...The Hero as a Reflection of Culture Belen Lowrey Abstract: In works of literature, a hero is a man to be admired and emulated. For this reason, the hero always demonstrates the embodiment of the ideals of the creating culture. Historical events and social conditions of different cultures cause different attributes to become valued in leaders. These cultural values are reflected in both the actions of a hero and in the heroic motivations. This paper focuses on the heroes of the Iliad, the Aeneid, Beowulf, and The Song of Roland and examines how historical events and cultural circumstances shaped the portrayal of the heroes in these works. Sabiduria, vol.1,1 Hero as a Reflection of Culture 1 Every culture has heroes. In works of literature, is an individual to be admired and emulated, and because of this he is the embodiment of the greatest virtues of the culture that created him. The ideals of every culture were shaped by the social conditions of the time and therefore different attributes became valued. To different degrees, the hero in a work is a result of not only the culture from which the hero comes, but also the culture of the author. Cultural values are reflected in both the actions of a hero and his motivations. As heroes, Achilles, Aeneas, Beowulf, and Roland reflect the values of the societies that created them. One of the oldest works of ancient literature is Homer‟s Iliad. Homer‟s works are dated to between 900 and 750 B.C. (Krieger,...
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...of security to be provided by their country. Freedom is defined as the right power of self-determination attributed to the will; the quality of being independent of fate or necessity. As citizens of the United States, we have fought several wars to complete our unique experience of practicing democracy; the mission of our Founding Fathers. Immigrants still risk their lives by scaling fences, swimming brisk waterways, and leaving their families to participate in this ambiguous concept called “freedom”. In order to protect freedom, someone has to pay the toll; subsequently it is the soldiers that often pick up the checks. I believe all men should support the military by serving two years (minimum) as a rite of passage, career exploration, and for the privilege of voting. Presently, we need soldiers all over the world, thus the need for manpower is uninterrupted. In fact, a show of numbers is an important strategy in deterring global conflict. Many cultures practice a metaphysical ceremony to acknowledge a conversion into adulthood. For example, the Spartans had what they called Helot Killing. In the Spartan society, all males had to go through fighter training. Spartan boys were ripped from their mothers at the age of seven, and attended warrior training until they were seventeen. When they turned eighteen, they would be sent off into the wilderness with knives, and had the mission of assassinating state-owned slaves (called helots). If they returned, they were...
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...Is the Story of Mulan an inspirational tale to women or a subtle reminder by Disney about a woman’s place in society? One could say that they Disney princesses are all the same – Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty- they’re all tall, skinny, undeniably beautiful with their long flowing hair and fabulous gowns. They all play the damsel in distress, completely helpless to fend for themselves in the real world. They all await their happily ever after with the handsome prince charming. Mulan however, is different – or at least upon first glance appears to be. In the film, this young woman plays two opposing roles. On one hand, Mulan is the clumsy young woman, considered such an unfit bride that even the matchmaker considers there to be no hope for her “You are a disgrace, you may look like a bride but you will never bring your family honour...” On the other hand, she also plays Ping, the fearless young soldier who was loved by all, who grew from strength to strength and pretty much singlehandedly saved China from the invasion of the Huns. In order for Mulan to save her father from conscription she must give up her female self to pose as a man and join the army. This however, as far as Mulan is concerned, isn’t such a huge loss as she feels she really doesn’t fit in as a traditional Chinese woman. In the opening song she lists all that she is expected to be as a woman, as the perfect Chinese woman – quiet...
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...THE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE OF JIHAD We all know that religion is a particular or absolute devotion and worship to God (the higher power). Every religion is meant to be peaceful and encourages its followers to be good. However, throughout human history, factors which bring about conflict and war are those related to politics, economy, society, arms race, colonialism and so on. Similarly, millions have to live and suffer in misery because of religious misunderstandings, disputes and conflicts. A great example of such misinterpretation in the day and age is the most widely discussed issues in the Muslim community is the negative image of Islam in the global media, an issue that was cause for concern even before 9/11. Nevertheless, “in this light it is wholly understandable that, in the aftermath of the brutal attacks of September 11, many in the west and in the Muslim world are appalled by the fact that the mass-murderer perpetrated on that day is being hailed by some Muslims as an act of Jihad”1. While appeals to the media for accuracy and fairness continue, newspaper headlines regularly print the words “Islam” and “Muslim” next to words like “fanatic,” “fundamentalist,” “militant,” “terrorist” and “violence.” Uses of the term “Jihad” in television programs and films are also illustrative. Therefore, this problematic subject leads to a subsequent question; what really is Jihad? After all, there is a great deal of confusion in the West regarding the meaning of Jihad and the...
