Weekly 8 Final Draft

Quasay Multani

Mr. Wojo

4/27/11

Question: How do Romanesque and Gothic Cathedrals express different understandings about religious theology?

Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral were very influential buildings that stood out from the rest in the early centuries and even today they are considered to be a sight to see. They were so complex that the building often took more than a generation to be completed. The main purpose of the Cathedrals was that they were to be a place of worship. Romanesque Cathedrals doubled as fortification in case any invader decider to attack. Gothic Cathedrals were magnificent and it showed true beauty in the exterior and the interior in structure and artwork.  There were no different theological understandings between the two types of Cathedrals; both of them were to be used for the Christian faith and both were a place for worshipped.

Romanesque Cathedrals structure looked more like a bastion that an actual Church. The reason for that is because during the time not all was peaceful, constant threats from the Vikings in the north and the possible Norman attack from the south, so if an invader were too come the safe haven for the townspeople was the Cathedral. Bigger cities had an entire castle to protect themselves in it from invaders. These Cathedrals had little to no windows and if they did it would always be on the second floor (See Figure 1) the reason being was that the number of projectiles that could have been fired into the buildings were limited. Other fundamental features were that the walls were very thick and the bell towers could also be archer towers.  Some may say that they are completely different from Gothic Churches so the theology behind them were completely different as well, but in reality they did not choose to make Cathedrals a fortress rather than a piece of artwork it was because at the time they were under attack so they made the Cathedrals into strongholds; if it was a peaceful time then probably the Cathedrals from the Romanesque time would look a lot like the ones in the Gothic Era.

As stated before the Cathedrals in the Gothic Era were all about artwork.        During this time everything regained to its peaceful nature. Nobody had to worry about Vikings knocking on their doors or Normans demolishing their cities. The architects had really gotten creative at this time with so complex structures and with the actual Church inside of the Cathedral. The symbolism behind the Cathedrals was mainly about rejoice and celebration. By now Christianity had a tight grip in all of Europe. Theology still stayed but the people were happy so they thanked God by building these impressive structures.

             Many still argue that the Theology was different between the two eras. The only difference in the buildings was the appearance and the actual structures as well. There are also a lot of similarities between them as well. In both eras people spend a lot of time and effort into making the Cathedrals. Another similarity was that the different types of Cathedrals were greeted by storms of praises and complements. Christianity both occupied the same Cathedrals and performed the same functions during both times. It was not as if the Christians had completely different view when they were in the Cathedrals.

            So in the end Theology still remained the same in both the eras. Many people only see the one difference instead of all the other similarities in the Cathedrals. Theology or not the Cathedrals are a sight of beauty that showcases one man’s greatest creations at that time. Another aspect to be noted is during the Gothic period people still revered Romanesque Cathedrals a lot also. Thanks theology everyone can see the reasoning and motivations between the eras.

Figure 1

Santa Cruz de Seros Monastery, 12th Century, http://www.aragonguide.com/621/aragon-guide-place-jacetania-romanesque-route--aragon-pyrenees.html

Figure 2

Rheims Cathedral, 13th Century, http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.longpassages.org/images/Beautiful%2520gothic%2520cathedral.jpg&imgrefurl=http://rammthm.xanga.com/667784198/item/&usg=__AAjQ, 

Essay Weekly 8

Quasay Multani

Mr. Wojo

4/27/11

Question: How do Romanesque and Gothic Cathedrals express different understandings about religious theology?

Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral were very influential buildings that stood out from the rest in the early centuries and even today they are considered to be a sight to see. They were so complex that the building often took more than a generation to be completed. The main purpose of the Cathedrals was that they were to be a place of worship. Romanesque Cathedrals doubled as fortification in case any invader decider to attack. Gothic Cathedrals were magnificent and it showed true beauty in the exterior and the interior in structure and artwork.  There were no different theological understandings between the two types of Cathedrals; both of them were to be used for the Christian faith and both were a place for worshipped. The theological understandings of the cathedrals were different as well as the structures themselves; each express the people’s own view on the Christian faith.

Romanesque Cathedrals structure looked more like a bastion that an actual Church. The reason for that is because during the time not all was peaceful, constant threats from the Vikings in the north and the possible Norman attack from the south, so if an invader were too come the safe haven for the townspeople was the Cathedral. Bigger cities had an entire castle to protect themselves in it from invaders. These Cathedrals had little to no windows and if they did it would always be on the second floor (See Figure 1) the reason being was that the number of projectiles that could have been fired into the buildings were limited. Other fundamental features were that the walls were very thick and the bell towers could also be archer towers.  Some may say that they are completely different from Gothic Churches so the theology behind them were completely different as well, but in reality they did not choose to make Cathedrals a fortress rather than a piece of artwork it was because at the time they were under attack so they made the Cathedrals into strongholds; if it was a peaceful time then probably the Cathedrals from the Romanesque time would look a lot like the ones in the Gothic Era.

