Renaissance Literature and Philosophy Essay Example

Renaissance: Literature and Philosophy Essay The Renaissance was a period of European history that would change the world forever. It changed the way people saw art (and other things) and the way people acted. The Renaissance began in 14th-century Italy and spread to the rest of Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. In this period, the society of the Middle Ages with its agricultural economy and church filled life, was transformed into a society that was increasingly influenced by central politics, with a more urban, commercial economy and interests in education, the arts, and music. The word renaissance (meaning rebirth in Latin) wasfirst used in 1855 by the French historian Jules Michelet. Then the great Swiss historian Jakob Burckhardt used and developed on Michelets concept. Jakob marked the era as nothing less than ;the birth of modern humanity and consciousness after a long period of decay;. During the Renaissance, many European scholars and artists, especially in Italy, studied the art of ancient Greece and Rome. They wanted to recapture the spirit of the Greek and Roman cultures into their own artistic and literary works. The Renaissance overlapped the end of the Middle Ages, which began approximately in the 400;s. The leaders of the Renaissance began rejecting many ideas and attitudes of the Middle Ages. For example, people back in the Middle Ages thought that their responsibility was to pray to God and concentrate on saving their soul. Individuals from the Renaissance, on the other hand, argued that people;s responsibilities and duties should be directed at the society in which they lived. The Renaissance also saw the discovery and exploration of new continents, the growth of commerce, and the invention of paper, printing, the mariner;s compass, and gunpowder. We will write a custom essay sample on Renaissance: Literature and Philosophy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Renaissance: Literature and Philosophy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Renaissance: Literature and Philosophy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The rebirth of literature, art, and new development of the family structure, was created as a transition from the disastrous Middle Ages to the age of rebirth, the Renaissance. These areas of advancements became the major differences of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The Renaissance created numerous improvements in literature since the Middle Ages. In medieval Europe literature was mainly written by the church, therefore used religion as the main topic, and was also written in Latin. Most people of the Middle Ages did not have the ability to use Latin, therefore made the books useless to ordinary people. Since the clergy dictated literary movement, it contained little or no criticism of either the church or politics. Renaissance was the era of literary revolution. People started to write books in the vernacular language. This made it more accessible to ordinary people. Literature began to criticize both the church and politics. Machiavellis The Prince rejected the standard Christian view that the state is subject to divine law, exemplifying the disappearing control of church over literature. Hand-written literature of the Middle Ages, limited the amount of books and scripts that could be published. At last, during the Renaissance, Johannes Gutenberg had an inventory breakthrough, the printing press. Thefirst book that was actually published by Gutenberg was the bible, which was published in German vernacular and made understandable for the German people. The printing press greatly increased the number of literature that became published. This increased the popularity of books throughout Europe. During the Renaissance the literary works were mostly created by humanists. Humanist movement not only focused on the study of Greco-Roman literature, but also created the books imitating those of Greek and Roman classics.

Maybe You Can Learn to Say Maybe in Spanish

Maybe You Can Learn to Say Maybe in Spanish Spanish has several ways of saying maybe, perhaps, or possibly. Most of the expressions of possibility are frequently used with a verb in the subjunctive mood. Uses of Quizs  or Talvez to Express Possibility Quizs or, as it is also spelled, quiz, is typically used with verbs in the subjunctive mood, although it is not unusual to hear it used with a verb in the indicative mood. Quiz(s) can be used interchangeably with ​talvez, also spelled tal vez. These words are typically placed at the beginning of sentences.   Puede  que, literally meaning it can be when it is the subject of a sentence, is an alternative phrase for expressing possibility. It is normally followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood. Spanish Sentence English Translation Quizs te cases, o quizs no. Perhaps you will get married, or perhaps not. Quiz en otra vida t y yo fuimos amantes. Perhaps in another life you and I were lovers. Quizs ms tarde. Perhaps later. Quiz no venga nadie. Maybe nobody will come. Talvez yo te pueda ayudar. Perhaps I can help you. Tal vez maana sea solo un recuerdo. Perhaps tomorrow will be only a memory. Tal vez no pensaron en esto. Maybe they didnt think about it. Puede que debas cambiar por otro medicamento. Perhaps you ought to switch to another medication. Su plan dental puede que no cubra el costo total de su cuenta. Your dental plan maybe wont cover the total cost of your account. Puede que estemos equivocados. Perhaps we are mistaken. Using Posible The Spanish adjective  posible, meaning possible, can be used to form the adverb  posiblemente, and  can be used in much the same way as  quizs and tal vez, although it is less common than its English counterpart, possibly.   Es posible que, literally meaning it is possible that, can also be used as an alternative to one of the other ways of expressing possibility, and in standard Spanish, it is followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood. Like the English phrase it stands for, es  posible  que often expresses a greater degree of doubt than maybe. For example, Es posible que hoy te vea  translates to, It is possible I will see you today. Spanish Sentence English Translation Posiblemente Cuba no participar en campeonato. Maybe Cuba wont participate in the championship. Posiblemente sea mi imaginacin. It could be my imagination. Si presenta sntomas en primavera, posiblemente sea alrgico al polen. If symptoms appear in the spring, you may be allergic to pollen. Colloquial Way of Expressing Possibility A lo mejor is a more colloquial way to express possibility than quiz and tal vez. Although its literal translation is at what is best, it isnt used that way.  Do  not use the subjunctive mood with a lo mejor. Spanish Sentence English Translation A lo mejor soy imbcil. Perhaps I am stupid. Hay tres cosas que a lo mejor no sabes de m. There are three things that perhaps you dont know about me. A lo mejor nos estn haciendo un favor. Maybe they are doing us a favor.

