Critical Theory in Wuthering Heights - 1443 Words

In Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, readers are introduced to a variety of conflicts and clashing characteristics. Even though this is common in many novels, many of these conflicts take place within one character then progress into external conflicts between characters. For example what caused Catherine to pick Edgar over Heathcliff? Did she love Edgar more? Or was her love for him forged by her superego as defined in Sigmund Freud’s The Interpretation of Dreams? Even the character herself is unsure of her true desires, which leads to the major conflicts within her, others, and between characters. This is just one of the numerous examples of issues which ensue throughout the course of this novel. In order to properly analyze the†¦show more content†¦That will do to explain my secret, as well as the other. Ive no more business to marry Edgar Linton than I have to be in heaven; and if the wicked man in there had not brought Heathcliff so low, I shouldnt have thought of it.† (Bronte 329) This is an excellent example of Catherine’s unconscious exposing itself through her dreams. This dream shows that she knows that she has no right to marry Edgar, who is approximated with heaven, while, at the same time, showing that her true home is at Wuthering Heights, with Heathcliff. In a way, her unconscious was telling her that she belongs with Heathcliff, yet she chose to ignore it. She picked Edgar mostly based on his power and money, which was the most important thing to her at this point. The unconscious is never directly shown but tends to be seen in passive aggressive behavior. In Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff was pretty much always the bottom of the totem pole. This seems to be the main motive of his revenge. There is a possibility that Heathcliff is suffering from a strange form of Oedipus Complex, because after Mr. Earnshaw died, Hindley seemed to take over the role as male caretaker (even though he never really cared for Heathcliff) which seemed to in a sense, harbor Heathcliff’s hatred and desire to remove Hindley from this role so he could take over as head of the household as well as claim Catherine as his own. However, his low standings make itShow MoreRelatedThe Uncanny And Emily Bronte s Wuthering Heights1746 Words   |  7 PagesAssessment 1: Critical Commentary Freud’s The Uncanny and Emily Brontà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Wuthering Heights The principal idea in Sigmund Freud’s interpretation of The Uncanny theory centres around the Heimlich, translating to ‘homely’ and thus, what is familiar, and the Unheimlich, which is often translated to what is ‘Uncanny’ defined as ‘what is [†¦] frightening precisely because it is not known and familiar’ (Freud, 1919) or later described as something that is ‘secretly familiar which has undergone repression’Read MoreCritical Commentary On Freud s The Dream Work 1966 Words   |  8 PagesCritical Commentary From Sigmund Freud’s The Dream-work, in Introductory lectures on psychoanalysis The main focus of Freud’s essay centres on the idea that there are two forms the dream can take, the manifest dream, and the latent dream. The process by which the latent dream transforms into the manifest dream is called the ‘dream-work’, and the opposite is the individual’s ‘work of interpretation’. He explains that the ‘dream-work’ consists of four main elements that allow the individual to formRead More Vengeance in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights2442 Words   |  10 PagesVengeance in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights Love, betrayal and revenge play leading roles in both Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Emily Bronte’s â€Å"Wuthering Heights.† Both works feature doomed relationships, a ghostly haunting, and death. The court at Elsinore, despite its luxurious setting, almost mirrors the seclusion of the Yorkshire moors of Wuthering Heights — making both settings almost prison like. But, it is not setting that makes both works interesting: it is theRead MoreJane Bronte s Wuthering Heights2486 Words   |  10 PagesThis essay will discuss the way in which the themes of Romance and the Gothic are portrayed heavily in Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s novel, Wuthering Heights, while also being juxtaposed with dogged Realism, in a way that makes Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s work significant and unprecedented. It aims to highlight how contemporary interpretations of the text as a timeless love story have undermined the powerful realism put forth by Brontà «, in her deliberate language and refusal of societa l conventions. It will also analyse the extent to whichRead MoreAnalysis Of Wuthering Heights And The Poisonwood Bible1468 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"underdog† mold, for they are unable to stand against the wrongs dealt unto them until a later time or event when they are better suited to fight back; thereby gaining the reader’s sympathy and vote for eventual victory over their antagonist. In Wuthering Heights and The Poisonwood Bible, the victimized children lacked outside support from other members of their respective communities. The same does not have to be true in the U.S. Americans have theRead MoreAnalysis Of Emily Bronte s Wuthering Heights 2133 Words   |  9 PagesKimberly Boots Ms. Loomis AP