Blindness and Sight - Lack of Insight in King Lear :: King Lear essays

King Lear:   The Theme of Blindness (Lack of Insight)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      In Shakespeare's classic tragedy, King Lear, the issue of sight and its relevance to clear vision is a recurring theme.   Shakespeare's principal means of portraying this theme is through the characters of Lear and Gloucester. Although Lear can physically see, he is blind in the sense that he lacks insight, understanding, and direction. In contrast, Gloucester becomes physically blind but gains the type of vision that Lear lacks. It is evident from these two characters that clear vision is not derived solely from physical sight. Lear's failure to understand this is the principal cause of his demise, while Gloucester learns to achieve clear vision, and consequently avoids a fate similar to Lear's. Throughout most of King Lear, Lear's vision is clouded by his lack of insight. Since he cannot see into other people's characters, he can never identify them for who they truly are. When Cordelia angers Lear, Kent tries to reason with Lear, who is too stubborn to remain open-minded. Lear responds to Kent's opposition with, "Out of my sight," to which Kent responds, "See better, Lear, and let me still remain" (I.i.160). Here, Lear is saying he never wants to see Kent again, but he could never truly see him for who he is. Kent was only trying to do what was best for Lear, but Lear could not see that. Kent's vision is not clouded, as is Lear's, and he knows that he can remain near Lear as long as he is in disguise. Later, Lear's vision is so superficial that the physical garments and simple disguise that Kent wears easily dupe him. Lear cannot see who Kent really is. He only learns of Kent's noble and honest character just prior to his death, when his vision is cleared. By this time, ho wever, it is too late for an honest relationship to be salvaged. Lear's vision is also marred by his lack of direction in life, and his poor foresight, his inability to predict the consequences of his actions. He cannot look far enough into the future to see the consequences of his actions. This, in addition to his lack of insight into other people, condemns his relationship with his most beloved daughter, Cordelia. When Lear asks his daughters who loves him most, he already thinks that Cordelia has the most love for him.