As stated before the Cathedrals in the Gothic Era were all about artwork.        During this time everything regained to its peaceful nature. Nobody had to worry about Vikings knocking on their doors or Normans demolishing their cities. The architects had really gotten creative at this time with so complex structures and with the actual Church inside of the Cathedral. The symbolism behind the Cathedrals was mainly about rejoice and celebration. By now Christianity had a tight grip in all of Europe. Theology still stayed but the people were happy so they thanked God by building these impressive structures.

             Many still argue that the Theology was different between the two eras. The only difference in the buildings was the appearance and the actual structures as well. There are also a lot of similarities between them as well. In both eras people spend a lot of time and effort into making the Cathedrals. Another similarity was that the different types of Cathedrals were greeted by storms of praises and complements. 

Did the Roman Empire Fall Essay

During the final years of the Roman Empire there were many losses. "A great amount of art was lost, cities and roads were destroyed, and trade routes became extinct (Shenkman, 1993)." But most importantly, all of Europe’s peace was demolished by the invasions from the Germanic tribes (Shenkman, 1993). However there was one act of improvement that had happened which the new law that stated that there shall be no more slavery (Shenkman, 1993). Many historians mistake the falling of the Roman Empire into the evolution of something else. Ultimately, the Roman Empire was drastically destroyed, those who say it evolved failed to see that Roman had been destroyed by barbaric tribes, there was not one single good emperor during its final years, and that the Empire had already been split in two. 

The great Roman Empire had slowly started to decline. "This slow decline occurred over a period of approximately 320 years, culminating on September 4, 476, when Romulus Augustus, the last Emperor of the Western Roman Empire, was deposed by Odo-acer, a Germanic chieftain” (Wikipedia).  Meaning that since of the slow fall of the empire many people did not realize it was before it was too late. The final collapse of the Roman Empire was when its emperor was killed by a Germanic chief. After that the empire was truly destroyed and there was no chance of reviving it back.

             Rome’s collapse was the result of several emperors who did a very minimal job at maintaining order for the empire. “During the third century Rome suffered from a cycle of near-constant conflict. A total of 22 emperors took the throne, many of them meeting violent ends at the hands of the same soldiers who had propelled them to power” (History Channel Website). One important aspect of this quote to be noted is that over twenty emperors ruled over a short period meaning most of them did not get to hold the throne for long.  Also, many of the fights and wars that came about from the result of the Emperors’ failure to preserve peace and order for the empire. During this time, many emperors showed violence towards their armies, causing fights that had long-lasting effects on the future for leaders of Rome.

            Another major factor in the Roman Empire’s decline was the suffering they had due to loss of land.  “Rome eventually collapsed under the weight of its own bloated empire, losing its provinces one by one: Britain around 410; Spain and northern Africa by 430” (The History Channel Website, 2011).  Immense battles and chaos broke out in the empire but Rome did not appear to realize it.  Other places however were fully alert of what was occurring and many people fled from the empire. Many countries left the falling empire and became their own independent empire.  Rome was not able to recover its loss due to its current state and the attacks from barbaric tribes.

Rome in the beginning was a solid dominant empire but through many mistakes of many emperors it did fall. If Rome could have pulled itself together it would have been successful against the attacks of the barbaric tribes instead waging war with itself. The empire started to decline when it had been split into two parts but it did last a long while during its final days.  The Roman Empire still is known as one of the greatest empires today and many nations learn from their mistake and prospered from not repeating what they had done, after all history does repeat itself to those who do not learn from it.

APA Bibliography

Ancient Rome, (2011). In Decline and Disintegration. Retrieved Apr. 13, 2011, from

http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome

Decline of the Roman Empire. (2011, April 9). Retrieved April 12, 2011, from Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_of_the_Roman_Empire#Theories_of_a_fall.2C_decline.2C_transition_and_continuity

Roman Empire Essay

   

 During the final years of the Roman Empire there were many losses. "A great amount of art was lost, cities and roads were destroyed, and trade routes became extinct (Shenkman, 1993)." But most importantly, all of Europe’s peace was demolished by the invasions from the Germanic tribes (Shenkman, 1993). However there was one act of improvement that had happened which the new law that stated that there shall be no more slavery (Shenkman, 1993). Many historians mistake the falling of the Roman Empire into the evolution of something else. Ultimately, the Roman Empire was drastically destroyed, those who say it evolved failed to see that Roman had been destroyed by barbaric tribes, there was not one single good emperor during its final years, and that the Empire had already been split in two. Ultimately, the Roman Empire evolved into another civilization over a great length in time.

