10/29 Travel and Discovery (#9b)

Mandeville

Sir John Mandeville describes three natives of the different lands he visits, including the Amazonia, Ethiopia and the many isles. First, the land of Amazonia is a land of only women. Sir Mnadeville describes the land free of men filled with fierce warrior women who have no need for men. I simply do not have the writing capability to compress the hundred pages needed to skim the surface of the ridiculousness of this fanciful idea into two or three sentences. It would be easy to write, “yes this could be possible,” but no. It is a big world, if it were possible than it would have been done, somewhere. Next, is the country Ethiopia in the land of Tarmegyte. Ethiopia is described as being filled with people who have one gigantic foot and are born yellow, but turn a dark black with age. While, I have not seen a place at all resembling the one Sir Mandeville describes here, it is easy for me to imagine. It is possible for such a group to exist should God had desired such a group, it just so happens he did not. Finally, Sir Mandeville describes the many isles he visited. The different isles are occupied by many different beasts and monsters, one race of creatures per isle. The creatures ranging from giant cyclopses to small dwarfs.

Sir Mandeville’s destinations are often exaggerations of other places. Ethiopia is a country mentioned in the Bible and it is populated with a group of people with dark skin. Sir Mandeville adds interest to the story by adding the idea of the people being mono-peds. While, the creature of the isles are likely to be taken from ancient literature.

I enjoyed Sir Mandeville’s story of exploration. My friends and I often put in to practice the idea, “if, you do not have anything interesting to say, make something up”.

Columbus

As Columbus began his journey it is likely he expected to find conquerable lands rich with resources. If, he had thought “I bet there is only poor infertile and unconquerable land to be discovered” he in all likelihood would not have made the trip.

Columbus’ faith is a major component to his character. He repeatedly gives God the credit for all that he sees and brings back.

Extra Credit

The largest difference between Sir Mandeville’s and Columbus’ records of exploration is that Columbus returned with proof for the existence of the places he wrote about. There is not evidence that Sir Mandeville journeys.

Sir Mandeville and Columbus do have some similarities in their writing. The two writers did take there time to explain the distance and direction of travel. Explaining their route and course adds a level of realism and authenticity. Both writers also explained what goods could, if any, be taken from the land. Profit was the main goal in both cases.

10/27 Canterbury Tales (9a)

Wife of Bath

According to the “Wife of Bath” from the Canterbury Tales a women's ultimate desire is to “rule and government above Their husbands” (1753).

The theme is displayed when Bath’s wife gives him the opportunity to choose her to be a loyal wife or a beautiful wife. In giving Bath a choice she shows that she is the one in power, but is offering up some of her authority to her husband. The theme is further validated when Bath returns the choice to his wife. Giving the choice back to her gives her so much pleasure that she becomes both the loyal and beautiful wife.

I think that many women desire to rule over their husbands, but that it is not likely the strongest desire. The fact that it is so prevalent to observe the wife ruling her family demonstrates that many women desire it, otherwise they would not do so. I can only assume that the strongest desire for a woman is to be loved. I gather the assumption from Ephesians 5:25, here husbands are called to love their wife’s. Love is also the ultimate theme in all women’s film, literature and conversation. I have not done a in-depth research, but I am simply not blind and dumb to all of the advertising all women are so easily soled to. Weather it be a diamond ring or a purse it will be successfully advertised with the theme of love.

Pardoner’s Tale

The moral of “The Pardoner’s Tale” is something close to money is the root of all evil. The Pardoner warns against gambling, lustfulness and gluttony, but it is greed the kills the characters he tells about.

The story teller illuminates more about the Medieval era than the story he tells. As a a pardoner the story teller receives money for the work of pardoning the sins of others. Paying for a pardon was not uncommon and shows the dependence the people of this era had on the church.

Extra Credit

There are a couple of feministic ideas in “The Wife of Bath.” The first is the fact that the tale revolves around the fact that a man has no idea what women desire. The second is Bath’s wife calling the shots for Bath, telling him how it is going to be and giving him a horrible ultimatum.

While “The Wife of Bath” is strongly feminist, it actually puts women in a better light than is expected for the Medieval era. Bath’s wife is characteristically shown as a manipulator, but when Bath treats her well she gives Bath everything he could ask from her.

10/22 Everyman (#8b)

The play “Everyman” helps depicts human nature and the source of strength everyman tends to seek before realizing to power and strength is only found in God.

Human Nature

The character Everyman, who symbolically represents every man, seeks a companion as he journeys closer to God. Never does Everyman seek God as a companion. Instead Everyman tries to get undependable characters like Beauty, Strength and Discretion to go with him to God. Here Everyman shows how unwilling man is to rely on God, instead relying on fleeting earthly values. God is depicted as disappointed. His foolish servant Everyman travels through his journey knowing he is to meet God at the end, but never tries to build a relationship with God along the way.

