Friday, January 31, 2020

Gothic V Romanesque Architecture Essay Example for Free

Gothic V Romanesque Architecture Essay Medieval Art is characterized largely by the use of both Gothic and Romanesque architecture. As Christianity was highly significant to the middle ages, much of said architectural design is exemplified in the cathedrals of the time. Romanesque and Gothic architecture differ greatly from one another, as is displayed in a comparison of a Gothic chapel and a Romanesque chapel. The Cloisters Museum and Gardens: the branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to medieval art, offers the opportunity for such a close comparison. A comparison of the Fuetiduena Chapel and the Gothic Chapel conveys the distinctions between the two architectural styles. Thick, fortress-like walls, small, high windows, round arches, and barrel or dome vaulted ceiling, characterize Medieval Romanesque architecture. Because of the great outward pressure produced by the Romanesque rounded arch characteristic of the style, churches could not be made tall without adding buttresses to the weak walls. Said buttresses reinforced the walls, but made them very thick, creating a fortress-like feel to the church. Furthermore, because of such thick walls, windows could not be placed at these locations in the church, and therefore the windows in Romanesque cathedrals are located toward the ceiling. There are usually few, small, high windows in Romanesque churches. Moreover, the semi-circular barrel vault, as well as the dome vault, of the ceiling characterizes Romanesque architecture. The Cloisters’ Fuetiduena Chapel exemplifies the features of a true Romanesque chapel. The Fuetiduena Chapel is one of the first galleries on display in The Cloisters museum. The chapel displays the 12th century apse of St. Martin at Fuetiduena, Spain. The apse is covered by a barrel vault and half-dome, with three small windows piercing the back wall. The apse of the Fuetiduena Chapel exemplifies Romanesque architecture through the use of the rounded arch, semi-circular barrel vault, dome vault, and the small, highly placed windows. The entrance to the apse itself is a rounded arch, as is characteristic of Medieval Romanesque architecture. The immediate interior of the apse utilizes the semi-circular barrel vault, while the mural of The Virgin and Child in Majesty, with Archangels and the Magi is painted on the dome-vaulted ceiling. The three small windows present in the apse also utilize the rounded arch, and are placed more toward the ceiling of the apse, due to the fact that the thick lower walls of Romanesque cathedrals could not support windows. The windows in the rest of the Fuetiduena Chapel gallery are also placed near the ceiling, further conveying the Romanesque atmosphere. The shift to the Gothic style of architecture arose when architects began to experiment with structural features that would allow ever-taller buildings and ever-thinner walls. They moved the buttresses outward, thus shifting the pressure to the foundation of the building as opposed to the walls; such are referred to as â€Å"flying buttresses. † The flying buttresses allowed for the churches to have thinner walls, and therefore Gothic churches are characterized largely by their long stained-glass windows. The windows allow for a flood of natural light, in sharp contrast to the little light present in a Romanesque chapel. The Gothic style is also much more ornate, as opposed to the relatively plain walls of Romanesque churches. Rather than rounded arches, Gothic churches have pointed arches, ever-reaching toward the heavens. The interior of the church is made up of thin shafts and ribs, with rib-vaulted ceilings. Within the Cloisters’ â€Å"Early Gothic Hall† sits the Gothic Chapel. The gallery takes the form of a thirteenth-century chapel, adorned with fourteenth-century Austrian stained glass windows from the church of Saint Leonhard in Carinthia and the castle chapel at Ebreichsdorf near Vienna. Sculptures of royal and noble tombs from France and Spain also fill the chapel-like setting. The Gothic Chapel, as can be inferred from its name, is a great display of Medieval Gothic architecture. When one descends the steps to the Gothic Chapel, the difference in atmosphere from Fuetiduena Chapel is apparent. The ceilings, as opposed to the smooth barrel or dome vault, instead utilize the rib vault. The rib vault is the intersection of two or three barrel vaults, edged with shafts or pipes, often then decorated with decorative patterns. This ribbing allowed for the churches to be built taller, ever-reaching toward the heavens. The flying buttresses are not present in the chapel as they are an addition to the outside of a Gothic-style building, but the presence of long, thin stained glass windows within the chapel shows the effect of such buttresses. Because the walls of the church were no longer as thick, the force of the arch pushed into the foundation by the flying buttresses, decorative windows, often depicting a story, could be included in the cathedral’s design. Light was a part of the Gothic design, so these long windows allowed for a luminosity to the room. The doorway leading out of the Gothic Chapel further adds to the Gothic atmosphere, for the arch, rather than the Romanesque rounded arch, is instead set into a Gothic, or pointed, arch. The arch reaches upward, furthering the feeling that the church itself is reaching toward the Divine Kingdom.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Plagiarism and the Internet :: Cheating Education Essays Papers

