Ships during the American Civil War - 2368 Words

Throughout the Civil War the South was Favoured to win the War because of certain advantages; but with certain new unknown types of battles that started such as naval battles, and improvements to the ships of the Navy can be linked to why the North became the victor of the Civil War. For centuries before the Civil War, large naval battles had not changed dramatically. Battle in the times before the Civil War were fought by wooden, sail-driven ships carrying as many cannon as possible, which would shoot at each other until one of them became so damaged that it could not keep up the fight. In the decade before the Civil War, however, major developments in naval technology forever changed the face of naval warfare. Even though the South was thought to have the advantage over the North the North was able to take advantage of the new technologies that were coming out to actually bring them a victory that set precedents that would last till the present day. The Civil War lasted for four years, from 1861-1865. It was between the northern states and the southern states. The South was called the Confederate States of America and was led by President Jefferson Davis. The North was still the Union, and was led by president Abraham Lincoln. Slavery had been a historical problem before the war that could be linked to starting the war. In the eyes of some Southerners slavery was a necessary evil. The South found slavery highly profitable and knew their economy would collapse withoutShow MoreRelatedAmerican History: Bloodiest Battle of the Civil War in South Carolina1194 Words   |  5 PagesSouth Carolina was an important key player during the Civil War. South Carolina had major military and political importance throughout the Civil War. South Carolina was the battleground of many significant events during this time. Such as the capture of Port Royal, the Union blockade of Charleston, Shermans march through the state, the burning of Columbia, and Fort Sumter. South Carolina had many important battles fought on its territory, Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter is an island in the CharlestonRead MoreWhitm War Changes A Society1287 Words   |  6 PagesWhitman: War Changes a Society Walt Whitman, a great American poet to be compared to Emily Dickinson and Edgar Allan Poe, exists at the heart of American culture. Whitman’s work has not lost its appeal because it still applies to America in the new millennia; America is still deeply troubled by issues of division, hypocrisy, and racism—much unlike the America of inclusion and forbearance Whitman envisioned for American in Leaves of Grass. Although Leaves of Grass is often considered Whitman’s mostRead MoreCivil War Scavenger hunt1004 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Title: The American Civil War Review Scavenger Hunt Use the underlined sites to find the answers to the questions. (Place your cursor before the Question mark and type your question. Highlight a word or words and link to the web site Where the answer is located.) 1. Who was the president of the Confederate States of America? Jefferson Davis 2. Clara Barton became the first president of the American Red Cross. 3. President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865 in WashingtonRead MoreInnovative Technologies during the Civil War1339 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout the first half of the nineteenth century, there were many new inventions, and innovative technologies that played a major role in the civil war. At the time of the Civil War, many of the newfound war weapons in the Union proved essential for its victory. The new weapons showed a great change in the technological world. During the time of the Civil war, Pistols, and other basic handheld, guns were very popular, for a soldier to have. It was known for its capability of hitting a target fromRead MoreThe United States Transition From Age Of Sail1621 Words   |  7 Pagesthe mid-nineteenth century. It was a time in which our nation was fighting with wooden ships stacked with canons, and underdeveloped technology. Slowly, this started to change. As a country, the need for change began in the mid-nineteenth century, before the Civil War. The first of these technological changes was the introduction of steam power.  Steam engines had existed before, but not for war. After the Civil War, the nation was defeated and unfocused on the modernization of the U.S. naval technologyRead MoreEssay about The Battle of Vicksburg678 Words   |  3 PagesThe Battle of Vicksburg The Civil war cut our nation in two, Americans fighting Americans, brother against brother. A key battle fought westward was the turning point in the war: the Battle of Vicksburg. (Williams 3) Grant began to make plans for a campaign against Vicksburg. The campaign in the American Civil War culminating in the surrender of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant on July 4, 1863. General Ulysses S. Grant with theRead MoreWar : The North And South1150 Words   |  5 PagesChapter 20: Girding for War: The North and South (Pg. 377) What menacing circumstances greeted Lincoln upon his ascension into the White House? Menacing circumstances that greeted Lincoln upon his ascension into the White House was the disunity of seven departed