Essay on The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien Lord Acton once said, Power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely. He was probably referring to the powerful kings and queens who held power over many people. But, we could see how power is something many of the characters in Tolkiens story are trying to have and hold onto in some form or another. In The Fellowship of the Ring J.R.R. Tolkien tells us a story about Frodo Baggins who is ordered by Gandalf to destroy the powerful ring discovered accidentally by his older cousin, Bilbo. Like the rest of the hobbits, Frodo has lived quite peacefully and well, not having to worry about how dark and dreary the rest of Middle Earth was becoming under Saurons growing power. Now, Frodo,†¦show more content†¦It would possess him (70). After having said this, he tells Frodo how this ring of doom originated. Clearly, Gandalf is wise enough to know that behind all that power lies weakness and evil. Even if one might first use the ring for something good and meaningful to others , it will eventually possess that person and make that person the slave to the ring. Galadriel even knows this quite well. Frodo offers her the ring, since he believes she deserves it the most and also knows how to control it. When Frodo tells her this, Galadriel seems to be strongly tempted to take the power offered by Frodo. She tells him, For many long years I had pondered what I might do, should the Great Ring come into my hands, and behold! (431). The exclamation point reveals to us how Galadriel might be really taken in by the thought of power at this moment and how raptured she is in this thought. But, she too is wise as Gandalf is. In the end, she even tells Frodo, We will not speak more of it (431). She knows that even speaking about such power can bring about destruction. Interestingly though, Galadriel seems to be almost crazy at this moment, presenting herself to Frodo while relating to him what good she could bring to her elves. The ring is so alluring. Too much of a go od thing cannot last long. She isShow MoreRelatedEssay about J.R.R Tolkien and The Fellowship of the Ring997 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Ronald Reuel Tolkien, better known as J.R.R. Tolkien, was born on January third 1892 in Bloemfontein South Africa and was the son of Arthur and Mabel Suffield Tolkien. After his fathers death in 1896 Tolkiens mother moved herself and her two children, J.R.R (at the time called Ronald) and his younger brother Hilary to Sarehole near Birmingham. When Tolkien was twelve his mother died and he and his brother were sent to live with one of their relatives when a Catholic priest became their legalRead MoreThe Myth about Tolkien Essay1529 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Lord of the Rings is racist. It is soaked in the logic that race determines behavior.† (Ibata 2). Many people have tried to perpetuate the myth that J.R.R. Tolkien was racist. They cite various scenes in The Lord of the Rings, in both the books and in the movies. These people are l ying or ignorant. J.R.R. Tolkien was not a racist, nor did he ever intend for his novels to be viewed as such. There is plenty of evidence to defend Tolkien from these claims such as: the themes of his novels, likeRead More J.R.R. Tolkien Biography Essay examples1521 Words   |  7 Pages J.R.R. Tolkien was born in South Africa, although he considered himself a British man throughout his adulthood. He experienced World War I firsthand in the trenches. He was a professor of Old English and other archaic languages and had a strong love for such languages. Tolkien also felt a strong tie for his homeland, England, and desired to create mythology for England. Tolkien was able to write the first modern fantasy novel through his life experiences and his love for archaic languages andRead MoreThe Lord Of The Rings2072 Words   |  9 PagesThe Lord of the Rings series is arguably John Ronald Reuel Tolkien’s (aka J.R.R. Tolkien) most notable work. J.R.R. Tolkien’s story was impactful due to his creation of rich, profound mythological worlds. His religious and moral beliefs are carefully crafted into the narrative by representation of Christian-inspired themes such as sin, salvation, redemption, etc. The series’ influence expanded past the written work into a film trilogy written by Peter Jackson. The films further explored the story’sRead MoreThe Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien Essay1019 Words   |  5 Pagesstory The Lord of the Rings. The Lord of the Rings written by J.R.R. Tolkien has been read and loved by many and will be enjoyed by many more in the years to come. Tolkien was an amazing linguist and author. He will be remembered for his great imagination and intriguing stories. His interest in language was the spark that led to the creation of The Lord of the Rings (Hodges 33-35). Tolkien led an interesting life that influenced his books greatly. