The Illusion of Sovereignty in the Wife of Baths Tale - Literature Essay Samples

Long before enlightened women of the 1960s enthusiastically shed their bras, in an age when anti-feminist and misogynistic attitudes prevailed, lived Geoffrey Chaucer. Whether Chaucer was indeed a feminist living long before his time, or whether he simply conveyed an alternate and unpopular point of view, is inconsequential. His portrayal of the Wife of Bath in The Canterbury Tales is a compelling study of medieval feminism. Ostentatious, domineering, deceitful, and self-serving, the Wife, or Alisoun, systematically defies the notion that women should be subservient to their magisterial husbands. As a seemingly radical feminist, the Wife discards even moderate feministic ideals that hold both sexes in equal regard, and instead dwells in a utopian existence where women govern their gelded husbands. She does not stop here, however. The Wife resents any form of traditional authority, and weaves her tale in such an eloquent- though somewhat disjointed- manner that the listener is compelled to believe that the Wife is spotless as new snow. In reality, she is mud stained road slush at best, and never quite attains the maistrye that she so desires. Despite all her faults, the Wife is certainly an astute student of human behaviour, and is quite content, so long as she believes that women have sovereignty over their male counterparts.It is important to note that the term feminism as we know it did not exist during the time that Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales. Today, we assume that a feminist is one whom believes that males and females are created equal, and therefore deserve to be treated equally. This was not the case in fourteenth-century England. Women had very few social rights, and there were no organized movements to increase womens civil liberties. So then, when we describe Chaucer or the Wife of Bath as a feminist, we simply mean that he or she recognized that there were power disparities, and that men did not necessarily have the right to co ntrol womens everyday activities. Though some might argue that the Wife of Bath, or Alisoun, wants to completely discredit all authority figures, Mary Carruthers, in her article, The Wife of Bath and the Painting of Lions, argues that Alisoun does not deny authority when authority is true She does insist, however, that authority make itself accountable to the realities of experience (209). Carruthers makes an interesting point, but it is hard to validate, as The Wife of Bath never does divulge to the reader a source of experienced authority that she respects, other than herself, of course. The authority that she struggles against belongs almost exclusively to male philosophers and poets. In order to undermine the tyranny of authority the Wife of Bath feels the need to lay claim to a certain kind of authority herself, by establishing her experiential credentials at the outset of her discourse (Gottfried, 208). She makes the valid point that Experience, though noon auctoriteeWere in this world, is right enough for meTo speke of wo that is marriage (1-3).Because she has married five times since the age of twelve, the Wife of Bath certainly has more practical knowledge of that particular institution than so-called authorities, such as the apostle Paul. To defend her many marriages, she rightfully argues that Paul himself advised people to remain chaste, but to marry if their lustful passion became unbearable. However, what she does not acknowledge is that this advice only gives people licence to marry, not to copulate freely with all sorts of men, be they short, or long, or blak, or whit (624). That the Wife of Bath is an astute student of the Bible is undeniable; it is also obvious that she possesses the mental agility to skew the scriptures in order to best suit her needs. For example, she likens the multiple marriages of Lameth (Lamech), Abraham, Jacob, and King Solomon to her specific situation. She conveniently does not mention that all of these men lived before the birth of Christ, in a time when different biblical guidelines applied. Alisoun does, however, also present some very logical arguments. It is true that the belief of many male authority figures, that Christs attendance at only one recorded wedding was indicative that people should marry only once, was a gross misinterpretation of scripture. It is also true that if every person was meant to remain a virgin, the world would be devoid of human life in a very short matter of time. Though she has the tendency to misinterpret scriptures herself, in pointing out the misinterpretations of others, the Wife of Bath deliberately