Review of The Epic of Eden Essay

The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament. Sandra L. Richter, Intervarsity press, 2008. ISBN: 978+8308-2577-6 Albert Einstein once said â€Å"Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. † This is an extremely powerful quote, and I will seek to convey its strength, as applied to our lives as Christians, upon the careful review of Sandra L. Richter’s The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament. Richter designed this text as merely a tool by which we might further our understanding of the Old Testament narrative. With one minor glitch in her system, Richter handled the task as that of an expert in the field would – with patience, attention to central detail, and arresting dialogue designed to pull the reader in and leave them starving for more. Richter prefaced The Epic of Eden with a mind-boggling introduction that left no doubt in my mind that this was going to be an enlightening read, and I don’t say this casually. The second definition of the word enlighten, according to Merriam- Webster, is â€Å"to give spiritual insight to†, and Richter disguised a promise of nlightenment within the initial pages of this text. As a perfect example of this concealed assurance, Richter states that the end result of a church not knowing their Old Testament history is that â€Å"The church does not know who she is, because she does not know who she was†(17). These words resonate with the threat of a Christian identity crisis, while at the same time, the promise of an assured, powerful, Christian identity. One of the more profound ideas in Richter’s Epic of Eden is her use of an effective metaphor is chapter one. â€Å"†¦ we need to get past the great barrier – that hasm of history, language, and culture that separates us from our heroes in the faith† (21). This comparison seems to collect all of the hesitancies, the reservations, and the relative fear in understanding the Old Testament, and places them in a neat little package aptly titled the great barrier. Richter wasted no time in eliciting the appropriate internal response: there is a barrier to my knowledge of the Old Testament, and I am largely the reason that barrier exists. It became immediately obvious to me that, should I want to remove this barrier and learn more of who I am, nd where I came from, and dare I say, where I’m going, then I will require further reading. That promise of enlightenment, at this point, has become an extremely dominant theme. Richter takes a superb approach to answering the question of â€Å"How? † How will we, as Christians recognizing the need for Old Testament knowledge, come to understand the features of the Old Testament most relevant to who we are, where we have come from, and where we are going? Richter makes reference to the â€Å"dysfunctional closet syndrome† (18), a metaphor she uses to relate he idea that we possess a disorganized, collective array of varying thought and knowledge processes relevant to our Old Testament experience. In order to gain a full, working comprehension of our history, we must organize our ‘closets’, and become familiar with the pieces that are stuffed inside. Richter begins her teaching that we tend to see things through the lens of our own experiences, our own societies, our own cultures. This strengthens the great barrier in that we are not able to appreciate the events of the Old Testament, due in part to the differences between hat we know, and about that which we read. Richter points out that â€Å"†¦ to truly understand their story, we need to step back and allow their voices to be heard in the timbre in which they first spoke. We need to do our best to see their world through their eyes† (22). Richter allows the reader to identify this facet of the great barrier as more than a mere hindrance to understanding. Richter begins her breakdown of the Old Testament by stating the overall theme of the text- redemption. I would be hard pressed to find a more appropriate motivating factor in persuading one to truly nderstand the Old Testament. This is the ultimate goal in the life ofa Christian: to be redeemed by the Father for the wayward life lived as a human, who could never hope to prevail without it. Richter explains that the word redemption was actually adopted from â€Å"†¦ the laws and