The Lived Experience of Ordinary People Assignment

The Lived Experience of Ordinary People - Assignment Example In present times America is facing various challenges, but the big challenge facing the federal government is maintenance of security and safety among the American citizens. President Barrack Obama demand for the American troops number in Iraq to be brought down. This as he estimates will increase the chances of Americas in fighting these terrorists around the world and the Al Qaeda as well (Berkowitz & Dewitt, 2013). Diplomacy and development issue key issues to improve as they are two major factors of their national security plan, and to make sure that their procedures of intelligence collection and analysis are assisting them in facing their enemies. In the past years security and safety were still challenge to the America federal government since they amended security bills with the motive of keeping the level of security of the country high (Piszkiewicz, 2003). This means that maintenance of security and safety of the people is quit s task that the American government has not yet achieved fully. For instance in 1960 July 1st The social security administration’s Woodlawn headquarters were dictated. The solution to these was to just recruit more troops for the sake of the country’s

Analyze how Nguyen Du uses an element of literature to develop a theme Essay

Analyze how Nguyen Du uses an element of literature to develop a theme in THE TALE OF KIEU, or if you wish to push yourself to a - Essay Example The imageries in the tale are perceived as symbols that define a character. A common object used in the poem is the moon. Moon has a great significance to the society especially to Asian people whose cultural beliefs revolve around it. Thus with reference to Asian’s, the author has used to convey the message more significantly. For instance, Chinese believe in the goddess moon and as a result make extensively use images of the moon in their literature works. Imagery of moon has been used to illustrate Kieu, who is the tale’s main character. She is a beautiful, attractive lady and thus the author likens her to the moon in order to emphasize her character and striking physical appearance. The moon diligently and gradually shines from a crescent to a full moon within the same time period year in year out. Despite the weather changes, it is persistent to complete its course. Like the moon, Kieu faces many challenges and complications. However, her undeterred persistence and determined to retain her natural character and assume her role is alarming. She even takes the risk of engaging herself in the prostitution to defend her responsibility to her father. In addition, the moon has been used to describe other characters in the tale such as the Thuy sisters. Kieu and Van are both charming and physically attractive. Their beauty epitomizes that of the goddess moon in the Chinese culture. Men who admire and praise her because of her enticing look illustrate the beauty of Kieu. Chinese believe in a goddess moon called Chang-o, a moon ruler whom they highly praise due to her feminine beauty that surpasses any generations. According to the author, Kieu deserves such a high position in the society. Moreover, the changing aspects of her life are characteristic to those of the moon. Just as the moon changes from crescent, that only shines with mild brightness and grows into a full to assume more lighting responsibility, so do her responsibilities increase as she matures. In addition, Kim and Kieu’s lover share such deep love that they pledge vows to the moon. As they do so, the moon is shining brightly and epitomizes their moods at that point in time. Their happiness and excitement could be equated to the moon’s brightness. In addition, the poem ends with Kieu reuniting with her family and lover, Kim, after having been away for fifteen years. Author uses the imagery to illustrate her happiness by saying the moon shone unusually bright at that time (Du 161). Her past fifteen years can be likened to the numerous dark nights that are slowly lit by the moon. The unusually bright full moon depicts joyous return home. Imagery has also been used to illustrate mental conditions of Kieu. A crescent appears during cold windy night (Du 85). At this time, she is sitting at the window while waiting for Thuc. A crescent mood is used to illustrate her low mood since it produces a less bright light as compared to the full moon just as she ap pears gloomy and dull. The presence of three stars surrounding the crescent shows that Kieu has missed Thuc. This is because, to a Chinese character, crescent together with three stars represent the heart, which is also part to the name given to Thuc in Vietnamese. Lastly, the physical nature of the moon illustrates her determination to retain her original personality of innocence and faith despite the challenges in life. In her life,

