Iago’s soliloquies are embarrassing and outdated

â€Å"It is through Iago's soliloquies that the audience gain most insight and enjoyment† How far do you agree with these views and what is your opinion? Iago's soliloquies feature throughout the play Othello and allow the audience to see the true feelings he has for other characters and his motives for his evil actions throughout the play. These two critical opinions show contrasting views of the value these soliloquies have to the audience and to the play itself. When Shakespeare wrote Othello, actors on the stage would often interact with the audience and involve them within the play. Soliloquies were an opportunity for an actor in his role to explain his motives and way of thinking to the audience. This is shown when Iago asks ‘and what's he then that says I play the villain? ‘ directly asking the audience to question their opinion of him or become accomplices of his evil plan. To a modern audience this interaction with the actors is rare and outdated so to many Iago's soliloquies just appear to be a man speaking to himself on stage. This can be embarrassing for the modern audience and also the actor playing Iago who has to deliver the lines convincingly. Another problem for the actor is that in Shakespearean times plays would be performed in open-air theatres during daylight with the audience stood right in front of the stage. This is different to modern day theatres that are enclosed and dark with the audience sitting further away from the stage. This makes the relationship between actors and audience less intimate, which may make the soliloquy less effective and therefore outdated. At the end of his soliloquies Iago ends in a rhyming couplet such as in Act 1 Scene 1: ‘hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to light' which to modern audiences is slightly outdated and may associate Iago with a stereotypical villain in a pantomime who plots against the ‘good' guy, in this case Othello. In pantomimes, the villain similarly interacts with the audience and uses hyperbolic language with rhymes, dark imagery and rhetoric questions as Iago does. Therefore, Iago's soliloquies may be perceived as outdated and embarrassing for an audience who see Iago's representation as a villain as stereotypical and childish Iago's soliloquies may seem outdated and embarrassing for an audience due to his racist language repeatedly referring to Othello as ‘Moor' and as a ‘devil'. A modern audience may not understand the racial term ‘moor' due to it being out of date, particularly as other characters use it a non racial way. The way his soliloquies are set out in blank verse and in iambic pentameter may also be embarrassing for the audience and increase Iago's association with the pantomime villain. When Othello was first staged, blank verse would indicate a serious, important part of the play and the audience would understand this switch from prose. Modern audiences without understanding the literary device may therefore find it outdated and fail to understand why an actor would be talking in a regular rhythm only when he was alone on the stage. The view that Iago's soliloquies add little to the play can be justified as Iago never fully shares his plan with the audience often formulating it in his head and claiming that ‘it is engendered' or that 'tis here but yet confused'. Instead the audience only gets to see the beginning of the plan and who he plans to use to deceive Othello. The soliloquies can be seen as unimportant as Iago produces more motives that are unlikely to be true such as his claim that Othello has slept with Emilia, in order to justify his original lies. This can begin to get repetitive and tiring to an audience. Without the soliloquies the audience would not lose out on the plot, only on Iago's insight so it can be argued that they are unnecessary. However, the second critic's view that Iago's soliloquies are insightful and enjoyable can also be explored. Iago is the most important character in developing the plot as without his conniving plans to ruin Othello, Othello's and Desdemona's marriage would probably have survived. It is through his soliloquies that we see how his mind works and how he abuses people's good nature in order to ruin them. The soliloquies allow us to see into Iago's mind, which allows the audience to gain great insight into what he is doing. In Act 1 Scene 1 his first soliloquy reveals a great deal of his opinions of other people and it is though Iago is taking off a mask, suddenly revealing a darker side than we have seen so far. The audience see his true opinion of Roderigo as being a ‘fool' who he is only associating with for ‘sport and profit' and