states and eight on the edge. The Menace of Secession (Pg. 377) What potential future and present problems with a disunited America did Lincoln concentrate on in his first inaugural address? Lincoln s goal throughout his presidencyRead MoreA New Middle Class Government And The Declaration Of The Second Spanish Republic1362 Words   |  6 PagesDylan Johnson APUSH Final Research Paper From the election of a new middle class government and the declaration of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931 until the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, Spanish society struggled to establish a stable, representative democracy for only the second time in its long political history. With the spread of industrialization, the rise of a new working class, and the emergence of a new era of political movements, ideals, and philosophical ideologiesRead MoreThe Civil War : America s Most Memorable War957 Words   |  4 PagesThe Civil War is America’s most memorable war that took place in 1861- 1865. This war was fought over that facts of which the United States would become a confederate with its own states, or all united under a government that promised that every person was created equally. Which meant that there wouldn’t be any more slavery allowed unless a serious crime was committed that person would become a slave to the government by law. When this law was passed the whole south of America went hysterical becauseRead MoreA New Battle Of The Civil War1396 Words   |  6 PagesA New War To Fight The Civil War was one of the most trying moments in American history. Two opinions trying to outweigh each other caused citizens to choose to be united under two different flags instead of one. Both sides, the Union and the Confederacy, have their own interpretation of how the war happened. For example, a citizen (although their identity is unknown) noted that â€Å"The civil war was a whole new type of warfare. Unfortunately, the only way one could learn how to fight in this new type

William Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice - 1616 Words

The Merchant of Venice offers another unique perspective on crossdressing as it existed on the English Renaissance stage. Howard suggests that Portia’s crossdressing is â€Å"more disruptive than Viola’s† (Howard, p. 433) because Portia herself was an unruly woman to begin with. Portia has become the master of her own destiny with the passing of her father, for she is referred to as the Lord of Belmont now that no man exists to fill such a role. What remains of the patriarchal authority, particularly the casket trial by which Portia’s future husband must be chosen, is even subverted by Portia’s ability to guide her suitors to a proper or incorrect choice. Her seemingly innate guile and resourcefulness set the stage for her entry into the male arena and the inversion created by her crossdressing (Newman, pp. 26-28). By becoming Balthazar, Portia steps outside of her role and function as a subservient woman. Not only does she dress like a man, bu t also she embarks upon behavior ill suited to her supposedly weaker intellect, that of practicing law. Amazingly enough, Portia is able to prove herself more than capable of such a task, and is ultimately able to save Antonio’s life. She utilizes her male guise not to cover her innate inadequacy in the male arena, but rather solely to gain the power to enter into it. As Howard puts it, â€Å"Portia seems to be able to play the man’s part with conviction† (Howard, p. 433). While the repercussions of Portia’s inversion on the conceptionShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice Essay1624 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeare s comedy The Merchant of Venice uses contrasting religions to draw out major themes through the ethnic divides that are exemplified. The play expresses the extreme cultural divide between the Jews and Christians through a legal contract between two men. The rivalry between the two men, Shylock and Antonio is clear from the beginning of the play and only intensifies as it continues on. Modern day readers most likely take away a slightly different message from the play than whatRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice1320 Words   |  6 Pagesghetto, and were treated as inferior to the rest of the city. William Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice exhibits the prejudicial attitudes of his era. Antonio, a Christian merchant, makes a deal with Shylock, a Jewish moneylender. Shylock uses it as an opportunity to exact revenge by demanding a pound of Antonio’s flesh if he does not meet his end of the bargain. By pitting the majority of his characters against Shylock, Shakespeare portrays Shylock in a way that discriminates against all JewsRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice2269 Words   |  10 PagesSamantha Hansen ENG 314 Brother Brugger 12.15.14 The Question of Shylock It is hard to read The Merchant of Venice without finding at least one character to sympathize with. The unforgettable villain Shylock as well as Portia, Shakespeare’s first and one of his most famous heroines are arguably some of this plays most beloved characters. But, is Shylock really the villain? Or is he a victim of circumstance? Shylock’s insistence for a pound of flesh has made him one of