challenges the notion of the passive and uneducated female.As previously stated, Alisouns self-perceived authority derives directly from her experience. She has found out, through years of experience, that the only way for her to achieve sovereignty is through economic independence. One of Carruthers strongest arguments is:As Alisoun knows from e xperience, the true fruits of marriage are described neither in Jerome nor in the deportment books but are set in the marriage bed. Its important spoils for her are neither children nor sensual gratification but independence. Marriage is the key to survival, and that is what Alisoun seeks and findsŠ The root of marital maistrye is economic control The logic is clear: sovereignty is the power of the purse (214).The Wife of Bath, then, seeks sovereignty through a combination of experience and independent wealth. The only reason that she is freer than other women is that she is not beholden to anybody. We know from the general prologue that she is an accomplished weaver, one of the most lucrative occupations in England at the time. Normally, her husband would have control of all the money that she makes, but, because she is a widow, she is allowed to possess independent wealth. To Alisoun, this, combined with her worldly experience, grants her the right to claim authority.For the Wife of Bath, authority is of paramount concern. In each of her marriages, Alisoun achieves sovereignty over her husbands through a sordid succession of lies and deceit. She counter-complains about her husbands complaints about her, and even concocts false accusations to counter those directed at her. She proudly states that I pleyned first, so was oure werre ystynt.They were ful glade to excuse hem blyveOf thyng of which they nevere agilte hir lyve.Of wenches wolde I beren hem on honde,Whan that for syk unnethes myghte the stonde (390-394). Ironically, Alisoun designs her allegations from the very actions of which she is guilty. Invariably, her husbands respond with all the vigour of impotent field mice; they acquiesce, and humbly bow to her authority. Alisouns most difficult challenge is her fourth husband, which is likely why she holds him in such low regard. Even after his death she has little respect for him, and considers it but wast to burye him preciously (500), t hough she certainly has the means to do so. The Wifes previous three husbands are much older then she is, and she sees them as geriatric dotards as they cater to her every whim. The fourth husband is more of a match for her. He is younger than the others, and frequently visits his mistresses. His refusal to be lorded over infuriates Alisoun. In retaliation, she flirts aggressively with another man, whom she denies any involvement with, yet marries shortly after number fours death. The Wife of Bath presumes that she has ultimately triumphed over her husbands authority, yet much of her story betrays this sentiment. Alisouns narrative begins to fall apart in her description of her fifth marriage, to a clerk named Jankyn. Alisouns first four husbands are quite wealthy, and it is for that reason alone that she marries them. Jankyn, however, is a student, and is consequentially not rich. For the first time, the Wife of Bath is interested in somebody for reasons other than financ ial gain. Independently wealthy, Alisoun is physically attracted to Jankyn, and thought he hadde a paire/ Of legges and of feet so clene and faire/ That al myn herte I yaf unto his hoold (l. 597-599). At precisely this point, the Wife of Bath begins to lose her sovereignty. Before this juncture, Alisoun has never surrendered her heart, nor anything else to a man. She does not fully realise the consequences of falling in love. In any relationship, the partner that loves the most is in a vulnerable position. Obviously, Alisoun is in that unguarded position in her relationship with Jankyn. Jankyn seems aloof to her at best, and bitter and hateful at the worst, but Alisoun still cherishes him and holds his memory dear, even though he beat her so hard that her ribs still hurt. Though she claims that in the end, she was able to tame Jankyn, and he began to treat her as kynde/ As any wyf from Denmark unto Ynde (823-824), some say that this perception is a complete fabrication of Al isouns.Near the end of her prologue, Alisoun relates the story of her final fight with Jankyn. Jankyn has been reading aloud from his book of wikked wyves, which infuriates Alisoun. She retaliates by ripping three pages out of the book, and striking him on the head. Jankyn responds by hitting her in the ear, causing it to go deaf. Alisoun chastises her husband: O! hastow slayn me, false theef.?And for my land