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3Read MoreThe Lord Of The Rings1383 Words   |  6 PagesLord of the Rings is an enchanting story with masterful use of setting and sensational characters that engages readers and can move them to experience life in a deeper way. As a child J.R.R. Tolkien lived in Africa until his father passed away. Then his mother moved them to England. Mrs. Tolkien made certain that her children learned literature and languages. It was probably due somewhat to his mother’s influence that Tolkien became who he was: an author and a linguist (Corday). Tolkien had a specialRead More J. R. R. Tolkien Essay1509 Words   |  7 PagesThree Rings for the Elven-Kings under the sky, Seven for the dwarf lords in their halls of stone, Nine for mortal men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord in his dark throne. In the Land or Mordor where the shadow lies. One Ring to rule them all, One ring to find them, One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In the land of Mordor where the shadows lie†¦ (J.R.R. Tolkien, Rings) nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;These are the most famous recognized lines in The Lord of the Rings, J.R.RRead MoreThe Tyger, The Lamb and Lord of the Rings1031 Words   |  4 PagesThere is an immense amount of symbolism used throughout both poems, and many different things can be taken away about the author’s thoughts religion, nature, and the battle between good and evil in one’s mind. In the novel, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien, there is seemingly a lot left up in the air about religion and the symbolism of nature, but when read the way the author intended, there are a few very strong themes that resemble those portrayed in â€Å"The Tyger† and â€Å"The Lamb†. ThroughoutRead MoreThe Lord Of The Rings Series845 Words   |  4 PagesIn The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R Tolkien, heroism is a prominent theme throughout. There is not one sole hero. Tolkien doesn’t present the books with just one hero, but a combined effort of many different heroes. He could have easily made the story just about Aragorn, Gandalf, Frodo, or Sam A hero is a person who overcomes adversity to achieve a quest that changes his society for good in the dramatic way. In classic literature a hero is usually portrayed as an epic hero. The epic heroRead More J.R.R. Tolkiens Lord of the Rings Essay2306 Words   |  10 PagesJ.R.R. Tolkiens Lord of the Rings â€Å"One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the Darkness bind them† (Tolkien, The Two Towers 233)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the masters of British Literature, J.R.R. Tolkien was able to create a fantasy world with an endless supply of parallelisms to reality. The fantasy world was found in the â€Å"Lord of the Rings.† Tolkien is able to create wonderful symbolism and meaning out of what would otherwise be considered nonsense.

State of Mind Affects Macbeth Essay - 1083 Words

In court, a criminal will commonly make the statement that they were in the wrong state of mind when they committed the crime, to lessen their punishment. In fact, a person’s state of mind can affect their actions, and the actions of others towards them. Authors commonly use a persons state of mind to embellish actions of a character or to better explain changes in the character. William Shakespeare uses state of mind to assist in the degeneration of the protagonist Macbeth in the tragedy Macbeth. Macbeth is a brave, loyal and strong Scottish general in the Middle Ages, more specifically the eleventh century, who despite his power on the battlefield was swayed easily to the tragic life of a murderer by the three predictions of three†¦show more content†¦In other words, Duncan is Macbeth’s king and his guest, therefore Macbeth should be preventing murderers from reaching Duncan instead of murdering Duncan himself. At this point in the play Macbeth’s state of mind is confused, his hunger for power wants him to murder Duncan but his conscious goes against it. The fact that his couscous still goes against murder means the degeneration of his character has not begun, yet in the rising action this loyalty disappears. With Duncan on his way to Inverness Macbeth’s wife persuades Macbeth to follow through with the murder so that he can be King and live a wonderful life. It is at this point in the story that Macbeth under goes his start into his character degeneration. In a second soliloquy, after Macbeth has just been convinced by his wife to follow through with the murder, he see an imaginary dagger covered with blood. He feels that this is a sign that he should go through with the murdering of Duncan. His thirst for power then drives him to pull out his own dagger; â€Å"I see thee yet, in form as palpable As this which now I draw. Thou marshallst me the way that I was going, And such an instrument I was to use†(II, I, 40-4 3). Macbeth’ state of mind in this soliloquy has changed from the last soliloquy a great deal, reflecting his start into degeneration. Macbeth has gone from confused and indecisive to crazed and power hungry. After committing the murder of Duncan Macbeth isShow MoreRelatedMacbeth Essay1283 Words   |  6 PagesThe tragic hero Macbeth loses everything he has including his sanity in the classic Shakespeare play Macbeth. The crimes he commits are not Macbeth’s fault because of the other factors that affect his actions. The witches and Lady Macbeth are responsible for the crimes since they influence Macbeth in several ways throughout the play. Macbeth becomes caught up in all the manipulating words and his actions are not his fault. Macbeth is not guilty for the crimes in the play Macbeth. The witches andRead MoreWitches, Lady Macbeth and Macbeths Responsibility for Macbeth’s Downfall1490 Words   |  6 PagesWitches, Lady Macbeth and Macbeths Responsibility for Macbeth’s