literatures most memorableRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice1970 Words   |  8 Pagesthe titles are reflective of the protagonists featured within. For example, the famous titles of Julius Caesar and Hamlet tell the tragedies of those respective characters. However, when it comes to William Shakespeare’s fourteenth play, The Merchant of Venice, it can be argued that Antonio, the merchant, is not who the play is about. In fact, there is not just one character, but instead multiple that fit the description of the protagonist. The main plot, or rather p lots, of the play revolve aroundRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice1315 Words   |  6 PagesIn The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare the play is based upon the hierarchy between Christian men and Jewish men. A character by the name of Bassanio borrows money from his friend Antonio, and Antonio borrows the money from Shylock to give to Bassanio. Eventually, Antonio cannot pay the money back because his ships have supposedly sunk. Therefore, he comes close to death because he signed a bond with Shylock stating that Shylock would get a pound of his flesh if the bond was not repaidRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice1532 Words   |  7 Pagesuseless dialogue can make readers skip over what seems like a false beginning to a good story. But think about this: what if those seemingly lengthy, extra, useless words were actually important? For example, the opening 115 lines of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice are provide minimal support to the story at first glance. In these lines, Antonio and his friends are discussing the dynamics of happiness and sadness in order to find the root of Antonio’s sad mood. This portion of the play givesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Merchant Of Venice988 Words   |  4 PagesAs I finished reading Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare, I realized that the struggle of the play gyrates around whether justice is truly served and is morality advocated or manipulated by those in authority. The struggle between the principles of justice have caused many readers to question the interaction between the definition of morality and justice. The bond that causes readers to take a closer look throughout the play originates from Shylock’s desire for vengeance and Antonio’s desireRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice1532 Words   |  7 Pagesfundamentalist Americans. The ills of money-lending from the Eastern perspective have been fodder for Western literature for centuries, replete with illustrations that mirror the differences and similarities in East-West cultural norms. In William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, money-lending has gone awry. In Act I, Scene iii, the Italian Antonio seeks to borrow 3,000 ducats from the Jewish Shylock, and Shylock intends to charge him interest, which is against Jewish economic-religious principles (BateRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice Essay1275 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is so alike to our financially afflicted world. The rules of law and commerce are subject to deceptive manipulation, fear of the other overwhelms respect for a common humanity, duplicity is the norm, sexuality is a vehicle for ambition, and money drives and wraps almost every action. It is a classic tale that includes important details of the financial crisis in the Unit ed States during 2007-2009. Shakespeare’s Venice, like the New York of his time - and theRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice2059 Words   |  9 Pagesin The Merchant of Venice resembles a folktale known as â€Å"A Pound of Flesh† (325). Artese supports his supposition with background context and parallels between the two story lines. Literary versions of the pound of flesh story circulated during the sixteenth century and were collected since the nineteenth century because of the plot’s longevity and populairity Shakespeare would have been familiar with pound of flesh stories (326). Human commodification is a central issue in both The Merchant of Venice

Macbeth Lady Macbeth

Macbeth Lady Macbeth- Character Changes Througho Essay ut The PlaTo metamorphose ones character through years of experience and age is salutary. To deteriorate ones character through a short period of fast decisions and unsure actions is perilous. Lady Macbeth proves the truth to this theory. The impulsive mistakes and power-hungry tactics littered the journey Lady MacBeth paves throughout this play that ultimately ends in her death. She feels overwhelmed by all that is happening, both physically and mentally, and decides to end her own life. The Tragedy of Macbeth, by William Shakespeare illustrates two seemingly ordinary nobles whose lives intertwine in a whirlwind of power, corruption, and the supernatural resulting in their descents. They were both so wrapped up in this greedy world they failed to consider the consequences of their actions more realistically. Macbeth started to succumb to the belief that deeds must be acted ere they be scannd,(III.IV.140). Lady Macbeth in particular loses sight of rationality from the plays beginning to end. She feigns an image of ruthlessness and believes she can handle the intrusion of