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...Cl 100 Art Museum Reflection Introduction As a class assignment, I recently went to the Art Institute of Chicago last Friday. In hindsight, this was a little late to be going, but I found the trip to be enriching nonetheless. I browsed over several sections, like the Indian and Native American, but I spent most of my time in the Ancient Mediterranean area, chiefly the section displaying ancient Greek art. My task was to find several different items, each representing an aspect of Greek civilization. After a process of elimination, I chose four items that I felt best depicted the daily lives of Greeks in the past. In this paper I will attempt to briefly identify them. Part I- An item of custom The first item I chose was one that showcased Greek cultural norms. For this I chose a grave stele depicting a small child playing with his pets. According to the museum, this artifact was made sometime around 330 B.C.E., so it is from the transition time between the Classical and Hellenistic Periods. It was found in Athens and the museum identification number is 88.2012. It was donated anonymously (AI info). Relatively intact, the image on its front is very easy to interpret. It is very clearly a young Greek boy, playing with his pet dove and dog. He holds the dove outstretched in his right hand and the dog appears to be jumping towards it, perhaps out of excitement. This stele is about 3-4 feet high and maybe a foot and a half wide. At one point it was painted, because there is...
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...psychological process of integrating the opposites including the conscious with the unconscious while still maintaining their relative autonomy, necessary for a person to become whole. Individuation is the central concept of analytical psychology. ANIMUS: Animus is the archetype of reason and spirits in women. This is the male aspect of the female psyche, as the anima is the female aspect of male psyche. This archetype is projected in various male images and characters like great artists, heroes, warriors, sportsmen, philosopher, and so forth. When identified with the animus (animus-inflated), women develop an excessive rational drive which may end up in excessive criticism and stubbornness. In animus-inflated women with strong interest in intellectual matters we find the need to impose and maintain a rigorous and schematic list of values judged the most important. There's no reflection as regard the tenures of these values, nor any aim at discussing about them. Only the urge to impose them to others. But how should women deal with the animus archetype inside them? There is a very important study on the animus written by Jung's wife Ema. She wrote:” What we women have to overcome in our relation to the animus is not pride but lack of...
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...men stand face to face, tho’ they come from the ends of the earth! There is quite possibly no greater reason for artists' trepidation and anxiety than being misunderstood and misinterpreted. Yet, it is still a common occurrence, even in modern times. First published in 1889, Rudyard Kipling's famous and extremely complex poem “The Ballad of East and West”, and more specifically its four opening lines, is one of the works that have been freely quoted and, probably to Kipling's great disappointment, very often misquoted, therefore misinterpreted in the opposite sense of Kipling's intentions, creating a spurious and misguided reputation of its author. The four lines opening Rudyard Kipling's poem, “The Ballad of East and West,” are a reflection on the topic of equality and possibility of mutual understanding and respect of polar opposites. Let us break down the quatrain into two parts. The first two lines imply that the author believes in absolute contrariety of East and West. They suggest that there is no possible way of reconciliation of the two, that seemingly they are like day and night, black and white or oil and water - without any prospects of both of them meeting, coming together, working and living alongside of one another. It does seem as if it had been universally top-down assumed that any and all kinds of attempts at cooperation and coexisting would be impossible and that they would bring no, or maybe even negative outcome. The only occasion for the...
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...intrigued me and made me more curious about the religion and the part he or she has in it. That being I chose one the “few goddess and one of the important” gods of the Vedic Pantheon, Ushas; Goddess of Dawn. Ushas is said to be the daughter of the sky and sister of the night. It is said that each morning, this beautiful maiden (Ushas) appears, riding in a chariot pulled by cows. The sun, is said to have been struck by her beauty, and falls madly in love with her as he chases her across the sky. As she passes, she spreads her love and light across the sky; bringing in a new day for mankind. As she passes above the birds they start to sing in praise. She drives off the dark and creatures of the night and prepares us for the light filled day we have ahead. She does this every morning, tirelessly bringing light and life to mankind. According to the myths Ushas is portrayed as an shy woman that is conscious of her beauty, but is still extremely modest There are multiple hymns that are dedicated to Ushas; for example, “Book 1:hymn 48 Dawn on us with prosperity O Ushas, Daughter of the Sky. Dawn with great glory, Lady of the Light. Dawn Thou with riches bounteous One. They, bringing steed and kine, boon givers of all wealth have oft sped forth to lighten us. O Ushas, waken up for me the sounds of joy, send us the riches of the great. Ushas hath dawned and now shall Dawn...