Literature and Composition 16 January 2015 The Meaning Behind It All Emily Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Wuthering Heights is not only one of the most widely read books in America, but it also encourages different critical approaches. One of the most interesting approaches is the psychoanalytical approach in this circumstance. Through the entirety of this book it is understood that defending oneself in different ways is a way to escape the stresses of reality. â€Å"Our unconscious desiresRead MoreThe Madwoman in the Attic4718 Words   |  19 PagesPublished: Jun. 2011 Abstract: As an outstanding representative of the second-wave feminism, The Madwoman in the Attic is still useful in handling the relationship between women and language, especially when it is in comparison with other strands of theory. Culturally, women writers’ revision of the existing male discourse that the book suggests bears remarkable resemblance with de Certeau’s tactic against strategy. Psychoanalytically, women writers’ pursuit of successful foremothers corresponds wellRead MoreVictorian Novel9605 Words   |  39 Pagesliving. Artists of ‘Pre- Raphaelite Brotherhood’ claimed to write only true about nature, concentrate only on the true ideas. These three years saw the rise of such works: of Bronte sisters’ Poems, Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, William Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. The Following twenty years could be seen as the high period of ‘Victorian novel’. Despite being a mixture of boom and slump, the years of 1850-1870 were recognized by the economic growth. The nation was the richestRead MoreStatement of Purpose23848 Words   |  96 Pagesand research projects), and skills you have learned, stressing what might be most important for graduate school. Identify specific areas of interest and note one or two research topics that interest you the most. Demonstrate your understanding of ―theoryâ€â€" and your knowledge of disciplinary-specific methodologies. 3. Discuss work, internship, and research experiences relevant to your field or course of study: Identify and briefly describe these experiences, and, of course, note all relevant informationRead MoreInterpretation of the Text13649 Words   |  55 Pagesprotagonist/s; (b) the society into which the protagonist/s is/are included. Society itself is often considered as a character, j ust as an opposing party would be considered in a Person vs. Person conflict. An example in literature would be â€Å"Wuthering Heights† by Emily Bronte. The conflict between an individual and a societal order (poverty, racial hostility, injustice, exploitation, inequality, violation of human rights, etc.) may be open or hidden. Person vs. Nature is the type of conflict that

The Parthenon A Greek Masterpiece - 1737 Words

The Parthenon: A Greek Masterpiece â€Å"The most beautiful things in the world are there, Athens†¦The sumptuous temple of Athena stands out and is well worth a look. It is called the Parthenon and is on the hill above the theatre. It makes a tremendous impression on visitors.† (Heracleides of Crete, 3rd century BC) The Parthenon serves as a refined Greek Doric temple design that took approximately 2 centuries to achieve. This magnificent temple began undergoing construction in 447 BCE by architects Iktinos and Kallikrates as a way to celebrate their victory against the Persians in war. Phidias was another contributor to the beauty of the Parthenon and also created the notorious Athena Parthenos statue, which became the centerpiece that the Parthenon was built around. The architects of the Parthenon wanted to achieve a type of beauty that was erected from proportions that were so precise they had to use certain mathematical formulas to perfect them. The temple itse lf is not like the typical ancient Greek buildings that contain the same sizing when it comes to columns and width. The Parthenon was like nothing the Greeks had ever achieved before and because of this the structure had a harmonic lifelike appeal. In addition to being an architectural gem, the temple stands in the heart of the Athenian Acropolis and adds to the grand city of Athens’ gusto. The Parthenon is a monumental masterpiece that embodies the culture, religion, and vitality of the Ancient Greek Empire.Show MoreRelatedSimilarities Between Ancient Greece And Rome990 Words   |  4 PagesThe Rome’s Pantheon and Greek’s Parthenon are both significant and innovative structures that have influenced the architecture around the world. This essay will describe the style and function of each building as well as the similarities and differences between ancient Greece and Rome in four characters including history, design, usage, and similarity. 1.History Rome’s Pantheon – one of the greatest spiritual buildings in the world. The temple is devoted to the gods of ancient Rome. The name â€Å"Pantheon†Read MoreEssay on The Parthenon- A Culture in Itself1652 Words   |  7 Pagesimpressive accomplishments of Ancient Greece is the remarkable structure of the Parthenon on the Acropolis. The Parthenon is one of the most inspiring works of architecture known to mankind. The project of the extraordinary Acropolis was taken on by one of the most influential leaders of history, Pericles. Pericles influenced not only the building of one of the grandest works but the example of democracy displayed by the Greeks. The architecture was unique for its time, it featured excellent structureRead More The Parthenon Essay862 Words   |  4 Pages The Greeks had an eager individualistic strain that led them to high levels of creative thinking in art, science, and literature. They were by nature sensitive to beauty and made its creati on and enjoyment an important and necessary part of their lives. The Parthenon is a beautiful monument noted for its perfect simplicity of design and the harmony of its proportions. 