and Palmyra are first brought before him. He says, "If from your hands/ your powers. I shall this day receive a daughter Argaleon, she is yours/ but if a son/ then Amalthea's love shall make him happy"(Act I, Sce.I 86).
As per the use of drama, it stands as the union of two opposing forces, sometimes antagonistic forces to reconciliation believe in marriage could solve the rivalry. So, it stands as the piece and stability of the state. More than that the drama unites the pastoral beauty with the courtly chaos and creates the new state of equilibrium. Literary critic Lawrence Stone in his online article argues that, "For over half a century, from the 1680s to 1740s the arranged marriage exclusively for interest, were practiced by the aristocracy." Here, in the drama, Polydamas has already made a plan to wed if he has  daughter then to Argalean but if a son then to Amalthea. But John Dryden has assaulted this notion of aristocratic marriage wittily.
Marriage after lots of chaos denotes the struggle of individuals in society to make their own choice. As the literary critic Antonio Fraser in her online article From the Weaker Vessel argues that, "Throughout the 17th century England, a girl might well have been forced into a marriage against her will by parental pressure and have herself there by robbed of her freedom." Polydamas forces Palmyra to marry Argaleon when he comes to know her as his own daughter. Polydamas commands," Argaleon, lead my daughter/as we go, I shall have time to give her my commands/ in which you are concerned" (Act III Sce. I, 109). When Palmyra was commanded to marry Argaleon by her newly found father Leonidas says that," The king can give no good merit to love" (109).
Society objects the naïve idea of individual. It objects their choice. The marriage shows the acceptance of earlier discontentment. Stone describes the state of married women of Restoration arguing that,"The most obvious method of breaking a marriage was to leave home. Most of this cruelty was a product of poverty brutality and alcohol." Here, the wife of Polydamas with her child and the queen flee away when they learn that he was returning from war. "And when his crimes had impudence enough/ to bear the eye of day/ Eubulus was fled, and with him bore away the queen/ his wife, now big with child, and much detesting/ her husband practices had willingly/accompanied their fright" (Act I. Sce. I 85). Now, fleeing away of Eudoxia from palace proves how much cruel and brutal was Polydamas which created fear even to his own wife.
How marriage is socially perceived notion by experienced and amateur is the question. Amateurs simply put it with love and lust but experienced put it with legitimacy of future. Sir George Saville in his online article Marquels of Halifax; Advice to Daughter argues that," Young women were seldom permitted to make their own choice, there modesty often forbidden them to refuse when their parents recommend, though their inward consent may not entirely go along with it." Here, in the drama Polydamas compels Palmyra to marry Argaleon.
Palmyra also starts to think of not going against her father. So, she asks Leonidas to request Polydamas for marrying her. "And is it thus,you quote Palymira's bed/ can see the murderer of her parent wed/ so much you well may give to love and me / to let my father awake" (Act IV Sce.4 124). She requests Leonidas to let her father leave if he really loves her. It shows how the daughters were attached to their parents though they have some kind of self desire for freedom. They could never freely betray their parents.
In the same article Saville argues that,"The root and the excuse of this injustice is the preservation of the family from any mixture which may bring blemish to them." It can be observed in the drama when Artemis; a court lady says to Amalthea about the quest of Polydamas to find the true heir of his kingdom. But actually instead of Polydamas, Sicily is itself in turmoil because it does not have legitimate king. So, ironically it reflects the state's quest for true legitimate king which was Leonidas. Artemis declares the truth about the inquisitiveness of Polydamas saying,"That this old king/ whom all the world thought childless/ should come to search the farthest parts old Sicily/in hope to find heir" (Act I Sce.I 84).
Without the correct legitimacy of marriage whole family lineage can be crushed. So, marriage is the inception for new era of peace and stability hinting the changes in perceived conventions. Adultery and emotional attachments were also the recurrent cultures of restoration. The adultry of Palamede and Rhodophil reflects the bawdiness and raucousness of the age especially among the aristocratic classes as argued by Natalie Zemon Davis and Aritte Fonge.
Palamade's speech in Act I Scene I shows the adultery when he says,"I have a strange king of mistress in court, besides her I am to marry another courtly woman." It shows how the aristocratic culture was getting contaminated. It hints that aristocratic people were too much suppressed of their limitations by socio cultural norms and values. It has constrained them to act freely in society and to hide their sexual desire. So, it shows the moral and sexual experimentation in Restoration.
Stone argues that,"Marriage during Restoration was a contract, with mutual rights and obligations whose nature could be debated endlessly." Here, in the drama also the marriage can be seen as obligations. Palmyra was obliged to marry Argaleon. Polydamas commands his intentions that he has already decided if he has a daughter, she would be married to Argaleon for he is to gain more courtly power. Similary, if he is to have a son he would be married to Amalthea which would make her happy (Act I Sce. I 86). So, it seems as if he has made some kind of contract for marriage.