Friends

Everyman’s friends signify the things from which every man draws comfort and strength as he journeys through life. The characters Beauty, Strength, Discretion and Five Wits show how useless it is to put faith in things that are destined to fail. The values the characters represent have no eternal value and will leave Everyman standing alone at the end of his journey. Everyman’s friends leave him in much the same order the values his friends represent leave an aging man. First Beauty and second Strength as Everyman continues his journey. Then, Discretion and Five Wits as Everyman comes closer to the end of his Journey.

Extra Credit

“Everyman” reflects the historical and cultural influences in the Medieval era by showing the most common earthly vises that the people put value in, those being beauty, strength and etc. If, this story was rewritten to day the characters Fame and Fortune would likely be added, being the most common values sought after for comfort and fulfillment today. Though, “Everyman” still holds great value to day since fame and fortune have no more eternal worth than discretion and five wits.

10/20 1001 Nights (#8a)

“1001 Nights” holds the title as the most “widely known... Arabic literature.” It has achieved the title, in part, because of its uses of heroism and the incorporation of motifs related to forgiveness and reconciliation.

Heroism

The Vizer’s daughter creates a plan to end the Kings needless killing of wives. The King has been marrying at night and having her put to death at dawn, so his heart is never broken. The Vizer’s daughter plans to marry the King and prolong her life by telling him stories concluding the night with “Tomorrow night I shall tell something even stranger and more wonderful than this” (1785). Each succeeding morning the king must keep his wife a live so he can hear the story’s conclusion the next night. The Vizer’s daughter is committed to the plan telling her father she will save “the people or perish” (1778). The Vizer fears for his daughter, but she tells him he must let her try “even if he kills me” (1779).

The daughters actions are selfless and noble. She is willing to risk her life so that others may live. Through her bravely and self-sacrifice the daughter displays the qualities of true heroism. She shares other heroic qualities consistent to the definition of a medieval hero. The daughter is born of a common birth and displays good moral character as she protects the women of the kingdom from their King.

Motifs

Throughout the daughter’s stories the themes of betrayal and revenge complement the themes of forgiveness and reconciliation. In the prolong betrayal is evident when the brothers are turned on by their wives. Much later reconciliation will come for the broken hearted King when the Vizer’s daughter helps him to forgive. In The Story of the Merchant and the Demon, betrayal is evident in each of the three men’s stories to the demon as well as forgiveness. The stories and their examples of forgiveness is what helps the demon, so willingly return his claim to the life of the fisherman.

10/15 Medieval Lyrics (#7b)

By observing medieval poetry the ideas and aspirations of that time periods can be observed. To common theme in medieval poetry are religion and love. The theme religion is displayed in the piece “A Hymn to Holy Women” and love is evident in the the work “Aubade” as well as “A Lover’s Prize.”

Religion

As the title suggests the work is a tribute to women. To give credit to women for anything other than being gossiping temptresses is an uncommon thing for the middle ages, which is precisely what this peace does. The poem “A Hymn to Holy Women” describes the devil’s work to keep the world from salvation, then becomes an insulting message to the devil because girls are defeating him. The work begins describing a ladder reaching “up to heaven” (line 1). Below the ladder is a dragon that “stands on guard” (line 5). Continuing, it is explained that one can climb the ladder that the dragon watches. At the top of the ladder is a boy “radiant, a golden” with a bough in hand (lines 15-6). Here the ladder represents salvation, the dragon stand for the devil and the boy is Christ Jesus. To reach the Jesus at the summit us salvation past the devil. The author makes the comment that for women the climb is made “made so free” (line 19). The author begins to insult the devil saying even though he once deceived a woman with a serpent, it was a woman who was used to bring Christ into the world. It is women that raise Godly sons for Christ.

In addition to shedding a more positive light on women, this piece also is a good showcase for various poetic tools. Imagery is found when screen with dragon guarded ladder with “radiant” boy at the top (line 19). Figurative language is found in the form of a metaphor, when the devil is compared to a “attentive dragon” (lines 3-4).

Love

While both “Anonymous” and “A Lover’s Prize” describe love, the two poems tell a very different side of the experience. “Anonymous” describes the passion filled moment shared by two lovers who’s only regret is that the moment can not last forever as the dawn threatens to illuminate their affair. In contrast “A Lover’s Prize” is the voice of a woman longing for her lover to return and take her husband's place. The first poem love is a thing shared between two people, but in the second poem love is longing for something out of reach.

Medieval courtly love followed rules that can be observed in these to poems. First, both women were loving men other than their husbands. Courtly love is not restrain to marriage, but thrives in secret affairs. In “Anonymous” the lovers had to leave one another at day brake. The level of secrecy is consistent with courtly love the rarely survive the public spot light. In “A Lover’s Prize” the narrator believes she is entitled to her lover. The claim of entitlement is also consistent for in courtly love, for no one should be deprived of love.