that he is impatient with his idiotic and defeatist talk. He also reveals his reason for bringing about the downfall of Othello is due to rumours he has heard of Othello sleeping with Emilia, which he continues to mention in other soliloquies, claiming ‘the lusty moor hath leaped into [his] seat' in Act 2 Scene 1. Other than this motive, which is possibly a lie in order to justify his evil nature, his other motives are selfish and unfair. Iago intends to ruin Cassio in order to ‘get his place' and later reveals a jealousy for Desdemona. He only expresses his motives within his soliloquies making them insightful to the audience even if they are only to defend himself. Iago manipulates Cassio's ‘smooth dispose' in order to use it against him and convince Othello that ‘he is too familiar with his wife'. He abuses people's good nature in order to defeat them and the audience can see this through his soliloquies. He knows that Othello will ‘prove to Desdemona a most dear husband' and is ‘of a free and open nature' but plans to use this good nature in order to bring his downfall. The audience sees that he is totally evil by regarding his manipulation of people and their lives as a game, structuring his plan carefully in order for him to cause great damage. His plan to ‘pour†¦ pestilence into [Othello's] ear' shows how he intends to use the trust he has developed with Othello to advise him against Cassio and Desdemona. He again, uses Desdemona who he believes to be ‘virtuous' and ‘fruitful' enjoying the fact that he will ‘turn her virtue into pitch' by using her ‘goodness' as the ‘net that shall enmesh them all'. The audience can get a true insight into Iago's nature of being spiteful and wicked, which would not be as clearly seen if the soliloquies were removed. The audience can almost see the way his brain is working and his language shows this. He uses repetition such as ‘How? How? ‘ as he puts together his plan and there are often small pauses and contemplative moments such as ‘let me see now' to reflect his plan coming together. His dark mind is reflected through his language with images of ‘hell' ‘devils' with the ‘blackest sins' and poison. For the audience, this can be exciting as they are involved in his plan, almost acting as accomplices. They hold a greater awareness of what is going on in the play than the rest of the characters and so can foreshadow Othello's downfall. The audience are far more likely to be sympathetic for Othello by knowing the true evil nature of Iago through his speeches, particularly in knowing that even Iago, who sees the worst in people admits that Othello is ‘of constant, loving, noble nature'. In my opinion, the second critic's view that Iago's soliloquies are insightful and enjoyable is the most justified. Without his soliloquies the audience would be unaware of how Iago's plans come together, his motives or how he views the other characters. When he is with other characters it is almost as if he is wearing a mask to cover up his true feelings. He plays the honest and trustworthy friend and it is only when he is alone does his true nature show and the audience discovers that this is a clever manipulating method that he uses, knowing Othello ‘thinks men honest that seem to be so'. The first critics opinion that Iago's soliloquies are embarrassing and outdated can be a problem due to modern audiences not being used to this device. However, it can also be refreshing for an audience to experience this different way of acting and enjoyable to be involved in Iago's plot. As a modern audience we should understand that the play was written in a society that was different from today and therefore be less judgemental on how outdated it is. The critic's view that they ‘add little to the play' is, in my opinion less justified. The soliloquies may not be essential to the actual plot of the play but they provide a great by giving the audience an opportunity to understand Iago's character. As an audience we can foreshadow the upcoming events in the play and therefore be more interested as it all unravels. An audience will feel more hatred towards Iago due to his soliloquies and therefore feel more sympathy for the other characters as he causes their downfall. Instead of providing little to the play, they provide a great deal by stirring up the audiences emotions to the characters. Overall, I believe Iago's soliloquies to be of great insight and enjoyment to the audience as they allow an audience to see into his mind and be aware of his plot to bring Othello's downfall. Instead of being outdated and embarrassing they are insightful and enjoyable as audiences can directly witness his harsh and wicked nature.