According to an online article posted in examplessay.com, it is narrated that," Drama seeks to convey a representation of life. It contains heroic tragedy and tears or humour, witness an upper classes."  We can find lots of humour and comedy in sub plots. They come through the dialogues of Palamade, Rhodophil, Doralice and Melantha. It is expressed in the speeches of Doralice. In Act I Scene I she replies Palamede in a very comic way. When he asked whether she is married or not. She replies," Yes, married to a gentleman; young handsome, rich, valiant and with all the good qualities that will make you despair and hang yourself" (Act I Sce. I 81). So, the farures of humour and comedy can be noticed as one of the salient features of restoration drama.
Similarly, we can also see many female characters used in the drama as the remark of Restoration. The drama starts with female role, Belizo. There are altogether seven lady characters. So, ladies are also given the place. In the speech of Rhodophil, we can see the discontent of married husband when he replies to Palamede's question about his wife," Ask those, who have smelt to a strong perfume two years together, what's the scent" (Act I Sce.I 82).
The smell of same perfume for two years shows that he is fade up with his married life. So, the whole scenario of sub-plot tells us how the marriage was taken as a restraint of sexual and personal freedom. Courtiers and royal members want to break this restriction but no matter they never prefer interclass marriage.
According to cyberpal.com," Restoration age was characterized by a sense of loss and cultural disillusion coupled with force to restore social stability and cohesion." Dryden here, also presents how the notion of spiritual and pure marriage was under degradation during Restoration. Through the marriage life of Rhodophil and Doralice, the playwright gives us the loss of stability, faith and love in married life. Being a married woman Doralice freely makes extra marital affair with Palamede. In the Act III Scene I she says, "For men the problem is wife is same, for wife problem is husband is not same" (101).
Litrary critic Birdsall in an online article writes that," Marriage was seen as restrictions, all the more since were divorces were practically impossible to obtain". It also implies the sense that for aristocratic people, values of marriage was intense to bear and they want to change in their personal freedom but breaking lineage was suppose to bring chaos.
When in 1649 Charles II was exiled and England was ruled by Cromwell upto 1660, England suffered through various political turmoil because the legitimacy was upon the person outside the lineage. England was indulged in the two decades long civil wars. There was the intervention of army on the parliament. But after the restoration of Charles second, all problems seemed to be settled (English Literature in Context 220). It proves how the linearity and legitimacy was taken as a vital issue in Restoration play, so, to establish the peace and stability legitimacy needed to be restored in England.
Hence, through the correct legitimacy of marriage between Palmyra and Leonidas, the playwright presents the ideas that marriage is not just the pastoral romance but it is the inception of social law and orders. The last acceptance of Leonidas as a rightful prince restores the chain of legacy. Polydamas accepts the legitimacy of Leonidas and their marriage as a socially valid order because Palmyra also comes to be a court lady. He gives her hand to Leonidas as a symbol of acceptable marriage and says, "The gods, and my Palmyra make you happy/ as you make me" (Act V Sce. I 136).







Works Cited
Dryden, John. "Marriage a La Mode." British and American Drama. Comp. CDE,TU.Kirtipur: TU Books. 73-139. Print.
Poplawsky, Paul, ed. English Literature in Context. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. 211-301. Print.
Ashley, Maurice. "Love and Marriage in Seventeenth Century England." History Today. 10.1(1960): n.pag. Web. 7 July 2016.
Stone, Lawrence. "From road to Divorce: England 1530-1987.Prov.Marquerite Connor. Attitudes to Marriage in Restoration Drama. Web. 7 July 2016. http://www.english.fju.edu.tw/
Fraser, Antonia. "From the Weaker Vessel: Women Lot in Seventeenth Century England." Attitudes to Marriage in Restoration Drama. Web. 7 July 2016.
Saville, George. "Marquels of Halifax: Advice to Daughter." Attitudes to Marriage in Restoration Drama. Web. 7 July 2016.
ExampleEssay.com. Web. 7 July 2016.http://www.exampleessay.com/viewpaper/
"Love and Marriage in Restoration Comedies." Cyberpal.com. Web. 7 July 2016.<http://www.cyberpal.com/shir/site/restore2/>

Spiritual Imperialism in the narratives of the travelogue "Swami Vivekananda On Himself"

Quest for Spiritual Imperialism in the Travelogue " Swami Vivekananda on Himself"
The biography of Swami Vivekananda edited, compiled and published by Swami Bhodasaranand, Advaita Ashrama depicts the travel narratives of Vivekanand from his childhood to the Parliament of Religions. Actually the biography can be looked as autobiography because it is based on dairies of Vivekanand in the first person narrative 'I'. The story is narrated by Swami Bhodasarananda. So, I shall technically analyse wheather the sannyasin and nomadic life of Vivekananda was for his quest of spiritual imperalism and travel pleasure or not.
