Shakepeare, Cervantes, and Inca de la Vega

Shakespeare, Cervantes and Inca de la Vega were equally influential on their cultures.  The fact their works are still appreciated today proves that they were the best of the best in their own ways. 

     William Shakespeare helped standardize the English language through his plays.  His tragedies, such as Romeo and Juliet, are adapted in many ways in the modern world.  Movies and books have been based from his histories, such as Julius Caesar.  His comedies, such as Midsummer Nights Dream, show the fantasy in his everyday thoughts.  Perhaps my favorite play by Shakespeare is Macbeth.  It is a tragedy about a power-obsessed man who ends up dead because of his greed.  It is fascinating to me that Macbeth shows the English views of the occult. 

     Miguel de Cervantes is another famous author who lived in the time of Shakespeare.  He is famous because of his contributions to the Spanish language.  His book, Don Quixote, is a compilation of the Spanish language he knew.  I find it intriguing that Miguel de Cervantes had such an impact on his original language just because of Don Quixote.  The book’s popularity during the time may have been the reason his use of the Spanish language was standardized. 

     Inca de la Vega did not help standardize his language, like Shakespeare or Cervantes, but he did give Old World people insight in the culture of the Incas.  His histories are a huge help for scholars today studying the Incas and other Native American tribes of North America.  I think Inca de la Vega’s point of view of the Inca and Spanish cultures gave his writing an element of objectivity that other writers of his day could not have because of their relatively stable upbringings.  I think he could see clearly the faults and virtues of both of his cultures because of his Inca mother and Spanish father.  This inborn ability is a sign that he was a great writer. 

The Black Death

The Black Death

The name “The Black Death” serves to promote an image of horror and death.  The Black Death was a huge killer in the fourteenth century across Europe, parts of Africa, and parts of Asia.  Population was being reduced by an alarming rate.  The Black Death was no respecter of persons or titles. It took its toll on all walks of life from the common peasant to the highest lord.  The people during this time tried to rid themselves of the plague in various ways such as quarantine, prayer to God, or self-mutilation to atone for sins.  The self-mutilators or flagellants as they were previously known beaten themselves to try and receive forgiveness for their sins.  They believed that their sins were what brought on the Black Plague and tried to rid themselves of it in this outrageous way.  However, most of these flagellants probably ended up killing themselves because they weakened their bodies and immune systems.  The flagellants’ deaths would result in other people believing that these self-mutilators had been guilty and that their deaths were judgment from God.  People began to persecute Jews again because they believed the Jews were trying to kill off Christians.  This belief caused the Jewish people to move around further from their homeland at Jerusalem. 

The positive side to the Black Death was that there were fewer “mouths to feed” in poor families and peasants did not have to work as hard to provide food for too many people.  After this plague, many farmers decided that they would raise animals because of the better payment.  Because of the rise in livestock, people ate more meat instead of the staple food that they had eaten during the medieval times.  People now had better living standards as well and this caused an issue in the feudalist system.  Commoners made more money and began buying things that originally only nobles could afford.  The most fascinating thing about the Black Death is the fact that birthrates would leap a few years after each epidemic.  The reason why this occurred is because working conditions had improved and, therefore, people made more money and could get married earlier than usual.  The Black Death also killed many great teachers and scholars which called for drastic measures for the children’s education.  Many nobles help fund universities to help educate the children left after the plague.  In general, the lives of the people who survived the Black Death were much improved including healthier ways of life and better educations. 

Jesus and Mohammad: Christianity and Islam

Jesus and Mohammad

     There are many differences between the messages of Christianity and Islam.  After researching both religions, I also see, however, many similarities.  One major similarity is included in Islam’s five pillars of faith.  Muslims believe in the book of God which includes the Bible of Christianity and Judaism.  They also include the Koran in their book of God.  Judaism and Islam have many of the same prophets including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.  The similarities between the religions are indicative that Islam and Judaism come from the same origins. 

