T H A N K S 

The editors o f Elements w o u l d l ike to t h a n k the f o l l o w i n g indiv idua ls 
for the i r generous support o f and assistance w i t h th is issue: 

SUSAN D U N N , Administrative Assistant, Center for Centers 
DONALD HAFN ER, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies 
MARY KREI N DEL, Account Executive, Dynagraf 
CECILIA MCCLAY, Associate Buyer, Procurement Services 

We w o u l d also l ike to t h a n k Boston College for the financial support 
that makes this issue possible. 

Q U E S T I O N S & C O N T R I B U T I O N S 

I f y o u have any questions or w o u l d l ike to contr ibute an article for the 
next issue, y o u may contact the j o u r n a l at e lements@bc.edu. The next 
deadline for submiss ion is Friday, November 5, 2010. 

C O V E R 

Stairwell o f the Musee H o r t a i n Brussels 
© Lonely Planet/Super Stock 

P E R I O D I C I T Y 

Elements is pub l i shed semiannual ly d u r i n g the fall and s p r i ng 
semesters. 

The information provided by contributors is not independently verified by Elements. 

The materials herein represent the personal opinions of the individual authors and do not 
necessarily represent the views of Elements or the Boston College community. 

Elements, The Undergraduate Research Journal of Boston College 
Volume 6, Issue 2, Fall 2010 

Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Service Building 103 
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 

Printing: Dynagraf Inc., 5 Dan Road, Canton, MA 02021 

Copyright © 2010 by the Trustees of Boston College 

E L E M E N T S STAFF 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 
B R I A N V A R I A N 

MANAGING EDITOR 
R. B R I A N T R A C Z 

DEPUTY EDITOR 
J A I M E C R O W L E Y 

HUMANITIES 
A L I M C D O N A L D , Senior Editor 
E R I N E. E I C H A N , Senior Editrix Emerita 
B R E N D A N KELLY, Editor 

V I N O D H M E C H E R Y , Editor 

D A N S O L O C U R E N , Editor 

NATURAL SCIENCES 
A N N E K O R N A H R E N S , Senior Editor 

A D I T Y A A S H O K , Editor 

SOCIAL SCIENCES 
C H R I S S H E R I D A N , Senior Editor 

S A R A H C O L L I E R , Editor 

TEJA G A N T A , Editor 

A N D R E I N A Y A N E S , Editor • 

Z A C H Z I M M E R M A N N , Editor 

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EDITOR'S NOTE 

I n "Vic tor Horta 's V i s i o n : A r t Nouveau and the Fus ion o f F u n c t i o n and 
F o r m , " Catherine Swofford describes the pol i t i ca l i m p o r t o f Victor Horta 's 
architecture, w r i t i n g : 

An enlightened bourgeois class sought out a new artistic style to reflect their 
progressive political views and to separate themselves from the conservative 
elite. As is the goal of the client, when a pedestrian walks down a Belgian street 
and notices one of Horta's profoundly different art nouveau houses, he pre-
sumes the owner to be . . .forward-thinking. 

Just as an elaborate art nouveau townhouse signaled a f o r w a r d - t h i n k i n g 
occupant, so does an academic research j o u r n a l m a r k , quite palpably, a 
f o r w a r d - t h i n k i n g university. Indeed, th is t e n t h issue o f Elements cont inues 
to signal the academic vibrancy o f Boston Col lege—premised u p o n inte l -
lectual cur ios i ty a n d mani fest t h r o u g h o u t these pages. 

Victor H o r t a pa id met icu lous a t tent ion to every single detai l o f his t o w n -
houses, straight d o w n to the "door-knobs, air vents, ra i l ings , stained glass 
and cupboards." For Hor ta , even the smallest features cont r ibute d to the 
overall appearance o f the residence, r e n d e r i n g its architecture master fu l 
and its s y m b o l i s m complete. I n e m u l a t i n g H o r t a , the staff o f Elements has 
i m p l e m e n t e d several stylistic changes i n th is issue. T h o u g h smal l , these 

changes represent o n g o i n g attempts to showcase better the academic re-
search o f Boston College students. 

A n o t h e r h i g h l i g h t o f the Fall 2010 issue is the first ever foreign-language 
article to appear i n Elements. " M e n t h a y honor : Los temas del teatro espanol 
en el Siglo de O r o , " w r i t t e n by V lad Georgescu, reflects not only the w i d e n -
i n g scope o f research b e i n g done at Boston College, b u t also an alternative 
approach to expressing this research. 

W i t h seven t r u l y o r i g i n a l articles, I a m conf ident that this issue o f Elements 
indicates w e l l a " f o r w a r d - t h i n k i n g " university. I t is m y hope that y o u w i l l 
peruse i t i n that same spir i t ! 

Sincerely, 

BRIAN VARIAN 

Editor-in-chief