Plagiarism and the Internet A major concern among college students, high school students, professors and teachers is plagiarism. Most students are unaware of what exactly plagiarism is. They all have general ideas, but most donÏ€t know the extent to which it spans. On the other side, teachers and professors are unaware of how to handle the situation. All the technological advances and the World Wide Web make it easier for students to pass off anotherÏ€s work as their own. Plagiarism can be defined as using anotherÏ€s words or ideas as your own without stating the source of information. This not only includes words or ideas, but pictures, graphs, charts, and statistics. The only case where citing is unnecessary is when the fact is common knowledge that can be found in a variety of places and most people know about it. Students who plagiarize from the internet, donÏ€t even consider it really plagiarizing. They feel that since it is not a hard copy of the work that it really isnÏ€t wrong. This goes back to the idea that students today arenÏ€t even sure what to consider plagiarism. With the creation of the World Wide Web, students have the ability to access great amounts of information at a faster speed. Years ago, in order to plagiarize students had to spend hours searching through books to copy information from to write a paper. The internet today contains information on so many topics, that is almost impossible to not find what you are looking for. There are even websites that specialize in providing students with papers. The task of plagiarizing from the internet has become so popular that according to a survey found in Education Week, ≠¥54% of students admitted to plagiarizing from the internet≠¤ (≠¥Statistics≠¤ 1). The commonness of plagiarizing has grown so much from past decades that is becoming hard to control. Although, plagiarism has become so easily accomplished, the same can not be said for catching plagiarists. There is just too much information of the World Wide Web, that it makes it almost impossible for plagiarists to be caught in the act.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Aztec and City

Jarrett Barber Mr. Slaughter 11/16/12 Tenochtitlan Tenochtitlan was the main city and capital of the Aztec empire. The city was founded in 1325 when the Aztec emperor told some of his tribes to look for a spot for their new capital city. He told them that the spot for the city would be found when they saw an eagle eating a snake on top of a cactus. This symbol is now on the Mexican coat of arms and on the Mexican flag (King). The tribes wondered around in what is now present day Mexico City, looking for this strange site. They finally came to the spot where they saw the scene.It happened on a small island in the middle of Lake Texacco. All of the surrounding area of the lake was all swamp land, but because they saw the eagle there, that’s where the city was to be built. The construction of Tenochtitlan took place under the rule of four different Aztec kings. They laid out the construction plans for the city on a grid, making the building of the city much easier and run smoothe r. The city was linked to the mainland by three raised causeways; the three different causeways pointed north, west, and south.The raised causeways had bridges in the middle of them to allow canoes and other traffic underneath; the bridges could also be raised up in case of an attack. The city had two aqueducts that were 2. 5 miles long to supply fresh water from the springs of Chapultepec, though most of this water was used for bathing, washing dishes, and other various reasons (Stearns). Most of the Tenochtitlan population bathed twice every day, but ruler Montezuma was rumored to bathe as many as 4 times a day.The people preferred their drinking water from the nearby mountain springs, as it was much cleaner. When it was at its biggest point, Tenochtitlan covered a little more than five square miles. And at the height of its existence, Tenochtitlan’s population was approximately 150,000 people (closely comparable to the size of the population of the city of Cordoba). Tenoch titlan was the largest city in Mesoamerica, but also one of the largest in the world (Tenochtitlan). The only two cities larger than this at the time were Paris and Constantinople which had populations of 300,000.The language of the city was