mores of Israel’s patriarchal, tribal culture† (40). She goes on to reference several popular stories from the Old Testament, in order to allow the reader to fully grasp the concept of redemption as it was applied in Old Testament text. The following are two examples: Ruth and Boaz – â€Å"But in his ntegrity, Boaz chooses to embrace the responsibility of a patriarch and become Ruth’s gdel – her ‘kinsman-redeemer† (42). Lot and Abraham – Lot and his household are invaded by a â€Å"†¦ oalition of Kings from Mesapotamia†¦ † (43), and Abraham, being Lot’s uncle, swoops in to save him (accompanied by hundreds of his family members). â€Å"So Abraham puts own household on the line, his own life on the line, in order to rescue his brother’s son from a strong enemy against whom he had no defense. This is anothe r expression of ‘redemption in Israel’s world† (43). The author uses these to nhance our understanding, on a more personal level, of the word redemption, and later, the impact it would have on the life of a faithful Christian when dealt by the hand of God. Richter begins to â€Å"organize our closets† by explaining the â€Å"†¦ real time and space – real people, real places, real faith† (47). In order to understand our Old Testament story, we must first â€Å"†¦ know something about the time and space our heroes occupied† (47). She does this by identifying the five â€Å"key players† (47): Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, and their approximate time within the context of ur history. Richter, I believe, uses these figures as the framework of her explanation because each holds extreme value in the overall story of redemption. There are many stories involving other players in the Old Testament, but these five are the ones that have experiences directly relevant to our redemption. This was a masterfully crafted technique, and one I appreciate for its value in my own Old Testament comprehension. Next, Richter attempts to tackle the â€Å"real space† that these heroes occupied. Before delving into the topic, Richter acknowledges the idea that â€Å". eography is a trauma-inducing topic for some folks† (55). Remember in the first paragraph when I touched on the idea that there was a minor glitch in her system? Her attempt at wading through the waters of the geographical flood that stands ever- present in my mind failed miserably. Geography that we learn about in modern-day American education is one thing, and easy enough. Geography pertaining to the bible was an entirely different monster before reading Richter’s Epic of Eden, and it depictions of the space referenced in the text. But after her initial easy-to- nderstand reference of the pertinent places, the text became Jumbled, and I found myself constantly going back to check the maps, and then losing my train of thought. I continued on this annoying cycle throughout the entire explanation of space. I was ultimately left feeling confused and asking more questions, which resulted in the loss of information that I feel I should have been able to retain. Richter did an excellent job of keeping me entertained enough to forge ahead in my thirst for Old Testament knowledge by explaining in great detail the covenants that were held by the key layers of the Old Testament. To be quite honest, before reading Epic of Eden, I was only fully aware of the covenants between Adam and God, and between Noah and God, and I was only vaguely aware of the covenant between Abraham and God. I was delighted that Richter tackled these stories as someone with a strong passion for spreading the gospel. Because of the time and depth that she put into portraying each covenant, I am left with a broader understanding of each of the covenants, and of how they relate to my story, my redemption. Overall, Epic of Eden delivered on its (albeit hidden) promise of enlightenment. I have come a long way in the time it has taken me to read this book, and this can be attributed to the organized, complete set of facts that Richter pulled from the bible for use in aiding my comprehension, my enlightenment. I can now pick up the Old Testament, open to any page, and with my newfound knowledge, I can understand the story and know that it is also my story. An allusion to Einstein’s quote – I have found understanding, and so it is that I now experience peace.