The Socio Economic Network In Zambia Sociology Essay

The Socio Economic Network In Zambia Sociology Essay To set the platform of discussion, it is significant to define the concept of the family and other related notions. Giddens (2006:206) defines the family as a group of persons directly linked by kin connections, the adult members of which assume responsibility of caring for children. A family may either be a nuclear or extended family. A nuclear family comprises of two adults living together in a household with their own or adopted children. On the other hand an extended family is a group consisting of close relatives extending beyond couple and their children living together with the same household or in a close and continuous relationship with one another. In addition, the family is one of the basic units of society whose function and contribution to society cannot be over emphasized. For instance, for a society to survive over time, certain basic needs must be met. New members must be added to the population to replace those members who have died or moved away. People must be clothed, sheltered and fed. Goods and services must be produced and made available to those who need and desire them. The young must be socialised into society. The elderly and the sick must receive care. Order must be maintained and power must be distributed among the members of society (Thomas 1995: 294). However, despite the significant role played by the family in society since its existence, it has not been spared from the changes affecting society. The process of social change has affected the traditional family patterns. Some of these changes have been gradual while some have been radical. On the other hand these changes have either been qualitative or quantitative in nature. The changes have either brought positive or negative effects to the family. Among the significant changes that have markedly influenced the traditional family patterns are those associated with westernisation and modernisation which are closely linked? The process of industrialisation has also been critical to the primary function of the family both in the modern and pre- industrial societies. According to Akuffo (2005:18), he stated that the pre-industrial family consisted of the couple their children, a line of descendants, blood relations is taken seriously, the lived closely and cooperatively and were organized for mutual support and performed economic functions. Thus, the pre-industrial societies system is based on kinship relations for social organisation. The family members had specific roles and responsibilities based on gender and age. For instance the parents played a critical role for the survival of its members. The main economic activity characterized by the traditional family was agriculture. As the name suggests (pre-industrial societies) the tools used for production were very simple. Besides the production of food for the family members, it was the sole responsibility of the parents to educate its members with skills for their survival. The parents also provided the emotional security and protection to the individual members of the family. In short, the fa mily in the pre-industrial societies was for the individuals safety. The family perpetuated the values, norms and beliefs of society through the educating the members within the custody members. On the other hand, the changes that were precipitated by industrialisation had an impact on the traditional family system. Industrialisation can be traced as far back as eighteenth and nineteenth centuries during the industrial revolution that took place in Europe and later spread to America. Giddens (2006:39) observes that industrialisation refers to the emergences of machine production, based on the use of inanimate power resources (like steam or electricity). Significant changes were witnessed during this period that affected human society. Furthermore, Industrialisation created changes in the roles of the family in society. For example in pre-industrial society, the family is the primary social institution. Production and education are the responsibility of the family. The shift of roles from the family threatened the power and control of the parents on the family members. The role of education was assumed by the government. This created high demand for literacy among the population. The individuals were socialised on how they could adapt in the changing society. The change in the education system had both positive and negative influence on the traditional family system. For example, the positive influence, in the industrial society was that it allowed the individuals movement in a social structure. Education provided for the upward social mobility. There was freedom of competition for social position. On the contrary, in pre-industrial societies most statuses are ascribed. This makes it difficult for the individual to work their way up the social ladder. The new education system also undermined some of the values, norms and beliefs of the traditional societies that in themselves contributed to the stability and continuity of society. The other significant changes resulting from industrialisation was the nature of work. In pre-industrial societies, people were not specialised. They are characterized by low levels of division of labour. They conducted similar economic tasks for food production. According to Durkheim, he argued that, traditional cultures, with a low division of labour are characterised by mechanical solidarity. Because most of the members of society are involved in similar occupations, are bound together by common experience and shared beliefs. The forces of industrialisation and urbanisation however, led to a growing division o labour that contributed to the breakdown of this solidarity. (Giddens 2006:14).This development saw a significant change in the production of goods and services. Industrialisation also changes the location of work activities. In pre-industrial societies, most of the economic activities are carried out within the family setting. With the coming of machines, however, productio n moves from the home to factories. This in turn encourages modernisation. This entails that people now moves off the farms and go to cities to be near the major sources of employment. (Thomas 1995:78). Apparently, the change of location of work created a totally different environment for the individual. In the extended family pattern the nature of interaction among members was primary. The members were closely related to each other through kinship relations. This interaction