Sidonie Smith and Julia Watson in their book Reading Autobiography argue that, "We might ask what cultural meanings a narrative acquired when it was written or published "(166). Of course, the first edition of book is dated on 1963. It was the time when autobiography writing came to the "Second Wave" (122) approach where creative self representation was established. The historical figure is spiritual. The narrating I makes devotion to his religious belief Hinduism and to his master Shri Ramakrishna Pramhans (1884,figure 3; 8). Here, the narrated I Swami Vivekananda writes that he was born as the wanderer sannyasin and spiritual hunter. In the chapter two Discipleship he writes about his finding of horoscope concealed by his father, " I came across the chart among some papers in my mother's possession and saw from it that I was destined to become a wanderer on the face of earth" (9). From this very first confession of believing in Hindu Brahmin culture he hides the real truth but exposes the psychology of his narrative towards making of his autobiography to lead the conclusion, into which his life was finally saved.
Of course, Vivekananda was good wanderer and what we call a elite traveler from post colonial perspective. As Christians extended their Christianity during colonialism through missionary work in the name of "conversion and confession of a Christian sense of sin and shame" (85).The narrative included under the topic March of Events he confesses exposing his psychology of travelling "Travelling is the best thing in life. I am afraid I shall die if made to stick to one place for a long time"(93). From this narrative, how much hatred he keeps towards the immovable instinct of man  is cleared. Almost whole Europe, America and developed countries of Asia were visited by him.
Vivekananda was a spiritual imperialist for Hinduism is clearly manifested when he narrates his superiority for Hinduism in New York on 20th May 1895 writing " West is in need of Hindu ideas of God and calls upon the young men to go and preach to the West. This has created quite a furore of course amongst the Missions "(193). It verifies that he was against Christian missionary and wants to establish Hinduism as the superior. So, he was the East imperialist of Hinduism. His strong hatred is manifested when he tries to bring his real feelings in the chapter The Divine Call and the Parliament of Religions saying, " I go forth, to preach a religion of which Buddhism is nothing but a rebel child, and Christianity, with all her pretentions only a distant echo" (111). He says that he was called by Lord for this, which proves that his narratives of autobiography is "a form of devotion in the service of spiritual examination" (86).
In terms of looking through "The History of Reading Publics" (166), we came to know that it is written by Swami Sambuddhananda who was general  secretary of the Swami Vivekananda Centenary committee which was dissolved after its work was completed (V). Later on, it was published and circulated by chairman of Advaita Ashmrama, Uttrakhand (quoted in preface page). The position of historical person writing the autobiography is a prominent historical figure (168). Self important kind of turn comes through the narrative voice when Vivekananda says, " I in this big lunatic asylum, I am also mad, I am mad after God. If you are mad after God, you are mad; so am I. I think my madness is after all the best" (57). Autobiography critic Smith and Watson argue that, " The narrating I puts itself defensive through the narrative voice" (168). This is what we can find in the above narratives of Vivekananda.
There is also the changing tone of the narrating I because of the ideological notion of the I affecting the self narrator. His narratives during  New York praises White people. It is clear by his narratives in the topic March of Events "The Americans are most hospitable, kind hearted, generous and good natured" (238) but his frustration is also encoded in the lesson Return to India "I did not go to America as most of you know, for the Parliament of the Religions but this demon of a feeling was in me and within my soul I travelled twelve years all over India, finding no way to work for my countrymen, and that is why I went to America" (238). Hence, this narrative proves his frustration with his own countrymen being indifferent to his preaching and ideas.
But his prideful defense of earlier narrative is drastically changed latter on when he says," I am a countryman of yours, you the descendants of the most glorious Rishis the world ever saw I believe in patriotism" (274). In the topic The Plan of Work, he no longer only praises white Americans and Europeans but returning his narrative towards patriotism he tries to justify that after all he is a Hindu and he is proud of country where he was born.