thus hastow mordered me?Er I be deed, yet wol I kiss thee (800-802). All of this is perfectly clear and entirely plausible. What follows, however, is not. Directly after this, Alisoun breaks into a new paragraph, and Jankyn undergoes an abrupt change of character. It is from this point on that D.J. Wurtele believes that Alisoun is lying. In his article, Chaucers Wife of Bath and the Problem of the Fifth Husband, he argues thatIt is precisely at this point that the Wife may be shifting from fact to make-believe For now Jankyns malicious nature is seen to change at a str oke. According to Alisouns story, he begs forgiveness for striking her, and swears never to do so again It corresponds all to closely with the fairy-tale ending to the Loathly Lady exemplum that Alisoun offers the pilgrims as a variation on the same theme of wifely sovereignty (119).That Alisoun is modifying the ending of her story of her relationship with Jankyn to suit her specific worldview is very probable. She may even believe the ending that she has construed has actually occurred. She so wants sovereignty that if she cannot attain it, she alters reality in her mind so that she does attain it. According to Wurtele, Alisoun is ultimately frustrated in her quest for sovereignty.Some people are more forgiving of Alisouns apparent contradictions. She admits that she must struggle for control over two of her husbands, and this revelation alone causes Anne Laskaya to respect her. In her book, Chaucers Approach to Gender in the Canterbury Tales, Laskaya says that For the Wife, an accurate representation of marriage includes an account of the inequities of power and the struggles for power she knows exist within marriage, rather than some sort of formulaic gender hierarchy (181). In other words, Alisoun is not simply a power-monger. She simply refuses to subscribe to the ideal of a dominant husband-submissive wife relationship. Realistically, this situation does not exist. The balance of power is constantly shifting from one spouse to the other. Peggy Knapp seems to support many of Laskayas sentiments. Knapp feels that the Wife of Bath does not want to completely usurp masculine power, but simply desires some sort of self-definition and justification. She sees the loathly lady in Alisouns tale as a form of herself, and neither personality is out to get men. Knapp says this about Alisouns tale: embedded deep in this story is the idea that men must learn from women The loathly lady contrives to have a husband with whom she can share both authority a nd experience (49). Knapp and Laskaya believe that Alisoun is willing to compromise in her relationships, but what they both fail to recognise is that while Alisoun does admit that at times she does not have compete control in her relationships, and while the loathly lady ends up obeying her husband in every thyng, Alisoun is completely miserable when she is not the one in power, and never chooses to relinquish even a small part of her sovereignty if she can prevent doing so in any way.Though it appears as though Laskaya is only partially correct in the previous argument, she does point out the significance of Alisouns deafness. Though most people simply see her damaged hearing as a sort of war wound from her abusive relationship, Laskaya sees it as something more. She sees her the Wifes deafness as a sort of shield, or weapon, for, If she is struggling against the discourse of a patriarchal culture, what better defence than an inability to hear? If Alysoun cannot hear the aweso me and oft-repeated voice of anti-feminism in her culture, she cannot be easily persuaded of its truth either (182). Alisouns deafness, then, becomes a sign of her resistance to the misogynist culture in which she lives. She is no longer constrained by the verbal definitions of what she should be, and is free to interpret her own life as she chooses. Others believe that Alisoun has little, if any, freedom at all. To Richard Griffith, though the Wife of Baths tale seems a straight-forward statement of the case for female dominance there is a good deal of mitigation in this position (109). Alisoun still loves and obeys Jankyn after their horrible fight, and even Arthurs queen must beg her husband to spare the rapist knights life. At the end of her tale, the wifes obedience and the couples happiness is stressed (Griffith, 111). This is curious, because from her prologue, one would never suspect that Alisoun would subscribe to the ideal of the obedient wife. Alisoun may want to believe that she has attained sovereignty, but in reality, the only sovereignty she has, is that which men have allowed her possess. Alisoun not only lacks the sovereignty that