Analyse the Pricipal Causes of the Spanish Civil War

Analyse the principal causes of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) Many historians have said that the Spanish Civil war was fuelled by political, economical, international ambitions and social conditions. The combat which was happening between socialism and fascism that dominated Europe, around the time of the war, only made matters worse. Spain was a monarchy in 1920 when King Alphonso XIII was in reign. The monarchy collapsed during 1931 due to the fact that the Spanish people detested the King and the dictatorial regimes which he supported.The monarchy was overthrown by the republicans once the downfall of General Miguel Primo de Rivera’s government came on the 29th January 1930. The Wall Street Crash is what led Rivera and his dictatorial regime to downfall it was only normal for King Alphonso XIII and the monarchy, which were in support of Rivera’s regime, to be targeted and overthrown. Where Spain stood politically, economically and socially reveals the prime cause s of the Spanish Civil War.Throughout this essay I will be analysing the principal causes of the Spanish Civil War by looking at the political, economical and social causes which contributed towards the war. After the monarchy was overthrown, the 2nd republic was created. The 2nd republic consisted of liberals and communists, also known as the left wing. This caused tension between the left and right wing due to the fact that the right wing mostly consisted of fascists and conservatives. The left wing however, realised that they did not possess all the power by simply leading the 2nd republic.The right wing consisted of the army and the Catholic party CEDA. The army was used to being in power especially when they were under the reign of King Alphonso XIII (because of his dictatorial means) so when the new government (led by Manuel Azana) decreased the army’s political importance and their costs were cut it only angered the right wing even further causing more of a tension bet ween both wings. CEDA, the right wing party, dedicated to protecting the authority of the Roman Catholic Church and landlords, was led by Gil Robles and had the support of many Spaniards from the upper classes.The government started addressing and attacking churches and land owners claiming that they had too much privileges in the society, the government only did this once they realised the power CEDA possessed and the influence and support that it has. The attack was seen as a means to alter and redeem some of the power which CEDA possessed, however this was a fail. This is when the fight between fascism and socialism began to take place; building up, along with other causes, to the Spanish Civil War.Spain’s economy was very poor and the Wall Street Crash only made it worse for Spain. Spain had an underdeveloped industrial sector that made them suffer economically. Industrial workers could not get jobs and the threat of inflation only made matters worse. The government wasnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t in support of peasants or landlords and this widened the gap between the poor and the rich. It became evident to the poor that the government were not supporting them resulting in the government losing support. All these issues were making Spain more and unstable both socially and economically.Spain suffered from agricultural poverty, land was owned by the wealthy and the wealthy preferred to benefit from their own wealth rather than grant land to peasants. The government introduced the Agrarian law of 1932 which was the distribution of land among peasant, this process however was failure and the government then introduced the Cases Viejas revolt during 1933, this however led to the suppression of members of the right wing by the government and this suppression lost them a great deal of support.Due to the great deal of support which the government lost, over the accusations of government troops killing 25 people in search of anarchists, Azana resigned from Prime Minister an d the elections which were called in November 1933 were won by CEDA. The most vital issue which caused social unrest was the independence which Basque and the province Catalonia region were demanding. These regions were culturally and ethically different from the rest of the country hence why they wanted to separate themselves and constitute their own government.This did not go down well with the army, who were in the right wing, due to the fact that they preferred the idea of unity instead of the idea of autonomy. The army’s state of thinking almost reflects Spain’s old-fashion social structure where the rich had the â€Å"bread† and left the peasants with â€Å"crumbs†. Wealthy landlords and ‘aristocracy’ had extensive political influence and used it in favour of themselves.The right wing, specifically CEDA and the army were representing the upper class as well as defending the Roman Catholic Church; the army played more of a role in taking full advantage of its power rather than defending the Roman Catholic Church or representing the upper class. The left wing, however, were willing to give Basque and Catalonia their independence. They were following in the footsteps of the British government in the sense they wanted everyone to be equal in the eyes of the law.The right wing did not accept any changes made after the monarchy was abolished as they were clear representatives of the privileged and the rich; this difference in interest between the two parties caused some social instability. To make matters worse the radical left wing had carried out and displayed many acts of violence, weakening the already feeble country. Overall, the difference of interest within the left, right wing and the radical left contributed to the arrival of the Spanish Civil war.The society was unsure and had little faith in Spain due to its poor and failing economy. The social tension which arose from Basque and Catalonia’s demand for independence, only added to the many other problems that Spain was already struggling to handle. The social, economical and political causes of the Spanish Civil war has been analysed in the essay and it can be summed up that the main causes was the social instability and the difference of interest between the political parties. BIBLIOGRAPHY http://ibhistory. wikidot. com/4