The great Roman Empire had slowly started to decline. "This slow decline occurred over a period of approximately 320 years, culminating on September 4, 476, when Romulus Augustus, the last Emperor of the Western Roman Empire, was deposed by Odoacer, a Germanic chieftain” (Wikipedia).  Meaning that since of the slow fall of the empire many people did not realize it was before it was too late. The final collapse of the Roman Empire was when its emperor was killed by a Germanic chief. After that the empire was truly destroyed and there was no chance of reviving it back.

             Rome’s collapse was the result of several emperors who did a very minimal job at maintaining order for the empire. “During the third century Rome suffered from a cycle of near-constant conflict. A total of 22 emperors took the throne, many of them meeting violent ends at the hands of the same soldiers who had propelled them to power” (History Channel Website). One important aspect of this quote to be noted is that over twenty emperors ruled over a short period meaning most of them did not get to hold the throne for long.  Also, many of the fights and wars that came about from the result of the Emperors’ failure to preserve peace and order for the empire. During this time, many emperors showed violence towards their armies, causing fights that had long-lasting effects on the future for leaders of Rome.

            Another major factor in the Roman Empire’s decline was the suffering they had due to loss of land.  “Rome eventually collapsed under the weight of its own bloated empire, losing its provinces one by one: Britain around 410; Spain and northern Africa by 430” (The History Channel Website, 2011).  Immense battles and chaos broke out in the empire but Rome did not appear to realize it.  Other places however were fully alert of what was occurring and many people fled from the empire. Many countries left the falling empire and became their own independent empire.  Rome was not able to recover its loss due to its current state and the attacks from barbaric tribes.

Rome in the beginning was a solid dominant empire but through many mistakes of many emperors it did fall. If Rome could have pulled itself together it would have been successful against the attacks of the barbaric tribes instead waging war with itself. The empire started to decline when it had been split into two parts but it did last a long while during its final days.  The Roman Empire still is known as one of the greatest empires today and many nations learn from their mistake and prospered from not repeating what they had done, after all history does repeat itself to those who do not learn from it.

Stoicism Essay

Seneca was a man who was close to Nero and was trusted by Nero. Even though he was sentenced to death, Seneca showed a great deal of stoicism even in the face of death. Death fell upon Seneca, but he was unaffected by it.  Stoicism is the ability to endure pain and hardship while retaining the ability to control one’s emotions; Seneca at his death was a perfect example of a stoic.

One quote that defines stoicism is from the Death of Seneca. “Seneca, quite unmoved, asked for tablets on which to inscribe his will, and, on the centurion's refusal, turned to his friends, protesting that as he was forbidden to requite them, he bequeathed to them the only, but still the noblest possession yet remaining to him, the pattern of his life, which, if they remembered, they would win a name for moral worth and steadfast friendship” (Tacitus: The Death of Seneca, 65 CE). This quote makes a good point about Seneca’s character. Even at the brink of death, Seneca held his emotions on the inside and showed that he did not care that death was coming. Seneca knew he was going to endure the pain of death, but he did not show that he cared at all. Seneca showed the ability to control his emotions on the inside while his friends and family didn’t see that Seneca even cared about death. Seneca was unaffected by the effect of death and death did not even matter to him.

Seneca can also be defined as a stoic by another quote from the Death of Seneca. This quote is, “Upon this the tribune asserted that he saw no signs of fear, and perceived no sadness in his words or in his looks” (Tacitus: The Death of Seneca, 65 CE). This quote tells how Seneca was just sentenced to death but he showed no emotions from it. Seneca did not even show any tears and he was not even scared at the thought of death.  He was unaffected by Nero’s sentence of death to him. Seneca was going through a lot of suffering at the time but it did not seem to upset him. It is as if Seneca just dealt with the pain and didn’t even care his life would be coming to an end. This quote also shows that Seneca was stoical near his death.

Another quote also describes the stoicism shown by Seneca. The quote is, “He had no reason," he said, for "preferring the interest of any private citizen to his own safety, and he had no natural aptitude for flattery” (Tacitus: The Death of Seneca, 65 CE). This quote shows that Seneca did not really show any interest in any one person. He also didn’t really say anything to the people he was close to or complement them for what they have done. Seneca just did not really show an interest in meeting other people or spending time with them. He kept his emotions on the inside and did not show enthusiasm in others. Seneca was more for himself than the wellness of other citizens.