Downfall Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth shows the downfall of a wrongfully crowned king. But his downfall is not solely due to himself. There are other characters in the play that are part of his downfall. If it weren’t for them, the play would not work. They are part of a chain, one leading to another. The play would not have ended in the same manner, even if one of these characters hadn’t played their partRead MoreAnalysis Of The Banquet Scene720 Words   |  3 Pagescloser analysis. Let the chart below guide your reading, and be sure to justify your answers to the questions using specific detailed evidence from the text. Examine the text: When Macbeth learns that Banquo has been assassinated but Fleance has escaped, he uses figurative language to describe his state of mind. He says, â€Å"Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect; whole as the marble, founded as the rock, as broad and general as the casing air: but now, I am cabin’d, cribb’d confin’d,Read MoreThe Importance of the Theme of the Supernatural in William Shakespeares Macbeth951 Words   |  4 PagesThe Importance of the Theme of the Supernatural in William Shakespeares Macbeth The supernatural in Elizabethan times was seen as a very real threat to society. The public thought that there were such things as witches who could perform acts of the supernatural such as turning humans into animals and causing changes in the weather. Any mention of the supernatural in these times scared the public and many people, mainly women, were executed on the thought that theyRead MoreThe Struggle Of Mental Illness1212 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, takes place in Scotland and features famous characters like Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and Banquo. Macbeth, the tragic hero, is a power hungry Thane whom seeks kingship. However, he lacks ambition and his wife attempts to urge him towards this edge. As Macbeth is urged toward ambitious ways, he commits the murder of Duncan, the king. From this point on, the reader notices Macbeth’s mind starts to deteriorate. As the tragedy continues, the reader also notices Macbeth is not the onlyRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare921 Words   |  4 Pagesother end of the spectrum, Macbeth must deal with the moral uncertainty of the actions he does commit. When he goes to kill Duncan, the dagger appears, which he judges to be â€Å"A dagger of the mind, a false creation /Proceeding from the heat oppressà ¨d brain† (II.i.38-39). It i s something that has materialized because he has a humoral imbalance. This is the â€Å"psychic distress† Roychoudhury says, â€Å"threatens often to undo the protagonists† (218). Because his mind is not right, Macbeth goes down a path of self-destructionRead MoreEssay on Macbeth Issues867 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare’s Macbeth, there are many issues that may have had an affect on the play. The complex marriage between the power hungry Macbeths, lady Macbeth’s dominant character directing Macbeth in the murders, the role reversal during the murders, Macbeth’s reaction to his wife’s death, and male and female marriages for authority. When analyzed these issues help describe the Macbeth’s relationship. They are the very issues that eventually lead to the â€Å"Great Tragedy†. The relationship of Macbeth and LadyRead MoreLady Macbeth960 Words   |  4 Pagestime of fast decisions and unsure actions is going to expose them to danger or injury. In the play Lady Macbeth proves this to be true. The emotional mistakes shredded the journey Lady Macbeth puts down throughout this play and eventually ends in her death. She feels overpowered by everything that is happening in two ways, both mentally and physically and decides to end her own life. Play Macbeth by William Shakespeare shows two proper ordinary nobles whose lives twisted together in a whirlwind ofRead MoreEssay on Ambition in Macbeth734 Words   |  3 Pages Ever since he heard the prophecies that promised him power, Macbeth’s mind has been descending into a disoriented state as times passed. In the duration of Acts 1 and 2, Macbeth, under the influence of Lady Macbeth and his own ambition, has changed from being a rational, level-headed man to one of questionable integrity. With Macbeth’s coronation, not only does his inner turmoil affect his mentality, but also his behaviour and senses. Scotland is immersed in more chaos by Macbeth’sRead MoreMacbeth, By William Shakespeare1322 Words   |  6 PagesThe play Macbeth, written by Shakespeare, is about a courageous Scottish general, who strikes with the prophecies by trio witches and his wife spurs that makes him strive for ambition, which eventually leads to his death. Niccollo Machiavell says â€Å"Ambition is so powerful a passion in the human breast, that however high we reach we are never satisfied.† An ambitious person chooses different ways to become successful, either good or sinister way, but depending on the situation. As life consists of