How I felt on September 11, 2001

How I felt on September 11, 2001 On the morning of September 11, 2001 I awoke thinking that this would yet be another typical Tuesday; little did I know that this day would change my life forever. Seeing two of our countries largest towers collapse was the scariest thing I have ever faced. After witnessing the pain and sorrow of that horrible day I realized now the same nightmares we see on television across the globe are actually happening in our own backyard.Over the course of the week following the attack, coverage of the search for victims and perpetrators was everywhere. Like most Americans I am sure, I was not able to tear myself away from the television until the real damage became apparent. Despite the media?s pleas for blood donations, they weren?t needed. There were barely any intact bodies found- let alone survivors.There are two images I still to this day cannot seem to get out of my mind.The Statue of Liberty front shot, on Liberty Islan...One is of a man in a suit jumping out of a top floor and falling to his death. He reminded me of a father who had put on his tie that morning in attempt to go to work in attempt to achieve the American Dream, only to be forced between burning alive or being killed upon the impact of his body with the momentum hitting the concrete sidewalk.The other image is of a girl my age with her mother and younger brother holding up a picture of her father, describing him while sobbing and begging for people to look for him in the surrounding hospitals. She looked so horrified and heart broken. I wanted so badly for her father to come home and say, ?Everything is okay.? More than anything, the attack has made me sad. I am sad for the victims?...

My Favorite Stephen Sondheim Musicals

My Favorite Stephen Sondheim Musicals Born March 22nd, 1930, Stephen Sondheim seemed destined to become one of America’s most beloved figures in American theater. When he was only ten years old, he moved with his mother to the Pennsylvanian countryside. There, he became neighbors and friends with the family of Oscar Hammerstein II. In his teens, Sondheim began writing musicals. When he showed Hammerstein his work, the famed lyricist explained that it was awful – but he also told him why it was awful. An amazing mentorship began. Hammerstein provided him one-on-one instruction and advice and gave Sondheim difficult yet creative challenges which honed the young artist’s songwriting skills. In 1956, Sondheim was chosen to write the lyrics for Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story. Soon after, he created the lyrics for the amazingly successful Gypsy. By the early 1960s, Stephen Sondheim was ready for his compositions to premiere on Broadway. Today, he is beloved among sophisticated audiences and performers alike. Here is a list of my favorite musicals by Stephen Sondheim: #1) Into the Woods I had the pleasure of watching the original Broadway production when I was 16 years old. At the time, I absolutely loved the first act, which plays like a wonderfully crafted and complex fairy tale comedy, ideal for the entire family. During the second half, however, I was quite disturbed by all the chaos and death. The story became too much like real life. And, of course, that’s the point of the show, a transition from fantasy to reality, or from adolescence to adulthood. Gradually, after listening to the soundtrack, and growing a bit older myself, I have come to love and appreciate both acts of this fun and fascinating musical. #2) Sweeney Todd It’s difficult to find a more violent musical than Sweeney Todd. And it’s difficult to find a more haunting melody than Sondheim’s â€Å"Johanna Reprise,† a hypnotic song that mixes beauty, longing, and murder. This is the story of a demented barber who seeks revenge, but goes way too far, driven mad in his lust for bloodshed. (It’s one thing to reap vengeance; it’s another thing to stuff people into meat pies.) Despite the carnage and cannibalism, there is a dark, infectious humor throughout Sweeney Todd, elevating this dreary story to genius. #3) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum If you’re looking for a show that has a simple, laugh-out-loud happy ending, then Stephen Sondheim’s first success as composer/lyricist is the musical for you. During the show’s test run in Washington, D.C., Forum received negative reviews and apathetic reactions from the audience. Fortunately, director and self-proclaimed â€Å"play doctor† George Abbott suggested that they scrap the opening song, â€Å"Love Is in the Air.† Sondheim agreed and created the bouncy, hilarious number, â€Å"Comedy Tonight.† The new opening number energized Broadway audiences, eliciting laughter (and long lines at the box office). #4) Sunday in the Park with George Filled with beautiful songs and exquisite sets, Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George was inspired by the artwork of Georges Seurat, in particular his painting â€Å"A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.† I love stories that examine the lives of artistic geniuses – even if their history is fictionalized a great deal, as is the case with Sunday in the Park with George. The first act focuses on Seurat’s passions: his art and his mistress. The second act transitions to the 1980s, showing the struggles of a modern artist, George (the fictional grandson of Seaurat). Whenever I’m working on a creative project that takes a lot of concentration, I inevitably start to sing â€Å"Putting It Together,† one of my favorite Sondheim tunes, and an insightful commentary on the artistic process. #5) Company For me, this is the most â€Å"Sondheimish† of Stephen Sondheim’s musicals. The lyrics are funny, complicated, and emotional. Each song is like a cathartic experience for the characters. The basic premise: It’s Robert’s 35th birthday. He is still unmarried, and tonight all of his married friends will be throwing him a party. In the process, Robert analyzes his life and the relationships of his friends. It ran for 705 performances on Broadway, and earned six Tony Awards. So, why do I have it as my 5th favorite Sondheim musical? Perhaps it’s simply a personal thing. When I was a kid, listening to show-tunes such West Side Story and Sound of Music, I was vaguely familiar with Company. I liked the songs, but I could not connect with the characters. I assumed that when I became an adult that things would change, that I would eventually like to drink coffee, discuss real estate, and behave like the characters in Company. None of those things happened. Despite my own short comings, I still enjoy the songs and the non-linear storytelling style of Company. What’s Missing? Of course, there are many other great Sondheim works that didn’t make my personal list. Musicals such as Follies and Assassins never struck a chord with me. Tony Award winning Passion almost made my list, but because I’ve watched the video and not a live production, perhaps I wasn’t as entranced by the show as others have been. And what about Merrily We Roll Along? Although it flopped on Broadway, some would argue that it features Sondheim’s most heartfelt songs.