1 From the architecture, to the sculpture, to the history of this great monument the Parthenon remains a masterpiece. The ParthenonRead MoreA History Of Architecture Settings And Rituals850 Words   |  4 Pages Wonders of the Parthenon Evan Heaslip MPC 103 Iain Cameron October 20, 2014 Spiro Kostof, A History of Architecture Settings and Rituals (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995), 154-157 Philip Wilkinson, Great Buildings The Worlds Architectural Masterpieces Explored and Explained (New York: DK Publishing, 2012), 21-23 Fred S. Kleiner, Art Through the Ages a Western Perspective (United States of America: Wadsworth publishing company, 2014), 105 James A. Evans, Arts and HumanitiesRead MoreEssay about The Parthenon1272 Words   |  6 PagesTHE PARTHENON The Parthenon in Athens is the most important and characteristic monument of ancient Greek civilization, it is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. It shows the finest point of Greek architecture, history and ancient Greek religious beliefs. The Parthenon is a temple dedicated to Athens patron goddess, Athena (Herbert, 2006:3). Athena was the goddess of civilization, wisdom, weaving, crafts and war. She never had a consort or lover, and so she was often known as Athena ParthenosRead MoreEssay on Who Owns The Elgin Marbles Precis1137 Words   |  5 Pages In this article, Merryman, in the most unbiased way possible, assesses both Britain’s and Greece’s side of the argument pertaining to the ownership of the Elgin Marbles and whether they should be returned to Greece after being removed from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century. Within the article, the main points discussed regard the morality and legality of the removal of the marbles. Merryman goes on to discuss three more main concerns dealing with the marbles and where they belong:Read MoreEssay on Parthenon and Lincoln Memorial1499 Words   |  6 Pagesbuild newer buildings. For example, the Capitol Building uses Greek and Roman architecture in its columns, while the Washington Monument is in the style of an Egyptian Obelisk. One of the monuments, the Lincoln Memorial, is based off the styles and methods of the Architecture of the Parthenon. Because of this, there are many similarities, but also differences, between the Parthenon and the Lincoln Memorial. The architects of the Parthenon were Iktinos, Kallikrates, and Phidias. Although not much isRead MoreThe Parthenon : An Amazing And Expensive Achievement Of Ancient Greece1372 Words   |  6 PagesThe Parthenon was an amazing and expensive achievement of ancient Greece. Although it is mostly in ruins today, there is enough knowledge about its construction to allow others to recreate the structure. The Parthenon is often constructed not only to honor the ancient Greeks, but also to honor the culture and place where it is recreated. Although the Parthenon’s influence is tremendous throughout the western world, it is generally only faithfully represented in part- the nearest representationsRead MoreGreek And Roman Ideas778 Words   |  4 Pages Greek and Roman Ideals When considering the ancient Greek and Roman ideals you can see the distinct similarities in their art, government, monotheism, and architecture. The Romans duplicated many of the Greek styles and modified them to suit their lifestyles. Greece and Rome influences can be seen in art today with the use of concepts, techniques, and styles that were founded by the Greek classical ideal. These include techniques for carving sculptures and the construction of massive metropolitanRead More Greek and Roman Architecture Essay example1107 Words   |  5 PagesGreek and Roman Architecture Greek and Roman architecture is truly amazing. They each had great ideas, and fabulous productions. It is said that the Pantheon is to Italy what the Parthenon is to Greece. Both are tremendous monuments that reek of culture and history. Each had a purpose which was displayed by the design and construction of each. There are such great meanings behind each of these architecural structures. The Romans and the Greeks alike worshipped and dedicated their structures

Tang and Song Dynasty free essay sample

Each were accompanied by a Censorate, an agency that exercised surveillance over the rest of the government. They made sure that government officials stayed in line and completed their tasks. The legal system during this time period was much more detailed than anything before it, it included four basic forms criminal law, institutional regulations, administrative rules, and formulas of official documents. Finally, this dynasty was the first to set up a fairly equal testing system to select officers and allowed poor families and opportunity to become something higher through knowledge. The Tang system of government was the model upon which all subsequent dynasties based their own systems, and it was also used by other countries and kingdoms, such as those in Vietnam and Korea. Another factor for the success of