(12/3/2013)
Here are symphonies by three different classical era composers. Which one is from Austria? Italy? Bohemia? This is the international style of the classical era - a music that, in the words of Frederick the Great of Prussia, "is accepted and recognized as good not by one country only, but by many peoples."
(12/23/2013)
Here is the opening of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, whose thematic melody Robert Greenberg calls "a brilliant example of high Baroque art: exuberant, complex, and filled with detail (notes, notes, and more notes).
And here is Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik (you will probably recognize the tune), which uses fewer notes and sounds less busy. It is very catchy and very singable.
As Greenberg notes, Bach's melody is instrumentally conceived, whereas Mozart's is vocally conceived. Here is another simple, beautiful melody from Mozart, the slow movement from his 23rd piano concerto.
(12/3/2013)
You have the option of revising either Essay 1 or Essay 2 for a higher grade. I will replace the old grade with the new one (if the new one is higher). In order to submit a revision you must:
Turn in both the new draft and the original draft with my comments.
Make substantive changes to content and/or organization. I will not re-grade a paper that only has changes to style and mechanics.
Write a brief cover letter explaining the changes you made and why they improve the paper.
The revision is due on Monday, 12/9. I would be happy to meet with anyone considering a revision to discuss how you could improve your essay.
Music for Monday
(12/1/2013)
Two pieces for string quartet, an ensemble "invented" in the 18th century. The first is an arrangement of a song by Jimi Hendrix. The second is a quartet composed by Mozart in 1784. It has been nicknamed "The Hunt" quartet.
You should also read the introduction, which is in our textbook (401-406)..
What is Providence?
(11/20/2013)
Providence is God's intervention in the world, or God's protective care. This is probably what Equiano means when he refers to the "mercies of Providence" that protected him from the worse fate suffered by "most of [his] countrymen" (455). Providence can also refer to the means by which God governs everything in the universe, God's design or plan. Consider this passage from Chapter 10:
"Now every leading providential circumstance that happened to me, from the day I was taken from my parents to that hour, was then in my view, as if it had but just then occurred. I was sensible of the invisible hand of God, which guided and protected me, when in truth I knew it not: still the Lord pursued me, although I slighted and disregarded it; this mercy melted me down. When I considered my poor wretched state I wept, seeing what a great debtor i was to sovereign free grace" (491).
Deists, such as Voltaire, did not believe in providence. Deists believed in a creator who did not intervene in nature or human affairs, whether to cause earthquakes or to lead individuals to salvation.
Providence is sometimes linked to the idea of destiny. In class I referred to the idea that Americans in the 19th century used the notion of providence to justify westward expansion. Expanding westward was America's "manifest destiny," as illustrated in the painting below by John Gast from 1872. (I'm not saying Equiano believed in anything like this.)
Belief in providence doesn't necessarily entail belief in Panglossian optimism. One can believe that God acts in the world without believing that this is the best of all possible worlds, or that slavery was a "necessary cause" of some divinely planned effect. However, belief in divine providence does raise the problem of evil. If God governs everything, then why is the world rife with evil? If God protected Equiano, why did he not protect everyone from slavery?
Photographs of slavery in Brazil
(11/18/2013)
Since slavery in Brazil wasn't abolished until 1888, it was photographed.
Olaudah Equiano
(11/18/2013)
Frontispiece of Equiano's autobiography.
Enlightenment Flowchart
(11/14/2013)
Created by Stephen Hicks, from here. According to Hicks, "This Enlightenment Vision flowchart is pitched at a high level of abstraction, showing schematically how the philosophical revolution of the 17th century led to the 18th-century revolutions in science, technology, politics, and economics — which in turn led to the dramatic increases in health, wealth, freedom, and goods in the 19th century. To put it another way, the chronology shows how the ideas played out as philosophy, then as an intellectual movement, then as activism, then as the working technology of culture." Interesting to contrast this flowchart with Rousseau's critique.
Questions about Kant's "What Is Enlightenment?"
(11/12/2013)
How does Kant define “enlightenment”?
What do you think was new about this idea when Kant was writing? Why did he have to write this essay? What ideas do you think he was arguing against?
Why does Kant think enlightenment is difficult for individuals to accomplish? What stands in our way?
Consider the metaphors Kant uses to characterize enlightenment. Are these metaphors appropriate?