"In terms of multiplicity of identity" (169), he contemplates over his own identity and people's criticism when he narrates, "Some would call you a saint, some a chandala; some a lunatic, others a demon"(154). Here, he contemplates over how people react to his work. He deliberately appeals his people to take him as a saint of spiritual philosophy but conflicting identity of nationality is also observed when writes," Western music is very good; there is in it a perfection of harmony, which we Indians have not attained" (150) on 10th April 1894 in New York.
his story is "a story of conversion through fall and enlightenment, a story of individual self making "(169). His biography depicts religious faiths, family history and cultural stereotypes. It is resembled in the narratives when he eulogizes about Advaita Philosophy," The Vedanta is the only light that lightens the sects and creeds of the world, the one principle of which all religions are only applications" (286). Here, he defines the importance of Vendantism. His story of individual self making and cultural stereotypes is cleared in the lines," Power comes to him who observe unbroken Brahmacharya for a period of twelve years with the sole object of realizing god. I have practiced that kind of Brahmacharya myself" (147).
Above narrative shows the contemporary cultural belief that one has to strongly leave all the worldly pleasures behind if one has to obtain enlightenment. If so, why he use to eat meat, used to live in luxurious apartments and used to be afraid of death comes as the conflicting ideas. But he accepts the real intension of going West and earning money when he says,"People here are sleeping on a bed of flowers, they eat all kinds of delicacies, while people in our country are dying of starvation. One of the objects of my going to the West to preach religion was to see if I could find any means for feeding the people of this country" (290). This shows at least, Vivekananda had understood hungry people need bread more than philosophy. So, he had a sense of what materialistic power could do.
The organizing principles are also employed in the biography such as photographs and illustrations embedded among the narratives to tell the story and involve the reader. There are photos in the early section of biography where his ancestral home, mother, master, himself on state of being enlightened as kali. Smith and Watson in their tool kit argue that, "The photo at once gives flesh to the narrator, embodying her for the reader"(170).hence, here, the use of photography brings the gaps between reader and the narrator more closer. It omits the distance of subjectivity and objectivity.
The time of telling the narrative is in his late thirties because according to his birth date he was enlightened in1886 (at the age of twenty three) and he went to America on 10th July 1893 (113). So, from these dates we can say that his telling is almost after his thirties. Similarly the times of past, present and future are organized chronologically in the telling of the story. So, the narrative relates a continuous chronology from birth to adolescence to adulthood.
The biographical narratives of addressing of multiple audiences from child to old age, from common official to high post officials he appeals. He appeals everyone to believe in God when he says," I hope you will have no bitterness. It is karma that brings us together and karma separates" (300). So, whoever comes before him is his addressee. There are silences and gaps about his family life which time and often puts him to regret. There is a little bit exposition when he regrets being unable to look after his family, brother and sister. He says, "My mistakes have been great. The peace the quit I am seeking I never found. I went years ago to the Himalayas, never to come back; and my sister committed suicide,  the news reached me there and that weak heart flung me off from that prospect of peace"(304). This provides us to look into the inner feelings of Vivekananda and helps us to find how deeply he was wounded form alienation of his family. But whatever, he could never control his desire of travelling.
In the "meanings of remembering"(172), Vivekananda especially emphasizes the saying of his master Ramakrishna Pramahans, " Wherever you will take me on your shoulders there I will go and stay be it under a tree or in a hut" (266). He also remembers his childhood about his character of donating money, food and other materials to Shadus and beggars in the topic Birth and Boyhood. He claims,"I have such a good memory. When I was only two years old, I use to play with my syce at being a vairagi, clothed in ashes and kaupina and if a sadhu came to beg, they would lock me in, upstairs, to prevent my giving too much away"(2). But his narrative does not focus much upon the act of remembering. Most of his visits are written in present tense. So, it is claimable that he has written his diaries during his visit to different places.
In terms of evidence, he writes actual speech delivered at the Parliament of Religions (128), and actual dates, photos and the reviews from international newspapers like Herald ( the greatest paper in Chicago) which states," Vivekananda is undoubtedly the greatest figure in the Parliament of Religions. After hearing him we feel how foolish it is to send missionaries to this learned nation" (131). In terms of authority and authenticity there is no doubt that his diary entries are edited and printed in the first person narratives. So, it seems more authentic. He is himself the experienced one and writer but the fallacy is that it is edited version.
So, everything and whole truth is never too good to expect by readers. According to the New Testament, John 5, it is quoted that " If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another witness of me and I know that witness which he witnesses of me is true" (31-32,176). Of course, here, he himself bears witnesses but the weakness is that whole truth about his another side of life is not lighted. only his diary journals are there thought narrating I is someone different from narrated i.
agency, is created through the greatness of his spiritual leadership as being a enlightened guru. So, the strategy of gaining strategy (176) is through his self spiritual enlightenment. in terms of relationality he talks about Ramakrishna Pramahans as the other, mentor and over all the great divine force helping him to achieve the grace of god. he talks about the greatness of his master saying, "Mother, I want nothing but knowledge and devotion. coming out of the temple I understood that all this was due to the master's soul" (32).