American Revolution or Evolution

Doesnt it enthrall one that a single word could bifurcate scholars and create factions amongst the erudite. Tort quo © (why? ) there must be a reason and there is! The answer is simple yet rational: Perspective. Albert Einstein, (the famous physicist) most remembered by his theory of relativity, concluded that distance and time were not absolute. History resides In the same niche. It Is more than a chronological account of past events of a period or a livelihood or development of a people, an institution, or a place. But what it is not is absolute. It is always left upon interpretation, scrutiny, analysis, probing and pondering. The perception or perspective gained through such rigorous processes is also subject to the base of a historian. It Is very uncommon to find historians sharing their bases of initial learning and therefore the effect of their own era, age, surroundings and upbringing must also be taken account of. A revolution, defined by Encyclopedia Britannica Is: a major. Sudden, and hence typically a violent alteration in government and in related associations and structures.On the other hand Oxford dictionary defines an evolution as: the gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a more complex form. Let us decide upon the usage of the word Revolution, which one can venture out to say, could be dated from the year 1775 with Its Ignition being the battle of Lexington and Concord and culmination being the ratification of the constitution of the states In 1782. Seemingly easy doesnt It? It doesnt really respond to how fundamentally did the thoughts, ideals, ideology and mindset of a 2. 5 million inhabitants change and led to the chain of events that became known as the American Revolution.What I believe Is that no people In the course of history have ever rebelled against a certain state, condition or Ideology without a buildup of grievances, resentment or a gradual shift of attitude towards accepting a better sadomasochism. Lets go back to the early 17th century when immigrations began to take place into the New World. Herds of folks comprising of German, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Jewish descent and not to mention the French Hugeness, began pouring into the lands in order to escape from the fetters of the Old World.They did not have any more an appetite for its rituals, its citrines, Its curbing of call liberties, and mostly the cost of living In It, One can even of the aforementioned causes. So it would be appropriate to say that a 17th ce ntury Europe was in revolution. Lets go further with this theory and say that the immigrants reaching the New World were revolutionaries. Almost 1 50 years of Paxar Americana (used strictly in context with the time period and not according to current usage) so to say was enjoyed by the colonists. During this time, some changes irrevocably did take place.This is evident from the fact that the language that the sorority of the immigrants originally spoke had evolved into a different dialect. So from this we can also entrust upon the belief that alongside linguistics political and socio-economic changes did also take place. A political change that actually began with the migrations was the rise of a political ideology known as Republicanism. Technically ruled by Great Britain or more accurately looked over, the colonies practiced the policy through their town halls and city councils. Very famous examples of such republican instruments were the Virginia House of Burgesses and theMassachusetts Assembly. These were regulated by either representative or direct democracy. The symbol of democracy at the time was looked upon as the House of Commons in England, however it did seem a bit more than contradicting to have the Bucking Palace towering high in the very country. The colonists did give their allegiances to the monarch but because of the fact that it was kind of conditional. Although they did not realize it nor was it formally declared but they remained docile because they were never tampered by British legislations.They had during this time, rated their own principles, created their own system of Jurisprudence, law, Justice, methods of trade, commerce, education, agriculture etc. When after the French and Indian war, the British began actively participating in the earlier enumerated colonial components of society; it wouldve obviously been not received glad hand edly by the Colonists as it did not. Lets now examine the economic evolution that took place to ensure Americas Independence. The 150 year old period was in terms of trade and commerce coined as a period of salutary neglect.For the colonists it brought economic prosperity and industrialization. For the British it was shooting themselves in the foot. Intentional lax in order to show the appreciation for economic freedom while regulating the policy of mercantilism. Does it make any sense? One would question Robert Walpole sanity between all of this; however he is not our subject of concern. What you shall so sow so shall you reap; a very old and passed around saying isnt it? But it does make sense in the context. The British for a very long period of time followed the policy and he colonist enjoyed its benefits.Smuggling was nothing out of the blue, very common. Other European nations also benefited from it, the Colonial agriculture products such as hay, wheat, barley, maize and cotton were valued highly in foreign markets. When the British annoyed at Colonial stubbornness to pay taxes, passed the writs of assistance; there was an outrage. There had to be one, like it did, smuggling was not put up with anymore and a flow of revenue generation created as a result of foreign trade stagnated. How were the merchants to run their businesses without the redeem of trading being allowed to them as it had always been?Hence there was an outcry by the merchants who went bankrupt as a result of such legislation. Somewhere or another. The country was not at all familiar with taxes; once again it is necessary to mention that when we talk about being not being tampered for almost 150 years it is meant more than it sounds. Citizens in Britain were obliged to pay taxes, however their brethren in the New World were not. I do at times believe that absolute freedom corrupts absolutely, there should be some harnesses or bridles put n in order to let civility root in or in this case for rule to sustain.When suddenly exposed to direct taxes such as Stamp Act and Sugar Acts why would it not cause havoc with in the colonists? It would lead to acrimony towards the crown like it did, it would lead to mass protests like it did and would lead to severing of ties like it did. In the beginning I wrote about how a historical event is subject to independent interpretation. How historians may or may not agree on something because of the different elements molding the shape of the basis for their knowledge.I must confess that it is no t arbitrary and applies to myself as it does to any other individual. I believe that evolution without revolution is lame and revolution without evolution blind, very similar to what Einstein said about religion and science. One thing is for certain though, nothing is by nature revolutionary. There has to be friction to beget fire. During the 150 year period evolutionary changes in political beliefs, social policies and economic mechanisms did take place otherwise the colonists wouldve never armed themselves to teeth and hoisted the flag of revolution.

Vodun and African culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Vodun and African culture - Essay Example They believe there exists a hierarchy of inferior creations, the vodun that vary in strength from Superior deities that govern nature forces and societies of men to the individual streams’ spirits, rocks and trees, an expression considered sacred. Another belief is that God cannot contend with the humans, which makes the Vodun the core of religious life. This element of Vodun religion bears a resemblance to Trinity and angles and saints intercession-making Vodun very compatible with Catholicism and generally Christianity. A strong syncretistic Haitian Vodou was conceived as a result. Tying of souls is another phenomenon in Vodun. They believe in tying a soul in something tangible and physical (Robinson, pg. 72). A person is linked to another person using a soul tie, which commonly links the living and the dead and it is a form of a curse. The key and core Vodun aspect is performing healing to the people from illnesses. Houngans and Mambo arguably have a dominant role in healing. Healing performed in Vodun is a combination of faith healing (using Iwa’s help and some other spirits), herbal medicine, and the western medicine is gaining popularity in many Vodun healing practices (McGee. pg. 28