Life Changing Essays

Life Changing Essays Life Changing Essay Life Changing Essay Six years ago an event took place in my life that I will never forget. It was a life changing event, something that I would never wish on anyone. I had my children taken away from me due to my ex-husband abusing me. I had Just had my third little girl and thought that maybe this time things would get better. After each baby I secretly wished this. And for the first week or two things seemed to get better, but It always went back to the same old thing. He was always yelling for the smallest thing. Dinner just so, I do enough laundry, or the house cleaned the right way. He would come in from working or hanging out tit friends, which he did more than work, and be on a rampage. I could tell within the first few seconds of him walking in how the night would be. I would try to always have a smile on my face and greet him so nicely hoping that would make things different that day. But it never did. I would try and hurry through dinner and baths with the kids so that I could put them in bed before things got too bad. I always tried to hide the fact that their father could be such a monster. They heard it all and sometimes saw him slap me across the face or push me against the wall with his face Inches from mine, daring me to say anything. I would sometimes have enough and run to the phone, but he would always grab It and rip It from the wall. I finally had enough and went to vaults my mom one day. That was the beginning to the worst event in my life. When I arrived at my I had a busted lip and a knot on my head. My mom had me fill her in on everything that had been going on. When I was done telling her she was furious! She told my stepfather everything and he wanted to know why I was still living with him. I explained to him that I Just had another baby and could not figure out how I would manage taking of three children by myself financially. Where would we live? Where would I work? What would I drive? Those were the reasons that I continued to stay there. If I could figure a way out then I would be out, but it that easy. My parents thought they had a plan that was going to help us get out of this situation, however it work out. My stepfather made a call to the abuse hotlist and reported that my husband was abusing me In front of my children. He told them he was worried about us and wanted us to get help. They told him that someone would investigate the situation. I did not know at the time he had made this phone call. I went home hat night and the next morning I was awaken by someone knocking on the door. When I got to the door there was a Deputy and a Case Worker from the Department of Children and Families. They asked me to step outside and talk to them in private. I knew that my husband would be listening to everything that was going on, so I tried to keep my composure and act like nothing was wrong. They told me that a call came into the abuse line, but did not say who called it in. They asked me if there was any violence going on and I had to deny it because I knew he would be listening. I told them that I know what the call was all about. They then asked to speak to my oldest daughter and right then I started getting upset. I was crying and asking them not to take my children. They said they were not taking them they Just needed to ask her a few questions. So I took her outside and they asked me to go back inside, A Tee umlauts later teen toll me Tanat I anemia to get ten Kilos ready Ana go stay with my mom for a couple of days, for a cool down period they said. So I agreed and went in to get myself and the girls ready to go. The whole time the Deputy and Case Worker stayed outside waiting. When I went out and got in the car o go they stayed and talked to my husband. By the time I got to my there was a message for me to call the office. So I called and they said that when we left my husband was arrested for domestic violence. My daughter told them about everything that had been going on and then when they questioned him they knew he was lying. They said that I could return home whenever I was ready. He would not be allowed back there when he was released from Jail. I returned home the next day to try and figure out where to go from here. My husband was released a few days later and against the courts orders came to the house. I got the same threats as always that I needed to do what he told me or else. About three weeks later the Case Worker came back to my house, this time alone. He said he needed to take pictures of the children for the file. My two younger daughters were at my mother in laws house at the time, so he asked me to go get them and then come back. I knew right then that something right. I asked him if he was going to take my kids, but he said no he Just needed pictures. He said that I could leave my oldest daughter there if I wanted, which I refused. So I put my daughter in the car and left to go get the other two. As soon as I was turning off f my street I saw two cars pull into my drive way. My worst fears were confirmed then and there, they were there to take my babies. I cried the whole way to my mother in laws and when I got there told her what was going on. She said she doubted that was what was going on, but why would the be there for him to take some pictures. I loaded the kids in the car and drove back to my house. The rest of the