Thursday, August 31st, 2023 (Journal #1)
Question: How does the voice of Sappho's poetry transcend time and cultural context to touch 21st century audience? (Featuring Taylor Swift).
Answer: A possible reason for Sappho's relevancy in the 21st century, aside from the titular role she holds in modern lesbian communities, is the coupling of her poetry itself—which calls on the rawest and most fundamental human experiences—with the voice she uses to reflect these topics back onto her audience. Sappho remains relevant because her art is not tied to a specific time period or context. When she writes of human relationships and their complexity, her language transcends gender to address core human affection. Through her use of imagery and stunning metaphor, it’s not at all hard to understand how Sappho has managed to remain a strong figure in our world’s history. Sappho’s lyricism reminds me of that of Taylor Swift, a 21st century pop icon. Because both women tackle the same topics in their art and share a similar reflective voice, I would be confident in my prediction that for future generations, Taylor Swift will hold the same relevance as the poet Sappho, who accurately and openly reflects the spectrum of human emotion across all notion of age and gender.
Thursday, September 7th, 2023 (Journal #2)
"Dear god, shout it from the rooftops. I’ll hate you all the more for silence—tell the world!" (Sophocles 100).
This line spoken by Antigone is a response to her sister Ismene's offer to keep her brother's burial a secret. Her exclamation of 'Dear god' accompanied by the bold demand for Ismene to 'tell the world!' indicates to me that she is in a significantly unstable emotional state very soon following a close loss. This conversation takes place near an altar in the palace at night—a private and almost secretive meeting place for the sisters. Antigone's tone (and indicated volume) convey the earnestness of her intentions to bury her brother despite the laws prohibiting her from doing so. Ismene's response of "So fiery—and it aught to chill your heart" (Sophocles 102) on page 64 could also be closely examined. I personally see Ismene's response as a plea for Antigone to be more secretive in regards to her plans to bury Polynices against their uncle's wishes. However, instead of consoling her and offering sisterly guidance, Ismene ultimately regurgitates the same spiel we later obtain from Creon. Antigone's language throughout her hushed conversation with Ismene indicate her impatience toward (or rather frustration with) both her uncle and her sister.
Thursday, September 14th, 2023 (Journal #3)
Question: Why do the gods of Virgil's Aeneid hold grudges against women and why do the Romans seem to percieve femininity as the direct enemy of patriotism? (Featuring Calypso's Curse)
Answer: Something that immediately grabbed my attention during the reading of Aenied was how, like in the Odyssey, female characters were used almost exclusively as tools or driving forces in the actions of the main hero (Aeneas/Odysseus respectively). The figure of Dido, who by herself was quickly defined as a strong and accomplished woman, acts only by providing a service to the audience by receiving Aeneas' tale on our behalf. Then, upon his leaving (and upon the end of her usefulness to the tale), she commits suicide. This directly reminded me of Calypso of the Odyssey and how in both instances, the gods had to put the hero 'back on track' or 'free' him from the presence of the woman who threatened to steal his attention. Beyond this being a possible callback to the events in the Odyssey, I was drawn to this point because the lack of mention of women in Cicero's letters. The only one that managed to catch my eye could be found in Letter XIV and consisted only of a single backhanded mention of Cicero's sister in law. When we compare Aeneid to these letters, is it better to continue Calypso's Curse with these undervalued female characters, or should we be content with the realistic 'brushing aside' that women often faced at the time? And why does it always seem to come down to choosing between a lesser of two evils with women in the ancient world?
Thursday, September 28th, 2023 (Journal #4)
Conducting close readings of both Homer's The Odysssey and Madeline Miller's Circe reveal two distinct layers of characterization of the god Hermes, who is considered in both texts to be the herald/messenger of the Olympians. In The Odyssey, Hermes' role is very much that of a plot device. Like many other of the Greek God-figures utilized by Homer, Hermes entered the scene when he was called upon to inspire feelings or actions in other characters, (ex: relaying the decree of Zeus to free Odysseus from the island of Calypso). But the author did not grant him much license besides. As an audience, we are not given much time to dwell on the characterization of Hermes or the intentions that guide his actions, too swept up in the hurricane of Odysseus' never-ending journey and the hordes of characters and gods therein. However, we are presented with a notably brief description of Hermes' physical image as opposed to the material objects that he carries with him or wears on his person.
In Circe, Hermes is not only depicted as shaping the actions of the characters around him, but given a foundation of dialogue and relationship development on which a strong sense of personality is cultivated. His physical description is tacked to the first appearance of his character in chapter eight of the novel. Circe describes him as a man whose "hair was loose and tousled, his face bright as a jewel" and "although there was no light to catch them, his golden sandals gleamed" (Miller 90). Circe is almost rendered awestruck by this "perfect, careless beauty" (Miller 91), but is quick to learn the nature of her new lover, describing him soon after as "a poison snake" (95) but was just as quick to identify herself as the very same. Miller crafts an entirely new personality for Hermes--shaping him into a witty and curious character whose preconcieved expectations of relationships amongst Olympians almost seem to guide her into the mature and stable mindset that she falls into in he exile. What strikes me the most about this new characterization of Hermes is that he, unintentionally and perhaps unknowingly becomes the first god in Circe's life to treat her with the respect that she was robbed of in her youth. When she asks her questions about the world outside of her island, no matter how naive they sound to him, he answers them truthfully and honestly without teasing (well, without excessively teasing, at least).