the Tang Dynasty system of government was the emphasis on education. The Tang rulers felt that a well-educated public was not a threat to authority, but rather, a foundation of a stable, prosperous society. Another feature of the Tang Dynasty government was its obsessive record keeping and accounting of many aspects of life and commerce. This naturally created deep layers of accountability and certainty, which bolstered the strength of the government and society. † Song Dynasty: Ruled China for more than 300 years and was the era of good government. China’s bureaucracy was run by a class of scholar-officials because knowledgeable scholars who knew the people and how to deal with others were able to move up, and soon became the highest ranking. The government was also centralized and the system used in the Tang dynasty carried over; the bureaucracy of trained civil officers through education. â€Å"CHARACTERISTICS OF CHINA DURING THE SUI, TANG, and SONG DYNASTIES Politics amp; Government: ? The frontiers were stabilized amp; attempts at expansion were partially successful. ? Centralized government returned along with a bureaucracy of trained civil officers Economy ? Agricultural production improved amp; crop specialization intensified ? Champa Rice ? The use of a credit system and paper money improved commerce amp; trade. ? Imports included: luxury goods ? Exports included: manufactured goods ? Indian Ocean trade increased as Islamic and Jewish influence increased. Chinese trade ships, called junks, dominated eastern ocean trade. ? Silk Road trade increased† 4. How did the culture grow and change during your dynastic era. The culture heavily changed in the role and power of women over the two dynasties. During the Tang dynasty women had a less restricted lifestyle. They had been able to have a large social life with greater freedom of the classical times. Even female deity were widely wo rshiped. But the Song dynasty after becoming Confucianism and a large growth in the economy a very heavy change into patriarchy took place. Women were very strictly restricted from social life and very subdue to remain† behind† there husband and obediently obey, One way of the most wide spread and compelling part of the Song patriarchy was the practice of foot binding. Girls at a very young age begin this process wanting to make their feet smaller for beauty. Tight cloths are wrapped around the foot enabling it and the bone to extend outwards like normal. This practice was extremely painful but was looked at that time as beauty. Another cultural change was the position of women in the textile production. Many arts and crafts were made by rural women, like silk weaving. But because China has reduced its textiles productions, many women had to open restaurants in cities. But in elite families many were went to come concubines, or other degraded jobs. But the Song dynasty did give education to women because they believed this would help them raise their sons. And also a very big thing was women were able to control their own dowries and land they inherited from their families. The Tang amp; Han and the song are often referred to as the most prosperous periods of Chinese history. The Tang, like the Han, kept the trade routes open to the west and south and there was extensive trade with distant foreign countries and many foreign merchants settled in China. Song dynasty experienced a period of great technological development which can be explained in part by the military pressure that it felt from the north. This included the use of gunpowder weapons and flame throwers. The Song Dynasty is considered by many to be classical Chinas high point in science and technology, with innovative scholar-officials and the Neo-Confucian philosophy formulated by Zhu Xi. There were enormous literary works compiled during the Song Dynasty and culture and the arts flourished with paintings, festivals, and Buddhist influence. 5. How did China’s influence on the region grow during your dynastic era? It grew because it influenced other parts of Asia through its culture, centralized government, systems, and literature. The countries of Korea, Vietnam, and Japan all were influenced by China during this time period in some way. In Korea, because of the closeness to China have been coloniztized at some points but mainly were influenced by Buddhism. The Vietnamese also allied with the Tang dynasty to bring some political unity to the peninsula. Tribute missions have Korean rulers knowledge of Chinese court life and administrative techniques which they directly modeled, and even made a capital city very similar to china’s at that time. Trade increased giving many luxury good to be placed into the hands of Korean upper classmen and Confucian and Buddhist texts also. Korea was also heavily influenced by China in their treating of women. Women in Korea had much more freedom but after influence of Confucian ways they were restricted much. A Chinese style-examination system was put in place for government officials. And even their written language has Chinese influenced characters. Similar to Korea, Vietnam has also been heavily influenced moreover through adopting Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, administrative techniques, the examination system, and a number of literary arts. Because China has taken over and controlled much of the agricultural portion of Vietnam, many rebellions took place and ultimately