     The Islamic prophet, Mohammad, brought to light the beliefs of Islam.  Have Muhammad’s words been twisted and turned to meet different Islamic sect’s needs? The answer is yes.  There are many different sects in Islam showing how many different interpretations of the Koran there are.  An example of differing sects of Islam include Sunnis, Sufis, Baha’is, and Amadiyyas.  Sunni Muslims are the majority of all Muslims.  They include all of the traditions of Muhammad in their beliefs.  Sufis are a type of Muslim that is very spiritual.  They serve Allah through meditation and concentrate on spiritual growth. The Baha’is and Amadiyyas Muslims seem like a “Modern Muslim.”  They haven’t been around as long as Sunnis or Sufis and are, therefore, considered apostates.  These groups have supposedly corrupted Islamic beliefs. 

     The Bible of Judaism and Christianity has been interpreted differently in Islam as well as in Christianity.  One example of the Bible being interpreted differently Christianity would be the beliefs of Mormons.  Most Christian groups deny that the Book of Mormon is a legitimate book of God.  This book has defined the beliefs of Mormons, however, and is seen as a true source of words from God.  

     It is obvious that people would interpret these Holy Books differently.  Through history the point of view of mankind has changed drastically.  It is, therefore, easier for mankind to change beliefs through interpretation than to completely toss out a religious system.  Most people have a belief system in place from the time they are born so it becomes essential to who they are. 

     I think the main reason that Christians and Muslims cannot get over their differences is the way that each groups sees God.  Muslims believe Allah is all-powerful and that they cannot know him personally.  Allah also judges them based on their good and bad deeds when they after they have died.  Christians believe that they cannot know God personally.  They also believe that Jesus of Nazareth was God’s son while Muslims believe that Jesus was a great prophet like Mohammad.  There are too many similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam to list.  Each religion’s beliefs originated from the same place, but have been altered over hundreds of years to meet the needs of each group of believers.   

Alexander the Great's Contributions to the Hellenistic Age

Lauren Bivens

HIS 101

September 7, 2011

Alexander’s Contribution to the Hellenistic Age

     Alexander the Great’s death brought about a new era in western civilization.  After his death, aspects of different cultures began to fuse.  Some of the cultures that were mixed were the Greek, Egyptian, Iranian, Babylonian, and Hebrew cultures.  Alexander’s successors created many kingdoms which include: Anatolia, Macedonia, Babylonia, and Egypt.  Though these kingdoms were not technically a part of Greece, they displayed more Hellenistic Culture than even Greece itself. 

     An example of this Hellenistic culture was shown in Egypt which was ruled by Ptolemy.  Ptolemy tried to strengthen the cities in Egypt by filling the land with an all Greek army.  The Greek language was used widely in Egypt as well.  The language spread largely because of the Greek invasion of the Byzantine Empire.  The Ptolemies also spread culture by making Alexandria into one of the main centers of arts and sciences.  Today there are still many Greeks living in Alexandria as a result of the Greeks conquest of Egypt. 

     Antigonus took over Anatolia as well as part of Asia Minor.  However, Antigonus and his successors suffered many defeats, making the kingdom weak.  When the Romans invaded years later, the kingdom was overthrown.  Despite Anatolia’s defeat, much of the Greek culture remained.  The Romans embraced and supported the Greek culture in Anatolia.  This was how much of the Greek culture lasted through the changes in rule. 

     An Indo-Greek culture was created in the Kingdom of Bactria.  Bactria included what is now Afghanistan.  Eventually, Bactria ceased to exist because of all of the civil unrest.  However, years later a kingdom appeared in northern India.  The kingdom was ruled by Menander, an Indo-Greek King who converted to Buddhism.  The change in religion caused a very interesting type of culture to spring up in India.  Though this kingdom disappeared, there is a village in India today whose people are believed to be the descendants of these ancient Indo-Greeks. 

     Alexander’s conquest of the western world set many changes into motion.  There were new innovations in literature including epigrams—poems written by women.  Sculptures of the Hellenistic Era were not only given faces, but showed deep, human feelings.  Many philosophies sprang up during this time including: materialism, Epicureanism, and stoicism.  Alexander had a lasting impact on the western world because he did not fight the cultures of other people—he embraced them.