supported the individuals emotional security, protection and other physical and social needs. This change threatened the physiological and social needs enjoyed by the individual within the traditional family setting which increased vulnerability in this new environment. The individual developed new relationships through the neighbours, friends and workmates. The individual depended upon this new system of interaction for support. As a result of industrialization, the social structure and beliefs of society have changed drastically. This is understood that modernization describes the process of change from a traditional, Agrarian Society to a modern Industrial Society. According to Haviland in Abrahim et al (unknown), Modernization defined as an all-encompassing global process of cultural and socio-economic changes, whereby the developing societies seek to acquire some of the characteristics common to industrial Societies. Modernization is the process by which cultures are force to accept traits from outside, and change their original shape. In the course of modernisation, traditional knowledge and techniques give way to the application of scientific knowledge borrowed mainly from the West. Modernisation creates the change in traditions and values due to modern technology. People have to accept this change because the progress is both necessary and beneficial to society and the individual. However, under the impact of modernization today, people almost everywhere are witnessing the breakdown of the traditional extended family into nuclear families. This is not to say that the traditional larger kin groupings have vanished and families function is changed and its a negative impact on family. Every culture has its own family set-up. And modernization is also has an effect on family system and its traditions. Extended families traditions have changed due to modernization. Giddens (2006:905) observes that men often go to work in towns or cities, leaving their family members in the home villages. Alternatively a nuclear family group will move as a unit to the city. In cases, traditional family forms and kinship system may become weakened. This is true in the sense that in the pre-industrial societies roles were shared according to gender and age. For example, grandparents in this situation no longer played their role of providing care to the grand children as they were now separated. On other matters such as marriages, initiation ceremonies and other important rituals which were the sole responsibility of elderly people. All these values and beliefs were affected with these changes. For instance, in the pre-industrial societies, arranged marriages were preferred. The choice of ones life partner rested in the parents and not the individual. This was viewed as one way of strengthening cultural values and norms of particular culture. Therefore, with the development of towns and cities there has been a great shift in the way marriages are conducted and celebrated. This time an individual has the freedom to choose his/her life time partner irrespective of ones cultural background. Today a Lozi can marry a Bemba; a Tonga also may decide to marry an Indian. Marriages are celebrated with modernity as opposed to the traditional way they used to be celebrated. Dalouw Edwards (1997:499) states that among African families in South Africa, traditional values and customs which provided a basis for family structure have been eroded by rapid urbanisation and westernization. The problem has been made worse by the socio-economic hardship and low levels of education.According to the National Child Policy of 2004, there are over 75,000 street children in Zambia, while Child headed households account for an estimated 1-2 percent (about 20,000) of all households in the country. The extreme poverty and vulnerability in Zambia affecting the communities, households and individuals to a greater extent has been due to modernisation resulting in the disintegration and weakening of the extended family system a typical feature of pre-industrial societies. On the other hand, modernisation created employment opportunities for women as well. The idea of women being associated with domestic chores has changed. In the recent years (decades) the idea of the male breadwinner heading the family is being increasingly challenged, an increasing number of women enter the workplaces and family structures continue to diversify. (Giddens 2006:209).This has not just increased the income levels among the households, but it has also undermined the authority and control of the parents over the members of the family. They spend most of the time at work than at home which in itself has a negative effect on the development their childrens personality development Westernisation is also a change that has taken place in disrupting the extended family. The historical context of Westernization in Africa is the encounter with Europe, under the specific conditions of the Atlantic slave trade and the European colonial adventure. Westernisation follows the adoption of different life styles, cultural ways, working styles, organising styles and even behavioural patterns of the western countries particularly (Moonlight, 2009). People will take on the pattern and ways of the western countries and follow them in their working, thinking and living. Majority have keen interest in western styles (dressing, housing, outing and partying etc) and attitudes (professionalism and individualism). Consequently, westernisation in our African societies has an impact to the socio-economic activities. A Zambian family, like families elsewhere, can be thought of as a group which is responsible to reproduce, nurture, and educate the young to become productive members of the family and the society at large. Children are later taken to schools where traditional values and norms are eroded by new values of the west. The new fashions and styles have replaced the traditional aspect of dressing where one imitates what she/he sees or hear on the media. Some of the existing social problems experienced in our societies are as a result of new value. In conclusion, it can be said that industrialisation, westernisation and modernisation had significant influence on the traditional family life patterns. In pre-industrial societies, the main economic activity was agriculture and the family was responsible for the provision of the basic needs to its members. The main concern of the pre-industrial societies was the maintenance of group stability and consensus. This was accomplished through their division of labour.