- childhood (“minority”) vs. maturity (learning to walk)
- slavery (ball and chain) vs. freedom
What are the conditions necessary for the spread of enlightenment in a community? What are the barriers?
Kant was attempting to chart a middle path in this essay—to argue for that enlightenment is necessary but that it should be gradual, not revolutionary. He argues that we can use our own understanding to pursue the truth while still maintaining social order if we distinguish between public and private uses of reason. To understand this distinction, consider his examples of the military officer, the citizen, and the clergyman (see p. 392). How does this distinction work in practice? Can you think of another example?
Are Kant’s ideas revolutionary? Or are they moderate?
Is Kant right? Do all persons have a duty to think for themselves? Should there be any limits on the freedom of speech or the right to publish one’s opinions? Are there any areas of life where we should follow authority rather than our own understanding?
"The Exploitation of Mexico by Spanish Conquistadors," Diego Rivera (1951)
(10/23/2013)
Latin American Timeline
(10/17/2013)
Here is a timeline of Latin American history, with important dates in bold. A few dates important for context for the film are below:
1492. Columbus's first voyage to America
1493. Columbus's second voyage: settlement of Hispaniola.
1500. World map of Juan de la Cosa, the first map to represent the Americas.
1519-21. Hernán Cortés conquers the Aztecs for Spain.
1519-22. First circumnavigation of globe, by Magellan's expedition.
1522. Papal letter Omnimoda entrusts evangelization of natives In Spanish America to regular clergy.
1532-6. Francisco Pizarro conquers the Incas.
1538. Probable date of first shipment of African slaves to Brazil.
1560. Expedition of Pedro de Ursua with Lope de Aguirre down the Amazon in search of Eldorado.
1561. Aguirre executed by Spanish for rebellion against the crown.
After the mutiny, Ursua’s wife pleads with the priest to prevent Aguirre from killing Ursua. The priest responds as follows: “Thou lettest man flow on like a river and Thy years know no end. As for man his days are like grass as a flower on the field, so he blossoms. For when the wind passeth over it and it is gone , and the place thereof shall know it no more. You know, my child, for the good of our Lord the Church was always on the side of the strong.” What’s the priest’s point, and what was his interest in continuing with the expedition?
The native prince and translator tells his story: “I was a prince in this land. No one was allowed to look directly into my eyes. But now I'm in chains, like my people and I must bow my head. Almost everything was taken from us. I can't do anything, I'm powerless. But I am also sorry for you because I know there is no escape from this jungle.” Should we feel sorry for the prince?
Why did Aguirre make Guzman the Emperor of Eldorado, and what function does the Emperor serve in the film?
What are we to think about the natives in the film, particularly the cannibals?
Two natives come on board the raft, and describe a myth that foretells the coming of the foreigners. Why do the soldiers react the way that they do?
The obstacles on their journey included disease, lack of food, harsh physical terrain, and assault from natives. As things get progressively worse on the raft, what are the various motivations of Aguirre, the Emperor, the monk, the black slave, and the others to continue?
Aguirre first makes an allusion to himself being the “wrath of God” here: “If I, Aguirre, want the birds to drop dead from the trees the birds will drop dead from the trees. I am the Wrath of God! The earth I walk upon sees me and quakes! But whoever follows me and the river, will win untold riches. But whoever deserts. . . ." What’s his point about being the “wrath of God”?
Throughout the movie one of the natives plays a pan flute, with happy sounding songs. What is the point behind this contrast?
Ursua, the overthrown leader remains alive, saying nothing. What is he thinking?
The Emperor is well fed while the other men go hungry. Why not a more equal distribution of his food?
The Emperor insists on getting rid of the horse, which they do, and someone then strangles the Emperor. With the Emperor gone, Ursua is then hanged. What are the political dynamics here?
Ursua’s wife walks off into the jungle, knowing that she will face death by the cannibals. What was she thinking?
Aguirre’s daughter is one of the last to die. What was her role in the story?
After his daughter dies, Aguirre states: “I, the Wrath of God will marry my own daughter and with her I will found the purest dynasty the earth has ever seen. Together we shall rule this entire continent we will endure. I am the Wrath of God! Who else is with me?” What’s his point?
As everyone dies at the end, with only Aguirre remaining, the raft is overrun with monkeys. What’s the point of the monkeys?