Law Of Victoria Laundry v Newman Industries Ltd †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Law Of Victoria Laundry v Newman Industries Ltd. Answer: Issue To determine the damages to be paid to Adam Rule In the case of Victoria Laundry (Windsor) Ltd v Newman Industries Ltd (1949) 2 KB 528 the issue before the court was to determine the damages to be paid to the plaintiff by the defendant. The plaintiff in this case had made a claim for extraordinary losses which was incurred by him due to the breach of contract done on the part of the defendant. In this case the defendant failed to make a delivery of goods on time and the plaintiff as a result lost cleaning contract. The court in this case held that the plaintiff was only entitled to any ordinary losses incurred by him and not for the extra ordinary loss of profit. This is because losses would only be recoverable in situation where the defendant possessed adequate information which would impose the liability of the loss on him. In this case the defendant did not possess such information. In the case of Hadley v Baxendale (1854) EWHC J70 the defendant had been hired by the plaintiff for the purpose of supplying a broken shaft to the engineer immediately so that new shaft could be made. Unless a new shaft was made the plaintiff factory was not able to carry out its operations. In this case there was a failure on the part of the defendant to supply the shaft to the plaintiff on time. The plaintiff sued the defendant for all losses which had been incurred by him. However the claim of the plaintiff has been rejected by the court on the ruling that only those losses which would be reasonably foreseen by the defendant are liable to be compensated. In the case of Nutbrown v Thornton (1804) 10 Ves 159 the issue before the court was to determine the damages which were to be paid to the plaintiff with respect to the breach of contract committed on the part of the defendant. In this case due to the breach of the defendant the plaintiff would suffer heavy losses as the machinery in context of the contract was not readily available elsewhere. Taking into account the circumstances of the situation the court in this case order specific performance according to which the defendant had to supply the rare machinery to the plaintiff with respect to contractual remedies. The court was faced with similar situation in the case of Cohen v Roche [1927] 1 KB 169. However the decision of the court in this case was different. In this case the court denied specific performance to the plaintiff on the notion that the goods in context of the contract were ordinary commercial articles and had no specific interest all values does the question of specific performance in this case does not arise. In addition the intention of the buyer in this case was resell the goods. In the case of Posner v Scott-Lewis [1987] 3 All ER 513 and application has been granted by the court in relation to specific performance with respect to a lesser Convent towards employing a resident portal to perform Particular duties. In this case the court had made a distinction with the case of Ryan v Mutual Tontine where supervision in relation to the execution of an undertaking was required. However in the current situation neither continuous series of actions or personal services were needed. On the other hand only executions of an agreement consisting of provision for the services were required. In the case of Wolverhampton Corp v Emmons [1901] 1 KB 515 the plaintiff had acquired a property for the purpose of an improvement scheme and sold a part of the property to the defendant who had agreed to build new house on the property. The plaintiff acquired house plans however the defendant refused to continue the work. In this case the court awarded specific performance in favour of the plaintiff as the obligation of the defendant has been defined precisely by the plants and damages in this situation would not be adequate as a position of the site was with the defendant and the plaintiff would not be able to complete the work through the employment of a different contractor. Application In the given situation it has been provided that there was an agreement between Adam and Edwin for the purpose of purchasing a 1925 Rolls Royce. Edwin was a dealer of Vintage cars. The contract was entered into by Edwin and Adam for the sale of the car at the price of $500,000. However Edwin found out that there was another person who was looking for the same model and was prepared to pay $700,000 for the car. In this situation he refused to sell the car to Adam. It is clear from the facts of the case that the car is rare and damages would not be able to act as a proper remedy for the breach of contract done by Edwin as Adam would not be able to procure the car from elsewhere. Taking into account the circumstances of the contract the court would award specific performance in favour of Adam which would force Edwin to sell the car to him at the stipulated price of $500,000 as per the Nutbrown v Thornton and Wolverhampton Corp v Emmons case. However in situation where the car in contacts was a late model Mercedes Benz the court in this situation would not allow specific to Adam for the breach of contract done by Edwin. This is because Adam would be able to procure the Mercedes Benz model easily from elsewhere as per the Cohen v Roche case. Conclusion Adam can get specific performance for Rolls Royce Adam cannot get specific performance for Mercedes Benz References Cohen v Roche [1927] 1 KB 169 Hadley v Baxendale (1854) EWHC J70 Nutbrown v Thornton (1804) 10 Ves 1 Posner v Scott-Lewis [1987] 3 All ER 513 Victoria Laundry (Windsor) Ltd v Newman Industries Ltd (1949) 2 KB 528 Wolverhampton Corp v Emmons [1901] 1 KB 515

The Conversion of Saint Paul, 1601 Essay Example