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...is always and ever be the pinnacle of human ingenuity. The Greeks have bestowed upon Western culture the concepts of citizen’s rights, democracy, mathematics, physics, astronomy, etc. More importantly, the Greeks also had a highly developed spiritual life that is evident in Homer’s eclectic tale The Iliad. Through this highly developed spiritual life, the Greeks imparted many human traits to their gods and goddesses that would greatly affect their own society’s way of thinking and other civilizations. Through Iliad and the other works of many great thinkers of Greece, they have propelled Greece to become the standard in terms of excellence. The contribution of the Greeks to us is not only great but also timeless, even in our modern age, we still able to learn and relate to the poems that were composed many epoch past. In ancient Greece, poetry was considered an art of which only few knew and could impose. Those who didn't know how to write memorized the stories depicted by the poets. There was the category of poetry known as epic, which is displayed by Homer to its full extent with unequalled precision Epic was the poetry that was very extensive and lengthy with a wide vocabulary used throughout and which told stories of adventure and heroism. Poets didn't just serve as entertainment, they were also educators. Poetry was part of Greek daily routine; it was taught in schools and set examples for the Greeks to strive for and live by. Homer's writings set basis which were used...
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...EXCELSIOR COLLEGE LA498: MILITARY STUDIES CAPSTONE CLIFTON WEIGEL ETHICAL DILEMA IN THE MILITARY ETHICAL DILEMA IN THE MILITARY In the United States Army we are told to live by a set of “warrior Ethos” such as loyalty, respect, and self-less service but many times in our jobs we face ethical dilemmas that require us to not only invoke the Army values but our own personal code of ethics and morals. During my time in the US Army I have had the chance to serve as a recruiter and currently as an Army Reserve career counselor, in both jobs I have had to do some form of recruiting either as a traditional recruiter or by trying to recruit Soldiers in the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) to rejoining Troop Program Units (TPU). These jobs are rewarding but highly stressful. As a recruiter I was on a mission usually of having to recruit six people per month as an Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) or Army Reserve Recruiter, this was actually six times the mission of my active duty counterparts and in many occasion I was the only reserve recruiter in my recruiting station. During my time in recruiting there were many rumors about the lack of ethics within the Army Recruiting Command, such as recruiters forging documents, concealing law or medical issues, and even having sexual relationships with potential recruits or their parents to get them to join. This has been a stigma of recruiters for as long as I can remember even when I was recruited in 1987 my parents, teachers and friends...
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...Comparing Athens and Sparta: Where Would You Rather Live, and Why? Source: PBS.org | ATHENS | SPARTA | Population & Map | Approximately 140,000; Approximately 40,000 men were citizens; and slaves (about 40,000). By 432 BC, Athens had become the most populous city-state in Hellas. In Athens and Attica, there were at least 150,000 Athenians, around 50,000 aliens, and more than 100,000 slaves. | Approximately 8,000 Spartiates (adult male citizens) ruled over a population of 100,000 enslaved and semi-enslaved people. | Government & Political organizations | Athenian GovernmentUsually classified as a "direct democracy" (because everyone, not just politicians attended the Assembly), Athens claims to be the "birthplace of democracy".Elected officials including 10 generals (strategos), magistrates (archons), and others.Council of 500 was charged with administering decisions made by the Assembly.The Assembly open to all citizens (all citizens were eligible to attend such meetings and speak up). They passed laws and made policy decisions. The Assembly met on the Hill of the Pnyx at the foot of the Acropolis.During time of Pericles citizens were paid for jury service so not only the wealthy could participate.Women did not participate in the political life of Athens. | Spartan Government:Usually classified as an "oligarchy" (rule by a few), but it had elements of monarchy (rule by kings), democracy (through the election of council/senators), and aristocracy (rule by the...