the act of narrating his life has brought the autobiographical narrator to different ways of knowing that single life. In the beginning, he shows his repulsion towards Buddhism by saying it a rebel child but in the last lesson I believe he admits Buddha and says, " The lord Buddha is my Ishta- my God. he preached no theory about god head- he was himself god, I fully believe it" (331).
in terms of collaborative autobiography (178), this is not as-told-to narrative. Rather, it is semi ghost written narrative. It is clarified by the preface section of the biography that "the original publisher, Swami Sambuddhananda was general secretary  of the Swami Vivekananda Centenary committee which was dissolved after its work was completed.
so, overall technically analyzing biography of swami Vivekananda we find him as the spiritual seeker, imperialist, even escapist from reality. He made his family starve to death while he visited round the world. The narrative methodology is quite coherently applied in this biography. techniques and tool kits of autobiographical narratology may prove it to be a good biography but to talk about essence, Vivekananda has stood as the spokesperson of Hinduism, devotee to his master, strength of religion, a travel pleasure seeker. Hence, there is strong reason to claim that he comes as a first grade missionary of Hinduism.





Works Cited
Smith, Sidonie., and Julia Watson. Reading Autobiography: A Guide for Interpreting Life Narratives. London: University of Minnesota Press, 2010. 165-183. Print.
Bodhasaranda, Swami., and Swami Sambudhananda. Swami Vivekananda On Himself. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, May 2012. Print.
New Testament; Psalm's Proverbs( John 5;31:32). Nashville: The Gideons International, 2010.176. Print.
Mani, Lata. "Interleaves:Ruminations on Illness and Spiritual Life". New York: Yoda Press, Oct.4 2011. Print.
Horner, Winifrred Bryan, ed. "Life Writing". New Jersy: Prentice Hall, 1997. Print.

Shanghai as the modern city of the East in Tom Bradby's "The Master of Rain"

Shanghai as the modern city of the east in tom bradby's novel the master of rain
Tom Bradby's novel The Master of Rain is an immensely atmospheric, gripping detective story with just the right mixture of exoticism, violence and romance. The atmospheric menace of twenties Shanghai are brought to vivid life. It was exotic, sexually liberated and pulsing with life. It was a place and time of modernity where anything seems possible by money. For the major character, Richard Field, it represents a brave new world; away from the past he is trying to escape. So, how this novel grips the theme of modernism in terms of money, lust and media which brood Shanghai as the modern city of the East is the researchable issue.
In the book of Modernist Studies by Routeledge, it is justified that,"The city is the location where more visible signs of modernity were to be found in the highest concentration; for example electric light, motorized transport, boulevards, telephone wired and departmental stores" (181). In Bradby's novel such features are frequently presented. The story starts from the central investigation department of British government during the time of post British rule in Shanghai. Shanghai was actually known as little Russia during that period. After Bolshevik revolution (1917) in Russia, many Russian aristocrats, army generals and government officials migrated in Shanghai in 1920s. Thus Russian deserted aristocratic people incepted new Shanghai life that boomed as the central attraction of the modernity even for the West also.
This novel describes a paradigm shift from old conventions and cultures to modern society thematically as well as technically also. It describes how the mafia culture dominated the world of modern Shanghai. It explores how criminal activities range from drug corporation to savage murders. It narrates how people were victimized by poverty. It eroticizes how the liberation of the sex crime as the culture of modernity for surviving in the city. It laments over the emotional attachment which modern people have lost.
In chapter three Field describes the road of Shanghai," Hundreds of rickshaws were ploughing through a milling throng of people, jostling towards the market place" (37). This paragraph describes the crowd of people trolling through the market as a major symbol of modernity. In the place, where modernity starts to leave its steps, the first and most important sign in the increment of population. In the novel Shanghai's population increment is because of immigrant Russians as described by Field in chapter four," A lot of the white Russians who fled the Bolsheviks live here and have shops and small business. There are thousands of them here now, most in a desperate situation- all formal army officers and their families or professionals or aristocrats"(48).
Along with the rise of population modern notions of differentiation develops, capitalism boosts and the city gets born. In chapter four, the new face of modern Shanghai can be observed when Field describes about its external geography in a letter to his sister, "The big groups here are the Americans and the British and they have build great houses and offices of the Bund- the waterfront which makes the city felt like Paris or New York" (47). This shows that Shanghai has stepped in the time modernity in China as the representation of East's new life.
Field also asserts that there seems nothing that one can't buy in Shanghai and there is so much for sale. Another most important feature of city is that if you have money, you can almost buy anything. So, the obsession of money guides the psychology of the modern men. Hence, money is the commonest denominator. Everything is reduced to money. In the essay by George Simmel it is stated that," The money economy dominates the metropolis. Only money economy has filled the days of so many people with weighing, calculating, with numerical determinations, with the reduction of qualitative values to quantitative values" (185).