day was a blur. I remember them meeting me at the car to tell me they were removing my children from me. I started screaming and crying, asking them to please give me another chance. I told them I would do whatever they aid if they would Just leave my babies. They said they could not do that, my children were being emotionally abused. They then asked me if any of my family members would be willing to take them. I called my mom and she said that she would take them. I went inside and packed them some things to take with them and they let me say my goodbyes and then they were gone. I know what to do. I was lost. My neighbors came oft and tried to console me, but it make a difference. I was contacted the next day to tell me when my first court appearance was. At that appearance they set up visitation for me to see my children once a week. Over the course of almost three years I took numerous classes and had to follow the Case Plan the court assigned me. This was their way of having me prove how bad I wanted my children back. I took Parenting Classes and Batterers Prevention Classes. I went to court periodically and always had someone checking on me to make sure I was doing things right. My husband was set up with the same Case Plan, but it was not important enough for him to complete it. So I got a Job, a car, a place to live for me and my children, and finished my Case Plan. All the things I thought I could never do. After all of that was complete I was notified by my Case Worker that they were going to ask the Judge to grant me custody. A couple of weeks later I got ten call at work Tanat ten Judge Ana aware my sole custody AT my girls. IT the office been full of clients I would have done cartwheels though it! I was so happy I had to go, I continue my work day, and my employer understood. That evening when I went to pick up my girls was the happiest day of my life! Even though this was such a life changing event I am grateful that my parents were looking out for us. If this have happened I might not be here today to write this paper. Or something may have happened to one of my kids. I have learned a lot through all of this experience. I have learned that I am a strong woman that does not need to depend on anyone. I am a terrific mother that will never put my kids through that again. And I will never, ever let another man treat me the way he did. I have had my little girls back for three years now and have enjoyed every minute of it. I have not seen my ex husband for almost five years now and hope that I never have to see him again. Even though I am sad that the girls are missing out on having their father around, I am glad that they have me here able to love them, laugh with them, and care for them.

How to Block a Play and Give Stage Directions

How to Block a Play and Give Stage Directions Blocking is the theater term for the actors’ movements on the stage during the performance of the play or the musical. Every move that an actor makes (walking across the stage, climbing stairs, sitting in a chair, falling to the floor, getting down on bended knee) falls under the larger term â€Å"blocking.† Who Blocks? Typically, the play’s director determines the actors’ movements and positions on stage. Some directors â€Å"pre-block† scenes- map out the actors’ movements outside of rehearsal and then give the actors their blocking. Some directors work with the actors during rehearsal and make blocking decisions by having the actors perform the movements. These directors try a variety of movements and stage positions to see what works, make adjustments, and then set the blocking. Other directors, especially when they work with experienced actors during rehearsals, ask the actors to follow their instincts about when to move and the blocking becomes a collaborative work. Playwrights May Provide Blocking In some plays, the playwright provides blocking notes in the text of the script. American playwright Eugene O’Neill wrote detailed stage directions that include not only movements but notes on the characters’ attitudes and emotions as well. An example from Act I Scene 1 of Long Day’s Journey Into Night. Edmund’s dialogue is accompanied by stage directions in italics: EDMUNDWith sudden nervous exasperation.O for God’s sake, Papa. If you’re starting that stuff again, I’ll beat it.He jumps up.I left my book upstairs anyway.He goes to the front parlor saying disgustedly,God, Papa, I think you’d get sick of hearing yourself.He disappears. Tyrone looks after him angrily. Some directors remain true to the stage directions provided by the playwright in the script, but directors and actors are not bound to follow those directions in the way that they are bound to use the playwright’s dialogue strictly as written. The words the actors speak must be delivered precisely as they appear in the script. Only with the playwright’s specific permission may lines of dialogue be changed or omitted. It is not imperative, however, to adhere to the playwright’s blocking ideas. Actors and directors are free to make their own movement choices.