The Conversion of Saint Paul, 1601 Paper The Conversion of Saint Paul is one of two paintings by Caravaggio (1573 1610) which was part of a prestigious commission for the Cerasi chapel in Santa del Popolo which is situated in one of Romes most beautiful squares. The accompanying piece is The Crucifixion of Saint Peter and they were both completed in 1601. Caravaggio was the foremost painter of the religious baroque period that signified the beginning of Baroque style. He was an exciting, controversial and revolutionary artist as he was already experimenting with the dramatic and emotional aspects of art even before the turn of the 17th Century and the onset of the Baroque style. The techniques of painting used by Caravaggio, as with all areas of his life, created controversy, Caravaggio worked very speedily and his work was often impulsive and experimental. Caravaggio worked in a way that rejected the traditions of extensive, detailed preparation work as practised in central Italy, he worked from Rome, and worked in a way more congruous with the Venetian practises. This was because he preferred to work in oils directly from his subjects straight onto the canvas with no sketching, not even for the main figures. Maybe, the dark and urgent nature of this painting reflected his state of mind. We will write a custom essay sample on The Conversion of Saint Paul, 1601 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Conversion of Saint Paul, 1601 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Conversion of Saint Paul, 1601 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It is also important to note another controversial method utilised by Caravaggio was his use of real, normal people as models in his paintings, often Caravaggios overtly religious patrons were most outraged at the common and often disreputable people used to depict the most holy of scenes. The first version of this painting was deemed unacceptable by the patron, this version was painted on cypress panel, however this second version was painted on a very large canvas which was very unconventional as it was for placement in a chapel. The composition of this painting is striking for a number of reasons; the fact that the horse occupies almost the entire canvas, the intimate mood created because of the scale of the figures and because of the focus on the foreground the scene is viewed really close-up and this makes a spectator feel part of it and the realism all the more intense and finally the position of Paul as he lies on the ground stunned. As with Caravaggios 1606 piece The Death of a Virgin it is his interpretation of the scene that is provocative, in The Death of a Virgin he chooses a prostitute as the model for Mary and this sacred scene is, without precedent, painted at night. Whereas with The Conversion of Saint Paul it is because the main body of the painting is taken up with the posterior of a horse, a Santa Maria cleric noted this conversation between Caravaggio and one of his critics: Why have you put a horse in the middle, and St. Paul on the ground? Because! Is the horse God? No, but he stands in Gods light Page 66 Caravaggio by Giles Lambert) The way this painting is arranged means that the drama is very internal to Paul, the way his eyes are closed as if he has been blinded by the light of God that pours across the picture, highlighting certain sections of Pauls anatomy and that of the cumbersome horse. Paul does not have a halo, so it is up to the viewer, believer or atheist, the decided whether this light is holy. Whilst Caravaggio clearly selected the most dramatic scene possible given his conventional and very popular subject matter he still portrays it with immense naturalism. It is perhaps because of his use of real people as models, people he saw in the street that the painting conveys a realism that is not mundane but made theatrical by the dramatic use of chiaroscuro and the powerful foreshortening of Paul as he lies on the ground that create a sense of heightened emotion. The realistic depiction of Paul, his arms outstretched, is as if he truly has just been blinded and thrown off his horse, it is like he has just that moment been struck down. The position of Paul, the angle from which we view his head and the angle at which his body extends into the depth means that spectator needs to turn their own head to try and look at the Pauls eyes. The raised arms create a kind of frame drawing the eye along the recessive diagonal of the body right into the centre of the picture. The colours used in the painting are earthy tones, in the background, muted and dark, and in the foreground more vivid with the red cloth underneath Paul and the oranges of his armour. This means that whilst Paul, the focal point of the painting, is in an unconventional position on the ground he is still obviously important and stands out significantly more than the groom, who is hardly noticeable emerging from the shadows in the top right corner. In addition there are stylistic touches typical of 17th Century artists, such as the masterful effect of texture shown in the discarded Roman helmet in the bottom right-hand corner, the metal truly looks metallic with the touches of reflective light shimmering, in contrast to the soft feathers painted with equal attention to create a completely contrasting texture. Caravaggios work is often described as a violent reaction to the constrained and academic style of the Mannerists, Caravaggio was