Monetary psychology is mainly observed in the confession of Natasha Medvedev; the female protagonist of the novel. She clarifies how she came to the prostitution," We went on telling him that we were teaching and he knew that we are poor, but believed that we were honest. Our hunger grew and then papa was ill and needed medicine and we had no money for that. I have no one. So, I go down to rue Wagner and I take off my clothes" (413). Such condition of undesired, repulsive compulsion of selling once body is a feature of experiencing modernity in 1920s Shanghai. it was also the time when there was corruption of American dream as presented in F. Scott Fitzerald's novel The Great Gatsby.
Another prominent feature of modern Shanghai is media. The mushrooming of print media, especially news papers shows the viral culture of modernity. Not only that but such news papers used to be reported with crime, murder, thrilling actions and political propaganda. In novel, certain popular newspapers and magazines of that time are frequently repeated. In chapter four, Field observes the newspapers put on his table reading the name ," China Weekly Review, Voice of China, Shopping News, Law Journal, New York Times, Daily Mail, The North China Daily News, The Shanghai Times, The Evening Times, Echo, The Evening Mercury and The Journal de Shanghai" (45).
Many crime stories of murder is revealed by Field through the archives of newspaper. He comes to concrete decision of Lena Orlov's murder through the archives of Daily China Mail. He comes to find out the serial killer and finally threatens Chinese mafia Lu to his secret illegal transaction of money and under world business of drugs to inform to New York Times if he does not free Natasha Medvedev.
" If anything befalls me or the girl, or the boy, then you will have a front page article in the New York Times all to yourself and that will just be the beginning of your problems" (575). So, how media was the best propaganda player, detective agency and the secret flasher during those times is exposed in this novel.
Another remarkable feature of modernity is lust. In chapter twenty eight, the love making scene between Field and Natasha is narrated very erotically, "She inhaled sharply as he traced his fingures down between her breasts, slipping them inside her gown. He put his lips to his skin. He sank to his knees, feeling the curve of the breast with his hand, her nipple hard as he took it into his mouth. His hands ran off her thighs, over her hips and between her legs. He kissed her harder and she leant back, holding the door frame behind her with one hand and his head with the other, her breathing punctuated in almost inaudible gaps" (315).
This novel is technically full of lust and sensuality that makes the vulgarity of languages. It shows people desiring sexual freedom without the concern of emotional intimacy. There was lack of emotional love because it could bring you responsibility and burden of economy. It is manifested in the reply of Sergie; the former band friend of Lena Orlov who replies to Caprissi in a question whether he knew anything personal about her or not.
"I fuck her sometimes. Sometimes she comes here and cry and I let her, then I fuck her some more. We only fucked nothing else" (151). It verifies the mutual strangeness. As a result of this according to Simmel, "Touch and go elements of metropolitan life necessitates our reserve" (187).
The power of money controlling the faith of the people of city is also exposed in this novel. Chinese mafia Lu has control over Shanghai through his illegal business of money and opium. He has bought every high class government officials and form the syndicate called Cabal. It is expressed by Sergie in question from Field about Lu," Cabal has guarded its secret walls. It’s a syndicate. Its about connections. Lu provides the opium and then they stack it into the machines and import huge quantities of it into Europe. The authorities here, the police, everyone is well managed" (435).
Simmel in his critical essay verifies the power of money in modern life and trade claiming," Money with all it colorness and indifference, becomes the common denominator of all values. All things float with equal specific gravity in the constantly moving stream of money" (187).
The sense of this reserve can be seen in the narratives of Natasha about Lena. Being a next door neighbor Natasha seems quiet indifferent to the murder of Lena. Being in the same flat Natasha didn’t use to care and talk with Lena. It shows the blasé attitude (186) of modern man as claimed by Simmel. Natasha didn’t know what was happening with Lena when inquired by detectives. She simply says them," There is nothing I can do for you" (30). Due to the intensification of nervous stimulation, she doesn't want to involve in the chaos. She wants to defend her freedom. She doesn't want to get hurt by mafia. So, to protect her own privacy, freedom, and individuality, the indifference to Lena's murder becomes her necessity. So, as argued by Simmel as a modern people, she reacts with her head instead of heart" (184).
The overall tone and theme of the novel is strongly clutched by money psychology. Field is guided by urban mind. Geoffrey Donaldson is guided by urban mind. Master of all mafia Lu Huang is the stake holder of all that. Field is overwhelmed by 'How much' (187) psychology because he even couldn't buy a new suit due to lack of money. He wears the same suit from his home (Ireland); thick and white. So, he is even called polar bear by his friend Caprissi. He writes about money to his sister.