Vietnam became its own independent state. But has still influenced its religion and government systems. Unlike both Korea and Vietnam, Japan was physically separate from China and all influence and adoption of Chinese culture was voluntary. Court rituals, and systems of court ranking were based on Chinese ways after they became somewhat unified. Chinese yet again influenced through Buddhism which grew through Japan. Along with a religion they influenced, their art, architecture, education, and medicine were also adopted. Their selective borrowing kept them and independent and unique state from the Chinese but yet large aspects were still taken in. Chinese technology and innovation was wide spread through the whole Eurasian area. Making salt through evaporation and papermaking were one of the largest an global innovations used from China to the middle east. Another invention that changed war for history is the making of gunpowder and air arms, which rapidly influenced and grew in Europe. Chinese textile, like Silk, metallurgical, and naval techniques was imitated all across Eurasia. This dynastic era provided huge advancements in technology and innovation which spread thorough the Silk Road throughout Eurasia. Good Things: Censorates watch over the government and checks whether it is performing for the people. Art and Literature Richest and population grew People started moving to cities Tang dynasty women were treated like men because of invasion and discredited Confucian Neo Confucianism Qin/Han: -traded with barbarians, they gave too much to the barbarians, they thought by trading that they were in control but the barbarians -Great Wall, many people to build, death, people live by the wall

Modern Middle East Arab Uprising

Introduction The Arab world has experienced an unprecedented uprising that has scarred the community as a whole and inflicted pain and suffering on the people. The Arab Spring swept across the entire Arab world swiftly after what began as a secluded event in Tunisia when a trader burnt himself up in protest over the corruption levels in police and high handedness (Bhardwaj, n.d. p. 77).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Modern Middle East: Arab Uprising specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There was violence reported in the respective countries as the revolution took its toll. The violence continues to take its toll in the region. However, two significant occurrences can describe the Arab revolution. While the revolution has been successful in dethroning the incumbent authorities in some countries, it has failed in its mission in other countries. In most Arab African countries such as Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, the rev olution succeeded in replacing the authorities with new regimes that are considered to be people-friendly. However, in other countries such as Syria, the revolution has not succeeded in changing the leadership. Heavy fighting continues as both the authorities and the protestors engage each other for close to two years now (Sharp Blanchard, 2013, p. 1). This paper seeks to discuss the challenges posed by the Arab uprising in detail, for both the states that have experienced change as well as those that continue to seek to influence the region’s political direction. Challenges for the States that have Experienced Change Control over militias or military by the public Most Arab countries that successfully underwent change because of the Arab Spring happen to have experienced strong participation from militia groups (Behr Sasnal, 2012, p. 9). These militias, however, continue to operate strongly outside the control of the new governments established after the revolutions. Due t o their participation and contributions during the revolution, the public still has a lot of confidence bestowed on the groups. The groups take the advantage to further their activities and agenda beyond the control of the newly established regimes. In Libya, for instance, several groups of militias who have taken control over parts of the country and continue with their activities sometimes run parallel with the government’s control (Behr Sasnal, 2012, p. 25).Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, the military in these countries has acquired some level of ‘political pivotalness’. In other words, the military enjoy the power, resources, as well as privileges that consequently enable them to suppress any opposition that occurs against the regime. However, these powers and privileges also act against the newly established regimes as they e mpower the military to act equally against them (Joshi, 2011, p. 60). A strong case in point that highlights this condition is in Yemen and Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood, from which the Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi comes, has continuously been on a collision course with the military ever since it came into power (Amin, 2012, p. 33). There have been increasing public strikes, as well as escalating political tension owing to the collision between the ruling regime and the military. In summary, the revolutions witnessed in countries that successfully experienced change face the challenge of restoring the civilian authority over the military. Justice system reforms Most of the countries with new regimes following successful revolutionary changes still grapple with excessive power enjoyed by the established