Summary of “Antigone” by Philip Harsh Essay Example For Students

Summary of â€Å"Antigone† by Philip Harsh Essay In â€Å"Antigone† by Philip Harsh, the play Antigone by Sophocles is critisized. Many argue about the originality of the play. Scholars believe that a large portion of the play was made up by Sophocles instead of being reffered to the orginal epic. Characters such as Tiresies and Ismene are only found in Sophocles’s version. The role of Haemon is the most significant in relation to the changes made by Sophocles. When one refers to the epic one will find that this character dies prior to the death of Oedipus Rex. He must have done this to give a touch of romanticism between Antigone and Haemon. We will write a custom essay on Summary of â€Å"Antigone† by Philip Harsh specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Many Greek authors wrote their own versions of this play which brings more confusion to the actual story. The play was admired by many in the fifth century BC. When there was word of a performance of the play Antigone, every actor hoped to have a part in the production. The theme of this play is referred to by many as â€Å"a conflict between secular and divine law† (Harsh 103). This is challenged by philosophers of Greek studies. Greeks did not believe that Creon was a tyrant therefore disposing the idea of conflict. These might be concepts present through the play but these are only formed by the defense of Antigone’s point of view (Harsh 104). It is obvious that suspense is present through the entire play. The outcome of this play could have gone either way, negative or positive. â€Å"The suspense is aided by the absence of an expository prologue† (Harsh 104). This is a characteristic of any Sophoclean play. Although this is a tragic play all to its true meaning, there are parts of humor. Some humorous scenes are those of the guards. The climax of the play seems to be the revelation of the betrothat of Antigone to Haemon (Harsh 105). This serves as a cue for Haemon. Two of the main characters, Antigone and Haemon, are never together in any scene. Antigone is said to have not been a guilty party. She was only guilt of having a stubborn determination but this is the whole cause of the play. Creon believed that by her praising her deep her deed it only proves her guilt (Harsh 107). She was just like her father, Eodipus. After Antigone completes her deed, her attitude changes. She no longer maintains her determination. In the final speech made by Antigone in the last scene, she mentions that she would never had done this for her husband or child, this has puzzled many (Harsh 108). This is said to be a psychological and emotional response. It is not unreasonable, therefore, to assume that these lines are genuine and that Antigone is sincere, but she might have actually performed such a deed for her child or her husband† (Harsh 109). Creon should not be considered the antagonist in this play. His case comes with good reason. He believes that Polyneices should be treated as one who has descrated the temple of the gods was only made due to his loyalty. Creon is similar to Antigone in that they both are determined. Some even belive Creon, and not Antigone, is the main character of the play.