unearthly evil in her mind and soul. She presents a seemingly stable foundation of control in which she clutches with an iron fist. As Macbeth becomes less dependent on his wife, she loses more control. She loses control of her husband, but mostly, of herself, proving her vacillating truth. Lady Macbeths character gradually disintegrates through a false portrayal of unyielding strength, an unsteady control of her husband and shifting involvement with supernatural powers. Throughout the duration of play Lady Macbeths truly decrepit and vulnerable nature is revealed. Lady Macbeth has been the iron fist and authority icon for Macbeth, yet deep down, she never carried such traits to begin with. This duality in Lady Macbeths character plays a huge role in planting the seed for Macbeths downfall and eventual demise. At the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is introduced as a dominant, controlling, heartless wife with an obsessive ambition to achieve kingship for her husband. Her weak, sheltered, unsure and unstable condition is only revealed at the end of the play. However, the audience begins to see hints of this hidden nature by the manner in which Macbeth addresses her. Contrary to her supposed ruthless nature, her husband regards her as a pure being. He attempts to shield her from foreign agencies by saying, quot;Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,quot; (III.II.45). It is only in private that Lady Macbeth shows her weaknesses. As opposed to her seemingly violent persona, Lady Macbeth is horrified by blood, and during her sleepwalking soliloquy refers to her hand as if suggesting a delicate stature by uttering this: quot;All the perfumes / of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.quot; (V. I. 43-44). Although Lady Macbeth is unstable and vulnerable, she uses dramatic analogies to persuade her openly fragile husband to follow through with the first murder: I have given suck, and know How tender tis to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this. (I.VII.54-59). Her shocking and persuasive effect on Macbeth convinces him that he is quot;settled,quot; (I.III.79). By hearing a woman who seems to be fearless of his anxieties, he is soothed. But even here, however, we begin to catch a greater glimpse of Lady Macbeths very unstable mind. By using such a graphic description, she reflects her straining desperation for Macbeths commitment. She knows that Macbeth is a strong person, and she must seem stronger to convince him to go along with her. She now has to wear a mask of this determined and cold character, creating more distance between her true self and Macbeth. Lady Macbeth has the persuasiveness capable of humiliating someone into murder, but has no personal capacity to execute the deed, though she spoke, at times, as if she would take the opportunity whenever it arose. Lady Macbeth imagines that she has ability to hide her true emotions, though her mind is as frail as an quot;eggquot; (IV.III.83). She claims that she can act to quot;look like the innocent flower/But be the serpent undertquot; (I.V.64-65). Lady Macbeth imagines that she has the capability to be a remorseless and determined villain, but she isnt anything of the like in reality. In fact, at the end of the play Lady Macbeth is so feeble-minded she becomes overwhelmed with guilt. The guilt that ha s been set upon her by her husband sprung from convincing him to kill. In reality, the final results are only accountable to Lady MacBeth. She is the one who convinces her husband to commit the murders, therefore ending in a series of emotional and mental problems. As the play begins, she is a motivated, power-hungry woman with no boundaries, but as the play moves on, Lady Macbeth begins to fall further and further into a guilt-filled world, ending in her own suicide. .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a , .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a .postImageUrl , .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a , .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a:hover , .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a:visited , .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a:active { border:0!important; } .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a:active , .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3989f519c2277dca48867b602ed56c4a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: URANIUM EssayThroughout the play, Lady Macbeths shifting control over her husband is mainly responsible for aggravating the struggle between Macbeths morality, devotion and quot;vaulting ambition.quot; In the beginning, she believes matters should be taken into her own hands from the moment she receives the letter about the witches prophecies. At the dawn of the play, Lady Macbeth believes that Macbeth doesnt have the quot;spiritquot; to quot;catch the nearest wayquot; (I.V.17). At this moment, she decides that quick action will be the basis of her reasoning and planning. Her spur-of-the-moment orders will affect Macbeth so deeply his character will be forever changed. Lad y Macbeth intentionally tries to ignore consequence and concentrates on securing Macbeths future as king of Scotland. She looks to the quickest way as one that may lack rationality, but shortens their path to the