executive over the judiciary. The reformed governments, in a bid to pursue justice over past regimes, are setting up special as well as military tribunals to try individuals (McKa y, 2011, p. 50). However, these tribunals and justice systems in general fail to adhere to the fundamentals of human rights. They have purposely destroyed due process, while eliminating a fair trial in as far as criminal, civil, as well as administrative matters are concerned. The trials of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak have continuously been engineered by the new regime, with the help of the military (Marvin, 2012, p. 6). This highlights the fact that the country’s judiciary system, even under the new regime, is not independent and is, therefore, less likely to achieve justice for all. A similar situation is witnessed in Libya, where the newly established regime has set up a tribunal to investigate the criminal actions of the fallen former President Mummer Gadhafi. In Tunisia, a similar tribunal found former President Ben Ali guilty of crimes and sentenced him in absentia.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Modern Middle East: Arab Uprising spec ifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These countries require having new justice systems together with reforms on law enforcement. The characteristics of government agencies in the previous regimes, such as oppression by the police and excessive use of power, require drastic trimming in order to achieve the targeted reforms. However, such negative characteristics, which also happened to be the main cause triggering the Arab revolution, will not be addressed fully unless the new justice systems are transparently constructed with the aim of protecting individuals and their liberties. Detention, torture, exemption from the basic rule of law, as well as arbitrary arrest will continue to dog the new regimes unless transparency in the justice system is achieved. Most countries in the Arab world are synonymous with the culture of the incumbent governments wielding too much power with both immunity and impunity. These practices are likely to rear thei r ugly scenes with the post-revolution regimes because most of them have failed to address the justice system within their countries. Economic and social welfare development The revolutionised Arab world is facing the challenge of fostering growth in economy in order to generate employment, as well as alleviate poverty (African development Bank, 2012, p. 16). Part of the reasons that sparked the uprising in December 2010 included the capturing of important segments within the economy by the ruling elite. There was a precedent where the ruling elite managed to create a rent seeking system that was entrenched in crony capitalism. Entrepreneurship remained smothered by the state through corruption, as well as through regulation. As a result, important public services, such as education, housing, and healthcare, remained neglected for far too long by the authorities. As the new regimes take over control of their respective governments, they are facing all challenges that have been entre nched in the system. Expectations are running high from amongst the members of the public that their new governments will succeed to change the fortunes within a short period and restore their confidence. However, this is not possible to be achieved within a short span, as per the expectations of the citizens.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Additionally, there have been rapid demographic growths for a period running up to three decades, a situation that compounds the problem even further. The number of job seekers who are well educated is growing increasingly, and the pressure is on the new governments to act with haste and provide them with a workable solution before their hopes are lost. Within most of the urban areas, there is significant high unemployment, lack of proper public services, and escalating poverty. These scenarios are only helping to create wide discontent, notably among the huge youth populations. According to the World Bank, the Middle East region and indeed the entire Arab world requires approximately 50 million new job opportunities in order to achieve both social, as well as political stability (Chaaban, 2010, p. 15). Indeed this has been the reason why most of the countries have experienced renewed waves of violence and demonstrations as members of the public demand that the new governments be ou sted. In Egypt, President Morsi has been the subject of renewed demonstrations as discontented Egyptians fail to witness the kind of reforms that they were expecting within the short period going forward. The same can be said of Tunisia, with successive revolutionary governments leaving office as soon as they are elected. In other words, the new governments are racing against the public clock and are not being allowed ample time to address the issues at hand. They are easily looked at as the villain rather than the agents of reform that they were during the revolutionary struggles. Understanding a government system properly and being able to realign the issues that are inherent is not a task that can be performed within a short duration, particularly where the actors are new as is the case with most of the Arab countries. In the face of the sensitive revolutions that in most instances turned out to be deadly, the new regimes are inheriting