she claims she owns, but she also is not as confident of the morality of her actions as she claims to be. In her prologue, the Wife of Bath proudly boasts of all the tricks she has played on her lovers, and encourages others to do the same:Now herkneth hou I baar me properly,Ye wise wyves, that kan understonde.Thus shulde ye speke and bere hemWrong on honed;For half so boldely kan ther no manSwere and lyen, as a woman kan (224-228).She sees nothing wrong with lying to her husbands and intentionally tormenting them, as long she ultimately achieves a position of authority. Martin Pushvel questions the sincerity of her outward confidence. If she feels justified in her actions against her husbands, she should take no offence when Jankyn reads from his book of wikked wyves. Surely, she applauds the wives behav iour. Acknowledging all of this, Pushvell raises an important question: why react in such a furious manner to his bookish exercise if her conscience is clear? (308). If Alisoun is truly proud of her actions, she would not take such great exception to Jankyns book. Her violent reaction betrays her hidden anxieties. She does not truly believe that she has the right to dominate and control her husband, and, in an attempt to suppress this realisation, she acts out in aggression.Alisouns overbearing and domineering attitude could easily rouse feelings of repulsion, yet she also evokes feelings of pity. She struggles against patriarchal society, yet does not realise that she has lost the fight before she has even begun. Perhaps Barbara Gottfried says it best:Even as she attempts a deconstruction of patriarchal literature in an experiential revision of it, the Wife necessarily falls short of the goal of overcoming authority because she can only define herself in relation to that aut hority. She does not speak simply about herself, but realizes herself through her relationship to the various manifestations of patriarchy. Not only does she borrow her categories and the terms of her self-evaluation from the literature she condemns; patriarchal authority determines the fundamental bases for her self-definition (203).So, no matter how much authority the Wife of Bath thinks she has, she is always confined within patriarchal system. In order to be truly sovereign, she must completely discard the literature and world-views that she attempts to adapt to her specific situation, and replace them with her own ideals. According to Gottfried, she does not accomplish this. Womens roles are primarily established in relation to their marital status, and the Alisoun does nothing to counter this belief. In fact, The Wife herself not only concurs, but encourages her audience to judge her on the basis of her wifely success, the measure of her matrimonial experience (205). Sa dly, Alisoun has no inclination of what it will take to truly attain the sovereignty she so desires.Some argue that the Wife of Bath has an unjustified unsavoury reputation. She reacts solely out of necessity, and is actually a champion for opposing an oppressive patriarchal society. Others maintain that she is a malicious, power-hungry tyrant, who achieves her ends through fallacious speeches and dastardly deeds. Whatever the argument, the Wife of Baths prologue and tale bears to mind the centuries-old struggle of who controls whom. In Chaucers time, men are clearly in control of society. Most quietly accept this, and some, like Alisoun, vehemently oppose it. What she does not realise is that she has really accomplished nothing. While the Wife of Bath desires sovereignty above anything else, and indeed, even believes that she has attained it, she still aligns herself within a misogynistic worldview, and is bound within this vision.Works CitedCarruthers, Mary. The Wife of Ba th and the Painting of Lions. PMLA 94 (1979): 209-222.Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Ed. A. C. Cawley. London: J. M. Dent, 1999.Griffith, Richard R. A Critical Study Guide to Chaucers The Canterbury Tales. Los Angeles: Littlefield, Adams Co., 1968.Gottfried, Barbara. Conflict and Relationship, Sovereignty and Survival: Parables of Power in The Wife of Baths Prologue. The Chaucer Review 19(3) (1985): 202-224.Knapp, Peggy A. Alisoun of Bathe and the Reappropriation of Tradition. The Chaucer Review 24(1) (1989): 45-52.Laskaya, Anne. Chaucers Approach to Gender in the Canterbury Tales. Suffolk: St. Edmundbury Press Ltd, 1995.Pushvel, Martin. The Wife of Baths ÂÅ'Remedies of Love.' The Chaucer Review 20(4) (1986): 307-311.Wurtele, D. J. Chaucers Wife of Bath and the Problem of the Fifth Husband. The Chaucer Review 23(2) (1988): 117-127.

Essay about Gay Marriage Should be Legal Despite Being...