​ Some directors appreciate scripts with detailed stage directions. Other directors prefer scripts with little to no blocking ideas within the text. Basic Functions of Blocking Ideally, blocking should enhance the story on the stage by: Reflecting the authentic behavior of the characters- a character’s movements can reveal just as much and sometimes more than his or her words do.Reflecting the relationships between and among characters.Giving the focus to certain characters at appropriate moments (helping the audience know where to look.)Allowing the audience to see what they are supposed to see and not what is meant to be hidden- either as part of the play or an accidental peek backstage.Creating effective stage pictures- strong, pleasing, horrific- that convey the meanings and moods of the play.Making effective use of the set. Blocking Notation Once a scene has been blocked, the actors must execute the same movements during rehearsals and performances. Thus, actors must memorize their blocking as well as their lines. During blocking rehearsals, most actors use a pencil to note blocking in their scripts- so if the blocking changes, the pencil marks can be erased and the new blocking noted. Actors and directors use a â€Å"shorthand† for blocking notation. Rather than write out â€Å"Walk downstage right and stand behind (or upstage) the sofa,† however, an actor would make notes using abbreviations. Any stage movement from one area of the stage to another is called a â€Å"cross,† and a quick way to indicate cross is to use an â€Å"X.† So, an actor’s blocking note the above blocking could look like this: â€Å"XDR to US of sofa.†

Skills Available For Acquisition and Career Building Strategies in Case Study

Skills Available For Acquisition and Career Building Strategies in Directing a Film - Case Study Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that directing film entails different aspects but all the aspects result in an action that makes the audience realize that a video is actually out for viewing. Elliott asserts that for a film director to reach his or her prime objective, he or she must have come from a long way just as far as from script cutting room all the way to the climax. There are number pathways how someone can become a film director for example; a person may start as screenwriter, actor or film editor. Film directors are such responsible individuals who need to facilitate the differences in film budget limit and the vision of the career. There is number of roles expected from a film director. The directing film assumes different approach and with regard to this, directors give a general outline of the film and letting the actors improvise the dialogue. Other directors are in control of every aspect where they demand the crew and actors to follow all their instructions accurately. Other film directors write the screenplay or edit their film and appear in their film as well. The researcher has thought of directing a film at one point or another. The researcher watched a great movie and believed he could do much better in one of his own films. The author choses this career because it is his passion career because telling a story as well as learning how to construct a movie has been one of the achievements the researcher has always wanted to attain in visual arts and film studies as a whole. Unlike the general trend in film direction, most of the new generation directors are young. In addition, unlike in the ancient time, filmmaking is both artistic and commercial venture.

Time Management in the Workplace Research Paper

Time Management in the Workplace - Research Paper Example Time management can be applied to your personal life in order to reduce stress and improve productivity (Clinic). A lot of people waste a lot of time during their daily routine. Identifying areas to streamline your daily habits can help people gain a lot of valuable time. For instance if a person stays in the shower one hour everyday, then this individual could reduce his bathing time to save water and cut time. A different individual may spend over three hours a day talking on the phone. Increase exposure to cellular phones may cause cancer (Cancer). The person would benefit from the application of time management to reduce phone usage. The time spend away from the phone can help this person enjoy more quality time with his family. . The managers of organizations can greatly benefit from the use of time management. Since managers are responsible for the performance of their employees it is in their best interest for their subordinates to use time efficiently at work. Managers can in fluence the way people do their jobs at work. The implementation of a new process can allow a worker to produce more units during a shift. Managers can also help their workers by authorizing training and development to increase the skills and capabilities of the staff. ... Time can be better managed by executives when they are organized and perform proper planning. Managers must forecast the work labor hours required to produce the demand for its products and services. Increasing labor efficiency by reducing waste can enhance the production of a company. Time management can benefit the work output of all types of employees independent of their position. The janitor can become more efficient at his job by finding ways to reduce the time to perform tasks. Salesmen can benefit from the use of multi-tasking tools in order to reduce the time of performing different tasks in their daily routine. Barbers can increased their productivity by shortening the time it takes to finish a hair cut and by socializing less with the clients and other employees during labor hours. The use of technology can be applied in the