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...Their clothes caught fire, and in no time, their remains burned, sending chalky smoke into the sky. The group remained and watched, bearing witness. The women sobbed openly, and even though the men tried their best to hide their grief, tears spilled down their cheeks. Taran did not take his eyes off the flames. Such was life, people might say, but Taran would never get used to losing those he loved. Drest and Fia were the kindest people he had ever known. He tried to imagine them together in the Other World, happy. They deserved it more than most. Still, their absence hurt. Arlen mentioned something about moving on, and Taran held up his hand. He needed one more moment of reflection. Could he have done more to prevent his friends’ death? What if they had moved along faster, or slower? Would that have...
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...Kendra Perkins Matt Fox Eng 112 14 December 2011 The Odyssey: Comparison of Genders in Greek Mythology The Odyssey by Homer may be seen by many as a heroic story of a man on his journey home; however, there is an underlying story of the trials in the roles of men and women and the relationships between them. Men and women are portrayed differently in Greece, as in other societies. Men are considered to be the more powerful of the two and are responsible for the protection of their home. Women, on the other hand, are thought to care for the children and are also responsible for the supervision of both the interior and exterior of the home while the men are away. As a man, Odysseus showed great leadership in the war at Troy and was considered the hero at the Trojan War. His wife Penelope, on the other hand, exemplified the role of a woman and leadership in her daily duties of caring for the home and all of their possessions within. In her attempts to do so, she was overcome by suitors and was unable to stop them from partaking of all of their meat and drinks. This essay will explain the underlying roles of men and women in ancient Greece as well as modern day. The beginning of the novel takes place in Ithaka at the home of Odysseus. Suitors have overrun his home in the pursuit of marrying his “widow” Penelope. Telemakhos, son of Odysseus, felt it was a shame that these men would come into their home and eat and drink their house empty. Athena, daughter of Zeus, came to Telemakhos...
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...A Walk into the Forbidden Forest (A true story) By Jacob Conteh, Editor, Diaspora Dispatch News My heart jumped out of its cage. My greasy knees danced in disunity, my lips quivered, my mouth dried up and my hair rose to the top of the trees. My forehead dripped with sweat and my sweaty palms trembled. My eyes refused to blink, and my lips quivered. There, a few feet in front of me, sat a killer python coiled up to the size of a huge tractor tire with eyes pointing at us and tongue salivating with hunger. I motioned to my little brother Donald and pointed my fingers to the monster. We tiptoed backwards for a minutes, turned around and ran for our lives. My people, the Thaymnehs (Temnes), are a warrior tribe that reportedly emigrated from a region called Futa Jallon in present-day Guinea to Sierra Leone. My village, Patfu Mayawa, is a farming village of about 200 hundred inhabitants in central Sierra Leone. While most Thaymnehs are either Muslims or Christians, some Thaymnehs sometimes mix their religion with their traditional beliefs. Among those beliefs is that there are gods who dwell on forests and mountains. For the people of Patfu Mayawa, my hometown, they believe there are “devils” that dwell at Chainkafutu, a thick virgin forest hill that towers above the village. Before each of the many celebrations at Patfu that signaled girls’ and boys’ initiation to adulthood – the Poro for boys and Bondo for girls - the village headman would walk the half...
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...wearing of the design. No matter how we look at fashion, this particular art is constantly changing right before our eyes. As you watch a person walk down the street and you view their attire, you are doing the same thing walking around an art gallery viewing portraits. You are looking at someone’s passion for design. You are viewing their creation in different mediums. Using different textures in the art of fashion is like using oil or watercolor in painting. with showing the connection between fashion and architecture. The design of clothing can be compared to the designing of a sculpture. The sculpture of human figure such as a King or Pharaoh relates to that time period, or period style, just as a piece of clothing relates to and era or time period. The design of clothing varies from each of these time periods. The “casual” clothing designed in the Middle Ages 800-1200 of the Romanesque Period was of long loose garments. Just as in a vertical line on a painting they stood tall in these long gowns and extended their dress by wearing tall head dresses. The colors they would wear seem to be of a dark, dull nature being mostly of blues, greens, and browns. Both men and women dressed in garments that were almost identical to each other (Hansen 1956). The cloaks and loose garments are seemed to lack the visual element of color. With color giving us much pleasure you are not as drawn to this design. The common women of this time period rarely had jewelry...
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