revolutionary in creating an intense realism that would have a great influence on later artists. Caravaggio aimed to move his work and art itself forward by abandoning the idealisation of human and religious subjects. Also he focused equally on human figures and inanimate objects still life. This can be seen in the detailed rendering of the helmet and sword but Caravaggios skill at still life is demonstrated more fully in works such as Supper at Emmaus (1601) and Basket of Fruit (1598). With his theatrical realism it could be assumed that Caravaggio was severing links entirely with the artists of the Renaissance however this is not completely true as he did borrow from the antiquity of Michealangelo and Rapheal, he was most clearly trying to emerge from the instability of the Mannerist era, as Giotto emerged from Byzantinism. During the 17th Century artists became interested in light and movement, however Caravaggio was most interested in light, or perhaps, conversely, most interested in shade. In the Renaissance artists used the effect of overall light to define the human figure, for them, shade was there to accentuate light. But Caravaggio, sometimes referred to as The Master of Darkness, began with shade. He made his figures emerge, dramatically from the shadows using linear strokes of light. This had the effect of making muscles and the sheer volume of the figures stand out in their own space. This, whilst different to the Renaissance approach, was the complete opposite to the Mannerist one. Mannerism, which took Renaissance traditions to the extreme, practically eliminated any contrast between light and shadow making pale, ghostly figures. However, whereas other artists such as Poussin (a great enemy of Caravaggio) Carracci and Rubens where exploring the exciting, intricacies of creating a real sense of movement Caravaggio abstained. Instead he developed a feature of his art that his contempories could not understand which was, representing significant moments of stillness this allowed him to truly penetrate the psychological elements of a scene. Conversion of Saint Paul (1530) or from Parmigianinos version of this scene. In addition to Caravaggio using sources such as these, his work inspired many artists after his time, it has been demonstrated that Caravaggios The Conversion of Saint Paul inspired artist Georges de La Tours Saint Joseph as a Carpenter. In creating this painting it can be said that Caravaggio did keep close to the actual Bible story as far as the details of events are depicted, but what was revolutionary was his goal to make an extraordinary biblical event look ordinary, it was this quest to depict the truth that meant he was largely critically condemned. This piece is a good example of Caravaggios pessimistic realism, his dark and gloomy impression of human nature and destiny. It was this truthfulness, this examination of the dramatic relationships of life, death and grief that opened a door for later 17th Century artists to explore emotive realism. Throughout his life, Caravaggio had a number of powerful, wealthy patrons, they had to possess some authority as it was often necessary for Caravaggio to have to be extracted from prison. This Santa Maria del Populo commission came on the back of his equally famous commission for the Contorelli Chapel of San Luigi dei Francesi. The Cerasi Family had bought the chapel as the family funeral chapel and in the autumn of 1600 Tibero Cerasi, Treasurer General to Pope Clement VIII commissioned both Caravaggio and Annibale Carracci to decorate the chapel. The first versions of the two paintings Caravaggio submitted were rejected by Cerasis heirs, on the grounds of their violence and bright colours. The second versions were well accepted by the patrons and installed in the chapel, where they remain to this day, along with Carraccis Assumption of the Virgin. Only the first version of The Conversion of Saint Paul survived and is in the Odescalchi-Balbi collection. Caravaggio was working in a climate of great religious, political and social unrest in Italy, as a reaction to the Reformation and the minimalism of the Protestant faith came the Counter Reformation. This was a period of time when the Catholic Church reasserted its power where it could, and Religious Baroque is a style that was forced upon artists by Catholic authorities. This was a time of militant Catholicism, there was a crusade of censorship, indoctrination including the use of propaganda, it was almost impossible for an artist to paint something other than a religious scene. Although Caravaggio was very much a natural rebel and a bohemian, the effects of the Counter Reformation can be clearly seen through the big commissions of his life, such as the Cerasi and Contarelli commissions. These are typical of the type of art the Catholic Church demanded, art that involved viewers emotionally so they could take part in the religious experience themselves. The Conversion of Saint Paul and The Crucifixion of Saint Peter are archetypal because of their large scale depictions of the suffering of saints and matydom. To enforce the censorship of subjects disapproved by the Catholic Church financial support of artists working outside the catholic church was scarce. It was because the Protestants criticised Catholicism for being too lavish in regards to art that so many elaborate works of great size were commissioned during this period, works such as this.