Customer center

We are a boutique essay service, not a mass production custom writing factory. Let us create a perfect paper for you today!

Example research essay topic: Autocratic Societies And Their Tyrants - 1,519 words

NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote

In my essay I am going to talk about the autocratic societies in the books Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley, and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. In Findley's twisted version of Noah's ark, Noah is a tyrant running a dictatorship on the ark he built to survive the great flood. The Handmaid's Tale, is a story of a society where women are extremely oppressed and men run everything. Both these examples present us with the subject of autocratic societies. There seems to be a pattern in which tyrants follow in starting and running a community, society or country. First, power is obtained through division.

Second, power is secured through the introduction of new policies. Lastly, power is ensured through unusual penalties for crimes against the tyrannies. Not Wanted on the Voyage, is a book about the great flood. When God sees the evil in the world he decides to start it over and tells Noah to build an ark for he is going to flood the world. Noah builds the ark and places two of each kind of animal on the ark, along with enough food for the voyage. To go with him on the ark are his wife, his children and their wives.

Once on the ship Noah runs a dictatorship over his wife those who side with her. Margaret Atwood writes about a society controlled by men. Women are extremely oppressed and only used for breeding and for whatever use the men can find for them. They are watched carefully and given only one chance. The Handmaids Tale is about a handmaid named Offered, and her life in Gilead, the name of the place where it all takes place. In order to gain power over a community, a change is made to the society which appeals to the dominant sect or group.

This change causes the society to split into two major groups. One of which thrives under the new conditions, and another which is oppressed and treated like they are inhuman. Many times the divisions are made using religion, interpreted to fit the situation, as a shield, or reason for the change. In both my books, the change is brought on by people using Christianity to repress, in the first case, unwanted voyageurs, and in the second, women.

When Mrs. Noyes, the wife of Noah, in Not Wanted on the Voyage, tries to disagree with the decisions made by Noah which will segregate her, Emma (wife of her son Janet), Ham (her son), and Lucy (Ham's wife) from the rest of the family, and leave them with all the chores, Noah does nothing but says, "I will brook no opposition. You have your place and you will either accept it with grace - or go on making a fool of yourself" (Findley, 212). The change Noah uses is the division of the people he likes and thinks will be good for his cause, which he states is according to God's will, and the people he thinks could cause him trouble. Margaret Atwood uses men as an example of a group of tyrants. Men run a place called Gilead where women are used solely for breeding and household duties.

In order to acquire this social structure the men who started it all divided the men and the women saying that, "'For Adam was first formed, then Eve. '" (Atwood, 207) The men then go on and say that they women should feel lucky because if it wasn't for her womb she would be killed off. "'Notwithstanding, she shall be saved by childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. '" (Atwood, 207) Once the women and me were divided, the men were well on their way to controlling the society. After obtaining the power, it must be secured. In order to do so the tyrant (s) will create policies that seem to 'better' the society when in fact they just put a stronghold on the dictatorship. Many times the policies are backed up by religious principles that seem to make sense but when looked at closely are falsified.

In Timothy Findley's book Noah makes rules about what each person will do. Noah's group are given the responsibility of Maintenance and checking the cargo. They are to live on the deck where there is accessibility to the outside. Mrs. Noyes group, on the other hand have been told they will live underneath with the animals and be responsible for all the feeding, watering, cleaning, etc.

Mrs. Noyes reacts to this saying, "'We shall keep farmers' hours- and you shall keep those of the Most Reverend Doctor, is that it?' " (Findley, 212) The group who live in the lower deck, are the oppressed group, and Noah has begun his dictatorship, saying Yahweh [God], put him in charge of the family and the ark. Since the men run the country of Gilead in Margaret Atwood's A Handmaid's Tale, the women are the oppressed group. Once the division between men and women is made the men put the women into casts so as to maintain leadership.