The Effectiveness of Motivation Theory Essay Example

The Effectiveness of Motivation Theory Essay Example The Effectiveness of Motivation Theory Essay The Effectiveness of Motivation Theory Essay Running head: Motivation Theories: A Literature Review Motivation Theories: A Literature Review - Motivation Theories: A Literature Review Motivation is an important concept for managers to understand. Motivation affects direction, intensity and duration (Locke Gary, 2004). High task motivation has been found to correlate with high firm growth (Miner, Smith, et. al. , 1989). Berman and Miner (1985) studied CEOs, COOs, executive VPs and group VPs and found that those â€Å"who reached the highest levels of large business firms [had] higher motivation to manage than individuals with less achievement† (377-391). There are many things that affect motivation, such as personal preferences, job satisfaction and organizational factors (Wherry South, 1977). According to Locke and Gary (2004), most people are in situations; particularly work related ones, due to their own personal choices. Latham and Pinder (2005) found that â€Å"goal-setting, social cognitive and organization justice theories are the three most important approaches to work motivation to appear in the last 30 years† (485). Self-efficacy significantly impacts motivation. Lindner (1998) also supports this. Wabba (1974) discusses behavioral choices and motivation. Personal faith also plays a role in motivation. I Corinthians 10:31 states, â€Å"Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God† (NASB). The Bible consistently gives examples of those motivated by their belief and faith in God. When Peter and the disciples were threatened with imprisonment for spreading the gospel, Peter responded with â€Å"we must obey God rather than men† (Acts 5:29, NASB). Their desire to follow God overshadowed concern for physical or earthly consequences. Dysfunctional thinking also can affect motivation (Locke Gary, 2004). Dysfunctional thinking is basically irrational overgeneralizations and it comes from automatic thoughts. Locke and Gary (2004) also suggest that managers learn how to help employees copy with these automatic thoughts in order to identify the irrational nature of their thoughts so they can process them in a way that is productive and provides greater motivation. Gee and Burke (2001) found that the hope for financial gain as a sole motivator is an outdated idea and not nearly as effective as once thought. There are various motivation theories and some recent changes in motivation trends. Gee and Burke (2001) refer to â€Å"human potential management† as opposed to â€Å"human resource management. This seemingly small change in vernacular reflects changing attitudes. Wood (2000) recommends taking into account social identify theory, motivational traits, procrastination and lateness, proactive role orientations and person-environment fit when evaluating theories. Dye, Mills and Weatherbee (2005) believe Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has been oversimplified to fit the convenienc e of motivational textbooks and in this oversimplication, the point of Maslow’s theories has been missed. They caution against using the hierarchy of needs chart without the complete context. There are some effective best practices that can be derived from motivation theories. Gee and Burke (2001) found that self-managed teams and telecommuting both increased employee motivation. Tai (2006) and Huang (2001) both found positive correlations between effective training programs and employee motivation. Chapman (2008) discusses the role of team-building activities, workshops, inspirational quotes and positive experiences in building employee motivation. Sodenkamp (2005) found that pay-for-performance systems on employee work groups increased motivation as well. The ACCEL-Team’s (2008) findings support this as well. Fitzgerald (1971) cautions against using irrelevant solutions to try motivate employees without first ensuring the solid foundation of the work system itself. Managerial attitudes and actions also have an impact on motivation. Daniel Goleman gives six distinct leadership styles, â€Å"coercive leaders demand immediate compliance. Authoritative leaders mobilize people toward a vision. Affiliative leaders create emotional bonds. Democratic leaders build consensus. Pacesetting leaders set high standards and expect excellence. Coaching leaders develop people† (Longenecker, Moore, Petty Palich, 2008, p. 474-475). Forsyth (2006) called leadership â€Å"the process by which an individual guides others in their pursuits, often by organizing, directing, coordinating, supporting and motivating their efforts† (p. 376). Invang (2008) the guide to his group members. â€Å"A manager who listens encourages employee growth and career development† (Burley-Allen, 1995, p. 9). Anthony (1989) discusses motivation by example and through involvement and interactions with employees. Wolleat (2007) reviewed Gary Latham’s book, Work Motivation: History, Theory, Research, and Practice and acknowledged its use in presenting motivation theories but Locke and Gary (2004) found that motivation theories do not compete with each other as much as they show different aspects of motivation. The goal of managers, therefore, should not be so much to evaluate motivation theories to select the superior theory; rather the goal of managers should be to use characteristics of different motivation theories to effectively motivate employees. References ACCEL-Team. (2008). Employee Motivation, the Organizational Environment and Productivity. Al-Khalifa, A. , Peterson, S. E. (2004). On the relationship between initial motivation, and satisfaction and performance in joint ventures. European Journal of Marketing, 38(1/2), 150-174. Anthony, J. H. (1989). Therapeutic Leadership. Leadership Abstracts, 2 (13). Berman, F. E. and J. B. Miner (1985). Motivation to manage at the top e xecutive level: A test of the hierarchic role-motivation theory. Personnel Psychology 38(2): 377-391. Burley-Allen, M. (1995). Listening the Forgotten Skill: A Self-Teaching Guide. 2nd Ed. , Canada, John Wiley Sons, Inc. Chapman, A. (1995-2008). Employee motivation theory team building activities, workshops, inspirational quotes, and the power of positive experience. Densten, I. L. (2002). Clarifying inspirational motivation and its relationship to extra effort. Leadership Organization Development Journal, 23(1), 40-44. Dye, K. , Mills, A. J. , Weatherbee, T. (2005). Maslow: man interrupted: reading management theory in context. Management Decision, 43. Fitzgerald, T. H. (1971). Why motivation theory doesnt work. Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business School Publication Corp. 49: 37-44. Forsyth, D. R. (2006). Group Dynamics. 4th Ed. , Mason, OH: Thomson Higher Education. Gee, C. Burke, M. E. (2001). Realizing potential: the new motivation game. Management Decision, 39. Huang, T. C. (2001). Training practices and organization performance in enterprises. Education and Training, 43(8/9), 434-444. Inyang, J. D. (2008, January). Leaders and Leadership Roles in Relation to Effective Management of the Human Resources, 6 (1). Latham, G. P. and C. C. Pinder (2005). Work motivation theory and research at the dawn of the twenty-first century. Annual Review Of Psychology 56: 485-516. Lemak, D. J. (2004). Leading students through the management theory jungle by following the path of the seminal theorists: A paradigmatic approach. Management Decision, 42. Lindner, J. R. (1998, June). Understanding Employee Motivation. Locke, E. A. Gary, P. (2004). What should we do about motivation theory? Six recommendations for the twenty-first century. Academy of Management Review, 29. Longenecker, J. G. , Moore, C. W. , Petty, J. W. , Palich, L. E. (2008). Small Business Management: Launching Growing Entrepreneurial Ventures. Mason, OH: Thomason Higher Education. Miner, J. B. , N. R. Smith, et al. (1989). Role of entrepreneurial task motivation in the growth of technologically innovative firms. Journal of Applied Psychology 74(4): 554-560. Sodenkamp, D. , Schmidt, K. , Kleinbeck, U. (2005). Self-management of work groups through corporate values: From theory to practice. International Journal of Manpower, 26(1/2), 67-79. Tai, W. (2006). Effects of training framing, general self-efficacy and training motivation on trainees training effectiveness. Personnel Review, 35(1), 51-65. Wabba, M. A. , House, R. J. (1974). Expectancy Theory in Work and Motivation: Some Logical and Methodological Issues. Human Relations, 27 (2), 121-147. Wherry, R. J. and J. C. South (1977). A worker motivation scale. Personnel Psychology 30(4): 613-636. Wolleat, P. L. (2007). An Insiders View of Work Motivation: A Mentor Speaks. PsycCRITIQUES 52(17). Wood, R. E. (2000). Work Motivation Theory, Research and Practice: Introduction to the Special Issue. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 49.