governments that suffer from acute shortage of funds. Most countries lost business opportunities, especially where such opportunities were to come from association with foreign businesses and countries. Tourists avoided, while foreign direct investments also dropped significantly. In essence, these countries are currently facing a reduction in their foreign currency reserves. This, coupled with the slow global growth at the height of the revolution, because of the global economic crisis, has left most governments in poor financial positions. Recovery of the economic situation is anticipated to take some significant period before positive results can be witnessed. Challenges to the States seeking to Influence the Region’s Political Direction Controlling the youth population The Arab revolution has largely been successful in countries where regime change was witnessed, particularly because of the active participation of the youth. Most youths in the Arab world took advantage of the internet integration to support their colleagues in other countries and give them advice on how to stage demonstrations. The threat of the social networking sites spread to countries within the region, such as Saudi Arabia, which have sought to influence the political direction within the Arab world (Shihade, Fominaya Cox, 2012, p. 8). The governments, thus, continue to face the challenge of dissuading the youths from instigating any such similar violence. As a result, new measures have been proposed to see to it that Saudi youths get employment at the expense of foreign workers who have flocked the country in search for jobs. Among the measures include deporting foreign workers from other countries and imposing stricter rules on Visa qualifications. However, Saudi Arabia still suffers from the problem of incompetency in terms of the domestic workers’ skills. This problem has particularly been heightened by the closed system of education that is adopted by Riyadh. Hence, more foreign workers still need to be mai ntained in the country in order to continue providing their expertise to the country. Pre-emptive suppression There is no doubt that the Saudi Arabian government has been involved in too much pre-emptive suppression measures to ensure that the country does not follow on the same way that other Arab states have gone through because of the Arab uprising. However, the pre-emptive mechanism has not been easy for the government throughout the revolutionary period. In particular, the government has adopted a three-pronged strategy that aims to ensure any protests are nipped in the bud (Barany, 2012, p. 23). The strategy involves using excessive amounts of money, using religion to distract protestors and their plans, as well as using military force. The government’s agencies have remained highly alert to determine any instances where protestors could be seeking to advance their demands. A case in point is the manner in which the Saudi government tackled the ‘Day of Rageâ€℠¢ that was slated for the 11th of March 2011. The notorious Eastern province of the country remained under scrutiny from the government, with more than 10,000 security officers being drafted well in advance to check the situation (Barany, 2012, p. 24). Thus, as the Arab revolution still rages on, it is prudent to point out that those governments that escaped protests and forceful overthrow by the public continue to remain highly vulnerable. The governments are spending too much effort and resources in ensuring that they put under control any threats of public protests that may threaten their stay in power. Fast-fix Solutions to Social and other National Problems The problems that face the Arab world are almost synonymous in every country, with escalating corruption and poor public service being cited almost in all the countries. Countries seeking to influence the political direction of the Middle East and indeed that of the entire Arab Word are grappling with fast-fix solutions as t he only way of maintaining calm in their jurisdictions. In Saudi Arabia, for instance, the authorities have spent billions of dollars to ensure they put under control the loyalty of their subjects. On the first year of the revolution, on February 23rd 2011, Saudi’s royal family pledged grants to the tune of $35 billion. The pledges by King Abdullah were mainly meant to address the areas of housing, studying abroad, as well as social security. The state announced an increase in salary to the tune of 15% for all government employees, while infusing a further $10.7 billion into the development fund. The fund offered interest-free loans to enable Saudi’s build homes, start small businesses, or even start their marriage lives. The fast-fix solution also targeted to address the escalating unemployment rates in the country. Another financial grant by the monarch to the tune of $70 billion dollars was released in March 2011. The bulk of the amount was set aside to address the housing situation within the country, particularly being apportioned for 500,000 housing units in the country. A further $4 billion was released to boost the healthcare infrastructure through construction of new medical centres. Another significant portion from the grant was directed towards the loan fund, betterment of the welfare benefits, and further raises for government employees’ bonuses. Although a section of the public showed their contentment with the move, there were still voices