Tuesday, October 10th, 2023 (Journal #5)
When exploring themes of friendship in the Confessions of St. Augustine, I noticed a significant focus on Augustine's view of friendship and human relationships and how they seemed to develop alongside his literal growth (from childhood to adulthood) and the growth that he experienced spiritually upon his entrance into the church. Augustine eventually grew to develop certain ideas regarding the 'ideal' friendship, which was decidedly one that required a degree of emotional intimacy as well as trust. These ideas were also reflected in the sense of community that he sought out through the church upon entering his early adulthood. Upon converting to Christianity, Augustine began seeking out friendships like the ones from his youth within the church as well as attempting to convert his friends that he made outside of the church. A quote from the reading that I think exemplifies this is "...And what was it that I delighted in, but to love, and be loved? but I kept not the measure of love, of mind to mind, friendship's bright boundary: but out of the muddy concupiscence of the flesh, and the bubblings of youth, mists fumed up which beclouded and overcast my heart, that I could not discern the clear brightness of love from the fog of lustfulness." (Pg 33-34).
Thursday, October 26th, 2023 (Journal #6)
Saint Apollinaris was an early Christian bishop known best for his missionary work through which he converted many people to Christianity throughout the first century. Despite the threat of exile and persecution, Saint Apollinaris continued to do everything in his power to spread the Christian faith. This included performing miracles such as healing the sick. His story in the Golden Legend highlights his commitment to Christianity and his enduring impact on the spread of faith. His story is intended to inspire early followers of the Christian faith to remain steadfast in their beliefs despite the threat of death or punishment from pagans. His story also emphasizes the importance of spreading Christianity in the early days of the religion and by performing miracles, demonstrated his relationship with/connection to God.
Thursday, November 2nd, 2023 (Journal #7)
In comparing Song of The Cid and Song of Roland, we can identify a handful of key similarities between the two epic poems despite them each taking place in a different region of Europe and reflecting cultural/historical contexts specific to those regions. Song of The Cid features El Cid and his exploits as a noble and Castillian military leader, Song of Roland focuses on a character by the name of Roland who was a Christian knight defending the spread of Christianity against Islamic forces. El Cid also fought against a variety of Muslim rulers during the epic, making the two characters comparable in this sense.
Something that both Song of the Cid and Song of Roland have in common is a dedication to detail when it comes to the political and cultural interactions between members of feuding religion during this era of religious conflict. They both also share strong themes of loyalty, honor, and heroism which are all embodied by the main heroes of each epic (El Cid and Roland).
Thursday, November 9th, 2023 (Journal #8)
The poems Bisclaveret, Lanval, and Chevrefoil by Marie de France all have a specific set of values or themes in common that adhere to the traditional conventions of the romance genre of this period in history. Each of these poems strongly embrace themes of courtly love, chivalry, and fantastical elements linked in some way to the supernatural. The poems also rely on and or feature knights and quests which are both strongly associated with the romantic genre of this period. In the poem Bisclaveret, the lady of the house discovers that her husband is a werewolf and uses this knowledge to her advantage by convincing a knight to steal her husband's clothes in order to trap him in his werewolf form. Something that struck me as interesting about this poem specifically is how supernatural themes are echoed in 21st century romantic literature -- namely the Twilight franchise and other less appropriate titles (cough cough, Ice Planet Barbarians, cough cough). I would also add that, even in the case of pieces of popular romance fiction that do not have these elements of supernatural/paranormal characters, many 21st century fans will turn to fan-written content that changes the source material and adds these elements back into the story to appeal to a wider audience.
Thursday, November 9th, 2023 (Journal #9)
The Letters of Abelard and Heloise, a piece of text written in the 12th century, is rich with echoes of the Renaissance that took place during this time. The focus on Abelard's personal experiences in Letter I: Historia Calamitatum are reminicent of the value of intellectual depth and emotional vulnerability found consistently throughout this period. One example in particular can be found on page 9 in the following passage; "It is well known that the philosophers, and still more the Fathers, by which is meant those who have devoted themselves to the teachings of Holy Scripture, were especially glorified by their chastity. Since therefore I was wholly enslaved to pride and lechery by depriving me of those organs with which I practiced it, and then for the pride which had grown in me through my learning -- for in the words of the Apostle, 'Knowledge breeds conceit' -- when I was humiliated by the burning of the book of which I was so proud" (Abelard 9). What this passage illuminates for us regarding echoes of the Renaissance is the strong themes of religion (specifically Christianity -- specifically Catholicism) and how it comes together with themes of deep personal and emotional depth as well as sincerity to communicate to the intended audience a tone of vulnerability as well as intellect, of which the author takes much pride.
Thursday, November 30th, 2023 (Journal #10)
In the Travels of Marco Polo, Marco Polo recounts his encounters with religious diversity throughout his travels, including Buddhism and Islam. Whereas in Ibn Fadlan, there is a significant focus on the Islamization process among the Volga Bulgars and provides an account of their religious rituals. Both travelers, Marco Polo and Ibn Fadlan, discuss the cultural practices of the percieved 'foreign' places that they pass through, with the key difference that Marco Polo focuses his recollection on economic, societal, and technological advancements whule Ibn Fadlan could be credited for paying more attention to the social customs, hygiene practices, and rituals of the 'non-Western others.' While Marco Polo and Ibn Fadlan offer two equally unique perspectives on different cultures and regions, their accounts share common themes of cultural diversity, societal structures, and the impact of local customs on the travelers' experiences. Comparing these works provides a broader understanding of the diversity of non-Western cultures during the periods in which they traveled.