B) Show and Tell for Friday: 1) Go to the following website and browse through the work of the listed Italian Renaissance painters: http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/giorgio.vasari/list.htm; 2) Choose a work that you think is wonderful or at least interesting; 3) Post a link to it next to your name on this page in the wiki; and 4) be prepared to explain in class why you chose it;
C) Response due: Write a proposal of your plans for Essay #1 or submit a draft.
(8/23/2013)
Monday we are going to be taking a look at selections from St. Augustine's Confessions. In addition to the selections in the book (which describe Augustine's conversion to Christianity), you should read the pdf below, which is an earlier part of the book chronicling Augustine's life as a sinner. The question for Monday: Augustine stole some pears--so what?
Friday Music
(12/3/2013)Try Robert Greenberg's experiment
(12/3/2013)Here are symphonies by three different classical era composers. Which one is from Austria? Italy? Bohemia? This is the international style of the classical era - a music that, in the words of Frederick the Great of Prussia, "is accepted and recognized as good not by one country only, but by many peoples."
Baroque vs. Classical melody
(12/23/2013)Here is the opening of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, whose thematic melody Robert Greenberg calls "a brilliant example of high Baroque art: exuberant, complex, and filled with detail (notes, notes, and more notes).
And here is Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik (you will probably recognize the tune), which uses fewer notes and sounds less busy. It is very catchy and very singable.
As Greenberg notes, Bach's melody is instrumentally conceived, whereas Mozart's is vocally conceived. Here is another simple, beautiful melody from Mozart, the slow movement from his 23rd piano concerto.
Essay Revision Option
(12/3/2013)You have the option of revising either Essay 1 or Essay 2 for a higher grade. I will replace the old grade with the new one (if the new one is higher). In order to submit a revision you must:
- Turn in both the new draft and the original draft with my comments.
- Make substantive changes to content and/or organization. I will not re-grade a paper that only has changes to style and mechanics.
- Write a brief cover letter explaining the changes you made and why they improve the paper.
The revision is due on Monday, 12/9. I would be happy to meet with anyone considering a revision to discuss how you could improve your essay.Music for Monday
(12/1/2013)Two pieces for string quartet, an ensemble "invented" in the 18th century. The first is an arrangement of a song by Jimi Hendrix. The second is a quartet composed by Mozart in 1784. It has been nicknamed "The Hunt" quartet.
Kronos Quartet, "Purple Haze"
If you aren't familiar with it, here is the original version by Jimi Hendrix.
Mozart, String Quartet No. 17, Movement 1
Course Map
(11/25/2013)I've prepared a course map (.doc below) to use to review for the final exam.
Reading for Friday
(11/21/2013)For Friday we will be reading a selection of Mary Wollstonecraft's "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman," a chapter of which is online.
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (pdf)
You should also read the introduction, which is in our textbook (401-406)..
What is Providence?
(11/20/2013)Providence is God's intervention in the world, or God's protective care. This is probably what Equiano means when he refers to the "mercies of Providence" that protected him from the worse fate suffered by "most of [his] countrymen" (455). Providence can also refer to the means by which God governs everything in the universe, God's design or plan. Consider this passage from Chapter 10:
"Now every leading providential circumstance that happened to me, from the day I was taken from my parents to that hour, was then in my view, as if it had but just then occurred. I was sensible of the invisible hand of God, which guided and protected me, when in truth I knew it not: still the Lord pursued me, although I slighted and disregarded it; this mercy melted me down. When I considered my poor wretched state I wept, seeing what a great debtor i was to sovereign free grace" (491).
Deists, such as Voltaire, did not believe in providence. Deists believed in a creator who did not intervene in nature or human affairs, whether to cause earthquakes or to lead individuals to salvation.
Providence is sometimes linked to the idea of destiny. In class I referred to the idea that Americans in the 19th century used the notion of providence to justify westward expansion. Expanding westward was America's "manifest destiny," as illustrated in the painting below by John Gast from 1872. (I'm not saying Equiano believed in anything like this.)
Belief in providence doesn't necessarily entail belief in Panglossian optimism. One can believe that God acts in the world without believing that this is the best of all possible worlds, or that slavery was a "necessary cause" of some divinely planned effect. However, belief in divine providence does raise the problem of evil. If God governs everything, then why is the world rife with evil? If God protected Equiano, why did he not protect everyone from slavery?
Photographs of slavery in Brazil
(11/18/2013)Since slavery in Brazil wasn't abolished until 1888, it was photographed.
Olaudah Equiano
(11/18/2013)Frontispiece of Equiano's autobiography.