of discontentment. Thus, the government’s quick fix strategy through the release of huge amounts of funds failed to tackle the threat of the uprising spreading into Saudi Arabia. Additional funds were, therefore, directed towards boosting the national security, with 60,000 new security jobs being formulated. Salaries for the military personnel also received a hike. The religious establishment was not left out either. About $300 million were offered as grants to the religious establis hment to help in building more offices throughout the country, as well as constructing and renovating mosques and other Islamic centres with an aim of promoting Islam. The above series of events point at a regime that is not comfortable in the operations of its roles and duties in serving the public. More effort is being spent in putting checks rather than addressing the situation from its inner core. There are chances that the issues that triggered the Arab revolution may after all not be effectively addressed by the quick-fix solutions that the Saudi government is adopting. Domestic shifts Countries within the Arab world that survived the Arab uprising, and which seeks to establish their regional leadership position have had to contend with domestic shifts. For instance, the Saudi government managed to strengthen its position domestically, although it shifted its position as far as the Arab protest movements within the region are concerned (Jahner, 2012, p. 38). The Saudi regime i nitially renounced the unrests, but later offered its support to the military action that was going on in some specific countries. Through its membership in the Arab League, Saudi Arabia expressed support for the military action that aimed at overthrowing former Libyan President Muammar Gadhafi. Equally, the Saudi regime has in the recent times led the Arab charge in diplomatically isolating the embattled Syrian government under President Bashar Al Assad. There is a significant shift amongst Saudi’s clerics as well. Initially, a section of the clerics termed the anti-regime protestors as a people who were only traitors with the intention of undermining stability. However, there was change of stance amongst these clerics as they began acknowledging the demands of protestors as ‘legitimate’. This has challenged the regime’s standing orders. This gradual change of stance has in some instances seen clerics coming out strongly to support the wave of the movemen t as an advantage to the Wahhabi state (Jahner, 2012, p. 40). Given the strong influence that religious leaders have in Saudi Arabia, this shift has continued to portend a great challenge to the authorities. Control of the media The Arab world is taking scrutiny of the media a little more serious, especially within the regional states that are seeking to achieve leadership position. The fact that the Arab uprising was mainly fuelled by social media has put the authorities in jeopardy. There are endless efforts being put into place to ensure the media is controlled and gagged to thwart any efforts of fuelling similar uprisings (Dalacoura, 2012, p. 63). Saudi Arabian authorities, for instance, enacted a high level of restrictions that are meant to dissuade Saudi’s from inciting each other into protests against the government. In January 2011, the Saudi government, through the Ministry of Culture, enacted a Press and Publication law. Under the law, all news sites, as well as dis cussion forums and text messaging on mobile phones are required to be licensed by the government. Equally, all email groups must be registered by the government before being given the go ahead to operate in the country. Only Saudi nationals or companies can qualify to be given the licence, but must have attained at least 20 years to be eligible. Additionally, a high school degree is a must for those seeking the licence (Dalacoura, 2012, p. 65). Conclusion The Arab revolution continues to take its toll in countries within the Middle East and North African regions, which are predominantly of Arabic demography. While the revolution has been considered successful in some countries following the forceful removal of despotic regimes, there are numerous challenges that the countries are grappling with. There has been growing discontentment with the new regimes following the slow action to improve on the general welfare of the public. Most countries have been ravaged economically, and a sig nificant period is required to restore stability. However, the masses are running out of patience and expect things to move very fast. There have also been instances where the militia groups involved in the revolution constantly find themselves on a collision course with the military. Full reforms in such countries, such as Egypt, may not be realised unless such collisions are addressed and lasting solutions found. The judicial system also lacks credibility in the manner in which they have been constituted in many of the countries. On the other hand, Arab countries seeking to influence change are also facing numerous challenges from within. There is immense pressure from the masses in seeking to dethrone the governments as well, although much force is also being applied to dissuade such plans. Saudi Arabia, for instance, uses the military force to disorganise any plans by the revolutionary voices, while also using a lot of money to buy loyalty from the public. 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