throne. She receives a letter from Macbeth with the news that he was prophesied as the king of Scotland. As soon as her eyes ran across the words, she said, quot;thou shalt be / What thou art promisedquot; (I.V.14-15). She suggests, by this quick reaction, her intentions to be a major participant in ensuring Macbeths royal success. After the murder is plotted between the two, Duncan decides to make a surprise appearance at Macbeths house. Lady Macbeth tells her husband to put the quot;great business into my dispatchquot; (I.V.67), taking charge and covering for Macbeth, who is defenseless to the overbearing tension residing in himself. As the situation escalates, Lady Macbeth tries to soothe him by explaining that quot;things without remedy / Should be without regard: Whats done is donequot; (III.II.11-12). She has changed her technique with Macbeth from shock and intimidation to restraint. She says, quot;You must leave thisquot; (III.II.36), which sounds calming and unworried. Her control over Macbeth has waned, and over herself, her control is dwindling as each second passes. The fire she once had, which drove Macbeth forward is now no more than a minute spark. She is beginning to lose that controlling stiffness. She asks Macbeth, quot;whats to be donequot; (III.II.44), which is a drastic change in control. She doesnt voice any opinions or plans of any sort for the rest of the play. Lady Macbeth is now in awe of Macbeth, a contrast to when Macbeth was in awe of Lady Macbeths infanticide analogy. She, by the end of the play, has lost self-confidence by realizing that most of this situation is a result of her impulsiveness and instability. When Lady Macbeth finally recognizes her incompetence, all else crumbles, including her husband. The significance of this character flaw secures her role as the foundation and authority in the beginning of the play, which plants the seed for failure from beginning to end. Lady Macbeths relationship with the supernatural evolves from confidently seeking and obtaining the evilness, to being victimized by its power. At one point, Lady Macbeth demands the assistance of unearthly evil forces: quot;You murdering ministers Come, thick nightfrom the dunnest smoke of hellquot; (I.VI. 47-50). Being totally rash, Lady Macbeth summons the evil as if she can undermine the power of darkness to her advantage. She asks for the assistance of the evil, implying that she holds no resident evil in her soul. It must act as an additive to fulfill a transformation. Lady Macbeth is creating, instead of magnifying, wickedness that she must manifest in order to propel Macbeth. She embraces the darkness and welcomes it. By being so crude in her requests, she must believe that she is far too valorous to be negatively affected by it. It is rather ironic to see the utter reversal of this at the end of the play. She eventually goes delirious, carrying a lit candle wherever she walk ed (V.I.17.5). Indeed, this behavior is a pathetic attempt to try and fend off the real, evil darkness with a man-made light. She looks to Lady Macduff with a countenance of that which would belong to a ghost. She begins to express a compassion that she had never felt (or at least shown) when she utters, quot;The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she / now? What, will these hands neer be clean?quot; (V.I.37-38). Lady Macbeths decaying remorse she had chosen to restrain had sunken into her brain, like a sump, slowly grabbing at her thoughts one by one. The darkness had stripped her of her mask, and she is now engulfed in agony and sorrow. She is helpless. The thought of the evil, which she once sought after and accepted, was now an image of terror in her mind. In conclusion, Lady Macbeths character gradually disintegrates through a false portrayal of unyielding strength, an unsteady control of her husband and shifting involvement with supernatural powers. Lady Macbeths deterioration is not only a result of her unwise decisions and actions, many factors played a role in this tragedy of this characters morale: She regarded supernatural forces with such respect and confidence, she tried to get in touch with her own only to become overpowered by their evilness; Her desire for an intimidating personality resulted in the destruction of her morals and in the end, the brutal realization of her true weaknesses; The couples ambition, although obsessive, is a characteristic of human nature; Her gift of harsh control over Macbeth resulted in a perilous journey for a common goal and the demise of not only herself but also her husband. Possibly as a result of these many factors, Lady Macbeth ends her life and Macbeth is forced to ponder his own existence as well. Macbeths general outlook of life proved to be a brief meditation on the meaningless of human actions: Lifes but a walking shadow; a poor player,That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,And then is heard no mor e: it is a taleTold by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. (V.V.27-31)He realizes everything he strove for in life was in vain; therefore his wifes death seems more like an escape from their worthless life. Perhaps if Macbeth and his lady were happy with who they were, they would not have let power, ambition, authority, and supernatural forces hinder their chances at happiness.