For instance, when nuns renounce their celibacy, in turn for their lives, are put in the society at a certain level where they will have to build their way up as high as they can, but never to the top, because they are scared from the past. "They aren't allowed to become Wives though; they " re considered, still, too dangerous for positions of such power. " (Atwood, 207) Since they are put in levels it ensures that they will not fight back because the women who are higher up in the system abuse the women who are lower. The tyrants make it so that even the women oppress the women. Once the person (s) have gained the power and secured it, they must protect themselves against any mutiny. In order to do so, many tyrants will put in place cruel and unusual punishment for anyone caught breaking the law.

This will ensure that the few who break the law and get caught will make an example for everyone else who decides to try anything. Noah's dictatorship does not come across as pleasing to Mrs. Noyes and her crew. After many hours of frustration an attack is planned to capture the ark.

When the attempt fails Noah punishes the traitors by making them live like bats. "'There will be no light for you from here on, ' [Noah] had said. 'You will live in perpetual darkness until we come to land. '" (Findley, 309) After this failure the chance of another mutiny will be somewhat less, though still possible as is shown in this book. Public punishment is often the choice in autocratic societies. If people see what will happen to themselves if they do something, they will be much less likely to do it. In The Handmaid's Tale, those who break the law are punished in a very unusual manner. There is a place called the wall where the bodies of those who were punished hang. "Beside the main gateway there are six more bodies hanging, by the necks, their hands tied in front of them, their heads in white bags tipped sideways onto their shoulders. [Offered said]" (Atwood, 31) Along with their bodies being displayed, their crimes are also shown. "Each has a placard around his neck to show why he has been executed: " (Atwood, 31) By doing this to the criminals, the dictators eliminate a lot of people from trying things. The mere thought of dying and being publically humiliated is a big turn-off.

Autocratic societies are often very similar when they are stripped down to the core. They are mostly likely started by a division which leads to an oppression. The oppression is then secured by the manipulation of current laws and policies. And last of all, injustice punishments are put in place for crimes against the tyrant (s). The question is, when does a society become autocratic? How far does it have to go before someone places the label "dictator" on the government or object of power?

Is our society not divided and controlled by what we call- the upper class? These are just a few of the questions we should be asking ourselves in an era where we condemn those whom we say are controlling, and not adhering to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which states everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: freedom of conscience and religion; freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media communication; freedom of peaceful assembly; and freedom of association. Why then do we break these freedoms willingly. It is no longer easy to believe what you want to believe. We are told to believe what we are taught, not being able to be free and form our own opinions and beliefs. And if we do decide to speak out, we are nothing but a mere whisper in a vacuum.

Where then do we draw the line? Are we ourselves then not living in an autocratical society?


Free research essays on topics related to: margaret atwood, timothy findley, handmaid tale, put in place, break the law

Research essay sample on Autocratic Societies And Their Tyrants

Writing service prices per page

  • $18.85 - in 14 days
  • $19.95 - in 3 days
  • $23.95 - within 48 hours
  • $26.95 - within 24 hours
  • $29.95 - within 12 hours
  • $34.95 - within 6 hours
  • $39.95 - within 3 hours
  • Calculate total price

Our guarantee

  • 100% money back guarantee
  • plagiarism-free authentic works
  • completely confidential service
  • timely revisions until completely satisfied
  • 24/7 customer support
  • payments protected by PayPal

Secure payment

With EssayChief you get

  • Strict plagiarism detection regulations
  • 300+ words per page
  • Times New Roman font 12 pts, double-spaced
  • FREE abstract, outline, bibliography
  • Money back guarantee for missed deadline
  • Round-the-clock customer support
  • Complete anonymity of all our clients
  • Custom essays
  • Writing service

EssayChief can handle your

  • essays, term papers
  • book and movie reports
  • Power Point presentations
  • annotated bibliographies
  • theses, dissertations
  • exam preparations
  • editing and proofreading of your texts
  • academic ghostwriting of any kind

Free essay samples

Browse essays by topic:

Stay with EssayChief! We offer 10% discount to all our return customers. Once you place your order you will receive an email with the password. You can use this password for unlimited period and you can share it with your friends!

Academic ghostwriting

About us

© 2002-2024 EssayChief.com