"My salary is yet, very poor, allowing me to survive but no more. I will get on, though and make some money here. Lu is making too much money to want Bolshevik revolution" (51). This clarifies how money, mafia and metropolis are connected. Hence, it justifies Shanghai as the thrilling modern city.
Above all crime, drug dealing and illegal transaction of money is also one of the extraordinary feature of modern city. Shanghai has all these qualities here. Shanghai presents the grim picture of modern, communal gang war. When the head of CID Patrick Granger is shot dead by the gangs of Lu, we can observe the trend of modern war.
"He swung himself round as the door above him opened and he saw Patrick Granger charging out, as if in slow motion, his gun in his hand. He fired. He was shouting. Field turned his head once more to see a man towering above him, a machine gun in his hand" (496).
This novel presents how the mafia used money to buy and dominate the police and other government officials. It s clear when a letter informing Field that his account was credited by six hundred dollors in a single night comes from the Honkong Shanghai Bank."New credit;$ 600, Account balance;$ 1,012" (338).
No sense of security also hunts Natasha which makes her keep her mouth closed about her own background, story of migration and Lena's history. So, the very sense of loss of security haunts the city people that can be observed in Natasha. She even hides the reality of her own nephew. She fears that mafia and government will find her. She fears that she might lose freedom.
The novel moves around the undetectable features of city. It has everything that makes a city life worth. The review by the times magazine says that," Bradby has used his years as a foreign correspondent to imagine corruption, debauchery, violence and mutual racism of a city that fused some of the Worst Asian and European values" (Printed in the preface page of the novel).
In the beginning of the novel, the lift is described which acts as the sign of upliftment from the rustic, rural area to high fashionable capitalist society. The lift is the prominent indicator of the medium that has carried people from rural life style into a most exotic world. In the first chapter the narrator says," Caprissi hit the button and the lift began to move" (19).
The thrilling scenes of money, mafia, with media is well represented here which marks Shanghai as the city of prominent modernity. Money allures all and forces them to earn it, mafia that earns the most quantity of money controls media. Media gets new propaganda due the crimes money and mafia create. Media wants crime and murder for it TRP (Television Rating Point).  It is a very characteristic of modernity that haunts everyone to be the number one in the society. Hence, all these elements are interconnected to each other to create a thrilling paranoma of modernity and the city in this novel. Shanghai ultimately stands as fragmented metropolis where everything was for sale-especially human beings.

Works cited
Bradby, Tom."The Master of Rain." London: Corgi Books, Bantam Press, 2002. Print.
Simmel, Georg."The Metropolis and Mental Life." Tr. and ed. Kurt H. Wolf.The Sociology of Georg Simmel. New York: Tree Press of Glencoe, 1964.182-190. Print.
Childs, Peter. Modernism: The New Critical Idiom, 2^nd ed. London:

Should Students be allowed to grade teachers inTU

Should Students be Allowed to Grade Teachers
I am a student of  MA in Tribhuvan University. Now I am in the third semester with English in major. We all are evaluated on the basis of grading system. The result of second semester is still to come whereas the result of first semester was a bit personally satisfactory to me. But it was quite shocking to all of us as a whole. Of course, there is proper criteria for grading the students but it has been experienced that only few teachers have been adopting that procedure. Those who applied it were also found with no real seriousness in it.
The result collectively proved that there is no clear distinctions  between hardworking, extra-talent, genuine readers, out seekers and efficiently less working students. It was found that even those students who never term papers, never made notes up to date, even gaped their attendance intentionally have easily got 3.7, 3.8. Hence, the huge question arises here: Are our teachers well known or well experienced with the new semester system of grading and teaching ?
Of course, when the result of first semester showed that there is almost no scientific evaluation by teachers its claimable that teachers should also be graded after the end of each semester. It is found that those students especially lady students who most often have sweet chats with their lectures and professors have easily scored A and B+. So, the result impacted great disappointment among friends who have strongly devoted to their studies but couldn't receive as per their expectation. So, shouldn't  be teachers graded to bring better output ?
In an online article by www.debate.org/oinions it is stated that "to allow teachers to see their progress as educators, students should be able to grade their  teachers because when they are graded they want to grade right back. Even teachers need to know how they are doing. If students are able to grade their teachers the teachers can look back and focus on what is failing in their teaching and work to make it better."
Now the real question comes of teaching according to the semester system. First is there any teachers who have passed their MA in semester which they are teaching now ? The first question is related with the experience of being taught in that system for to be able to be fully grasp the norms and ethics of semester system. It can guide them if not else. So without being accustomed in that system how can one be a good leader of that system. Here, of course our teachers can argue strongly that annual or semester, its just the stuff of teaching. Of course, its all about teaching but its never about passive teaching like annual where teacher is all in all boss for whole class.