On June 26, 2015, the US Supreme Court ruled that the US Constitution guarantees the right for same-sex couples to marry. Many conservatives are completely against gay marriage and they have stated that they will fight to have the Supreme Court ruling overturned. There are a number of reasons opponents to gay marriage argue that the Supreme Court has made a huge mistake . First, certain religious interpretations maintain that gay marriage is sinful. Fortunately, our country is not a theocracy and public policy should not be based on any religions values. If a persons religious convictions cause them to believe that gay marriage is wrong, that is personal to them, and that viewpoint should not be thrust onto others. Another argument†¦show more content†¦Certainly married couples will not feel that their marriage has been cheapened simply because the institution is becoming open to more people. Some would even argue that the institution of marriage is losing its meaningfulne ss anyway. 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Descartes Meditations Essay - 2147 Words

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Analysis Of Human Development And Development Stages

Analysis of Human Development David W. Miller Liberty University Abstract How one goes through different development stages in one’s life, can drastically affect how they are later in life. During one’s life, there are different development stages one goes through: starting with infancy and heading up to one’s death. One’s family background, culture background, social environment, etc. has a huge impact on how we deal with the development milestones in our life. It will also play out how we view our life later one. This paper will take a look at some of the development milestones within my life during the following stages: infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. The paper will also discuss how I handled each milestone in my life and how my spiritual growth was during that stage of development. 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Nature vs. Nurture in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein

For many centuries, a vast dispute has iced the world over whether genes or environmental inspirations might affect one’s disposition, development, and deeds. As crucial as canvas in art, the philosophy of nature and nurture come together as the fundamental structure to one’s personality and genetic makeup. In the novella, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, the association of the exterior appearance and inner feelings are openly linked. The hideous creature that the science addict, Victor Frankenstein, makes is initially innocent yet severely deformed. His nature is to be benevolent and sympathetic, however, society only views his external appearance, which is of defect. The natural act of mankind is to judge based on exterior appearance, thus the creature is quickly detested and branded as an abnormal mutant due to his peripheral look. Mary Shelly’s efficient utilization of nature vs. nurture conflict ultimately serves to emphasize that the nurturing development of an individual gyrates around nature. First, man (by nature) judges his surroundings and people by their presence. If one is pleasant looking, then they will be given more of a chance to express themselves beyond their looks. In contrast, if one is ugly and deformed, society tends to castoff that individual, thus shunning them from recognition. As nature proves, man is fearful of the unknown, hence the unfamiliarity of the creatures deformation. Shelley cautions against interfering with nature by showing how it canShow MoreRelatedNature Vs. Nurture In Frankenstein By Mary Shelleys Frankenstein1158 Words   |  5 PagesNature versus nurture has been a popular topic of discussion among psychologists, scientists, educators, and parents. The main focus of the nature versus nurture debate is how it affects human behavior and development. 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Through differentRead MoreTexts in Time Frankenstein and Bladerunner : )1400 Words   |  6 PagesModule A: Texts in Context â€Å"Mary Shelley’s values are still relevant to society today†. Discuss with reference to your knowledge of Blade Runner and Frankenstein. (1200 words) Frankenstein, Mary Shelley’s cautionary tale of science vs. religion was first published in 1818, in an increasingly secular, but still patriarchal British society, amongst the aftermath of the French and Industrial revolutions and a burgeoning scientific research scene. Upon the second release in 1831, the novel was greetedRead MoreNature Vs. Nurture in Mary Shelley ´s Frankenstein1008 Words   |  4 PagesNature vs. Nurture Francis Galton, the English Victorian polymath first coined the term, Nature vs. Nurture in 1871, when he considered how much influence our upbringing had on our fate, and whether or not our destiny was preset. Long before the term Nature vs. Nurture was coined, Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein, explored the idea of nature vs. nurture in the context of creation. The greatest exemplification of Nature vs. Nurture in Frankenstein is explored in the fate of the Creature, whoRead MoreNature vs Nurture in Frankenstein Essay882 Words   |  4 PagesNature vs. Nurture in Frankenstein In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the relationship of external appearance and internal feelings are directly related. The creature is created and he is innocent, though he is severely deformed. His