Statutory Construction free essay sample

Statutory Construction is the art or process of discovering and expounding meaning and intention of the authors of the law, where that intention is rendered doubtful by reason of the ambiguity in its language or of the fact that the given case is not explicitly provided for in the law is the drawing of warranted conclusions respecting subjects that lie beyond the direct expression of the text, conclusions which are in the spirit, though not within the letter of the text 2. Statutory Interpretation is the art of finding the true meaning and sense of any form of words, while Statutory Construction is the process of drawing warranted conclusions not always included in direct expressions, or determining the application of words to facts in litigation. Interpretation is limited to exploring the written text. Construction on the other hand is the drawing of conclusions, respecting subjects that lie beyond the direct expressions of the text. We will write a custom essay sample on Statutory Construction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 3. Necessity for Statutory Construction Rules of statutory construction are tools used to ascertain legislative intent. They are not rules of law but mere axioms of experience. Rules of statutory construction help the courts resolve bad cases. Thus, where there is ambiguity in the language of a statute, courts employ canons of statutory construction to ascertain its true intent and meaning. 4. Statutory Construction in relation to the present structure of government. In our system of government: ? Legislative power is vested in the Congress of the Philippines – the Senate and the House of the Representatives. ? Executive power is vested in the President of the Republic of the Philippines. Judicial power is vested in one Supreme Court and in such lower courts as may be established by law. Legislative – makes the law Executive – executes the law Judicial – interprets the law * Construction is a judicial function. It is the duty of the Courts of Justice to settle actual controversies involving rights which are legally demandable and enforceable, and to determine whether or not there has been a grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of any branch or instrumentality of the government. Supreme Court is the one and only Constitutional Court and all other lower courts are statutory courts and such lower courts have the power to construe and interpret written laws. The duty and power to interpret or construe a statute or the Constitution belong to the judiciary. The Supreme Court construes the applicable law in controversies which are ripe for judicial resolution. It construes or applies the law as it decides concrete and controverted cases based on the facts and the law involved. It does not give legal opinion on hypothetical cases or in cases which have become, as a rule, moot and academic. * Legislature cannot overrule judicial construction. The legislature has no power to overrule the interpretation or construction of a statute or the Constitution by the Supreme Court, for interpretation is a judicial function assigned to the latter by the fundamental law. * When judicial interpretation may be set aside. By amending the Constitution, the framers of the fundamental law may modify or even nullify a judicial interpretation of a particular provision thereof. The rule that the Supreme Court has the final word in the interpretation or construction of a statute merely means that the legislature cannot, by law or resolution, modify or annul the judicial construction without modifying or repealing the very statute which has been the subject of construction. 5. Kinds of Construction and Interpretation ? Hermeneutics – the science or art of construction and interpretation. ? Legal hermeneutics – is the systematic body of rules which are recognized as applicable to the construction and interpretation of legal writings. Dr. Lieber in his work on Hermeneutics gives the following classification of the different kinds of interpretation: a. Close interpretation – adopted if just reasons connected with the character and formation of the text induce as to take the words in the narrowest meaning. This is generally known as â€Å"literal† interpretation. b. Extensive interpretation – also called as liberal interpretation, it adopts a more comprehensive signification of the words. c. Extravagant interpretation – substitutes a meaning evidently beyond the true one. It is therefore not genuine interpretation. d. Free or unrestricted interpretation – proceeds simply on the general principles of interpretation in good faith, not bound by any specific or superior principle. Limited or restricted interpretation influenced by other principles than the strictly hermeneutic ones. f. Predestined interpretation – takes place when the interpreter, laboring under a strong bias of mind, makes the text subservient to his preconceived views and desires. 6. Statutory Construction in relation to the Civil Code The Civil Code of the Philippines follows the above rule thus: Laws shall have no retroactive effect, unless the contrary is provided. 7. Statutory Construction in relation to the Doctrine of Stare Decisis The decision of the Supreme Court applying or interpreting a statute is controlling with respect to the interpretation of that statute and is of greater weight than that of an executive or administrative officer in the construction of other statutes of similar import.