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- Pick an idea/ question/ theory/ from this text that moved you
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- Locate and read suitable texts to gather info about your question/ idea
- Evaluate/ figure out the reliability and usefulness of the information you have gathered in relation to your question
- Form an overall conclusion and answer your question
The Baroness - Arguing a Point
The Baroness
As he left for a visit to his outlying districts, the jealous Baron warned his pretty young wife: "Do not leave the castle while I am gone or I will punish you severely when I return!"
But as the hours passed, the young Baroness grew lonely and despite her husband's warning, decided to visit her friend who lived in the countryside nearby.
The castle was located on a island in a wide, fast-flowing river with a drawbridge linking the island and the land at the narrowest point in the river.
"Surely my husband will not return before dawn," she thought and ordered her servant to lower the drawbridge and leave it down until she returned.
After spending several pleasant hours with her friend, playing music, talking and dancing , the Baroness returned to the drawbridge, only to find it blocked by a madman wildly waving a long cruel knife.
"Do not attempt to cross this bridge, Baroness or I will kill you," he raved.
Fearing for her life, the Baroness sought out a boatman on the river, explained her plight to him and asked him to take her across the river on his boat.
"I will do it, but only if you can pay me my fee of 5 marks."
"But I have no money with me!" the Baroness protested.
"That is too bad. No money, no ride," the boatman said flatly.
Her fear growing, the Baroness ran back crying to the home of her friend and after explaining her situation, begged for enough money to pay the boatman his fee.
"I never loan money to anyone!" said her friend, "not even to my best friends. Besides if you had not disobeyed your husband this would not have happened"
With dawn approaching and her last resource exhausted, the Baroness returned to the drawbridge, attempted in desperation to cross to the castle and was slain by the madman.
Question for discussion. Your group should carefully consider all possibilities and try to come to a consensus. You will need to be able to present reasons for your answer.
Who was the MOST to blame for the Baroness's death?
As he left for a visit to his outlying districts, the jealous Baron warned his pretty young wife: "Do not leave the castle while I am gone or I will punish you severely when I return!"
But as the hours passed, the young Baroness grew lonely and despite her husband's warning, decided to visit her friend who lived in the countryside nearby.
The castle was located on a island in a wide, fast-flowing river with a drawbridge linking the island and the land at the narrowest point in the river.
"Surely my husband will not return before dawn," she thought and ordered her servant to lower the drawbridge and leave it down until she returned.
After spending several pleasant hours with her friend, playing music, talking and dancing , the Baroness returned to the drawbridge, only to find it blocked by a madman wildly waving a long cruel knife.
"Do not attempt to cross this bridge, Baroness or I will kill you," he raved.
Fearing for her life, the Baroness sought out a boatman on the river, explained her plight to him and asked him to take her across the river on his boat.
"I will do it, but only if you can pay me my fee of 5 marks."
"But I have no money with me!" the Baroness protested.
"That is too bad. No money, no ride," the boatman said flatly.
Her fear growing, the Baroness ran back crying to the home of her friend and after explaining her situation, begged for enough money to pay the boatman his fee.
"I never loan money to anyone!" said her friend, "not even to my best friends. Besides if you had not disobeyed your husband this would not have happened"
With dawn approaching and her last resource exhausted, the Baroness returned to the drawbridge, attempted in desperation to cross to the castle and was slain by the madman.
Question for discussion. Your group should carefully consider all possibilities and try to come to a consensus. You will need to be able to present reasons for your answer.
Who was the MOST to blame for the Baroness's death?
Are Our Young Males in Crisis? - Ian Munro (ODT)
- Are males in crisis? What is your evidence?
- Are teen boys over-mothered?
- " " " under-fathered?
- Has society changed too fast for our parenting to catch up?
- Do boys need men as role models?
- Has masculinity narrowed? Femininity widened?