nature is to be good and kind, but society only views his external appearance which is deformed. Human nature is to judge by external appearance. He is automatically detested and labeled as a monster because of his external appearance. He finallyRead MoreEllen Gonzalez Per. 5 Frankenstein Mary Shelley’s â€Å"Frankenstein† is about Victor Frankenstein’s600 Words   |  3 PagesEllen Gonzalez Per. 5 Frankenstein Mary Shelley’s â€Å"Frankenstein† is about Victor Frankenstein’s excessive knowledge in the sciences and his refusal to accept his own creation. Frankenstein starts with a healthy curiosity in the sciences that eventually turns into an unhealthy obsession he can no longer control. He undergoes a drastic transformation because of making experiments that eventually result in his biggest one yet; the monster. Shelley applies the themes: the danger of too much knowledgeRead MoreMary Shelley s Frankenstein, And The Modern Prometheus3901 Words   |  16 Pages â€Å"Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus†, by Mary Wollstonecraft (Godwin) Shelley Mary Shelley s novel Frankenstein is best known for its influence in popular culture through many film adaptations. It is in fact, however, one of the great novels of ideas. Write an essay that discusses in what sense you think it is a novel of ideas. What are its claims about human reason and human nature? Shelley explores some aspects of human nature, specifically human lust for power and the unfortunate way weRead MoreAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 1054 Words   |  5 Pagesshow the control and dominance that men have in society. Frankenstein is particularly notable for its number of absent mothers. This may link to Mary Shelley’s own life, as her birth caused the death of her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft. The main absent mother in the novel, is the motherless monster. Although the monster was not born, he was created by Victor Frankenstein who he sees as a mother figure. Margaret Homans argues that while Frankenstein is creating the monster – while he is pregnant with itRead MoreOutline on Frankenstein3283 Words   |  14 PagesFrankenstein by Mary Shelley In the Gothic novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley integrates the rhetorical devices figurative language, imagery, and tone to impart the concept that the desire to acquire knowledge and emulate God will ultimately result in chaos and havoc that exceeds the boundaries of human restraint. I. Life of Mary Shelley / Characteristics of Gothic Literature A. Life of Mary Shelley 1. Eleven days after Mary Shelleys birth, her mother, the famed author of A VindicationRead More Fear of Pregnancy in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay2075 Words   |  9 PagesFear of Pregnancy in Frankenstein   Ã‚   Frankenstein can be read as a tale of what happens when a man tries to create a child without a woman. It can, however, also be read as an account of a womans anxieties and insecurities about her own creative and reproductive capabilities. The story of Frankenstein is the first articulation of a womans experience of pregnancy and related fears. Mary Shelley, in the development and education of the monster, discusses child development and education and

Empirical part is meant to present the author’s research...

Empirical part is meant to present the author’s research on the thesis topic and make a step by step analysis of it. This part includes the description of the actu-al questionnaire conducted in case company Spain Internship SC, its analysis and relevant results. The idea is to analyse the situation of customer relation-ship management in the company and understand which role plays company’s website in CRM performance. By this means, the author’s intention is to be able to give an answer to research questions number three and four: iii. Does a recruitment agency use its website as a tool for managing customer relationships? iv. How can a recruitment agency manage effectively relationships with its cus-tomers via website basing on trust and†¦show more content†¦Europe Internship and Italy Internship are meant to be an extension of Spain Internship and offer student more internship possibilities outside of Spain, also their goal is to promote the Spain Inte rnship brand. In this survey the author makes the emphasis only in Spain Internships because of the placement done there and more knowledge about the process and brand’s orientations. Participants of this survey are highly dedicated to work with clients and part-ners. They are in charge of relationships with customers and promotion of the company. That is why the target survey group is relatively small. Other compa-ny’s members are interns and most likely do not fully familiar with the Span Internship website and CRM from the professional point of view. 4.2 Analysis of the research As qualitative research is applied in this thesis work, the author’s idea is to analyse each answer of the questionnaire in order to be able to answer research questions and get the final result of the study. First of all, the questionnaire suggests to each participant give his/her opinion about customer relationship management of the company. Five out of six participants gave their answer to this question and all views had converged to one common extent: Spain Internship needs to make changes in its customer relationship management in order to achieve effectiveness and security of services and improve customer satisfaction. AllShow MoreRelatedCase Studies: Sas Airline Ryanair80169 Words   |  321 PagesEuropean airline industry over the last twenty years? Case studies: SAS Airline Ryanair Master Thesis in Entrepreneurship and Dynamic Business Contexts Spring 2007 Supervisor: Hà ¥kan Bohman Entrepreneurship Master Program Authors:
Gilles Helterlin and Nuno Ramalho
Acknowledgements We would like to express our gratitude to all who have contributed to the realization of this Master Thesis. A warm thank to our supervisor, Hà ¥kan Bohman from USBE (Umeà ¥ School of Business), for his guidanceRead MoreThesis on Knowledge Management on Consulting Firms21258 Words   |  86 PagesPilsmo Luleà ¥ University of Technology Bachelor thesis Computer and systems science Department of Business Administration and Social Sciences Division of Information Systems Sciences 2010:261 - ISSN: 1402-1773 - ISRN: LTU-CUPP--10/261--SE Abstract Title: Knowledge management in projects- A study of small consulting firms Author: Gustav Pilsmo Background: Knowledge management and how organizations capture the experiences gained in projects is a critical topic for many companies of today in order to gainRead MoreMastering Graduate Studies 1e32499 Words   |  130 PagesACADEMIC INTEGRITY RESEARCH LIBRARY KNOWLEDGE SKILLS COMMUNICATION EXPECTATIONS CAREER PATH  IMPRINT Title Mastering Graduate Studies EDITION 1 CONTRIBUTORS Editor: Alexis DiVincenzo Consulting Editors: Mark Alexander, Nicole Quow-Thomason Art Direction Senior Art Director: Miranda Hildebrand Art Development and Design: Jo DeSnyder-Rolfe Permissions contact Grand Canyon University 3300 W Camelback Rd Phoenix, AZ 85017 602.639.7500 Copyright Information Grand Canyon University. 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Financial Reporting Problem for Billabong International Ltd

Question: Discuss about theFinancial Reporting Problem for Billabong International Ltd. Answer: By considering corporate governance section of Billabong International Ltd, it can be noticed that all the guidelines provided by ASX have been satisfied. Corporate governance section has been prepared by the company on the basis of amended principles given by ASX. The company had given their detail description of their management strategies that how they are complying with the Australian regulations in their corporate practices. Each director and the managerial person have defined responsibility to ensure that interest of the company is not affected in an adverse manner (Corporate Governance Statement Billabong International Limited, 2017). To ensure equality, standard Workplace Equity and Diversity Policy is described which is strictly complied by each worker by considering a global code of conduct. The company is providing fair remuneration to their workers and directors by describing Group Remuneration Policy on the website of the company. In addition to this, the company had als o provided clarification that remuneration plans cannot consider any transactions which will lead to limitation of economic risk of options or other unvested entitlements. Further, the company had provided assurance of Safeguard integrity in corporate reporting by describing Audit Risk Committee and its members (Beekes, Brown and Zhang, 2015). For maintaining transparency and keeping stakeholders informed, company is providing timely disclosure on the basis of ASX Listing Rules. In order to ensure going concern, the effective internal control system is developed which has a primary objective to recognise and managing risk. By considering the aspect of social accountability, requirement of commitment is necessary for continuous development in environmental sustainability. It belongs to an area in which returns are exceptionally fluid; it results in the increasing speed of environmental awareness (De Zwart, 2015). Individual initiatives are taken by the billabong, which ultimately results in the benefit of the environment, including support for environment groups, beginning of recycling programmers, using economic friendly fabrics and fibres rather than hazardous plastic packaging material. In Billabong International Limited, duty and responsibility for the environment increases within the range of board of directors of a company. In separation, each and every project has its own benefits. The company is occupied in the audit firm and evaluates the footprints of changing impact of non-financial aspects like sustainability, corporate governance by making use of models triple bottom line (Sustainability En vironment- Billabong Biz, 2017). By considering above-described aspects, it can be said that company shows a good example of sustainability reporting as the company had provided a viable description of non-financial factors. This approach assists stakeholders in having a better understanding of the company. References Beekes, W., Brown, P. and Zhang, Q., 2015. Corporate governance and the informativeness of disclosures in Australia: a re?examination. Accounting Finance, 55(4), pp.931-963. Corporate Governance Statement Billabong International Limited. 2017. [Online]. Available through phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item...t=1cb=635762278197230266. [Accessed on 27th May 2017]. De Zwart, F., 2015. Enhancing Firm Sustainability through Governance: The Relational Corporate Governance Approach. Edward Elgar Publishing. Sustainability Environment- Billabong Biz. 2017. [Online]. Available through www.billabongbiz.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=154279p=environment. [Accessed on 27th May 2017].