Mother-Daughter Relationships: A Feminist Overview Essay -- Analysis,

Al-Mosaed, Nora F. "Mother-Daughter Relationships: A Feminist Overview." Journal of the Social Sciences 31.3 (2003): 707-729. Sociological Abstracts. Print. Nora Al-Mosaed’s â€Å"Mother-Daughter Relationships: A Feminist Overview† argues that sexism and unequal treatment towards women in a patriarchal society negatively impacts the behavior and relationship between mothers and daughters. Al-Mosaed describes a study conducted where 173 female college students were questioned about their relationships with their mothers; of the most notable information collected, married daughters reported having a better relationship with their mothers while divorced daughters cited a much more negative relationship with their mothers, and all daughters reported being devalued when compared to their brothers. It is important to note that the women who participated in this study were daughters of Saudi families, which may suggest the effects of the patriarchal society on the mother-daughter relationship. Al-Mosaed’s article was interestingly refreshing because of its focus on daughters in Saudi families; the author’s research is highly relevant to my chosen topic in that it examines what strengthens and deteriorates the relationship between mother and daughter (in the case of this study, it was suggested that the deterioration stemmed from the overwhelmingly patriarchal society in which they lived) and takes into perspective a culture not often represented in literature about communities of women. Boyd, Carol J. "Mothers and Daughters: A Discussion of Theory and Research." Journal of Marriage and Family 51.2 (1989): 291-301. JSTOR. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. In â€Å"Mothers and Daughters: A Discussion of Theory and Research†, Carol Boyd... ...es each item with the historical happenings of each time period, with a particular interest in the feminist spectrum. Included topics of study are ‘mother blame,’ domestic expectations, maternal sacrifice, ‘feminine containment’, and more (Walters). Suzanna Walters wrote insightfully and intelligently about the various condemning ways that mothers and daughters have been viewed in popular media for more than sixty years. I found this text to be extremely helpful in that I gained knowledge in the many ways that society’s sexism was/is portrayed in various popular media outlets; the pressure laid on mothers and daughters was/is excruciating and, as displayed in many of the films, resulted in general unhappiness for women. I believe this text will prove to be extremely helpful in evaluating mother/daughter relationships as related in history and in the media. Mother-Daughter Relationships: A Feminist Overview Essay -- Analysis, Al-Mosaed, Nora F. "Mother-Daughter Relationships: A Feminist Overview." Journal of the Social Sciences 31.3 (2003): 707-729. Sociological Abstracts. Print. Nora Al-Mosaed’s â€Å"Mother-Daughter Relationships: A Feminist Overview† argues that sexism and unequal treatment towards women in a patriarchal society negatively impacts the behavior and relationship between mothers and daughters. Al-Mosaed describes a study conducted where 173 female college students were questioned about their relationships with their mothers; of the most notable information collected, married daughters reported having a better relationship with their mothers while divorced daughters cited a much more negative relationship with their mothers, and all daughters reported being devalued when compared to their brothers. It is important to note that the women who participated in this study were daughters of Saudi families, which may suggest the effects of the patriarchal society on the mother-daughter relationship. Al-Mosaed’s article was interestingly refreshing because of its focus on daughters in Saudi families; the author’s research is highly relevant to my chosen topic in that it examines what strengthens and deteriorates the relationship between mother and daughter (in the case of this study, it was suggested that the deterioration stemmed from the overwhelmingly patriarchal society in which they lived) and takes into perspective a culture not often represented in literature about communities of women. Boyd, Carol J. "Mothers and Daughters: A Discussion of Theory and Research." Journal of Marriage and Family 51.2 (1989): 291-301. JSTOR. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. In â€Å"Mothers and Daughters: A Discussion of Theory and Research†, Carol Boyd... ...es each item with the historical happenings of each time period, with a particular interest in the feminist spectrum. Included topics of study are ‘mother blame,’ domestic expectations, maternal sacrifice, ‘feminine containment’, and more (Walters). Suzanna Walters wrote insightfully and intelligently about the various condemning ways that mothers and daughters have been viewed in popular media for more than sixty years. I found this text to be extremely helpful in that I gained knowledge in the many ways that society’s sexism was/is portrayed in various popular media outlets; the pressure laid on mothers and daughters was/is excruciating and, as displayed in many of the films, resulted in general unhappiness for women. I believe this text will prove to be extremely helpful in evaluating mother/daughter relationships as related in history and in the media.