workplace to improve the time management of the enterprise. A simple technology that can save time in administrative work is to purchase an electronic card puncher. Instead of using a time card the employees can check in by putting a pin number in the machine. The electronic data can save accountants and HR people a lot of work in determining the hours worked by the employees to prepare the payroll. Another technology that can be used to improve the productivity of businesspeople when working outside the office is smartphones. Smartphones such as the Iphone 5 have the capability of connecting to the internet which enables workers to interchange data, information, and to instantly communicate with each other saving valuable time. The proliferation of cellular technology has improved communication worldwide. There are approximately 5.9 billion cellular subscriptions worldwide (Plunkettresearchonline). Capital

International Business. Multinational Enterprises Case Study

IBM as a Multinational Enterprises - Case Study Example IBM is one of the only nine companies in the Fortune 500 companies to be considered global. A company's recognition as being global is only measured by the percentage of their revenue from different markets. The three triad major world markets: North America, Europe, and Asia, are considered when companies are measured. According to the rules for a company to be called global, the revenue from each of the three major markets must be greater than 20% of the total revenue of the company (2006). In the case of IBM, it passed the test since IBM's revenue from all the three major world markets exceeds 20% of the total revenue. The company gets 42.7% of its revenue from North and South America, 32.7% from Europe, and 21.6% from Asia. Other big companies can be considered multinational enterprises, but not global companies. The number of countries IBM operates in, along with the vast availability of its products throughout the world is sufficient to conclude that IBM has a global reach. IBM interests the masses of other countries, and that is why it is the largest firm in its industry. IBM started to expand beyond national borders through the merger of its Canadian predecessors and establishing and maintaining a special relationship with its customers. According to the case presented, IBM expanded with speed and commitment into many different markets of the world. Contract manufacturing is outsourcing manufacturing tasks to other firms. In IBM's case, the company uses contract manufacturing to manufacture a lot of its products in different parts of the world. IBM's strategy is to remain a global company, and contract manufacturing fits in perfectly in IBM. Contract manufacturing allows the company to expand faster than if the company would manufacture everything directly from the host country. Furthermore, it saves a lot of money and time for the company because production facilities are not to be purchased, as it would be the case if IBM decides to manufacture them. It also involves getting the most out of the workforce. Local firms would know more about how to utilize their resources in the best possible way, and hence, local firms would a better job at managing local resources. Moreover, consumer tastes and demands differ in each country, so it is beneficial to use the knowledge of contractors about the home market. The contractors know mor e about the market for technological products in the home market. Furthermore, with specific assistance from IBM, the local firms can provide an IBM product with specific customization tailoring to the local population. Part of the reason for IBM's success in other countries is contract manufacturing. IBM would have to deal with a lot of issues such as location, availability of human resources and technology, training, market research, and government rules and regulations etc. To better minimize the risk of getting others to do the company's work, IBM has created six research centers across six countries to ensure that these centers conduct research in their region.

Pro-Natal Policies Analysis

Pro-Natal Policies Analysis Pro-Natal Policies in Norway Background Norway’s average fertility rate over the past 10 years is about 1.9, compared to Singapore’s average of 1.25 over the same period (The World Bank, 2014). Furthermore, 5 out of 6 women between the ages of 30-39 still remain employed (BBC News, 2006). Norway is Scadinavia’s richest country, enjoying an oil boom which started 40 years ago (Mohsin, 2014). Most of its revenues are channelled into a wealth fund that has accumulated to $890 billion, or about $170,000 per person. These oil revenues allow for large budget surpluses, protect government schemes from recessions, and provide resources for the future (Rindfuss et al.). The Nordic welfare states have a long-running tradition of implementing policies directed at the family (Rà ¸nsen, 2004). However, these policies are not for pro-natalist reasons, but rather based on their ideas of gender equality and a general concern for the well-being of families and their children. Also, Norwegian society holds the philosophy that children are an essential part of society (Andersen, 2012). Policies Child Benefit The child benefit is paid to all families with children below the age of 18 to cover their costs of having children (Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion). It