Enlightenment Flowchart
(11/14/2013)Created by Stephen Hicks, from here. According to Hicks, "This Enlightenment Vision flowchart is pitched at a high level of abstraction, showing schematically how the philosophical revolution of the 17th century led to the 18th-century revolutions in science, technology, politics, and economics — which in turn led to the dramatic increases in health, wealth, freedom, and goods in the 19th century. To put it another way, the chronology shows how the ideas played out as philosophy, then as an intellectual movement, then as activism, then as the working technology of culture." Interesting to contrast this flowchart with Rousseau's critique.
Questions about Kant's "What Is Enlightenment?"
(11/12/2013)- childhood (“minority”) vs. maturity (learning to walk)
- slavery (ball and chain) vs. freedom
Summary of "An Essay on Man," Epistle 1
(10/31/2013)Videos
(10/25/2013)Tartuffe cast
(10/25/2013)HONR 203, Spring 2013
(10/23/2013)Important information for students planning to take HONR 203 in the spring. Our section will again be MWF at 9:00 in BB 220.
"The Exploitation of Mexico by Spanish Conquistadors," Diego Rivera (1951)
(10/23/2013)Latin American Timeline
(10/17/2013)Here is a timeline of Latin American history, with important dates in bold. A few dates important for context for the film are below:
1492. Columbus's first voyage to America
1493. Columbus's second voyage: settlement of Hispaniola.
1500. World map of Juan de la Cosa, the first map to represent the Americas.
1519-21. Hernán Cortés conquers the Aztecs for Spain.
1519-22. First circumnavigation of globe, by Magellan's expedition.
1522. Papal letter Omnimoda entrusts evangelization of natives In Spanish America to regular clergy.
1532-6. Francisco Pizarro conquers the Incas.
1538. Probable date of first shipment of African slaves to Brazil.
1560. Expedition of Pedro de Ursua with Lope de Aguirre down the Amazon in search of Eldorado.
1561. Aguirre executed by Spanish for rebellion against the crown.
Aguirre Stuff for Friday, 10/16
(10/14/2013)Aguirre is number 7 on this list of the 50 greatest last shots in film history (thank you, Elizabeth, for the link).
Roger Ebert considers it one of the 10 greatest films of all time. Here's his review.
A list of discussion questions from here.
For Friday, 10/11
(10/9/2013)A) Watch video "Renaissance art: introduction" and read "Florence in the Early Renaissance"
B) Show and Tell for Friday: 1) Go to the following website and browse through the work of the listed Italian Renaissance painters: http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/giorgio.vasari/list.htm; 2) Choose a work that you think is wonderful or at least interesting; 3) Post a link to it next to your name on this page in the wiki; and 4) be prepared to explain in class why you chose it;
C) Response due: Write a proposal of your plans for Essay #1 or submit a draft.
Utopia
(9/29/2013)Here are two additional sections of Utopia that you should read for Wednesday: 'Of the Travelling of the Utopians" and "Of Their Slaves and of Their Marriages". These sections explain some important aspects of Utopia and allow you to see the satirical nature of the text.
Background Readings for the Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
(9/24/2013)The Canterbury Tales
(9/20/2013)The following short background readings should help you understand The Canterbury Tales.
Inferno Resources
What's so bad about fraud?
(9/13/2013)"But since fraud is found
In humankind as its peculiar vice,
It angers God more; so the fraudulent
Are lower, and suffer more unhappiness."
--Virgil (Inferno XI.24-27)
13-minute introduction to Christianity
(9/6/2013)Do Christians, Jews, and Muslims worship the same God?
(9/2/2013)Cool map
(829/2013)A cool interactive map that shows the spread of Islam between 624 and 733.
14-minute introduction to Islam
(8/29/2013)Gethsemane
(8/26/2013)Here is the relevant passage about Jesus' visit to the garden of Gethsemane, where he went with his disciples to pray the night before his crucifixion. I think you will probably notice a few parallels to Augustne's story.
Reading for Monday
(8/23/2013)Monday we are going to be taking a look at selections from St. Augustine's Confessions. In addition to the selections in the book (which describe Augustine's conversion to Christianity), you should read the pdf below, which is an earlier part of the book chronicling Augustine's life as a sinner. The question for Monday: Augustine stole some pears--so what?
Principles of Design
(8/23/2013)Introduction to Art
(8/23/2013)