Nahuatl, it was spoken throughout the Aztec empire. The people also practiced Aztec religion, the religion consisted of human sacrifice and religious festivals. Gods of different elements were worshiped and given sacrifices. Human sacrifices were given to the sun god in fear that the sun might not rise the next morning (Stearns). Templo Mayor was the largest temple in Tenochtitlan, it was rebuilt 6 different times (King). The temple first went under construction in 1325, in succession with the rest of the city.Each time it was rebuilt, it grew slightly larger. The temple was dedicated to 2 different gods,  Tlaloc, god of rain and agriculture, and Huitzilopochtli, god of war. Each god had its own separate temple at the top. In 1427 Aztec empero r Ahuitzotl sacrificed tens of thousands of people in the span of 4 days in honor of the temple.. The organization of the city was that of a city-state, with an organized central region. Agriculture was a thriving practice in Tenochtitlan. Because there was no room for it in the city, chinampas were developed.Chinampas were fields created on floating platforms on the lake’s surface. Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes visited the city in 1519 and was amazed. Cortes and his men were in awe at the sight of the city. They were greeted by the Aztecs with gifts and food. Despite the hospitality, Cortes challenged the Aztecs and took emperor Montezuma hostage. The Aztecs declared war and drove the Spaniards out in 1520. Cortes led later attacks on the city but most of the population was wiped by diseases that the Spaniards had brought.The city finally fell to the Spaniards in 1521. The city was demolished and rebuilt to what is now Mexico City. There are still ruins of Tenochtitlan that can still be seen today in central Mexico City. Works Cited Stearns, Peter et al. World Civilizations. 3rd ed. New York. Pearson Longman, 2000. â€Å"Tenochtitlan. † Retrieved from https://www. courses. psu. edu/anth/anth008_cmg149/aten. html King, Heidi. â€Å"Tenochtitlan†. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (October 2004) Retrieved from http://www. metmuseum. org/toah/hd/teno_1/hd_teno_1. htm (October 2004)

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Beowulf And Sir Gawain And The Green Knight - 1499 Words

In Beowulf, and Sir Gawain, and the Green Knight, we can appreciate the significance of Beowulf and Gawain s reputations because they establish their identities in society. Reputation can be defined as an â€Å"overall quality or character as seen or judged by people† (Merriam-Webster). First, we will discuss how reputations can be interpreted according to the individual. Then we consider what if they were to fail to uphold the expectations of others, and if so, what aspects of their lives would be affected? Whom else would they affect? Even though Beowulf and Gawain secure worthy reputations, they are constantly being tested in order to maintain their social status. Finally, with Beowulf s death and Gawain s lost honor, we are left with the impression that maintaining their legendary reputations was never attainable. Therefore, we can argue that Beowulf and Gawain are burdened by their reputations due to imposed unrealistic standards; when they fail to fulfill the expectation s of others, they weaken the reputations of both themselves and those closest to them. It is hard to determine whether both characters were realistic representations of the themselves, or if they were merely an idealistic standard to influence society. Beowulf and Gawain are hindered by their reputations because of the implication that their previous behaviors are likely to reoccur. We know Beowulf is a warrior and leader of the Geats, however, he is introduced as â€Å"hot-hearted Beowulf† (46, 634). ThisShow MoreRelatedBeowulf And Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Essay2373 Words   |  10 Pagesjeopardized community. In addition, the courageous hero often becomes the symbolic figure by representing the esteemed cultural ideals of the community. Such is the case in the works Beowulf from the Anglo-Saxon period and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight from the Late Middle Ages. Both heroes Beowulf and Sir Gawain represent certain customs for their respective communities; however, the three hundred and fifty years between these two works contribute to the contrasting views in the definition ofRead MoreSir Gawain And The Green Knight And Beowulf1471 Words   |  6 PagesThe Merriam-Webster Dictionary states a hero is â€Å"a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.