is paid per child from the month after the child’s birth till the month before the child turns 18. In 2012, the child benefit was â‚ ¬ 119 per month. A single provider is entitled to an additional child benefit. Parental Leave Benefit Families receive the parental leave benefit upon the birth of a child, a scheme that was started way back in 1956 (BBC, 2014; Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion, 2014). For most families, this continues until the child is about a year old. The goal of the parental leave benefit is to make it financially feasible for one parent to care for the child at home during its first year, as well as to facilitate equality in parenting. A period of 47 weeks with parental leave benefits, or 57 weeks with reduced benefits (80% of pay) is shared between the parents to provide income for the first year of the child (Anderson, 2012; Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion, 2014). After the first year, the child is entitled to a place in a day-care centre and/or a cash benefit. Mothers have the right to parental leave benefits if they have worked for at least 6 out of the last 10 months (Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion). Mothers who do not fulfill this requirement have entitlement to a lump sum maternity grant. In 2011, this grant was â‚ ¬ 4310 per child. The three weeks before and six weeks after birth have to be taken by the mother as part of the parental leave benefit period. The father also has to fulfil a minimum quota of leave (Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion, 2014; BBC News, 2014), with the Norwegian government has planning to lengthen this by one more week. The rest of the leave period can be freely shared between both parents. When the father takes any leave outside of his quota, he has to take up primary care of the child. A goal of this is to allow for fathers to spend more time alone with the child during the toddler stage. Since the paid leave is financed by taxes, employers do not lose out when employees use their parental leave (BBC News, 2014). Funding for the parental leave benefits and lump sum maternity grants amount to about â‚ ¬ 1.83 billion (2011) (Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion). More than 80% of mothers and 70% of fathers are entitled to parental leave benefits. Cash Benefit For one and two year olds, parents can choose between a place in a day-care centre or receive a cash benefit (Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion). They can also choose to combine a reduced rate cash benefit with reduced time in a day-care centre. Only children who are one year of age can receive the cash benefit and are entitled to a maximum benefit period of 11 months. For cash benefits, only full or half cash-benefits can be chosen. The cash benefit is approximately â‚ ¬ 404 per month (2011), is non-taxable, and is paid without income or means-testing. Day-care A child is entitled to a place at a day-care centre as soon as the child turns one-year old (Andersen, 2012). Both public and private day-care centres are heavily subsidised by the state, and parents are means-tested and are charged accordingly at different rates. Fees are capped at â‚ ¬308 per month. This is in contrast to an average of â‚ ¬144 a week in Ireland. Furthermore, the childcare system in Norway is highly regulated and the standard of care is known to be of very high quality. Effectiveness A study by Lappegà ¥rd (2010) found that policies which promote involvement of fathers in childcare and gender equality such as paternal leave are positively associated with second births, while policies which grant general support for the family such as childcare cash benefits are positively related with third births. Another study conducted by Zuvander, Lappegà ¥rd and Andersson (2010) found a positive association between fathers’ parental leave use and continued childbearing in Norway for one-child and two-child couples. For families with two children, an extended period of leave for the mother was positively associated with the birth of a third-child. Furthermore, using data from Norway, Rindfuss et al. (2007) showed that the greater availability of child-care centers leads to a younger age for the first birth, and that high quality and affordable child-care leads to increased child-bearing. However, Rà ¸nsen, a Norwegian statistician, claimed that implementing generous family policies do not guarantee high fertility (BBC News, 2014). Sweden is cited as an example, whereby birth rates have not improved even though family policies were as generous as in Norway. Sweden went through a sharp increase in unemployment, after which the fertility rate fell from 2.1 in 1992 to 1.5 in 1997. It is believed that it is Norway’s combination of steady economic growth and family policies that has kept birth rates high, since people have a tendency to postpone having children during periods of economic insecurity. Pro-Natal Policies in France Background France has the second highest fertility rate in Europe, ranked after Ireland (France Diplomatie, 2013). In 2012, the fertility rate was 2.01, close to the replacement rate of 2.1. The birth rate has been increasing since 1995, and this trend has often been linked with many family policies during that period (Laroque and Salanià ©, 2008). In addition, France still maintains a high rate of female employment: 