10/13 Medieval Women (#7a)

Women have not always received the same treatment or respect as they do to day. In the medieval ages many scholars believed women to be inferior.

Misogynists

One justification for the idea that women were “defective male[s]” was that man was made in the image of God and woman was only “made from man” (1843). A second justification is that all women are “guilty through Eve’s transgression” (1844). Women in the medieval ages were also thought to be “chronic and even dangerous talkers” (1844).

The belief of women inferiority is less prevalent today. There are circles and small groups where sexist thinking prevails, but their influence on culture is minimal. In todays culture, a woman does not have to endure such judgement and if she should find herself in one of the backward sexist circles, it is likely she subjected herself to their influence. Usually, the act of subjecting to the circles influence is unnecessary and there is no benefit to receiving the circles criticism or even abuse.

Feminists

One argument against women inferiority in the medieval ages is that woman was not made from man’s head or foot, “but from his rib” (1844). The rib is ment to signify the “social union of man and woman,” not emphasize man or woman dominance.

The rebuttal to the inferior women argument is stronger. The idea is more consistent with the teaching in the bible.

While at first glance the inferior women argument appears oddly sound, it is inconsistent with the rest of Christ's teaching.

10/6 Beowulf (#6)

One of the most recognized middle age works of literature is that of “Beowulf.” “Beowulf” was written about 850 in an Anglo-Saxon language, the work describes the incredible feats of the warrior ,and later the king, Beowulf. The piece has been acknowledged for its entertaining tale, captivating action ,but often the works ability to bring the character Beowulf to life has been over looked. The seemingly life like character, in a more than fanciful story, is made all the more real through the evolving an changing character given to Beowulf.

Character Changes

Beowulf is not the same person at the end of his life. In the hero’s old age it is evident that his experiences and growing wisdom have shaped a much different person than that of the monster seeking younger warrior he once was.

As a young man readying himself for battle, Beowulf is described as “donned his war-gear, indifferent to death” (line 1443). At this time in his life he is hungry for battle and eager to test his medal. As he approaches battle and a likely death “he never lost heart” (1530).

As a older and weathered king, Beowulf is slower to fight. He does so out of responsibility to his kingdom. No longer does Beowulf seek a challenge ,but he still answers one when it is brought to him. When a dragon threatens his kingdom Beowulf honorably ,but with less vigor than he once had defends his people. The older King announces the he was “always there at the front of the line” and now he shall again “fight like that for as long as I live” (2498-99). Admitting his old age and lessened strong, Beowulf proclaims “as king of the people I shall pursue this fight” (2511-12).

Heroism

Beowulf is and interesting hero for the middle ages. Like many of the periods literary heros, Beowulf displays valor, loyalty, and bravery. Coming to the aid of a struggling kingdom valor is visible in Beowulf. Defending his own kingdom to the death loyalty is displayed. Running head long in to danger time and time again bravery is evident in Beowulf. Though, he also has similarities to the Greek heros. His fall is brought on by his own short comings and his sins ultimately fashion his own undoing. Beowulf’s failure to kill Grendel’s mother when he had the chance (I saw the movie) brings a dragon to his kingdom. The dragon is Beowulf’s final battle from which he could not return.

10/1 Sir Gawain (#5b)

“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” is one of the great lays that was given to us by the middle ages. The lay holds many honors, it is known for being responsible for the revival of alliteration and other fading poetic tools during this period. The tale also reveals much of what chivalry meant to a knight.

Games

In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” games are used as the medium for explaining chivalrous values. The games are more than entertaining forms of competition ,but tools that help to evaluate Sir Gawain’s character. The games put Sir Gawain’s in a position of life and death. Here he is tested to keep his word and hold to his honor even if it cost him his life.

The author is able to reflect what in this eyes would have been a noble knight. Sir Gawain is not perfect, but has more honor than most.

Tests

Sir Gawain’s honor and word are tested. In the first game, Sir Gawain after a series of events must lower his head so that it may be willingly cut off. The knight passes this test saying “Strike once more;I shall neither flinch nor flee;” and he continues by saying “But if my head falls to the floor, There is no mending me!” (lines 2280-84). During the second test Sir Gawain does not fair so well. He is asked to trade what he receives each day with what ever his host receives. Sir Gawain was given a girdle that he thought may keep him from death. Gawain kept the girdle to himself not exchanging it with his host. Sir Gawain explains he kept it that he might “endure a deadly dint, and all defense denied” (lines 2041-42).

Sir Gawain’s life was spared from the first game because of his good faith. When it was discovered that Sir Gawain had failed the second game his host forgave him. The host knew Sir Gawain was only human and was still a great knight.