In the same article by debate.org/opinions it is justified that "teachers must be graded because sometimes teachers grade us based on their opinions so why shouldn't we have the freedom of speech. Plus the fact is we are all humans. Here, teachers think themselves all knowing when they have not."
Teachers must be active. They must make the class interactive. They should conduct the presentation regularly in a procedural way. They should give and check assignments regularly. But only few teachers are found to be doing all these sort of ethical duty. Many just come, sit, turn the page of book and start delivering their monologic lecture. To sit for one and half an hour just listening the one sided lecture has become so monotonous and intolerable. Everyday, we are given lots of stuff to read but except few teachers many just come, pour their lecture and leave their class. Is it semesterable?
In the same article by debate.org/opinions it is verified that "accountability is a two way street. Teachers are accountable to students for creating an environment that fosters learning. They do this with their attitude, knowledge, maturity, sensivity, respect, judgment, enthusiasm, connection, etc. That’s a lot to bring  to the table and they should be graded on how well they are able to bring it." So, teachers shouldn't be graded like us in our University? If not why? Have anyone thought what may be the dreadful consequences of its negligence? Its indifference may be a blunder joke upon the future of whole students.
All teachers may not be equally competitive as semester system expects them to be. Again it can be like raising ethical question towards our teachers according to our Eastern culture but in the name of teachers should we accept anyone taking the pen and duster. And for your kind information some teachers get stitched to their chairs. They love their chairs such passionately. So, if grading to teachers will be deliberately implemented after the end of each semester, some chairteacher will feel necessary to leave their chair and walk around us. They should acknowledge that they are teachers not the chief guest of music progamme.
In a similar online article by www.mobile.nytimes.org/bolgs/learning it is argued that teachers should be able to know their personal attitude and about how they are acting from students perspective. Teachers also can be informed on why some students don't like them. grading teachers will revolutionize the learning experience.
Some teachers even don't have information course. They are so deeply involved in their course only. Sometimes it leads to confusion without proper extra information. But, if there will be grading system it will surely empower teachers to be alert an updated. Yes, we raise questions. Sometimes, serious questions but simply they reply its your duty to read and know; you are students. We have already passed your level might be how we did it. We have done it. This is the current position. It feels they have got tyrannical authority over us.
In an online article by www.essay.lib.com it is clearly claimed that "it is quite reasonable to grade teachers because one cannot evaluate his/her work him/herself objectively. Students can mention their teachers mistakes, especially if he is inexperienced and can not organize the educational process coreectly."
In the first semester, we encountered similar incident. The story is we were provided Academic Writing teacher in Poetry. The teacher himself confessed that he is totally new to this subject. We demanded that the teacher should be given his respective subject. We wrote application to department  also but it was not heard. The problem was there was no extra and replaceable man power. Look here, the administration's inability to manage the University education. Even they are not serious about their country's major University.
In a similar context Alan Sutliff , an educator from Kent, Washington in an online article by www.neatoday.org, agrees that "the feedback is useful and important, but only if its used for improving teaching and not for high stake decision." In her statement she is in support of grading teachers but slightly differs by arguing that it must be academic and scientific not political. If that grading system creates political groups and the situation of chaos inside university it will be too dangerous to nation but ultimately whole education process will get weak.
Teachers of their respective mastery field are sometimes not much tempting and insightful. They find themselves very difficult to manage their course plan. They have to take extra classes to complete the course in every semester. Towards the end of semester they come to finish the whole book in a single day. May be it’s a fallacy of department of  being unable to design the course plan properly but still teachers should not take too many periods in some topics and others not. At least they should divide the time proportionately so that we need not have to feel the whole pressure at the end. Such negligence should be solved immediately. At least, the administration must take reports from teachers about their progress monthly.
Nicole Germann, a teacher from Watseka, Illinois in an online article of neatoday.org invites feedback from students and welcomes it, but would not welcome having them officially evaluate her performance arguing "Many students would  evaluate fairly, which many might not." Yes, she is correct that there may be prejudices in grading but if you are good then why to worry about some critical feedback that can reshape your relationship with those students fairly. It can teach teachers what they need to do for further improvement in their attitude and behavior. One important thing is that such misjudgment must never be deliberately to avenge one's personal grudges against any teacher.
Public wants to judge the performance of construction workers because if you don't they don't need to do well at their job, and public are the best critics for the construction workers. Similarly, the student is the teacher's best critic and feedback of the students helps the teacher to improve their methods and realize that students are capable of teaching too. So, it's very essential to proceed the system of grading teachers after each semester.