85% of women are employed (France Diplomatie, 2013). In France, fulfilment comes about from a rewarding family and social life (France Diplomatie, 2013). A 2011 study found that close to 60% of young French people were keen to start a family and have children. This figure was the highest rate in Europe. Policies Generous Monetary Benefits Women under maternity leave can receive full salary for 16 weeks, and are eligible to 26 weeks if the child is their third, and up to 34 weeks in the case of multiple births (European Union, 2014). Fathers are granted 11 consecutive days of paternity leave with full salary. Furthermore, families are entitled to monthly parental allowance if one of the two parents stops working or reduces his/her working hours to care for a child under three years of age. In addition, parents receive a family allowance after their second dependent child under 20 years of age (European Union, 2014). This monthly amount depends on the number of dependent children. After the third child, if the other two children are under 21 years, families are entitled to further family support amounting to â‚ ¬ 167.34. This is subject to means-testing Families can also receive assistance for their first child (European Union, 2014). For example, they can be paid a premium of â‚ ¬923.08 for a birth or â‚ ¬1846.15 for an adoption; a monthly allowance to assist parents with raising and education costs for three years (â‚ ¬ 184.62); family support allowance to help raise a child in the absence of help from one or both parents (ranging from â‚ ¬ 90.40 to â‚ ¬ 120.54), and a back-to-school allowance that is means-tested to help families with their children’s schooling costs (â‚ ¬ 360.47 for 6 to 10 year olds, â‚ ¬ 380.36 for 11 to 14 year olds, â‚ ¬ 393.54 for 15 to 18 year olds) Tax concessions for big families Large benefits stand to enjoy substantial tax concessions, whereby families with at least three children benefit the most (European Union, 2014). The French tax system is such that tax units are households, not individuals. Each household amounts to a number of shares determined by marital status and the number of children. Married couples are entitled to two shares, a further half-share for the first two children, and an additional one share per child after the third child. Given that taxable income is calculated as the total household income divided by the number of shares in a household, large families get to enjoy a significant reduction in taxes. Wide range of childcare services France has a comprehensive childcare and pre-school system that allows parents to continue working (European Union, 2014). Nurseries are run by businesses, the local government, or parent associations. The fees for most nurseries are means-tested. Parents can also choose to hire a licensed childminder who can look after up to 4 children at his/her home. Also, pre-school in France is free. In addition, parents with children under the age of six can make use of after-school centres, which are usually subsidised by the Familiy Allowance Fund. Effectiveness Laroque and Salanià © (2008) found a notable impact of financial incentives on fertility especially for the first and third child. Also, according to Letablier (2008), the main cause for France’s impressive fertility rate is likely due to the of support provided to parents to reduce the costs of children and in reconciling work and family life for mothers so that they can work and care for their children. The latter supports findings from a recent OECD report which found that the most effective policies to boost birth rates are the ones that help women to reconcile career and family. According to the report, government expenditure to provide childcare to help families improve work-life balance is more effective in raising fertility rates than giving money to families to subsidise births (Silverman, 2011). What Can We Learn? How Do They Suit Their Respective Economies (welfare/open economy?) France Financial incentives, though helpful in increasing fertility to a certain extent, are not as effective as helping women to reconcile work and family through the availability of childcare services and parental leave programs. Concessions on taxation, nonetheless, may be a useful tool in raising birth rates. To boost fertility, government policy should utilise a wide variety of instruments and measures to create a conducive environment for child-bearing. McDonald (2007) lends support to this by advocating for comprehensive policies over piecemeal policies, as the real importance of a single policy lies not in its econometric impact, but in how it adds to the way young people perceive their society’s support for those who have children. It is the symbolic meanings of the policies that count most. Norway Funding effective pro-natal policies may require substantial government spending, which may only be affordable to well-endowed and wealthy countries without the possibility of a deficit. Economic stability may also be a pre-condition for high and steady birth rates. Policies that advocate gender equality in parenting may be effective in raising birth rate. Granting more paternal leave to fathers can be helpful, as well as setting a minimum quota of leave to encourage fathers to spend more time caring for the child. Also, the availability of good quality and affordable child-care services can help boost fertility.