These quotes show the significance of how Seneca represents a stoic. Seneca showed that he was a stoic by the way he reacted to death and by the reaction to others. The truth is that Seneca really did not react to death or other people. He kept all of his feelings and thoughts on the inside and did not show any emotions. Seneca did not show a tear and did not send out a cry of fear. Seneca just endured his hardship and controlled his emotions to a point where he didn’t even show any. Seneca was very quiet and subdued about a topic of death when many other people would cry and scream at the moment of death.  Seneca did not complain or whine; he persevered through feelings of pain. This made Seneca a great example of a stoic.

11 Point Cititation

News Flash: Starting tomorrow, April 7th, we will stop doing dailies. Instead, we will be concentrating on the weekly essays. This week's rough draft we are finishing in class. From then on, every Wednesday you will have a rough draft due for Peer review (you'll receive participation credit: P/F for having the draft ready). On your rough draft, please underline the thesis statement and in a different color prove it is an opinion by writing the opposite side; underline one quote properly cited with in-text citations for each body paragraph; make bold your four-sentence analysis of each quote; analysis should explain how the quote serves to support your thesis. After peer review, a final draft will be due on Fri by Midnight.

Eleven-Point Critique (for peer reviews and grading of final drafts)

1. 5 paragraphs -- 5 to 7 sentences per paragraph.

2 Clear, coherent thesis statement expressing an opinion to be argued in the paper.

3. One quote or piece of sourcable evidence properly cited in APA format per body paragraph / proper in-text citation format

(author, date). APA format bibliography at end of paper. Use top-notch sources (BBC, Met Museum, Nat Geo, Internet History

Sourcebook, school-library based databases, etc.)

4. Four sentences per body paragraph analysis. This is your own analysis demonstrating how the evidence supports your thesis.

5. Solid conclusion demonstrating the validity of the argument.

6. Emphasis: Put strongest evidence in the fourth paragraph.

7. No 1st or 2nd person personal pronouns (I, we, us, me, my, myself, you, etc.)

8. Academic Tone: No slang, no contractions, make it coherent and readable.

9. Avoid generalizations -- give specific information; I'm not looking for you to write an "encyclopedia" article. I'm looking for

your ability to construct an academic argument.

10. Avoid unnecessary information: "more" quotes doesn't mean a "better" paper.

11. Original and honest writing voice and a creative and remarkable take on the subject.

Read Tacitus' description of the Death of Seneca and Book One of M. Aurelius' Meditations. Find quotes within those two texts that help explain what Stoicism is all about.

Quotes from The Death of Seneca and Book One of Marcus Aurelius:

"Upon this the tribune asserted that he saw no signs of fear, and perceived no sadness in his words or in his looks."(The Death of Seneca)


"At the same time he called them back from their tears to manly resolution, now with friendly talk, and now with the sterner language of rebuke." (The Death of Seneca)


"Even at the last moment his eloquence failed him not; he summoned his secretaries, and dictated much to them which, as it has been published for all readers in his own words, I forbear to paraphrase." (The Death of Seneca)


"From my governor, to be neither of the green nor of the blue party at the games in the Circus, nor a partizan either of the Parmularius or the Scutarius at the gladiators' fights; from him too I learned endurance of labour, and to want little, and to work with my own hands, and not to meddle with other people's affairs, and not to be ready to listen to slander."(Book One of Marcus Aurelius)


"His fame rest, above all, on his Meditations, a series of reflections, strongly influenced by Epictetus, which represent a Stoic outlook on life." (Book One of Marcus Aurelius)

"From Alexander the Platonic, not frequently nor without necessity to say to any one, or to write in a letter, that I have no leisure; nor continually to excuse the neglect of duties required by our relation to those with whom we live, by alleging urgent occupations."(Book One of Marcus Aurelius)

Stoicism was a Hellenistic Philosophy in the city of Athens by a man named Zeno of Citium. Stoics considered emotions to be an error of judgement meaning that no matter what the situation is a Stoic may not show any feelings at all. Stoics have a fundamental concept called Prohairesis. This concept states that nothing is good or bad. Meaning with Prohairesis a person can rationally react to impression that has happened upon him/her. A stoic believes that only a sage is truly free. To a Stoic a Sage is a person who was morally and intellectually perfect. Stoicism was viewed by the Fathers of the Church as a pagan philosophy and as a consequence all of it's philosophy schools were to be shut down by the order of Emperor Justinian I.

Sources:
Bunson, Matthew, A Dictionary of the Roman Empirepage 382
Fitch, John (2008). Seneca. City: Oxford University Press, USA. p. 32