† A hero is looked up to for the brave and noble things he or she has done. Although the characters and plots of â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† and â€Å"Beowulf† differ greatly from each other, the key themes of each of these works are quite similar. In both tales, the reader meets a hero who is endowed with mental, physical, and spiritual gifts that equip him for the task of confrontingRead MoreBeowulf And Sir Gawain And The Green Knight897 Words   |  4 Pagestwo poems, Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight embody heroic figures. Beowulf, who demonstrates all the characteristics of an ideal hero, is faced with physical and moral challen ges that no other man could face during his existence. Beowulf was not only looking to become a hero, he wanted to reveal the importance of establishing identity. However, Beowulf was not the only hero during this time period. Sir Gawain also participates in challenges that define his character. Sir Gawain was indeedRead MoreAnalysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf955 Words   |  4 Pages According to Sir Gawain and Beowulf heroic adventures, Sir Gawain has to leave his place by himself to meet the Green Knight and takes a risk on his own way as same as Beowulf who went out from his palace to beat the dragon by himself. However, their calls to the adventures contrast Sir Gawain and Beowulf heroic stories. The first decision is the most significant part of the heroic story that the protagonist has to choose either go out following the call or step away. Expectedly, every protagonistRead MoreComparing Sir Gawain And The Green Knight And Beowulf733 Words   |  3 Pages â€Å"Faith, valor, loyalty, truth...† one can expect these virtues that comprise the Chivalric Code from an orthodox knight in the Middle Ages. The Germanic Warrior Code, on the other hand, governs the warring tribes of Norsemen. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf as translated by Simon Armitage and Seamus Heaney, the core values of the two codes are respectively personified as the two protagonists. Despite the numerous similarities between these two disciplines, they differ over the existenceRead MoreThe Supernatural in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight863 Words   |  4 PagesIn Beowulf the supernatural presents instelf in it’s monsters. Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and the Dragon, all mythical creatures that only exist in tales of fiction. Beowulf also possess another element of the supernatural. The juxstapositon of a strong christian world view against those from the past who were well known pagans. In turn Beowulf positions the monsters in the work as biblical descendants of Cain. In Sir Gawain and Green Knight, supernatural plays a simlar role. The Green Knight isRead MoreComparing Beowulf And Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Essay1762 Words   |  8 Pagesultimately tying in with the theme of the work. Beowulf and Sir Gawain both exhibit what the Anglo-Saxons and the Middle-English viewed as both proper and improper conduct. What the reader encount ers through these two characters, however, involves a paradigm shift between the two cultures, with values, fate and pride leading to demise , reflected in Beowulf contrasting with those, the knight’s code of honor and chivalry, expressed in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. These dissimilar worldviews become apparentRead MoreComparing Beowulf And Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Essay1555 Words   |  7 Pagesideology is, does one value loyalty? Among the many values of the Anglo-Saxons, such as bravery, truth, and honor, above them all stands loyalty. Through an archetypal analysis, one may view how two major works of the Middle Ages, Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, both reflect attributes of loyalty, specifically the testing of one’s loyalty and the consequences of disloyalty, which reflect the behavior and values shared by the Anglo-Saxons and the people of the Late Medieval era. When analyzingRead More Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf Essay 499 Words   |  2 PagesSir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf â€Å"My body, but for your blood, is barren of worth; And tis I have asked for this folly not fit for a King.† These are the words of a true hero. One who is willing to sacrifice his own existence for the life of another. These are the words and actions of Sir Gawain, a character from the beloved British tale, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Beowulf, another character from an ancient British epic entitled, Beowulf, is also portrayed as a â€Å"heroRead MoreThe Heroes Of Beowulf And Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Essay2116 Words   |  9 Pageswork The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Such narrative poems as Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight represent what the Anglo-Saxons and the Middle English saw as both acceptable and non-acceptable demeanor. Both works possess the same values and beliefs while others, distinctly oppose, something that can be clearly observed through the careful archetypal study of the heroes of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In Beowulf, the hero first embarks on his journey when he goes to the