History of Chelsea Football Club Essay

Chelsea were founded on 10 March 1905 at The Rising Sun pub (now The Butcher’s Hook), opposite the present-day main entrance to the ground on Fulham Road, and were elected to the Football League shortly afterwards. The club’s early years saw little success; the closest they came to winning a major trophy was reaching the FA Cup final in 1915, where they lost to Sheffield United. Chelsea gained a reputation for signing big-name players and for being entertainers, but made little impact on the English game in the inter-war years. Former Arsenal and England centre-forward Ted Drake became manager in 1952 and proceeded to modernize the club. He removed the club’s Chelsea pensioner crest, improved the youth set-up and training regime, rebuilt the side, and led Chelsea to their first major trophy success – the League championship – in 1954–55. The following season saw UEFA create the European Champions’ Cup, but after objections from The Football League and the FA Chelsea were persuaded to withdraw from the competition before it started. The 1960s saw the emergence of a talented young Chelsea side under manager Tommy Docherty. They challenged for honours throughout the decade, and endured several near-misses. They were on course for a treble of League, FA Cup and League Cup going into the final stages of the 1964–65 season, winning the League Cup but faltering late on in the other two. In three seasons the side was beaten in three major semi-finals and were FA Cup runners-up. Chelsea were FA Cup winners in 1970, beating Leeds United 2–1 in a final replay. Chelsea took their first European honour, a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup triumph, the following year, with another replayed win, this time over Real Madrid in Athens. The late 1970s through to the 1980s was a turbulent period for Chelsea. An ambitious redevelopment of Stamford Bridge threatened the financial stability of the club, star players were sold and the team were relegated. Further problems were caused by a notorious hooligan element among the support, which was to plague the club throughout the decade. In 1982 Chelsea were, at the nadir of their fortunes, acquired by Ken Bates for the nominal sum of  £1, although by now the Stamford Bridge freehold had been sold to property developers, meaning the club faced losing their home. On the pitch, the team had fared little better, coming close to relegation to the Third Division for the first time, but in 1983 manager John Neal put together an impressive new team for minimal outlay. Chelsea won the Second Division title in 1983–84 and established themselves in the top division, before being relegated again in 1988. The club bounced back immediately by winning the Second Division champio nship in 1988–89. After a long-running legal battle, Bates reunited the stadium freehold with the club in 1992 by doing a deal with the banks of the property developers, who had been bankrupted by a market crash.[14] Chelsea’s form in the new Premier League was unconvincing, although they did reach the 1994 FA Cup Final. It was not until the appointment of former European Footballer of the Year Ruud Gullit as player-manager in 1996 that their fortunes changed. He added several top-class international players to the side, as the club won the FA Cup in 1997 and established themselves as one of England’s top sides again. Gullit was replaced by Gianluca Vialli, who led the team to victory in the League Cup and the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1998, the FA Cup in 2000 and the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals in 2000. Vialli was sacked in favour of another Italian, Claudio Ranieri, who guided Chelsea to the 2002 FA Cup Final and Champions League qualification in 2002–03. In June 2003, Bates sold Chelsea to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich for  £140 million, completing what was then the biggest-ever sale of an English football club. Over  £100 million was spent on new players, but Ranieri was unable to deliver any trophies, so he was replaced by Portuguese coach Josà © Mourinho. Under Mourinho, Chelsea became the fifth English team to win back-to-back league championships since the Second World War (2004–05 and 2005–06), in addition to winning an FA Cup (2007) and two League Cups (2005 and 2007). In September 2007 Mourinho was replaced by Avram Grant, who led the club to their first UEFA Champions League final, in which they lost on penalties to Manchester United. Grant was sacked days later and succeeded by Luiz Felipe Scolari in July 2008.